Too much Sun?

I really should be writing my grade reports right now but the teaching day just ended and I am fried. So what to do? I still have another 1/2 hour before my carpool heads home, leaving just enough time to walk downstairs to the warung (our little outdoor snack shack) and order a coconut. It is like a student store but run by Balinese staff and a few students help out here and there. After school it is a mayhem of course being near the entrance to school: parents, kids, teachers, visitors, drivers, staff and such. The marimba band is practicing, floating their beautiful sounds through the campus and there is a buzz of kids playing soccer on the field. I know there is no quick trip at 3:30pm to the warung but I really want a green coconut. I go. I run into a few parents, who inevitably want to chat about their child but I try to look like I need to go somewhere really important, while holding my big green coconut, smiling and sipping through the lemongrass straw. All very green.

 I really can't explain how good a coconut makes you feel in this climate. After sweating all day and drinking a few coffees, no matter how much water I drink, I am always dehydrated it seems. And as most teachers know, leaving the classroom to fill up your water bottle let alone go to the bathroom never really happens. Drinking coconut I sense a strange elixir of energy liquid coursing through my veins. And with my nagging cough and depleted energy from teaching middle school students all day in an open air classroom, it is magic. I need it. And today caught me completely by surprise at one point.

I was nearly finished eating our Indonesian lunch of rice, tofu/tempe, vegetables and salad when I realized I couldn't go back up to my classroom. I had had enough sunlight. Period. I feel really hypocritical writing this since most of North America above the 45th parallel is in darkness but it's true. And I apologize because I know very well the sense of despair when you leave your house in the dark and return in the dark. Dark and cold. But truly I am in the exact opposite situation. I leave with a walk through the rice fields, sunlight in my eyes and teach all day in bright sunlight (unless thunder clouds rollin) and leave to a walk home in the light. My classroom has a skylight that almost looks plastic but I am sure it's some recycled or renewable product. But with that directly above me and no walls, I think I am experiencing sensory light overload. Which all this seems odd since it is the rainy season.

So while composting my banana leaf plate, I looked around and knew I needed a dark place, immediately. I sat under a nearby bamboo stairwell, eating the mango sweet rice dessert when my co-worker's Indonesian daughter, Veronica, came up to me to say hi. We carpool together and play on the weekends too. She is a sweetie in Grade 2. She said, "what are you doing Ibu Mary?" I said I need to sit in a dark place. (Irony there). And she said, "oh we played hide and seek yesterday. I can show you a place." She took me to the other bamboo stairwell (there are three here). Very cute. Now mind you, this is the bottom floor of the Heart of School and everyone is eating lunch at the same time, all around us. Very dynamic environment to hide in.

Alas there was a teacher working there at a nearby desk so I looked around and found another place that was a little dark: a building next door with a metal roof from old containers, that has been thatched over. It houses some administration folks. I walked in, again there are people everywhere and sat down right near the opening at a table. Said my "hellos" and right next to me was a guitar, missing a string. I tuned it, started playing and immediately found myself instantly relaxed. Ahhhh, no sunlight, calming music and relative peace. The other Grade 2 girls came over as well as people stopping by to say,"oh I didn't know you played" but for the most part I had about 10 minutes of dimly lit relaxation. As the gong chimed (no bells here) I watched the last of the Grade 6 kids peel themselves off the playground and head up towards my room. One stopped and said, "don't we have English Ibu Mary?" I had to go. But for a moment, I had relaxation here.

My carpool is almost ready to drive home, so I must go. But I did run just into my Pembantu, Ani, at the warung and she is going to take me to her temple this Saturday for a blessing. I was told to get blessed last week from a local priest for security and health. Many spirits on Bali. It is a full moon so an auspicious time. I just need to wear the traditional sarong, cloth belt and long-sleeved lace shirt. More on that later but I think I can try the holy water and get some medicine. Who knew? When I think a year ago that I had absolutely no idea I'd be here, living in Bali. Wild!