Trying to Settle In...

Today marks one month since I've been in Bali! I'm still trying to settle in and feel at home. I'm starting to get into some daily routines and things are feeling comfortable. I decided to buy a bicycle so I didn't have to keep renting. I also bought a helmet and lights to be a little safer on the roads! 

Although I have only been in school for two weeks, it feels like at least a month! The kids are really sweet and my Indonesian teaching partner is amazing! I'm still feeling a little unsure and stressed about teaching Kindergarten because it is new for me! I'm trying to take small steps and work things out little by little to try not to feel as overwhelmed. Plus, I only have 10 students so that makes my life a bit easier! :) 

 I'm still trying to get to know everyone at work and find some activities I'm interested in outside of school. Because of my hip, I'm not able to dance and it is really driving me crazy. I might try some light yoga to see if that is okay. I've also thought of learning the Balinese dance as it may not be too strenuous on my hip. 

 I'm looking into some places to volunteer as I think that will help me feel happier to be able to help others and give back. To be honest, I feel quite selfish. Although I've worked hard to get where I am today, I am aware that others do not have opportunities like this. (Seriously though, teaching internationally is an amazing little secret that many do not know about. You are very well taken care of and have wonderful opportunities to travel and meet new people and explore different cultures.) I've loved being able to travel so much in the last two years and I'm looking forward to exploring Asia, but I can't help but feel that I should be doing more for others and less for myself. 

 Hopefully Bali will be the place where I can find to proper balance between working hard, taking some time for myself, and volunteering my time to help others! :)


I was off to a good start last weekend when I found a nice quiet place to sit on the beach for a bit after having a relaxing massage. :)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday Beach Day!

Image
I was in the mood to see something new so I ventured to another beach on the island. This beach is called Balangan Beach and it is a beautiful white sand beach that is well-known as a surf spot. It's about 25 km from my house and took about an hour in the taxi. Well worth it!  When I first arrived it was low tide.... I found a nice spot on the sand to relax, read my book, and watch some surfers. There were a few shack-like restaurants set up with some chairs and umbrellas. It was so nice to get away from the busy hotels, music, and tons of people. :) By the time I was getting ready to leave the tide was rolling in and more surfers were heading out. I'll definitely be back! 
Read more

First Scuba Diving Trip! (Bunaken Island)

Image
About a month ago I took the PADI open water course and received my open water diving certification. It was a whirlwind busy 3 days filled with videos to build my knowledge, quizes, training in the pool and then 4 dives. Luckily I had an amazing instructor who really took the time to ensure I thoroughly understood all the knowledge and theory behind diving.  Since Ted already has his diving certification, I was super excited to have mine so we could plan a trip to go diving together. Before moving to Bali, diving had never been on my list of things to do. But after moving here, I began talking to people who dive and learned that this area has some of the most beautiful dive spots in the world. I felt like I had to capitalize on this wonderful opportunity.  Our trip to Bunaken Island.... Bunaken island is a small island that's about 8 square km and is part of the Bunaken National Marine Park. You may be thinking...where in the world is this island? I was wondering the s...
Read more

New Zealand in a Camper Van with a Teething 6 Month Old - December 2019

Image
  With each short trip around Bali, our confidence in traveling with our infant daughter steadily grew. So when the Christmas break approached, we felt ready for something bigger — it was time to leave the island. After some back-and-forth, we landed on the South Island of New Zealand: safe, stunningly beautiful, and heading into summer — perfect for hiking and spending time outdoors… or so we thought.  That trip came with its fair share of lessons: splurge on the bigger camper van, pack the breast pump even if you think you won’t need it, and always, always bring more layers and rain gear — just in case. In theory, the camper van was the perfect travel solution. It offered freedom, flexibility, fewer hotel costs, and more time to explore at our own pace.  What we didn’t factor in was that our 6-month-old decided this was the perfect time to start teething. Every night, like clockwork, she’d wake up screaming. And getting her back to sleep? Let’s just say it was not a sw...
Read more