So begins a new phase in my life. My Quarter Life Crisis has officially commenced. I suppose a good way to deal with this is with some introspection, reflection, and a good round of bullsh*ting about whatever spills out of this confused mind. Without further ado, let the rambling begin. Life as an expat moves through a number of phases. There’s the initial, “Wow, it’s so different and interesting!†first few months of bliss with our newfound relationship with aRead more
Posts filed in: Culture Clash
Stalking Leopards
I was contacted by a reporter for the International Herald Tribune last week. She had come across my blog and asked if I’d compose an article for publication. The focus of the article was to convey expat experiences with having guests stay with you, “quirky, extreme, or unexpected stories”. So, for better or worse, here’s one of those stories I wouldn’t usually share! Jakarta. Famous for political strife, bird flu, and harboring terrorist cells, it’s also the gateway to Indonesia.Read more
Black Magic and a Brat's Holiday Remorse
I’m experiencing a bit of holiday remorse. Four weeks in Bali was almost too much of a good thing. In fact we changed our tickets and returned 5 days early to Jakarta (DOH!). That plan bit me in the ass for reasons I won’t go into at the moment. I’m coming to the conclusion that perhaps 1-2 weeks of an amazing holiday would be more worthwhile than four weeks of moderation. This is not an invitation to receive criticisms forRead more
You Can't Title a Post Like This
So I’m in the grocery store with Novita looking for hand sanitizer. I find the proper aisle, and am surprised by the variety of shapes and colors offered for hand cleaner; usually it’s just a small square boring bottle. These bottles were curvy and fit the hand very well. Pleased with my selection, I’m joined by Novita: “What are you doing?”, as she inspects the label. “Buying hand sanitizer.” “That’s not for cleaning your hands!”, with a devilish grin. “WhatRead more
Bali Bomb Cleric Freed From Jail
Nice to know this f***’er is only a few kilometers from me. Absurd decision-making. Absolutely absurd. From the BBC: “A Muslim cleric convicted over the 2002 nightclub bombings on Indonesian island Bali, which killed 202 people, has been released from prison in Jakarta. Abu Bakar Ba’asyir was found guilty in March 2005 of conspiracy in connection with the bomb plot, but he was cleared of more serious charges. Security experts say the cleric is a founding member of a regionalRead more
Protected: Dizziness, Vertigo, or … Acupuncture?
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.