When I first got to Garut three weeks ago, I was
kinda pleased to find that the main street in front of my compound had
sidewalks. Where I had lived in Putin for three months during Pre Service
Training there were very few sidewalks. In Putin I was always looking at my
feet to make sure I was walking on solid ground or not risking a sprained ankle
by stepping on some kinda rock or into some kinda hole or watching for crazy
drivers as I was walking along the side of the street. I didn’t get to see
other things while I was making sure I wasn’t going to fall. I wanted to see
the shops. What were they selling? What
did the little restaurants serve? What was growing in the fields? Had the clouds
lifted and could I see the tops of the mountains all around me? Putin is a
village. Garut is a city. Perhaps that explains the sidewalks.
The main drag of Garut, a few steps from my house,
is about a four lane street. Except, there are no lanes and both directions of
traffic like to use the whole street. I have not yet seen a stop light so crossing
the street can be a bit of a challenge. Along both sides of the street are rain
gutters. They are about 2 feet deep and
these days usually have lots of running rain water. These sidewalks are wider
in some places because these gutters are sometimes covered, usually in front of
shops or where people need access to driveways or garages. Every once in a
while the sidewalk just has a big open rectangle through which you can see the
running water.
These days there isn’t a lot for me to do. There are no teachers or students around the
school. The family at home is doing all
kinds of things getting ready for Ramadon which begins tomorrow. I have been taking walks.
Garut is a big city.
There are lots of places for me to walk. I usually start off on the main
drag outside my compound than head along that street toward the center of
town. From different points I branch off
and explore. There are lots of shops, cottage industries, fast food shops and
stalls selling all kinds of Indonesian foods and lots and lots of people.
It has been raining off and on for the last week. It
rained twice yesterday. I didn’t get a
chance to walk during the time the sun was up.
I decided to go out last night at about 7:00 p.m.to see some place I
haven’t seen before. Last night I headed away from downtown. There were new
shops, new food sellers and new people. I was looking across a street to see
what was there when I walked straight into an open section of gutter. It was
kinda like taking an extra low step by surprise. I landed on my feet in about
18 inches of running rain water. At
lease, I hope it was only rain water. It
was dark. I couldn’t see. I only scraped
my right thigh on the way down. A guy who was seated at a food stall just
behind me came over to help me out of the ditch but I was able to do it on my
own. I was wet up to my knees and my thigh hurt a little but, as the book says,
“It could have been worse.”
I decided that I had had a long enough walk and went
home. I have a big scrape on my right thigh so used my Peace Corps medical kit
to clean it up. I will live but I’m sore
all over today from the experience.
I was rather looking
forward to evening walks during Ramadon when everyone would be out in the
streets. Perhaps I will take my walks during the day. Perhaps I will limit my evening walks to
sidewalks I know. I will continue to walk.
I want to see everything but know that I have to see if there is
sidewalk no matter where I walk.