Languages of family, friends, love, bitterness and curiosity are all expressed differently, and it's important to open yourself up both to why the culture can be so different to why it works so well for its place in the world. I always tell my sleepy tenth grade students how easy it is to stick to the habits and customs we grow up with (and think that they're the best), but being stubborn about can leave you missing out on some really important life lessons!
The first week in Bukittinggi, I was given a curfew. I was asked to be back at home by 10:00pm! I was a 22 year old degree-holding adult... and I had a bedtime. You might think I was really bummed out about it, but I really wasn't. In fact, maybe I felt like I needed someone to keep me level-headed, because on the day I got my curfew, I had been walking and exploring from noon till evening, at which point I was found by my newly introduced co-teachers jogging by a highway far outside the city. I have a habit of letting the moment take me where it wants me to go, especially while adventuring. I was walking way out of line (no pun intended), and I hadn't even told anyone where I was going.
When I first got my curfew, it didn't seem serious... just a gentle reminder. My headmaster picked me up and told me she would like it if I did my best not to travel at night, as I didn't know the city well. She didn't know that I'd spent countless evening cycling on bikes paths and strolling through unfamiliar spaces during college. But I did understand her concern, and I did notice how odd it is here for anyone to be out all alone without anyone knowing.
