Monday, 14 May 2007 @ 7:32pm.
As an additional note… I’ll be travelling again this summer and I leave tomorrow/Tuesday… I’ll keep folks posted when I can…
Monday, 14 May 2008 @ 7:00pm.
Apologies for not posting in some time… I’ve been keeping busy and time flies when you’re having fun. 
My mother and I recently returned from visiting my sister in South Florida. The sunny weather and warm beaches were a very pleasant change of pace. It was great hanging out. We could have done without the traffic and high cost of living, but we made do as best as we could. Here are a few pictures from that trip:
This is a picture of me and my mother at the Swap Shop. Started in 1963, the Swap Shop is a gigantic drive-in theater and indoor-outdoor flea market. We just had fun looking around at all the different things for sale:
There were also random, sometimes strange, items in and around the Swap Shop:
On a different day, my family tried some fusion cuisine at the Gran Lux Cafe. This is a picture of Asian nachos. The peanut sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking, but the dish was worth trying:
More than one Floridian is into pet fashion. This particular dog - Nick - had his own wardrobe including shoes, shirts, shorts, hats, sunglasses (appropriately called “Doggles”), a stroller, and um, even his own toothbrush and toothpaste. To my surprise, I think he really enjoys all of the clothing and accessories given his positive reaction compared to another one of his doggy pals who was reluctant to try anything on:
This is just me and my sister chillin’ (do we look alike? ):
Michigan, April 2007April 24, 2007 19:22 pm
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 @ 3:14pm.
Top 10 Reasons It’s Good to Be Back Home:
(1) My family
(2) My two cats: Prancer and Halli
(3) My friends
(4) My house (Ooooh, the space, the lovely, lovely space!)
(5) Fresh air and the greenery
(6) Good ol’ Michigan culture and personalities like midwest manners and U-M pride
(7) American food
(8) Organization, customer service, and law-abiding citizens
(9) Quiet (It can be so peaceful here!)
(10) Smoke-free environments
Michigan, April 2007April 20, 2007 4:36 am
Friday, 20 April 2007 @ 12:25am.
I don’t recall if I posted these quotes before, but in case I haven’t, I thought folks might like them… I don’t know where they are from…probably an old email forward or printout…
* Accept that some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Drive carefully. It’s not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* Eat a live toad in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day.
* If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
* Never buy a car you can’t push.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time because then you don’t have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. (my favorite #1)
* The early worm gets eaten by the bird, so sleep late.
* When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
* If ignorance is bliss, why aren’t more people happy?
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person. (my favorite #2)
* We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors but they all have to learn to live in the same box.
* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
* Happiness comes through doors you didn’t even know you left open. (my favorite #3)
Wednesday, 18 April 2007 @ 5:56am.
I made it safe and sound to Michigan after a whirlwind departure from Jakarta, a fun vacation in Melbourne, and a quick stop in Chicago for a political science conference. I have pretty bad jet lag, but am trying my best to adjust. It actually wouldn’t be so bad if it was warmer! Brrrr… it sure is cold in the Midwest right now.
So as I reflect on the past 14 months I have spent in Indonesia, I feel that I have learned a lot, but also have a lot to learn. The diversity of the country and its people is amazing. It’s difficult to summarize my experiences abroad, but in short, Indonesia can be beautiful and ugly, clear and confusing, and simple and complex. I like to think that I’ve grown as a researcher and scholar, but more than that, I think I have grown as a person. I have Indonesia and its people to thank for that. My fieldwork definitely had its challenges, but overall, it was a good experience. Thank you to everyone in Jakarta and elsewhere across the archipelago, as well as in other parts of the world who have supported me professionally and personally. I really don’t know what I would have done without all of you!
Here is a sample of photos for your enjoyment…
I’m usually not starstruck or celebrity crazy, but when I saw the host of the Kick Andy show at a restaurant during my going-away dinner, I was totally giddy! I was sooooo shy, but my good friends managed to convince me to get a picture with him. He must’ve thought I was strange since I probably babbled incoherently, but he was gracious enough to grant me the photo.
This is a picture of the selamatan lunch (my absolute favorite Indonesian dish!) at the Freedom Institute. The whole office shared in this special meal of yellow rice, grilled meats, seafood, eggs, peanuts, and other goodies. At the lunch, we didn’t say goodbyes, but rather said “See you again soon!”
When I went to Melbourne (first time ever!), I saw the infamous possum. Australians told me that the possums can be annoying and even dangerous, but they are definitely cute and cuter than American possums in my opinion!
For those still in Jakarta - especially my fellow foreign colleagues, here is a special picture of TREES! I can’t tell you how happy I was to see and walk in parks, as well as breathe fresh air.
Here’s the famous Flinders Street Station at night… I went there one day to take the train to Monash University…
This is me at St. Kilda Beach. The water was cold, but I just had to walk barefoot in the sand!
Here’s one sign I encountered, which I thought Americans might like…
Yes, these kangaroos are wild, they munch on golf course grass, they totally hop, and the joeys are very cute.
Here is one view at a stop along the Great Ocean Road…beautiful… The shadow on the rock is of the lighthouse perched on the rocks in the other direction.
This is me taking a break and taking in the sights on the Great Ocean Road…
