Hello from hot but very rainy Bali!
Yep, its rainy season and man, does it rain! The main road turned into a rushing river yesterday. And one of the funniest sights is to see everyone on their motorbikes pull out their umbrellas and just keep driving!
So, I've been doing a lot of thinking and thought I'd take a moment to update you all....Life here in this town of Ubud, on this island of Bali, in this country of Indonesia (just for a little geography lesson for you all, in case you were unsure) is really quite wonderful! The Balinese are such genuinely kind and loving people. Riding my bicycle through the streets, I pass groups of them hanging out together with their big, glowing smiles and contagious laughter everyday. (Juxtapose that with the frustrations of a daily commute on a congested freeway.)
But what makes life really liveable for me here is that there is a very full and alive culture of English speaking westerners as well. Everyday I keep meeting fantastic people from all over the world who are becoming friends of mine. Last night I went out with a woman from Portland who has been a yoga instructor here for 2 years, another woman from England who just moved here 2 weeks ago also as a yoga instructor, and another American who does almost my exact same job that I had in Thailand at one of the many ritzy resorts here. Cool people everywhere! That's #1.
Not to mention, that I have had contact with three different health resorts where I could potentially work. I just spent today putting flyers together regarding the services I can offer as an ND to their guests, which I am also going to post up on the many message boards around town to target the many disposable-income-full retirees who live here. Job Opportunities... potentially more than what I would find at home! That's #2.
Its sunny! And warm! That's #3.
Its sooo affordable! My rent is less than $10/day for my little place, which has the most extraordinary view over the bright green valley that stretches out in front of me and a massive volcano in the distance (great setting for writing my book!...which is going to be fabulous, by the way...I am so excited to share it with the world!). I dont have to pay car insurance for my bicycle that I rent for $1/day, nor do I need to pay for gas, nor a gym membership (since my commuting is my workout...love it). I bought an avocado the size of a football today for 25 cents, and a papaya that could barely fit in my fridge for 35 cents. Huge organic salads at one of the five hip and healthy organic restaruants in town cost me $3 and a super antioxidant fresh veggie juice made to order costs $1.50. That's #4.
Cool people. Job opportunities. Sunshine. No commute. No bills. Affordable living. Fantastic healthy food....So my point is, I think I'm going to stay here for at least the next 4 months! (which is when my visa will force me to leave the country, for at least a day anyway....many just fly to Singapore and back). So to be honest, if I were to come home, I don't really know where I'd go. Seattle is my 'home' but I truly can't take how down I get with all the rain and clouds. And the traffic is not something I miss.
But speaking of things I miss... my LOVING FAMILY! AND WONDERFUL FRIENDS! Of course I miss you all!!! You guys are the entire reason why I would come home!! But then I'd see you all, I'd be so full of smiles and love and hugs, it would be absolutely extraordinary...and then I'd have to find a job... and life would get busy... and expensive... and cloudy and rainy...and then I'd probably wish I were back over here.
So, that's what's going on!! I'm writing my fantastic book, living on my savings from my job in Thailand, having job opportunities keep appearing, working with feeling all of your love even though I'm so far away (translated to mean that I'm thinking, "do I really want to be so far away?!") , and just going to see what unfolds over these next four months.
But in the meantime, if any of you are in need of a vacation...COME TO BALI!! I'm serious. Its cheap and BEAUTIFUL! And I'd get to see you and give you endless hugs!
SENDING LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU ALL!!
LOVE, JODY :-)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
And for those of you 'Eat, Pray, Love' fans...
Remember Ketut Liyer, the medicine man she spent so much time with? I ride my bike past his porch everyday...I live next door to him. Apparently, he is so busy now after all the publicity around the book that he is pretty tired. He had just awoken from a nap when I stopped by to say 'hi,' so I kept my stay short and haven't been back since. (But noticed a brand new Mini parked in his garage.)
But Wayan and I are friends now. I stop by her herbal medicine clinic regularly just to give her a warm 'hello.' I told her I was writing a book, just like Elizabeth was, and so she's been reading up on my sign of scorpio to see what tips are out there in the stars for me to ensure a successful book. She also is tired a lot these days with how busy she has become, but seems to be pretty happy with the new constant inflow of money...She just bought her first ever car, but has never learned to drive. So she has hired a driver in the meantime until she goes to driving school and gets her license. She is so excited and nervous about having her first ever (brand new, to boot) car though, that when she (well, the driver, with her in the passenger seat) gave me a ride to see her family's temple, I was sitting on the plastic that she has yet to remove from the seats.
And what about the money Elizabeth raised for her to build a brand new clinic? That seems to be a bit of a mystery. She still lives in her family village (as all Balinese do) and still works in her same little clinic...But last week she (well, her driver) took me out to a brand new house she just finished building to see if I wanted to rent it out. To live in the house that was (likely) built from the money of the famous author of Eat, Pray, Love as I myself am writing my book seemed like too cool of an opportunity to pass up. Unfortunately, it just wasnt what I was looking for....Oh, well. Just to be in it was cool enough, I thought.
As for her daughter Tutti, she is now a thirteen year old in full bloom. As all three of us took part in a sacred temple festival (Wayan invited me along so that I could witness the Balinese culture first hand), and as the priest was bestowing blessings upon us, Tutti was busy text messaging her friends on a cell phone ten times more fancy than my own....Apparentley the success of Eat, Pray, Love is spreading to her entire family...
But Wayan and I are friends now. I stop by her herbal medicine clinic regularly just to give her a warm 'hello.' I told her I was writing a book, just like Elizabeth was, and so she's been reading up on my sign of scorpio to see what tips are out there in the stars for me to ensure a successful book. She also is tired a lot these days with how busy she has become, but seems to be pretty happy with the new constant inflow of money...She just bought her first ever car, but has never learned to drive. So she has hired a driver in the meantime until she goes to driving school and gets her license. She is so excited and nervous about having her first ever (brand new, to boot) car though, that when she (well, the driver, with her in the passenger seat) gave me a ride to see her family's temple, I was sitting on the plastic that she has yet to remove from the seats.
And what about the money Elizabeth raised for her to build a brand new clinic? That seems to be a bit of a mystery. She still lives in her family village (as all Balinese do) and still works in her same little clinic...But last week she (well, her driver) took me out to a brand new house she just finished building to see if I wanted to rent it out. To live in the house that was (likely) built from the money of the famous author of Eat, Pray, Love as I myself am writing my book seemed like too cool of an opportunity to pass up. Unfortunately, it just wasnt what I was looking for....Oh, well. Just to be in it was cool enough, I thought.
As for her daughter Tutti, she is now a thirteen year old in full bloom. As all three of us took part in a sacred temple festival (Wayan invited me along so that I could witness the Balinese culture first hand), and as the priest was bestowing blessings upon us, Tutti was busy text messaging her friends on a cell phone ten times more fancy than my own....Apparentley the success of Eat, Pray, Love is spreading to her entire family...
This is ME!
Where to start?! So many amazing things seem to keep happening in my life over here, I truly could sit here for hours and write about all the wonderful things from just this past week! But, I've been getting serious about spending time writing my book (which to be honest, I have been so filled with other things that it's been taking the back burner for a while) that I am going to keep this entry short...so I can get back to writing my book!
But here it is in a nut shell....spent a week driving around this island of Bali on a moped I rented for $3/day and witnessed the most amazing scenery I think I've ever witnessed in my life. (Think lush green nature in every direction decorating the slopes of multiple, massive volcanoes...completely unspoilt from any development except humble thatched roof homes, quaint towns, and very narrow and winding, yet luckily paved roads.) Doing an Ashtanga yoga course for the next 5 weeks from 7:30- 9:30 am, six days a week with two of the most vibrant and alive yoga instructors I've ever met in my life (and apparently very famous in the yoga world). Met a woman who works for a book publisher and offered any help I might need. Then met a man who told me all about how he self-published his book. Met a woman who spends her life traveling the world holding health retreats...which planted the seed for the very likely new direction in my life (once I publish my book, of course). Was wondering how I was going to make my money last long enough for me to finish my book while still living in this amazing place...and then met a woman who works here at a ritzy spa (similar to the one I worked at in Thailand) who told me they were looking for someone to do health consultations with their guests and if I knew of anyone who would be interested...I have a job interview with the manager tomorrow at 10am...
This island of Bali is amazing. It attracts the most vibrant and conscious living group of people I've ever met...and I keep meeting more of them around every corner I turn. It attracts writers. (There is an international writers conference here every October.) It attracts people who want to delve into themselves and follow the path of what their heart truly desires. It attracts organic farmers and raw foodies who open restaurants here that allow other like-minded people to fill their bodies with super healthy, toxic free foods, as nature intended us to eat. It attracts people who live outside the box, and think big...
And on that note, I will end with the following quote, which you can simply read below, or enjoy as it is matched with an inspiring YouTube video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUfH-BEBMoY
“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
~ Apple Computers
I love you all,
Jody
But here it is in a nut shell....spent a week driving around this island of Bali on a moped I rented for $3/day and witnessed the most amazing scenery I think I've ever witnessed in my life. (Think lush green nature in every direction decorating the slopes of multiple, massive volcanoes...completely unspoilt from any development except humble thatched roof homes, quaint towns, and very narrow and winding, yet luckily paved roads.) Doing an Ashtanga yoga course for the next 5 weeks from 7:30- 9:30 am, six days a week with two of the most vibrant and alive yoga instructors I've ever met in my life (and apparently very famous in the yoga world). Met a woman who works for a book publisher and offered any help I might need. Then met a man who told me all about how he self-published his book. Met a woman who spends her life traveling the world holding health retreats...which planted the seed for the very likely new direction in my life (once I publish my book, of course). Was wondering how I was going to make my money last long enough for me to finish my book while still living in this amazing place...and then met a woman who works here at a ritzy spa (similar to the one I worked at in Thailand) who told me they were looking for someone to do health consultations with their guests and if I knew of anyone who would be interested...I have a job interview with the manager tomorrow at 10am...
This island of Bali is amazing. It attracts the most vibrant and conscious living group of people I've ever met...and I keep meeting more of them around every corner I turn. It attracts writers. (There is an international writers conference here every October.) It attracts people who want to delve into themselves and follow the path of what their heart truly desires. It attracts organic farmers and raw foodies who open restaurants here that allow other like-minded people to fill their bodies with super healthy, toxic free foods, as nature intended us to eat. It attracts people who live outside the box, and think big...
And on that note, I will end with the following quote, which you can simply read below, or enjoy as it is matched with an inspiring YouTube video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUfH-BEBMoY
“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
~ Apple Computers
I love you all,
Jody
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