I've finally become a local. How did I do it? By purchasing and actually wearing a jacket under the blistering Bali sun, especially when on the motorbike.
For years, my friends had told me, "You must wear a jacket."
"In this heat? Why?"
"Because must."
"But I'm not cold."
"We not cold too."
Little by little, I gathered that the wearing of a jacket had nothing to do with the temperature. It has to do with 1) the danger of falling victim to masuk angin, 'entered by the wind', and 2) the danger of damage to the skin.
Even so, ever slow as I am, it has taken the first hand experience of multiple cases of masuk angin
(most meaningfully translated as 'the flu') along with my most recent case of microwaved arms to bring me around to the realization that maybe these local folk were on to something after all.
It is a particular combination during this season of the year of intense sunlight and crisp wind that sucks the moisture from exposed skin and leaves it the texture of beef jerky or aged leather. This then begins to itch, and the itch spreads and becomes ever more intense, maddingly intense, can't sleep at night intense, itching till you bleed intense, itching till you get an infection intense. Yes, that intense.
Well, after days of expensive lotions and antibiotics, I'm beginning to see hope that my arms will eventually stop itching and that the skin will revert to flesh color from fire engine red. Patience, Grasshopper.
For years, my friends had told me, "You must wear a jacket."
"In this heat? Why?"
"Because must."
"But I'm not cold."
"We not cold too."
Little by little, I gathered that the wearing of a jacket had nothing to do with the temperature. It has to do with 1) the danger of falling victim to masuk angin, 'entered by the wind', and 2) the danger of damage to the skin.
Even so, ever slow as I am, it has taken the first hand experience of multiple cases of masuk angin
(most meaningfully translated as 'the flu') along with my most recent case of microwaved arms to bring me around to the realization that maybe these local folk were on to something after all.
It is a particular combination during this season of the year of intense sunlight and crisp wind that sucks the moisture from exposed skin and leaves it the texture of beef jerky or aged leather. This then begins to itch, and the itch spreads and becomes ever more intense, maddingly intense, can't sleep at night intense, itching till you bleed intense, itching till you get an infection intense. Yes, that intense.
Well, after days of expensive lotions and antibiotics, I'm beginning to see hope that my arms will eventually stop itching and that the skin will revert to flesh color from fire engine red. Patience, Grasshopper.
No comments:
Post a Comment