Questions

Indonesians are most friendly and tend to ask questions. Where are you from? Where are you staying? They don't ask your religion but it comes up in conversation and Katrinka says I have a tendency to tell strangers waiting in line next to me the story of my life. So it comes up sometimes that I say we're Buddhists. I don't really think of myself as a Buddhist or as anything but it's the best answer that isn't too drawn out and confusing. And when I say we're Buddhists, the most common next question is, "Are you vegetarian?" Or even, "So you're vegetarian." Lots of Hindus are vegetarian and the Buddhism they know about is pretty strictly vegetarian. My answer tends to be, "When we eat vegetation, yes."