Flat Stanley Visits Indonesia

Hi, I’m Flat Stanley!

Have you ever heard about me before?

If you haven’t, you should read my story first:

“Flat Stanley is a 1964 children's book written by Jeff Brown and originally illustrated by Tomi Ungerer. It is the first in a series of books featuring Stanley Lambchop. Stanley Lambchop and his younger brother Arthur are given a big bulletin board by their Dad for displaying pictures and posters. He hangs it on the wall over Stanley's bed. During the night the board falls from the wall, flattening Stanley in his sleep. He survives and makes the best of his altered state, and soon he is entering locked rooms by sliding under the door, and playing with his younger brother by being used as a kite. One special advantage is that Flat Stanley can now visit his friends by being mailed in an envelope. Stanley even helps catch some art museum thieves by posing as a painting on the wall. Eventually Arthur changes Stanley back to his proper shape with a bicycle pump.”

So at this time, I wanna share to you about one of my exciting experiences. Last December, before Christmas, I flew from Ohio, USA to a very beautiful country in Asia, called Indonesia. (Thanks to The Schneider’s family for sending me by mail!) And then I arrived in Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia), precisely in Marcella Flaorenzia’s house on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. That was the first time I met her. On that night, she worked so hard to put decorations on me (my hair, my eyes, my hands, etc.) and the next day, she dressed me up with a Javanese traditional batik and also a blangkon (an ethnic Indonesia headdress). I look more handsome, right? LOL She also gave me an Indonesian national flag, so everyone will know that I’ve been to Indonesia :)

Jakarta is a very big city. The people are so nice! I met some of Marcella’s friends and took pictures with them. Fyi, Marcella is a youth pastor, so she always took me to the church and her youth group. Besides that, she is also a private teacher. So, I met all of her students and they loved me so much! And one of them kept asking about my girl friend, “Does Flat Stanley have a girl friend?!” (^^')~

Besides the people, I also love their food. Indonesian fried rice (or they called “nasi goreng”) is my favorite! She also took me to “Sushi Tei”, it’s a Japanese Restaurant in the mall that near to her house. I went to that mall couple times and I love how they put all the Chinese New Year decorations! (Fyi, Chinese New Year this year is January 23, 2012.)

Today, January 20, 2012, Marcella took me to a lot of places: Monas or Monumen Nasional (their national monument), Istana Negara (the place of the president, but we couldn’t go inside), Jakarta Cathedral Church (it’s beautiful!) and also to Istiqlal Mosque (the largest mosque in Southeast Asia).

Jakarta is a beautiful city. I wish I could visit Marcella again someday. Now, I need to go back to my hometown in Dover, Ohio and tell this experience to them. I’m gonna miss Jakarta and please pray for my travel back home. Thanks for reading my story… :)

Love,

Flat Stanley