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.