SMSing Up a Storm

What we in the US call a text, Indonesians call an SMS. Since calling anyone is astronomically expensive, people spend all day with their fingertips dancing on cell phone keys to form messages for friends on their cell phones. This is acceptable in any occasion: while on your motorcycle, while driving your land rover, while giving a presentation, while in a business meeting. There is even a dangdut song entitled the SMS song.

I want to take a moment to appreciate--not hate-- on some nice sms messages I’ve recently received. These Indonesians, they sure know how to make you feel good over the phone, and just with something less advanced than email!

Some Excerpts:
Hi how re u today? im fine….sweet dream willow….,keep smiling.

From someone I had just met and texted:
Ya nice to meet u to. sorry I just read ur sms, … n just finished taking a bath. Everytime u need informations about city, people, place in Indonesia, u can sms me. Ok if I will travel I will invite you, if you’re ready, hahaha…..

From one of my teacher friends:
Willow, sory 2 tell u that I hv dizzy 2day. Perhaps I cant taste ur delicious fried rice. I hv 2 stay in bed ;(

Hai Mbak, there’s a bad news:( my bike still in coma 2day , n d doctor says,she’ll be on d surgery room on Sunday,:( so, we cant go 2 tamansari yet. 4give me plz:-(

Hello Willow,, how R u?When will we meet again?

After thanking a friend for taking me around:
Don’t mention that. Thnx Anyway. I just want u 2 enjoy every minutes in Jogyakrta. That’s wat frens r 4….

Although my arm aches after a day of communicating and I wish I could just pick up the phone and use it the way it was meant to be used, sms messages do have a spot in my heart. Messages like the ones above can sure change my mood when I’ve had a shitty day; say, men honking at me on the street and looking me up and down, naked women yelling at me in Javanese in the street, almost getting run over…and then, a sweet text message at bed time. Nothing like it to change my mood.