Washing Off the Grime After a Long Week

It's super hot and humid today. I just got home a little while ago and the first thing I did was get naked and take a cold shower. Well, a shower. Cold isn't a choice. In my house, there is no hot. Now, I feel fresh and clean and absolutely exhausted. I've been working and traveling a lot lately and my body is starting to feel it. That is not even in the same zip code as being a complaint. I love the travel and I have even more planned for next month. But I mention it because when I woke up this morning, I thought it was going to be a rough day. Then, I walked into my first classroom and a boy saw me and said, "Yes!" (as in, yay, the teacher we like is here). Talk about a motivator.

I don't go out of my way to be liked in the classroom. I'm not there to be their friend and if a student screws around, there are consequences. But it's nice to know that I'm managing to do my job and have at least some of the students like me. Sometimes, older students will tell me I'm the best teacher they've ever had. While it is awesome to hear, I don't quite believe it. I'm still pretty new at this whole teaching gig, but one thing I learned right off the bad is how quickly the students can get attached, which leads them to think you're the best thing since sliced bread. I did say that it's still nice to hear, right?

I have a weekend chock full of plans and then another full week. Except for Tuesday. Tuesday is a holiday and I'm looking forward to sleeping in and then doing something fun in the afternoon.

Ramadan started this week. At my school, most of the staff and one of the teachers are Muslim, so that means they can't eat until the sun goes down. It's announced officially on television each night when it's okay to eat and it's a little bit fun. Maybe it's not as fun for the ones who are observing the fast. I'm eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner like always. But so far, it feels kind of festive each night around six when they announce it's time to eat. Everybody goes straight for the food. It's tradition to start with something sweet and then have a meal. The best part about Ramadan (speaking only for myself) is the week and a half of holiday we get when it's over. I'm heading to Bunaken Island off the coast of Sulawesi and I'm hoping to see a dugong while I'm out snorkeling. It's near the top of the list of best coral, snorkeling and diving in the world. So, I'm super psyched!

For the second half of my holiday, I'm going to Kuala Lumpur to hook up with some family and friends from the Midwest that will be in KL for Idul Fitri (end of Ramadan). After my week and a half of holiday, I have to return to work. But only for a week. After a week, another friend is coming to visit for the last week in September and we're heading for Bali. Happy birthday to me!

I'm tired. But I'm so, so very happy.

Life's a Beach

There are few things that make me happier than being in, on, or near bodies of water, large or small. My favorite childhood memories are of spending time with my cousins at my grandma's cottage in northern Michigan. Some of my favorite high school memories are from days spent with friends at Union Pier on Lake Michigan. And there is nothing like an August day at Tower Hill. Seriously. Nothing.

Favorite memories in Indonesia is a competitive category. I have taken, and intend to take, trips to so many fun and beautiful places that it will be difficult to narrow it down. But Pulau Seribu will be on that list.

I've taken three trips to Pulau Seribu since I arrived in Indonesia, and I wish I'd taken even more. It's a chain of islands just off the coast of Jakarta--two to three hours on the slow boat or one to one and a half on the fast boat. The accommodations are simple, clean, and cheap; boats are easy to come by; the people are just lovely (and are starting to recognize us from previous trips); and the food is fresh. So fresh, in fact, that this trip, because our table at the restaurant was right next to the fish tanks, I got to watch as a man netted one from the tank containing the first fish we ordered, threw it on the floor to flop around for a minute while he netted one from the tank containing the second fish we ordered, and then returned to the kitchen with both. We then heard two hard strikes with some kind of mallet. At least they don't have to flop around until they suffocate. The fact that it was traumatic didn't stop me from eating them when they appeared, head and all, on my table a little while later. I don't know what that says about me.

The restaurant floats in the middle of the sea, attached to the bottom somehow. It takes about ten or fifteen minutes to get there from the island where we always stay. This time, we took a small boat that didn't have any lights. To be out in the middle of the sea in almost total darkness was amazing. It was cloudy, so the moon didn't light the way. But the islands and the restaurant have flood lights so I could make out the shapes my friends sitting next to me in the boat. As we were driving over, there was a moment of panic when I thought we were going to ram into another lightless boat. But the driver saw it somehow. Once I calmed down, I thought how nice it would be to spend the night on a boat, out in the middle of calm seas, surrounded by darkness and the absence of land-based sound.

I think I might have to investigate a boat trip.

Blech

I am sick and I want to whine about it. It's only the second time since I arrived that I've been sick (unless you count tummy issues, but that's different). The first time was right after I got here--I had a cold most likely contracted during my 36-hour journey. This time, it's a gross virus that makes my throat hurt and makes me achy. I had to work all weekend because my school had an open house and now I've lost my voice. I'm definitely feeling sorry for myself.

On Saturday night, I went to dinner with some friends at a Caribbean-themed restaurant with Latin music and dancing. I was so excited. I haven't been dancing since I arrived in Jakarta and I haven't had too many opportunities to hear music that I enjoy. The restaurant was a huge disappointment. The food was mediocre, the music, while mostly Latin, was mostly Latin pop instead of Latin dance, and besides me and my friends, there was only one other table of people in the entire place. It made me sad.

Next weekend, I'm heading back to Pulau Seribu for a much-needed weekend cruising the islands. The weather has been so hot and perfect lately and I haven't been to the beach in a few months. It is time!