Bali Bali

Surfing in Bali

A Brief overview of my time in Bali.

Bali is now one of my favorite places in the world.  Before I went I had talked to a few people about going solo and was met with alot of "Ten days! thats so long for Bali!" Well they were wrong.  I could have spent two months just traveling there and probably longer just living and enjoying everything.  I am definitely considering teaching/living on an island in the future, potentially Guam.

I stayed in Kuta at immediately headed out (as most people suggest) to Amed for some diving.  I was recommended a driver/tour guide Suma https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g297698-d8504328-Reviews-Suma_Bali_Tour-Nusa_Dua_Nusa_Dua_Peninsula_Bali.html.  He was so nice a friendly and wonderful.  Which can pretty much summarize every local I had the pleasure of interacting with.  I was upgraded at my hotel to a lovely room with a king sized bed, great sunset views, and lovely staff. (for 10$ a night)  The place was super secluded but had wonderful food and the staff was so friendly.  There were not many backpackers here but I did get the chance to interact with some "older" travelers I normally would not.  Meeting people in their 50s traveling the world is humbling and fantastic.  They have been so any places and still have such a great love for everything.  I hope I can continue to find adventure where-ever I wind up.

I did a few days of diving here and it was incredible.  My instructor was great for everything except that when I was low on air he had me buddy breath every time.  Which was nice because every dive was an hour or more, but not nice because as you lose air in the tank, its hard to control your ascent etc.  
       -1st dive: Japanese ship wreck : 25 meters : 76 minutes
       -2nd dive: Shore drift dive : saw a turtle!
        -3rd +4th dive: Wreck Dive: USAT liberty: 25 meters : 65 minutes
                -By far my favorite dives: We explored INSIDE the ship.  It was incredible AND I saw my first sharks here.  Some small black tipped reef sharks.

I then moved onto Changu. Same driver and some great conversation.  Bali really surprised me with the colors.  It was much more Hindu then I expected.  There are shrines and temples EVERYWHERE and it is very much a part of daily life.  Absolutely incredible.

I stayed at farmers yard hostel which is one of the cooler places I've stayed.  Though not very clean it had a great vibe and people.  Very chill, rock out at night kind of place.  They have their own garden and are super sustainable so rock on.

The next day I had my first day of surfing with Buddy Bali.  And Oh My God was it terrible.  Seriously I've failed before, but never so bad as this.  I knew it would be hard but DAAAAAAmn!  Also the hardest workout I've ever had.  I'd be paddling out and have to take a rest.  Only good thing was because I was terrible, I didn't ride the wave very long and therefor didn't have to paddle very far.  I also got so sea-sick.  Which I should have maybe figured was going to happen but what the hell body.  I've lived months of my life on the open ocean but sitting on a board for a few hours and I'm ready to hurl everything I've got.  After surfing I hung around, met some people for dinner, and just relaxed at the hostel. 

Side Story: That morning I had gotten lost on the way to the beach and couldn't find a taxi.  When I stopped at a store to ask for directions the store owner just told me to hop on this bike and drove me down.  It was so kind and generous and just encompassed everything I loved about Bali.  He refused to take any cash was just a lovely human being.  

The next day I rented a bike and made my way to the beach.  Already surfing is so much better.  I could stand and generally felt like I may one day get it.  I chilled on the beach and splurged on a delicious dinner after a great sunset.  

Final day of surfing:  I LOVE it.  It is one of my favorite things.  Still super difficult, and I'm still super bad, but I can catch and ride a wave to the shore.  We went to a slightly more "advanced" area and it felt great.  The surfing community is so great, local and foreign.  Everyones encouraging and willing to help.  I can turn and avoid people and my proudest moment was having a surfer motion for me to go right instead of left around them AND DOING IT! rock on.  Worst moment was crashing into a surfer near the shore who was paddling out BUT my instructor said he was paddling in the wrong place, and should have avoided me.  Our leashed got tangled and it was not fun, but no harm no foul.  It definitely a chore trying to figure all that out in the middle of the surf.  He really should have been using the shoulder. 

Afterwords I headed to Ubud, a place recommended by multiple people.  After extending my surfing stay for longer I really only had a few days left.  The hostel I stayed at (Jukung Hostel) was so cool.  I was new so not many people but it was completely made of old ships.  The tables, baths, walls, everything.  The owner was super nice and cool (though a little blunt) and fun to hang out with.

I met two British sisters and the next day we really explored the area with Suma.  We got to see the rice terraces and the temples.  It was all beautiful but Ubud was definitely not my favorite part of Bali.  It seams to be very touristy and I preferred the small town areas around the beaches. 

The next day I went to Monkey forest before my flight.  Very cool.  The monkeys were not ferocious like so many other "wild" monkeys I've seen and the park was just genuinely a pleasure to walk around.  I walked around the market, bought a few things, and was off.  

The overnight layover in KL was killer man! but eventually I landed back in the bitter cold of Korea.  Bali was fantastic.  I want to live somewhere where I can surf everyday and Bali seams like a great option.  I really do think Ocean living may be the life for me someday, and maybe I'll finally figure out the tides etc.  Much love Bali.  

Monkey Forest : Ubud

Monkey Forest : Ubud

Water temple: Ubud

Ubud

Rice terracesL Ubud

Farmers Yard Hostel Kuta

Echo Beach Kuta

Echo Beach: Kuta

Sunset Echo Beach: Kuta

Trying to be more blog-ductive

Spring has officially sprung into Korea and I am officially 1 million times happier.   There's still something that just isn't clicking right for me lately and I'm definitely ready to head back to America and beyond but I just feel better.  I can run outsiiiiiiiide, most days that aren't smothered with dust particles.  The cherry blossoms have come and almost gone.  I just wish I was closer to an Ocean.   Conference was a lovely tease of look what you could live next to, but you're hours away from the closest beach, muahaha (twist of fate).  Which is interesting as I grew up over an hour from the closest beach, and Arizona isn't exactly known for its aquatics.  I just recently learned to surf and I wanna get back out there so bad, maybe I'm just really ready for that change.


via GIPHY
via GIPHY
I've been investing more in my health.  Korean fruit is expensive and not very varied but I'm putting in the money now and already feel happier.  My 5k time was better, and after a run (mostly) I feel confident and strong.  I still love all of the amazing junk foods (mac and cheese for life) but I am definitely becoming a weekday health fanatic.  I've got the chia seeds and almond milk to prove it. 

Conference was so much better then I expected.  I was really feeling disconnected to all Fulbrighters and didn't feel like putting on that front for people I may not see again, BUT! Seeing everyone was wonderful and hanging out was like nothing ever changed.  I was able to help with the interviews for FEP and still made it to the "fundraiser" for KBI.  A friend even waited to help split a cab with me to the club, even though it was hours after he was free to leave.

Seeing all of the FEP people made me really excited for camp and working with our new staff.  Im excited and ready to dive head in on the planning and actually talk to my old camp friends about all of the things.  I feel like I have the experience now to dive into implementing new activity directions and new formats to make the experience better as a whole.

SOOOOO conference, 100% better.  Structure was better, people were great, weather was fantastic.  I need to go to the ocean.

Also I think I am the prime example of don't trust what you see on Facebook.  I do tend to only post the positives for better or worse.  I think I've discovered I am a genuinely positive person, mostly when someone else needs or wants me to be.  It's the living on my own without a roommate where the positivity stops.  I'm more likely to be like "Well at least the weathers nice!" when someone else tells me something negative about Korea etc.  Where if its just me and my closest friends I'm more likely to be like let's enter into the black-hole of negativity that is living in a foreign country.  

SO! to end on a positive note: My students are wonderful angels and I'm so glad to see them everyday.  I may not be loving the situation, co-teachers, school, or lack or reason, but these kids are little positivity monsters and my lesson this week is going so well with them.  They are jumping on board and loving the English :P
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Things I want to remember when I look back on this blog: 

-There were definitely hard times living in a foreign country.  (It is hard for everyone at some point)
- My Cheongju friends are amazing! (I miss Stephanie Han...come back to Cheongju)
-  Megan and Bassam are awesome people and I'm super interested in where there lives lead.  Volleyball (though sporatic) is such a fun outlit. (Shout out Alison)
- Josh Wood is one of the smartest and most interesting people I've ever met and spending time with him always puts me in a better mood.  I have no way to even begin to describe him but his talk on liberatarianism was fantastic.  (also shout out to Hillary Vietch) Seeing first years react to his style is the greatest.  Don't ever change :P
- FEP staff is the greatest thing to grace this world and if I could be a combination of two people it would have to be Sammi and Vinnie.  There are so many incredible people in this program I could not even begin to describe the amazing qualities they all bring to the table but as leaders, co-workers, and bosses these two take the cake.  They both have incredible drive and care so much about others.  One of the greatest benefits of working with the Summer program is getting to spend time with them.  They are so busy with incredible projects yet they always take time to help anyone who needs it.  I will never be able to figure out where they get the time that they spread among students and friends because it definitely seams to be more than 24 hours each day.  
-I am growing.  As a person I am recognizing my strengths and weaknesses more and more.  I also bring great things to this program and I think with some tuning and growth I will become someone others can look up to and who can help people in this world grow.