Road to Indonesia---China zoom conference, meals

 Just had a Zoom conference with the teachers from our China mission.  There will only be 4 left in China this fall, although another 6 or 7 of us will be teaching online still.  ONE member of our group has successfully received a return visa!! and it took tremendous work and money.  The 3 sets of covid tests that he needed to get, then had to have jpg pictures of the whole process downloaded to China website. I mean pictures of the man with his viles of blood, and the nurse who accompanied him, etc. etc. It cost about $500 and about 1 and a half hours to do these tests. The real shocker, though, is that his return ticket is costing $6000 oneway.  Can you imagine?  (Our return tickets one way to Jakarta, a little bit further as to distance cost us $480....but it was an exceptionally good price.)  As much as we would love to be back in China, I am so glad that the Lord has sent us to Indonesia, and as much hassle as it was to get here, it pales in comparison to China regs.  

We are starting our third day in quarantine. So far it has mainly involved sleeping. Rick has literally been asleep 20-22 hours the last 2 days.  But it is not unusual for him to get over jet lag this way.  It is strange to try to regulate ourselves to get night and day turned around, though, when there are no demands on us and nothing that is pressing to get done.  I have my usual list for ever day, but I am keeping it slow and easy.  The main need is to review Bahasa (Indonesian) that we were studying before this 4 week vacation.  It is coming back.  

Our meals have been OK. We have no control over them.  They show up between 2-8 hours apart. Breakfast the first day was interesting: small pieces of chicken, a croisant, croutons, and meatless spaghetti.  The last 2 days have been more traditional eggs.  (It is my experience that breakfasts may vary more from country to country than most meals.) The other meals are obviously an attempt to be Western with slices of chicken, various vegetables, and potatoes prepared in different ways.  It has been cold before it gets to us, but still OK.  

Really, we are doing well.  No compaints other than maybe I would like some juice or a Pepsi.