keep on smiling.. :)

wow my smile hurts..

i didnt even think that would be possibe haha.. and the best thing about it is.. its because of real smiles..

the past few days have been pretty fun and im happy that im finally doing something.. im actually starting to get to know some of the teachers really well so its been good on all levels..

on wednesday i finally got my bike.. its pretty neat its orange and has a basket and heck its a bike.. but it give mes some freedom.. even though its very limited..

so friday i went to school to help with the registration process.. it was pretty interest i kept getting pulled around.. i dont think they knew where they really wanted me to be.. the head master ended up pulling me away to meet some university students who will be student teaching at the school for the next three or so months.. they went around and introduced themselves.. all the while i was thinking great 30 more names to remember.. thats the one thing i hate about names.. and being in a foriegn country.. they are so damn hard to remember.. if this was america i know it would be a lot easier but here with all the names being different and hard for me to say.. doesnt make it easy to learn.. makes me feel horrible when they ask me if i know their names.. im sure in a couple months ill have it all down pat.. but we’ll see..

so after that i went and walked around.. still dont htink they knew where they wanted me.. but finally they found a place for me and then the fun started.. i basically had to check to make sure the students scores matched their paperwork.. but while we were doing that the vp came in and hah he’s funny.. we decided last week that he was the joker of the school.. so we were talking and joking around and one of the other teachers kept trying to talk in english but he didnt know much but it was funny.. then one of the other teachers tried to get all the students to speak some english to me which i felt kinda bad because they were really nervous but saying good morning isnt that hard.. but anyways i digress.. ended up creating another joker.. and then later another teacher came in and all the teachers love this.. they keep calling teachers jokers and they all start laughing.. they love it.. makes a good working environment.. everyone is always laughing.. i think it will help me calm down and look at the brighter side of life hah.. lord knows i need to..

so after we stopped for the day i rode my bike home with an escort.. yeah.. a five minute  bike ride and i got followed home.. i know they want to keep me safe.. so i appreciate it.. but i hope they dont do this the whole two years that im here.. but whatevs..

so then todayyy go back for the second day.. and it was pretty much just as much fun as the day before..  as soon as the vp comes in everyone calls him joker and starts laughing.. we are all joking around waiting for students to show up.. and i noticed that my water bottle was gone.. so i started asking everyone around me where it went.. and i had an idea that the vp took it but i didnt see it by him.. so we alll start looking and he comes over and he starts looking and then when i turned around he pulled it out and put it on the table.. everyone started laughing and i had to admit.. it was pretty funny.. he went and sat down and i gave him the “im watching you sign” he loved that..

later on we started having this convo about why im a vegetarian and why i decided to do that and then from there it went into what people in ohio do for a living.. which is really hard to answer because in america you can do anything you want so you cant really say what jobs people have.. and then from there we started talking about spiritual stuff like ghosts and what people believe.. it got pretty awesome.. and interesting..

and then i found out im going to be in a wedding party.. yep.. me in a wedding party... i get to wear traditional dress too.. gotta love it.. so my principals daughter is getting married in two weeks and i get to be one of the welcomers.. and i only found out today which is fine.. and interesting.. ive always wanted to be in a wedding party.. i was kinda hoping that my first wedding would be one of my friends but heck.. im just a greeter.. and it will be fun.. who really gets invited to that many foriegn weddings and actually gets to be a part of the wedding..

well thats pretty much it.. its been a good few days.. making me feel a little bit better about why im here.. i know i was slipping a little bit but i dunno.. every day that i go to school i feel better about being here.. it almost revitalizes me..

well gotta go eat.. later im heading to my ibus store to i dunno.. i guess help sell some shoes haha!

side note: also i thought of something else people can send me.. you know those crystal light drink mixes? id love some.. either some tea or lemonade.. just nothing orange flavored.. they have that here.. i also feel that thats stuff may be better than the stuff they have here.. JUST a side note.. i know they are cheap and they are light so.. :) love yaaasss

love you all :)


“Did you ever notice that the first piece of luggage on the carousel never belongs to anyone?”

lets sing a song..

so i got more pictures to post.. dont really have a whole lot to say.. so this post may just be a bunch of pictures.. haha hmm..

only good thing is i got a bike.. feel a little weird riding it.. i dunno its been awhile since ive ridden a bike.. felt kinda weird but i dunno.. i feel like the chain isnt steady but then what do i know since i dont ride bikes a lot.. maybe in two years ill be a pro..

the back of the house and below is the mandi room

the fam

backyard

k well onto the pictures..

love you all :)

whoa

its weird how much stuff has changed..

today i had to go to school and introduce myself to some students who were doing some scout stuff at school.. not quite sure how i fit into that program but i had to write up a little speech about why i was there and who i was and stuff like that.. im pretty sure the whole group were grade 12 and i probably wont see them again but it was a good moment.. of course half the things i said had to be translated and a lot of them didnt understand but i think they were happy to have someone from another country there..

as i was talking to all these students i realized how much i have grown not only since coming here but since high school and even the beginning of college.. i would have never been able to stand up in front of a hundred or so kids, more like peers since we are so close in age, and give a speech.. it may have helped knowing that they couldnt really understand me so i could say whatever i wanted but it was something that a few years ago i never could have done.. i amazed myself today.. i was extremely nervous going into it but right after i started speaking the nerves went away.. it was a good feeling..

now im just worried about teaching.. i dont want to be boring but im afraid i cant do as much as i planned because of the level of english.. i think its going to be a little tough trying to convince them all that english can be fun..

im also starting to see that im kind of a boring person.. hah.. when asked what my favorite is of anything i just shrug my shoulders.. i cant really think of anything as my favorite and i dont really feel that strongly about anything.. is that boring or am i just well rounded? advice is needed on this subject.. i feel boring..

the one plus was when someone asked me what my favorite indonesian food was and i said nasi pecel (rice and veggies with a peanut sauce).. the whole room burst into cheers.. which happens everytime i say that here in nganjuk but its just funny.. of course someone had to ask why.. well lets see.. being a vegitarian here doesnt have many options and thats one of the few things i can eat.. and of course i cant really say that even though thats one of the main reasons.. gahh kids and their questions.. its kind of like asking why do you like pasta or why do you like chicken.. i duno.. its a hard question..

i dunno today was a good day.. after the speech i went back and hung out in the teachers room and it was fun.. i really like the teachers.. they do joke a lot but it keeps the mood fun and i think ill need that some days.. i was told not to worry about teaching at all.. dont worry about how good you are or your quality and i laughed.. i mean.. im going to try hard but obviously they arent expecting me to change too much.. so i guess thats good.. i dunno not having very high expectations will allow me to hopefully impress them.. also joked around with them too.. they are going to try and speak to me only in indoneesian and only if i dont understand speak in english.. they want me to teach the teachers too.. apparently they are all excited to learn.. i think so maybe they can talk to me.. im supposed to teach them informal everyday english.. haha.. we will see how that works out.. not too much to teach there.. haha and i was also informed that the police would like to get in on this too.. oh boy.. the police from two different districts, the one that i live in and the one that i teach in, want to come and learn some english from me.. right now they are trying to figure out a schedule that works for all of them and then they will tell me.. looks like my world is going to revolve around other people haha.. but its all good.. seems like all these projects are falling into my lap.. hard to believe that a few weeks ago i was worried about other projects.. its funny how things fall into your lap.. now if only i can keep this enthusiasm.. i hope it doesnt wear out after three months.. it would be a shame to lose opportunties.. but again no use worrying about the future.. cant change it anyways..

so halfway through writing this i got pulled out to go to this little shindig up the street.. i can hear the music still i think its going to be going all night.. apparently is a little thing to promote drug awareness and to keep drugs off the street.. i didnt really know there was any issue with drugs in indonesia.. it seems like the penalty for having anything is really high so i dunno.. maybe there is a bunch of under ground stuff going on that i dont know about.. but the music is all traditional and its pretty much a lot of the stuff that i heard back in Malang.. my brother there loves this type of music but it was nice to hear it live.. i think i like the music a lot more than the singing.. the singing is too high pitched..

hm.. i also may have a friend haha.. there is this girl who stopped by the other day.. she graduated from my school and shes friends with one of the teachers daughters.. shes actually doing some english teaching somewhere and even though i know she wants to practice english i think shes pretty nice.. this is maybe someone who i could see talking to the entire time im here unless she leaves to pursue english somewhere else.. we shall see eh?

well i think i should hit the hay.. im dead tired.. today was a good day though.. cheers for more to come!

love you all :)

"Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window"

some more pics

 the sitting area where the fam watches tv

by the front door of the house.. where guests usually sit and talk

will add more later.. this takes too long.. hah

pictures.. maybe

trying to upload some pictures but its taking awhile.. so hopefully this upload works.. heres to trying

farewell dinner for the trainees.. lovely fish.. ekk

all my stuff.. ive accumulated a lot of stuff haha

erin and i..

pak ananda being funny and sneaking in my pic..

angela and i.. love her.. she keeps me sane..

some of the banners at the swearing in ceremony..

the rejoding group..

ambassador marciel taking a phone call haha

the group.. we are now all volunteers!

my face on the banner.. how lovely..

new room! feels like home :)

betsy and pak ananda.. both amazing people

mary ellen.. probs one of the most fantastic people in existence.. love her to death and below is daniel.. no words needed..

making pecel! thats peanuts, peppers, sugar cane, garlic and some potatoes

more views of the room..

peanuts and cane sugar.. sweet!

addd in some garlic

the kitchen.. havent used anything yet.. maybe that will change..

my lovely bed net! my bapak helped make the stand..

where we eat lunch and dindin.. 

this is enough for now.. ill try and get back and add more later.. i have a ton more but for now this is good..

love you  all :)

sooo much time on my hands

so today was nice.. i feel like the day should be over right now but its only 1.. Found the warnet today when i was on a walk with my bapak.. man he is awesome.. i really like this family.. it is a little quiet here but my parents are pretty cool people.. but anyways.. i went for my morning walk today and right after i started my bapak told me to come with him and we went to see the river thats right at the end of the village.. it was a pretty nice walk.. we were walking for like well over an hour and it was ncie trying to understand what he was saying to me.. he knows a lot of people.. i feel like it would be hard to know that many people.. i got to see the pasar and we even walked through a sugar cane field.. pretty neat and its only like 5 minutes away from my house.. and the head of the village lives over there too so of course we stopped by and met his wife and son.. it was a good day.. and now im home.. with nothing to do.. went through a lot of sources for class and wrote down ideas.. god i wish school was next week not three weeks from now.. i want to go out but again no one is home and im not sure i can really leave without telling anyone.. maybe later ill be able to go to the warnet.. if not today then tomorrow im totally going.. i cant hold off.. its almost been a week.. i need to get back to the real world.. hah so if anyone is still reading this sorry im boring.. my life is boring right now.. yayyyy for the next few weeks.. 

love you all :)

bored

so wow this has got to be a record.. ive actually had time to write three days in a row.. haha.. i have wayyyyy to much time on my hands right now..

so today i went for a walk around the village by myself.. which was nice.. not that many people said hello.. but then again i didnt really see anyone.. so.. i dunno it seems a little bit different than Malang.. so that makes me miss Malang.. but im sure the longer that i am here the more people will say hello and things will hopefully become more comfortable..

anddddd then after my walk i went outside to read but that didnt last very long.. i got a text telling me i was going to be going to school in like 5 minutes so i better be ready.. haha.. totally didnt have time to make sure that i looked very nice.. i ended up having to walk since i dont have enough money yet to buy a bike.. it was only a 15 minute walk but by the time i got there i was like dripping in sweat.. and i find out that there is a tonnnnnnnnn of people there.. lovely..

haha luckily i had time so cool down so when we went to go meet the students i looked halfway presentable.. i dont think i will ever get used to the handshaking that all the students do to teachers when they see them.. so i got to shake like well over a hundred hands and then I had to meet their parents.. hahahah.. luckily i didnt have to say anything.. they just wanted to let the parents know that i was there and i would be teaching their children.. maybe..

i also found out that i will be teaching with all the english teachers.. not just two as i originally thought.. so should be interesting.. and thankfully they want to start planning maybe next week and the few weeks before school actually starts.. hopefully we come up with some good ideas..

and now im home.. not doing much.. no one but my sister and maybe my brother is home but they mostly stay in their rooms.. i think once im better with the language and have a bike i will be able to go out and explore but now i think because im still new i kinda got to stay in.. which kinda sucks because its kinda boring right now.. but im sure everything will improve..

and tonight i get to talk to my family.. feels like its been forever since tuesday.. but really its only been like 4 days.. crazy.. time seems to be moving fast and slow at the same time.. gahhhh.. i cannot wait until school starts.. by the time the middle of july comes i might be pulling out my hair..

ohhh yeah.. i got my address.. so im gunna send it out to people after i make sure its correct.. so again.. regardless of when i post this still gunna have to wait.. but i cannot wait to get letters and packages (hah wishful thinking haha..)

welllllll maybe next week ill try and find a warnet.. since i really need to get on and let people know im alive haha..

well love you allllll so much! kinda feel like im talking to myself right now.. which i guess i am.. but regardless.. im wandering.. love you all :)

“Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window”