Traditional Medicine?

One can only learn so much by watching and listening quietly. Sometimes one needs to dive in and try a thing or two... sometimes. 

Yesterday, I finally allowed one of our helpers to give me a traditional medicine treatment. The "treatment" is hailed as curing aches and pains, the common cold, influenza (a favorite word here, which always makes me giggle), and other various ailments. I made the mistake yesterday of telling our helper that I had a headache. She quickly insisted that I should try the Treatment. I've been dodging that bullet for a few weeks it seems, but yesterday I was slow on the draw and couldn't think of an excuse quickly enough. Before I knew it, Ibu was scraping a coin across my back over and over again until I thought I would have to punch her. Just when the sensation really turned to actual pain, she would move the coin over about an inch and start all over again. All the while she was jabbering away in Indonesian, telling me all sorts of interesting cultural facts, including that she would be more than happy to do this for Nadia too if she ever got a sniffle... only she wouldn't use a coin... she'd use a peeled shallot (???). There are 33 stripes across my back now, and I don't think Nadia would sit still for a single one... nor would I let her.

Truth be told, I didn't feel any better - Yet the marks don't hurt at all, so no harm done. I think they might just be for show. I think too that the marks don't last as long on an Indonesian's skin - I'm so white that I think I'll be wearing these stripes for awhile. Either way, our helpers think we're nice people - for eating their food, loving their rice, trying their language, and now for my submitting my body to torture... ah Treatment.

Yesterday

Today