Some photos for your consideration

Originally uploaded by jspan.

Ubud - shopping and Mansion House and monkeys, oh my!!

We spent the last couple of days in a small hippy town in the mountains, hoping that it would be a reprieve from the blistering heat in Sanur. But not so! It was just as hot... which made trying on clothes that much more of a sticky venture!! We spent nearly the whole first day shopping anyways. The entire town is full of little galleries and shops filled with hand-made everything: clothes, jewelery, carved anything, leatherwork (shoes, bags, jewelery...), carvings, paintings (even Tibetan thangkas!!), and of course, the usual market crap. It was nice for a change to go into a store and see price tags - no bartering required!!

After a long day of shopping, we bought some Mansion House vodka (a "delicious" local brand of alcohol that tastes more like rubbing alcohol!) and started drinking at our hotel. We decided that in case the kecak show that we had bought tickets for was really crappy, we would take a bottle of premixed Mansion House and mango juice with us. But the show was actually pretty good - not that it stoped us from drinking our "mango juice". At the end of the show, two guys come out with a big bad of coconut husks which they proceed to light on fire (for the fire walker dude who came out moments later). As they are dowsing the husks with a clear liquid, my mum points and proclaims quite loudly "Mansion House!!!" We giggle to ourselves and keep drinking :)

The second day was more shopping interspersed with stops for nice coffee - the Nescafe 3-in-1 ("coffee," sugar and creamer, all in one convenient portable one-serving package!) that we had for breakfast had not satisfied our caffeine cravings. In the afternoon, Sun Chee and I also spent a couple of hours in a nice air-conditioned jewelery studio for a course in jewelery making. We each made a ring - both of which are quite impressive for our first attempts! We also went to another dance in the evening - this time, legong and barong dance. I had seen it last time I was here, but the setting this time was a lot more impressive - in front of a palace in the centre of Ubud.

Our final day in Ubud, I said that we weren't allowed to shop anymore, but then by total fluke found an expensive (by Bali standards!) but beautiful top! Next stop: the "sacred" Monkey Forest Sanctuary. We had heard stories of mischievious monkeys in other parts of Bali who steal glasses, but were not prepared for what was in store for me. The forest was pretty cool, lots of huge old trees with dangling branches and tons of moss-covered carvings. On our way across a bridge, Sun Chee stopped to take a picture of a monkey sitting on the railing. But with a lot of attitude, the monkey turned around when she pointed the camera at her. Sun Chee waited and finally got the shot, and as we were passing the monkey, she jumped onto my bag. The monkeys here seem to expect to be fed by the visitors, they were trying to get into people's bags and would even reach into their pockets looking for food. But I was startled by the monkey jumping on me - who I'm sure just wanted some food - so I raised my hand to push it off. It snarled at me so I tried to push it off and it bit my arm!!! When we went to the front desk to ask if the monkeys were healthy, the man took me into the office to clean my war wound with alcohol and iodine. Since he had his little first aid kit there, we assumed it must be a frequent occurence there! Sacred monkeys, my ass!! We called the expat clinic when we got home, and I have all my shots so there's nothing to be worried about. The lady did tell us that they've had quite a few calls about monkey bites though!

I sure don't think monkeys are that cute anymore!

It's all about connections

We haven't been doing much lately... eating, drinking, reading, swimming, being sick :(

But I have been trying to figure out what exactly it is that I am going to be doing with myself for the next... who knows how long. Claire has talked to the director of the Bali International School and has told her that I am interested in working as a substitute teacher. She has also offered to send me some of her French students that I could tutor - an interesting idea because then I could follow along with Claire's curriculum and learn how to put together a plan for an entire session rather than individual lessons like I did with my TESOL course in Montreal.

On the anthropology front, I met a woman whose husband is working on his masters degree in anthropology who might be willing to let me tag along on some of his interview excursions. He is researching how Balinese culture has been influenced by modern technology and global culture, an issue that already came to my mind as I watch the local people ride motorbikes to temple ceremonies in traditional dress while talking on their cell phones.

I've decided to relax for now... enjoy the holiday life and not feel bad for doing so little. And then after Christmas and a couple of weeks in Cambodia (and possibly Thailand), I'll follow up on these leads and get back to my usual busy self! ;)

Balinese communal massages?!

Yes, Bali is definetly unique... even in massage styles! At the lakeside cottages on the active volcano, Mount Batur, we were convinced by some local ladies to go for massages... only $5 for an hour, with fresh coconut oil. Sounds great! But as we enter the small room, we see two beds... "the small bodies on the double bed, and the big body on the single bed!" And then the orders to undress with no privacy... there were 5 women standing around and a bunch of kids and dogs running in and out of the room! Thank god the other massagees were my mum and our friend. I found it funny: for being so conservative in the way they dress on a day-to-day basis, Balinese people are very comfortable with nakedness. And here we are, in short shorts and tank tops, complaining about getting naked in front of strangers. I think it will be very difficult to get used to the bua da da massages... that's just plain wierd!! But damn, those women have strong hands!!!

I'm having a hard time getting used to the idea that I'm going to be here for a year. The last time I drove down these roads, it felt like such a short visit to such an amazing and beautiful place. I kinda felt the same way when I got here... seeing my mum again and trying to get used to the new cultural and humid(!) climate... but this is my new home for as long as I want it to be!

I guess it's hard to feel at home when I haven't even had time to fully unpack my bags! As soon as I got here, we were off on our adventure to the north to see our Indonesian friend's home town and all the celebrations for Kuningan, a festival where the souls of family members return to spend 10 days with their living family. In our sarongs and formal-ish dress, we were welcomed into the temple and blessed with holy water and rice by a very old and very beautiful priestess.

I think Sun Chee is settling in a bit now... she's actualy quite relaxed! And we've decided to take it slow and stay around Bali instead of rushing off on a hectic 2-week whirlwind trip though Myanmar. I guess it will have to wait for a later trip. But it means that I'll actually be able to unpack my bags!!

Pre-travel Thoughts

I bought my ticket about 2 months before I was scheduled to leave. At first, I was exhilarated, but my departure was so distant that it did not yet seem real. This past week, it has finally sunk in that I am leaving. Since I graduated, I've been waiting for this moment, but now that it is rapidly approaching, I realize that I have come to enjoy the monotony of life here. I've become comfortable with my job - which I orginally took to save enough money to go travelling! - and I've made new amazing friends. I've also been able to just enjoy life in Montreal. At school, I was always so busy that I never had enough time to really experience the city and all that it has to offer. The last 6 months have given me exactly that opportunity. While my comfort with my life is new and interesting to me, it also makes me think that this is just the time to leave - before I get too comfortable!

I guess my apprehension about leaving is mostly because I have no return date, and no real plans beyond the first couple of months. So it feels like I am cutting almost all my ties in this city. A strange feeling that I am trying very hard to accept and let pass. The intense realization that I am leaving all this behind has changed how I see everything around me and how I experience every moment. This is something that I've forgotten, but that I remember feeling when I left Vancouver. I guess when you make a life for yourself in a new city, it's hard to leave it all behind.

My apprehension and doubts are however intersected with pure excitement and wonder at the unknown road before me. I am reading a great book that my sister lent me: Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. It is inspiring me and exciting me about my future as a vagabonder, but it is also grounding me, keeping me from romanticizing travel too much. I keep thinking of a Cat Stevens song, The Wind. I don't know what is in front of me, but I am as ready as I'll ever be to embrace it!

A day at the call center...

"Today I sat down at a computer and I picked my nose. I could see the reflection of my finger reaching deep into my nostril in the monitor. A co-worker tapped me on the shoulder to inform me of the new gossip of the day. Before he finished another co-worker yelled out to him. He turned around and in a sweeping motion, like the Karate Kid waxing on and waxing off, I wiped it on his right shoulder. I laughed to myself all day as I saw this co-worker socializing and discussing with other co-workers with the same piece of booger on his right shoulder. As he works, I see him focus on his job as I see the piece of booger hanging and shimmering in the fluorescent lighting of the call center. Does anyone notice? Will anyone find out? Will this affect his life forever? Will he get stares on his way home in the metro? Will that booger survive until tomorrow? Will it become one with its owner?"

As recounted to me by Marc Joyette

See?! This is why I need to get away!!!