How to cross the busy street north of my apartment complex:

1. Pray.
2. Don’t bother going to an intersection; crossing in the middle of the block works.
3. If you’re American, look right first. They drive on the left side of the road here.
4. Wait for a break in the traffic, but remember that motorbikes usually go faster than cars.
5. When there’s a gap, proceed into the street. Hold your hand out, palm to the traffic and fingers up. This is Indonesian for “Please don’t hit me.”
6. In the middle of the road, cross the median by:
1. Finding an intersection with a break in the median. Watch for extra vehicles doing U-turns here.
2. Finding a little metal bridge that crosses the open gutter in the middle of the median.
7. Look left.
8. Repeat step 5.
9. Get to the other side of the road.
10. Thank God.