Merry Christmas - Jungle Style

During the months of December and January we were on the move around Indonesia! Along the way we were greeted by a collection of reunions, temples, close friends, new friends, diverse flora & fauna and cultural diversity.
To begin the blogging updates of our recent adventures we'll share with you about our Christmas celebrations while in Sentani, Papua with good friends. It's been 2 years since we last saw D & T Wisley when they came to San Diego to officiate our wedding!

Our time in Sentani was marked by sweet reunions for D as he reconnected with old friends.

Here in Papua many households and/or villages will make these Pondok Natals (Christmas shacks) at Christmas time.

More reconnecting!

One of our memorable adventures was a day trip to Lake Sentani. Everyone pulled together to make the boat operational, the food tasty and the fun huge!

Tammy & Sean pitching in...

Dave pumping things up!

Contemplating the integrity of the swinging vine on the palm tree...

YIPPEEE!!!

 Good family fun!

Merry Christmas from the kampung!

D's friend Ahky preparing for his church's Christmas pig feast!

 

The prep...

And some of the help!

After wrapping the meat and vegetables up in banana leaves, layering in red-hot rocks and wrapping it all up in grasses they let it cook for about 3 hours. This is a bakar batu (which means it is cooked with rocks).

 

Once everything is cooked the men unwrap the meat and the women begin pulling out the food and sorting it.

Even Leslie jumped in to help out!

With everyone seated in their appropriate pods, the food is distributed and we all ate together!


After sharing in the traditional Papuan Christmas celebrations, we had some good 'ol American style Christmas traditions! 
 

 Unwrapping gifts Christmas morning

Joseph sharing about Jesus' birth at church. 

  Then we went surfing!

A delicious Christmas dinner shared with good friends!

 
Feel the love!

Catching up...

"Hello!" From some of the kiddos here at our Indonesian school!

Happy Halloween from Bat Woman!!!

And Superman was in the houuuuse!

For Halloween, the Tembagapura community celebrated with a fun day of spooky fun games. We signed up to operate the bobbing for apples station. Many of the families had never celebrated Halloween-North American style- before, but they quickly caught on and had a great time!

It's a rare evening in Tembagapura when you get to watch the sun setting on Mt. Zaagham. 
This is looking at the mountain from in front of our house.

The months of November and December have been absolutely beautiful! Of course, we still have rain every day, but it typically only rains a few hours in the middle of the day and then the sun comes back out. D and I generally enjoy playing soccer, going for walks or fumbling around with a rugby match in the evenings.

Another hike through the rainforest...

Watch out for Bigfoot.  He plays a mean six-string bass.

Breakfast in the backyard...

Become An Instant Celebrity!

Yes!  Come!  Move to Indonesia and get instant celebrity status!

Here's me, with a total stranger who wanted to have her picture taken with me.

Mom wanted in on the action too.  Leslie is thrilled.  ;-)

 Here are two guys dying to take their buddy's picture... with me.

 (notice my wife cracking up in the background)

"Uh, I wanna have my picture taken with her too!"

Middle-schoolers are the worst.  Central Java  -  Prambanan

Asik!  Dave with the boys.  Show me some style!  

Central Java  -  Prambanan

October Break

On October 5 we came down off the mountain for a few weeks at lower altitudes and warmer climates. Our journey began with 3 days in Sanur, Bali where Dave attended an IB conference with his colleagues while I explored Sanur's beautiful beaches and visited the Bali Green School. Following the conference we traded in our swanky accommodations at the Paradise Plaza Hotel for the minimalist Puri Sanur hotel - where we first met 10 years ago!

At the Puri Sanur Hotel, where we first set eyes on each other!

Waterfall Adventure and update on my office

Here are some photos of our hike up to the waterfall above Tembagapura last weekend.

It was a great time!

Click on the photo and look closely. There are people there! That gives you the reference for the height of the fall.



And here's the update on what my office looks like now!

Yay!!!

Tembagapura Days

One common question I get living here is; "So what have you been doing to keep busy?" This isn't an unjustified question. We live in a small mining town with one main shop area which is an all inclusive grocery, department store, pharmacy, post office, salon and cafe. So, basically if you need to go to all of these places in one day (which I never do) you could accomplish your shopping needs and have a coffee in less than 2 hours. Which begs the question... what does one do with the remaining 14 hours of the day if, like me, you don't have a job or kids?

Well...

I've started a garden from seeds and cuttings from friends...

...making the most of our small back porch!

OH BOY!!! The culinary adventures have been delicious!

Every Thursday I lead an after school club called Adventure Leadership for Middle School students from both the expatriate and Indonesian schools.

Sometimes, when there are interesting events like the strike of 4,000 workers that started a couple of weeks ago, I get curious...

I put on my Personal Protective Equipment and head out with my camera...

...doing my best to document the goings on of this very dynamic place.

A red band around the head indicates the decision to strike for a better compensation package.

While at home, I'm kept company by some of the local boys who like to hang out in our backyard.

So, there's a better picture of what I do to keep busy while D's at work! Some things I also enjoy but don't have pictured are taking runs around town, walking with friends, studying Indonesian, volunteering at the local Indonesian school and playing with some of the kids and moms at the hospital in the local village Banti. My days are full and fulfilling. There never seems to be a dull moment here, I am learning continuously and I hope the same is true for you wherever this may find you!