After my last post, I got a surprising amount of texts, comments and emails from friends either relating to the sentiment or trying to soothe it somehow. It was already comforting enough to know that other people thought about this too, but a friend’s email contained a quote that has helped avert my so-called crisis: … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Indonesia
Daily Life / Indonesia / Peace Corps / People
A Crescent Life Crisis (or Confessions of A Peace Corps Drama Queen)
I was telling my friend about my upcoming birthday woes and he decided that “quarter-life crisis” was an insufficiently classy phrase, so he suggested the term “crescent life crisis.” At the time, I thought it quite lame (sorry, Fer!), but now it has deeply grown on me. crescent |ˈkresənt| -noun 1. the curved sickle shape … Continue reading
Daily Life / Indonesia / Music / Travel
A Soundtrack for Indonesia
(If you’re interested in what Indonesia naturally sounds like, you can read this.) These are a few songs that have characterized Indonesia for me. The songs that have salvaged my sanity by helping drown out the incessant Katy Perry and Bruno Mars* played by my host siblings. The highlight tracks to a lot of writing, … Continue reading
Daily Life / Indonesia / Language / Peace Corps / People / Travel
Random Ways I Remember Certain Bahasa Indonesian Words
Tulisanya – write/spell—comes from the word tulis, which means write. Tulisanya usually translates to spell, and it makes me think of tulip lasagna – a totally logical mnemonic. Timon – cucumber – I think of Timon from the Lion King. This is actually logical. Bagaimana – how – makes me think of Benihanas—a mythical restaurant … Continue reading
Bondowoso / Culture / Daily Life / Indonesia / Peace Corps / People / Photography / Religion / Teaching / Travel
Welcome to Ramadan
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
Daily Life / Indonesia / Peace Corps / People / Teaching
Things I Never Thought I Would Say Outside of a College Setting
and definitely NEVER in the Peace Corps. Yay! No Friday classes! I definitely had to rearrange my teaching schedule for that one. Are you going to take a nap? Indonesians get up so early they usually must nap in the afternoon in order to survive the day. Ugh, I have to go to school on … Continue reading
Indonesia / Peace Corps / People / Photography / Travel
The Indian Ocean & the Java Sea
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
Daily Life / Indonesia / Music / Peace Corps / People / Travel
What Indonesia Sounds Like
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
Culture / Indonesia / Peace Corps / People / Religion
The Culture of Religion
That’s what learning is all about where spirituality is concerned: unlearning almost everything you’ve been taught. A willingness to learn and listen. – Anthony de Mello, SJ It is Sunday and there’s an elephant in the room. It’s because of me—of course—but not because I am “American” or not related to this family or because … Continue reading
Daily Life / Indonesia / Peace Corps / People
The Best Things About Indonesia Are Also the Worst Things
1. I go many consecutive days without spending any money and I still live well, eat well and have fun. The bad part: Having to spend no money is a big indicator on how much there actually is to do in my very small town. 2. When I treat myself to something non-Indonesian, I go … Continue reading
Indonesia / Peace Corps / People / Photography / Teaching / Travel
Permanent Site: Bondowoso
(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
Sunset Roof Party & the End of PST
To celebrate the ending of Pre-Service Training, two new languages under progress (bahasa Indonesia and bahasa Madura), new friends and a successful initial integration to my Indonesian culture and host family, I asked my ibu if I could have a pertemuan—a meeting—on the roof. Continue reading
The Malang Bird Market & Other Adventures
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
My (Indonesian) Boos
Peace Corps volunteers get many praises for going to a different country and facing all the challenges that we do. However, I think the people that have amazed me the most so far are all the host families who are generous enough to open their home to a total stranger—who is also completely different in … Continue reading
Cars, Trains and Airplanes – The Ultimate Playlist for Traveling
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
in the land of dragons 