Sleeping Sharks

I have to laugh right now because of my current situation. I just called Uncle Mike from The Quick & Easy Boys at 2:00am Oregon time (they just finished a gig in Bend), while I am cooking rice and lentils, as my neighbor is playing the Star Wars title song on his trumpet blaring into my house and my kitties are falling asleep like little drugged aliens after they ate their dinner, while I was squirting a stray cat from coming inside. My front door is open and it is just starting to get dark outside which means the local temple recording will soon sound at the 5:45pm call to Hindu prayer. I had to light incense since there was a cremation next door with my ceiling fan spinning constantly above. It has been a very hot day that I spent mostly at school prepping for classes while reminiscing on my last week diving in the Komodo Islands. There you go. Life in Bali. Nothing short of entertaining.

I did indeed see sleeping sharks, swimming sharks and many other amazing creatures under the deep blue sea. Before this trip, I had about 4-5 dives to my name (I can't exactly remember since I left all my PADI paperwork in storage and it was 20 years ago). This was a trip where I should have had at least 20 open water dives to be aboard. But I was allowed to dive. Barely.

The always entertaining and hilarious German dive master and boat owner, Vovo, was creative and I survived. He reminded me and guided me but was clearly used to pro divers. I was with my co-worker Teri and her husband Steve, who invited me along and worked out all the details.

Vovo's beautiful and sweet Indonesian wife, Yani, cooked us the best food I have ever had and three crew supported the trip. The boat was home away from and the weather perfect.

We shared the boat with a lovely Swiss father and daughter, who were 80 dives more experienced then me but very patient and kind.

Needless to say I learned an incredible amount and am in love with diving. I was especially nervous and scared with everything the first few dives. I had trouble clearing my ears, finding the right mask and breathing slowly, but it was all worth it. We dove in protected bays as well as open currents and saw sharks, turtles, scorpionfish, trigger fish, sea stars, sea slugs, sea worms, clown fish, manta rays, angel fish, grouper, and so many other kinds it was overwhelming. The coral was stunning and the fish came in every color possible. It was sensory overload for the eyes. And incredible will-power to not freak out in the mind. We are not meant to be 90 ft under water, and once I learned to trust myself and my equipment, I was much more relaxed.

Komodo diving can be quite dangerous with the currents and is considered a place for professionals. There were a few times that I had my hand held through the currents (thank god!) so I wouldn't panic or get swept away. We heard the stories that indeed happened with folks last year that were swept away and not picked up or found for days. No fooling. But we had Vovo and they did not. We also had his trusted crewman, Merajap, who was always in the speed boat waiting after each dive, battling the currents and looking for our bubbles. 

Vovo would brief us on each dive, what currents to expect, where to go, what depth we would be at, etc. One particular dive, Castle Rock, we dove about 90 ft into this bowl and there were so many fish all around, above and below that with the sun glimmering down, it was surreal. I wrote a poem.

"Castle Rock"


Descending down into the depths
Farther down than my ears wanted to go,
Farther than my eyes could comprehend, 
the world opened before me.


Shimmers, glints, shadows, 
Sunlight streaming down.
Losing sight of the surface,
Schools of fish living in beauty.


Here in this place we are guests.
With the coral cascading down
into the sandy bottom,
Where the sharks sleep.


Life continues in movement,
eating, attacking, breathing, dancing.
waters we pack heavy 
To be, in this light.


And stare in awe 
with mouths full of air,
with life all around
a constant flow moving before us.


Turning, staring, pointing, smiling,
we can't get enough of this place.
We don't want to leave, 
to believe it isn't our home.


Today here, tomorrow eager to return.
Breathe deep, breathe slowly
and again I will see the light
below.


Beyond the diving we did take the speed boat to Rinca Island to see the Komodo Dragons.

and spent a sunset watching thousands of flying foxes leave their roost in hunt of food.

Dolphins jumped and local fisherman fished.

The sunsets were mind-bending and the sunrises were beyond picturesque.

After our journey on the boat we went back to Flores Island (where we flew in from Bali) and spent a few days exploring, and getting our feet back on the ground. We went for a rainy hike in the rainforest, saw more rice fields, 

went to the market, meet some locals and then came home. 

Now I feel like I am in Indonesia.

"Am I Loose?"

That was the question that was asked to me on Monday as I was walking back to school from a quick lunch at home. Our little bamboo bridge is out for repairs so I walked the long way around, typically the scooter route. First of all, nobody really walks anywhere. It's all scooters. So there I was hoofing it up the hill, dodging scooters, across the cement bridge and this man pulled over concerned. I know the nice gentleman was asking if I was lost, but what I heard was, "Are you loose?" I pointed and said, "Saya guru Green School" (I am a teacher at GS). I had to chuckle at the 'loose' idea. No, currently I am not loose, nor even dating despite all the Eat Pray Love references that fly around. Maybe someday. Raaarrrh.

Another interesting thing about this week was my students teaching me how to download movies. I am a pirate now and apparently it isn't that illegal. I am still having trouble figuring it out, but all the kids are super keen on helping me. Teaching the teacher is way cool! I just took it for granted on how easy it was to find just the right movie for in the classroom. I am not a huge proponent of watching a lot of video in the classroom but when you have spent seven weeks studying a novel, it is fun watching how the book compares to the movie version. And despite the kids' best effort, I am technologically challenged; another teacher is downloading Lord of the Flies so we can watch it after break.

Which leads me to my excitement: Break! I have always wanted to work at a school that has an October break and finally we do! It is our mid-term and since we have been working since August 1, all is absolutely deserved.  Developing curriculum, grading and planning all happen outside the teaching work day, so most of us have put in weekend time as well. On that note, I can justify the huge expense to fly to West Flores and experience a dive trip for the week. I haven't been diving since the early 90s, and I am excited. I am going with another couple and we are joining a few others for the week on a dive boat, with stops on Komodo to visit the dragons. Should be fun! And as usual, I am concerned about leaving my baby kitties, but all is good. Folks from the village and my Pembantu will help feed/watch them. I can't just leave food out all day because who knows what will come in and munch it. (Got to love the open house living). The other day, I had the another Bamboo Village cat, puppy, neighboring village cat, as well as a little mouse investigate the food bowls. And I was home.

The kitties are growing like mad and still think it is quite fun to play all over me early in the morning. This can be between 3am-6am and since there are no doors in my place all I can do is gently throw them through the mosquito netting and off the bed. It doesn't work at all. I am the field where the soccer game is played; I am the hill that is hiked up and down; I am the surf with the waves rolling back and forth. You get the idea. No sleep and little kitty claws all over me at 4am makes for a slightly grumpy teacher. It quickly has become a double shot day.

The last bit of news is our 6.0 earthquake that we felt at school today. It was centered in Nusa Penida, which is about 12 miles SE from Bali. As I was teaching Grade 7,  all of a sudden the building moved like someone downstairs had grabbed a hold of each pole and was shaking it violently. We quickly gathered out on the field and had all classes line up to be accounted for. I explained to my group that the nature of bamboo as a building supply was to be flexible, pliable and incredibly strong. It tends to move easily, almost sway unlike a concrete building that would absorb the impact more. So all is well and now I know I am not crazy for waking up in the middle of the night a month ago, feeling my bamboo house shake. Apparently we had another one then too.

Still can't believe I live in the South Pacific.

Writers & Rain

Right when I feel like I am sinking into the rainy jungle battling moldy clothes, gecko poop and mosquitoes, I had the exciting opportunity to attend the opening gala of the Writers and Readers Festival in Ubud last night. It was at the main temple on the main street and was a stunning glitz and glamour presentation. There were various speakers: from the temple chief (a descendent of kings), director of tourism, Festival founder/director to various sponsors, local authors and even a beautiful Balinese dance performance. Of all the nights to forget my camera! The festival hosts famous authors from around Indonesia, SE Asia and all over world for that matter, presenting workshops and lectures for five days. It is lovely for the soul. I think I need it.

I happened to meet up with the Festival founder/director last night, whom I admire immensely. For eight years now she has created an exquisite literary event, with a tight budget and large overhead. And all on the island of Bali, where I know things take shape in a whole different form. I mentioned to her that I might want to get involved and volunteer next year. I can't stay in the jungle for ever you know.

I am going to two luncheons this weekend with Alexander McCall Smith (Lady's #1 Detective Agency) and DBC Pierre (Vernon God Little). I also hope to buy a day pass for either Sat, Sun or both days. Since I work and don't want to commute in at night, I am stuck home until the weekend. But what a treat! We also invited a few authors to speak at the school for the students. Two have already come and presented on how to write a fantasy novel and the value of organic gardening while helping street kids in Jakarta. Two more speakers will arrive Friday that are equally as interesting with one young dynamic woman called Climate Girl sharing her conservation work and another female photographer from Australia, who has created children's books on endangered animals after running into a mountain gorilla in Rwanda and learning there are only 600 left in the wild. Very intriguing indeed. I will recap that event after this weekend.

And on the subject of cool women, my sister Thea (from AK) is coming for Christmas! I am so excited I can't stand it. We will not be running around rainy cold Portland trying to sustain sanity with the family chaos but traipsing around beautiful Bali, dodging buckets of warm rain, humidity and loads of tourists. (December is the other high season). I will be moved into my new place by then and have good handle on temples to visit, beaches to walk and reefs to explore.

Speaking of rain, I think it might be here for a while. It has rained for two days straight now and I am a bit nervous. Apparently it doesn't stop raining until April. I thought we had another month before it came  but we'll see. It rained today at school during my prep and I had to move from my room (upper level) because the mist and droplets were getting on my computer. I experienced Monsoon season in Nepal but apparently this is nothing like that brief torrential spell. Here the classrooms become louder, lightning is a concern with sports and things turn into mold. I went to bed with rain, woke up to rain and put on a pair of pants this morning. Although clean they appeared dirty. I looked closely and discovered it was mold! Yes, bring on the vinegar squirt bottle. I think moving out of the Bamboo Village soon might help since I will be living in more open rice paddies. Then I just have to keep an eye out for the snakes that like the rain in the rice paddies. Another tip I received today was don't bring your Bali clothes home. Once you get home, you realize how gross your Bali clothes can get. Ugh, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

That's it for now. The geckos are chirping (and pooping) in my ceiling, the kitties are asleep (until they decide to play soccer on my head at 4am), the rain is pounding outside (and inside dripping on my laptop) and I am going to watch a movie from my care package! Yahoo! One that wasn't pirated from the theaters, stops 1/2 way through or ends in another language.  :0

Up and Down: Life in Paradise

I can't help but acknowledge that last week was the hardest yet here is paradise. I hit a low I wasn't expecting that sent me swirling into my head and the dark crevices of grey matter. What had I done moving across the world, giving up my known everything? The excitement and newness has worn off and reality set in. What sent me into my dark place was nothing in particular but a combination of everything. I was tired, homesick and frustrated at myself, my life, my job, etc. I think when I kept hearing, "Bali is paradise" and "you are so lucky" or "be open to the vibrant energy of Bali and good things will happen all around you," I was expecting great things...yesterday. And the reality is that change takes time and I am not on vacation. I am working and trying to find my place here, while adjusting to a major life shift. I had a scowl on my face around school (not in the classroom of course) and my village. I was unhappy and nothing could get me out of it. Period.

But living in a world with few walls or privacy, lends to intense human transparency. Everyone knew. So I had many wonderful co-workers and neighbors ask me what was wrong? Where was my happy face? What could they do to help? I cried a lot last week, so no happy face was in sight. But all things are in balance and I realized I was the only one who could pull myself out of my trough, and so I did. Thank god. I am better. And I am here. And my word of the day is acceptance. Pity party is over.

A few significant highlights at the week's end also helped. I left school on Friday after a long day of teaching and meetings and was told I had a care package in the office. I was so surprised!! I was offered assistance in carrying it across the river to my bungalow and I said, "no." I was so proud I wanted everyone to see what I had in my arms! Thank you Kari!!! (And Ed, Arlo and Brad!) I came home, fixed a refreshing icy drink, put my feet up and experienced Christmas all over again. I was stunned. I cried again, but this time in slobbery, thankful, happy sobs. I love love love getting treats from home. What a joy. And so much unexpected! Movies, books, clothes, food, toiletries, notes, etc. I think that saved me. Seriously. I piled it all on the little table and took a picture. And I stared at it for a long time, letting the kitties climb in and out of the box and wrappings. Then, I actually watched a movie that worked. Oh, the simple things in life.

Also I joined a group of 100 GS families and teachers and rafted the Ayung River on Saturday. It was a guided trip with lunch and so lovely. Being on the river just eases the mind. Being in the flow (literally) is calming and empowering at the same time. I needed that. I think we all did. The group was great, the kids had a blast, our guide was hilarious and it was fun.

Ebb and Flow. Yin and Yang. Happy and Sad. Up and Down. All is as it should be.