Jamu

Jamu is an ambiguous term for a whole bunch of natural cures and teas for health. I had some in Jakarta and got to read the back of some of the packages. Let me tell you, it can cure some serious things like “bad smell,” menstrual irregularities, a post-childbirth vagina, and a big gut. I learned the last from one of the guys who works at my place. He pointed suggestively at my stomach as he said the jamu he had could cure cancer AND obesity. He’s a chubby guy, so I wanted to ask if he had been using it sporadically.

The first jamu I tried had a strong turmeric taste and was bright yellow. I wasn’t a big fan of the taste and didn’t know what it would cure. I evened it out with a gingery-sweet jamu…again not sure what this medicinal drink was for, but I do know ginger is a digestive aid so I figured it couldn’t hurt. At that point, my language skills were quite skeletal.