glossary of terms

sometimes my thoughts flow without regard for the fact that many of you do not know that a "bule" and "warung" are not in fact large extinct mammals...

• Angkot – one of the many names of the endlessly but often equally frustrating minibuses used for public transport. Minibus is somewhat of a misnomer, they are no close relative of the bus. maybe more like mini minivans or mini party van– imagine what an uninspired teenager might due to a scrapped minivan if he wanted to convert it into a mini growhouse or a DD vehicle for friends unconcerned about comfort or safety. They are cheap and go all over which is great! But “the drivers wait until their vehicles are crammed to capacity before they contemplate moving [which is also great in an eco-conscious way if you have the patience], or they may go keliling – driving endlessly around town looking for a full complement of passengers. Often there are people, produce, chickens, baskets and even bicycles hanging out the windows and doors.” –LP (got lazY)
• Bapak/pak – father or mr. Pak for short
• Becak- bicycle taxi
• Ibu/Bu – mother or mrs. “Bu” for short which is obviously great
• Bule – foreigner
• Novotel – the ridiculously fancy hotel that all the ETAs stayed at for our 3 week orientation in Bandung, West Java
• Sambal – SPICY homemade chili sauce often served with meals
• Surabaya – huge city, over 3 million people, just under an hour away from Gresik.
• Warung- simple mobile streetside cafe