Exploring new parts of Jakarta - August Adventure

Photo Walk 2015

(5th times the charm!)

I've been living in Jakarta for four years now, and for four years I've attempted to go on this photo walk...but something always got in my way....or shall I say, something always kept me in bed and I always missed the bus ;)

But this year, I made sure I got to go on the walk and see the Harbour and Kampung (village) with a great group of people. I blame the boot for helping me accomplish this goal....it's been slowing me down for months now! haha!

The First Harbour Worker I came across that day was this gentlemen....He was chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool!

    

         

While Walking down the Harbour we saw workers doing a variety of jobs, and boats of all sizes. I'm not sure I've ever seen a bigger boat this up close! 

          

                  

Smoking seems to be the norm around here, but that's not new news...what was interesting was seeing all the different things being moved on and off the boats....and especially the way the men got on and off the boats, sometimes on super narrow walking planks that were crazy steep!!

Many people took a chance, and for a small price (less then a $1), they tried to walk the plank as well....some took REAL chances on skinnier, steeper planks...

                              Way to go, Emily!!!

But some of them also had a harder time coming down....yikes! So, others decided to walk up the much wider and flatter planks ;)

 

Good Job Matty! (he was obviously still very proud of himself, hee hee)

I, unfortunately could not take the chance because of the boot....maybe next time!!

After walking along the Harbour for about an hour we got to jump in some MUCH smaller boats and take a quick cruise to the other side to visit a Kampung.

The Water was BLACK! and DISGUSTING! we wanted to avoid it at all costs and were slightly frightened when our motor stopped working. Thankfully our captain got it back up and running and no swimming was necessary.

Once in the Kampung the highlight of walking through was all of the children eager to have thier picture taken so they could look at it on the camera afterwards.

Big Smiles were all around!!

He really wanted my attention!

Sometimes they were trying really hard to look cool and other times just sat sweetly....

For some, Daily life seemed very relaxed and calm....at least in these moments...

And the most common sights were

Roosters and motorbikes

Bajais

And food carts....stationary and mobile ones.

                   

 

But the VERY best part of the day was seeing all the smiling faces welcoming this large crowd of Bules (expats) into their world! Indonesia is full of lovely, welcoming, smiling faces, and I am so happy to call it home on days like this!

**

**PS. Thanks to all those that shared these last few pictures with the group! I love them!!

Starting Year 5 at JIS and Year 10 of Teaching?!!?

    End of Season 2 party - Twobies                                                                                    End of Season 3 Party - Threesomes

Here we go again! I can't believe the last time I posted was during Season 2 of working at JIS and now I'm about to Start Season FIVE!! Where has the time gone?! We've been Twobies, Threesomes, Fourplays....

End of Season 4 - Fourplays

What's next? Who's left? 

Our HATI HATI Cohort has been through so much...

including deportation

This picture brings back way too many memories!

I am excited to see what Season 5 at JIS will look like with my fellow...Highfives?! Five Knuckle Shuffles?! What's the new name?!

We've seen people move away, get married, have babies, get deported... don't worry, they got back in :) There have been highs and there have been lows but our group has always had each others back. I'm looking forward to school tomorrow morning and seeing these familiar faces. They make coming back each year a whole lot easier.

I also continue to miss the many people who have left over the years.... 

But at the same time I am truly grateful for the new people who have joined JIS over the years...

it's funny how this lifestyle works that way...

you loose people every year...but you gain people every year. 

And if we weren't loosing people, we wouldn't be gaining people.

I have been especially grateful for a new group of girlfriends that came in last year...

The Ladies and my BFF Matty :)

Tonight we reconnected over dinner and have already begun to plan fun events for the year ahead! Having these ladies in my life has helped fill the gap others have left...They are wonderful!

And I have spent this last week welcoming 45 fabulous new teachers to JIS and helping them get settled into Jakarta! I can't express how much I love this job! Seeing them get off the plane exhausted from travel, and watching them realize what a sweet gig they've landed, and then helping them get settled into their new homes is such a fun experience! I love having the opportunity to be part of their beginning here at JIS! Just being part of Orientation each year is another reason to stay in Jakarta! :)

And tomorrow I get to see them be introduced to the old staff and get their first year started at JIS... I remember that feeling like it was yesterday! 

On top of all that...

I also can't believe I am starting my 10th year as a teacher!!

What the what?!!? TEN YEARS!!! 

wow....how?

4 years at Waccamaw Middle in Pawleys Island South Carolina

1 year at Munich International School

and now FIVE at Jakarta International School!!

I have taught children of every age from 18 months to 18 years old! Crazy!

I have sung Feliz Navidad way too many times...

I have pretended to be a Lion and and Elephant while crawling on the floor

I have taught IB music and help students compose their own piece of music (how in the world...)

I have traveled to State Competitions and International Choir Festivals

I have reached goals I wasn't sure I would...

and I have Started my Masters Program that I always dreamt I would...

It's been an amazing 9 years, and I look forward to number 10 being one of the best, and hardest, yet...

School Year 2015-2016....

BRING IT!! 

:)

Don't let the Fear Win!!!

From Dante Alighieri:

Halfway through my journey, I got lost in the darkest forest.  I was alone and scared.  I don't know how it happened.  All of a sudden, I was off the path.  Walking down a hill and through a valley, I was dejected, deeply regretful.  Looking up, I saw the brightest sun on the best of roads, and so I rested before beginning to climb a mountain.  As I started up the road, a lion blocked my way.  Then a wolf appeared, baring her teeth, followed by a leopard.  These hungry beasts terrified me, and I went back down, abandoning all hope of climbing up.

Suddenly I saw someone or something approaching me.  It was the great poet Virgil who sang of Troy.  He came to help me, saying: You're afraid.  Fear is a burden and a distraction.  If you let it, it can stop you from accepting the challenges of adversity.  Don't you want to climb the Mountain of Joy?  Then don't fear mere shadows.  Follow me.  You must take a different path.

Later, Beatrice, my guide, her eyes as sparkling as stars, challenged me in her angelic voice: "Why do you fear what can't hurt you?  Why be scared?  Why let risk upset you?"

These words finally set me free.  Even though I was still exhausted and worried, I took the energy I had left, and with it tried to imitate the smallest, most unnoticed flowers that stand up straight when the sun shines down on them, leaving the chilly darkness of night behind, rising up and opening in the life-giving light.  With my newfound courage, I took my first step along the strangest, most profound path, which ultimately led to paradise.

I read this today and thought....that's speaking to me directly! it's my resolution for season 2! 

DON'T LET THE FEAR WIN!!!

The Part that hit home the most was:

"Why do you fear what can't hurt you?  Why be scared?  Why let risk upset you?"

I am such a scaredy cat sometimes, and I'm really trying hard to be better about it, but I still let fear win sometimes...

For example, I was having a massage on Thursday, and for the last half an hour I had to go to the bathroom... I was in so much pain, I couldn't enjoy the end of the massage. What's the point of spending money on a massage if I'm going to lay there in pain for the last 30 minutes?! That defeats the entire purpose of the massage!! All relaxation was null and void because I was too "afraid" to say, "excuse me one second please, I'll be right back..."

HOW LAME, JOANNA!!!!

And it's always stupid stuff like that that gets to me! 

I can travel to a foreign country alone. 

Move to the other side of the world alone. 

Get up on a stage and sing alone (although that took YEARS to accomplish!). 

But I can't say,"excuse me one second please, I'll be right back..." 

Why?

because I'm too scared to be impolite?!?! 

complete SILLINESS!! 

the masseuse was not going to hurt me if I asked to use the restroom! 

so why was I scared?!

I have the most irrational fears sometimes!

That is why DON'T LET THE FEAR WIN is my mantra this year...

I may falter and let it win occasionally, but I really am getting better

I just have to keep reminding myself...

DON'T LET THE FEAR WIN!!!

and now after reading this excerpt I know to ask myself, 

"Why do you fear what can't hurt you?  Why be scared?  Why let risk upset you?"

Bali revisited

The Fact that Bali is only an hour and a half flight away, makes weekend trips and fast get aways easy! I haven't gone as much as I would like to, but every time I do go, it motivates me to go more often!

Bali was on my Bucket List (written circa 2006) as a far off exotic island that I wanted to see but thought would be a once in a lifetime trip. Since I moved to Jakarta, I have gone to Bali 4 times!! A meager amount compared to some of my colleges, but a crazy amount compared to what I once thought was possible!! Bali is an amazing place with beautiful cultural events and activities, as well as breathtaking beaches and sunsets....and let us not forget the big beautiful villas we can stay in!

For someone like me, who LOVES the beach, Bali is a sweet escape from the realities of Jakarta. Blue skies and clear days are rare in Jakarta, so to go to a beautiful pristine beach and relax for the weekend is just good for the soul!

Not to Mention how fun it is to run into someone you know unexpectedly!!! It always makes a trip, that much better!!

One of my favorite spots is Potato Head! I just love the pool over looking the beach and the sunsets there are some of the most memorable I've had with good friends...Plus, how can you go wrong with thier drink menu!! So many delicious choices! My favs are the bloody mary with soy sauce and wasabi or the prohibition tea!! YUM! Wish I had one right now! How can you not enjoy this sunset while sipping on one of those!!

And to top it all off the beautiful rice paddies! Traveling through Ubud on a bike tour and seeing some eye opening sights is always a cultural experience. And being a music and dance fan I can never go wrong with seeing a show at the Ubud Palace!

Adding a little extra culture by doing the indonesian squat in the middle of a rice paddy! :)

Bali is an Amazing Place, and I cannot encourage all my friends and family enough, TO COME AND VISIT ME!!! :) Lets Make a plan...set a goal...

Hope to see you on this side of the world sometime in the future!!!!

The sooner the better! Who knows when I'll leave Indonesia!!

Birthdays ROCK!!

I didn't think I could love celebrating Birthdays any more then I already do, but now Birthdays can be bigger and better then ever!!

Y'all know I LOVE birthdays, but since I've gone overseas celebrating has taken on a whole new meaning!!

To celebrate their Birthdays, friends choose beautiful locations to visit, amazing adventures to take, or just a crazy city to go wild in!! Some of the "birthday parties" I've been to this year have been amazing!!

First of all, for My Birthday I went and spent the entire week in Hong Kong with one of my best friends!! I had a blast celebrating and making new friends along the way! Never did Imagine I would be celebrating in such an extravagant way a couple years ago!!

Hong Kong Skyline

                                                                     

POP!!! There goes another bottle!!! LOTS of Champagne was consumed over the week! and it was fun popping the cork every time! Nikki, Joe, and Lisa Made my Birthday week very special, and I will always remember the great nights on Lan Kwai Fung!!

And in Typical Joanna Style my birthday did not stop there! Then I celebrated for another week after my return with all my friends in Jakarta :) 


Next up, and an incredibly hard birthday adventure to top, was Becca's Birthday Boat Trip to BORNEO! We spent 4 days living aboard a boat and going to visit small Kalimantan towns and searching for Orangutans! It was an amazing trip with beautiful sunsets, orangutan sightings and relaxing with friends!!

they were just the cutest things ever!!!

I  loved this trip for many reasons...but the fact that 10 fabulous women all gathered to celebrate Becca and Alli's birthday by going on an adventure together, made it that much more magical :)







And Lastly, Friends that will "go the distance" to celebrate another friends birthday....this weekend I flew to Bangkok to celebrate a friends birthday, and another friend flew into Bangkok from Hong Kong! Now in the States, people had a hard time coming from the next town over (a 30 minute drive) to celebrate another friends birthday....but here, we are flying from other countries for a celebratory weekend! To me this says a lot about the type of friendships and deep lasting relationships I am creating as I move from place to place around the world!

Birthdays are my favorite! and they are my favorite because I am celebrating a friend that I care about and value... Looking forward to more fun Birthdays ahead!!