Selamat malam! (I miss saying that..and lima haha)

Well, just one week ago we were all sitting in Jakarta airport waiting to find out when/if our plane was going to ever leave. I cannot believe how fast time goes.  Our week in Indonesia seemed to fly by, although we did so many things in just one week. I can't count the number of times I have "relived" our trip through my pictures and videos already, thank God for cameras!  Today I finally had time to catch up on all the journaling and sit and think about all the amazing things we did. So many people I talk to keep asking, "Well, what was your favorite thing?" This question is near impossible to even think about, let alone give an answer for. I still have to pinch myself when I think about how we were literally on the opposite side of the world, and am overwhelmed with thankfulness for this incredible opportunity and experience.

As I thought over each day of our trip today, I had to stop and think..."we did all of that in one day???" It is a lot to think about and wrap your mind around when reflecting on all the different things we experienced. It's not easy to get a really full and encompassed idea of an entirely different culture in just one week; but if it could be done, we did it. Not only was our scheduled packed with exciting things each day, our group was perfectly cohesive. And by cohesive I mean we had a great time together doing anything from trying new and exotic foods to sitting in airports for hours upon hours, all the while finding ways to make fun of each other and laugh at almost anything/everything.  So..how does one begin to reflect on an incredible trip like the one we have been describing?

Sights. Perhaps the easiest and most tangible place to start would be the places we went and things we saw. Prambanan, Borobudur, Mt. Merapi, Ramayana Ballet, schools, the hospital, pharmacy, the Bizztro (can't forget that one :P), Batik, silver shop, clay pot shops, meat market (yum), and many more! If you have had the chance to look at anyone's photos from our trip, it is clear that the Indonesian sights are simply stunning. I cannot even begin to talk about the amazing views we saw.  Camera's can't capture the view of city of Salatiga we saw each night, and I must say some of my happiest moments happened with a cup of coffee in the morning while looking out at volcanoes and mountains in the distance.

Sounds. Now this is something that is a little bit harder to capture. However, with Chris and Will's video-taping habits put together, I'm pretty sure you could virtually be on the trip with us haha. From the first night, I knew things would not be the same (roosters were yelling literally all night..what an experience haha). For me, the most impressive sounds were the music, the wildlife, and then just the sound of the Indonesian language.  The music was very intriguing, whether it was Indonesian pop on the way to the airport in the van, or angklung outside on the streets of Jogja.  The wildlife was something that we aren't so used to hearing all the time..or hardly ever here in America. I liked the geckos the best, which make sort of a barking or ribbeting noise..sort of hard to explain, but I didn't know they sounded like that! Languages have always particularly interested me. I love hearing different sounds and accents from all over the world, and Indonesian was definitely one that I haven't heard much (at all) before.  It was such a blessing to have Bethany and her parents, Pac Tim and Ibu Rhonda with us at all times to break down that barrier somewhat. But I must say, Mas Ali and I had some really good conversations about photography with a few english words and mostly charades :)

Smiles. Here comes my favorite part.  Every person I met there had a friendliness and warmth about them that was simply unexplainable.  No one passed by without a quick hello or a sweet smile.  I loved the laid-back feel of the culture and was so impressed by the Javanese people.  Bethany's parents gave us a little more insight to the culture telling us that they highly value respect and don't like to embarrass others.  One instance that really impacted me happened the first night we were in Yogyakarta. One of us (cough Kevin cough), left something in the food court of the mall we ate at and didn't realize until we were back out on the street. When he turned around to get it, someone had ran down the four flights of stairs to find him and give him his things. I don't know a lot of places in which that would happen! Another thing I loved was that after we finished eating dinner at the Indonesian family's home, we all just hung out and enjoyed each other.  In America, I feel like we are always on to the next thing, or feel the need to be on the computer or watching something, but I really liked just sitting on the porch with friends and enjoying the evening.  Even the people I met in passing in Indonesia left a kind and friendly impression on me.

I have been talking for a while now and I still feel like I have only skimmed the surface of the country and culture of Indonesia. And because my photos can show what my words can't, I leave you with these... - Jo

Made it Home

We made it home after several bumpy flights, a 3 hour delay that turned into a 12 hour day in Jakarta Airport, and best of all we went back in time to live Sunday all over again. First order of business is a shower and then food.

Borobudur

So we’re in the airport in Jakarta getting ready to leave Indonesia, but let’s travel back to Wednesday morning (Tuesday night for you East Coasters) and revisit our trip to Borobudur.

Borobudur is the world’s largest Buddhist temple with a series of square and circular terraces. It was constructed between 778 and 850 AD, however, shortly after it’s completion Hindu kings conquered the Buddhist dynasty and the temple was abandoned. It was preserved until it was rediscovered in the 19th century by ash from successive explosions by the nearby volcano, Mt. Merapi. In the 1960’s, UNESCO started a major restoration effort to take apart and rebuild Borobudur piece by piece.



Borobudur is like any other historical monument in that there’s a small town surrounding the world wonder. As we entered the parking we were mobbed by locals selling every knick-knack you could possibly need even before we exited the vans. We had a great guide telling us about Borobudur with his own jokes inserted here and there. There are ten levels, including the ground, and you can circumnavigate three of them in a symbolic journey through the three spheres of Tantric Buddhism. There was a group of people who actually did make their way here to perform their pilgrimage with a spiritual chant that end on the top tier with them bowing their heads and touching the top-most stupa. The top tier has more than 70 stupas containing Buddha. Most of the heads are missing or damaged due to collectors stealing them.



Although Borobudur has become a major tourist attraction there still remains a special spiritual feeling when surrounded by all the beautiful scenery.



-blog post by Will Kennard

Rice field fun

First up, here is our very own star, Kevin aka "Justin Bieber", being mobbed by middle-schoolers on holiday. We've made lots of new friends along the way who love a chance to practice their English and to take photos with Americans. Hopefully we are doing our part to increase mutual understanding and cross cultural exchange. :)



On Thursday we visited a rice paddy and some even took the opportunity to learn how to plant rice by hand.







Today is Saturday and we will be heading out in a few hours for our long trip home. We start with a drive to the next city, Semarang, where we will take a domestic flight to the capital city of Jakarta. From there we have a long wait until our departure for Seoul and finally Washington DC. Wish us luck in our 36+ hour journey. We will try to post some more photos from the week and stories as we have time and internet.

Mount Merapi

Hi there, this is Elizabeth by the way. For some reason I'm having trouble logging in myself...

After exploring Borobudur, we pilled into the vans and headed across the way to see Mt Merapi. There is vast expanse of crops terraced into the mountainside as we make our ascent. Sometimes I wonder if the van is going to make it as it putters and the mopeds take their turn speeding past.

Once we reached the lookout point, we have an overlook of the valley and the giant Mt Merapi to our right and Mt Merbabu to our left. The valley below is organized into its crop fields and it’s hard to believe that only a year and half ago this entire area was destroyed and covered in ash by this active volcano. Mt Merapi’s peak is hidden behind the clouds. Supposedly one can see smoke from Mt Merapi about 300 days of the year. It is believed when the earth was created, the gods wanted to place Mt Merapi in the center of Java to balance the island. However, two armourers, Empu Rama and Empu Permadi were already settling in the desired location and ignored the gods’ desire to move the mountain there. This made the gods angry and so they went ahead and buried Empu Rama and Empu Permadi under Mt Merapi and that is why it’s believed the volcano is so active.

There’s also a group of school children visiting, about the age of 13. They work up the courage to approach us, practicing their English and ask to take photos with us. They get a big kick over Becky with her fair skin and red hair. Then the girls hone in on Kevin…(we end up giving Kevin the nickname Justin Beiber). Lots of photos were taken, girls squealing, everyone throwing up the peace sign and more squealing as they scurry off towards their tour bus.

We then headed inside for a traditional lunch while enjoying the beautiful, immense view.

Selamat Pagi! (Good Morning!)

Greetings from the beautiful mountainside here in Indonesia! All of our days have been jam packed with everything Indonesian, with tons of food and tons of fun! The other day we were given the opportunity to visit Prambanan. The moment we arrived it was as if we were stepping into a page of an Encyclopedia! Prambanan is a 9^th century Hindu temple located in Central Java. Just standing there surrounded by these majestic temples we were all in awe at the fact that it was all constructed based on a tongue-and-groove approach. The mere height and intricate carvings were also impressive. We had a very funny tour guide who was always cracking “American” jokes! He was so nice and always encouraging us to keep up, as you may guess we were very distracted by our surroundings! The tour included a full history of Prambanan as well as going into several of the different chambers. Randomly as we were walking around we also discovered that there were some kittens living there! I certainly want to get in touch with their real estate agent! Finally, our tour concluded with many group shots in front of the temple, complete with an aerial shot! In other words, the infamous jumping pose! Needless to say it was an experience that none of us will ever forget!

Sarah 

Coffee Trip with Tim

Tim Galipeau took Will, Jo, and myself to The Bizztro to have coffee after our trip to the Pharmacy. We are desperately trying to get Bethany to agree to having dinner there on our last night. She loves coffee, so we got at least a 50/50 shot.

Photos from Day 2

Spices in the market.

Bargain hunting in the various clothing stalls.


Making our own batik.

Lunch!

Finishing off a piece of pottery

Kevin rocking his Indonesian fashion at Gajah Mada Universitas.

Friday Sunrise

Everybody got up this morning to see the sunrise after I did yesterday.

Bringing us up to date...

Selamat pagi! Good morning!

We have had a very busy several days and not a lot of time or internet access to keep up with the blog as we would like. More detailed postings are being prepared, but here is a brief outline of what we've been doing and hopefully some photos (depending on how long this wi-fi connection lasts).

After arriving in Bali in the wee hours of Sunday morning, we got a little bit of sleep and then headed out to spend our morning on Kuta Beach. After relaxing under the trees, surrounded by sellers trying to entice us to buy everything from manicures and massages to ice-cream and sarongs, we ate lunch outdoors and then headed to the airport for our short flight to Yogyakarta. Arriving in Yogyakarta, or Jogja as it is universally known here, we were met by our Indonesian travel agent and all-around CAN-DO man, Mas Ali. He took us to our hotel where we met up with my (Bethany's) parents who have lived in Indonesia for 20 years and who have been helping with everything from translating to bargaining and arranging the itinerary. We ate dinner, walked the busy evening street of the Malioboro area and did a quick bit of shopping before succumbing to jetlag and hitting the hotel.

Monday found us first at the oldest market area in Jogja, where we not only saw tables full of spices, fruits, rice, and vegetables, but fresh meat, fish and chickens...intestines included! The clothing stalls were jam packed with batik and colorful styles and we all spent a good hour shopping and bargaining and generally enjoying ourselves. Next we went to an upscale batik boutique where we were able to try our hand at making our own batik designs. Note: manipulating a stylus full of hot, liquid wax is harder than it looks. We stayed there for lunch and were treated to an amazing display of culinary treats. Photos don't do the flavors justice. After lunch, it was off to Universitas Gajah Mada, the oldest and probably most well-known university in Indonesia. They have about 40,000 students, and also welcome a good number of international students as well. Perhaps some of our group will find a way to come back and study here in the future. :) Finally, we went outside the city center to an area where artisans make pottery and stone carvings. After returning to our hotel and eating dinner, everyone still had a yen to shop some more, so we took becaks (pedicabs) down to our favorite store. Sitting in an open pedicab and weaving through the crazy traffic was a cultural experience in and of itself.

Tuesday was a day for experiencing a lot of high culture (ie, the arts and history). We began our day with a visit to the Indonesian Institute of the Arts where we were hosted warmly by their faculty and international office. They took us on a tour of the campus, introduced us to students, let us sit in on a traditional dance class and treated us like honored guests. One of our students who is a violinist had a mini cultural exchange when she was offered the violin of an ISI student to play a few bars. We really enjoyed our morning with them. (Although, the humidity and heat certainly were draining). Next we had a date with a sultan. Or at least to see his palace. Our tour of this working palace included the information that although one of the previous sultans had 21 wives and 47 children, the current sultan has only 1 wife and 5 children. What this says about cultural change, we can only guess. We also made a quick stop at the sultan's "water palace" which was a bathing and swimming area for him and his harem. Given the heat level, we were looking longingly at the water pools and wishing that we could hop in as well. We ate lunch en route out of the city at a little cafeteria style place that is frequented by university students. Then we visited the ancient Hindu temple complex of Prambanan. I'll leave the full description of this to a future blog posting, but suffice it to say, it was very impressive. Getting back to the hotel, some decided to take the free hour to relax but others still hadn't had enough shopping, so it was back on the becaks, into the traffic and back to the store to grab some more deals. Our culture day culminated in a very nice dinner at an open air complex followed by a performance of the epic story Ramayana in full costumes and live gamelan orchestra.

On Wednesday we said goodbye to Jogja and headed out of town to Borobudur, an ancient Buddhist temple which is built like a large pyramid with ten levels. Again, the full details of this visit will come later. Despite the incredible heat (no shade because the temple is not a building), we were in awe of the scale, size, age and level of detail on this massive stone structure built with no cement. We also made friends with a group of local high school students there for a field trip and will be seeing ourselves all over their Facebook pages in the near future with the photos we took together. Leaving Borobudur, we drove across the valley and into the foothills beneath Mount Merapi. It is an active volcano that experienced a big eruption just under two years ago in October 2010. Despite this, the surrounding vegetation today is back and covering the mountainside with rice, vegetables and other crops. We had lunch at an overlook mountain pass and then took an exciting ride through the winding narrow roads to the outskirts of Salatiga, the city where we will spend the rest of our time here. Everyone was delighted to check in to our lodgings, a retreat center located outside the city on the mountainside. Nature surrounds us (birds are chirping up a storm as I write), we have fantastic views of the city and valley below and the air is COOL! Mas Ali brought us a feast of exotic fruits and local "take-out" last night which we enjoyed in the open air in front of a bonfire. And just to top off the experience, we made sure to sing a few rounds of kumbaya complete with guitar. Our group is becoming like a little family, and it will be hard to say goodbye at the end.

Today we will be heading into Salatiga to visit a rice paddy field, a duck farm, some small businesses and other local visits. We will be having dinner in the home of an Indonesian family, which should be a unique and special experience. Stay tuned for more as we have the opportunity and internet time to share with you.

Food and Fashion

So much for losing a little weight on this trip. We have had some incredible meals. Our Breakfasts have been probably the most exciting for all of us. We all seem to enjoy trying new things. This morning they had Sambel Kentang Kering which is like cracker jack with a spicy flavor. We also had the usual. Large staple of Rice, there was Bok Choy this morning and an Indonesian potato with a good flavor and a ground chicken roll. We had a great lunch yesterday that was home style with soup, rice,fish(Red Snapper...for those who get that joke), chicken, beef, these fantastic chips that tasted like pig ears. As for Fashion, last night we Pedi crabbed back to the Mirota Batik to do some more shopping, for gifts,for ourselves; I think we all indulged. I finished off my Indonesian suit by getting some pants to wear to our dinner withtheIndonesian Family in 2 days. Got my cap, my suit Jacket, pants. Pictures to come afterwards I'm sure. Having a great time. Sightseeing today and then the Ramanaya Ballet tonight! So excited! Chris

Day 1 - Morning in Bali - photos

Breakfast on the rooftop on our first morning in Bali.

Local flora, there are flowers and greenery everywhere.

Infinity pool on the hotel roof.

Balinese temples with their unique architecture.

Sacrifices to the Hindu gods are placed near shrines all over Bali, morning, noon and night.

Getting our feet wet in the Indian Ocean on Kuta Beach, Bali.


Sate (satay) with peanut sauce at an outdoor food stall on the beach.

Fresh, young coconut milk.

Kevin and Will with all of the equipment for a soccer game...but no soccer ball.

Much more to come!

Airplane stories

Hello readers!

We are happy to report that last night we landed in Bali around 2:30a… of course this was after the very short flight of 16 hours (from DC to Seoul) and then a 7 hour flight (from Seoul to Bali).

In our flight from DC to Seoul we were lucky to have a fairly empty plane and we got to spread out and conquer seats for beds. Unfortunately, on our next flight, we weren’t so lucky.

However, we did have a pleasant, or not so pleasant surprise. A man approached Bethany and asked her for her window seat. She replied that we would be moving around and that he couldn’t have the seat. He wasn’t mad but continued to ask other passengers on the plane. After a short period he was on the other side of the plane to ask Jo if she had a guide for Bali. We didn’t. But he continued to ask us where we were from, where we were staying, if we were an all girls group, and gave us words of wisdom… “You can find love in Bali”. The girls were significantly creeped out.

Chris and Jo were in a close race to see who could watch the most movies (and sleep the least…though not by choice). Chris won with a total of 7 movies!

As we were landing Bethany leaned over to us and mentioned that if would be quite warm once we got of the plane… Little did we know…

Once we got off the plane, purchased visas and went through customs we were greeted with drivers. As we walked out of the airport, we were also greeted with sweat dripping from every pore. We literally walked a few hundred feet and we possibly had lost a pound of weight in sweat. We never had been so happy for AC. Thank you to whoever invented that.

As we pulled up to the hotel we were tired and yet so excited that we were actually there! Once we got to our rooms and figured out when to wake up for breakfast and we thought that we were going to get some sleep a loud screech was heard. What was that and why was it up?! Again, a screech. Ah… a rooster. How lovely. Did we have the time right? Yes, it was 4am. Then why in the world was this rooster awake and telling us to wake up as well. It stopped for a little. Again we tried to sleep… screech! Followed by a different screeching rooster, followed by another! Now there were 3 and they wanted us to wake up. Well, either we drifted into a sleep with the soft cooing of the rooster or you tossed and turned wondering when it would shut its beak up.

Our alarms went off a little to soon for most.

Breakfast was a great surprise! Cantaloupe, eggs, chicken sausage, fish, rice, fresh veggies and toast… YUMMM. But, not only did they have yummy food, but also we were on the top floor of the hotel with gorgeous views and an infinity pool (for those of you that watch house hunters; it’s a great selling point).

Well, off to spend a few hours in Bali.

Hope everyone is doing well. We’re doing fine, don’t worry!

Love, the world travelers

Arrived safely!

Lots more to tell later, but for now, this is a quick message to let everyone know that we arrived safely in Indonesia. :)

In Seoul airport

View from the window over the area between Alaska and Russia.



Time for a quick break before dinner.

Trying the Korean cuisine. YUM!

After a 16 hour flight, we made it in to the Incheon airport of Seoul, South Korea.

Next up, the plane to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia! Only a short 7 hours. :-)

At Dulles airport

Ready for our 15 hour flight to Seoul, South Korea!

Look at all our flight attendants!

Van ride.

Chris is already sleeping and we aren't on the plane yet!

Global Citizenship Project - background

For those of you who are new visitors and who may not be familiar with the Global Citizenship Project, here is an overview of the program.

The GCP was inspired by long-time friend and former trustee of Shenandoah University, Dr. Nancy Larrick Crosby, who charged the university to find a way to impact across the institution in some significant way and consistent with our mission. Dr. Crosby was a tireless advocate for literacy around the world. Her model for engaging communities in the global context set the stage for what inspires with our students and community today, the Global Citizenship Project.

GCP Key Components:

• GCP is an opportunity to travel abroad during spring break each year with an academic focus in a group-oriented and faculty-led experience.
• 5 destinations are selected each year along with 5 very experienced faculty or staff to lead each group.
• The university removes all barriers to participation except for one - passion! Expenses are paid apart from incidentals, logistics are handled by the institution, and anxiety is reduced with group-oriented, faculty-guided travel.
• Full-time members of the university community - students, faculty as well as staff - submit streamlined applications that seek to identify those whose passion for the opportunity to learn abroad can be heard in a short essay.
• Applicants do not know where they will be going each year and apply ready to be sent anywhere in the world (destinations not on the U.S. State Department warning list).
• Destinations are announced shortly after selection. Destination groups are formed with 11 participants each (including undergraduate and graduate students, staff members, and one faculty member plus the trip leader and occasionally a student from the destination country) representing the diversity of the institution on each trip.
• Participants prepare for their travel experience through a series of workshops focusing on cultural understanding, destination-specific information, logistics for global travel and a unique theme chosen each year on which each group will focus during the preparations, travel and in workshop debriefing sessions.
• The experiences themselves follow many models based on the conditions of the destination but are clearly designed with an academic focus and people-to-people connections.
• Upon return, an intentional effort is made to stimulate dissemination of the experiences and lessons learned back into our various communities - on campus (through presentations during Community Partnership Day), into the local community (through outreach programs into the schools as one example), and into student's home communities (through press release and media interviews).

Borobudur and Prambanan

To better understand Indonesia's present, it is important to know about the past. Both Buddhism and Hinduism have played large roles in the history of the country, with kingdoms that dominated Java and beyond. The GCP Indonesia group will be visiting remnants of those ancient kingdoms. Below please find more information on the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan.

Selamat Datang!

Welcome to the GCP Indonesia blog. We hope to use this space to record snapshots, observations and stories about our exciting journey.

A tentative itinerary...PLEASE keep in mind that Indonesia operates on a different sense of time, so all planned activities can and will change as circumstances dictate:

Friday, March 9
Depart campus
Check in at Dulles Airport
Depart Dulles - Korean Air Flight 94

Saturday, March 10
16:35 PM Arrive Seoul
20:05 PM Depart Seoul - Korean Air flight 647

Sunday, March 11
2:15 AM Arrive Denpasar, Bali on Korean Air Flight 647
Customs/Transfer to Hotel Nirmala/ SLEEP
9:00 AM Breakfast
10:00 AM Walking tour of Kuta Beach area/shopping
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Depart hotel for Denpasar airport
15:40 Flight to Yogyakarta – GA253
15:55 Arrive Yogyakarta (one-hour time difference from Denpasar)
Afternoon Check in to Paku Mas Hotel and meet the Galipeaus
Evening Dinner
Shopping in Malioboro

Monday, March 12
Batik Traditional Market and making batik
Clay Pot Center
Gajah Madah University

Tuesday, March 13
Yokyakarta Palace
Prambanan (Ramayana dance and temples)

Wednesday, March 14
Early breakfast and departure
Visit Borobudur
Lunch en route
Mount Merapi and surrounding area
Arrive in Salatiga
Check in to Wisma Remaja Salib Putih

Thursday, March 15 – Friday, March 16
Local visits (school, hospital, local government, university, markets, etc.)
Rice field visit
Dinner with Pak & Ibu Darmono in the village

Saturday, March 17
Travel to Semarang – sightseeing
13:25 Flight to Jakarta from Semarang on Lion Air JT 507
14:30 Arrive in Jakarta
Change airport terminals, last-minute shopping, food, etc.
21:55 Depart Jakarta on KE 628

Sunday, March 18
6:45 Arrive Seoul
10:15 Depart Seoul on KE 93
10:50 Arrive Dulles
Clear customs, van shuttle back to SU campus