December 8, 2005

In Lovina we stayed at a resort at a fraction of the normal cost since they did not have guests. We were there two days where we frolicked by the pool, ate some nice dinners in Lovina and recovered from the bronchial sinus infection that I was suffering. We decided to leave on Monday morning and head to Pemuteran. We had heard there was some nice snorkeling and diving in the area so we thought we would see what it was about. For us it was a bust! All the lodging in the area were resort complexes that were most likely owned by foreign interests and charged USD per night. Our pocket book brought us to a home stay with a very nice room but it did not have air conditioning. There was a restaurant associated with the home stay and because it appeared to be the only one around we ate our meals there. Once in our room we walked down the beach and were surprised to find village squalor along side a $120 USD per night resort. The contrasts were offensive and I felt embarrassed for the stupid white folk who were so obtuse to flaunt their wealth in front of those so less fortunate. We ventured into a dive center and were told that the water wasn’t clear enough for snorkeling and that they would not be able to take us out further because there are not enough tourists wanting to snorkel so they could fill the boat. If we were to go we would need to rent the entire boat to make it worth their while and that like the hotels nearby were in USD so not possible within our budget. That night was a sticky one but we managed to sleep pretty well in spite of the heat. The next morning we loaded our bikes and hit the road for Negara. We had a late start making us ride in higher temperatures than expected but surprisingly the heat wasn’t bad and we were able to keep hydrated and fed. We started in a dry portion of the island where the vegetation was sparse with the occasional monkey running across the road. The riding was undulating with the downhill portions providing enough breeze for us to get cool before the next short uphill. Overall it was very pleasant. After about an hour of riding we passed over to the south side of the island and entered a lush green forest with very few side roads and traffic. Occasionally, a motor cycle or bicycle would emerge from the forest heavy loaded with a stack of firewood on the seat that appeared 6 to 7 ft tall. Amazing how they make the most of the transportation they have available for every use. The forest continued for the next 20km and then we began to enter the more populated area around Negara. The sky cleared and the sun beat down on us causing me to tan my arms further and causing me to feel very sick. Jodi did really well in the heat and continued pushing me to keep going until we found accommodation that met our needs. Every place we stopped was rather unimpressive and even though it had more comforts than the place of the night before they just did not feel right and we would keep moving down the road. I was reminded of several raft trips I had been on where the person looking for the evenings camp had a particular idea of what the wanted and each camp site ahead just did not make the cut and the group would keep moving further and further down the river until everyone was cold and tired. I was hot and just wanted a shower and a place to lie down for the night. We continued looking and then a place found us that looked like nothing but turned out to be something special. In a small town outside Negara called Tegalcangkring we found ourselves at a gate with a British flag painted on one side and a Japanese flag on the other. It turned out we were at the doorstep of a language school that taught foreigners Indonesian. The owner hearing English spoken in an American accent outside his home became curious and met us in the road outside his house. He directed us next door to his brothers home stay showed us a room and we decided to give it a go for one night. The Indonesian gentleman named Ketut (meaning fourth) was very excited to have a couple of Americans staying next door immediately wanted to practice his English with us. He asked us about our travels, what we did and talked a bit about politics. He spoke pretty good English and we spent the rest of the afternoon talking in the outdoor living area. He asked us what we like to eat and we told him rice, noodles, tofu and vegetables and before we could protest he told his wife to head to the nearest warung (ride side stand) to fetch some things for dinner. That evening him and his wife invited us next door for dinner. We had tofu, goreng (noodles), vegetables and white rice. It was very good and best thing of all was the portions were adequate to fill both Jodi and my stomachs after our 80k ride of that day. We talked a bit more and Ketut invited us to his school to visit with his English speaking students the next day. We thought nothing of it but when he showed up at our door the next morning with breakfast ready next door we knew we had better go. We ate traditional Indonesian breakfast, hurriedly changed clothes and found a bus to take us to the next village. We walked up a road about 200m and found a junior high school. Our entire trip children outside the schools have been very friendly, always greeting us with a big “hello” and sometimes a “good morning”. Ketut introduced us to the teachers and they asked Jodi and I to come to their classes to help with their English studies. The teachers wanted their students to get an opportunity to practice their conversational English so they asked the class to ask any question. They asked, “where I was from”, “what I did”, “was I married” and many others. After that class one teacher thought it would be fun since I did engineering if a taught his physics class in English. I thought physics “no problem” since it was one of my stronger subjects. So I entered the class, the teacher introduced me and told them that I was there to help them understand physics better so if they had any questions about their lessons so far they should present them. One student raised his hand and proceeded to ask me a question about the function of MnCl in the operation of a battery. I thought “crap electrical and chemistry in the same problem and I really suck at both in English let alone in Indonesian.” I had a hard time understanding the problem and I tried to answer it to the best of my ability but in the end I was bull shitting my way through and I suspect the students were onto me. The next student asked me a question about electrical again becoming frustrated I thought “does this book have any projectile or something I could apply Newtons laws of physics,” frightened I picked up the book and was surprised to see the level of physics these students were learning at 14. There were circuits, magnetic fields, batteries and many others subjects that most American students would not get until AP physics in high school. Again I pulled an answer out my ass and hoped I hadn’t led the class to far astray. Seeing my difficulties the teacher stepped in and suggested we practice our English instead. Thank goodness. Later we retired to the teacher’s lounge where all the English teachers began asking us many questions about climate change and terrorism and what the US is going to do. Both were subjects that are really big with the Balinese and they wanted some hope that America was going to help them. Having to give them the mealy mouth answers of our current administration hurt and I so desperately wanted to give them hope but instead I felt like bureaucrat reciting the party line. They seem to understand that there was little I could do as a ordinary citizen other than listen. They made us Balinese coffee and dropped the politics and started asking questions about my work in Antarctica.

The school was very nice and the teachers did their best to give the students the best education they could get. They did not have a library filled with stacks and stacks of books, a laboratory filled with computers and overhead projectors in each classroom. Each teacher had a room with a blackboard, a piece of chalk and raised stage area in the front. The students were very good and very respectful of their teachers and they seem to enjoy being at school. I liked standing before the students helping them with their English and I felt like it was an honor to have visited their school. About mid day Jodi and I returned to our hotel and we were once again invited next-door for mid day tea. We had salad of bean sprouts and an unsweetened rice pudding. Again it tasted very good and were honored that they had us in their home once more.
Tonight they had us over for a last time before we depart in the morning. I don’t think today’s events will be something I will forget anytime soon, I learned so much about the Indonesian way of life and myself in such a short amount of time that I am reeling a bit. I hope I never forget these people!