To kick off Ramadan all of the schools in my area participated in a “Welcome to Ramadan” parade, which started at 7am, Wednesday morning. The younger elementary and middle school students led the parade and the high school students— which includes my school—ended it. As a teacher at the school, I was asked to walk … Continue reading
Once upon a time, according to legend, lived a Javanese king who killed a sea snake, which became a rock in Batu Ulo, a beach on Java’s south coast lining the Indian Ocean. In Javanese, Batu Ulo literally means Stone Snake. Here are some photographs from there and from Pasir Putih, a beach in the … Continue reading
Silence is a sound in Indonesia. It’s so rare that you hear it. The first thing that whispers is the wind. It whistles through the trees, strumming blades of grass and scraping dry leaves across dirt roads and crisp ceramic floors. Birds hoot, chime, sing at different volumes and frequencies from varying distances and directions. … Continue reading
I came to my new school right on the cusp of graduation and the graduation ceremony. Because my school is a madrasah all female students and teachers must wear a hijab as part of the uniform. As part of the “staff” it would be appropriate for me to wear a hijab also, but because I … Continue reading
(I am posting this from a beautiful hotel near the sea, where I am having a workshop with all of the teachers in my school and with the principle. Not what I had pictured when I joined the Peace Corps…and it’s not helping the “Beverly Hills” image I will describe…but it’s pretty awesome.) After ten … Continue reading
Last weekend we finally had one day to explore Malang. Using the Lonely Planet Indonesia book as a guide, another volunteer and I hit up Malang’s main attractions, which included the Pasar Senggol (Bird Market), Pasar Bunga (Flower Market) and Hotel Tugu, which has an extensive collection of Asian art. Though birds in cages are … Continue reading
While this playlist could be more appropriately titled Angkots, Buses and Walking now that I am in Indonesia, I compiled this list of 14 songs as I prepared to make the epic journey to the other side of the world. I am posting this a little late, but it still applies…and it may be useful … Continue reading
Last Thursday, May 16th, about 22 volunteers ventured to an Arema vs. Mitra Kukar soccer game. We had to endure the hottest bus ride and pretty bad traffic in order to get to Stadium Kanjuruhan, but the game turned out to be pretty exciting and ended with a score of 5 for Arema and 3 … Continue reading
I—like many people I suppose—do not like to talk about money. I am thankful that I have not been placed with a family that is constantly asking the price of every day things in the United States, or worse, the price of the things I own. Yet, as we both get more and more familiar … Continue reading
Teguh and Mike at the pesar tradisional – Yes, Mike’s hat says Bamboo Banger – and there’s a panda banging bamboo sticks. Continue reading
(* Disclaimer: this covers most of my second week of training in Indonesia. Uploading images was the biggest pain ever, it took me like one solid week to upload these images…so I will seriously reconsider posts with more than one image. I miss fast internet. Meh!) …is never ride a motorcycle. Well, it’s not the … Continue reading
The odyssey to Indonesia was so epically long (36 hours!) I even traveled in time. Therefore, it’s worth backtracking a little bit to commemorate the trip, which had been in the making since December 2010. Continue reading
(Disclaimer: This took me a week to write…sorry it’s so long.) Indonesia should really be called the land of plentiful water. Or food. And motorcycles. While I’ve yet to see any threatening reptile, I have seen many rivers and experienced the dreaded kamar mandi, or bathroom, which include the squat toilet and bucket baths. It … Continue reading
in the land of dragons 