"Time is ticking away…..tick tick ticking away"

Balinese design

The opening line are for those of you who remember the old DC Talk album that has a song by that title…..and now I must apologize for getting that song stuck in your head :)

Yes, time has truly flown by.  I had not realized that my last post was all the way back to July and for that, my sincere apologies.  My excuse?  Alien abduction?????

Ok, really, it's because I've been out of my mind busy but I think alien abduction is more exciting….don't you?

Since coming back to Bali, I have moved house, moved base, organized some systems on our base, develop strategies of a CP movement for our soccer group, successfully raised finance to come to a leadership training program and that's where I'm writing from now….Thailand.  Thank you all who have helped me get here.  I was going to send post cards but apparently, they hide them so well nobody knows where to find them here in Chiang Rai.  

SO!  on to the list!  

Moved base, Moved house.  

On our Bali base (campus), there are a total of 50 staff plus students and 2 operating locations.  Recently, we've had to move out of 1 location and consolidate our work into 1 building (fun!).  That takes a lot of organization and time.  Since organization surprisingly is a gift of mine (shocking! I know Mom :), I was able to help with the big move as others focused on our ministries on the island (soccer, street kids, prostitutes, etc).  I was glad to take the burden so that others were free to continue the work they've been building.   

In the move, I volunteered to move from my room on base to another accommodations 10 minutes down the road.  Here's some pics to prove it :)

My Old room (time room with my own bathroom but on a hallway full of other rooms so had to share my kitchen, lounge, and fridge with 25 other people)

My new room 

My sitting lounge that I share with only 3 other girls

The view from my balcony (in the background is one of the main Hindu temples in Bali)

Due to being so close to the temple, I get to enjoying knowing the time without ever looking at the clock thanks to the loud-speaker chanting that happens at 6:00am, 12:00pm, and 6:00pm (sometimes, they feel a little crazy so they'll plan late at night sometimes just for extra kicks)

I've also helped organize the keys here on base. I know, you must be wondering….."huh?".  Yes, keys.   When I volunteered to help, I had no idea (I wish I had taken pictures!).  When I was given some keys to label and organize, I was given a huge bucket with about 150 keys (no labels).  I began to go to every door and figure out which key belonged to which door.  This was done on our 3 locations.  During this long process, I got to receive at least 3 more buckets!  Let's just say that Indonesian organization is not quit like ours.  But! each key has a home and now, people won't have to spend a whole day looking….yay me!

Ok, on to more photos!

I've see cows plow grassy fields but sand????

They do this for the hotel guests.  I guess they think it makes it look prettier?

No, I'm not wearing a white t-shirt…..that's the awesome sunburn I got when I got lost on my bike during the heat of day (the ONE time i thought "I'm not going to need my jacket….it's a quick trip)

Idiot!

My new Indonesian flat-mate bought us some "nasi kuning" meaning "yellow rice"

This is a truly community minded place.  Each morning when I run on the beach, the fishermen are coming in from their catch.  Once there boats land, all of these guys run up to help the guy push it up the beach….wow! what team work!

My next post is about my time in Thailand but here are a few teasers until then:

my travel squirrel 

 Why, yes Mom, that IS a large snake wrapped around your daughter

Why yes Mom, that IS an elephant eating out of your daughter's hands

Thought requests: 

1) still need a team to move up north

2) will be taking more trips up north soon to continue to build relationships

3) I will be speaking to a few groups about my vision…..let's hope Dad calls some of them to join me

4) While here in Bali, I'll be starting a few CP works

I'm Baaaaack!!!

I find that it's a trend among us oversea workers to not blog while home.  I'm not sure the reason.  However, I'm inclined to believe it's the food.  ALL THAT WONDERFUL FOOD! 

I'm back now in Bali and here is the last 3 months in review: 

May

Philippines

Language Acquisition Training

As part of the project I'm working on, we have to go through this training.  I didn't want to go initially but BOY! I am glad I went!  We spent 2 weeks learning how to acquire a language in the fastest, most effective way……like a child.  We spent a week learning a new language (Filipino) by just listening (no memorizing, no writing, no reading).  By the end of the week, I was understanding a LOT of words.  Cool! This is going to help me learn Indonesia all the more faster!

During the 2 weeks, we also learned how we were going to do story telling to oral people.  Below is an example of helping people remember the stories……using random objects.  That's my flip-flop being used for the "saw a blind man on the road" part of the story.  Again, can't wait to start using this method to teach people the stories. 

Proof I was working in Philippines

Using my black shoe to remember a story

My crazy, funny language mentor…..oh I'm lucky :)

The public bus of Manila…..funky!  

May

In the States

It's funny how many things you don't realize you miss until you see it again.  I've taken a few pictures of things I noticed right away once arriving in the States

Ah! free clean water!!!!  Most places don't have clean water available so this was a nice thing to see again

Wait!  You mean these people are actually lining up?????  

What?!  A part of me missed this organization but then again, the other part of me missed pushing my way to the front.  Here in Indo, I am successful at this because I'm stronger and bigger (and when I say "bigger" I mean "fatter") than most :)

So many white people!  No, I'm not being racist but usually when I fly, it's a sea of brown faces and I stand out like a snowflake in dirt

HOME!

I had an amazing time at home.  I want to thank my family, small group, and other friends for making this time wonderful. I was overwhelmed by everyone's kindness.  

After working day, night, and weekends for 4 months straight all the while going through major culture shock, I didn't realize how much I needed this break. 

Of course, I had to take a picture of my first real meal.  

mmmmm!!!!!! Mexican cheese dip!!!

3 days after arriving from across the world, went to my Mom's side family reunion.  First one in 30 years.  They are CRAZY!!!!  I LOVE them!!!!

Took a trip with my sister to our nation's capital: Washington D.C.

SPY Museum!

I'm a ninja!  

In front of the FBI building 

so naturally, I hid like a spy

Can you find me?

ready to pounce!

Where am I? Where am I?

Nothing to see here!!!

Ok, I have to be honest.  A part of me was hoping someone from the inside would come out and take me in for looking suspicious.  

The White House

BOSTON

My parents took my sister and I to Boston for my sister's birthday.  WOW! What an amazing city!

A picture dictating the arrivals of the first pilgrims being welcomed by the Native Americans

Thank you Native Americans for saving our lives!

Oh yeah!  went to Boston Red Sox game at Fenway.  Sweet!!!

Loving it!

My sister and my parents

Some say baseball is boring to watch but not when you're at Fenway watching the Sox!!!

Unfortunately, they were loosing so we left once it went into overtime.  Of course as soon as we left, the Sox came back with 2 home runs………figures

When you do through your everyday life, look around, it's amazing the weird things you see.  This guy had his entire half finger in his ear and kept it there the whole time.  Whatever makes you happy man!

My mom and me

Ol' Iron Sides…….a battleship from the Revolutionary War

ON MY WAY BACK

I had quite the long trek back to Indo.  

5 flights 

5 delays 

3 days 

2 upgrades

I don't like to take selfless so I brought my travel squirrel along

As I was sitting in the lounge area, I noticed something.  

Notice the blue chairs.  They are perfect examples of how Western cultures value our individualism.  The sides are high enough to separate you from the guy beside you.  

In Asia, this would be inconceivable to isolate yourself like this. They would actually think this as rude since of course! you would want to be beside other people  in order to relate.  

I'm not saying they're better…..just different. 

When I got onto my long flight from Seattle to South Korea, I noticed that I was bumped.  

After 12 years of international travel and all my family being bumped and not me…..yay!!!! I finally got bumped!! 

That's my seat and the thing went FLAT so I could sleep…..what what???  

The flight attendants were teasing me because it was obviously my first time in first class.  I got my own travel kit!  AND they just kept bringing food…..so of course I had to eat it.  Thus the teasing increased.  By the end of the flight, I was best friends with all of them :)

BACK IN BALI

I'm finally over jet lag and diving back into work.  Unfortunately, because I don't have a team, I won't be going to the smaller place up north for a while.  So I'll stay here in Bali working on some similar projects.  

My friends took me to this pizza place.  That pizza was bigger than my thighs (and that's saying a lot)

Luckily, I live near enough to a beach so I can go running every morning.  And every morning, I see the island's volcano.  Don't worry, it's further than it looks.  If it erupts, I'm pretty far from it. 

Again, thank you to everyone for making my time home so restful!  

Thoughts

1) that I will find my new place here in Bali (I'm still trying to look at my options for work and figure out where Big Daddy wants me)

2) I just realized that I have some training trips I have to take that I did not budget for so I will need to do some extra fundraising for it. 

3) That Bali to know Him

It's been a month and I have a LOT of pictures! 

Let's go and see some crazy cultural stuff!

ASIAN/WESTERN 

Blue: the Western's view on Chinese

Red: the Chinese view on Westerners 

Blue: how we line up at a check out

Red: how Asians "line" up at a check out (it's true!)

Blue: how Westerners get to the point (right away)

Red: how Asians get to the point (NOT right away)

Blue: our contacts ("my mom has a friend that can help me")

Red: their contacts ("my mom's brother's cousin's friend's ex-roomate has a friend who can help me")

Blue: how we travel and make memories

Red: how Asians travel and make memories

A LOCAL FESTIVAL

Recently, the whole island celebrated its biggest festival: "The Day of Silence"

This festival is focused on cleansing the entire island of evil spirits.  

This is how is was done…...

Day 1

Many processions happened.  We live near the beach and some temples so we got to watch the procession from my our top balcony.  First, they all walk from one point to here on the beach.  They set up their offering sights and eat together

You see those people sitting on our front lawn?  Yeah, they don't belong to us…..we don't even know who they are.  During these processions, it's ok to sit wherever you want…..even if it's in a front yard of someone you don't even know.  That's the type of community mentality they have here.  

DAY 2

Then comes the day before the "day of silence".  This is when they build their "ogle ogle".  They are statutes that represent certain sins.  I'm not sure which sin this one is representing.  It's strange riding through our neighborhood and seeing these horrible grotesque statues.  They believe, the uglier the statue, the more effective.  

Then, on the night before the "day of silence", there's a huge parade.  They carry these statues down the streets.  At each major intercession, they turn the statutes 3 times.  This is to gather any evil spirits from the area.  The evil spirits are attracted to these idols and they hope they will attach themselves to them.  

After gathering the evil spirits down the road, they take them to a designated area and burn the "evil" away.  

That night, we at the operating base prepare. 

DAY 3

Then comes the day of silence.  The island literally shuts down.  The restaurants, the schools, even the airport.  EVERYTHING is closed and nobody is allowed to leave their house or use electricity or make noise.  The only people roaming the streets are the cultural police who will arrest you if you break these rules.  

That's why you see my windows covered with newspaper.  I planned to use my light so I had to cover any evidence.  That day was very interesting.  No noise…..very quiet.  This is the only day you can see ALL the stars in the skies…..beautiful!

What a local would do during this day is fast and meditate.  The belief is to not make any noise so the remaining evil spirits will not be attracted to your home.  During the meditation time, they think of all the people they need to reconcile with.  

DAY 4

 Then comes more celebration.  6am the next morning, the loud music begins to play on the streets, men begin to drunk (again) and people begin to mend broken relationships.  

Wow! 

P town

I just got back from another trip to P town.  

I got to teach on basic healthcare to these amazing kids

For you Southerners, I saw this in a local restaurant…..it's pepper sauce!!!

Got to go to a local wedding.  Yep! didn't know them but we still went.  Our host didn't even know the bride and groom but it's was ok to go because her husband the doctor was invited.  Here, for a wedding, it's common to invite the important people of the town…..whether you know the or not.  When the white girls showed up, it got a little crazy

as soon as we walked in, this girl came up to me and wanted a picture

so did this girl

so did the photographer guys

so did the other people

so did these girls at a church we went to

everywhere we went, people wanted to take pictures with us…..it was a little weird

we went to a M person's house.  this is a typical house in the village

inside was this picture of the guy who brought Islam to the whole island.  

I had to get a picture of this.  this is how they "rock" their kids to sleep (yeah, there's a small girl inside).  This bag is on a spring and she was slowing bouncing it up and down.  

The guy on the left is the owner of the house.  The guy on the right is a M family member

Another day, we got to go to the small surrounding islands of M villages.  This was our transport

the M village

the kids (SO cute!!!)

He was making these boats all by hand

This lady was almost dead not too long ago and was thought over.  She was healed and now has a healthy little baby

riding on the top of the boat

"I'm the king of the world!!"

Good bye!

My next post will probably be from the States.  Thank you Mom and Dad for giving me the chance to come home for a quick visit! I love you!