saya suka ini

Rules of the Road: Indonesia
Beep if someone cuts you off
Beep if the car in front of you is too slow
Beep if you're on a winding road
Beep if you're going to pass
Slowly cut off as many vehicles as possible
Tailgate always

If Ubud were a color it'd be burnt orange.
If Yogyakarta were a color it'd be mint green.

Things that don't exist in Indonesia:
ranch dressing
thick chocolate milkshakes
thinking room (this one's for you, Yogya)

Some things are just better in Indonesia:
say hello, everyone is your friend
sky-scraping temples...booya Sears Tower!
vision of America = Obama = awesome

Going to Indonesia as a part of GIEU has completely changed everything. With one year left at U of M, it has completely turned upside-down what I see as my options for post-graduation life. GIEU not only got me thinking about my future, but also more excited about right now: what I'm doing this summer and my final year. It has breathed life into me again.

It's hard to name favorites about Indonesia. I love that you can walk down the street, say hi to anyone, and watch the smile unfold on their face. Do that in Ann Arbor and someone will think you're crazy. One of the things I will miss most is the people I met along the way. Whether I saw them everyday, they popped in and out of our program, or only met them once. They impacted my experience more than they know.

"It has to come to an end because otherwise it would just be life and then it could not be an exciting adventure. It would just be everyday shit."

barely bearable heat and singing my sentences,
ashley

I have been home for two days now and have had time to get some sleep after 34 hours of travel time, eat some american food, and share stories with my family and friends. When it came time to leave bali on wednesday evening, I was feeling a mix of emotions. I was happy to be returning home to my family, anxious about my upcoming long journey home, and nostalgic about my time there (wishing it didn't have to end). On my trip home, I was given a plethora of time to reflect on my experiences there and how much I have gained from this trip. I thought about the Balinese and Javanese cultures, how the were so different yet shared unity. The food also came to mind often, especially after finishing up the trip with lunch at Sari Organik. My homestay families and the several other local people I met throughout the trip came to mind, and I realized how thankful I was to have met them. In between recurring thoughts of this paradise, I also remebered the various situations/challenges I encountered and how they made the trip even more enriching as it required adaptation and flexibility on a multitude of levels. I never expected to experience a culture so different than my own, let alone many cultures as the islands of Indonesia are so diverse. I am so grateful for all that I have gained from spending time in such a beautiful, dynamic country.

Terima Kasih, Indonesia!

-Meghan

Selamat Tinggal, Indonesia

My month in Indonesia has definitely been one of the most incredible months of my life. The lows of the trip: 1) the bus ride from Java to Bali; 2) getting bitten by a cockroach. The highs of the trip: everything else. And I got some good stories out of my two lows, so I can't really be too upset about them. To highlight some of the highs of the trip: 1) learning to surf; 2) riding a motorbike; 3) making wind chimes out of bamboo and a coconut shell; 4) Bali Buddha; 5) waking up every morning to an incredible view in the most beautiful place in the world.

This trip has allowed me not only to participate in Balinese and Javanese cultures, but it has also allowed me to compare them with my own. Talking with my home stay families, seeing colorful offerings everywhere I turn, and adjusting to "Indonesian" time made me see differences between the way I live in the United States and the culture in which I have been living for the past month. And while doing things like making offerings and planting rice and other plants, I have been able to participate in this culture and now appreciate it infinitely more than if I had never come to Indonesia.

My favorite part of Indonesia is the color. In Java, all of the Batik paintings and clothes drew my attention; here in Bali, I can look almost anywhere and see white clouds, the blue sky, the green rice plants (my favorite), and red roofs. The ever-present offerings all contain a variety of blue, red, pink, yellow, and purple flowers. In short, I would love to wander around Indonesia for the rest of the summer... but I leave in two days. So I will cherish my photos, Gamelan music, and memories until the next time I can come to Indonesia.

Sarah

Just a whole lot of sentimental nonsense.

I could talk about the neat temple we saw today, which was carved into this massive wall. I could talk about the expressive and amazing barong dance we watched before. There's eating lunch next to an active volcano and massive lake, not to mention a cacao and spice plantation. Yeah, those are all interesting things that I'd love to talk about, but I guess I want my last scheduled post on this blog to be a little more meaningful.

Today is the 6th; I go to the airport on the night of the 10th. That's less than four days away, four days before I leave this incredible island -- Bali. I've learned so much about this island's cultures and traditions, yet I feel like I've only seen the tip of the iceberg. For every one thing I learn, a million more questions seem to arise. Being on Bali not only makes me want to immerse myself in the Balinese culture, but also learn what I don't know about my Indian heritage. (There are so many similarities and differences... ahhh!) Learning about a culture so thoroughly steeped in art and music makes me want to go back my Indian dance lessons and learn more about it. I don't know.

Indonesia isn't a perfect country: there is poverty and customs that seem backwards in the United States (particularly with women's issues). Still, the country has made a place in my heart and I know I will come back, one day. The GIEU trip has exposed us to only a fraction of the hard-working, innovative NGOs that exist in Indonesia -- NGOs that have figured out how to work around or work with the government. Ideally, with a little more language under my belt, I'd like to come back and work with an NGO here or really learn Balinese dance or .... Oh, I can go on forever.

Our month here is nearly over -- this explains why this post is me bein' sentimental. At the same time, I can't wait to take what I've learned here and share it with those back at home, to educated them. I can't wait to see how I've changed -- changes that I may not see until six months down the line. All I can really say is that this trip has solidified my interest in working abroad!

Terima kasih (Indonesian), matur suksama (Balinese), and thank you, Indonesia!

cringing at my mushiness,
Nina

It's not unusual to have fun with anyone...

The lack of blog updating for the past few days is a telling sign of how much fun we've been having down here in our cozy southern hemisphere. Our trip is currently in the second round of homestays which has brought about a plethora of exciting stories. The morning van/car rides have become even more enjoyable than usual. It is a time when everyone shares the latest oddity or 'culturing experience' that they had the previous night or for breakfast in the morning. I feel as though I lucked out by being placed at Bot Donu's guest house (Bot Donu is one of our drivers and an all around awesome guy).

Aside from getting comfortable in our new homes we have been experiencing true Balinese culture. Our scheduled programs have been great including a visit to the Mother Temple, a compilation of 22 temples that acts as the centralization point for the surrounding villages, and an interview with Bendesa Besakih, a man elected by the people to serve as the leader of the temple. Perhaps even more exciting though is the unplanned events that we've been able to take advantage of.

Last night those of us not too tired from the day's events took part in Balinese dance lessons. If you're lucky you might see a performance by the star-studded group at some point (when I say star-studded I'm really only referring to a select few of us, but we're humble about our talents). This afternoon provided another chance to see Bali at her finest. I decided to skip out on posting this blog entry earlier and instead went to take in a football (soccer) match between to local clubs. The players ranged in age from 19 to 25 and played well. The influence of soccer is prevalent all around Indonesia as it's rare to not see a least a few kids running around in soccer jerseys (even the famed medicine man Ketut Liyer was sporting a jersey the first time I met him... gotta respect the man for his style). As I sat watching my love for soccer mesh with my love for Indonesia I felt very culturally immersed.

As we are closing in on the conclusion of our trip I feel as though this will probably be my final entry. As such it is necessary for me to express my true feelings about each and every group member on the trip: I have nothing but love for all of 'em. We have formed, normed, stormed and performed as a team. My 14 peers as well as our fearless leader and her husband have made this trip a sick-nasty experience, for lack of better terminology.

Time to go check for cockroaches before bed...

-Jake

Bumi Sehat

Two and half weeks after our first meeting with Ebu Jane (Fund raising director at Bumi Sehat) we were finally able to see Bumi Sehat in action. Bumi Sehat is a non-profit NGO that provides "Gentle Births for a Peaceful Future." It provides completely free care to all mothers and their children because cheap and good pre and post natal care is hard to come by on the island of Bali.

Two of the focuses on our trip to Indonesia are ecology and health care. Due to the recent change from Balinese red and brown rice to GMO (genetically modified) white rice has caused malnutrition in both mothers and babies. This ultimately led to increaseing maternal mortality and less healthy birth outcomes. This staple food of the people stopped providing pregnant women with all the nutrients necessary to sustain healthy pregnancies.

Unlike the US, Bumi Sehat's patients have a 100% breast feeding rate. Breast feeding provides the baby with all of the essential nutrients at next to no cost. Many doctors in Indonesian (and US) hospitals present formula as an ideal option for mothers, for many formula companies offer incentives. Not only does this place an unneeded cost on the family, but the lack of clean and sterile water in Bali causes even more sickness and mortality for children.

Bumi Sehat practices gentle birthing. They believe that violence at birth leads to a violent life and therefore should be avoided. They allow the women to choose the way in which they birth (50% water births) to decrease pain and drug use. They do not perform any vacuum births, circumcisions, or epidurals. Another thing attached to violent births is the clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord and placenta. Many of the baby's blood is still in the placenta upon birth and an immediate clamp and cut depletes the baby of these needed nutrients. Bumi Sehat practices delayed clamp and cuts as well as lotus births (where the placenta naturally falls off in 3-4 days). This clinic also does not separate the mom from the child like many American and Indonesian hospitals do.

Our group was impressed with the cleanliness and proactive attitudes of the clinic staff. They truly wanted what was best for the mother and child regardless of common practices and western ideals. This kind of clinic is the ideal but hard to come by in the states. Many women are not aware of gentle birthing and the clamp and cut procedures. They see the norm and assume that it is whats best, while Bumi Sehat functions to provide the best care as shown through OB/GYN research. Bali's low socio economic status citizens have a tendency to want to deliver their children at home because they cannot afford a hospital or puskesmas (public health clinic). Bumi Sehat offers completely free care which we could see made a huge impact. Unfortunately because of Bali's health care system, the directors of Bumi Sehat feel that it would not be appropriate to advertise. They see that they cannot change the system so they work around it in order to provide the best care.

-Jenny and Hannah

Moving Forward

Going abroad has to be one of the most fulfilling things I can possibly imagine. Being here in Indonesia has been such a treat, an experience to remember for sure! There have been lots of busy moments (working in rice fields), slow moments (waiting for the regent), horrible moments (bus ride to Bali), and not to mention lots of reflection time.

I value reflection time the most, the time when I get to rethink life and what I want to make of it. Recently, I have been so inspired by the people here (this culture), that I really want to know more about my own. This goes deeper than looking up my family tree, or reading books about African American heritage (although, it wouldn't hurt), but traveling to the Motherland, Africa. There was a question that was repeatedly asked during our time here in Indonesia which was, "What country do you plan to visit next?" Before, I was quick to answer Japan because I speak the language, but now, I see differently. Religion and history is such a big deal here in Indonesia, just as it is a big deal to me and I want to feel a relation. Its almost as if going back to the Mortherland is the only way I can go forward and help other people, I need to help myself before I help others.

Just a thought,
Avery C.

From the Temple to the beach to... a blackout???

Yesterday morning we went back to the Temple to join 30 or so Balinese children in their Pesraman activities. I joined the Balinese girls as they wove palm branches into egg holders and what I guessed were rice holders. Although it took me a couple minutes to catch on, eventually I became quite skilled at weaving the branches... but then Ashley and I had a palm branch weaving competition and she won. I'm attributing it to the fact that she is majoring in art. After that the children had a drawing competition: some filled in outlined pictures with colored pencils while others drew their own pictures. To me, the real competition seemed to be their drawing boards. They were drawing on boards featuring Spiderman, Dora the Explorer, and other characters from movies and television. All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend the morning.

Then, in the afternoon, we went to the beach! Sanur beach is beautiful, with warm, blue water, colorful sailboats near the shore, and delicious gelato. In fact, the only unpleasantness that I encountered was at the beach area of one resort/hotel (which shall remain nameless). We attempted to settle down there but were banned because we were not staying at the hotel; the hotel's security guard followed us down the beach all the way to the end of their property to make sure we left. We then proceeded to settle down about ten meters from the edge of their beach space, mainly because that was the only available beach space left. :)

As we were all getting ready for dinner in the evening, the lights suddenly went out. At first I thought that just our hotel had lost electricity, but we found out later that all of Bali (and maybe even Java) was affected by this blackout. We didn't have very much light as we were leaving for dinner, because the sun sets early here and not many of us had flashlights, so Stephen turned a corner without thinking and suddenly found himself in the stream that runs next to our hotel. (Ever since the first day I was here I had a feeling someone would fall in, because pedestrians really are not protected from falling in the stream by an substantial fence or ledge in some places). But then we wrapped the evening up well, singing songs from The Sound of Music on the way to dinner.

Until next time,
Sarah