Just call me Mary Poppins (Tidung, part 2)

Exploring Tidung

After we were settled in, we were eager to try out our new bikes! I was probably the most excited about this. My childhood is filled with memories of bike riding with my siblings and neighborhood friends 'til dark.

They had so many to choose from. They all had the typical Mary Poppins basket in the front and a rusted kick stand that took a good, solid kick with every force of you inside to move upwards. Too bad I took Tae Kwon Do; I'm sure Kung Fu expertise probably would have made the job a bit easier (that one's for you Cory).

If you were lucky enough, you picked a bike with good breaks. I had the worst luck trying to find a bike. Julia was kind enough to trade with me, as she claimed I had the longest legs in the group (well, besides Lynsey). I hesitated -- I always feel bad when people offer things. Too much pride, maybe.

I kindly accepted after realizing how much more comfortable I was going to be on the taller bike (which had new breaks!) Aasha was a bit anxious, as she hadn't ridden a bicycle in years. Julia and I reassured her that she'd be okay, and after a few attempts, Aasha was slowly leading the way down the bumpy road! Go AASHA GOO!!

So many options

We passed many beautiful (and, well let's be frank, not so beautiful) areas of Tidung. Tidung is such a tiny island! You can literally ride your bike from one end of the island to the other in probably one hour or less, depending on how many tail-less cats and clucking chickens you can dodge. The roads are really just little alley ways, as described in my last post. Here's another picture to give you an idea.

Narrow roads

Here are some of the rural areas. Well, I guess that's false because Tidung is completely rural. It's not uncommon in Indonesia to see polluted waters and areas in general with stray animals eating garbage to keep them alive. Jakarta is very dirty, especially the rivers! Just last weekend, I saw a twin mattress floating down one of Jakarta's many polluted rivers. There's garbage just piled up high everywhere.

Garbage everywhere

I'm not quite sure if it's a matter of lack of education or little access to resources or money, but when I see people picking through trash for money or keepsakes or animals rummaging for food, it makes me realize how lucky I am. The picture above was taken shortly before I saw a cow being slaughtered. Bad memories.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the bike ride! So, after passing some of the depressing areas in Tidung, we were suddenly in a field! I felt so free! Here's a great shot that Julia took of Aasha and me riding our bikes to nowhere (really, we didn't have a plan -- I love that feeling).

FREEDOM

We eventually arrived at a cozy little spot and found the other three girls gazing and wading in the Java Sea! We parked our bikes against a tree  and went to feel the sand between our toes. Little did we know we were being followed, by more than one creature.. some 12 and 13 year old boys!

All three had quietly piled up on one motorbike, yes ONE, and followed us to the edge of the sea to watch us. I know for a fact they were 12 and 13 years old because they told me. And I know for a fact they were operating the motorcycle on their own because I saw it, with my own two eyes. They were also smoking cigarettes like nobody's business -- which, I may add, is perfectly normal here.

I believe these were actually taken with Danna's camera.

They could not speak much English.. but then again, what did I expect? I'm in Indonesia. I often find myself just expecting people to speak English at any business I go to. It's definitely ignorant because I do know better. But maybe that's the American coming out in me.. just expecting things to go my way, all the time. It almost makes me feel selfish. But I'm getting better.

Julia took some great pics! I took these from Nicole.

We wanted to pose for some pictures so we asked the boys in Bahasa if they could snap a few of us. At first, they hesitated. They eventually came towards us and despite the communicate barrier, we were able to get our request across. Eventually, the boys warmed up to us so we asked if we could take some pictures with them! I don't recall the exact conversation but between me and Danna, it went something like this: "Bisa anda (gesture clicking of camera) satu photo? Can I ... one photo? We took so many! I posted a couple below that were some of my favorites.

While attempting a broken Bahasa conversation with the boys, I noticed they were humming Adele! It's quite amazing how much of an influence the West can have upon other countries, even if it's on a small island such as Tidung. To hear these boys go from speaking zero English to knowing just about every word in Adele's "Someone Like You" song was quite impressive! Not quite sure I could sing ANY song in another language.

New friends :)

Aasha, Danna, me, kiddos, Julia in the Java Sea

I actually was able to capture some footage of the boys singing Adele's "Someone Like You" on my phone! They were humming the song and were a bit embarrassed but they didn't mind singing along once I played it on my iPod for them. They were so adorable. They sang with such passion. :) Turns out they were all friends, not more than 12 or 13 years old. They spent at least an hour or so hanging out and watching us! Check out the video I recorded of them with my Blackberry below. :)

Befriend a stranger. :) Little did I know this was not going to be my first encounter with locals in Tidung. ;) Def more Tidung updates to come!!

xoxo amber

How to eat with cats (Tidung, part 1)

I apologize for the delay in posts as of late. Things were a bit hectic and my brain was a bit scattered. Losing somebody close to you is never easy. But each day, I pray for strength and it is evident my prayers are being heard.. because each day gets a bit easier.

Thanksgiving just recently passed. I am so thankful for Skype! It allowed me to be with my family on Thanksgiving, even though I am oceans away. I am also thankful that God placed Kev in my life, even if it was for just a little bit.

As I reflect over the past couple of months, I realize I have so much to be thankful for and I couldn't have asked for a more amazing experience in Tidung. It is just what I needed.

Back in October, we had a 3 day weekend. It was shortly after my visit to Houston. Despite having to make a last minute decision, I knew I needed to get away. That's why I came to Indonesia in the first place after all. :)

The trip to Tidung was short but well worth it. We woke up not realizing what a beautiful getaway we were in store for.

from Google images - Kepulauan Seribu

Tidung is located in the Thousand Islands, otherwise known as Kepulauan Seribu in Bahasa Indonesia. There are 110 islands to be exact; however, not all of them are used for recreational purposes. Less than half are used for tourism and adventure. Thirteen of the islands are fully developed.. but not necessarily "developed" from an American perspective. I'll get into those details later. Eleven islands are resort islands, two are historic parks, 23 are privately owned (!!!) and the remaining are not available for public use.

Our particular island was called Pulau Tidung. These islands are located north of Jakarta so we had to cross the Java Sea.

I was very excited to get away from all the hassle and stress that comes along with being a teacher; don't get me wrong.. I love my job.. I really do! I wouldn't trade it for any other job, to be truthful. But sometimes, I feel like I have expended all of my energy until there is not one single drop left. If I wasn't focused on school, it was Kevin. So I knew this trip would be good for me. Plus, I was excited to see a variety of wildlife as Kev had always encouraged me to see what animals are out there. :)

We had a three day weekend so we rose early Friday morning to catch a cab to Ancol, the local marina that is roughly 15 minutes away (well, depending on traffic.. an all too common phrase here..). Aasha and I took one cab to meet up with Julia, Nicole, Danna and Lynsey. They are all teachers from the KJ campus, which is south of us.

After two claps, a pretend flapping of wings (I'm not joking), and holding up a finger to single "one" taxi, we were on our way! The moment we got in the car, I kid you not.. the ever so popular reggae hit "Red, Red Wine" filled our ears. We couldn't have asked for better timing! Even our driver complimented the situation; he reminded me of one of the Hawaiian characters from Disney's Lilo and Stitch. He was a fairly big guy and quite friendly as well.

The trip to Ancol Marina took maybe 20 minutes or so. We met up with the other girls and paid our travel agent. We had to wait at least an hour before docking the boat. There were so many people, especially bules! I didn't feel so alone for once. :) Here are some pics I secretly snapped while we waited for the yacht.

Such a happy, smiling couple <3

This guy in the white shirt had some AWESOME hair

Others on our trip included Nicole, Lynsey, Danna, and Julia. I was so happy that Julia decided to come last minute. She has such a positive aura about her and that was something I definitely needed on the trip after all the stress I had been going through. She reminds me so much of my dad. It was like having a piece of home!

Julia ventured off and chatted away with strangers, just as my dad would do if he was there.

Danna went in search of food while the others chilled in the shade and tried not to think too much about the heat and instead, talked about how our school life was going. I know some people on the trip said not to talk about school, but honestly, I think you need to vent with people who understand sometimes.

Doesn't he remind you of Mike Myers?

Before I knew it, we were in line for the yacht. Our travel agent led the way, rupiah in hand. People were not afraid to stand too close to you. That is one big cultural difference here that I am not quite sure I will ever get used to. There is absolutely no such thing as personal space. I don't think people do it to make you anxious or nervous, but it simply is just a way of life for them.

My friend Amanda explained it well when I was skyping her about this. She said in America, we're used to having "our land" or our space. When the West was fairly new, we had lots of land to settle upon despite a growing population. However, in Asian countries, it's the exact opposite. They have little land to settle upon, despite a population that is not necessarily ever-growing. Many Asian families in fact only have 1 or 2 children! But because Asian countries are very populous in general, people have grown accustomed to standing near each other. Even when we were in NYC last summer, I noticed that right away we were in China Town. It was every man for himself! They would rush into the subways and staircases, even if you were "there first."

With all this in mind, I was more than okay with sitting outside of the yacht with Danna and Julia. It was such a free feeling! To have the wind blowing in my hair and the crystal blue water splashing onto my warm skin as I tasted the salty air was so refreshing! We even saw sword fish leaping out of the water into the air. It was like something out of a movie. Here are some pics:

Me and Julia getting ready to ride the waves

Julia, me, Danna

Ladies

That's Ancol in the background -- see ya!

I have learned to put sunscreen on my face post-Bali

Employee, just chilling on the motor, texting..

Oh, and here's a picture of our yacht! I am so blessed. It could have been worse. Some of our PIK teachers warned us about the wooden, rickety boats that they took in the past. Thank goodness we weren't on one of those overcrowded boogers.

Our yacht

Yikes!

About an hour and a half later, we arrived in Tidung. We gathered our backpacks and were led to our home by another Tidung travel agent. I kid you not, here I was, trying to take it all in, and within 2 minutes of walking on the gray, brick road, I saw a cow being slaughtered to the left, some 4 feet away. 

I was soon out of my element as all I could focus on was the fresh, bright, red blood covering the arms of the BAREFOOT man chopping an innocent cow with an ax as he ripped apart his ribcage. If that doesn't make you lose your appetite, I don't know what will. Bleh. Turns out it was a Muslim holiday thus, the 3 day weekend. Julia saw the blood drain from my face and reminded me to breathe and focus on something else. I silently reminded myself to get it together.

Local home

THANK GOODNESS we arrived at our homestay about 10 minutes later. The town around us was so rural! It was unlike anything I have experienced in Indonesia so far. The "roads" were were like little alleys, made of uneven gray brick that was clearly laid by hand. There were potholes everywhere. Children were running barefoot as toddlers clinged to their mothers who sat outside on their steps, preparing dinner as they watched the foreigners in awe. Many of the homes were run down. It still amazes me that a country so full of natural resources has so many poverty-stricken families. It's quite heart-breaking. I don't care how "lazy" people may claim them to be, no person and especially no child deserves to live in those conditions.

"Alley" road way with homes on each side

Front view of our home for the night

Our place of residence for the next night was definitely nothing spectacular, but was definitely middle class when you took into consideration the other living conditions that literally were right next door. Living in a country such as Indonesia, where poverty is on every other corner really makes you re-evaluate your life and the things you complain about. If anything, I was excited to have a place to lay my head down, unlike many families who are not as fortunate. Even around Jakarta, you will see homes built under bridges made of just sticks and rags. If they've got some sort of income, you might be lucky to see some camping tents. Our home stay had one hard as a rock, full size bed (which Julia and I claimed), another queen size mattress with little to no support and a twin mattress that the other girls divided up. We even had a squatter toilet! I'm sure you're just dying to see what all my excitement is about. Here goes...

Squatter toilet.

Now, I'm you are really curious as to how to use this thing. Well friend, you are in luck! I am a professional.

I have used a high-end squatter toilet in Singapore (it would automatically flush) but never one of the traditional ones.

Step 1) Squat (hold onto wall for support, if necessary)

Step 2) Do your business

Step 3) You have several options, depending on your mood. You can shake, use the spray hose (if they have one), or your *LEFT hand (dip into adjacent water tub of course)

Step 4) Fill up scooper with water and dump into toilet until all business has washed down. Repeat as necessary.

*It is considered socially improper to give or pass anything with your left hand as it is traditionally considered the "dirty" hand. Even if you are Western and use your right hand for such tasks, do not inform the locals. Either hand or collect items (money, papers, whatever) with solely the right hand or use both together.

We explored our new little home, turned on the Air Con ("AC unit") and shut the door as we waded in the ocean that was literally in our backyard. :) Dinner was soon served and prepared by our home stay peoples. See picture below (thanks Nicole!) What you cannot see in this picture are the several stray, TAIL-LESS, flea-infested and bony cats that swarmed around and rubbed against us as they whined for food.

One of our first meals that was prepared by the home stay company

I didn't have much of an appetite post-cow slaughter moment but I nibbled on some of the tofu and rice they provided. Other items included chicken (fried chicken, actually) which I passed on. I had a few noodles but they were a little too spicy for my taste. I think I have lost a little weight living over here, which is never a bad thing. My portions are definitely smaller! Plus, all the spices and having to eat with chopsticks also reduces your caloric intake. I am still a pathetic excuse for a chopstick user, so I used my hands or a spoon whenever available.

Our backyard view that I took with my iPhone

After lunch, we were off on quite an adventurous bike ride from one end of the island to the other! Little did I know it would involve wading over glass equivalent coral, almost being attacked by a relative of the Komodo dragon and 12 year old boys puffing away on cigarettes as they sang to Adele and laughed at our American ways.

Part 2 coming soon. :)

xoxo, amber

Run Forest RUNNNN!

Although the past week or so has been extremely difficult as I cope with the lost of a dear friend, I still ran another 5K. This time it was just me and two other teachers from PIK, but we still had a great time! This particular race is through the Jakarta Race Series. We paid 500 000 rupiah, which is equal to about $50 US dollars. We have a total of 4 5Ks we get to compete in! We also got a cool t-shirt and these bracelets. I'm such a dork, but hey -- now we have our own racing club at our school.. with only 3 members! Hee hee.

The morning was brutal. I hate waking up early. It's like, no matter how hard I try.. I feel like someone is pulling my eyelids shut. I literally turn on the lights every morning and just try and force myself to wake up. About 15 minutes later, I was getting dressed and headed out the door as I chowed down on a banana.

Mosquitoes were eating up my legs downstairs in the apartment lobby as I waited for my ride. That's definitely one thing I will not miss about this place when I go home next month. I love warm weather but I hate being bit, mostly because of the itchyness. The bites can be so bad, that they start to bleed and scab up which you then nick in the shower with your razor and in turn, you are left with an awesome scar. Sorry for the details.

Our driver, Pak Alex, had no idea where we going! He had to stop on the side of the highway and get out and ask somebody. He then managed to lock himself out of the school van. He's lucky he wasn't alone. LOL. He's one of my favorite drivers at our school so I was patient. I mean, it was our fault really.. we didn't realize there were several different Jakarta International School campuses. That school is AmAzInG by the way..

Before I knew it, we were on the rubber pavement signing in and pinning our bibs to our shirts! I saw bules everywhere! All I could think about was Michael Jackson's song, "You Are Not Alone".. it was like being back home.. seeing people who looked like me.. that spoke English. The horn went off and we were pounding the ground once more! I saw more children in this race (but they kept their shoes on). Our trail was to loop the track once, which then took us out to a sidewalk that wrapped around the school and eventually turned into a road. There were more hills in this race and Joanna said it was actually longer. She had timed it on her watch. I was neck and neck with a little 12 year old boy practically the entire race! He was so funny.. he was so paranoid that I'd pass him. And I did at some points but he ultimately won. I congratulated him at the end of the race shortly after crossing that finish line.

One of many doggies.. I miss my Chofz

If you've never ran a race before.. there's nothing like that feeling of accomplishment you feel at the end. And the happy feeling that overtakes your body. You feel like you are worthy. I needed the boost.

I waited for Toni and Joanna to cross that finish line and then we went to get a little massage that was sponsored by some sports rehab therapy company. They did some work on my knee.. which was very
painful as I had two reconstructive ACL surgeries on it a few years back. Of course, they recommended I come in for some treatment.. but we'll see. :)

After the 5K, the 2.5K began, followed by the Fun Run which also consisted of some little kiddos, no older than 8 racing in a 100 meter dash. It was one of the most precious things I have ever seen. We cheered them until the very end. Their little faces were so determined. If these little guys can get out and run, why can't you? I have a lot of respect for these future runners. Instead of staying at home and watching cartoons, they're out pounding the pavement as well.

Yoga in Jakarta with Jowi

We snapped some victory photos (see update below) and were on our way to get some yummy breakfast! Before stopping by the Social House Restaurant, for a protein filled breakfast, we spent some time walking around the fountain in Central Jakarta. It's so beautiful, especially on Sundays. The road basically closes down and people ride bikes and walk their dogs. So relaxing. I especially liked that this time there wasn't a local bathing in it. Yes, I am so serious. 

xoxo, amber

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24

So blessed. I don't feel so alone anymore and that's a great feeling. I feel like I'm finally at peace with a lot of things lately.. and that feeling is incredible. These past 5 months in Indonesia have been a lesson about life.. and rediscovering myself. Talk about.. Eat, Pray, Love! <3

***

Victory Photos -- updated Sunday, Nov 25th 

Even though we didn't place first, we're still winners!

One down, three to go!

Runner's high in Central Jakarta, near Monas :)

When people ask me why I run, I tell them, there's not really a reason, it's just the adrenaline when you start, and the feeling when you cross that finish line, and know that you are a winner no matter what place you got.
-- Courtney Parsons

Luke 3:22

Kev's step-dad posted this update today on Facebook :)

Kevin accepted Jesus shortly before slipping in to consciousness. How amazing is God? All I could pray was that, if anything, Kev would be shown the greatness of our Father and have mercy placed upon his soul. And he did. I am so at peace.

Thank you for all your prayers. I just had a dream about Kev, and in it me and all his old friends were at this bar with plans to drink. But we were all so sleepy and sad that we wouldn't do it. We all just kind of sat stunned in silence and put our heads down. 

And suddenly, Kev was there.. watching us at a table as he stood by himself. He made some comment to me about how it was okay if I copy and pasted some of his poems onto my blog. He had his typical blunt attitude, "I don't care. They're not copyrighted or anything." All I could do was smile. I mean, here I've been the past week or so absolutely devastated about your death and that's the only words you utter to me? I love him. After that, I went and got some drinks and we had a great time. It was like this weight was lifted off my shoulders. I was filled with so much happiness. I could laugh again! Anyway, Kev was quite talented, especially with his writing and poetry. Here's one of my favorites that he recently uploaded to Facebook shortly before slipping into unconsciousness. And apparently I have permission to upload, compliments of Kev ;) Enjoy. xoxo, amber

"A Matter of Opinion"

Sometimes life just seems like a matter of opinion.

You can hate it, love it, live it, lose it,

spend it, save it, adore it, abuse it.

We all value life differently,

and that is as certain as the differences in our opinions.

These values aren't equal.

We listen to our own with highest regard.

Can it be that all lives aren't equal?

Not as a whole, and certainly not to eachother?

Really, who's the better?

The giver or the taker?

Should we ascertain the divine right of kings?

I'm standing firm as the god of my own mind.

Right here.

Right now.

I'll make my own mistakes.

For better or for worse.

Till death do I depart

-- Kevin Moon, Jr.

Rest in Peace Kevin J. Moon, Jr.

July 27, 1985 - November 7, 2012

Photo credit to Kev's younger sister Christine who writes..

Your probably chillin up on the moon lookin down at me right now. Rest In Peace to the strongest, smartest man I know... my brother, Kevin John Moon Jr. You lived a remarkable life bro, one that inspired me and others greatly. You are my hero. I will cherish you forever in my heart and always treasure your memories. I love you sooo much and I miss you dearly already. I will live my life the best I can for you... I won't let ya down. I know your happy and safe in God's arms. I love you Kev.

Day-by-day, as we sat by his side,
We saw a strong boy, who only once cried,
With the cancer consuming him hour by hour,

He rose through the darkness like a bright, shining tower,
Perhaps he found faith in a much higher power?
He lived his life sharing his love with all,
And did nothing of his own to deserve this fall,
So as we pondered on what might be God’s plan,
For taking so early this wonderful man,
We realized the Lord must have a cause,
For others he touched to exam their flaws,
And learn from Kevin how to treat one another,
To be remembered forever, our loving son and brother. -- Kevin Moon, Sr.

I wish all of my blog readers had the opportunity to meet Kevin.. there will only be one Kevin Moon.. he was something special.. and the more and more I think about it.. the more I realize maybe he was here to teach us all that we need to embrace our individuality. Instead of trying to change people into something they're not.. love them for who they are. He touched a lot of hearts and will forever be missed.

I'm so glad my last words were I love you Kevin.. and he said he loved me, too! Always tell the ones you care about how much they mean to you.. you never know when you'll have to say goodbye.

You can bet we will be having a Chili's Reunion in December at TGI Friday's to celebrate Kev.. and we'll make sure to order his favorite drinks and send CHEERS to him! (Yager, Blue Moon, and Mojitos.. in case you were wondering).

Kev always had the most creative costumes! Halloween and GMX were his favorite two events of the year.. he was such a dork, and we loved him for it.

I know that death is part of life.. and one day I too will pass away but for now, I will cherish the times I have with my family and friends! Enjoy every moment, guys. High school seems just like it was yesterday, when in reality it was 8 years ago. Kev was very special to all of us, especially me.. so thank you for taking the time to read this post and remember him! Please keep his family and friends in your prayers.  xoxo amber

What do you think is one way to prevent the desert from expanding?

Here is something to brighten your day! Star student of the week!

"We shall cover the desert with a force field."

Kids say the darnest things.. xoxo amber

Jakarta Heart Run 2012

Jakarta Heart Run 10K November 4, 2012

I have so many blog updates to post for you guys. However, I am starting to realize I am not superwoman. :) So I will just post as many as I can, especially when there are super exciting events that I really want to share! Since today was a pretty eventful day, I thought I would post about my first ever 5K in Jakarta.

A couple of weeks ago, one of the P.E. teachers named Almer at Bina Bangsa organized a sign up for the annual Jakarta Heart Run, which is located by Monas, the national monument. The Heart Run consists of a Fun Walk, a 5K, and a 10K. Originally, I was going to run the 10K since I ran 5Ks all the time back home in the States.. but with recent events.. I wasn't in the mood to start training. So, instead I signed up for the 5K! Better to run than not do anything at all, right?

BBS PIK teachers (Andrew in grey teaches secondary = middle school)

I was dead tired, but I honestly couldn't have asked for better timing. The amount of stress I have experienced as of late is incredible. I know I shouldn't complain.. but I'm just so heartbroken about Kevin. I know that moping around the apartment is the last thing I need to do.. and that I need to appreciate every breath I take and the fact that I can walk and can go to work in the morning and Kevin can't. But it still hurts, a lot. The things I would do to turn back time and spend just one more day with him..

School transport was arranged for 4:30 this morning. YIKES! I was an absolute zombie. I stayed up late the previous night texting Kev's sister for updates. He's still hanging in there but his current state is progressively getting worse. He's dying and I am heartbroken. But I knew I had to run this race for him. No excuses! Kev was always so determined.. and so that's exactly what I did.

Me and Eduardo

Sure, it was hot. It was humid. My hair was a big frizz ball. I felt so out of shape, especially after seeing the Kenyans! I tried to get myself in the zone and focus for the race.

People often wonder how people can run, especially long distances.. it's really all mental. Most of it. No matter how tired you get, it's like once you hit that 1 or 2 mile marker, you feel like you could go on forever. The euphoria you feel after is definitely worth it. Some people call this the "runner's high."

The 10K runners were up first. There were thousands of people! Women, men, and children of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and religious affiliation.

I had my playlist set and before I knew it, the gun went off and my feet were pounding the pavement.

More BBS PIK & KJ teachers

My timing wasn't phenomenal, roughly 35 minutes to be exact. But hey, you know what -- I'll take it. I'm starting to realize more and more each day how blessed I really am.

I saw bikers, Kenyans, Bules ("white people"), and children and adults alike running barefoot.. even though I was often passed.. I was one of the first girls done :)

Me and Kristine

Terence ran the 10K. He ran alongside an 85 year old man who was insisting the walkers pick up their pace. "I'm 85! Why are you walking?!?" The run was fairly easy considering the humidity. Unlike Tennessee, Jakarta is relatively flat so there were few inclines we had to battle. We ran around the water fountain as crowds of people cheered us on.

Simply incredible.

I wasn't even focused on my music. Instead, I prayed for endurance as thoughts of Kev filled my brain..

Kev's sister Christine has been there from the start

... and that is all I needed to finish the race.

Before I knew it, there was a red ribbon around my neck and I was carrying a bag with a banana, Procari Sweat (the equivalence of Gatorade/Powerade here), chocolate milk, and a bottle of water ("air mineral".. pronounced EYE-YEAR ME-NAHRAL).

I found a cozy spot on a curb and waited for the others to arrive. We talked about the incredibly fast Kenyans and the comfort of our beds.

Some women in headscarves asked to take some pictures with Eduardo, Andrew and I.. maybe because we were American.. you become a bit of a celebrity here. :)

After what seemed like 100 photos and a good 45 minutes in the parking lot due to typical traffic, the windows were down and we were on our way home.

Almer ran the 10K in approx 40 minutes - amazing!

I filmed our trip home to help capture some of the every day sights here in Jakarta.. it was quite a relaxing ride.. windows down, hair blowing in the wind.. when suddenly we heard a popping noise and saw smoke! We all ducked in the van, thinking it was gun shots!

False alarm. Just fireworks! Phew.

xoxo amber

PS - I love you Kevin. <3

Christine told Kev I loved him :)