The common greeting here in Indonesia is "Apa Kabar?". This is basically the same as 'How are ya?' Literally, it means 'What news?'
This will very often be followed by a second query: "Sehat?", which is to say 'Healthy?' 'Well?'
Now, one who feels the way I generally feel cannot honestly answer, 'Yes, I'm well,' and yet, as with English, we answer so anyway. Yeah, I'm fine. Sehat.
Occasionally, I will give an unexpected answer. I may say, for instance, "Nah, masih hidup," which means that I am still living--and this response they almost always find hilarious. 'Ha-ha, Pak Will says he's still alive!'
But the strange thing is that when I am asked whether I am 'sehat' and I answer that Yes, I am sehat, I tend to immediately feel well in some way, even as I don't feel well. The two conditions coexist--well in spirit, unwell in body. The question itself, Sehat?, is generally asked with such exuberance, that I find myself taking part in the same spirit.
For what is health, ultimately, other than attitude?
This will very often be followed by a second query: "Sehat?", which is to say 'Healthy?' 'Well?'
Now, one who feels the way I generally feel cannot honestly answer, 'Yes, I'm well,' and yet, as with English, we answer so anyway. Yeah, I'm fine. Sehat.
Occasionally, I will give an unexpected answer. I may say, for instance, "Nah, masih hidup," which means that I am still living--and this response they almost always find hilarious. 'Ha-ha, Pak Will says he's still alive!'
But the strange thing is that when I am asked whether I am 'sehat' and I answer that Yes, I am sehat, I tend to immediately feel well in some way, even as I don't feel well. The two conditions coexist--well in spirit, unwell in body. The question itself, Sehat?, is generally asked with such exuberance, that I find myself taking part in the same spirit.
For what is health, ultimately, other than attitude?
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