May 5th-31st 2013

May 5th 2013 - May 7th 2013

Just hanging out at the house. Ibu Said, my host Mom, is an amazing cook and I eat all the time. They are always wanting me to eat more.  It is nice to be able to relax a little in-between traveling.

May 8th 2013

I got up in the morning and decided to get back in the pool. I miss swimming everyday and I wanted to see if I could swim a couple of laps without dying since I haven't swam competitively in a year and a half. My practice was pathetic, I won't bore you with the details that only a swimmer would find interesting. Just know that it is really hard to make up workouts. For someone who has never swam, I did well but, for me it was a testament to how much I have to practice to be in good physical condition. I was doing some sprints and one of the other swimmers wanted to talk to me (in Indonesian)

Man: You were swimming very fast (not true)

Me: Thank you, I was on a swim team in America

Man: Oh, you were on Team America

Me: Not really, it was just a local team. I had practice every day for two hours

Man: No, you didn't that is too much

Me: I really swam a lot

Man: Sure, whatever

We talked about why I was in Indonesia and where I lived and the other basic questions that I get every day. After a while I was able to excuse myself and keep swimming. After only five minute he stopped me again.

Man: Have you gone to the mountain here?

Me: I have been to kawah putih (literally "white crater", refers to an extinct volcano that collapsed years ago and left a small lake of boiling, sulfurous water)

Man: No, the other place

Me: Then I don't think I have gone

Man: You should come with me and my family

At this point I was not feeling comfortable, I had just met the man and he wanted to take me on vacation, I said that I was going to be out of town and that I couldn't go. After I was able to escape, I quickly finished and got out of the pool. I am sure he was just a nice guy but, Indonesians should really learn that to "bule" (white foreigners) this comes off as creepy not welcoming.

The rest of the day was spent at my house, watching TV and relaxing.

May 9th 2013

Happy Birthday to me, the big 18! Last night I looked up a swim practice so that I would be able to swim a real work out. I was out of bed at 6am and my Mom took me to the pool at the hotel near our house. I was sore but, I was able to complete the practice without talking to anyone. There were some kids who kept getting in my way but, in the spirit of my birthday I did not yell at them. I walked home from the hotel after my 2 hour practice. I was completely exhausted and I trudged into the house soaking wet and badly in need of a shower. My family was waiting at the table with a cake and presents and they sung to me, made me eat breakfast and I opened my presents. I was not expecting anything and I was very surprised. So, in all of the pictures I look terrible but, I was very thankful for my awesome family. My family got me a very nice watch, new flip-flops, a shirt and a batik wallet. There was also a package from America. My mom sent me things from my future college, University of South Carolina. I got a T-shirt a hat and a pin. I was also sent gummy bears, Hershey Kisses and the best present of all, letters from all my friends and family. After breakfast, cake and lots of photos I went upstairs and took a shower. Then, I went into my room and read all of my letters. There were letters from my family, my cousins, my aunts and uncles, my school friends and my church friends. I cried the whole time, they were the best present I could have asked for. For lunch I had the traditional birthday meal of yellow rice, fried chicken, Tofu and tempe with little fish. The yellow rice is in a huge cone and my host mom explained that it is tradition for the birthday person to take the top off the rice cone and give it to someone. Then, you spoon food into their mouth and they do the same to you. I gave my rice to my mom. Lunch was good but, I did not eat enough to make my family happy, especially my grandma. After lunch I watched Mean Girls then Lae came over and we talked. For dinner my family took me out to a restaurant. It was an amazing birthday and I am so glad that I was able to turn 18 in Indonesia, how many people from Ponte Vedra can say that.

May 10th 2013

I had to wake up early again and get ready to go to Batam for a Rotary conference. I got an email from my sister, Carly saying that they wanted to talk to me for my birthday. I was able to Skype them and talk to all of my siblings, my parents were on a cruise in the Caribbean and they were home alone for a week. They are so cute, I miss them so much and I can't wait until I get to give them all hugs when I get home. I had to go because I hadn't packed or eaten yet and I had to leave to go to the airport in a couple of minutes. I rushed to get ready and I barely remembered to bring my Rotary Blazer (foreshadowing). I got to the airport and I waited for my Rotary club president and Lae. I was messaging Lae and she said that she was already with the other lady who was coming with us and that they were at the salon because she was getting her hair done, typical Indonesian. Really, did she need to get her hair done now? So, I waited at the airport alone until I saw a Rotarian for another club that I knew and I waited with her. When everyone finally got to the airport and the plane boarded, we were on our way to Batam. The flight was only an hour and a half and it wasn't too bad, except for the fact that the pilot had to fly lower than normal because of clouds. When we got to the airport we waited with the Rotarians while they got their luggage (because they need large suitcases for a 3 day conference). My Rotary club president then asked me a strange question

President: So, how are you getting to the hotel?

Me: I am coming with you, right?

President: Well, we might not have room. So, how are you getting there?

Me: I was just told that I had to come to this conference, I really don't know anything.

Another Rotarian: Really, she isn't coming with you?

Person from Rotary who came to pick us up : Oh, we are in a bus, she can come.

President: I guess you can come with us, we have room.

Me: Great, that is incredibly convenient, wonderful.

Honestly, planning people, it really isn't that hard.

When we did get to the hotel, it was great. And then we got the news. All the exchange student we going to be staying in the hotel across the street on the 4th floor and the elevator was broken. Rotary, thank you for treating us like second class citizens. Everyone was there, or at least all of the exchange students in the district (there are 2 districts in Indonesia). Then we had to go to the nice hotel and do a parade of flags. Some of us were given flags and the rest of us had to follow them and act a little, happy, parade ponies. After the opening ceremonies (that we were allowed to sit in the hallway for instead of pretending to listen) we went to dinner. The food was mediocre and there was not enough, this might have been because Indonesians think it is their civic duty to stuff their faces with more food than I ever thought was possible. After not eating very much at the dinner the exchange students went to a local German restaurant. I split a meal and a side with Quentin both were not great. We all talked in the restaurant for a while, until we decided to go back to the hotel. I went to sleep soon after that.

May 11th 2013

We were told that we were going on a city tour of Batam and that we need to meet early in the morning in our hotel lobby. For everyone who does not know where Batam is it is a small island near Singapore. There is almost nothing there and everyone admits it. So, a city tour is somewhat useless. While we were all waiting in the lobby for our bus (which came a half an hour late) our guides told us that we needed to practice a dance. I told her flat out that we were not told we had to dance and that I refused to practice. The funny moment of the day goes to Bridget. She was standing up near the people who decided they were going to practice the dance. She asked the guide what everyone was doing. When the guide told her they were learning a dance she said "Ohh..." and side stepped away from the dancers and towards the group of people sitting in the least subtle way possible. When the bus did come we all loaded in and discovered that it was tiny and we all had to squeeze in to fit. There is exactly one tourist destination in Batam, a bridge that Indonesians compare to the Golden Gate Bridge. It is tiny and not that great. I wish that Indonesians wouldn't compare their landmarks to those in the States. While we were at the bridge we were forced to learn the dance that we were going to perform  for the Rotary meeting that night. I personally do not think it is fair to make us come to a conference, not tell us anything, make us dance and treat us like puppets. Luckily, the dance was not too difficult and we quickly "mastered"  the moves. Then, the highlight of the day, we ate grilled corn. After the bridge the guide was desperate to show us cool things. She started pointing out Post Offices, Office buildings and one college. All in all, super exciting. We did go to a Buddhist temple but, it was modern and not that cool. We got our fortunes told, which was very funny because some of the kids were taking it much too seriously. The man told me that I needed to study and not do anything else in my life because my life was going to suck and the only thing that would help is studying. When we finished, we went to a park that had all the traditional houses from all over Indonesia. Before we got there the guide told us that it was a mini version of Taman Mini (mini park in Jakarta that we had all already been to). I then told her that there was no reason to go to this park because it was just going to be a smaller version of something we had already seen. The 'houses' were about 3 feet tall and it was a complete  waste of time. When we finally made it back to the hotel we only had an hour before we had to perform. We were given a uniform to wear that was prison orange and about as unflattering as possible. We looked and felt like slaves, practiced more and then finally performed. It was terrible. I try to avoid public humiliation, especially when there are 200 cameras pointed at me but, Rotary just loves to put on a show. We then got to eat the slave food, not the delicious food that the Rotarians got to eat. We talked in one of the rooms for hours until we all decided to go to McDonald's and hang out there. We played cards and talked some more. Afterward I played cards with some of the other exchange students in the lobby until very late at night.

May 12th 2013

I wasn't leaving until 1 in the afternoon so, I was allowed to sleep in a little bit. I spent the morning with Lae and Cheyanne because most people had already gone home.  We had to check out of the hotel at noon and then we walked over to the Rotarian's hotel and waited there. One really nice lady took Lae, Cheyanne and I to lunch at McDonald's and then we came back to the hotel. Melly told me that she had a ticket for me to go home in the afternoon but, it had someone else's name on it and she didn't know if I could use it. If I could I would fly with them to Jakarta and then take a car back to Bandung. If I couldn't I would stay another night in Batam and then fly to Bandung in the morning. I said goodbye to everyone, not knowing if I would see them again or if I would be back in an hour. Melly, Lae and I got to the airport 3 hours before our flight because Melly's mom wanted to be there early. After waiting for 2 and a half hours I found out that I would be able to go to Jakarta tonight. Our flight was delayed and it felt like forever before we finally arrived in Jakarta. Then we had to take travel to Bandung, so another 3 hours in a car. By the time we finally arrived it was 11pm and I just wanted to be at home.  While I was unpacking I realized that I had left my blazer in Batam. I have almost forgotten that stupid jacket everywhere. Before I came on exchange I got half way to the airport before I remembered my jacket. I don't know what it is about that thing but, I can never remember it. I went to sleep late, worried about getting my jacket back.

May 13th 2013

As soon as I woke up, I texted Cheyanne and asked her to get my jacket from the hotel because she was still in Batam. She was able to save my jacket and I will meet her in Jakarta before she goes home to Canada. I had to finish preparing for my Rotary presentation that I was giving tonight. The Rotary meeting started at 5 and my presentation went smoothly. The president didn't show up until half way thru the meeting and I was already done with my presentation. For the rest of the meeting they talked about the exchange program and how to make it better. They asked me some questions and I tried to answer them truthfully without making it sound too harsh but, I don't know if they understood me. Rotary here is just so hard to deal with. After the meeting I went home.

May 14th 2013

Today, I had my first dance lesson at 7pm. I went to my teacher's house, she is a college student at the college near my house and she teaches English and dance lessons to pay for her tuition. I am learning the traditional Sudanese Peacock dance. The dance is almost six minutes long and it is much more difficult than I thought it was. My teacher's family sat and watched my lesson. I guess they thought it was really funny to watch a white girl try to dance. I learned the moves to about one third of the dance at the end of the two hours, but I was far from good. I have never taken dance lessons before and I am afraid that no matter how much I practice I will not look like a real dancer. My host sister drove me home from my lessons.

May 15th 2013

Now that I knew that I could learn the dance before I had to go home I went to a dress store to buy the traditional costume. The dress takes two months to make and it cost 150 USD. Luckily, the store already had two dresses made and they only had to alter it. The first one they brought me was a light purple color and I didn't love it, I was worried that I was going to have to rush order a dress but the second dress they brought me was a dark green color and it was beautiful. Everything fit except for the skirt and the belt and the owner said it would only take a day or two to make those alterations because they we fairly basic. I left the dress store super excited for my new dress. After the dress store my host mom had a doctor's appointment and I came along. For lunch we ate Siomay at a street stand. Siomay is a traditional Indonesian fish dumpling served with spicy peanut sauce. It is delicious, but you have to buy it on the street they taste so much better. The rest of the day I was at home.

May 16th 2013

I woke up and went swimming today. It was just another example of how bad I have gotten. I wasn't able to finish the practice that I wanted to do. In the afternoon my mom had another doctor's appointment  and afterward we went back to the dress store. They had called and said that the alterations were finished. When I got to the store they brought out the dress and I went to try it on. The owner's son came in the dressing room and she told me that I didn't have to take off my clothes to try on the costume. This annoyed me because I wanted to make sure everything was perfect before I paid for it. It turns out that I didn't have to try it on to know that it was terrible. The skirt was too small so they cut it apart and then sewed another half yard of fabric onto it. The lady showed me how to tie the skirt on. The skirt was embroidered but, the new fabric wasn't so there was just blank fabric in the front. I told the lady that it was not expectable and that I would not buy the skirt like this. She told me that I was just too fat and big and this was the only option. I stormed out of the dressing room and tried to explain to her that I was not going to buy the dress because it was ugly and did not fit correctly. After arguing for several minutes she said that she would embroider the rest of the skirt and make it so I could zip the skirt and I wouldn't have to tie it. I would have to pay an extra 10 Dollars for the work but, I think it is worth it.

May 17th 2013

Just at home, nothing much. I did decide that I would not be climbing a mountain because I wanted to focus on my dance lessons.

May 18th 2013

Today I had my second dance lesson. It is exhausting. I am always doing the dance too fast or I forget what comes next. Most of the dance is done on tip toe and the other part of the dance is done on one foot. I don't think I have ever given dancers enough credit. Ibu Melly came to the house to talk to me and she got to see some of my practice. I learned about two-thirds of the dance today but, I still have to practice if I want to be any good. After my dance lesson, Ibu Melly asked me for paperwork that I didn't know I had. She said it was in a white binder, which is unfortunate because I threw away my white binder at my last house. I asked her how big of a deal it was if I did not have that paperwork. She told me that I would not be allowed to leave the country because, I needed an exit visa and all the paperwork was in the binder. I had never hear of an exit visa before and I kind of thought it was a joke until she started calling people to see what she had to do. I was so worried about the paperwork I could not fall asleep until very early in the morning.

May 19th 2013

I woke up because, I wanted to go to church. I had my dad take me and it took forever because of the traffic. When we did get there the gate was locked. I called the missionaries only to find that it was stake conference and everyone was in Jakarta. I apologized to my host dad and we drove back home. My mom and dad had a Rotary meeting that they had to go to but, I didn't have to come so I went to lunch with my host sister, brother his wife and my other brother. Lunch was really good and I enjoyed eating with my siblings. We were heading back to the house when I got a text from Ibu Melly saying that I needed to go to the Rotary meeting immediately because they needed to talk to me. My siblings were nice enough to drop me off. It turned out that Ibu Melly and Pa Wasito (high up in Indonesian  Rotary Youth exchange) wanted to talk to me about my exit visa. I hadn't slept very long and I was not handling things well.  I felt attacked and ambushed. When they told me that I would not be able to go home on the 19th of June and I would have to go to Jakarta and pay 100 or 200 dollars to replace the paperwork I had a mental breakdown. I started screaming in English and crying. Not the best way to handle a situation but, that is what I did. Ibu Melly got really mad at me. She said that it was completely my fault and that I had no right to be yelling or mad because I was being careless. I told her that I was never told that I had important paperwork and I never knew. She told me that she had told Ibu Affie and that I had to of known. I really am tired of everyone assuming that I know stuff and then yelling at me when I don't know it. I yelled about how I hate Indonesia and I just want to go home and leave this stupid country. Ibu Melly started yelling at me and saying that I needed to apologize to her. I refused I said that I would not apologize for something that I did not know was wrong. After solving nothing, my parents drove me home. I went in my room and put myself in timeout and cried myself to sleep. I woke up in time for dinner and then I could not sleep again. I sent a text to Ibu Melly apologizing for my behavior because I guess I just have to be the bigger person and take all of the blame. I still couldn't go to sleep. I talked to Callie (my friend in Austria) at about 4 am my time and then I talked to my mom at about 5am. I fell asleep somewhere around 6:30am. Completely exhausted in every way.

May 20th 2013

I woke up late, still in my bad mood from yesterday.  I didn't do anything all morning and I was freaking out from yesterday. At about 3 my family was getting ready to leave the house. When I asked them what they were going they said that they were going to a waterfall. So, I put on tennis shoes really fast and got in the car. I always feel sick when we drive in the mountains, the terrible roads, the twists and turns and the altitude are a sure fire way for me to feel sick. After about 30 minutes of driving we got to a small park. From the top of the stairs we could barely see the waterfall. The people at the information desk said that there was more than 500 steps down to the waterfall. My host mom asked me if I was brave enough to go down the stairs. I told her that I really wanted to go down and see the waterfall. We paid for admission and started down the stairs. My host mom, my older brother and his wife, my older sister,  my younger brother and I all started at the same time from the top. I went much faster than anyone else. I stopped to wait for them about 2/3 of the way down and my younger brother caught up and we kept going. It was beautiful. The waterfall was almost 100 meters tall and it splashed down into a pool of water at the bottom. The spray from the waterfall rained on everything within a 50 meter radius. I had to get closer to the waterfall, it was just too cool to stay far away from. I got close enough to touch the small lake at the bottom, and get completely soaked with the spray. We took tons of pictures, I didn't have my camera but, that was probably best because it would have gotten wet. My family and I stayed at the bottom of the waterfall and enjoyed how beautiful it was for about 30 minutes. Eventually, we decided that we were going to start on the trek back up the cliff side. I started first and made a steady pace up the stairs.  My younger brother quickly passed me (he decided he was going to run up the stairs). I was about 1/2 of the way up when I met a new friend. If any of you have seen Mulan, you will remember the part when she tries to spit and it dribbles and it a total fail. Well I thought I was alone on a section of stairs when I did the exact same thing. A mountain guide saw the entire thing and was laughing his head off. I walked faster to catch up with him and then we talked the rest of the way up the stairs. Sometimes the best way to make friends is to make a complete fool of yourself, I have learned this over and over again as an exchange student. We were almost to the top when we caught up with my brother who had been resting after running up most of the stairs. Together we finished the climb. I was proud that I was barely out of breath and I waited with my brother for the rest of our group. We watched the monkeys that lived near the entrance of the park while we waited. After 15 minutes my older brother and his wife finally made it to the top. My sister in law went to sit in the car, she seemed very exhausted. We waited for my host mom and my older sister but they were nowhere to be seen.  After another 5 minutes my two brothers climbed back down to meet my mom. I waited in the car for another 10 minutes until I couldn't wait anymore. I went back to the gate and one of the guides said that they were bringing my mom oxygen right now. I ran down the stairs and found my host mom and sister sitting on a bench. Then we helped my mom up the last few stairs. She exclaimed "Alhamdulillah" (Praise to God in Arabic - I have picked up lots of Arabic catchphrases in the last 9 months) when she reached the top. My brother was the only person to get as close to the waterfall as I did and he was able to change clothes. I sat in the back of the car on our way back home. It took forever to get home. We bought fried tofu, which was delicious and hot. The tofu came with chilies and I ate one with my tofu, it was spicy and very good but, we did not have any water and I had to suffer until the burn wore off. Then we stopped at a restaurant for dinner because my mom normally does the cooking and she was still exhausted and she did not want to cook. She made me order rabbit sate because she said that I had to try it or I was not brave. After the stuff I have eaten this year, I am not afraid of rabbit. The meat was tough and not very good but I ate all of it, I do not like being called a coward. I was freezing cold. For the first time in Indonesia, I felt really cold. I was still soaking wet, all my clothes, including my shoes and socks were drenched and I just wanted to take a warm shower. When we finally got home, I ran up and took a shower. Much to my disappointment the water was cold and it refused to get any warmer. I dried off any got dressed in sweats and a sweat shirt and socks because I was still freezing. It was a good day. Life is a rollercoaster  one day can be the worst ever and the next reminds me why I wanted to go to Indonesia in the first place. This exchange might just be the best mistake I have ever made.

May 21st and 22nd 2013

Just at home, I have not been sleeping at nights and the stress of my paperwork is really getting to me. I feel hopeless and people just kept telling me to wait, I am tired of waiting and being unable to do anything for myself. People say that exchange is meant to teach kids independence. I digress. I believe that exchange, at least my experience, teaches kids to hate depending on people and long for independence.

May 23rd 2013

I woke up early and got in the car with my mom and dad. They had a meeting that they had to go to with 15 bule (white people) from Michigan State University (my host dad's alma mater) and they wanted me to come. I am not going to lie, I was nervous. I get really awkward around white people and I don't know what to talk about. My stomach hurt really bad in the morning but after a few hours the pain subsided and I was able to have more fun. We met everyone at their hotel, we ate breakfast and then we loaded onto a bus. We took the bus to SMA 1, Public high school #1 in Bandung. This is the school of my younger host brother and one of the best schools in Bandung. We had a meeting and the school's administration and top students talked to us. It was nothing like my school. I go to a vocational school and it is crap compared to how nice this school was. The people from Michigan State University are all people who are getting doctorates in some type of education so they were very interested in talking to me about school in Indonesia. I told them that what they were being shown is not how most schools are in Bandung and that they should keep that in mind. Everyone was very nice and I had a fun time talking English. We had an Angklung and a dance performance , both of which we very good and we toured the campus. After lots of pictures and talking we went to leave the campus. I went home with my mom because they were only going to be in boring meetings for the rest of the day. On our way we dropped off the people's dirty laundry at a dry cleaners.  It cost 50 cents per kilo of clothes and we picked them up later that night. For all 15 people's clothes it cost less than 20 dollars.  My mom didn't want to cook so we ate lunch on the street. I had soup with beef chunks and noodles in it and orange juice. My mom also bought seblak because she knows that I love it so much and she hasn't ever heard of it before. It wasn't the same as the stuff I normally eat but it was really good. It was spicy, too spicy for my mom (who has been sick and unable to eat lots of spicy food) but, I loved it. Yum, spicy food. I took a short nap and then went to my dance class. I worked really hard to finish learning the dance. The dance is at her home and some man (maybe her dad) took a couple of pictures of me (without asking of course) while I was sweating tons and attempting to do the dance. It is way harder than it looks and when the class was over I was exhausted. I went home and ate this kind of Sudanese pancake that my sister bought. She also told me something that I am mad I didn't know earlier. There are chocolate factories in Indonesia and they sell ugly chocolate that broke or crumbled before they could sell it by the kilo. My sister brought home a 1/2 a kilo of chocolate that was perfectly good and cost as much as one small candy bar. I love Indonesia.

May 24th 2013

Nothing much.

May 25th 2013

My sleeping is still messed up a lot and I cannot fall asleep before 3am. I was woken up by my dance teacher at eleven am, which is the latest I have ever slept-in in Indonesia. I was unfocused in class and could barely remember the steps. We worked for a hour before it was clear that my heart was just not in it. We ate lunch and then I told my mom and teacher I didn't want to finish my lesson for the day. We talked instead and I returned to my room after my teacher left. At 5pm my family left to go to a MSU alumni party and my dad's boss's house. It took an hour to get there with all the traffic and we got there an hour early. I guess because we were bringing food we had to come before the party even started. I sat on a couch and tried to avoid all the old people. When the party did start most of the guests were the 15 people that I had met the other day. They were really nice and I talked to them most of the time, I even showed them how to eat salak, a fruit that was introduced to me in Indonesia. The party went on until 10pm and we got home around 11 because the roads are so bad. I went straight to bed I was so tired, I never really woke up today. I wish my body would get its crap together and let me be awake during the day.

May 26th 2013

I was supposed to wake up early so that we could leave for a wedding at 8am. I missed my alarm and my mom woke me up 10 minutes to 8 am and told me that everyone was running a little behind. I got out of bed, took a shower, got dressed and got down stairs with very little hurry. I was the first one ready, even thou I was 15 minutes late. We got in the car and drove to my host cousin's wedding. It was tiny by Indonesian standards.  There were only about 75 people at the ceremony. Normally a small wedding has at least 200 people at it and a weddings can be as big at 800 plus people. Some people advertise their wedding on billboards so that more people come. When I told my host family that I only want about 20 people at my wedding they were appalled. They told me that when their son got married they only had 600 people at the wedding and they could not invite all of their friends. They invited their 300 "closest" friends and the bride invited her family's 300 closest friends. I might know 300 people's names, and we are defiantly not close friends. Indonesian people have this compulsion to know everyone and be friends with everyone. Weddings are a huge social event and it is not expectable if you don't invite everyone. People get mad if they are not invited and the hosts get mad if someone who is invited doesn't come. Indonesia is so different from the United States.  The wedding was very pretty. The bride and the groom sat at a table with a priest (whatever the Muslim version of this is), they had a lace veil draped over both of their heads. The ceremony was in Sudanese and Arabic with only a little in Indonesian, so I didn't understand much of it but, my host mom acted as translator for me. The couple signed documents and got their marriage books (legal documents from Indonesia). They then went up to the stage and begged for forgiveness from their mom, dad, new mother in law and new father in law. This is a tradition of  Islamic people, they kneel in front of their elder and they talk to them and kiss their cheeks. I had to do this for Idul Fitri (the celebration of the end of Ramadan). Then they walked outside and did some traditional ceremonies.  An important man took an egg in a bag and put a clay plate over it and took a special stick and put it across the plate. Then the groom crushed the pile, if the egg exploded and got everywhere it is a sign of good luck. The man was able to break the egg and the plate and the stick on the first try. Then the wife took a clay pot and washed her husband's feet (that now had egg on them). Then the couple stood up with the clay pot and moved it around per the instructions of the priest and then they threw the pot on the ground. They broke it, which is good luck. Then they sat and were protected by an umbrella while a couple of other people threw coins, uncooked rice and candies at them. The young children all tried to collect the most.  After a while we all moved back inside and they formed a reception line and everyone congratulated the family and the new couple. Then they served chicken soup, that was really good. We had an hour break before lunch was served. The wedding was catered and the food was really good. I ate tons. After we were done eating we went back home. The thing that I found the most interesting was that at no point in the ceremony did the bride and groom kiss. No kissing, weird.  Nothing else for the rest of the day which was fin because the wedding was amazing, I am so glad that I was able to see a traditional Sudanese wedding before I go home to America.

May 27th 2013

Today I didn't do anything in the morning. At night my dance teacher came to the house and I worked on my dance. I finished learning the dance and a successfully completed the 6 minute dance without forgetting any moves. I performed for my family and I messed up but, I blame this on the fact that they were trying to talk to me while I was dancing. I am so proud of myself. I still can get a lot better at the dance but,  I can do it. Ya! I have learned how to do something completely new that I never thought I would learn.

May 28th 2013

My dress for the dance was done and I went to the store with my parents to pick it up. It was perfect. I love every bit of it. They had to adjust the skirt a little and finish putting the hooks on the bodice but they were quick fixes and I was able to walk out of the store a proud owner of the most beautiful dress ever. I am super happy with my dress and I cannot wait to perform for everyone back home. The only problem with the dress is that is physically impossible for me to put it on by myself, I have to have someone help me and it weighs more than 2 pounds. Oh well, it is amazing. It was a good day!

May 29th 2013

I got a call from the missionaries from my church and they wanted to come over and talk to me. I talked to my family and they agreed to let the missionaries come over to the house. We talked for a few hours. My host mom made dinner and they ate tons (I guess some things are universal). We talked about everything but mostly religion, which is more hard for me to follow because I do not know very many religious words. It was nice to have some church this week. The missionaries are all really nice and after this exchange I really know how hard it is to live in a new country for 2 years and learn a language and a new culture.

May 30th 2013

In the morning I was able to talk with one of my best friends from Florida. Chris and I talked for more than an hour before we said goodbye. Skype is the best thing ever,  I would have never made it this long on my exchange without it. Later, I went to Ciwalk mall, at 2 and met Leti for lunch. Hanza was also there. He is an exchange student with AFS and he lives in Bandung. We talked for a while and then Leti and I went to the movies we saw Epic, which was a cute animated movie about protected the environment. Leti and I were both really hyper from eating so much junk food in the movie and so we decided that we were going to do a double header and see the new Star Trek movie too. I was so excited, I have been waiting to see t for a while.  The movie was great, I loved it and I defiantly want to watch it again.

May 31st 2013

I told Aunt Melly that I needed to go to Jakarta to get my blazer from Cheyenne. I am not allowed to go. Great! I love Rotary. They told us the last 2 months of our exchange were free and they have totally kept all of their promises. News Flash I have 20 days left and I should be able to travel. Whatever.

The last day of another month. I spent it writing this blog. Thanks to everyone who keeps reading. I am almost done with my year in Indonesia.