New Year Fun!

 A Quick and Short Blog.

New Year was definitely a fun experience. Like Oz. Indonesians partake in a New Year BBQ. Either with your family or friends. But it doesn't matter. BBQs all round. Everywhere you look there is a BBQ killing some kind of animal. CHicken, Pig, Cow, Sausage (Lol)...

The only difference that I could note was that if you didn't have someone continually fanning the BBQ at all times, your meat would catch fire and you would be serving up black, charcoled meat for dinner. Extra Crispy. But it was a new way to BBQ something and I found that I liked the new flavour this technique produced. Even though you had to put alot of effort into it.

I'm sorry though. I don't have any photos of this experience. I camera went flat. And I have unfortunately been unable to get photos off other people.

One New Years Eve, some of the AIESEC Bandung peeps and EPs that have come here on an internship decided tomorrow night would be the night to go clubbing... And clubbing we did.

Off We Went, All lookin' Glam! (Yeah... I cut my Head off -.-)

When we hit the D-floor. It was on. We pulled off the sprinkler and the shopping dance move. Even chopping down trees was a hit. It was a really good night. The music was really good. And not to mention there was a stage at the club we ended up. Our group of course was the first ones on it. Dancing like no tomorrow. We learnt soon enough though that the stage was for a modelling thing they were having on the same night. 

But every time the models went off, and the house music came back on. Our group was back on the cat walk. Workin' our bodies to the beat. Even if some of our dance moves were a bit... let's just say I don't think any of us are going to be the next 'So You Think You Can Dance' Winner. But who gives a rats bottom. It's the fun you want to have. And fun we did!

It was an Awesome Night!!!

 

New Years was great! And a fanatastic Time with Everyone, meeting new people and connecting with people (through the art of dance)

Anyways HAVE TO RUN (LITERALLY!!)

Lots of Love!

Sheran xoxox

Jogja Fun

Hello Again.

Not many blog updates lately. I have only just recovered from a quick and painful bout of food poisoning. I haven't been able to get down to starbucks and upload pictures. But alas, here I am and here it comes!

I never came to Bandung, Indonesia with the intention of travelling to other parts of Indonesia. Even though when I got here it was clear that each city had it's own culture. Jakata was different from Bandung. Jogja was different from Malan. etc... etc...

But it didn't take me much to get me on my horse, travelling in a new direction. I'm a curious person. Always wanting to learn more. And knowing each city held a difference, spark my curiosity into seeing how Jogja was different to Bandung.

And let me tell you the major difference... It's Bloody Hot...

I got burnt so badly... Imagine me white... Now imagine me tomato red. It's not like I didn't put sun screen on, and I wore a bloody hat as well. But the sun went through the hat, and threw the sunscreen and burnt me anyways.

 

I was picked up around 6.30 am from my Host Family's house. It was suppose to be 5.30am however there was a hold up somewhere along the line. We were all excited to get on our merry way. Having heaps of fun. That excitement died within 5 hours of sitting in the car. The actual trip by car to Jogja took 12 hours. And by the time we got there, we ended up arriving at the most disgusting hotel you could imagine.

Leo, Beryl and Myself having some fun at a Sweet Potato Farm we Stopped At (Break from the 12 Hour Car Ride...)

Oh don't get me wrong. I've stayed in worse. There's always something good that comes out of traveling down to Southern Western Australia when your a young girl with your Father. But this hotel was just gross. Beryl had a hard time. Taking pictures. We were constantly nagging the guide to get us a better hotel. And by the second night. We had gotten one. Thank the lord. I think Beryl was about to scratch her eyes out. Don't worry, I would have filmed it and uploaded it. But unfortunately it didn't happen. Instead here are some photos of the hotel room we stayed in.

 YUM

Beryl: Omg!

Me: What is it? A Spider!!!?
Beryl: No a Lizard, it ran behind your head board.
Me: *Shrug* Oh well that's okay.
Beryl: OKAY!? It can climb up your nose!
Me: yeah.... O.o

So In Jogja there is a fair bit to do. We had to squeeze it into 1.5 days. So we were running as soon as we got out of the car and into this really lush and expensive hotel (note: heavy sarcasim used). As soon as we woke up in the morning. We were off to the first temple. As much as I would like to remember the name of the temples and palaces I visited in Jogja. I can't, so I will turn it into a little quiz. Make a comment and tell me if you can guess the name of the temples and kingdoms behind me. The kingdom is easy (there is only one kingdom in Jogja ). 

Temple 1.0: Come on Where am I?

 

 Temple 2.0: Which one is this? I know you know... ^_^

 

 Kingdom 1.0: This is an Easy one... :P

 

 The temples were fun. But I spent half the time taking pictures and looking at the temple and the other half being a model 'Bule' in other tourist pictures. School students who had come to the temples and kingdoms on study trips were coming up to me asking me questions about Australia (And sometimes Germany - I know werid...) and then asking for photos. Each time I was stopped about five camera's later I was allowed to pass again. I told this one group of students, 'Shouldn't you be taking pictures of the temple?'

They just nodded and giggled. I don't think they understood what I had said. I don't really care though. I just love the fact that right now. My beautiful face is spamming the facebook network in Indonesia. I'm most probably tagged as 'REALLY TALL WHITE GIRL' or 'BULE!'

It makes me laugh imagining it. On the last day in Jogja we all woke up really early and made our way to the closest beach near Jogja. I'm pretty sure it is called the 'Queen of the South'. 

Barath kept telling us how he had seen pictures of how it looked beautiful and stunning. A beach lover myself. I couldn't help feel excited that I wasn't actually about to swim in another countries ocean. A beach that didn't belong to Australia. Besides, Indonesian Beaches had a good wrap. Well that's what I thought...

Eww..

 

The beach is littered with rubbish. Even though there are pictures of me standing in the water, I didn't put my chest anywhere near it. Barath was brave enough to dive in. Ended up with red eyes, saying they were really burning bad. Reminded me of the when Will Ferrel pour Dino pee over his head to stay hidden from the T-Rex in the Land of the Lost. It burned his eyes so he did it again to see if it got better. It just burned worst. In saying this, Barath did dive in again to see if swimming around in the water a bit more would help his eyes get a bit more 'less burny' - no such luck. (bugger)

Now with school starting back up once again. I show the students this picture. Instant shock. I guess if I saw this rubbish on an Australian beach I would get as Angry and shocked as them. It's a good motivator to listen to what our project has to say. And they walk out of the classroom a bit more educated about what's happening around them in terms of their trash management.

But needless to say. We had a great time at the Beach. We took lots of photos. And enjoyed burning up in the early morning sun. It was only 7am and already I could feel the sun was burning me. 

Just Chillin with My Crew...

 

 It was absolutely a good time. And I enjoyed bonding with Leo, Barath and Beryl. After all, we spent 3 days together. Within those three days was a 12 hour car ride to Jogja and a 14 hour car ride back. By the end of it, we were stuffed, with a CAPITAL S... And boy do I have the evidence to show it *evil grin*

Well that is it from me in terms of my trip to Jogja. I have yet to talk about mky New Years Eve in Indonesia. So Stay Tuned for another Blog Update :D

Love you All!

xo shez

End of School (December)

You know it's true, Everything I do! I do it for yooooooouuuuuuu!!!!!


Hahahaha! I know random but Aerosmith is playing in the background atm and I couldn't help but share my current background noise with you.

Over 150 Junior High School Students in This Room! (Yes that's my white arm...)

 So as promised here is a blog on the last days of school in December and my trip into Jogja. Talking in schools is sometimes hard. You have to explain things on such a basic level sometimes you feel like your not getting the most relevant things across.

It's hard to find participation - But even the slightest movement of the Hand I'm Infront of You before you can Blink...

But as mention before our main message that Teichi, Barath and I have decided to get across is Global Impact. Environment Issues can be very daunting, especially for the young ones so Techi comes in and shows them the little things they can do as individuals to lower their impact on the environment. Use a personally owned water bottle instead of continuously buying plastic water bottles. Buy a calco bag to continuously use at the shops. I am suprised the students don't know this. 

One of the Biggest Difference Between Indo and Australia is that: Indo has a population of 230 Million... Australia, just 23 million... Add a flood and land slide here and there - thats a lot of death caused through global warming and climate change in Indonesia...

We also congratulate the kids who ride bicycles to school and walk instead of catching carbon producing transport. They are amazed to see there are things they can do to make a change, small things that are so easy to do that can actually make a difference on a big scale. And we emphasis that so much more by coming from Australia (Me), Argentina (Teichi), and India (Barath). 

Talking about the Environment Can Get a Bit Boring so We Like to Spice it Up a Bit with:

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!! - OI OI OI!!!!!!

When I get up there I ask them: Does the environment in Australia impact the environment in Indonesia? The students answer almost always no. By the time Teichi gets up there and re-explains global impact they understand that the earth, the world itself is one environment, even though we find ourselves in completely different physical surroundings that affect us, we only have one environment. 

Having a Bit of Fun (Beryl took This Photo)

 

 So without delay, the holidays approached and the classes finished. They have actually started up again this week, however being sick recently with migraines I have been unable to attend. I am excited to start up again with new classes of students - sharing our message with the young and the flexible. 

But before the New Year Began, Barath, Beryl, Me and Leo piled into a car and was driven 12 hours to Jogja... But since I'm about to leave starbucks to go watch a movie and eat some lunch I think I don't have time to write this right now so I'll leave it here. Hope you enjoyed this blog. Comment if you want or become a follower so you know when I make an update.

Miss you all!

Lots of Sheran Love!

xo shez

Half Way Through

I want to first apologise for not writing recently and keeping my blog updated with all the cool stuff that's been happening. Blogs that will be written after this one;

• New Year Fun
• Construction in Indonesia
• End of School / Off to Jogja!
• Meeting a Social Entrepreneur

I like to read the end of the book first, so I'll tell you wants recently been happening to me in this relentless land I find myself in.

Well... I saw another volcano. And this time I actually got to touch the water, or sulfur pool (or whatever you call it)

AWESOMENESSES!!!

The temperature was truly cold, but when you touch the water it's really warm. But don't stand there too long. I found that I almost couldn't breath, what I was inhaling wasn't oxygen mixed with whatever level of nitgrogen, it was sulfide or something and my lungs couldn't hack it. I was having huge coughing fits ahaha.

I also have a new host family. No I didn't get rejected or anything like that. However the family that looked after me through December have had to go to Singapore for medical reasons and as such I am with a new family. I now have two host sisters called Silvia and Dinda and a host brother who lives in Jakata during the week called Rizky. My new mother (Ibu) and father (Ayah) are really nice too and feed me EVEN MORE than my last host mother. (bloody oth - hahaha)

My Host Mother (Ibu) and Sister (Dinda), Silvia is taking the photo.

After the volcano we went off to see a lake called Patengan. It was beautiful and on top of that, I got to ride on a traditional indonesian boat. Of course it was coloured all different kinds of awful colours which ruined the traditional feel but it was nice. And the landscape was just magnificent. Indonesia has awesome rainforest, and as the boat circled the lake it burst out of the land and into the water. Like the father says in the Australian film 'The Castle' - i couldn't help but sign and say 'feel the tranquillity'...

So Pretty!

So this was my day out yesterday! I'm actually having a lot of fun here. Where ever the chance I take a snap when I meet something totally different. For instance, check this out;

I'm standing in front of the tropical fruit called Durians. Indonesian people LOVE IT!!! I think it's absolutely disgusting. It's like eating grass, except it's in a fruit. But different people have different tastes. But seriously, people here would wash themselves in this fruit if they could. On second thoughts I think there is a durian soap you can buy. ahahaha?

SO yes, having lots of fun. I will be writing those posts very soon. Maybe tomorrow. Especially my meeting with the social entrepreneur. This man has really inspired me and I am so excited to write about him!

Love you all!!!

BIG o and SLOPPY x

Shez