There's not a whole lot to report on right now. Our weeks are getting pretty scheduled and our weekends are kind of laid-back. I've been trying to upload a few videos of our weekend; one is of our drive to church and one is of our entry into the rainy season. Not terribly action-packed but they give you an idea of what we experience here. I did successfully put them on Facebook so if i can't get them on here, they're available under my (kim) profile.
On Friday night we went to a friend's house for dinner. She and her husband made homemade burgers and we had hotdogs, salads and all things North American. It was wonderful! It's important to not be too stuck on things back at home, but really, when you get a chance to taste what life used to be like it sure is a treat. After dinner we had homemade apple pie with whipped cream, and then played a game of Cranium. If you like Cranium and haven't heard of Turbo Cranium, give it a try. It's a hoot and way more interactive than the old version.
On Saturday I had the opportunity to go to 2 garage sales here...not a common experience in Indonesia. Both were held by ex-pats; one was to raise money for a 15 year old's school project and another was because a family has just found out they're returning to Australia. I am beginning to understand how things work here and it is probably going to be a difficult thing over time. You get to know someone, put your time and effort into them, and then they eventually move away (or you do). Does that sound familiar to some of you? We have 2 choices: we can hide in our homes and live our lives as protected as possible, or we can just meet people, give it our all, and deal with each separation as they occur. Life's too short and people are too interesting to not reach out.
One thing that I am realizing is that it would be easy to be self-centered here, at least for me. Our lives are so different and adjustments can be hard, and sometimes I feel that I am so focussed on settling and making this life here work that I forget about why I am here in the first place. I don't think we're here to just experience a new way of life. I think God has more than that in store for us, and I don't want to lose perspective. I wonder what kinds of things I'll be writing in a year?
The countdown to Bali is on. We will do the research and get back to you on where to go and what to do. I haven't had any part in the planning of this trip (that's a first!) and so I have no idea where we're going on Bali, except that we're going to be at a waterpark for a few days. I've seen the photos and the place looks awesome.
I assume that with school back in and the Fall season setting in that everybody is getting back to the regular grind. I hope that you take time out to enjoy life while you get into the groove. Next time you feel a cool ocean breeze on your face, or you hike a mountain and see an ocean view, or even if you just drive past a lovely river on the new Island Highway or some BC highway, think of us. When you are driving on a highway and you are all alone, think of us. Finally, when you throw a log on the fire, inside your house or out, think of us.
One last thing. I can only buy strawberry jam here and yet I have the odd opportunity to go to an ex-pat store and buy other kinds. My favourite time of year is blackberry/any berry picking season, and I love to jam what I've picked. When I found a blackberry/raspberry/blueberry jam on the shelf, I picked it up and almost started crying. Whenever I mentioned the moment later, I actually got teary. Sometimes it hits me in really weird ways how much I miss home.
Thanks for reading.
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