Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh

I am the only Westerner at the hospital right now, so frequently when I am at the hospital or visiting the nearby town of Singkawang to shop, I hear a lot of comments about how different I look. There are definitely days I wished I could be invisible but there are also days when I just have to laugh about the comments and questions I get asked. It usually starts with...

Orang barat - literally person western
Orang putih - literally person white

Bulai - can technically be translated albino but tends to have a bit more negative connotation than orang barat or putih. 

Then come the comments about the things that fascinate them about me - my size and my nose. It is not unusual for them to ask  how many kilograms I weigh or some of the old grandmas to try and pinch a bit of arm. My favorite comments though have to be the ones about my nose! My nose is a different shape than their noses - quite large and straight while the typical Indonesian nose is small and squashed looking. They love my nose! When I am in the OB ward It is completely normal for people to ask me to give my nose to their babies. Elsewhere they frequently wonder or ask how I got it so straight. Frequently these comments are made in Indonesian assuming that I can't understand them, so it is always quite a shock to them when I respond to them. 

And then there are the ads that show up on my Facebook or other web pages. Here is a picture of a recent one advertising a tool that will make your nose longer if you wear it regularly.

All in all I have learned that it is best to laugh if possible, instead of be irritated, although I will admit there are days that is harder than others.