Jessica in S.E. Asia

The End of an Era

2008-06-10T07:19:00.010+07:00

I am sitting in my classroom on my last Tuesday morning of work at SPH. My homeroom has graduated so I'm enjoying my cup of coffee in quiet. I miss them. The last weeks have been a flurry of activity with farewell lunches and brunches and graduation ceremonies and then the ever exciting Prom. Time is flying by and now that I said goodbye to my favourite group of kids, it's starting to hit me a little more that I really am leaving this place.

Three years has been a long time but it has also gone quickly. As a first teaching assignment, it's been incredible. I've been able to experience so many things and be part of this fantastic SPH family and community. I've made some terrific friends who I know will be part of my life for years to come and developed other relationships that have shaped and changed me. We have gone through some pretty happy times together but also experienced some awful things together as well. Through it all though, I am very grateful for my time here in Indonesia.

It is crazy to think that three years ago, none of this was part of my life and now, here I stand very much a part of life here in Indonesia. While obviously there are aspects of life here that I will not miss, it still has been my life for the past three years, a life I have learned to adjust to and grow comfortable with and finally enjoy and love.

This chapter of my life is coming to an end and the next one is up there ahead. I have no real idea what the next years will hold but I can see God working things out for me and I know that He will be there with me in Germany, guiding and directing my path.

So while most likely this is the last entry I'll write on this blog (although never say never) I have decided to devote a new spin-off one to the next chapter:

in which Jessica goes to Germany

Thanks for checking in here from time to time and an extra big thanks to those of you who wrote comments!

Hope to see some of you this summer.. and if not, we always have the interweb!

Much love,

Jessica

5 Weeks....

2008-05-10T11:16:00.003+07:00

I can't believe it.. only 5 weeks left of my Indonesia teaching career! It's pretty crazy to see how quickly life is flying by. My much loved Year 12s have finished classes and are sweating it out with their final exams. We had a final lunch for all the Year 12s and their teachers on their last day of school.. I was a tad emotional but able to say a few words to them in front of everyone. I really do feel that even though God took me away from all my family and friends in Canada.. He gave me 80 or so little brothers and sisters to love and be loved by over here. It isn't goodbye with the kids yet though because we still have tons of their graduation activities coming up once exams are finished. Plus it's nice because a few of them will be studying in Europe and several others will be in Toronto. When your students are loaded-world travelers, there really is no such thing as goodbye!

My A1 girls on the last day of class

Along with saying goodbye to students I have been busy saying goodbye to Indonesia and psyching up for Germany. It's quite a bit of paperwork when one wants to relocate but thanks to "my people" in Canada (aka Dad), I've been able to get quite sorted out. I met with the movers this past Thursday and it's starting to feel more real.

Fortunately as it's feeling more real, I'm getting more excited. I'm not as heartbroken as before that I'm leaving Asia. I'm starting to see that this is a good thing. I'm starting to picture my life in Europe and realizing that while it will present it's own set of challenges, it will be simpler in another way. (think: no more huge lizards, cockroaches, constant food poisoning, insane traffic, volcanoes, earthquakes, terrorist threats, short men, strange odours everywhere, chaos chaos chaos) So I am getting excited about leaving this place and I am looking forward to the next place.

I have also been corresponding with the new school and they do sound like a good bunch of people. I think it will be a great experience and I'm trusting that God will continue to lead and guide me as I pack up life here and begin a new one somewhere else.

Reason #39 why THEY need to graduate now!

2008-04-23T06:16:00.002+07:00

Yes.. a random Friday afternoon.. two Grade 12 boys..some Deep Heat Sport Spray and a few matches.. boys will be boys..

Reason #39 why I need to leave this place...soon!

2008-04-21T15:24:00.002+07:00

This massive lizard.. a monitor lizard dive bombed into my friend's living room, right through the screen door and then ran and hid under her bed on Friday afternoon.. so scary! Sam had to go after it with a noose like contraption and capture the thing. Look how big it is!

Term 4 Shenanigans

2008-04-07T06:21:00.005+07:00

My homeroom was required to submit 20 homeroom photos for the yearbook. We kind of forgot to take lots of pictures throughout the year.. so this is what happened on Friday morning...
These days are pretty stressful as they are gearing up for their hugely important exams...
Just hangin around...
It's a bird, it's a plane.. it's our hopes and dreams!!!

This is me and my trusty teaching buddy Christine.. we've been here the same amount of time and seen each other through some of the total craziness that happens when you spend the day with hormonal teenagers!

The Final Term

2008-03-31T06:22:00.004+07:00

Just got back from Spring Break in Bali and it was fantastic as usual. I won't post lots of pictures because.. if you don't know what it looks like.. go to my archives.

Anyway here I am at the final quarter of the school year. Term 4. Only 11 weeks left. 11 weeks! Hard to believe my days in Indonesia are coming to an end. I have a lot to do before I can fully get into "good bye" mode but I can see the end...

What makes this even more exciting is that I have a whole new place to go and a whole new adventure to head out on. Things for Germany are starting to fall into place as well. I have picked out my flat and was able to buy most of the previous owner's stuff (including 3 bookshelves and a bike) for a low low price.. and so things in that regard are working out well! I have found out my new classes and the books I'll be teaching and I am getting quite excited.

That being said, I need to focus on where I am right now and make the most of these last weeks. I want to finish strong.. although it's tricky to pull my head out of those clouds.. but finishing on a good high note will be much better in the long run.

And so here comes Term 4: My Final Days in Indo...

Meme

2008-03-06T13:17:00.004+07:00

I got tagged by a dear friend and since I like her so much, I figured I'd give this a try. So what one has to do is:

1. Write your own six word memoir
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere
4 .Tag five more blogs with links
5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

My only real problem here is that I don't think very many people actually read this blog and the people who have blogs who do read it, have already been tagged. So if you want to do it.. do it!

Ok here it goes:

Doesn't need to make sense now.

Overall I think those six words(ok I know doesn't is really two words but I need you to bear with me) have been a constant theme in my life lately. Often I find myself wondering why certain things are happening and I take huge comfort in knowing that it's all part of a bigger picture. I know that while I have no idea why life twists and turns out the way it does, it doesn't matter because some day it will all be clear. I didn't plan on Indonesia but I can see how God used that experience in so many ways. I didn't ever picture Germany as a place I'd live and I really have no idea why I'm being called there but I don't have to know now. And so I do the next thing.. I go through the next door knowing that it's all going to be okay.

The Result!

2008-02-14T11:37:00.004+07:00

Today I received word that the Korea door is closed and so I am signing with Germany! I spent the night tossing and turning. I really talked myself into wanting Korea, so much that I woke myself up at 2:30am and then spent the next three hours trying to talk myself into Germany just in case Korea didn't come through. Well it didn't but Germany did. This is actually a good thing. I loved the Principal and I loved what I heard about the school. European teaching experience will look good on a resume and I'll have a whole new perspective of the world. And so I believe that this is where God wants me to be and I will peacefully, faithfully and happily go there!

Dusseldorf.. here I come!

Isn't Dusseldorf the coolest name ever??

The Job Fair Story

2008-02-13T22:00:00.004+07:00

I have been somewhat vague about the details of the Job Fair due to the fact that things are still in the works. However, on second thought what is going on in my head/heart right now is worth writing about.

The Job Fair was amazing and I made lots of great contacts, had lots of great interviews and ended up with several job offers. I also have a whole set of stories of really really dumb blonde statements that came out of my mouth in said interviews but that is for another time! Anyway I walked away with several offers and a few other options. The positions were in India, Latvia (it's by Estonia.. along the Baltic Sea.. across from Norway), Korea, Hong Kong and Germany. Basically I had to start ruling positions out and so I immediately took India out of the mix. Then I took out Latvia because .. well.. the school was small and who in the world even knows where Latvia is?!? This left me with Hong Kong, Korea and Germany. I absolutely fell in love with the school in Hong Kong. It seemed the perfect fit. I interviewed well for the position and it seemed that even if I didn't get the position I initially applied for, they were going to create one for me. I have always wanted to live in Hong Kong and so I believed that things were going to work out my way.. for once! Strangely, I also found myself liking the school in Korea.. which I signed up to interview with by total fluke. Then I had this great interview with a school in Germany and so I had my final three. I put them in order of preference which is 1) Hong Kong, 2) Korea and 3) Germany. Korea and Germany are more tied.. both have pros and cons. Hong Kong was the clear winner in my mind. And so I began to picture Jessica in Hong Kong.

Well.. Tuesday morning I get to work and receive word that Hong Kong filled the position with a teacher who has way more experience than I do. I was devastated. I was sort of angry, quite bitter and terribly disappointed. A little heart broken because this was my DREAM school. I really actually wanted it a lot! I began to question God and wonder why He always seems to take away what I want the most? Why can't He just let me get my way for once? It would have been perfect but it was not to be. I can't fight with God. I just have to trust that this is going to work out.

So that leaves me with Korea and Germany. Two choices that I did not intend to pick when I set out on my Fair. The school in Korea is amazing and the financial benefits are incredible. The school in Germany is in Europe.. obviously.. which is awesome. It's a totally different environment and a little less money.

While I was interviewing with Korea, someone from the school was interviewing at another Fair and offered the position to another candidate before it could be offered to me. The principal said that he would give it to me if this other person declines. And so I wait.. I was supposed to know for sure on Sunday night but... its Wednesday night and still no word.

I really can see myself happily working at that school and while Korea isn't my first choice of country to live in.. I think it could be really great.

I also can see myself living in Germany. The Principal at that school is great and I think it would be an excellent career move. Due to the fact that my debt is large.. I'll opt for Korea first but if that doesn't work.. I'll know that God wants me in Germany. It's just taking a while to get me there. I do have the Germany contract on my desk just waiting to be signed.

They are both good options and now I am in a position where I'm waiting for God to essentially make the decision for me.

So there is my story. I was listening to the Sara Groves song: What I Thought I Wanted and it really spoke to me. The following lyrics were especially meaningful:

I passed understanding a long, long time ago
And the simple home of systems and answers we all know
What I thought I wanted, what I got instead
Leaves me broken and somehow peaceful

I keep wanting you to be fair
But that’s not what you said
I want certain answers to these prayers
But that’s not what you said

When I get to heaven I’m gonna go find Job
I want to ask a few hard questions, I want to know what he knows
About what it is he wanted and what he got instead
How to be broken and faithful

I’m broken and grateful
I want to be broken and grateful
I want to be broken, peaceful, faithful, grateful, grateful

So I suppose this is what I'm learning. I can be angry at God for never giving me what I want.. but what I think I want isn't necessarily a good thing for me. There is no point in questioning God's will over my desires. Therefore I can be broken, I can be hurt, I can be sad that the Hong Kong thing didn't work out but at the same time I can find peace and remain faithful and grateful to God for taking care of me and showing me a clear path and direction.

I'm not saying this is an easy thing to do.. but I'm going to try to do it. I'll let you know what happens when I know.

London Times!

2008-02-13T06:18:00.000+07:00

Just got back from London and am now settling back into my last few months here. The trip was fantastic and beneficial. Here are a few "London Shots" for you to enjoy. And yes.. they all have me in them.. how totally ego-centric can one be??? But hey! It's my blog!
Outside Harrods. Yes I bought something but it was only tea.. talk about an expensive place to shop!
Jamie was the perfect tour guide!
Outside Buckingham Palace... the Queen was in!
By the London Tower
And oh look-- London Bridge.. actually that isn't what that bridge is called at all.
English Countryside Shot
Waiting... waiting is the name of the game for me these days.

London at Night... Big Ben with the London Eye in the background.
London by Midday..

Nothing like a little phone booth fun!

OK so here is another "waiting" shot. I went to the Job Fair and it was great and beneficial. Got quite a few offers but am now waiting to see what happens. It's a big crazy thing and I'll let you know the full details as soon as I sign something. See.. now you can wait too! Isn't waiting fun?

As Rudyard Kipling says: "If you can wait and not grow tired by waiting...."

"School" at the Beach!

2008-01-26T11:01:00.000+07:00

Just got back from the Grade 12 Spiritual Retreat in Anyer. It's about two hours away and a beautiful beach! We had a fantastic time together and it was fun yet relaxing. It is designed as a chance to really encourage the kids in their walks with God and to let them relax before the pressures of exams and IB completely take over their lives.
One of the main components, aside from the sessions, is One-on-One conversations. Each student picks one of us teachers to have a conversation with. We ask them about their families, their friends, their dreams, their struggles, their accomplishments, their walks with God, their purposes in life... all sorts of heavy questions. The talks last anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple hours. I had 8 kids to speak with over the course of the time away and it was incredible. It's great to be able to sit under a palm tree and watch the waves and just be able to talk to the kids. Rarely did it feel like pulling teeth to get answers from them. These kids had things to say and wanted to be heard. Some of their stories were heartbreaking. The most heartbreaking things came from the seemingly happy and content kids. Makes me wonder how often I just look at them and see what I want to see and not what's really there. Anyway it was fantastic because I really felt God was leading me in these conversations and giving me the right words to say in response to their questions.

We had a lot of crazy fun as well.. banana boating and boogie boarding in the sea and sand castle competitions on the beach. (sure beats hanging out in a classroom all week!) We also had some insane games.. relays where they had to drink a glass with water and a goldfish.. hold the fish in their mouths.. run across the room and spit the fish into a bucket! It was hilarious! (and I'm so glad that as a teacher all I had to do was cheer!) They also did bobbing for pears... in a big bucket. Pears because pears sink as opposed to apples. The only real trick being that into the bucket of pears they dumped a whole pail of EELS! Yes.. live eels! So as the pears sank.. the eels swam up.. it was so nasty but these kids are nuts and just went for those pears!

So it was fun... I loved doing the camp counselor thing with the kids, I loved seeing them having fun and I have a whole new list of things to pray about. Please keep them in your prayers that the spiritual high they are on right now will continue and that God will draw them closer to Himself.

Now that the Retreat is done.. next stop: London!

Uncertainty...

2008-01-21T10:27:00.000+07:00

My Job Fair in London is quickly approaching and I am filled with all kinds of anxious excitement. In my head I've compiled a list of places I'm dying to go should I be offered a position and lately I have had a certain place in mind per day. It's kind of fun to try on new ideas, to picture Jessica living in Zambia or Angola or Moscow or Shanghai or Hong Kong or Dubai or Prague or London England or.... London, Ontario. At the same time it can be quite overwhelming. I find myself completely torn between excitement and outright fear of making the wrong choice, or fear of failure in that I come away with zero job offers. There is a fine balance between confidence and realism (pessimism). However I am becoming increasingly aware of my need to fully give this whole experience over to God. I need to be able to think clearly and hear His voice. I know that I won't end up somewhere by accident and I know that He will guide and prepare me for whatever lies ahead, as He did for my Indonesia Adventure. I am a tad worried because the same way I would have never predicted Indonesia for myself, I worry that some crazy new place will jump out at me and suddenly it will be me in a burqa in a middle eastern compound. (I'm kidding... I think) Anyway I know that He is good and I can trust Him in all of this. What a good good thing to know!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-11T14:35:00.000+07:00

Happy New Year Everyone! Another Christmas has come and gone and I'm back in Indonesia for my last stint. I can't believe how quickly this year is going. I had a fantastic time being home in Canada this past holiday. It was awesome to hang out with friends and spend lots of quality time with my family. I must say I'm sorry to those friends of mine who I missed being able to see (Barb!) but I promise to make it up to you in the summer!

The whole airport thing tends to produce tears in me every time. Whether I'm coming or I'm going.. something about an airport makes me bawl like a baby. Of course there were tears this last time.. as always but it wasn't so bad. I only have 6 months left and having such a short amount of time to get through, with so much to do in the meantime, is a manageable thing to process.

As for what is next, I have no idea except that I'm trusting God to make that clear for me in February. I'll be attending a Job Fair in London England where a whole bunch of International schools will be set up to interview crazy teachers like me for positions in their schools. My top choices of places I'd like to go changes everyday but I'm thinking somewhere definitely closer to home, although really, I can't get much further away. (It's not intentional!)

So this year of 2008 will be a big one, filled with many exciting, new changes and opportunities. There is a new "shire" to leave and a new adventure to begin and I'm psyched!

Deeper Christmas SOS 2007

2007-12-08T12:10:00.000+07:00

One of the student committees at school is called Deeper. They are in charge of spiritual growth etc of the student body. A few times a year they hold amazing Deeper Concerts and last night was the Christmas one. SOS: Save Our Souls! It was an amazing evening of worship . I find that pre-Christmas worship services can be extremely powerful and last night was no exception. I didn't take these photos.. my genius student did but this is a bit of what happened last night.
This is Karina, a Grade 11 student. She's one of the lead vocalists for the Deeper band . Very beautiful girl!
The guy in the red shirt is Ray- Karina's older brother. He had lost his voice yesterday morning but God fixed it and he was phenomenal! This brother-sister duo are incredible!
Narendra and the band... you have to hear these guys play! All of them wildly talented!At the end we did the candle thing and sang an Oldy but a Goody: We are the Reason

Melissa, Me & Samuel.. trying not to drip wax all over the place!
My beautiful student Elise. She'll be heading back to Australia for good next week. I'm going to miss that girl a lot.
Some of the Grade 12s... They were and continue to be my reason for being here!
Sally, Melissa, Me and Becky... At the end of the night... big group pose! Grade 12 students and teachers and a few extras!

That time of year again...

2007-12-02T18:16:00.000+07:00

I can't believe this is my third birthday I have celebrated in Indonesia! The last two and a half years have flown by and here we are nearly at Christmas holidays. In the pic I'm surrounded by my Grade 12 A1HL class. This is definitely one of my favourite groups of kids and they threw me a "cake party" on Friday. Sweet kids!

This past term has been quite the whirlwind of activity. Lots of school events, lots of exams to prepare kids for and now piles of them to mark - exams not kids. The school days have flown by and the weekends have been packed with fun activities (generally activities that aid in the procrastination of said marking).

My Grade 12s are fairly nostalgic about everything they go through this year. It is so often said: "Guys, this is our last Friday in November that we'll be in high school" or "Hey Everyone, this is our last high school field trip or soccer day". Their nostalgia is paired with my own, realizing that this group of students that I have grown rather attached to will be graduating in June and then off they go into this big crazy world to make something of themselves. So we're a sentimental group, we are.

That being said, I am extremely excited about being back in Canada for Christmas! I just can't handle this December heat anymore when trying to get in the Christmas mood. The weather outside is frightful for completely different reasons!

Anyway I'll be flying into Toronto December 15th and living large until January 4th! Hope to see you then!

October Break 2007

2007-10-22T15:22:00.000+07:00

Kintamani

2007-10-22T15:16:00.000+07:00

Back to Bali..

2007-10-22T15:09:00.000+07:00

By Kintamani.. the volcano..

Kintamani in all her glory! (are volcanoes female??)

Rain on the River

2007-10-22T15:03:00.001+07:00

We went through really small caves... had to duck low!
It was dark in there!
Then it rained.. and it rained.. and it rained.. and it rained...
and we were soaked!

Just around the river bend..

2007-10-22T14:11:00.001+07:00

We took some really tiny wooden boats down this amazing river! Here is the "dock".
I invested one whole dollar in a snazzy rain coat! This is us pre-rain, pre-boat!

Our lovely guide... um... uh....hmmmm.....shoot! What was his name???

Big Day Trip!

2007-10-22T13:32:00.001+07:00

The weather wasn't ideal but the sites were nice! Temples and river boats all around!
In the car... still nice and dry!
In a temple... starting to get frizzy and damp!
Despite being a wet day.. the scenery was beautiful! This temple dated back hundreds and hundreds of years...
I stupidly didn't bring rain gear (dumb move for a girl who knows all about Rainy Season), so our guide lent me this totally ghetto umbrella! Didn't work so hot but I was happy!

Kayaking...

2007-10-22T13:24:00.001+07:00

Sunrise
The second morning we got to go kayaking through the bay and caves too! Sara looks cool in this shot!
I look like I have some issues... but really.. blonde girl in orange??? I am panicking because despite being Canadian, this was my first time in a real kayak.
After a little night swim!

Bays and Caves

2007-10-22T13:17:00.001+07:00

The people who live around Halong Bay live right on the water. This is part of the water village. In the middle is the school...
Boats just outside the caves.
A little boy paddling with his feet!
At one point we docked near an incredible cave! We got to go explore inside and see lots of Stalactyte and Stalagmyte... (pretty good eh Mom?)
View from the cave- overlooking Halong Bay

Halong Bay

2007-10-22T13:10:00.000+07:00

This was probably my favourite part of the Vietnam Adventure! We spent two full days and one night on a boat in Halong Bay. But first, we took a small boat:
Here is the boat we stayed on... I think.
Sara and I.. on the boat!
A few friendly neighbours...
It was fantastic! The air was fresh! The breeze was cool! The water was warm! The scenery.. spectacular!

Water Puppets

2007-10-22T12:54:00.001+07:00

2 tickets to the Water Puppet Show Please!
Kind of strange actually and difficult to see from my shoddy attempt at photography but this is the Water Puppet show. The puppet show is performed with the puppets in the water. The puppeteers stand in waist deep water behind the curtain. To the left sit the musicians and narrators. It was all done in Vietnamese so we really had no clue what was going on... but it was a fun way to spend a couple hours.

At Little Hanoi in... Hanoi! Amazing dinner that only cost $10 USD for the two of us! The Vietnamese currency is called Dong and you can get 16,000 Dong for 1 USD. Most places preferred USD.
In The Highland Cafe for a cappuccino break with my Lonely Planet Vietnam. I'm not ashamed! You can learn a lot from that book!

Afternoon in Hanoi

2007-10-22T11:23:00.000+07:00

There is a lake in the middle of the city. There is also a bridge over the "lake", in the middle of the city. There is a temple across the bridge on an island in the lake in the middle of the city...

Lots and lots of fresh Vietnamese food! I liked it! AND.. they had lots of pork!

Vietnam - Hangin Around Hanoi

2007-10-22T10:22:00.001+07:00

Vietnam was a truly amazing travel experience! We stayed in Hanoi and then took a trip to Halong Bay and another local day trip.
This is a street in Hanoi.. lots of bikes everywhere! The only way to cross the street is to "just do it slowly".
A local guy buying local lunch
Lots of things to buy.. lots and lots and lots...
Bikes, bikes, bikes and more bikes...

Part One

2007-10-22T10:16:00.000+07:00

This year for my 2 week October Break I had a visitor in the form of Sara! We had a great time hanging out around Jakarta, Vietnam and Bali!
Very important to keep jet-lagged overseas guests well caffeinated. Here we are at the local Starbucks!
Mel had a visitor too.. so we took the girls plus some other friends to Eastern for Chinese food.
And the Marriot for Sunday Brunch

Walking in the Truth

2007-09-04T07:59:00.001+07:00

Our school's theme this year is Walking in Truth and some of us found it quite difficult to find a good theme song. One of my students (Narendra.. the one with the guitar) and I decided to remedy this situation by writing our own.. and so we did... I wrote lyrics, he wrote music and we got the Deeper Band to back us up. We performed it at the Whole School Assembly last Wednesday. This is us right before!

Birthdays in Jakarta

2007-09-03T08:08:00.001+07:00

The whole group at TGI Fridays... talk about your Expat experience... no local dining here!
I'm WAAAY down at the end of the table.. can you see me??? It was hot back there.. the AC was broken and so we ended up being a bunch of very sweaty or glistening foreigners. Beautiful!
Mel, Me and Birthday girl Sally

"Take me to the Volcano!"

2007-09-03T07:55:00.000+07:00

This is the beach where we jumped on the boat that took us to the volcano Krakatau!
There she be! Baby Krakatau.. the big Krakatau erupted in 1883 and it had some pretty fascinating effects. Seeing as I'm not a geography teacher, I'll leave you to "google" it and read up on it for yourself!
Black volcanic beaches...

View from the boat. We had a long weekend celebrating Indonesia's Independence Day and so quite a few of us headed to Anyer. We stayed in a couple bungalows and made a day trip to the volcano. In the afternoon we went into a nice bay area and swam and snorkeled. Reminding me again why this is a fascinating and fun place to live!

I felt the earth move!

2007-08-09T15:55:00.000+07:00

And I'm back in the swing of things! So far the school year is going great and morale is high. This is a happy place these days. Maybe its because I know my time here is limited... or maybe it's because we have some fun new people.. or maybe it's because I'm just feeling like I'm in a better place... I don't know but these are happy days.

Last night however was a different story! I fell into bed and promptly into a deep sleep when I was suddenly awoken at 12:21am! My whole apartment was shaking, my bed was inching across the floor, I could hear people screaming and running down the hallways, I could hear tiles and things cracking and falling. I didn't know what to do! It was totally bizarre. The shaking lasted a good 5-7 minutes! Which doesn't sound like a long time but when your whole house is shaking and tiles are cracking... it's a LONG time! It just kept going and going! I'm on the 25th floor so it's not like I could run outside (which is a bad idea anyway), I can't jump from my window (another terrible idea), I didn't want to run down the staircase because being trapped in a collapsed stairwell with hundreds of screaming Indonesian university students seemed unpleasant... so I just threw on a sweater and poked my head out the door. I figured if my neighbour leaves, I'll leave. He's a smart science teacher type. But he was nowhere to be seen. Instead there were a few maids running around and a couple kids out from next door. They told me that it was an earthquake and their mom was making tea and having a snack so I shouldn't be worried. I told them to come get me if they vacate the building. And then I went back to bed... although didn't really sleep for a long time.

So that was my first earthquake. I found out that it struck deep in the ocean.. about 60kms from Jakarta and was a 7.5!! (although less by the time it traveled). I don't think anyone was hurt at all, we were just freaked out. It lasted a long time!

It was strange last night though, waking up in the middle of the night and having my sleepy mind race with thoughts that I may indeed die if this building crumbles. Realizing that the ground is not solid and there are things we can't control. Realizing just how small I am but also realizing just how important it is that I live every day as though it could be my last. I had a great day on August 8th, spent some quality time with God, told a lot of people I loved them but I'm really glad it wasn't my last one here on earth. So while this whole thing was actually quite terrifying and exciting, it was an excellent reminder of the importance of living every day for God and how quickly everything can change!

Peggy's Cove

2007-07-22T11:00:00.000+07:00

2007-07-22T10:53:00.000+07:00

2007-07-20T20:29:00.000+07:00

2007-07-20T20:25:00.000+07:00

Hotel Balcony in Riviere de Loup
Sitting on a bench in a park in Halifax (sorry a tad scattered)
Talk about your bright sun!
Mom getting "bibbed up" for the big lobster dinner!

Bibs are cool ok??

Part Two - Canadian Visit

2007-07-20T20:20:00.001+07:00

Lunch in Montreal with Ben and Marjolaine
The girls in Halifax!

Some park in Halifax

Perhentian Island Kecil - Malaysia

2007-07-20T20:15:00.000+07:00

2007-07-20T20:10:00.000+07:00

Outside a massive temple... climb the millions of stairs to get to the caves...
Don't worry.. I'll climb them for you.. once inside the caves... what we have is more stairs!
Chinatown - Kuala Lumpur... a little less insane in the middle of the day.
Entrance to Chinatown.. our hotel was in there somewhere!

Standing outside the towers and looking right...

Summer Vacation 2007 Part One - Malaysia

2007-07-20T20:04:00.000+07:00

Sitting by a giant war monument in Kuala Lumpur
In the National Mosque... wearing respectable garb

A view from The Tower in KL

Check out them towers!! The Petronas Towers!

The End of the First Two Years

2007-06-08T08:04:00.001+07:00

Well I am nearly at the end of my first two year contract. Only 3.5 more teaching days and I am done! It's been quite the two years... it seems like a long time ago I was the girl with my whole life packed into two big suitcases and a carry-on, trying not to burst into tears at the airport while saying goodbye to my parents. Then boarding my first plane ever and taking off into the unknown.... thinking that perhaps a two week mission trip would have been a more logical first overseas experience, not a two year contract!

Things have changed. I have changed. Life moves on. I have made some fantastic friends, I have a great apartment, I love my job, I teach amazing students and I have some great holiday time! I have learned a lot and grown a lot and been stretched in ways I didn't think possible... and most importantly, I have no regrets.

So God has been good to me! For that, I am very thankful.

This Saturday I'll be flying to Malaysia for 10 days or so and then back here for a day and then at long last.. home to Canada! You can look for me starting late June 29th and stop looking on July 22nd!

See you soon!

Bandung

2007-05-21T09:10:00.000+07:00

Shot from the car.. Bandung countryside

At a really cool outdoor restaurant.

While I was going around the mountain, Mel stayed put and got rather hassled by sellers. We were the only tourists that day and so got a lot of "attention".

At the restaurant. People go to Bandung to eat and shop. Had some good culinary experiences for sure. A nice way to spend a weekend...

The Mountain

2007-05-21T08:56:00.000+07:00

We took a day trip up the mountain. It was originally a massive volcano that split into three separate volcanoes. Only one is now active. It was a cloudy day and the air was filled with the not-so-pleasant aroma of sulfur however it was really cool to see!

Oh and Mel has fractured her foot. We spent some time in a medical facility in Bandung.. a tad archaic really. She did well hobbling around all weekend! Although we'll have to go back again when she is able to move a little more quickly!

Long Weekend Away - The Train Ride

2007-05-21T08:33:00.000+07:00

We had a four day weekend and so Mel and I ventured to Bandung by train. It was a lovely scenic train ride and quite a nice way to spend a Thursday morning.

Sunday Evening Thoughts..

2007-05-06T17:44:00.000+07:00

Well... 6 weeks left and I will have completed my second full year of teaching. I think I am almost getting the hang of this! It has been quite the year and I am filled with excitement at the thought of the approaching holidays but also the next school year. Things are seeming bright.

I spent most of this past weekend hanging out at my apartment by myself. I have a very bad ear infection and despite going to the International Clinic, it doesn't seem much better. I will go back tomorrow and see what the deal is. Anyway, the point is not that my ear hurts (although sympathy is appreciated) but rather it is the fact that I have spent quite a bit of time on my own and that has lead me to thinking quite a bit.

I have been thinking about patterns in my life and how when I look back at all of the things I have done well and also all of the times I have messed up, I can really see God protecting me and working, even when I'm not being terribly cooperative. I think about how even when I feel like I'm struggling in my walk with Him, He has used that somehow to draw friends closer to Him. I think about the times I've messed up and gotten myself into really potentially dangerous situations.. and while often He has let me learn lessons the hard way, He has also protected me from getting too hurt or creating irreparable damage. It's very humbling to see that no matter how broken and useless I can be, He can use me and that He is taking care of me. It really has nothing to do with me.

I see God's protection all the time. I see how He saves me from potentially bad relationships and situations. While sometimes I am upset about how it plays out, I take comfort in the fact that God is in control and working and knows what is best for me! It's pretty incredible!

Children's Charity Ball - 2007

2007-04-23T07:36:00.000+07:00

Saturday night was the Lippo Karawaci Children's Charity Ball so a bunch of us dressed up and headed out to support the cause!

Living in the Sky

2007-04-23T06:48:00.000+07:00

I moved to my new place this weekend! It went very well! Moving is an easy thing to do on this side of the world! I literally only had to carry my clock from the parking lot into my apartment. These aren't the official new apartment photos but enough to give my parents an idea of what is going on! Once I'm set up I'll take a nicer set of photos!

3rd Quarter Break

2007-04-10T08:13:00.000+07:00

Just got back from my first solo-holiday! I went to Lombok for three days and then Bali for the rest of it. Didn't take all that many pictures but these are the ones from Lombok. It was beautiful there.. very remote, very quiet, very picturesque and a tad lonely. Bali more than made up for that though!
I'm back at work now for 10 more weeks and then summer holidays! If you live in Canada look for me around 29 June!
Anyway enjoy the pictures!

Stars Still Shine

2007-03-24T10:38:00.000+07:00

When I was 16 one of my favourite things to think about was that even in the darkest times of our lives, God gives us glimmers of light.. that the stars continue to shine. It's funny because I was recently reminded of that this past week.

I have been grappling with coming to peace with the fact that I am to remain here for another full year. I know it is what I'm supposed to do but some days I can't even picture being remotely content for that much more time.. (15 months if I let myself count down).

Last week was particularly upsetting as a relationship that I thought had potential, ended and I suddenly felt all new waves of loneliness roll in. It's harder to get over things here because there isn't a plethora of others to distract me.

So there was that, and then the fact that my apartment is terrible and the thought of remaining in a place that floods, smells slightly, has plumbing woes, houses cockroaches and other critters and always seems to have something else wrong with it, was just adding to my anguish.

Well Tuesday morning the headmaster paid me a visit (my perma-guilty conscience freaked right out, automatically assuming I was in trouble for something) and he told me that they didn't like my house and so they were "forcing" me to move. Because they were asking me and I wasn't asking, they gave me a few options. One was an upstairs unit a few houses down the street from where I live now and the other was a massive 2 bedroom apartment in a high-rise in a perfect location! So I went to see the big apartment (usually reserved for married couples) and I really liked it! It's bright and spacious and has lots of room. It's on the 25th floor, so has an excellent view but even more exciting, it's a 5 minute walk to the mall, the gym and Starbucks, a 3 minute walk to The Coffee Bean and other nice little outdoor restaurants and is closer to school.

It was just what I needed! Even though I was feeling lonely and sad about being here even longer, this suddenly happened and there is that glimmer of light and hope! Things are looking up!

and the floods came up...

2007-02-07T10:10:00.000+07:00

The flood did manage to close down school on Tuesday. Early in the morning we all received text messages that the school was closed as some of it was under water. So we had a Flood Day and got to stay home and do.... well other things. I suppose it's the equivalent to a Canadian Snow Day... minus the hot chocolate and quality time with toboggans. Our power has been going off for extended periods of time, which gets uncomfortably hot (although I am told that you fine folks at home are freezing!) but overall things are just fine.

One of my students drove himself to school yesterday to check out the damage and took these photos...

Most of the rooms on the ground floor flooded (somehow mine was quite alright, despite a damp smell) and some have to be totally gutted. Today I'm at school but without students, assuming we don't get more rain... they should be here tomorrow.. although I think I see some rain clouds coming in.... here we go again!

And the rain came down...

2007-02-05T07:27:00.000+07:00

Hello! And yes, Indonesia has made the news again! There has been a pretty severe flooding problem in Jakarta this weekend and many people are left homeless, without electricity or running water. Another huge problem is that since the drain system here is so poor, the water doesn't go away.. hence while children and animals play in it, it is a breeding ground for diseases and sickness becomes rampant. It can take a couple of weeks to go down...

As for me, I'm totally fine. The pictures were taken Friday morning (I really need some photography lessons) when the river by my house flooded. This is the road I usually take an ojek down on the way to school. It was a little over one's knees. The water ended up going down and while the river is still high, no major damage here was done. I live in the only "planned town" in Indonesia..30km outside of Jakarta... so our drains work rather well. The only major issue in my area is lack of telecommunications but even that is being fixed. So worry not for me!

Friday we went students home early and some of them didn't get back home until late in the evening. A few students are stuck at home today and many kids houses have been flooded... right up to the ceiling...

In my homeroom this morning we were talking about all of the disasters that have been happening to Indonesia lately.. with tsunamis, earthquakes, floods... the kids are actually quite concerned and one boy asked why God was punishing Indonesia so badly. As you can see.. it's not an easy subject to address... raises a lot of questions. However, we spent our homeroom time praying for Indonesia as a country, as well as the flood victims.

Overall morale is fairly high but there is a lot to pray about and there will be lots to do to help people recover from this. Please keep Indonesia in your prayers!

Jessica's Journal...

2007-01-21T10:20:00.000+07:00

Hello Everyone!

I have now been back in Indo for two full weeks and I must say I'm feeling a lot better about the whole thing. I always find it difficult to come back and for at least I week I end up waking up in the morning politely cursing the fact that I'm in Indonesia and not somewhere else... but that has stopped. I am feeling more settled back into my life here and ready to take on whatever challenges will be ahead of me in 2007.

For three days this past week the Grade 11s went on a Spiritual Retreat in the mountains.. It was an incredible time and including lots of crazy games, lots of big talks, lots of bonding and some pretty remarkable spiritual things. The last night was one in which we opened the altar at the front of the room and kids could come forward and just meet with God... it's been a long time since I've felt God's presence like that in a room. I have never seen such broken kids. So now the challenge will be to continue leading and guiding them in their faith, that it won't be a one night thing... so please keep us in your prayers.

Some of you know how deeply unsettled I was with deciding whether or not I wanted to stay on here another year. It was a decision that I was having a horrible time with.. Even though I had signed my contract, I wasn't content with the decision.. yet the thought of breaking it and going somewhere else didn't sit quite right either. Hence the dilemma. Anyway I have been praying about it a lot and have decided that I will stay on here until June 2008.
(Of course if God has something else planned for me.... I'm open to it!)

The main reasons being that I want to see my Grade 11 kids through to graduation, I want to gain more career confidence and I want to leave here on good terms, not sneaky back door ways. So while there are things that drive me absolutely insane about living here, I know and take comfort in the fact that God knows this and that He has His reasons and purposes for keeping me here.. and so I trust and I wait... and I work hard and I pray....

Alright well that is it for now.. just wanted to update you on what is going on in my head/life these days! Would love to hear from you though! (hint hint)

Airport Again

2007-01-10T06:21:00.000+07:00

While I have a great life in Indonesia and usually love it, the worst thing about living so far away from home is having to say goodbye to everyone! Here are pictures of me and my parents at the airport as well as my good buddy Melissa.. who I made the long flight back to Jakarta with.

I find the "goodbye" a really hard thing to do. Being so far away from the people who are so special to me is difficult but I suppose this is all part of the deal.

I know God wants me over here and I know that He gives me the strength and comfort I need to get through the sad and lonely times.

My Dad and I had this big talk at Starbucks before I left and he was saying how we are each called to carry a cross, so to speak and it is important to fully "embrace the cross".. not just carry it but embrace it, which means embracing the sadness that comes with living fully for and serving God. For me that means dealing with the ache of being so far away from my family and friends. I know He called me here and it's okay that I'm sad to leave all that is familiar. That is part of this deal. I need to fully embrace it all! And I know that God will continue to provide what I need while I'm here.

So with that, I say Thanks so much to everyone in Canada! I had an excellent time seeing you and I love you all so much!

Fun with Friends...

2007-01-10T06:11:00.000+07:00

It was great catching up with friends over the three weeks I was home!

Jess and Jess - reunited - a little colder than our Bali days!
Me and Jamie and some late-night Stobies action... real pepperoni is GREAT!
Me and Ange
Me and Sara Jane!

I only remembered my camera sometimes so I'm sorry I don't have pictures of all of you... It doesn't mean anything personal... Will aim to be more diligent next visit!

Christmas Day

2007-01-04T02:15:00.000+07:00

My parents
Dad and his girls on Christmas morning
This was the first Christmas we had without our dear brother Ben. Hopefully that doesn't happen again! Anyway, thanks to modern technology we were able to all talk to him over the computer on Christmas Day while we opened the presents he sent us from Shanghai! So below is us talking to China. Quite amusing actually! Sometimes it is a small world afterall!

Joey and Jessie.. back together again!

2007-01-04T02:13:00.000+07:00

I'll Be Home For Christmas!

2007-01-04T02:07:00.002+07:00

No matter where I live, one thing is for certain, I need to be in Canada with my family for Christmas! And so, I made the 24+ hour flight back home! It was sure nice to see my family standing there at the gate!
The three Wilkins girls reunited above and me and my old dad below!

Happy Birthday to Me !

2006-12-09T16:01:00.000+07:00

I am a very blessed teacher when it comes to having fantastic students, who go out of their ways to make my birthday special. Last Friday I was very spoiled! Starting with a birthday party thrown by my homeroom students.. seen above.. there were parties going on all day from different classes! It was a lot of fun... so maybe I didn't teach a whole lot that day...
These are a few of my Grade 11 girls... They usually hang out in my room during breaks and lunch times and we have lots of good girly chats. Kind of reminds me of my days at The Ranch..
This is another one of my Grade 11 classes... striking the Birthday Pose... They're really great kids! I didn't remember to take pictures of all the parties.. just picture kids from previous photos.. standing around cakes or pizza and presents...

The first party actually started at 12:01am on December 1st. I was woken up to the sound of someone banging on my front door. It was rather scary at first and then I heard voices yelling: "Wake up Miss Jessica! Happy Birthday!" And so I opened the door and three students were standing there with candles and a cake and singing Happy Birthday to me. They wanted to be the first ones to wish me one. Then one of the boys says: "Miss J, I know that you love BMWs.. so here are the keys to mine. Wanna go driving?" So we did! I haven't driven in a year and never on that side of the road, so it was an experience but I didn't kill any of us! It was just a very random Birthday moment and I loved it! I did give the keys back though... Anyway they are really cool kids and I've learned that it's not so bad celebrating birthdays in Indonesia!

Fish, Sharks, Stingrays and such...

2006-11-18T18:37:00.000+07:00

Lots of things to see at SeaWorld... they have this tunnel where you stand on a conveyer belt and go through this huge aquarium with lots and lots of fish and stingrays and turtles and all of that jazz. It was rather fun... stingrays are really cool looking

Now I Know...

2006-11-18T18:14:00.000+07:00

The main reason we ended up heading to SeaWorld is because neither Christine or I knew what a dugong was. And so we were sent to find out.. and we did find out! This is a dugong! It's kind of cute in a sea cow kind of way... And at feeding time it drinks milk right out of a bottle!

Views From the Top

2006-11-18T17:29:00.000+07:00

More pics from the ride... these people were standing there in the circle way before we rode over them and were still there when we were on our way back. Either it was some religious water ceremony or adult group swimming lessons... I'm pretty sure it's the latter because I saw a few of them blowing bubbles...

Saturday at SeaWorld

2006-11-18T17:13:00.000+07:00

Today Christine and I and a friend of the Headmaster's wife (long story) went to SeaWorld but first we stopped at this place and rode a gondola over the beach. They call it a gondola but we know it's really a cable car. Here we are enjoying the sites...

Me and My Buddies

2006-11-16T11:29:00.000+07:00

Dee, Christine, Me and Melissa
The Canadian girls.. all on different teams... Mel, Becky, me and Christine...
Mel's team Merapi is in the lead right now.. and yes.. all of our teams are named after volcanoes...

More Soccer Fun

2006-11-16T11:17:00.000+07:00

Some blue Bromo Boys.. Years 11 and 12 and I have no idea who the lady on the end is..
Christine and I sitting around cheering for our teams!
Me and my Kintamani crew
Christine and more Bromo Boys
Meta... it was also her birthday... she's definitely one of my "little sisters"...

Annual Soccer Day

2006-11-16T10:53:00.000+07:00

Every year we have a soccer day... no classes.. just house teams and lots of cheering and lots of soccer! (or football, depending where you are from) I am on the red team Kintamani and right now I think we are in second place overall! Here are some pics from that day... Sanjana (a student) is on the yellow one Krakatau but she loves me anyway...
Ray is Kintamani's top goalie!
All the cute little Kintamani kids watching the game... actually they are 16-17 year olds..

Bulan Bahasa

2006-11-16T10:42:00.000+07:00

Once a year we have this big deal called Bulan Bahasa in the Senior School.. a way for the kids to celebrate their Indonesian roots.. that sort of thing. Here is my Homeroom in their traditional clothes... I'm the white one who looks silly

2006-11-01T08:16:00.000+07:00

And that is the final installment of holiday pictures. I've developed quite the indo tour experience.. so if you want to come visit.. I'm ready for you! I think I may have a slight addiction to Bali...

2006-11-01T08:15:00.000+07:00

2006-11-01T08:13:00.000+07:00

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2006-11-01T07:58:00.000+07:00

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2006-11-01T07:14:00.000+07:00

That's our dinner.. prior to the bbq.. nothing like seafood on the beach

2006-11-01T07:12:00.000+07:00

At Jimbaran Bay

2006-11-01T07:07:00.000+07:00

2006-11-01T07:05:00.001+07:00

Sunset

2006-11-01T07:05:00.000+07:00

2006-11-01T07:04:00.000+07:00

2006-11-01T07:03:00.000+07:00

At Tanah Lot.. the temple by the Sea... yes you have seen pictures of this before

2006-11-01T07:02:00.000+07:00

Ubud was really hot.. but had some great shopping.. so we perservered... However we realized that the ATMs were air conditioned.. hence we spent some time in there!

2006-11-01T07:01:00.000+07:00

Why I hate the Monkey Forest. They just come up to you and grab you and jump at you and it's really rather terrifying... Jess was brave enough to buy food and feed the darn things...

2006-11-01T07:00:00.000+07:00

Those dots in the trees... are HUGE bats sleeping... lovely eh?

2006-11-01T06:59:00.000+07:00

Alright, I have a bit of a problem with Monkey Forests... I really didn't want to go and if I had to, I figured I wouldn't mind going to the one with the nice monkeys. The driver however remembered me from last time and thought that I was ready for the Monkey and Bat Forest.. where the monkeys are a little more "naughty".. I was not a happy girl

2006-11-01T06:57:00.000+07:00

Here we are at the rice fields.. that's a lot of rice growing out there!

2006-11-01T06:56:00.000+07:00

So as to give Jess a chance to take pictures of things besides beaches and pools, we hired a driver for the day and went to Ubud, temples and rice fields...

2006-11-01T06:54:00.000+07:00

A view from the pool.. that is Kuta Beach below

2006-11-01T06:53:00.000+07:00

Just the way I like it.. at our first hotel the pool was on the roof.. and from it you could see the Indian Ocean

2006-11-01T06:48:00.000+07:00

After a luxurious weekend in the city.. we flew my all time favourite budget airline to Bali for 7 nights.

2006-11-01T06:47:00.001+07:00

Jess and Jess

2006-11-01T06:47:00.000+07:00

We also went to The Premiere.. an amazing movie theatre where you sit in reclining chairs, get blankets and have waitors bring you food! It's a rough life sometimes!

2006-11-01T06:45:00.001+07:00

Jess at Koi..

2006-11-01T06:45:00.000+07:00

We spent Saturday and Sunday night in the city. I took Jess to all my favourite places, including my all time favourite restaurant Koi.

2006-11-01T06:43:00.000+07:00

early saturday morning after a trip to the salon... hair, manicures and pedicures all around!

2006-11-01T06:42:00.000+07:00

I had a lovely visitor for a while.. Jess came for a little over a week. This is us on her first night here.. she looks great for having flown for the last 20 hours or so..

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2006-09-25T07:47:00.000+07:00

this is my street early in the morning... due to lack of photographic expertise, you can only just make out the moon.. but it was pretty incredible one morning at 4:44...

2006-09-25T07:46:00.000+07:00

These boys were concerned that we spend too much time practicing fire drills and earthquake drills and we should instead focus on flood-drills.. so this is them demonstrating what to do in case of flood: roll up your pants and swim away!

2006-09-25T07:44:00.000+07:00

This is my high-level English class... small but smart!

2006-09-25T07:43:00.000+07:00

Another one of my English classes...

2006-09-25T07:42:00.000+07:00

One of my Grade 11 English classes..