Wow! You really can't speak Indonesian!

I managed to arrange with the Pastor's wife to bring me to the women's meeting. Now, there I sat, staring at sunshine yellow walls, trying to think of sentences in Indonesian.

"Nama saya Anisha. Saya barisol dari Amerika Serikat." I began, and explained that my family was here studying Indonesian. "Im sorry" I said, "I only speak a very little bit of Indonesian." And in enthusiastic unison all the women replied, "It's no problem!" Which actually only made me realize all the more how much of a problem my lack of communication skills really is.

At the end of the meeting the food was served. Delicious chicken, jackfruit, rice, chips, and watermellon. "Do you like the food?" asked the Grandmother who had prepared the dinner.

Now I have to tell you, I know what I meant to say. I meant to say, "Enak" meaning delicious. But instead and just as enthusiastically as I would have said delicious said, "Tidak!" meaning "No!". Grandma stared back at me in shock and my friend burst into laughter.

"You told her no!" my friend said through fits of laughter. I was so embarrassed. "Maaf Oma! Sorry Grandma!" I apologized, "Enak! Enak sekali! Delicious! Very delicious!" But the damage was done. Oma smiled at me and nodded her head as if to say, Wow! You really can't speak Indonesian!

And off I go to practice more conversation. Hopefully without insulting the excellent cooking of another kind grandmother.