In the Mix: Meet Danny Smith, part Vietnamese/Japanese, part American

By: Emma Kwee

Time for another instalment of In the Mix! In this series we talk to people with a mixed background. Have these colorful roots entangled them? Confused them? In what way has their heritage formed their identity, how they look at the world and the world looks at them? Feel free to join in and tell us about your mixed roots. Just e-mail info@latitudes.nu and we'll send you some questions!

Today we meet Danny Smith, a guy with  common last name, but less common roots. A wonderful mix of Vietnamese, Japanese and American genes add spice to his life, as well as his palate.

In the Mix: Meet Jessa Warren, part Filipino, part Native American, part Belgian and part Polish!

By: Emma Kwee

In this series we talk to people with a mixed background. Have these colorful roots entangled them? Confused them? In what way has their heritage formed their identity, how they look at the world and the world looks at them? In this episode we meet Jessa Warren from Missouri, who has Filipino, Native American, Hungarian and Polish roots!

Are you mixed Asian and do you want to share your story? Then just e-mail info@latitudes.nu!

Cross-Cultural Couples: Nonie and Egbert

By: Emma Kwee

Our family of mixed couples is growing bigger and bigger. The Latitudes Cross-Cultural Couples series is a testament to the intermingling of cultures that makes this world a more interesting and colorful place. Are you a mixed couple and would you like to be featured on Latitudes? Do you have an extraordinary tale of love that surpasses cultural boundaries and geographical borders? Then e-mail us at info@latitudes.nu!

Indonesian Nonie and Dutch Egbert Wits met on Egbert’s birthday party. It was only after the festivities that they realized there was something more…slowly but steadily the couple inched closer and closer, until now they share their lives in Yogyakarta.

Please introduce yourselves, what are your names, where are you from and where do you live?

Nonie: My name is Nonie, but actually my real name is Retno Wachyuni. The name Nonie came from my grandmother, who started calling me Nonie. It's a name once used for young girls who act or look like European girls, especially during the period Indonesia was still colonized by the Dutch. I am originally from Slawi, a little town in the north of Central Java.

Egbert: My name is Egbert, I was born in Amsterdam, but raised in Mijdrecht, a little sleepy village just outside Amsterdam. After studying and living in Amsterdam for about 10 years I moved to Indonesia. I started out in Malang (1 year) and from there moved to Yogyakarta (3 months), Tegal (1.5 year), Jakarta (1 year), Bandung (1.5 years) and now finally we're living in Yogyakarta. We both hope this will be our end station in Indonesia, although given our nomadic history, you never know.

Thai Green Papaya Salad Recipe

By: Emma Kwee

Ahhh… time for a refreshing Thai style papaya salad. Som Tam as it is called in Thailand, is great as a side dish or even as a crunchy healthy lunch. The typical well balanced Thai flavor that incorporates sweet, sour, spicy and salty tones hits every taste bud spoon after spoon. You need to get your hands on a green (unripe) papaya instead of a ripe one (the fruit should be firm and an even shade of green).

Other essentials are a grater and a mortar and pestle, because we have some pounding to do before serving up our papaya salad!

In the Mix: Meet Malay/Pakistani Muhammad

By: Emma Kwee

In this series we talk to people with a mixed background. Have these colorful roots entangled them? Confused them? In what way has their heritage formed their identity, how they look at the world and the world looks at them?

Are you mixed Asian and do you want to share your story? Then just e-mail info@latitudes.nu!

This time around, we meet Muhammad, a Malaysian with Pakistani roots and a deep love for Teh Tarik.

In the Mix: Meet Half Korean/Part Hawaiian Laura

By: Emma Kwee

This new series is a sequel to Cross-cultural couples, a series on mixed relationships we featured the last 2 years. Over 20 couples of mixed cultural backgrounds shared their stories on Latitudes.

Now we want to take it a step further and look what happens when mixed couples have children. In this series we talk to people with a mixed Asian background. Have these colorful roots entangled them? Confused them? In what way has their heritage formed their identity, how they look at the world and the world looks at them?

Are you mixed Asian and do you want to share your story? Then just e-mail info@latitudes.nu!

In this first installment we meet Laura, who is half Korean and part Chinese.

Idul Fitri: Forgiving Family & Traffic Jams

By: Jack Lato & Emma Kwee

Idul Fitri is the most important day on the Islamic calendar. Cleansed and a few pounds lighter, millions of Indonesians return home (‘pulang kampung’ Obama would say). As lemmings squeezed in overflowing economy busses they are prepared to take the final hurdle, after conquering kilometers of queues to obtain the last overpriced tickets, facing kilometers of traffic jams crisscrossing the country.

What moves Indonesians during Idul Fitri is an irrepressible urge to meet their family, particularly the parents. Shaking hands, asking for forgiveness and the blessing of their parents could theoretically be done anytime. Mobile phones could also come in handy; speaking through the phone, or texting for forgiveness shuns the caller from being ashamed. Indonesia is utterly connected by high-tech devices. Yet, during Idul Fitri the sense of love drives people to return home and physically connect with their family.

Indonesian Independence Day

By: Emma Kwee

August 17 is Indonesia's biggest day of the year: Independence day. This day marks the celebration of Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch.

On Friday 10:00 AM, August 17, 1945 the official proclamation was made to the world by first president Sukarno and Hatta (only to be denied by the Dutch, who soon returned to 'restore order'). It took 4 more years to defeat the Dutch. Read more about Indonesia's struggle to independence in this wonderful piece written in 2010 by Ed Caffin 'Merdeka, 65 Years of Indonesian Independence.

August 17th is a joyous occasion for all Indonesians. The nation is decorated in red and white and festivals, parades, games and entertainment will get everybody out on the streets.

Ramadan

Ramadan has been underway since July the 20th and will end on August  18 2012. Idul Fitri will take place on August 19. Ramadan is the ninth month of Islamic calendar. It is a belief that in the month of Ramadan the Holy book of Muslims, Quran was sent down from heaven as guidance for men and also as a direction and a means to Salvation.

Ramadan is the month of fasting. The entire month Muslims fast and have no water and food during the daytime. Muslims have food only before the sunrises and after the sunsets. The day starts with eating the suhoor. Suhoor is the meal eaten by the Muslims before the sun rises. Once suhoor is done Muslims cannot eat or drink the whole day. In the evening when the sun sets then they have another meal called If tar. To open the fasting they pray and eat. Once Iftar is over Muslims visit their relative’s house and early in the morning sets back to the fast.

Splendid Isolation: Southeast Asia’s most Alluring Islands

By: Simon Hare & Emma Kwee

As a Brit, a love of island life is in my DNA and like many of my fellow countrymen I was brought up on island holidays: The Isle of Wight, Jersey, and for the more adventurous, Mallorca, Malta or even Cyprus. As if that wasn’t enough our literature is peppered with island-based fun and fantasy: Swallows and Amazons, Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe and of course Kirrin Island, scene of many an adventure for Enid Blyton’s Famous Five.

It’s hardly surprising, then, that the draw of Southeast Asia’s idyllic islands has proven too much to resist as an adult. There are thousands to choose from, but here’s the lowdown on just a few of our favourite tropical islands and some ideas on where to stay when you get there…

Penang: Malaysia in miniature

If Malaysia is a symbol of a (mostly) harmonious multi-cultural society then Penang, and UNESCO world heritage listed Georgetown are the perfect microcosm of the nation as a whole, and therefore a really quick and easy way to see many of the facets of this amazing country all in one small area.