Obama Arrives in Indonesia

President Obama is in Jakarta after three postponed visits to Indonesia, but might have to cut his visit short because of volcanic ash. This could mean a lukewarm welcome from the locals. From 1967 to 1971, Obama lived in the Menteng-Dalam neighborhood of Jakarta with his mother and Indonesian stepfather. The family lived through humble means—Obama’s mother taught English to the neighborhood women and the family lived in a one-story house. “It was a very poor area when the family came here,” said one neighborhood leader. “There were still dirt roads, only a few houses and lots of large trees.” Obama, known then as Barry, was a chubby 6-year-old when he moved to Indonesia and was often referred to as “the boy who runs like a duck,” according to an old neighbor.