Did you ever wonder why tea cups or coffee mugs often come with saucers? It always seemed rather superfluous to me – just another dish to wash. But in Indonesia they actually put the saucer to good use. Because most of the water used to prepare hot beverages is brought to a boil right before … Continue reading
Some days ago I was in the best sleeping position ever nestled in between pillows and a blanket. The spot was so sweet I couldn’t even sleep, as an ode to my body pillow flowed through my head. The ode was really terrible, and I’ll spare you from reading it, but here’s what I will … Continue reading
Today I was sitting in my semi-office grading papers when I witnessed a black and white cat I’ve often seen around school sneak in quietly. I tried shooing it away, but when it wouldn’t move from a corner, I looked and discovered her litter of four newborn kittens lying under a desk. I’m not big … Continue reading
It has been exactly a year, almost to the day, that I wrote a post about weight and how Indonesians shamelessly comment on your appearance, particularly on how “fat” you look. Today, I am looking at this cultural issue from the other side of the coin. First of all, I haven’t been trying to lose … Continue reading
Note: Peace Corps requires all volunteers to take anti-malarial mefloquine pills, which can often produce intense dreams. Regardless, I have pretty strange dreams –and here’s a small window into what I’ve seen in these for the past 20 months. Rainbow parachutes and bouquets of stars (echoing the spectrum of the white sun) rise and fall … Continue reading
Warning: This post contains graphic images of a cow being slaughtered. After reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer and nearly becoming vegan in the process, it was quite ironic that I found myself in the middle of an animal sacrifice ritual. Let me clarify: Idul Adha is an important Muslim holiday that highlights the … Continue reading
Warning: This post has a lot of numbers. I love my counterpart. Sometimes, we get into the most random discussions on a strange topic of my fixation. No matter what, he will sit patiently and explain every little detail to my heart’s content. I’m not sure how we went from discussing tomorrow’s English lesson to … Continue reading
Have you ever been in a room, usually at night, when everything is so quiet that you can hear a watch or, worse, a clock ticking? This used to happen to me often. When I lived in a place with actual prolonged silences, the strokes would magnify, and I would lie awake, unable to sleep, … Continue reading
You know you’ve been in a place for a long time when not just one, but TWO babies have been conceived and born. In a blink of an eye, 17 months flew by. Here’s to enjoying the next 9 months of Peace Corps Indonesia livin’ – and coincidently, there’s just enough time for another baby … Continue reading
1. When a little bit of food turned into a flock of birds standing on my brother’s head. 2. Flirty peacocks. 3. Dancin’ Elephant – A Music Video I wish the quality of the video were better…but the HD version would take FOREVER to upload. 4. Rollin’ like Indiana Jones at the Monkey Temple in … Continue reading
The music that characterized the events and cities I passed through in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. (Title links to song.) 1. “The Veldt (feat. Chris James)” – deadmau5 Album Title Goes Here was my album of choice during a sleepless overnight journey from Bangkok to South Thailand. 2. “Save the World (feat. John Martin)” – … Continue reading
During the two-week semester break from our schools, two volunteers and I backpacked across Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. All of us are now back in Indonesia—ready to complete the second year of our Peace Corps service—but upon traveling extensively outside of this country together, I’ve gained a lot of perspective on just how much Peace … Continue reading
in the land of dragons 