By Luci Ostheimer ‘21, Syiah Kuala University Fellow

Pelajaran Bahasa Indonesia

Something I hear constantly in Aceh is menikmati hidup saja, which means “just enjoy life” in Bahasa Indonesia. I’ve heard it from friends, Gojek drivers, students, teachers, fruit sellers, neighbors; I’ve heard it at weddings, beaches, meetings, classrooms, parties, coffeeshops, on social media, everywhere. People tell me to santai, or relax, and enjoy. Duduk duduk dan ngopi - sit and drink coffee with friends. Pelan-pelan, slowly slowly. Tidak apa apa, no problem. Ini hidupku, jadi harus menikmati. It’s my life, so I must enjoy. Just take your time. Jangen lupa bahagia. Don’t forget to be happy.

By Luci Ostheimer ‘21, Syiah Kuala University Fellow

June 15. Today marks the end of my first month here in Banda Aceh and the start of my “summer vacation”, having just finished teaching my final set of classes. After nearly two semesters of teaching online, wondering if I would ever meet my students in person, here I am writing this report, sipping sanger, a sugary espresso riff made with sweetened condensed milk, at my friend’s cousin’s coffeeshop called Blvckbox. It’s a small yet suave cafe that serves a variety of drinks with names like “Smooth Criminals”, “Gangsta”, and “Royal Syndicate”, stylish names that belie a certain edginess common in coffeeshops around here. This is my first time going to a cafe on my own actually, usually I go with friends.While outside is uncharacteristically gray and gloomy for the dry season, things feel relatively normal, though I know that me being here is really the beginning of a new chapter for Shansi and Universitas Syiah Kuala, or UnSyiah, after a two year on-site fellow hiatus.