twenty-two -- ahhhh, summer.

Getting through my Indonesia withdrawal, I am now very much enjoying my summer at home. My days have, at least this week, been filled with regular exercise, actually doing things with friends, and plenty vegging at the computer, catching up with my Google Reader, TIME.com, and other news sources. Sometimes, with everything going on in the U.S., I'd rather unplug from the rest of the world, but I can't go back to school without knowing about anything that happened in the States this summer... after all, we are the center of the world.

Regardless, I feel very healthy (well, I'm still working off the pounds I gained in Indo) and happy (well, still working through post-break up emotions, but whatev). In fact, a day or two ago I hit up the public library that I usually go every summer to pick up a stack of books. It's really satisfying to come home with a stack of books. I brought a mixed bag of books, ranging from books on Bali, East of Eden, Satanic Verses, Good in Bed (blatant chic-lit), and so on. I love books and it lets me strain my eyes over paper rather than a computer screen. I'm thinking of checking out a bunch of books before we leave to India..

Few things I need to improve on: drinking water, spending less time at the computer, adjust my sleeping schedule to go to bed a little earlier and wake up earlier, finish cleaning the nuclear wasteland that is my bedroom.

twenty-one -- a good life

Bali - on the cliffs near Tanah Lot temple. I'm center.

The last few days have been, well, good. I've gotten back on my walking regimen and started drinking more water (my downfall in the past!). I'm feeling healthier and less lethargic, though I still have trouble going to bed at a reasonable time now that I am home! The slow process of uploading all my Indonesia pictures continues -- not all of them are up on photobucket but you can check out the few that are, of course. I've compared by experience back to a bad break-up; everything reminds of Indonesia. Flipping through the channels yesterday, I landed on the ridiculous QVC network (you know, the channel that sells random things), and they were having a special on Indonesian silver jewelry. A little old made-up lady in an expensive kebaya and sarong was selling jewelry... which reminded me of the silver shop we visited and where I got my Ganesha ring... and, you know. All sorts of nostalgia.

Nina's "The Great Room Purge" is still in the works -- I've succeeded in weeding out my clothes and two shelves and only have picking up random junk from the floor as my only remaining chore for that task. Then will begin the purge of my school stuff (what notes I need to keep, what notes I can recycle), my desk, and the random drawers/corners of my room. It'll be nice to have that taken care of before we leave to India on the 18th.

It's been three years since we've visited and I'm very excited. Every time I go, I've grown into a different person with a different perspective, meaning the way I see India has changed every time we go. I genuinelly hope my mother will let my sister and me walk into the streets a bit, kind of like we did in Indonesia... but I know Calcutta streets are rougher and tougher.

Yes, the last few days have been very nice, hanging out with my closest friends around bonfires, playing cards, walking, just talking. There's definitely a few people I'd be heart-broken if I lost touch with.

Anyway, we have guests from India coming over today and my room, of course, is the guest room. Time to clean up more!

twenty - reflection I

Now that I am back in the United States, it's both easier and harder to look back at my experience in Indonesia. Easier because I'm not in the moment and it's retrospect; harder because I have a tendency to gloss over the "downs" of the trip. Bali was an island I enjoyed a lot and as a consequence I feel like I over-glorify my experience there. To help me work through what I have learned, I'll be attempting to write a reflection at least every other day. There are other reasons too, and I guess I'll go into that shortly.

There's small things that take getting used to, now that I'm back -- not having to use my right hand all the time, not having to worry about facing the bottom of my foot at someone, not greeting everyone on the street with a "selamat pagi," the cooler temperature, living with my family versus living with a group of students... It's different. I'm not unhappy to be back, per se -- I do love my cereal, milk, water pressure, and my mum's home cooking -- but... I do miss Indonesia. Maybe it is because I didn't really have to face my "real world" responsibilities like... well... anything.

Still, I noticed a certain balance and friendliness there that you don't usually see in America often ('cause most people are perpetually stressed). I remember being really struck when Gusde was telling us about the importance of the mountain and ocean -- the connection of water evaporating, raining on the mountain, and streaming back down. A circle, really. And then, coming home, right in time for some talks at the temple? Awesome. I'll be going to Vivekji's talks at the temple for the next few days. There's so many things I don't know, especially about my religion and fledgling spirituality... that I hope the inspiration (inspiration to be just happy and content where you are, to live a simpler life not cluttered by just stuff), I found in myself in Bali kind of sticks as I continue my traditional summer regimen of walking, reflecting, and eating healthier.

I guess that's the first change I'm noticing in myself: the desire to be a "better person." Not better, but a more self-aware person.

Also, I gave in and dropped my South Asian literary humor class and replaced it with Indonesian... and also added the 1-credit Javanese gamelan class. Geeky, I know. But I don't want to forget my experience!

nineteen -- "so long, fare well, auf wiedershen, good bye!" (or selamat tinggal!)

Our program is finished.

Wow, that short statement has so much finality to it. A month has passed and at 9:30 PM, I leave to the airport. At 1:20 AM, I get on the plane to Seoul. I'm still amazed how time as passed. On one note, it seems like years since I've been in the States. On the other, I feel like this trip has only just begun and I have so much more to learn about the culture of this country and the culture of the islands we've visited, Java and Bali.

Our last few days have been mostly relaxation. Yesterday, we visited Kuta, the gargantuan resort town built around very few cultural attractions. At first, I kind of groaned at all orange, loud-mouthed, big-spending tourists: this was not the kind of last day I wanted, surrounded by people whose only glimpse of Indonesia was the beach and the sales racks of the hundreds of Dolce&Gabbana's and Versace's. Jake, as we all had our last meal together at Sari Organik, pointed this out earlier today, though -- we all did enjoy our day in Kuta, but even more so because we had a month's worth of background experience and memories of Bali and Java. (Really, there was nothing better than giving my feet the tender love and care they needed with a pedicure, after running around barefoot this whole month... And a massage. For $14 USD, together? Ballin'!)

I said this in my last post on the GIEU blog... there's still so much I want to do and so much this trip makes me want to do. Already, I feel that I'll return to Indonesia someday in the future, whether it is for dance, interning with an NGO, learning the language, or checking out the many other Indonesian islands. Again, I'm already planning my next summer -- not with visions of Capitol Hill as I once planned, but visions of another lush culture and country, whether Indonesia, India, or elsewhere.

There isn't a doubt that I'm excited to see my family and friends... to eat home-cooked Indian food and go on walks in the neighborhood (after this trip, I might go barefoot now!). To have orange juice with pulp and to eat cereal for breakfast. It'll be glorious. But I am so sad to leave Bali and to leave our awesome GIEU group. Yeah, there's been the average share of backbiting, but I really think we worked well as a team and as a mini-family, even!

I know I've said this a thousand times: I wish I could see more. Alas, I'm off to home and then to another wonderful country, India, to visit friends and family. Just do it the Balinese way, by living in the moment and always look ahead!

It's time for me to do some last minute shopping and packing, before we bid Avery and Meghan a farewell. :)

With Love from Indonesia for the last time,
Nina

eighteen --

oh, today was very relaxing -- watched a barong dance, saw a cool temple, had lunch near a volcano and a gorgeous lake, and checked out a cacao/spice plantation. (hey, ma -- i got you a surprise spice!) i can't stop smelling my wrist, which currently smells like the plantation's delicate jasmine perfume. i still don't want to leave bali... the days are getting shorter and shorter..

okay, i have no clue what to blog about today... i just had some free time to hit up the internet cafe and read the one or two important emails i totally forgot to check yesterday. i have mosquito bites all over my feet... rachel (my new homestay roomie! yay) and i got rid of two cockroaches today. excellent. yeah...

check out http://gieuindonesia2009.blogspot.com because that's where i'll have something interesting posted.

seventeen - hi, i'm alive

okay, i'm not sure how much time i'm going to have in my last few days in bali... my last few days in indonesia. the internet cafe is a walkable distance, even though we're now in homestays (since wednesday), but i only seem to have free time at night... and walking home at night amongst throngs of barking dogs frightens me a little. we're all having trouble even walking around the block from the Cudamani (they are a gamelan music group that we're close with) compound back to Ketut Liyer's.

i'm mixed about leaving indonesia. there's no doubt that i really miss each and every one of you back at home, but there is something about this island of bali that just makes me want to stay and work for one of the many exciting NGOs here. there is such a rich culture on this island and i've only hit the tip of iceberg in learning about it. hinduism here is so interesting here, and since i'm a half-baked hindu (you know how it is, growin' up in the US), i just want to learn from them, learn more about their specific, interesting rituals and beliefs. already i see the similarities and differences with hinduism in india...

last night, Gusde, our lovely indonesian tour guide, arranged balinese dance lessons for us... it was grueling even for such beginner steps! the two young ladies teaching us were very patient and that was a great experience i will treasure. Gusde played his gamelan instrument for us so we could keep time... (which reminds me, i watched them practice two nights ago and it was magical.) in return, i did ganapati kavutvam sans music, after a year of disuse. :) turns out Cudamani is going to do a gamelan-Bharatnatyam mash-up starting this week with a group from Minneapolis. Interesting. all of the music and art culture here only makes me want to get GOOD -- not half-baked -- at either music or dance. sigh. something to think about when i get back...

yes, i'm living with ketut liyer, the medicine man from eat, pray, love. more like, avery, jill, and i are living in the back of the compound with ketut's familia, which includes a cute lil baby girl named deya... we each have our own room (desk fan, whoo!) and bathroom. unfortunately, my bathroom comes with my pet roach alfred. taking showers is terrifying.

though i have been interacting with the family, it's not as great as my homestay in yogya, where i felt like a part of the family. i feel like i'm in a hotel, and that's not just cause we have nice rooms compared to others. i feel like a customer, more than a family person or guest.. sigh. oh well.

i did have my palm read two days ago, too. he said many of his generic things, but apparently i do have good karma and will be successful. he also said some really interestingly specific things. ask me about it when i get home. it's been a long day (i'm muddy from going to the organic farming NGO today and helping out) and i should really wash up my filthy shoes and feet.

much love from bali--

nina

sixteen -- what is international?

that's a picture of sari organik, the place we ate today. it's in
the middle of a beautiful nowhere... nabbed the picture from a
website, of course. interweb connection still too slow for anything here.

Today, we finally toured Bumi Sehat, the organization I talked about in an earlier (somewhat frustrated) post. Their facilities are really good and the volunteers there are very committed to a gentle birth. A Western couple gave birth to their baby boy there just last night during the island's blackout -- thankfully, there was a generator. You can read more the GIEU blog, where Jenny and Hannah blogged about Bumi Sehat. Afterward, we drove a bit and walked through a gorgeous winding path through rice paddies (like a postcard) to Sari Organik, a gorgeous organic restaurant in the middle of nowhere, really. There is a huge, growing organic movement in Bali and it's very interesting to go to these delicious places. We gorged on just the most satisfying food in the world. I personally had pesto pasta and tropical iced coffee. Mmm. At the restaurant, only the indigeneous and nutrititous red and brown rices were served... we literally had to spend a half-hour lounging in the open-air restaurant to digest all that good food.

Next, we went to observe different arts and crafts specific to Bali - bamboo instruments, weaving, and painting. Rather than participate, I just watched and took pictures. There was so many of us and I just don't think I ever do these things well... Anyway, we got to talking to a father and two kids who were leasing the place of the director of Cudamani, the gamelan/dance group that is sponsoring us here.

The father, who graduated from UC-Santa Barbara, got into coaching high school wrestling and teaching for four years, before deciding to go into International teaching. He's taught in Venezuela, Taiwan, Pakistan, Indonesia, and probably many other places. It's a view into the expat life here in Bali. The International teaching trade is where the money is at -- you're teaching in international schools, in english, to rich(er) kids and other American children abroad. You're provided with a house and sometimes a car with a driver... and it's still cheaper to live abroad than back in the United States. You can buy local handicrafts and sell them for higher prices to specialty stores in the U.S. There's no need to attempt to learn the native language - after all, in an international school, you just need to know English.

I know I'm coming off a little bitter, but it's a little disappointing when people don't take the time to learn a country's language. We just always expect them to know English. International school teaching isn't like WorldTeach or Peace Corps -- going to schools and places that need a certain kind of help, unfortunately. That's probably the one thing that bothered me, though the man and his cute kids (3 and 6) were just delightful to talk to.

... and though I had a motorcycle ride down a mountain in Yogya, I really want to have a motorcycle ride through the narrower, crazy streets of Bali...

Peace, Love.