Tha..that..thats...that's all folks! :)

So, here we are, the moment all of you have been waiting for, my last assigned blog documenting my first international adventure.

I just had my wisdom teeth extracted this morning (my "welcome home!" present from the dentist) and while my face is completely numb I thought this might be a good time to stop all the chit chat and take a moment to reflect about my trip. Not only is it a required assignement for our class, but it also gives me something to do since I've become a mute. Overall, I must say, I had a great time. Before I left, a lot of people told me, or warned me rather, that this experience would come as quite the "culture shock" for a little naive Iowan girl like me, and to them I simply replied, "Good. Shock me." For so long I had felt cooped up, feeling like I was living a sub-ordinary life, all the while bursting at the seams just thinking about what extraordinary could be. I had a lot of high hopes and expectations for this trip because it was my first time abroad and I wanted it to be fantastic. Because of that, I think the self-fulfilling prophesy came into play during the first week, when I thought everything was amazing and beautiful. Since I wanted it to be perfect, it was. "Apples never tasted so good!" I had a sense I was standing on the edge of Lake Wobegon, where all the women were strong, all the men good looking, and all the children were above average.

But once I woke up from the haze of awe from our first week, I started noticing some serious flaws in the program. I've already filled out the course evaluation and survey so there's no need for me to give my critiques or suggestions on this platform, but I would like it known that not every day was filled with peaches and rosebuds. I do, however, believe in selective memory. And I'm choosing to remember, and will forever continue to highlight, those events which had a positive impact on me. For example, I was able to communicate with some of the nation's most influential educational leaders, not only about their institutions, but also about their visions for the future of Indonesia. You can't do that everyday. I had the chance to visit all 33 original provinces at the National Park, where I got to experience the lives of the indigenous people, and even pet a monkey. You can't beat that! I was able to build lifelong connections and friendships with 7 of the most talented and driven students I've ever met. And I was given a complete sense of independence and freedom. You can't take those away from me. Looking back, even after a week, the experience has not lost its luster. This 2 week trip taught me so much about myself and increased my desire to know more about the world around me. I will remember our culture trips to The Park, going down the zip line "Flying Fox" and sneaking out of the museum to ride an angdong with Bettina. But most of all, I'll remember our warm welcoming in Indonesia, and each and every one of the 8 crazy characters in our tight-knit group :)

(I will, of course, make a mental note of all the oversights and downfalls we experienced, I am Leo's daughter for crying out loud...but there's no need to keep those in the forefront of my memory :) )

I've been back in the states almost a week now and spend most of my free time (aka: when I'm not sleeping, eating, or icing my face) on the Study Abroad website. "Mary, don't get carried away now...you don't need to be planning 3 more trips abroad before next July! I find that a little excessive!" ..does that sound like Leo or what?! He's just excited to have me home.. As you can tell, I am very excited about traveling. I've been bitten by the travel bug and am looking into every opportunity to chase this addiction. But having a student's bank account, that 3 week stay in Brazil this winter break may have to remain on the back burner for now..

That now completes today's program, and this summer's blog. Thank you all for tuning in.
See you next time :)

And so it goes..(6/21/11)

Last day in Cikarang…and I knew we had to made it count! I had heard about this place at the country club complex called the “Outbound” that had a high ropes course, rock wall climbing, and a zip line named the “flying fox”. How could I NOT want to do that?! That’s awesome! Luckily, I was able to talk most of the rest of the group into joining me on this adventure and we spent a good portion of our day there. We started off with a delicious breakfast at the golf course (I just order pineapple since I had eaten before in my room…plus, I’m becoming a minimalist. I can sense it).

As we finished eating, I was getting antsy and ventured out to find this place we were to go to. It was spectacular! I was PUMPED to climb that ladder and zip line across the rice fields. Apparently, we had to go through the Tarzan-line ropes course to even GET to the start of the zip line; something I was up and ready to do..but had a to do a little convincing to get my colleagues on board.

There are some great shots that you could find on facebook, but needless to say, it was exhilarating! I had a lot of pent up frustration from the past week. I felt like we had wasted a lot of time sitting around and not “doing anything” so when it was my turn, I ran up the ladder, across the ropes course and flew down the field TWICE in the same time it took everyone to go through once. I didn’t want to let another opportunity pass me by and I’m glad I had this experience. After that adrenaline rush, Bettina and I jumped in the Country Club pool and had a little swimming and sun bathing time. Most everyone was in class so we had the place to ourselves and didn’t worry about looking like fools as we canon-balled into the deep end…repeatedly…like, for an hour.

When we were all tuckered out we returned to our dorms and grabbed some lunch at our favorite restaurant. We’ve ordered the exact same meal since day one “Nasi Goreng Ayam Spesial” and have had the same waiter this whole time. In our last week here, we could walk into “Happy Nice” and he’d just fill out our order for us…quick learner. We really enjoy that place and atmosphere and I know that I’ll miss it. After our relaxing morning, we went back to our rooms to clean up, pack, “get our daily dose of internet J” and get ready to make our departure back to the states. Saying goodbye to our helpers Mr. Long and Mr. John was a little hard for me. I’m becoming so sentimental these days! Geez! Mr. John was SO hilarious this whole time; he was definitely our comic relief. No matter what we were struggling with, all you had to do was talk to Mr. John for a while and he’d make you bust a gut! And Mr. Long (a former Air Force colonel) was our problem solver and substitute father figure during our two weeks here. If you had any problems, you went to Mr. Long. He was a joy to have around and we were so lucky to have those two guys taking care of us. I even hugged our driver, Mindun! He didn’t speak a word of English but just smiled and laughed as we greeted him each morning. I really think I’m going to miss this environment.

Now, we’re just sitting in the Korean airport waiting for our flight to take us home.

As I listen to the grown men snore and babies cry, it hits me that these are my last minutes abroad. Once we get back to Des Moines we’ll all go back to our regular lives and may only see each other if we plan a reunion. I’ve bonded with all the members of this group and it’s weird to think that we could be so easily separated. I have loved and embraced this trip for all that it is. Even though I’ve had my share of complaints, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Sign me up. I’ve learned so much about myself through this process and I pray to God that this isn’t my last time abroad. I’ve been bitten by the travel bug, and may have to make this a habit!

Is that the fan belt making that noise?? (6/20/11)

What a day! I’m not going to lie, when I saw on our itinerary that our last school visit was going to be to a Junior High School, I completely dismissed it. But boy, was I wrong! We had one of our best experiences here. Not only were we given a royal welcoming complete with a military line up salute and a gift of traditional hand-woven clothes, but they were the most hospitable and gracious staff we have met. They treated us so well there. We got to see their welcoming dance from Papua and got a performance from their show choir. Members of Glee…watch out! These middle schoolers know what’s up! This one girl had a Maria Carey-like solo. We were ALL blow away with their poise and talent. After just their opening number we gave them a standing ovation…then we realized they had 3 more songs for us, so we took our seats again. They did a traditional Indonesian set which was glorious; the harmonies blended so beautifully. Then they went in to their “American Show Tunes” set. Mom, you would have wet your pants. They were so good! They started with “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away” by the Beatles and moved into “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music. I was even pulled up on “stage” during their closer “Sing, sing a song..sing out loud…sing out proud! Don’t worry that it’s not good enough..for anyone else to hear…just siiiiing, sing a song!” You know the one Carol! I hope you were singing and snapping along! It was FANTASTIC! I loved every minute of it and wished I had been recording it just to watch again! J Very talented group there.

As we were leaving, we had a little car trouble and were required to take the Junior High van back home from Jakarta. We felt pretty cool. But the principal made our commute a little easier by ordering 5 pizzas for us. They were so unbelievably gracious and thoughtful. I was completely overwhelmed and very appreciative of their hospitality. And when we tried to thank them they just smiled and said, “that’s what we do for our important guests.” It was an honor and a joy visiting that school.

Our night was not yet finished until we had a BBQ dinner at John’s house. This man is a character! And his house and strong perscription glasses just FIT him. I had a blast J He made chicken, hamburgers and sausages..delicious J We all hung out on his deck and just had a chance to unwind and have fun. It was much needed, and a great way to end our trip here.

Did you expect it to be cold here? (6/19/11)

Alright, another day of ups and downs! What is with these bipolar days? Can we not just pick an emotion and go with it? Oo doggy! Well, the day started off very promising. Sunday was supposed to be our trip to Thousand Islands to go on a boat ride and snorkeling and partake in other water activities. But once our group found out that we’d have to take a boat ride to get to the island they opted out of that adventure. (Seriously…I’m not making this up. They were deterred from going to an island..because we had to take a boat to get there…How did you think we were going to get to AN ISLAND?! Oh, those kinds of things just mystify me). But I had to “roll with the punches” and decided to make the most of this itinerary change. I had done some research the past weekend and found that the Jakarta Fair was going on; it’s the national celebration of Jakarta’s founding. 2011 marked the 484^th year of the city. I also read about Batavia, also called Jakarta Old Town located in Central Jakarta. It is a representation of what life was like during the Dutch invasion and colonization of Java. (I figured since I like Living History Farms and Colonial Williamsburg..I’d like this!) Needless to say, I was WAY excited about both of these possibilities and proposed them to the group the night before so we could make a plan for the following day. Everyone seemed gung-ho with the plan so we chose to do both the Fair and Batavia. When we got to the fair, it was packed! We had already spent 1.5 hours in a hot car ride and most of the group was a little agitated. That wasn’t going to stop us undergrads from having a good time. J We walked around the entire park and loved the whole atmosphere. The Ph.D students were “over the whole fair thing” from the minute we arrived and wanted to turn around and go home. But we pressed on and stayed and (the 3 of us) enjoyed the festivities while they lasted.

Here comes the REAL point of frustration for me. Some could say that I “snapped”. As we were leaving the fair and getting ready to make our trip to Batavia, the group started complaining about the heat (yeah…it tends to get hot here people). And the decision was made to not go to this famous historical landmark because A) it’ll be outside and B) we’ll have to walk. (Just let that sink in for a moment). That’s right folks! Frankly, I don’t understand either. We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to go explore the great city of Jakarta and we're letting the heat dictate our plans. The undergrads were pretty upset since we had been looking forward to these visits on our only day off. We, instead, went to sit inside an air conditioned mall to “get some internet.”  I was beyond peeved at this point. I’ll save my ranting and raving for another blog so ignore that one if you’re in a peppy mood :P The stop at the mall DID give me the chance to update my blogs and get my Father’s Day post out, which I was thankful for. But I just wish that our group had been more adaptable to these adverse conditions.

Father’s Day. I’m getting sentimental in my old age.

I was sitting in another one of our traffic jams the other day, when a wave of emotions came over me.  It was the first time I took a minute to think about how much I missed home, especially my family. As the tears started rolling down my face I was glad I was hidden in the backseat, surrounded by people who were preoccupied with other things and wouldn’t notice or bother me. My quiet and very personal display of emotion was triggered by the realization that Father’s Day is soon approaching, and I would not be able to spend it with my two favorite men. Last August, my grandfather James W. Hudson passed away peacefully in his sleep. It was one of the hardest things our family had to deal with. For months I wasn’t able to say his name without bursting into tears and I know that I’ll be coping with this loss for a while. Even now, I’m getting emotional just writing about my family. Grandpa Jim was a great man. He was a great lawyer, husband, father, and role model for all those around him. I always admired him growing up. I loved going over to his house to hear his stories or talk with him about politics and how outrageous our democrats are, but most of all, I just loved being in his presence. There was something about Grandpa that just drew people in. He was a captivating individual, and it wasn’t until his final days that I realized just how much I admired and respected him as a person. I spent a lot of time with him his last summer here. But I never took the chance to tell him how much I looked up to him. I don’t like having regrets…but that’s one. I knew he could tell how I felt and how much I appreciated him. But it would have been nice to solidify that for the both of us. I miss him like crazy. And I’m always reminded of the view from the front of the church as I looked out to see the whole town packed into his funeral ceremony. Only one word has been able to explain seeing that display of support…overwhelming. He touched so many lives. And I am proud to say I am his granddaughter. He raised one hell of a daughter, and I wish I could be there with Leo and Carol Hallman to morn our loss, and to celebrate our fathers on this special day.

Family has always been important to me, but after Grandpa’s passing I knew I couldn’t take them for granted. He has made me appreciate my relatives and friendships even more, even after he has left this world. Now that’s saying something! The other important man, and by far the most influential for me, has been my father Leo Hallman. I started crying in the van because I was thinking that this was the first Father’s Day I wouldn’t get to spend with my dad. I know I may have complained about going fishing or golfing in the past, but I would give anything to get that chance today. I’d even drive a John Deere down mainstreet while sitting on his lap. I don’t like the term “daddy’s girl” but I had always wanted to be dad’s pal; I wanted us to be buddies. That was always known, and our similarities were forever immortalized in my nickname “little Leo” which mom gave me years ago. He pushed me through all my extracurricular activities; always striving for improvement. I like being good at things and part of that comes from his influence. He always made me want to be better. Growing up, I hated it...but it helped me to never settle for less than my best. He has been a guiding pillar of wisdom for me the last 20 years. I trust dad’s opinion more than most people and could turn to him with any issue. He’s always there to support me, no matter how many times I’ve changed my major. We’ve always gotten along, but in recent times dad and I have butted heads over some issues where I’ve taken mom’s side. “Mary, what are you doing?! Why am I arguing with YOU of all people?” Haha, as much as he won’t admit it, I think dad likes it when I stand up for what I believe is right, even if that goes against his view. I know he feels that way for all his children. Andy and Julie, if you’re reading this, know that your father sings your praises constantly. He won’t tell you because he doesn’t want you to get a big head, and he wants his complements to be valuable (personal insight there). But growing up behind you two has been intimidating. You are two of the brightest and most clever people I’ve ever known. And I know dad is so very proud of you guys. I’ve loved every minute of being in this family and am grateful for each member. Don’t worry mom, I didn’t forget about you! I love you too! But today is Dad’s day. So please try and find something special for him to do. And Dad, just know that I love you and miss you. I appreciate all you’ve done for me and this family. And I can’t wait to go on a tractor ride as soon as we can get back to Poky! Love you Dad J Happy Father’s Day!

Bacon Double Cheeseburger. Please. (6/18/11)

We had an AMAZING meeting at Education USA today. One professor asked me/us to come back to Indonesia and give our presentation of American schools to the students at his college. We were very honored and were able to get a lot of students interested in coming to ISU. One students even asked if there was a way that Iowa State could partner with an Indonesian school to create a dual university program to make it easier for students to transfer internationally. “Funny you should say that..that’s actually the purpose of our visit.” After our outstanding presentation and networking meeting we went to a batik exhibit. Batik is the traditional form of painting designs on clothing by using melted wax to create borders for the dye. There were over 400 exhibits…I think I saw all the printed fabric I need to for one life time. But I found the food court and relaxed in there with our Aussie tour guide for a while. I could listen to him talk about “bloody Indonesians” for hours. But we had to keep moving , because a visit to Monas was next on our itinerary. Monas is the national monument of Indonesia, sort of like our statue of liberty. I couldn’t find a description of its importance/significance anywhere. And all the Indonesians I asked didn’t seem to know either. But nevertheless, we got a lot of pictures with this statue.

John, our Aussie tour guide and constant comic relief, wanted to show us the National Museum..but he didn’t know where we were, or where IT was. That didn’t stop him. We walked around the park and forest area for a solid 30 minutes until we found a building he recognized. Following this crazy guy was like following Mr. Magoo. But that’s half the fun. I was a little perturbed we had to leave the park and carnival area (yeah, there was a carnival) so Bettina and I risked our lives to go on a pony ride. There are these little carts, andongs, pulled by miniature horses. We saw them earlier and didn’t want to spend an HOUR looking at figures and maps when we could get a andong ride. So without our professor knowing, we got in the cart and left area (don’t tell dad). But don’t worry. Our driver spoke a little English and we spoke a little Indonesian so we were able to relate that we needed to be back at the museum in time for them not to notice our absence. It was THRILLING! I felt like we were breaking the rules and I loved it. Professor didn’t seem to upset when she saw us coming back all smiles. No worries J

Next, we headed to John’s favorite pub for a burger and fries and some great dancing music. Julie, don’t judge, but I had a double bacon cheeseburger with fries….what else would you expect!? I needed that grease in me. As the night went on, we were “welcomed” by some British blokes who were so kind as to show us the error of our ways. They pointed out some serious defects in our schedule and living situation (most of which we were already aware of) and even had the nerve to approach our professor about his objections. He was a bit of a downer, but everything he said was completely realistic. He ended the night on a high note; singing karaoke songs all the way home. I’m glad “Ain’t No Mountain” is  well known, and that we were able to harmonize throughout the chorus. We may not be able to see all of Jakarta…but we can assemble a gospel choir on the spot! Look out now!

We have to plant this tree now! (6/17/11)

Early morning!! But we arrived at UPH school AN HOUR EARLY! (better to be an hour early than a minute late. That funny because we’ve been consistently late to all our appointments..but then all of a sudden we had to leave at the crack of dawn to get to the school and drink overpriced coffee for an hour. Lord have mercy!) They had great faculty and a foundation program in place for teacher education. They gave full scholarships to students in the education program with the agreement that the students would teach in remote areas for a certain length of time. Those areas are assigned by the foundation based on necessity of teachers. In many, if not most cases, it’s the graduates’ job to create a school in a desolate region as opposed to student teaching under the guidance of another instructor. Innovative program.

After that great meeting we hurried back to President’s University since we HAD to plant a tree.

Let me be the first to say that I am honored to have a tree planted in my honor at our host university here in Indonesia…but it was taking over our day! Everything we did surrounded around getting back to Cikarang to plant these trees. Once we did get there, everybody was busy praying (most of the officials are Muslim and were participating in selat, required prayer 5 times a day). We weren’t allowed to change out of our business school because it HAD to be done TODAY. So don’t you fret, we got our trees into the ground. Oh, and they don’t believe in shovels over here. I’m not making this up. Luckily our holes were already dug for us…but we had to cover the base with soil..with our bare hands. Don’t get me wrong, I love working with my hands and getting dirty! I was the only one participating! Most people stood around as I went from tree to tree covering them with dirt and watering them. But NO ONE was around or watching or documenting this…so WHAT was all the fuss about earlier?! As you might be able to tell, I was a little frustrated with the lack of planning and forethought on this issue (I’m sounding like Dad again). But hey, there is now a tree growing (behind the parking lot behind the university!) that says “Mary Hallman. Iowa State University. June 2011” on it. Go ISU..

Once we got done saving the environment, and everybody’s nerve, we had a little alone time which I spent working on the internet trying to research things to do in Jakarta this weekend. We have a free day on Sunday and I don’t want to let it go to waste. Honestly, there’s not much to see in Jakarta…and we’re a good 2 hour drive from there. It’s becoming a little disconcerting, and the group is getting tired of sitting in traffic only to arrive to a school or museum where we just mosey around. Oh, I had this sketchy meeting in the library. I’ve normally felt relatively safe and comfortable here but the term “STRANGER DANGER” took on a whole new meaning for me today. Don’t worry at home. There was just this one guy who wanted me to come to a party tonight and it was hard for him to accept “no”..but I’m pretty sure that he got the point after I walked away. For dinner, we met in Dr. H’s room to have some Papa Ron’s cheese crust pizza. It was a delight. I’ve enjoyed the traditional food here, but it was nice to have a little taste of home and relax together.