Who said you don't need to know Indonesian in Zanzibar?

Some people don't always understand why I want to keep up the bit of Indonesian I know, when I live in a country where I don't actually know of any other Indonesian speakers.

Apart from the years of work it took to get the meager knowledge I have, and the fact that I could talk to lots of different folks and understand all those "tambal ban" signs in Java,

Look who's laughing now:

Fabric fragrance. But if you didn't know Indonesian, you'd just have to guess.

I got it for free, so I'm guessing the shopkeeper doesn't really know what it is.

Eat that, haters. My brain is slow to switch from Swahili to Indonesian when I'm trying to write, but at least I can read, and know how to use this pretty smell stuff, mothballs, and other imported goodies.

Ah I love languages! 

Remind me of that when my head is exploding from not understanding family tomorrow, okay? ;) and the next time I ask a patient if they have any problems with their door, when I mean to say back. :)