Crap, a toast, creepy clouds and nervous...

As it's now approaching nine months since we've moved to the jungle all the way around the world I can't help but smile and grimace. It has been wonderful but it hasn't been easy. Yes, many people do it and often but the circumstances are different -- we literally live on a secluded mountain with natives who (most) don't wear shoes, litter the streets with trash and beetle nut spit which makes town look like a murder scene (picture below), break into our houses, steal our things, the grocery store is lacking and super expensive, there aren't hardly any extracurricular activities and the only ride out of town is by a helicopter or a nasty bus (phew, I feel better). The honeymoon is over and I am at the moment of cultural and environmental exhaustion but it is still pretty radical! Everything is relative and what happens here happens everywhere -- except everywhere else has better food, outlets and you can drive to get the hell out (only joking). Mike likes to say that here your highs are higher but your lows or lower. This place is what you make it. All crap aside, it has been the best adventure ever.

Just when you think you're going to break, your friends come in and save you! This happened on Saturday when I hosted my 1st Annual Toast to Accomplishments Party. This is a long standing tradition from a friend back home and I thought it would be the perfect thing for us women here. Fifteen of us got together and shared our accomplishments from 2013 and our goals for 2014. We laughed and we cried but we came together in love and support. It was just what I needed!

So it rains here almost every day and is easily predictable. I don't get too gloomy from it and appreciate the beautiful sound it makes and the shower water it creates. I do think my body feels the deficiency from the lack of sun from time to time. I always laugh to myself when I see the clouds roll in up the mountain valley. They slowly and quietly creep in with a promise that something is going to happen -- it's an eerie sight.

All in all, we are doing well. Mike's job continues to be very dynamic and he does his best to manage the cultural and operational demands (which don't seem to be very aligned). Yoga is still my saving grace and school is good. Hannah is doing well and seems to be more of a teenager than a little girl anymore. Breaks my heart but what can you do? Mason the other night, out of nowhere, started crying and said he wanted to go home. He never seemed to be emotional until now. I do think it is good for him as this is part of his life lesson. School has started again and I think we are all looking forward to the routine and I am sure that will help Mason.

Tomorrow our live-in Pembantu (maid/nanny) starts. I haven't been this excited and nervous in a longtime. She is so very sweet. It's going to be an adjustment for everyone but she is going to be a great fit! I hope we all can learn as much as possible from her. Just never thought in a million years that I would have a live-in nanny and be a stay-at-home mom at the same time but I am going to enjoy every second and take the time to focus more on school, my kiddos and my hubby! Blessed!!!!!!!  

We are preparing for the long haul as this quarter is the longest of the school year and the kiddos tend to get a little stir-crazy after a while but we are looking forward to going to Thailand in April and then in June going HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

As always to be continued....

  

Bali hai...

We left Jogja and arrived in beautiful Bali. Bali, in my opinion, is an acquired taste. It really is beautiful and its history and culture are fascinating. The streets are chaotic, there are no rules to driving (well there may be but I am a non-witness (no different from Jogja)), the people are aggressively sweet and the temples, garudas (Google that one) and statues are breathtaking. The service industry in Indonesia and the Asian airlines leave America with much to be desired.

The hotel we stayed at was a flat line aesthetically. However, the staff, entertainment, location and food were all fabulous! It was close to the beach, shops, stores and restaurants. You won’t escape the chaos of Bali but why would you – that is part of the deal!!

For two days we strolled down to the beach, bought some cheap (semi-cold) Bintangs and jumped into the warm, fish-infested, Bali Sea. It was remarkable! The kiddos loved it. We dove for coral and dug our feet in the sand!

New Year’s Eve came and the poor, over-exerted, kiddos were out by 8:00 pm despite their wishes of staying up late. Mike and I listened to the firework booms and pouring rain while watching TLC food shows that made our mouth water – missing home and American food. We watched the ball drop at 3:00 pm on New Year’s Day, it was weird! The rain continued and we stayed in the hotel which worked out great. I got to complete my final paper for school and the kids got some, much needed, downtime.

The rain subsided and off we were again for shopping and then to the Bali Safari Zoo. The zoo was awesome but a little nerve-wrecking with their wildlife tactics. Nonetheless, it was a great day.

We were sad to go but Mikey has to go back to work (somebody has to, right?) and back to the Denpasar airport we went. I am not going to insinuate that airports are fun but some are more than others. Our 1:50 am flight (terrible time to begin with) was delayed almost 3 hours by the time we boarded and took-off. I don’t get angry very easily but when the temperature of the terminal is a blowing-cold-less-than 60 degrees Fahrenheit for over four hours, this mama was mad. Mason was shivering in his sleep and I looked at the other, anxiously waiting, passengers they were shivering too, I asked them to turn the cold air off or make it warmer and the guy just said no (not a representation of my raved customer service). So finally freezing and tired we made our way back to Timika.

Due to transportation issues we had to stay another night in Timika before getting home after 48 hours later.  

Still tired but happy to be home, we now wait another 3 months before we head to Thailand.

As always to be continued….

  

Yogyakarta, the land of ancient wonders...

It has been a several weeks and Christmas has come and gone. We started our holidays in Yogyakarta (aka Jogja), a little town in Java. (Before we left Santa came early and left a note saying he didn't want to miss us. However, he did bring our stockings as a surprise on Christmas morning).

Jogja is a remarkable little town full of ancient wonders. I say little but Jogja really isn't that little. The population is about 400 thousand people. Upon arrival, the airport was no fluff and was a relief to tackle compared to Bali. We got our (soaked) luggage, easily got a taxi and set off to the hotel. 

We arrived in Jojga on the 22nd of December. The hotel we stayed at is beautiful (Hyatt Regency Jogja). It's quietly nestled between random buildings and structures. Its exterior has a very Asian-like feel with koi ponds and bell-chiming music. Its interior has western architectural flare and deftly decorated with Christmas pieces. It has like six or seven pools that are connected by tunnels, waterfalls, bridges and a large temple that houses a slide. There is also a beautiful 9 hole golf course, tennis courts and a neat lounge. It’s a little pricy but beautiful.

On Tuesday we got a driver and headed to Prambanan. Prambanan is an area of many Hindu temples built in the 9^th century. The (short) story goes like this- a man asked for the princess’ hand in marriage. She accepted only if he built a temple of stone in one night that was adorned with 1,000 statues. He gathered a large crew and started building. The princess didn’t want to marry him and brought her own crew to destroy his progress. Despite her efforts he completed the large temple but only accomplished 999 statues. He was furious and with her acts of defiance he turned her into the last statue. There she remains with the bull, the destroyer, the protector and Ganesh the elephant. Over time the temple was surrounded by hundreds of smaller temples. Only fallen remains of the temples lay due to earthquakes. It was an amazing, magical experience for us all.

Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas dinner were nicely planned at the Hyatt. Each table had candelabras with three tiered red candles, unique red-furred fruit and ribbons. Both nights they had a children’s choir that presented us with Indonesian and western Christmas classics. I only teared up a few times wondering how much Hannah and Mason will appreciate this Christmas and how much we are missing at home (the US). All in all it was very special- a true memory made.

After Christmas we met up with a gentleman that Mike works with who lives in Jogja. His family of four met us at our hotel and forward we went to one of the largest Buddhist temples- Borobudur. Borobudur is another 9^th century temple that was buried under volcanic ash and luckily discovered. Its true story I have yet to research but it is very awe-inspiring.

The magnitude of these places is almost hard to take in. How they accomplished so much with so little leaves much to the imagination. However, at both places we were mobbed several times with people wanting to take our picture. Just too funny to me. Hannah did get too uncomfortable so we had to leave Borobudur. She said “if I hear someone say Bule’ one more time, I am going to freak.”. They don’t mean it to be rude but sometimes it’s hard to be labeled or singled out.

We enjoyed the hotel, the pool, the food but mostly we enjoyed the drives we took through Jogja. Their vein-like routes led us through dense brush areas laced with shacks, little restaurants and open spaces of rice fields. We raced alongside horse drawn carriages and mobile food stands. It is a GORGEOUS place!!  

Our trip in Jogja was over and we, once again, boarded a plane to Denpasar (Bali).

As always to be continued…