This month has gone by so fast. Some days seem slow - especially with preparing for accreditation and dealing with challenges in the classroom. However now that I sit back here, it's hard to see the distinct line between days.
Here are some of the highlights from this month:
Loss of Water - A main water pipe burst on a Sunday night. This sadly happened right before I was going to take a shower after spending the day in a heavily chlorinated pool. For 48 straight hours there was no water for showering, laundry, and cleaning. Now in the grand scheme of things 2 days seems like nothing, but living in a tropical country when this sort of thing happens is not sanitary. Mold and algae creep up in a matter of days. And let me tell you, 2 days (I suppose 3 if you count Sunday) without a shower is NASTY! Now a few weeks later, there are still water problems and nearly every day the water is turned off at sporadic times of the day (most times when I want to take a shower).
Death of a Computer - Sometimes I hate technology - actually a lot of the time. As beneficial as it is to have a computer, they often bring more problems than they are worth. Mine had been falling apart for quite a while. It was with me when I got in my motorbike accident back in April, my cat took to chewing some vital wires in my computer, and the hinge cracked loose. I kept it home for weeks, using the computer at school. I was determined to hold out until Christmas to get a new one. On Thursday of last week, my computer decided to go to sleep forever. I ended up buying a new one that weekend and it has been a blessing to have a fully functioning computer. I backed up my vital documents so it was not as tragic as it could have been - much like the last time.
Professional Development in Jakarta - On Monday and Tuesday this week, all of the SPH schools met at the new campus in Kemang (an uppity part of Jakarta). It was very beneficial (minus one of the sessions I was in). I felt like I was in college again, talking about worldview this and worldview that. My goodness it was like getting re-indoctrinated in Reformed Theology. Not my particular favorite outcome of those two days, but not the worst. A bunch of girls and I stayed overnight in the Aston Suites. With a great Western styled breakfast, roof top pool, and an alarm set for seven (instead of 4 am when everyone else had to get up from Sentul), it trumped any other option. It also made the week a bit more relaxed and feel more holiday-ish.
Celebrating Diwali - With there being five main "accepted" religions in Indonesia, I have become well versed in different religious holidays. Last night I was invited to have dinner and celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. In their religion, this holiday celebrates a god who came back after exile and conquered the darkness/evil of other gods. Many candles are lit, fireworks go off, and sweets/gifts are exchanged. A mother of one of my students had me come over with some other parents. We dressed in Indian sarees and ate like kings. Afterwards we set off fire works and were told the story of Diwali. It was a very cultural eye-opening experience. I'm glad that I got to be a part of it. However, it disturbs me that people worship idols and other gods. I always knew that there were other people in this world that are not Christians, but seeing it in this light boggles my mind. It breaks my heart that they do not see the light of Christ. However, I feel it incumbent to be tolerant and loving (as hard as it might be), and show the light of Christ in the midst the darkness and disparity of other religions.
Official Publication - So I've been keeping this a secret for a while, but the cat got out of the bag so I'm just going to clear the air and shout it from the rooftops of Indonesia. I am officially a published author of a historical fiction novel. I just submitted the last of my materials and will receive a mock-up copy to read through. It will be available after Christmas and I am very, very excited about this. It has always been my dream to publish something, and finally I can cross this off my bucket list.
Well that's about all the updates there are from this side of the world - until next time...
