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Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Sehat?

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?  

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