Your Friendly Neighborhood Drum Band

Like I said in a previous post called "A year in Review- in pictures" my ambitious hope was to post pictures from this past year that we took with YOU in mind, hoping to share more of our life here. So  I am picking that back up- and starting with this video.
Even though I grew up in Indonesia I have never lived in a Kampung (village/neighborhood) like the one we live in now. We have learned so much about culture, and even more about ourselves, through this experience.
We have a unique kampung- just the sounds alone set it apart. Chickens, calls to prayer from the Masques coming from multiple directions, screaming kids, motorcycle backfires, and DRUMS .

Across the street (which means a few feet) from us is a open lot where soccer games take place- or any other neighborhood activity that needs the space.
So this was back in July, during Ramadan month. Our neighborhood is full of very talented boys who take items like buckets, barrels, bamboo, sticks- really anything, and conjure up beats for the neighborhood. (If I ever have a bad attitude about it, I think of my brother, who was an excellent drummer, and I realized if he were here he'd be out there with the band- and that changes things for me.)
During this particular time, they were practicing multiple times a day to prepare for a parade that took place on Idul Fitri/Lebaran    They would also go around the neighborhood at 3am every morning of that month, playing a loud beat, in order to wake everyone up for their last meal, "suhoor",  before the day long fast. Obviously this took some adjustment for Greg & I- since we weren't taking part in the fast -that 3am wake up was a bit startling.
With this particular video, I had just laid down for a nap, and soon into it, the beats began. I was initially quite frustrated, I mean you lay down for a nap because you need one, but then I thought "If you cannot beat 'em, join 'em" - so I decided to document it, smiling & "thumbs-up-ing,"  joining a culture instead of pushing against it. 
So watch the video & tell us what you think. It is such a picture of life here- lively, neighborly, innovative, ruggedly beautiful.