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Okay, this is a very long overdue post, but I've been rather sick a lot, so I can only update now.
As previously mentioned, I went to my husband's hometown for a week earlier this month. It was awesome! When we got there, his neighbour picked us up from the port with a beca and we went to his brother's house not so far away. I loved riding the beca through town because we got to see everything, and sometimes we would pass some people he knew and he would wave at them as we went by. It's different riding a beca on a holiday and riding a beca in your own hometown I guess.
We spent the week at his brother's house since it was the most comfortable (i.e with running water. The others bathed in the river, and I wouldn't be comfortable with that. Not because of bathing in the river, but because I would have to cover my aurat) That night they took me to eat some local food. The most wonderful thing I ate on the first night was nasi uduk with ikan emas goreng. Yes. Goldfish. And it was sooo gooooooood. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture. Then we had kolak pisang which was kind of like our pengat pisang but without santan and sago. Just bananas in gula merah.
The next day was the first phase of the wedding. The first night, everybody warned me about the road to FIL's house. They said it would be very bumpy. I thought they were exaggerating. It turns out, hooo boy, they didn't stress it enough. My back still hurts. FIL's place was about an hour away from his brother's place, and most of that was on a bumpy rode. After everyone left the BILs' wives were all rolling around holding their backs. When we were almost there, it started to rain, so the road got muddy and the motorcycles couldn't get through. We had to park the motorcycles at a junction leading into the kampung and walk in. It was about half an hour away on foot to FIL's house. It was a fun, muddy walk and everybody slipped and slid on the mud. 
After resting and eating at FIL's house, we were to go to the bride's house, and some makcik offered I go with her on a sampan along with some other makciks who aren't strong enough to walk all the way out where the motorcycles were parked, so I went with them. It was a fun ride, though towards the end the engine's coupling broke and the boatman had to push the boat with a pole (bergalah, they called it). Luckily we were quite near a pier which was almost where we wanted to go so the motorcycles picked us up from there.
The wedding reception on the first day was at the bride's house not far away, and it was very interesting. There was a keyboardist and some singers, which is apparently a staple in all Medan weddings. Then, there was the usual merenjis. After that, everybody ate. Then the fun began. They spread a long cloth across the room with the bride and groom sitting on the floor at the head. There was a big pot of rice in front of the bride and groom that was cooked with chicken and raisins, and behind that was a vase of candy flowers. On the cloth was a spread of all sorts of jellies, puddings and cakes, and along the sides were small bunches of candy flowers. I was pulled to the front so I had a great view of the goings on, though I had no idea what was going on. There was a lady with a microphone who was talking sort of like a game show host egging on the guests to cheer for their "teams". The bride is from Cabang Tiga, and FIL is from Sei Kepayang, so I could hear the guests cheering on either one. Then the "host" started counting. "1.....2.......3!" On the count of three, both the bride and groom stuck their hands in the pot and scooped out as much rice as possible in their plates. After a few seconds, the lady told them to stop and held up their plates. FIL's plate had more rice on it, and so he won. That's when I knew it was actually a contest. Though before you think it's a waste, the rice is eaten afterwards.
Then the host said "Pusingan Kedua!" Oh ho! So there was a round two. The pot of rice and the plates were taken away, and the vase of candy flowers was brought forward. The bride and groom put their hands on a flower, then waited for the lady to count, the n on the count of three, they started to grab as many flowers as they could until the vase was empty. A winner was announced, then suddenly there was clattering and the chaos of people rushing forward all around me. Turns out it was the guests' turn for fun. They grabbed at the bunches of candy flowers and almost all the little vases turned over. I was pretty much shocked and I could see hubby laughing at me from the door where he was standing.
After that, we went to FIL's house just to chill out with the siblings while drinking fresh coconut from the tree, then rolling around. The ladies gossiped away while the men smoked and snored. Then we went home and as soon as we got home all the wives asked their husbands to rub their backs. The husbands were all too macho to admit pain.
And that's the end of Part 1. Until next time!
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