Big Sweet Tooth

Candidasa, Bali and Fried Food

There is a sweet man in tropical Candidasa, Bali that makes the best fried items I have ever tasted.  Fried tofu stuffed with crisp little bean sprouts and veggies; fried tempeh; fried bananas; fried pancakes sprinkled with bits of colored sugar.  He pops out for just a few hours every night and the locals line up to get the first of the hot goodies straight out of whatever magic oil/batter mix he is using.  I met him last year when I was in Bali and I was REALLY obsessed this past time around...wondering if he'd made it thru the New Year.  You never know who has shut down and who has prospered in times like these.  Ahhh, but there he was and no matter what you order, he's always tossing in a few extra for good measure.  For less than a buck, I'd roll back to my bungalow on the beach with a greased over baggie full of piping hot, all vegetarian belly busters.  I didn't care though, the flavor was EPIC and he was pleased as punch every day when my eager face showed up..I could tell he was blown away that I really considered his goods to be THE BEST THING I EVER TASTED...as I would proclaim to him nightly after a few icy cold Bintang's at Ari Homestay.  I really meant it though, I promise!  Some would akin my wild photo snaps from various positions surrounding his cart to stalking~~

What a Gal Needs..It's Not What You Think...

Ahhhh, the electronics needed for a trip like the one I'm about to embark on are just astounding.  In short, there's the little HD camera, the mini-dv tape stock, the RODE microphone, the Mac, the extra mac battery, the 80 gig IPOD, the tiny ipod, the itrip, the italk, the 6 megapixel camera (that also shoots video), the blackberry, the flex solar panel, the 400 w inverter, the extra fly light hard drive, the tripod, the baby table tripod, the lenses for the HV20, the CD's to burn onto, the IPOD compatible speakers, the regular batteries, the travel case, the cords, the cables, the car chargers, and all the other jazz that a gal needs to try to get some shit done on the road.

Hell, then there's the solar equipped 14' trailer, the propane, the outfitting of that, the filling of the water tank, the creation of the burlap curtains, the recovering of the seat cushions, the awning set up, the air in the tires, the provisions, the paperwork needed to cross multiple borders (Mexico to Panama), the insurance for multiple countries, the loading up of all the clothes I'm taking to the flood victims in Tobasco, the hand-cranked blender to test out stat, the pilates mats I'm hauling down for the PURE retreat in Mexico, the books to situate, the maps to procure and outline, the bills to pay whilst on the road, the exercise to somehow fit in, the RV parks to source (that just sounds so funny), the banking to streamline, the Spanish classes to confirm, the volunteer stints to finalize, the clothes to pack, the heater to buy, the swamp cooler to test out, etc...

Thank God everything comes in small packages these days.

Blast the Rain...It's Time for Solar Power...

The morning began in a shroud of dense fog and a cants-n-dogs downpour.  Too bad for me, because I was on my way to get my solar panel installed and the place that was doing it was all the way on the other side of town.  I hadn't moved my little Yatz since returning from Colorado with her a few months ago, so the morning was pretty hectic--you know, no sleep last night, crapola weather, pitch black outside.  After making it down the mountain (my parents live way deep in the woods on one of the most beautiful mountains in TN), I trudged in the dark...through the pouring rain...to Northgate RV...and about 2 hours later, I had a 64 watt solar panel on my roof!  These fella's were awesome:  they did everything from toss on the panel, create a vent in the tiny closet where I tucked the Group 27 batteries (straight off my boat), wire the whole kit-n-kaboodle and attach the inverter. 

As I was on my way out, we noticed that Yatz' running lights were not working so they literally attacked.  After a baffling take-apart of anything that moved, they discovered that my entire trailer was one GIANT GROUND.  Could you imagine?  No prob, they just ran a wire and the issue was no mas.  I promised them a giant bottle of tequila from Mexico when I get back in the spring and tore outta there.  Thank God the fog was starting to abate (see pic below)...because I feel like a couple of unassuming mailboxes coulda been swiped--and for sure, there were a few solid bottom outs on the way up the mountain.  Good Christ, those are a real eye opener;  but at least the solar panel is in.  Just one more biggie off the CAmer to do list.

Sunsets: It's the Simple Things...

I'd say the most magical sunset I've ever witnessed was a random purple pink rainbow of a sundowner in J'berg, Africa (could have been the company I was with that enhanced that breathtaker). 

But, the most special sunset I've laid into is from a super-cute hotel called Lotus Bungalows on Bali.  Every night the sun would slowly poke its way through the sky until the whole vista was awash in bright pinks.   I usually partook in this majestic event from the confines of their perfectly temperate infinity pool...and the whole nightly ritual was like heaven on earth.  A nice nutmeg-tinged cuba libre in hand, a sky blistered with swathes of cotton candy and very few other guests made Lotus my home away from home in Candidasa.    Plus, they just opened up a great dive center there that is a primo place to learn to dive if you are interested in the wide world of SCUBA.

Soon, I shall be in Central America preying upon even bigger sunsets from the tail of my trailer.  Life is good~

Vintage Trailer Supply & A Kick-Ass Trailer Awning

Today was a banner day!  The weather finally cleared for a second and my dad and I finished installing the awesome awning to my little trailer.  It just makes all the difference in the world.  After we finished installing it into the side of my trailer, I could literally see myself checking out--and just chilling on the beach in a massively humid environment for a good long spell.  It was SUPER easy to install, thanks to the genius creators at Vintage Trailer Supply.  Just toss up an 1/8" awning rail (purchased at the RV store) and slide the pre-measured awning in.   Sling on some thick rope (that comes with the awning), drive in some stakes, and done and done!  Now come the solar panels.  That one should be a doozie.  Stand by for details and photos in a few days, k?  Seriously, how many times can I use the word "install" in one paragraph?

Ghareeb Nawaz on Devon: Yes, you can eat with your hands! {From The Raving Dish}

There are a gazillion places in Chicago that I fly by while thinking, "Man…I gotta eat there." Yet something always comes up and I simply don't. Last week, after a major decision to move to warmer climes next summer, I decided that the only food I would allow myself to eat has to be from restaurants I've never been to. That means no more La Unica; goodbye Gruppo Di Amici; see ya later mojitos at Morseland. Yeah right—we'll see how long that brave declaration lasts, but, in the meantime, I did stumble in to a place I've been wanting to try for eons—a little Indo/Pak diddy called Ghareeb Nawaz (the name means "sustainer of the poor") just on the fringe of the Devon Avenue Mecca.
Now, this is a joint that is forever teeming with business, and the meters surrounding it are swarmed by cabs of every color. The chaotic storefront has a sign that reads "best homemade Pakistani and Indian food," and after sampling a slew of vegetarian dishes for $5, I can tell you it is definitely the cheapest and most generous homemade Indo/Pak food. The best? That's a toughie. But, the most affordable? You bet!

It's a Whole New Year...

"Miss Misty, when will you be back to Sembalun?"  This is the question that I heard over and over from my students whilst teaching in this tiny farming village on the island of Lombok (by the way, as I write this a curious ladybug is traipsing my computer screen).  As I assimilate my way back in to the overwhelming American way of life, I find myself thinking--"Honey, it may be sooner than you think."  I stood in Home Depot today confused as shit, lost as ever, and utterly swamped with a myriad of choices. It was too much.  There is something to be had for having nothing...for needing not a thing.  There is less to worry about, less to repair, less to obsess on, less to tweak, just less in general.  When you travel, it's so easy to think--Wow!  To be so poor and have nothing.  I think my train of thought might now be--to have so little and be so rich.  That is the sentiment I'm thinking hard on as the end of the year approaches.  Riddle me this one--I was in Indo for a month and I had with me just 1 small solar backpack full of books, a moleskin journal, a few changes of clothes, a pair of flip-flops (no!  not slippers) and an Ipod.  How is it that I've never been so content and smiling and happy and giving and hopeful.  Merry Xmas and may you enter 2008 with much less and be much more grateful for it~

Candidasa, Bali & A MST Perfect Day

Wanna talk about a perfect day in Indo?  I was leaving Lombok after a heart-busting volunteering stint and on the ferry ride back to Bali, I caught some shots of some frisky dolphins.  They were swarming the boat and flipping all over the place...it was classic.  Then, I rolled into my fave hotel on the beach in Candidada, Lotus Bungalow, where me and a pal managed to kill a full bottle of nutmeg tinged Jamaica rum (the local brew).  After getting all sauced up while the rain came down in buckets, I went swimming in the infinity pool and then ran to my outdoor shower so I could feel the hot spray of the shower cleanse my skin WHILE the cold rain poured in on top of that (just magic thru and thru)...once the rain let up, we hit the road and meandered down to our friends homestay---a cute little place that runs for about $10 per night called Ari's Homestay.  They have the coldest beer in all of Candidasa---which is why after a decade of not drinking a single beer that I managed to slam 3 in no time flat.  Some of the young gals who work there had a bit of their artwork on display, so of course a few pieces had to be purchased (to their sheer delight!). We hit the road soon after quaffing a 6 pack and shooting the shizz with Tia (it's her and Gary's place) about what it means for an American woman to marry a Balinese man---on the slow saunter back to Lotus, we stopped by my little tempeh guy...he slings out the best fried tempeh, stuffed tofu and wrapped bananas I have ever tasted, but he's only there for a meager 4 hours a night, so you gotta catch him quick before he sells out.  A bag full of his goodies is less than 50 cents!  That type of day is a PERFECT MST DAY....in case you are ever wondering how I like to kill an afternoon.

Vincent's in Candidasa, Bali--hands down the best in town...

If you spend any sort of time in the tiny fishing village of Candidasa, Bali, the restaurant that you'll hear most folks waxing poetic about is the expat haven and real date atmosphere joint called Vincent's.  Everyone in the loop in this gorgeous village knows that Vincent's has the best food around for miles---hell, he even had avocado jus when not a single other establishment in town could get their hands on an out-of-season avocado.  I tend to prefer the dingy roadside dives but every now and then a gal needs to test out the towns champ.  Rice chips, super fresh salad (Vincent's salad with everything in it), mixed fish cakes (dubbed fish cookies) and handcut french fries were on the docket the day I went, along with an ice-cold cuba libre.  I was so full from my truly superior meal that by the time lunch wrapped up, there was no way I could comprehend sticking around for the nightly jazz session...though I'm sure it's lovely.  If you EVER get the chance to try an avocado jus, PLEASE make it a priority...you will never regret it~
Here is a small sampling of Vincent's menu....and everything on it is just-caught fresh and still cheaper than Mickey D's.  Go figure.

Fish Houses in Bali Make Me So Happy.

At the very end of the above posts arak fueled journey, we stopped at a local fish house just outside of Candidasa.  It was most definitely a locals hangout and before I could even find the outdoor squat toilet, a slew of rice, long beans, sambals, soups, and chilled bintang's had been shuffled over to our table.  You see, all you have to do at this little joint is come in and sit down...no ordering necessary since all they serve is fish in various forms:  ground up, wrapped around sugarcane and grilled or perhaps rolled into a tasty little ball and cooked in broth.  So simple and exactly my kind of place.  Each persons bounty was about $2 (tip included).  The name?  Ahhhh, that arak is a killer...NO CLUE!  But, I know I'll be able to find it again on my next trip back to Bali...just look for the crowded open air restaurant on the west side of the main road just outside of Candidasa...Good luck!  That is the killer about Bali...everything is insanely delicious and entire meals are cheaper than a can of Red Bull.  Throw in beautiful locals, gorgeous beaches, delicious fruit drinks, nature galore and exotic traditions--I mean, how could you not love the place?

Ubud, Bali and Villa Sonia---Go Now!

Ubud, a tiny mountain oasis on the island of Bali, is one of my favorite villages in all the world.  It's an old-school mix of  ancient culture, artist retreat, nature haven and foodie paradise.  Last year, I did a mesh of Warjihouse and Uma but this time around, I stayed at my pal's place--Villa Sonia.  This small (and very serene) gem is the perfect hideaway, tucked just behind Monkey Forest.  The staff was friendly, the ice was always on standby and because of the slow season, it was usually empty...all of which made it VERY difficult to leave.  I loved waking up in a plush bed to the sound of children laughing (from a nearby school) and roosters crowing (from the entire ISLAND) and slowly making my way down to the pool for a little AM swim. Breakfast is included in the already cheap-o price and there's a gal on site who gave me a massage so deep and intense, I passed out for 6 hours afterward.  Slow, sultry, monkey filled days in Ubud are what it's all about, especially after a coconut killer or two from Casa Luna!

Arak is as Arak Does

In all my Indo rambles as of late, I've not even touched on the glory that is Bali.  To me, this bustling island is sheer and utter paradise and this marked my 2nd trip there in just under 18 months.  This is a place I could imagine spending long swirls of time....especially when you factor in a potent little elixir called arak.  This maddening drink contrived from coconut palm flower is found all over the islands (the locals LOVE it) and can turn a simple peace filled morning into a balls out party within a few sips.  I had my first taste (on this past trip) whilst on a trip from Ubud to Candidasa when we stopped at my drivers casa to meet his lovely family.  Somehow a coke bottle full of the fire was conjured up, along with a few piss warm cokes and a bowl of nuts and BAM!  It was out of control before long---kiddies were being played with feverishly; cock-fighting roosters were being gazed at; freshly picked ice was being procured; drinks were being whipped up; photos were being snapped; and barefoot tours were being given.  Like every other moment in Indo, the parallel universe that is I'm-so
lucky-I-could-die travel was hit upon time and time again in that one afternoon.  I especially adore the plastic bag as a cup idea.  Profoundly clever.

Remote Waterfalls and Paradise Found on Lombok

One of the highlights of my volunteer trip to Lombok was taking advantage of the downtime.  If I wasn't up at the crack trying to baby summit a mountain, I was attempting to learn to ride a moped (which I loved and almost wiped out on a dozen times) or exploring crashing waterfalls.  There was an amazing one that I got the chance to hit up twice--the name escapes me right this second, but the fun I had there doesn't.  It was about an hour ride on motorbike from Sembalun and located down a dusty dirt road (though on my 2nd visit, some fellas were paving the top part of the road).  Once the bike was tucked away, we'd trample down a winding set of stairs to the stream at the base of the volcano-fed falls and then trek about 15 minutes uphill to the most majestic waterfall shrouded in mini-rainbows.  The fresh water pool was laced in soft slabs of sulfur and we'd smear it all over our bodies time and time again before diving back into the pool (it took all the strength in my legs to back up to the downpour because the force was so strong).  After flitting around in the water (and half drowning a gazillion times) and scrambling up the slippery rocks to get closer to the beast , we'd haul back up the path and subsequent stairs (hello heart attack) just clean as a whistle and ready to tackle another jubilant class of kiddies.  There was always a shirtless sweaty fella there taking long hand-rolled cig breaks from his brutal job of hauling full TREES up those stairs--deforestation the old-school way, I suppose.

2008 Is Upon Me

Funny, I just got home to TN for a few weeks to celebrate the holidays...and all I can think about is some sweet honey mango from tropical Indo.  I just can't seem to grasp the idea that it is X-mas, that it is cold, that it is the end of year.  Instead my mind is full, wandering all over the world--literally.

I'm tapped to the brim just thinking about my Central America trip coming up in a few weeks and all the things to do in prep for that:  rig the trailer with solar panels, install the awning, organize all the clothes that loads of mighty kind folks donated for the flood victims of Tabasco, Mexico, pay for my Spanish classes in SMDE, provision out the trailer (really, I guess all I need is my backpack), etc...

And on the other hand, my mind easily rockets off in the direction of the NGO I am working on starting and all the things that people are doing to make the world a better place---volunteering, donating, slowing down, giving back, sharing experiences.

I'm thinking about my return trip to Indo, my upcoming move back to LA, whether or not my sailboat will sell by Spring and what new boat to buy in LA, what stocks to invest in for next year, if I should sell or keep my place in Chi, and really the most important is how much will my niece and nephews love the giant tee-pee I bought them for X-mas. 

Then there are the friends to catch up with, the mail to somehow keep track of while I am on the 5 month way-off-grid volunteering road trip from Mexico to Panama, the articles to write, the yoga I need to get back into, setting up the new little HD camera I just bought, and putting the final tweaks on my Pilates retreat in Mexico in Feb.

Somehow it will all come together and oddly, I'm not stressed a bit.  Just happy and content and in my clearest state of being--organizing, researching, plotting, devising, scheming, giving, raising money, creating awareness, streamlining, stretching, and learning.

There are books to read, places to journey, projects to start and lives to change.  Welcome to 2008.

Belize Does it Better {From The Raving Dish}

What have you ever heard about Belizean food? I'm betting pretty much nothing, and I'm not sure why that is. It's some of the most lip-smacking grub on the planet, at least as far as Tickie's Belizean Restaurant is concerned. This tiny joint has been doling out affordable food for just over a decade, and once you taste it, you'll know why the husband-and-wife team has kept it up as long as they have.

It's easy to compare every type of Central American cuisine to that of mammoth Mexico, but Belize's cuisine couldn't be further from typical Mexican food (even though only a river separates baby Belize and mama Mexico). To me, Belizean fare tastes much richer, more concentrated and, dare I say, better across the board. There's nothing even remotely familiar about the flavors of Belize, save for the starchiness of the steaming pile of rice served with most meat dishes.

Sembalun Bumbung Gets a Taste of English, Too...

Besides teaching at the school in Sembalun Lawang every day, I also took a short ride to the very similar neighboring village of Sembalun Bumbung to teach a class.  The students at this school were just wild with excitement every afternoon when I strolled through the door and you'd not believe how far a set of flash cards can go with kids who really want to learn.  I taught everything:  numbers, months, colors, days of the week, greetings, nature walks exploring everything you could see with the naked eye, body parts (I loved hearing everyone scream BELLYBUTTON at the top of their lungs when I pointed to mine)....but what they loved most was when when they got to pair off and come to the front of the class to practice conversational skills.  Some of them were just so funny (and some were rambunctious hellions--but in a good way) and it was enlightening to actually witness progress.  All they really knew was how to say hello and by the time I left, they were having mini-convo's.  Just brilliant.  Compared to my kids in Sembalun Lawang, these little balls of energy were straight up flirts.  They made me laugh so much (re: wanna tear my hair out) and by the time I'd leave every day, I felt like I'd just been to war.  With random students popping in from other classes (just out of control), everyone fighting for a smidge of attention and intensely competitive games of hangman happening on the chalkboard, it was chaos every single second.  But the oh-so-enriching kind...

South of the Border Slurping--It's Always Time for Soup!

The whole world loves chicken soup, and at the first hint of cold weather, there's nothing more appealing to the taste buds than a piping hot bowl of it. But not all chicken soups are alike, especially when it comes to the tasty Latin American versions courtesy of those glorious countries south of the border. Our friends down south tend to mix it up with a variety of ingredients, which usually—but don't always—include chicken, garbanzo beans, pasta, onions, carrots, potatoes, yucca, cilantro, onions and lime. You'd be surprised at how one country's take differs from another—even when they're plugging in the same dang ingredients!

Sembalun, Lombok, Indonesia--A Village as Special as it Gets~

If you look deep into that gorge in the photo, you will see the remote village of Sembalun, Lombok, Indonesia.  It's a tiny mountain village rimmed by a massive active volcano and is full of more love than almost any place I've been in the world; it seemed like everyone in the village was related and/or the very best of friends.  I would stand on the front porch at my families house (I lived in a homestay set up by my volunteer program) and do yoga every morning just after the sun rose and all the little kiddies would be walking to school in their adorable uniforms.  There were a least a hundred hello's before I could even get through a set of sun salutations and half of them weren't even my students.  It's such a social community...people would drop by at all hours just to sit for a spell on the porch (I mastered the art of sprawling my body out into the most comfortable horizontal position--be it porch, living room, or picnic bench-- at any given second) and each family lived in a full compound that included houses for aunts, uncles, grannies, sons and daughters.  Imagine that you don't want to bolt a gazillion miles away from home, your family and life as you know it the very instant you graduate from high school??  Well, the kind folk of Sembalun didn't.  Even if they did want to leave the village it was only so they could make more money and bring it back home to the community and their family.  What an intrepid/primitive way of living, don't you think?

The Always Breathtaking Food of Lombok, Indonesia

I have never eaten as well as I did whilst on Lombok (and really, Indo as a whole).  On a daily basis, I easily chowed twice the amount of food I do when I'm at home in Chicago and every single meal centered around rice.  Funny, how I lost weight while sopping up copious amounts of this usually forbidden starch that everyone stateside freaks out about.  Not once did I have meat (most folks are just a little too low on dough to afford this luxury and after I saw a just slaughtered cow on the side of the road covered in flies, well...I doubt I will ever eat meat again), but every delicious vegetable I absorbed was grown in the lush fields of Sembalun.  I couldn't make it through a day of classes without being invited over to someones house for tea and of course, with tea, out pops a snack. There was food everywhere I turned.  You could just meander down a dirt road and cut honey mango or avocado straight off your neighbors tree; I grew to adore jackfruit in all its sweet glory; and I picked sugary organic strawberries straight from the field.  I watched a few folks prepare spicy sambal with the traditional mortar and pestle and there is nothing like dunking a little crackle of rice chip into a bowl of freshly made sambal and topping it with a slice of crisp cucumber.  It was disrespectful to not eat or to shy away from a meal, so for a gal like me, it was a heavenly just entering someones house and witnessing a full spread lovingly being laid out on a batch of colorful plastic mats--no dining room tables here! 

Da Rae Jung Korean Restaurant Reminds me of Indo {From The Raving Dish}

Dropping back into the frozen Midwestern tundra after spending a good long spell in the fourth-world paradise that is Indonesia was a little shocking to my body, mind and spirit. I just returned from an epic adventure to Bali and Lombok that still has my mind reeling. I was exploring and volunteering in a tiny mountain village called Sembalun Lawang on Lombok (a very primitive Muslim island just east of Bali) and, of course, in between my incredibly rewarding classes of teaching English to all the school kiddies, I did what I do best: I ate.

The food of Indo reminds me of Spanish-style tapas—not the flavor but the way the meal is laid out. Situated on colorful plastic mats, everything centers on fluffy piles of white rice, and the spread just gets better from there. Vibrant vegetables picked that morning, tiny squares of salty omelette, and spicy homemade sambals (think Indonesian salsas) are the mainstays in this exotic cuisine, and I ate like a champ. If I wasn't eating the delicious meals made by my local live-in family on Lombok, I was busy seeking out an addictive national dish called nasi campur (mixed rice). My fascination for that brilliant 40-cent meal bordered on the obsessive, and the only dishes I've found that remind me of it in Chicago are the wildly flavored eats at Da Rae Jung, a storefront Korean joint in Rogers Park. I never thought I'd be a fan of Korean food, but this off-the-radar gem has made me a believer. Just be on the lookout if you're going to trek out in this hellish weather to find it, because Da Rae Jung doesn't have proper signage. It only sports a bright fluorescent sign that simply states: Korean Restaurant. Better to call a spade a spade, I guess.

Heading South of the Border, then West...it all makes me smile

Not to take the focus off my Indo trip, but I just want to touch on a pressing question that folks have been emailing me about--What about the boat in the Caribbean?  Well, just before I scrammed to Bali and Lombok, I took a shortie trip down to the Virgin Islands to look at a stunning sailboat tucked in a little cove in St. John.  Here's the deal--yes, the boat was amazing, and yes I had a decent time in the islands, but in the end, I opted to keep my dinero and continue my volunteering stints around-the-world.  It just felt right in my soul and now after the volunteer situation I just went through, I know I made the right choice.  Certain decisions just clicked into place on this past trip and life cleaned itself up a little for me in the process.  So, here is the new game plan.  I'm heading home to TN for the holidays and then in early Jan. I leave with my little travel trailer for my Central America expedition (volunteering in each country along the way).  When I return to Chi in the spring, I'm packing up and moving back out West to LA where I can enjoy sunshine and a small sailboat year round near the mighty Pacific.  I will continue to work in the industry as well as continue to write and produce eco-retreats (the Mexico PURE is just around the corner!), but I just cannot handle the cold another second!  I'm feeling pretty dang good about the plan, especially when I toss in all my feel-good-about-givin-back vibes coursing through my body.  LA is just a better homebase for me right now...a warmer one at that.  And, yes, I'm selling my 30' C & C and I will purchase a different but similar boat out West.  So blessed. In the meantime, take a good look at this Cabo Rico 36 for sale in St. John--just breathtaking.  But, seriously, I was beyond UNIMPRESSED with the Carib as a whole.  Another one off the list, that's for sure!  Okay, back to the Indo dispatches...

Who Knew a Toothbrush Could Make a Kid So Happy

While I was in Sembalun, I had the honor of teaching a gaggle of kiddies how to brush their teeth and use soap.  I know it seems beyond belief, but these little guys were beyond excited to own their first ever toothbrush, toothpaste and bar of soap.  It was a comedy of sorts to see these adorable babes wield their toothbrush like it was a foreign weapon and lug around this giant bar of soap that they had no idea what to do with.  After I repositioned the toothbrush in each of their tiny fists and we'd filled up each of their bright plastic cups with mountain spring water, we set to brushing away.  They were absolutely delighted and clung to their goods as if someone were going to snatch them from them.  After I scooted back in the classroom, they had all stacked up their cups, thinking they had to return them at the end of class (as they usually do with pencils, crayons, etc...) so when we handed them back out to the kids, they were pleased as punch to own their VERY OWN plastic cup.  Wow.  I guess I loved showing them how to rinse and spit.  Who knew?

Semablun Lawang and the Live-In Lombok Volunteer Program

The village in Indonesia where I just spent a spell volunteering (and living with a local family) in was called Sembalun Lawang.  It was a tiny, very remote village on the Muslim island of Lombok and was situated just at the base of Mt. Rinjani, a stunning active volcano.  Though the entire island was incredibly primitive and painfully poor, never in my life have I met more generous and friendly people.  All of my students were so clever and genuinely eager to learn English, it just blew my mind.  I taught middle school and Jr. high school every day and then come night time, I'd teach an adult class.  Sometimes the power all across the valley would go out and the boys would light candles just so we could keep plugging away at basic conversational phrases.  It was tragic for me to leave and I'm already plotting my return to this special place.  If only people knew these opportunities existed, the world might just be a better place.  These lovely folks had absolutely no money (they were simply trying to make a little dinero to meet their daily needs) and they were the happiest lot I've come across in all my travels.  Everything (and I mean everything)  revolved around family, education, and food.  Ah, the glorious, glorious food of Indonesia.  I cannot believe there are no Indonesia restaurants in Chicago...how is that even possible?

Nasi Campur...the c is pronounced ch

After a trip like the one I just took, it's hard to figure out where to start, so I'm just gonna go back to my roots and being with food.  There is a dish in Indo called nasi campur (mixed rice) that literally took over my entire train of thought.  I woke up thinking about it, I went to bed thinking about it, I dreamed about it and I even found myself whispering "nasi campur" to not a soul--I just wanted to hear the words over and over again.  I had a favorite warung (eating place) in Balinese village of Candidasa that served it (but all of them do) and I developed a little understanding with the always smiling woman who ran the shop (she didn't speak a lick of English).  I'd come in and grab a huge cold water from the freezer (I needed the whole big bottle not only because it was sweltering but because my selections were so spicy) and while I was searching for the coldest vessel, she'd cone off some wax paper and stuff it with nasi (rice) and whatever veggies she'd whipped up that day.  Then, as I stood patiently and giddily by, she'd toss on a fried egg and maybe a little tempeh or tofu and gently fold up my lunch (all this for 40 cents).  I would bound back to my hotel and wolf the whole thing with my fingers (right hand only) while gazing out at the crashing ocean by the infinity pool.  Besides the village and people of Sembalun, the crazy flavor of this simple dish is what I will miss most about Indo.  Say it with me, "nasi campur"...it just feels so right whispering out of my lips.

Livin` Like a Local in Lombok, Indonesia

So sorry that  I have been so off grid for the past month.   I really had no idea that the tiny, very 4th-world village where I was headed in Indonesia (it was on the Muslim island of Lombok just East of Bali) had no phones, no net, no nothing.  Talk about wonderful.  I have no idea what is happening in the world and never have I felt more at peace and content and clean.  The next few weeks are going to be a flurry of updates about my entire volunteer experience in the village of Sembalun Lawang (nestled at the base of majestic Mt. Rinjani) and my explorations of the always magical Bali (I cannot believe that I drank BEER---but I guess I now love Bintang).  This particular trip was epic in a million ways (taught an entire 2nd grade class how to brush their teeth and use soap) and one of those  life/mind altering journeys that very seldom happen unless you are lucky enough to really let down some barriers and crack open a few walls that you didn`t even know you`d built up (sure, I guess I don`t mind taking a river bath and coming out covered in baby leeches).  My mind is twirling with new ideas and directions to take, so be on the lookout...more is on the way...mst