We first met Luis when we dined at the restaurant across from our hotel called Bridges on March 14th. He started serving our table only half way through our dinner, but we immediately knew he is a very intuitive and intelligent person. We started chatting, and found out that he’ll be graduating from university very soon.
A customer from Scandinavia who recognized Luis’ potential when he dined at the restaurant a few years ago had invited Luis to work short-term with him at his business. So, Luis is excited and nervous about his post-graduation big adventure. We kept laughing that he, who has lived all his 24 years in Bali, has no idea what cold is, and also advised him to start practicing eating raw fish.
Worried About Leaving his Mother
He said he’s most worried about leaving his Mom behind as she’s getting old, and because she had cried many times about his impending departure. I asked how old his Mom was. “Forty.” “Aiya! Your Mom is only forty?! She’ll be fine! I’m forty-three and I can still take care of myself!” Then, I remembered people here do get married rather young. He’s also sad that he’s leaving his duties at the temple because each person in the neighborhood/village has a role to play, and his is dancing during the temple ceremonies.
On our way out, we handed him a bigger than usual tip and told him to have a great adventure. He was about to take a customer’s order and quickly asked Kenric, “I will see you again right?” Reflexively, Kenric nodded and said yes. I thought we would dine there again after we return from Seminyak. On Nyepi (the Balinese New Year), he sent us a message of well wishes and blessings.
We Can’t Let Him Down
After busting our budget a few days in a row in Seminyak, I told Kenric we could only eat instant noodles when we return to Ubud. He thought that meant we wouldn’t go see Luis either. I said we cannot break that promise. Having been a waitress for years, I understand how empty promises can affect a server if the server took the promise seriously. I do not want to do that to anyone, especially such a nice young man.
We made sure Luis would be working before we made a reservation for Friday, the 30th. His shift ended about 30 minutes after we arrived and he had to rush off to the temple because there was an upacara. He invited us to go to his temple, Tirta Empul, on Sunday. He said he would prepare some offerings and we could do purification at the Water Temple. You may recall seeing people cleansing their souls in a pool of natural spring water. That happened to be Luis’ temple. (I’m posting/reposting some of the photos taken there). We said we couldn’t because Kenric had to go to his woodcarving class. He asked when the class ends and that he would meet us after Kenric’s class no matter how late because that’s our last evening in town. He said he would bring his girlfriend. We agreed on 6 pm.
It’s Good to Have New Friends
The next evening (Saturday), Gusti told us that the following day would be her last day and she was hoping to hang out with us. So we asked Luis if we could invite Gusti as well. His reply was, “That would be lovely. It’s good to have new friends.” I hope everyone he encounters during his stay in Scandinavia is as friendly to him as he is to others.
It was really great to meet Luis’ wonderful girlfriend. She is sad that he’ll be gone for months. That afternoon, when his Mom found out that he was meeting us that evening, she started assembling a bag of blessed snacks and fruits from the temple for us. He told her we wouldn’t be able to take them on the plane, so his Mom went to the market and picked out two shirts for us.
It was a wonderful evening, especially for me, a former waitress, that Gusti and Luis will be moving on from their current jobs. Most of the time, people in the hospitality and food-service industries are thought of only in terms of their momentary usefulness and efficiency; and not as multi-faceted individuals with ambitions, dreams and untapped potential. In the three short weeks we’ve known Luis, we know he will go very far. After hearing travel tales from thousands of people, Kenric and I are excited that Luis will be creating his own.