#wutisdislife

Once upon a time, this was the view from my back door and I did not appreciate it enough so here’s some belated appreciation. #indonesia #malang #indah #peacecorps (at Gunungsari, Jawa Timur, Indonesia)

This time last year I had just finished my Peace Corps contract and was giving Indonesia a last hoorah with my little, not really sure what I was going to do next. Now, I'm in Japan sitting on my couch in my apartment grading papers from my students at the university where I teach. I had no idea where the next step of my life would take me that day but I'm pretty thrilled at how it worked out. #Godstuff #LifeisCrazy #Indonesia #Flores #travel #RPCV #throwback #sisters #boatlife #islanddreams #sun (at Labuan Bajo, Flores - Indonesia)

Words and things #bookworm #littlebee #reader #scarsarebeautiful #wordporn

#tbt to that time I got a nape cut that looked like Pedros mustache. #indonesiastylez #idvoteforme (at Jombang, Jawa Timur, Indonesia)

Being home and being loved and all the hugs are what my life is about right now. Traveling is instilled in my rom blood but there's no better feeling than coming back and finding your best friends waiting for you. This particular friend came with Jack and a hair tie 😜😍♥️♥️🇮🇩🇺🇸🇯🇵 #welcomehome #besties #rodeo #southernlife #america #love #calamity #CAtoTN (at Maury County Park)

I'm freeeeeeee!!! #100happydays #nomoredays #COStomorrow! #peacecorps #peacecorpsindonesia

I didn't think it would ever happen but my little robot heart cracked when I left my village for the last time this morning and my host mom and I both bawled. I'm so fond of this little family. #100happydays #1togo #lastdayatsite #family #peacecorps #peacecorpsindonesia

I sure am going to miss having a nasi goreng (fried rice) guy. I always wanted to be cool enough to have a "usual" and this little man checked that off my bucket list. As soon as I walk near he looks up with a huge smile accompanied by a quick knowing nod and in 15 minutes I have to go bag full of tasty goodness. #nasiG #comfortfood #noms #friedricelife #100happydays #4togo #peacecorps #peacecorpsindonesia

Indonesian zoos are prime photo shoot locations. #teachertrip #jalanjalan #walkingwalking #BatuSecretZoo #eyeofthetiger #hiseyeismadeofrock #rockythemesong #fullcircle #deep #100happydays #9togo #peacecorps #peacecorpsindonesia

For my school's 15 yr anniversary, we did a Jalan Sehat (health walk) which is literally just walking around the village with all the students at 6AM. There are worst ways to spend my mornings than watching the sun rise with my favorite highschoolers. #jalansehat #pagipagi #walkingwalking #100happydays #17togo #intheteens! #peacecorps #peacecorpsindonesia

Despite being one of the largest producers of ocean refuse, Indonesia has unbeLEAFably biodegradable to-go containers. 🌿🌴 #doggybag #🍃 #islandlife #indonesia #gogreen #nomnomnom #pecel #food #100happydays #20togo #peacecorpsindonesia

First class I taught here has now officially graduated. Mischievous little rugrats but I knew they could do it! #100happydays #21togo #peacecorps #countdowntocos #peacecorpsindonesia #peacecorpslife #pcv #teacherlife

Because splurging and paying $2.50 for a pint of timtam ice cream and sneaking it into your room to eat it all for dinner is always worth it. Sure, I could have paid for 3 meals with that amount if I had cooked. But would it have been ice cream? No, no it would not have been. #100happydays #38togo #soready

Meet Vitren (pronounced [fí-tren]), he's my host great grandmother's favorite being. He's old, meows in baritone, and comes home every night to curl up beside her. #meow #😺 #catsofindonesia #love #100happydays #100daysinIndo #39togo #peacecorps #peacecorpsIndonesia

So I got an invitation to a circumcision today. #indohumor #snipsnip #peacecorpsIndonesia #100daysinIndo #100happydays #40togo

In honor of St. Drogo's Day (look him up!), I'd like to introduce you to Indonesian coffee. The bottom of the cup is not black. You have to wait for the coffee grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup before you can drink it. OR you can use a little lid they sometimes give you to strain the coffee while you pour it into the saucer and drink it from there if you like your coffee hot enough to erase your taste buds. The latter method is preferred by most Indonesians with whom I've ngopi[ed] (chilled and drunk coffee). The burning of taste buds possibly explains their ability to drink coffee black with 1/4c of sugar (minimum) in each glass. I take my coffee with cream but no sugar which blows their minds and prompts a stream of WHY?!s only to end in them concluding that I have to have milk because I'm white. #theonlyreasonIdoanything #everytime #truestory #notevenlying #pcvlife #coffee #kopisusu #peacecorpsIndonesia #peacecorps #100happydays #100daysinIndo #47togo

Day 2 of the wedding involved 50 people squeezing into two 15-passenger vans to travel 4 hours to the groom's village to pray with his family, eat, take a nap on their floor, then leave. No Indonesian road trip would be complete without stopping for souvenirs in every town and dangdut karaoke of course. Feel free to youtube dangdut if you don't know what it is. The soccer coach at my school likes to say "It is the music of my mother land" #weddings #motherlover #roadtrip #villagebonding #100happydays #100daysinIndo #56togo #peacecorpsIndonesia