Home » Practical Information » Expat Stories

Een Lady in the Bus

She has such a nice nose. But isnt' it strange ..... having a foreigner sitting next to you all of a sudden.
.........

Excuse me sir?
............

Nooo, I bet she doesn't speak Indonesian ..... and definitely not Javanese.
.................

Oh, you do!
.....................

Where are you from?
..................

Holland in America or Holland in Europe?
............

I bet you teach English here.
.................

How clever that you speak Indonesian. I don't speak English, only 'yes, yes' and 'fenk yu'.
...............

Yes, I am a grandma. In the old days, there was no time to study. I married when I was young. I have a lot of children and now grandchildren.
.....................

One is four years old and the other six. They are already in school.
...........

Your nose is so straight, beautiful. We all have a short noses.
.......................

Have you been in TP (shopping mall)?
..............................

Oh right, you just finished work.
...............

Where do you work?
...................

Oh right, you teach! That's what I thought.
........

Are there a lot of Indonesian people in Holland?
..........

And of course in Suriname.
............

Isn’t Suriname near Holland? Then where is it?
........

In South America? Are you sure?
..............

Where do you live?
.........

In Delta Sari? I assume you have bought a house there.
..........

You rent! With whom do you live? With your family?
..........

Alone? Isn't that scary, all alone in a house?
................

So you are not married yet? But you are still young, how old are you?
.......

31? I thought you were 22 or something
................

Well, I have to get off.
...........

KIRI! (To the driver, kiri means left so the driver has to go the left side of the road and stop so that the lady can get off, as there are no bus stops)

Let me see? All my bags. Well, I might see you again one day. Bye now.
..................

Thanks to Gaby Schilders for sharing this slice of her life!