Orang Hutan

Forest Person

Climbing, swinging, moving through the trees

Swaying about like a breeze

With such ease!

And how you tease!

My forest-floor, flat-featured feet

Confined to padding, padding along the peat

And as our eyes meet...

And as our hearts beat...

Beat. Beat. Beat. Beat.

They echo

 They repeat

 Divergences through time

that kept our niches discrete

You warmly accept my hand

Yet regard me with chagrin

For I am the pitied creature

oblivious of my sin

The sin of always looking at- but never looking in

Into the eyes of my brother

Into the soul of my kin

In. In. In. In.

Into a being so deep

I cannot discern where homologies end

and conscious thoughts begin...



Human Nature

The Patriot Crew

                The adventure to see the orangutans starts out on a flight from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun, Kalimantan.  Elena was seated in the row just ahead of me and I observed as she chatted up the two Indonesians sitting next to her for the entire flight. By the time we got off the plane, the two Indonesians, Melly (a young civil engineer), and her boss, Pak Hercules (the head of a popular contracting company), invited us to stay with them at their office just outside of Kumai. Note that by this point they not only knew we were destined for Kumai and the orangutans, but probably had a good idea of our entire life stories thanks to Miss Elena.  I say that somewhat sarcastically but I do sincerely mean thank you to Elena because without her unbridled friendliness and inquisitive nature this amazing opportunity would have never materialized.  So off to camp Patriot we went.  Patriot is the name of Pak Hercules’ contracting company, which usually specializes in building and improving roadways to mining sites, and their office was anything but what you would call a standard or normal office. Camp Patriot is a chunk of land that boasts cows, deer, ducks, geese, farmland, and a budding botanical sanctuary for local species that are becoming endangered due to logging by palm oil companies throughout the area. When we asked Pak Hercules why his office was so out of the ordinary he said he just likes it that way.  Melly agreed that Pak Hercules is a “sweet boss”; the profit from the crops farmed at camp Patriot go entirely to its employees, and the cows are bred so that the young may be given away to local families. We also met Fery, an employee of Pak Hercules and an all-around extremely intelligent and caring individual, who helped us arrange our orangutan tour and basically took care of us for the two days we stayed with them. If any of the Patriot crew ever ends up reading this, Elena and I are forever indebted to your kindness and meeting you has been a most rewarding experience; we hope to stay in touch with you and maybe through our collaboration more rewarding things can come for the Kumai area.



View of the river from the boat

  Thanks to the help of Fery, we met with our guide, Danny, and his crew that would take us on the cruise for three days and two nights throughout Tanjung Puting National Park to view orangutans that have been rehabilitated throughout the area. Tanjung Putting National Park is home to both wild and semi-wild orangutans that are the subjects of ongoing scientific research and preservation efforts for the flora and fauna residing in this area. So, we met the crew and set off on our adventure!


The word Orangutan comes from the Indonesian words Orang Hutan, which means “Forest Person.”



  Throughout the boat trip we would stop at feeding stations for the orangutans that have been rehabilitated. Although they have been re-released into their natural habitat, some have been so domesticated that they may never live entirely on their own and therefore are fed a hefty serving of bananas once a day at various feeding stations throughout the park. Our guide, Dedy, told us there are about 5,000 total orangutans in the park and the feedings stations we visited were home to anywhere from 30-700 individuals. As you can see from the picture above, we weren’t disappointed at any of the sites and the orangutans we saw were quite tame and accustomed to people, so getting close wasn’t at all difficult. We walked through the forest a ways to get to every feeding station, which usually consisted of an elevated wood platform upon which bananas were scattered by someone working and/or residing in the national park.

Two Orangutans dine in the trees above the feeding station

               

Seeing the orangutans up close was nothing short of breathtaking and magical. Yes, as cliché as it sounds, that phrase was just used.  As anyone who has interacted with an orangutan on a personal level will tell you, it is just like looking into the eyes of another human. The biologist in me was screaming with joy, wonder, and a mountain of questions. Dedy told us the approximate ages of all the orangutans, all of their names and who was the boss of the camp (the dominate male and female, that is). We learned that orangutans are actually the least social of primates and males and females only unite for breeding purposes. Afterwards, a baby orangutan will be completely dependent on its mother for 5-8 years and a female orangutan can often be seen travelling in a group with one or two offspring. Orangutans have the longest reproductive interval of all primates, usually about 8 or 9 years between infants, which means that they are not by any means reproducing quickly enough to make up for the rate at which they are dying due to habitat loss. Orangutans are found only throughout the jungles of Southeast Asia and have suffered immense habitat losses, mainly due to the efforts of logging companies.

Elena and I observe a female orangutan and her baby

A mother and baby scope out the feeding station

On top of the orangutan cruise being wildly stimulating, informative and inspirational, Elena and I travelled in the utmost comfort thanks to the Mama 1 crew. We dined like kings and were truly in the best of company at all times. Dedy serenaded us with his guitar one night and all of the crew members entertained us and our minimal Bahasa skills with interesting and friendly conversation. On the last day, the propeller on our boat broke and all of the crew members were in the cold, crocodile infested water in the pouring rain fixing it- the process of which mainly took place under the boat, under water. I have no idea how they finally ended up fixing the prop, but I do know there were several tools including about six spoons involved. I honestly believe we couldn’t have had a better crew and I would recommend them to anyone interested in doing the trip. Terima Kasih to the crew of Mama 1!

The Mama 1 Crew

After our cruise we had a few hours to explore the neighboring town of Pangkalan Bun where the airport is located. Elena and I walked around and chatted with the locals a bit, then attempted to walk all the way to the airport. We were (thankfully) eventually picked up by a car also headed to the airport, who thought we were quite sweaty and quite insane for attempting such a hike.

 

A young school girl in Pangkalan Bun

As anyone can surmise, overall the trip was amazing.  Meeting our distant cousins face to face has awakened my biologists’ soul and has inspired me in inexplicable ways; I hope to do something in the future as relevant as preserving such an amazing species.  Meeting my not-so distant cousins in Kumai has also restored my faith in humanity. The people in Kalimantan were perhaps the nicest, most intelligent, hard-working and caring people I have ever met and they truly capture the spirit of Indonesia. Lately I had been thinking too much about returning to the U.S. and I fear it was at the expense of living in the moment here in Indonesia. My new friends in Kumai brought me back to the moment, the here and the now in Indonesia, where I have realized a huge piece of my heart will forever remain. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to be here, and I will officially be the luckiest person in the world if I get the chance to return some day and work with these people.

SMK 6 Students

Consider this entry a sort of "photo diary" of what the students do at SMK 6 here in Yogyakarta. As I've mentioned before, SMK 6 is a public vocational high school where the students focus on Beauty, Hotel Accomodation, Tourism and Travel, Food Preparation, and Clothing Design. For a cultural comparison, it is like majoring in something at college except these students are already mastering their skills at the high school level. They take their own specialized classes for their program of study along with the basic classes all high school students must take such as math, english, music, and others. The students take an average of 13-14 different subjects every semester, so there is a lot to master. I'm always impressed with how much work they do and how many different courses they manage to digest at once. Admittedly there are some classes where the students seem to be more attentive than in others, but they always manage to have fun and they make my day everyday. Someone will say something unexpected or do something I didn't know they were capable of. When put in challenging situations, namely in English class, they always come up with an answer or manage to speak in English (whether they thought they could or not), even if it takes some prying or help from friends. They truly inspire me to strive and grow throughout my own experiences just as I watch them strive and grow everyday in SMK 6.

Beauty students give facials in a practice lab

The Beauty students focus on hairstyling and also on skin care. They cut, style, and dye hair as well as learn how to perform facials and other skin care remedies.

Food students get hands-on practice

The food students can make anything from Indonesian food to Continental food to delicious pastries. It is a real treat when they walk around selling their finished products and I am easily persuaded into treating myself to at least a few chocolates or cakes.

Hotel accomodation students practice their skills in the school's hotel next door

The school has fully functional hotel located right next door where students practice their hotel accomodation skills. The hotel serves as a place where the students can get real life experience in their job field.

A volleyball game in the courtyard for some physical exercise

Students get their physical exercise in the equivalent of our "gym class" where they do aerobics, cardio workouts and play sports such as soccer and volleyball.

Students study music with Bu Endah

Students play recorders and other instruments in the very talented Bu Endah's music class. They play traditional Indonesian songs as well as classical favorites.



Students play "Fruit Bowl" in Miss Demi's English class

In my English class we focus mainly on activities to get the students speaking. They are quite familiar and even good at writing and reading in English but are very shy when it comes to speaking because they generally have no one to speak with in English. That's what I am for!

More Fruit Bowl fun

Here the students enjoy playing "Fruit Bowl," probably their favorite game so far (thank you Mr. Brett McNeil for the idea). The students put their desks in a circle and become one of three types of fruit. When I yell "BANANA!" all of the bananas must move to another chair. At this point I sneak in and steal a chair. The person who gets left in the middle (as we will then be short one chair) must answer a question in English, give someone a compliment in English, or whatever it is we are working on that particular day. When someone yells "FRUIT BOWL!" then everybody moves, and chaos ensues as the students laugh, scream, slip, collide, and occasionally rip off jilbabs in an effort to not be the one left standing in the middle.

Just hanging out between classes

Some students relax and chat on the stairs in between their classes. The student at the top is my American Slang Prodigy, Fasya. Most students in the halls greet me with "Hello Miss, good morning," but to Fasya I will say "What's up, girl?" and she will respond, "Just chillin' dude, how about you?"



SMK 6 students on a field trip to the museum

Students sometimes take trips to local museums or other areas of interest to learn about local history or to practice and improve their Tourism and Travel knowledge. 


Another fruit bowl victim must stand up and answer questions in English in front of the class. They always make a big deal out of this but you can tell by their smiles they not-so-secretly enjoy it!

Clothing students work on a project

The clothing students can design and make anything from toddlers' clothes to business suits to elegant dresses. They draw, design, cut and sew all of the material themselves and can also make batik.

Merapi Tour

Last weekend a fellow ETA from Central Java came to visit Jogja. Among other excursions, one day we decided to drive the motorbike JT rented up to the village of Kaliurang which lies on the southern base of Mt Merapi. We wanted to see the damage that Merapi had done- the scorched trees, the lahar, the destroyed villages- that we had been seeing on the news. As it turns out, the southern slope of the mountain was largely unaffected in relation to other areas, but we had ourselves a nice hike and saw some amazing views regardless. When driving around we found ourselves asking local strangers how we could get close to the mountain and where "we could see the destruction" in Indonesian, which I imagine sounded pretty funny or at least a bit dramatic coming from two foreigners riding around on a motorbike looking all but lost. Anyway, we stumbled upon a national park and took a hike up the side of Mt Merapi just a little ways (as I mentioned before, the area was mostly unaffected).

The Bat Cave

We saw some spectacular views of the southern slopes of Mt Merapi and spotted areas where some lahar or volcanic mudflow had come through. We also explored some caves, most likely formed via old lava tubes, on our hike. In one cave we stooped down low, turned off our flashlight, and listened to the humming of bats. We took a few pictures and after our cameras flashed they really started bustling.


JT exploring some caves



Lahar or mudflow from the Volcano

After visiting the national park we drove around for a bit, asking where the destruction was, and found a lookout point east of the park. This area was one that was hit not by pyroclastic flow during the eruption but more by lahar afterwards, and probably clouds of hot gas which account for the scorched trees. This is what I could gather anyway from the physical evidence and what I could pick up from locals who explained the area to us in Indonesian. Although some slopes of Merapi are not the apocalyptic scenes one may expect after a major eruption, the lahar is still a very damaging post-eruption feature even if it appears less formidable. Lahars usually take out anything in their path, crushing trees while they drain down the sides of the mountain. They also drain into Yogyakarta's river systems and cause much damage there. The volume of water flowing through Jogja's rivers is constant, so when lahars clog up the arteries of the systems they can take out houses or cause flooding that imposes a lot of danger to the areas and housing bordering the rivers.

Surveying the scorched trees

The village of Kaliurang seems to be going on with usual life after the series of eruptions, but many villages around Merapi are devastated. Even the mild views of destruction JT and I were able to view were very sobering and stand as a solemn reminder of what raw power there is to be revered by our earth's natural processes.

Happy Holidays and Selamat Kembali ke Jogja

Well folks it has been quite some time. I apologize for not writing more frequently, but luckily my excuse is that I have been able to travel throughout most of the month of December and didn't have internet access when doing so. As Indonesia is a very diverse and pluralist country, the students get almost all of December off of school for break. The first two weeks are testing, and the last two weeks are holiday to celebrate Christmas and New Years. So, this meant that I had most of December as holiday too! As I mentioned before I had been relocated to Bandung to teach with a fellow ETA until the Indonesian Government lifted the "Red Alert" status on Mt Merapi. Well, the status was lifted in the middle of December so after my travels I returned to Jogja. It is great to be back! Other than catching a slight cold I have been immensely enjoying myself and I am very excited to teach Class 1 this semester, in other words the tenth graders. So far they seem shy at first but also very full of life and personality. One particular student has an undying love for Michael Jackson and the first thing she asked me was if I have ever visited Neverland. Another student, when given the assignment of writing a few sentences to describe herself, told me that she had a boyfriend. Then she asked if I wanted to know his name and said it was Justin Beiber. I'll be sure to post more about how teaching them goes as the semester progresses.

On the beach in Gili Trawangan



So, for now- the December travels. Mary and I were able to visit the Gili Islands in Lombok, Bali, and the island of Bunaken located in Sulawesi, one of the larger islands of the Indonesian archipelago. The Gili islands were the first stop, and while getting there consisted of wading through hagglers and hustlers once we arrived it was a very relaxing atmosphere and an amazing trip overall. Several ETAs were there and we were able to reunite for a few days and share our experiences while relaxing on the beach, snorkeling and just having a good time. We visited all three Gilis- Trawangan, Meno and Air- but spent most of our time on Gili T, the largest of the three and the most social. There are absolutely no motor vehicles on the Gilis which adds to their charm. We rented snorkeling gear and bikes, ate ice cream everyday and dined like kings every night; though we were total cheaps when it came to places to stay, we made sure to spend money on the most important factors of a good vacation- food and entertainment! Perhaps the highlight of the trip for me, and please forgive the inflated ego that follows, was getting my PADI or diving license on Gili T. That's right, Demi is now a certified Open Water Diver! I took the course through Big Bubble Dive, and I highly recommend it as a place to stay and/or take a diving course for anyone who finds themselves in the Gilis. I've always been a little claustrophobic when underwater, I mean, humans aren't exactly aquatic beings, so I was super proud of myself for going through the course and I'm glad I did. Diving on the Gilis was amazing and I knew nearly all of the fish species from my Coral Reef Ecology class at Alma (thank you Dr. Rowe!), so it was particularly interesting and rewarding for me. After Gili T we headed to Gili Meno and Air. Both had extremely relaxed atmospheres that were very conducive to just lying around on the beach with a good book.



Learning to play traditional instruments on Gili Trawangan



My first dive!





Rainbow over Gili Meno



Our homestay on Gili Meno



The second adventure was Bali, probably the most notorious tourist destination in Indonesia. We started off in Kuta, the tourist party town whose streets are sprawled with night clubs and we could only keep up for about two nights before we were worn out. Put it this way- Kuta:1, Demi:0. Our next stop was Ubud for some cultural immersion. We came at the right time because it was the Hindu holiday of Galungan, which happens once every 210 days. Galungan is meant to remind people of the bi-spirited nature of the world, of the good and evil in every situation and to remind people to keep the faith that good will always prevail, and should always prevail especially within one's own life choices. The streets of Ubud were decorated with offerings to the gods, large chandeliers of palm fronds and burning incense. Mary and I adorned sarongs in accordance with the traditional dress and were permitted to enter a few temples and view the traditions and praying that occurs on this Hindu holiday. We often just sat at a temple in silence and observed for a while. We also visited the Blanco Renaissance Museum featuring the works of Don Antonio Blanco, an artist originally from Spain who eventually settled in Bali and created some very interesting and original works of art based on the people and culture there. I recommend checking out his work if you have a chance.

Offerings on the street in Ubud



Inside a temple at Ubud





Decorated street in Ubud



 



Outside a temple in Ubud





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Waterfall in Munduk

After Ubud we went to Munduk, a quiet town in the mountains of central Bali and we splurged on a real hotel room with hot water and a breath taking view (mind you we stayed at some pretty shady places otherwise, but such is the adventure of travelling). One day in Munduk Mary and I decided to take a small hike to see a waterfall. I've always found waterfalls very fascinating, both a serene and powerful display of nature all at once. Well, the Dan Gary in me said that we couldn't possibly hike back the same way that we came in, so we followed a trail up the side of a mountain and quickly found ourselves lost among dense vegetation, hidden Hindu temples, small hut-like dwellings and the aroma of coffee plantations dispersed throughout the jungle. We were only lost a little over an hour but the trek was made formidable by rain, slippery trails and angry dogs that may or may not have been rabid. Rabies is common throughout Bali and there are signs around stressing not to interact with dogs, etc. Mary is a bit afraid of dogs and even though I've been an animal lover all of my life I quickly found myself intimidated by the snarling and disgruntled beasts when I dwelled on the fact that they may have had rabies and also always seemed quite angry when we passed. So, having already gotten the rabies vaccination before my arrival in Indonesia, I bravely took the lead through any dog scenario and followed my mom's (aka the dog-whisperer's) directions and ignored them, walking calmly straight past them as if they weren't there... And holy crap it worked. Mary and I eventually encountered a kind man on a motorbike that directed us out of the jungle but not before we encountered the final villain(s) in our journey: about 6 or 7 agitated canines on either side of us, barking and growling as we passed a small cluster of houses. Let it be documented that perhaps the best advice my mom has given me throughout my entire life has been how to survive hoards of intimidating canines and prevent yourself from being mauled. The jungle excursion was quite an adventure and the sights along the way made it something we would never regret, rabid dogs and all. Our last stop in Bali was a visit to the Hindu temple Uluwatu. It was my fault that our last stop was so brief, as I realized my flight back was a day earlier than I had originally though. Classic. So we briskly packed up and left Munduk to travel to the temple and check it out only briefly the morning that we flew back to Java. Truly a breathtaking sight.





Uluwatu





Pier in Bunaken



So then it was back to Java, back to Bandung. Mary and I stayed at her school for a few days just to check in and relax a bit before taking off again. This time we went to Sulawesi, with the original intentions of going to the Togean Islands, but due to boat complications we ended up going to Bunaken instead... not a rough life at all! Did I mention that Mary and I are Pant-Seat-Flyers? We don't really plan much of anything when we travel, sometimes we don't even have a return ticket when we set off, but it usually works out and what didn't work out  illustrated the circumstances in which one may want to plan ahead a bit. Anyway, Bunaken is located off the coast of Monado in northern Sulawesi. After a ten hour mini van ride from hell, complete with puking child seated next to me, we arrived in Monado and chartered a "speed boat" to Bunaken the next day. The speed boat was anything but speedy, and in all honesty in retrospect we realized that the waves were too big and we shouldn't have been out on the ocean that day. Obviously we did not know this but the boat crew certainly should have. But sometimes people will do crazy things to get paid. So, after a tumultuous boat ride we made it, but the boat dropped us not exactly near our homestay. A nice young Indonesian man helped us carry our bags 3 kilometers in the rain to Daniel's Homestay where we would spend the next four days. It rained the majority of the time we were in Bunaken but we didn't mind much as it was another good excuse just to relax and read some good books and sit around the restaurant at Daniel's talking to new people. At night there would usually be a party on the beach complete with guitars and singing, both songs in Indonesian and other Classics shared by travelers passing through. We spent our Christmas in Bunaken and actually it contributed a lot to the Christmas spirit because the island is half Christian so there were many lights and decorations throughout. Mary and Karen convinced me to go to Mass on Christmas Eve and I'm glad I did; it was extremely interesting to see how Christians in a different cultural setting celebrate Christmas. Of course we made a grand entrance by showing up late wearing rain-soaked ponchos and being the only under-dressed Bule there. Everyone turned to stare, some continually throughout the service.



Kids that chatted up Mary and I on the street in Bunaken

* Side note, Bule is an Indonesian word that literally means "albino" but has evolved to encompass all foreigners usually with lighter skin tones. In areas of Indonesia where Caucasians are rarely seen people will not hesitate to point and shout out "BULE!" when they spot one. Karen is African American but this proves to be entertaining in a different aspect because people are surprised when she explains that she is not from Papua but actually from the United States.



Anyways, Christmas was a rainy one in Bunaken but snorkeling the day after was amazing. There are over 3000 different species of coral surrounding Bunaken so as you can imagine, Biologist Demi was in heaven. I even got to go diving the next day which was a special treat since we weren't sure if the rain would let up long enough to get decent visibility underwater. When diving along the shelf of the coral reef at Bunaken I saw many species of surgeonfish, butterfly fish, damselfish, parrotfish (even a bump-head!), anemone fish, sea slugs, and also various giant clams, sea urchins and other echinoderms. It is no wonder Bunaken is a top destination for divers. I recognize how lucky I am to have these opportunities to travel but I will admit that I was a bit lonely on Christmas; a big part of me was at home with the family, freezing in the Michigan snow. I hope you guys know how much I miss your presence and being away has only increased my appreciation of having such an awesome family to spend time with, especially time around the holidays.



Merry Christmas from Bunaken!



I returned to Jogja on December 30th and Mary came with me to celebrate New Years here. There were actually about a dozen ETAs in Jogja for New Years and we had a blast. We went out for dinner  and drinks and then went dancing afterwards. At midnight people lit off fireworks right in in the streets, just holding them with their hands!  Zach made my night when he called at midnight to say Happy New Year. Now we are brought to a new year and I am brought to a brand new semester here in Jogja. I'm anxious to see what 2011 will bring. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone at home, I'm thinking of you always and sending positive energy your way. Until next time...
 





Happy Thanksgiving from Bandung!



Hello Friends and Family,
        just decided to give you a brief update on my life for the past few weeks. As you know I have been temporarily relocated out of Yogyakarta and the US Embassy will not allow me to return until the Indonesian Government lifts the "Red Alert" status on Mt Merapi. So no worries, they take good care of me over here and won't let me stay anywhere even slightly dangerous. With that, I am most lucky to have been placed with another ETA in Bandung, Mary, for the time being. I have been helping Mary teach her classes at a military boarding school here called Krida Nusantara. It has been an amazing experience so far, the military boarding school has a very different feel from my vocational high school in Jogja. Krida Nusantara is located in the Eastern part of Bandung and has its own complex, like a little college campus up on the side of the mountain overlooking the valley where the city of Bandung lies. The students and teachers all live, work, and go to school on campus. The campus is clean, green, and the fresh air and view from our guesthouse is a  rejuvenating way to start each day. The atmosphere is very conducive to enjoying the outdoors, and Mary and I have been running and exercising outside daily which does wonders for one's physical and mental health. The students here are very friendly and well-disciplined, and they are extremely eager to learn English which makes working with them very easy and also rewarding. I certainly miss all of the teachers and students at SMK 6 in Jogja, however, and I will be happy to return and also relieved when Mt Merapi is no longer so active; I worry about the safety of my friends and everyone at SMK 6 in Jogja.

     So, a few random plans as of lately.... I will be visiting Lombok, Bali and the Gili islands in December as the schools will be testing for a week, and then will be on Christmas vacation for several weeks after that. Mary and I are also planning a trip to northern Sulawesi to go snorkeling and enjoy the beaches around Gorontalo, Manado and the Togean Islands. Sometimes it is hard to be completely present and just think, "I am really here, I am really helping these wonderful students learn English, and I am really traveling to these amazing places, I am really here in Indonesia." I try to center myself daily and do this, and it is still incredibly amazing and somewhat hard to grasp all at the same time. This week in class Mary and I are doing a lesson about Thanksgiving. We talk about how Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday and how anyone can celebrate it and how it is just meant to be a time to hang out with your family and express what you are thankful for in your life. We play a youtube video of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which the students think is especially awesome with all the the big floats and marching bands. Then we do the "Hand Turkey" activity, you know, when you were in elementary school and you traced your hands and colored them to look like turkeys? The students enjoy getting creative with their turkeys and of course we have them write five things they are thankful for along with their drawings. Its nice to walk around the class and read them and I think it is a good life lesson for everyone, not just the students but for Mary and I as well. It focuses our minds on what we are so grateful for and lucky to have in this life. Sometimes it is far too easy to focus on the negative things and everything little thing that goes wrong in everyday life; small good deeds and successes often slip by, unnoticed. The students make me smile with the things they come up with and of course it makes me reflect on my own life and the many things in it I have to be thankful for. Also in celebration of Thanksgiving, Mary and Yours Truly will be cooking a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for all the of teachers here at Krida. So far we have cranberry sauce from a can, potatoes but no whisk or mashing device, two whole turkeys and stuffing but no adequate pan to cook either, no turkey baster, and not to mention absolutely no prior cooking experience of any kind. Just the sheer determination of two women who want to stoke the fire of cross-cultural understanding via the language of food.
    On that note, I have no Hand Turkey to show you, but I will leave you with my own personal list of five things in my life that I am very thankful for:
         
          My Parents- Once upon a time DVG was approached by a petite, young blonde with a fiery attitude in a dimly lit bar just outside of Oscoda, MI.  And the rest of this romantic story, ladies and gentlemen, is history- a history I am particularly thankful for. I couldn't ask for a better set of parents. I have been able to excel academically and personally through all of their support and confidence in me. They have full faith in me and all my abilities as an independent young woman and I hope they know that all that I am is a direct product of their love, wisdom, and moral attitudes that they have instilled in me throughout my existence.
         
          My Family and Friends- All of my family and the friends that I have made over the years have proved to be an incredible source of strength and support, especially in times such as these when I find myself so far from home. I can't thank them enough for all the good times they have shared with me, and the joy they continue to put into my life with even the smallest comments and messages they send to me. The love and positive energy you all send my way knows no distance and no barriers.
     
          Zach- This young man has successfully been turning my world upside down for about two years now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. He makes me think of things I would have never thought of before, he makes me view things from a million different angles and thus expands my horizons infinitely everyday. He supports me in everything I do and has my back on absolutely anything. He exhibits the most genuine qualities one could ever hope to find in a human being and restores my faith in life and humanity on a daily basis. It has been an honor and a privilege to share my time with such an individual.
      
          My Extended Family- I knew upon meeting Zach that such a creature had to have come from some long line of immaculate selections from the gene pool and revolutionary parenting skills. I very much consider Zach's family to be my own family and certainly miss their presence everyday as I miss that of my own. I am so incredibly happy that they have shared their lives with me these past few years and they have influenced me in ways they will most likely never fully comprehend. Their kindness, open-mindedness and humble brilliance has been a very strong pillar of support and guidance for me in times of need.
          
          This opportunity- I am very grateful for the opportunity to be here in Indonesia for the better part of a year. This experience fully immerses me in a culture very different from my own and makes me question things and analyze things I would not have before. Throughout the process of teaching here I have had the pleasure of meeting hundreds of students that exhibit more drive, more personality, and more heart than many people will encounter in an entire lifetime. This opportunity not only allows me to learn about other cultures and traditions, but shows me the true colors of my own person and highlights the shades and hues of this strange palate that paint the colors of the human race as a whole.

      

President Obama's Speech at the University of Indonesia

On Wednesday, Nov 10, 2010, President Barack Obama made a long awaited visit to Indonesia. President Obama spent four years of his childhood in Indonesia with his mother and Indonesian stepfather and attended an elementary school in Jakarta from the years 1967-1971. While President Obama was in Indonesia he met with President Yudhoyono, visited the largest Mosque in Asia, and delivered a speech at the University of Indonesia about the relevance of international ties between the US and Indonesia. Thanks to an entirely impulsive single phone call to the US Embassy made by a fellow Fulbrighter consisting of the request, "We want tickets to see President Obama," several ETAs, their students and I were able to attend his speech at the University of Indonesia. I won't go into specific details or my personal political opinion about his speech, but I will say it was an amazing experience, almost surreal. This was not one of the things I imagined myself doing when I came to Indonesia. President Obama is a great public speaker to say the least, and although his speech was rather short (about 30 minutes), it effectively presented goals and ideas concerning the future of international relationships between Indonesia and the US and why such goals and aspirations are relevant. He focused on three areas: development, democracy, and religion. He covered these topics not very much in depth, and as I mentioned before the speech was rather short. However, I believe President Obama executed the speech in a manner most suitable to appeal to his venue, which was mostly an audience of Indonesian college and high school students and did a wonderful job overall and was very well received by his audience. Although many Indonesians like President Obama and even feel they have a special bond to him because of the fact that he has lived in Indonesia, his presence did not come without some criticism. As we were leaving the speech we saw groups of protestors along the roads, not violent but vocal. I do not know the exact reasons of their protest, but I was told many Indonesians disagree with Obama sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, though he has removed over 100,000 troops and is actively ending the war in the Middle East. Either way, with any position of power comes criticism of one's actions, regardless of what the true intentions of these actions are. To be able to see President Obama, a human I greatly admire, deliver such as important speech was truly an incredible experience and just one of the many I am very thankful for here in Indonesia.

The line of people waiting to hear Obama Speak outside the University of Indonesia,
many were students

President Obama delivers his speech

Obama spoke to a full Auditorium at UI

President Obama shaking hands with the crowd after his speech

To read President Obama's full speech from the University of Indonesia, visit:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/united-states-president-barack-obamas-full-speech-from-the-university-of-indonesia/405898