Hiking up a Jungle Mountain

A group of us went on a 4 hour hike up a mountain near our city the other day. The bottom part of the mountain was a coffee plantation and then up further was all jungle. We actually couldn't even get all the way to the top because we didn't have a machete to hack our way through! We did lots of slipping on the mud/clay ground, swinging on trees, gripping hairy vines that made us sting and itch, laughing, and enjoying green sights and clean air. A great day as far as I'm concerned! It was so nice to go hiking after 3 months without it!

Toward the beginning of the "trail", among the coffee trees

Clouds at the top looked really cool...way better than this picture portrays

A view of our city

Bug with a thousand feet, as the bahasa word translates (millipede, only HUGE)

Just to give you a perspective on how big they are. Bugs grow big in the jungle!

In the village at the base of the mountain. This man's cart was being pulled by an ox or water buffalo or something, but I couldn't get it from where I was sitting in the car.

Pictures from a Day of Exploring

Very disappointing phad thai after having the real thing in Thailand. Guess I'm ruined now!

Green!!! In our city!!

Hindu worship area in a sweet woman's yard. She invited us into her home for awhile :)

Aren't these beautiful?!

Another Hindu worship area...this one outside a Hindu school

2 fisherman

They were pulling in nets of fish

Crowd of kids surrounding the "western people"

More green :)

Just Another Day in SE Asia

Today, I...

• Walked to my language lesson at 7:30am and arrived completely drenched in sweat
• Studied language for 2 hours with my teacher, which I absolutely love :)
• Finally got the "e" sound right in a pronunciation chart!
• Stopped at the seamstress to pick up my kebaya (wedding outfit) and enjoyed a conversation with the pemilik (owner) while she so kindly fixed my skirt. (pic to come)
• Visited my neighbor, who invited me to stay for soto ayam (chicken soup). While I ate, I watched rats (they're big here, like some of them I mistake for opossums crossing the road) running back and forth on her cement kitchen floor behind her. But, she was so happy I ate lunch at her house, so it was entirely worth it! Although she's known a lot of bulehs, she said I'm the first one that has been willing to eat in her home. 

They're much bigger than this, but this was all I could find. Maybe I'll get a pic of my own one of these days.

• Babysat 2 little girls for a few minutes and made them laugh by pretending to sleep and snore, and successfully told them not to pull up the vegetable garden to feed it to the pet rabbit (whose fur by the way is part blue, part brown...naturally. It looks like he got into some paint, but nope, it's for real).
•  Forgot a skype date with a friend :( -- I blame it on the lack of scheduling here
• Took advantage of my supervisor's empty house (they're on vacation) for a quiet place to study for a few hours. Come to find out, there was a party across the street, which meant LOUD karaoke for the few hours I was there to study. Oh well, it kept me awake :)
• Worked out in their backyard and discovered two little girls on the 2nd floor of the building across the street mimicking my every move. Glad I could provide laughs, entertainment, and exercise for them!
• Tried to get ants out of the pet food bowls
• Got a confused look from one of my neighbors when I responded to what I THOUGHT he said. By the look on his face, apparently I misunderstood his question.
• Continued my never ending war with mosquitoes
• Now looking forward to tom yam for dinner and who knows what adventures for the rest of the evening!

New Years

All my best New Years' celebrations involve fireworks. This year proved no different, except it was missing one thing...my dad. So, Dad, here are pictures for you since you weren't there to play with fire with me.

These ones whistled while they went off

Sparkler fun :)

We were trying to write words with a long shutter on the camera

This Last Month...

Wow, I knew it had been a long time since I posted, but I didn't realize that it's almost been a month! Crazy how fast time flies. This month was pretty busy with out of the routine things. The first 2 weeks, I had language lessons and taught as usual. I'm learning more and more about the language and the culture every day!

The middle of December, I went to Singapore to renew my visa and then on to Thailand to visit one of my best friends. She's definitely more like a sister to me, and I can't imagine how I would've made it through the last several months without her! Here is a picture of us together in Thailand :)

We explored the city she lives in together and had a ton of fun just catching up and pouring into each other. When I got home, I had a few days of holiday from language and teaching, so I caught up on sleep (much needed after hardly sleeping at all in Thailand!) and little errands, including Christmas shopping.

Christmas was relaxed and fun. I talked with my family and then just hung out with my "family" here, playing games, eating dinner, and exchanging gifts. A few days after Christmas, we went swimming for the first time since I've been here. Although it made me miss the Fuentes family and Sarah Beth, it felt amazing!

Yesterday I went back to language lessons after almost 2 weeks off! I was a little scared because I knew I had forgotten quite a bit just by being away from the language for the few days in Singapore and Thailand. But, my teacher said I spoke well, so that's good :) Hopefully I'll continue gaining back the words I lost!

This week I've had fun with one of my friends here, walking all over the city, trying new foods, practicing the language, etc. I keep learning how roads here connect to each other and where each road goes, which if you know me, makes my heart very happy! She teaches me the daily slang of the language in order to balance out the formal language I learn in school. It's like 2 completely different languages! She and I ran together tonight for an hour, which was amazing! Lots of hills. Great workout--by far the best I've had since being here :) Grateful for her adventurous spirit and willingness to hang out with me.

Monkeys :)

There is a little area of undamaged rain forest trees and plants near my language teacher's house, and monkeys often play there. I've been going there on Thursdays after language to see green and enjoy some quiet, but have yet to see one monkey. Today, however, I saw a lot! So many, in fact, that I had no place to sit in the shade without bothering them or making some mama mad. I took pictures, talked to the sweetest elderly man for about 15 minutes, and then walked home. What a great reminder of the beauty he's created all around us, even in a busy, dirty city.

View out to Indian Ocean. Look at the clouds!

Jumping from one tree to another

Curious?

He could care less how close I was to him. Eating was much more important, apparently!

This baby came to pose for me. He saw the camera and scrambled up this pillar closer to me! Hilarious!!

Wedding #2

I don't have good pictures from wedding #1, but here's wedding #2. Apparently, since I've managed 2 weddings in 6 weeks, these are going to be a common Sunday activity!

Stage that the bride, groom, and their parents sit and shake hands of all the guests

Groom and bride

Ali, Me, Valerie, Becca in wedding outfits