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February 2003

High-Points

• Web Site Navigation and Bali Temperature

• Now a 'paid' writer!

• Teaching English

• Marketing

• An Indonesian Wedding

Feb 11 email

February 11

To start off, I've made some improvements to the website.  New navigation menu at the top of each page which should make each page's text wider and easier to read.  I've also added the current temperature in Bali to the page with the Bali clock on it.  Let me know if you have any problems.

The most widely read English paper here in Bali has asked me to start writing a twice monthly column for them.  They'll actually pay me to do it ☺  It will cover computer related news, hints, where to buy, the latest software, and more.  So I guess I am now a paid writer!  Wow!  The paper is called the Bali Advertiser, it contains free classified ads, paid display ads, columns, and news.  My column will be called 'Bali PC Advisor'.  It'll be fun for me to pass on my computer knowledge to folks living in Bali.  I hope to have interesting links to web sites; places in Bali to have a laptop repaired; places in Bali to purchase accessories like CD-RW drives, or printers; hints on using the computer; perhaps even a Q&A section where folks would write in with their burning questions of the day.

I also obtained my first English teaching assignment.  A fantastic interior shop on the West side of Ubud called Design Unit has contracted me to teach their staff of seven, Retail Business English.  Plus, I'm teaching the staff at two local hotels (for reference purposes only, I teach them for free).  So I'll then have a resume with three local references.  Hopefully this will open more doors.

Design Unit is also having me help them with marketing.  Their shop in Ubud is very new, while their Singapore shop has been open for years.  Our first project will be to produce a map of the west side of Ubud called 'The West Side of Ubud'.  We will contract with the better hotels, interior design shops, galleries, restaurants, etc. for inclusion on the map.  The map itself will be distributed to all the local hotels in Ubud.

I've added some photos I took of a wedding I attending in Java last week-end.  The site of the wedding was a town in Java, which is the island just west of Bali, the town is called Banyuwangi.  It's a small town who's main 'claim to fame' is surfing.  "Java's finest surf crashes down... Surfers claim that picture perfect waves roll in every fine minutes, average three to five meters, and can break for miles."  Yanti and I left Ubud for the 3 hour drive to Gilimanuk where the ferry would take us across the strait to Java.  The wedding was for my wonderful friend Wayan's youngest daughter.  He has been my driver, my mentor, and my great friend since I arrived in Bali last year.  He's helped me start the t-shirt business (oh well), buy my first car, introduced me to my girl friend, and much more.  It was his youngest daughter, Dewi's wedding.  After the 3 hour drive, 1 hour ferry trip, and 1/2 hour drive to his village, we arrived.  Everyone was so incredibly gracious, kind, generous, and warm hearted.  The only time tourists (westerners) are in this town is for the brief surfing season.  So I definitely stood out.  Not only for my height, girth, and blond hair; but for my beautiful Indonesian girl friend as well.  Wherever we went, all eyes were on us!

Like in American, most things associated with a wedding are rented.  All the outfits worn by the bride and groom and the little flower girls; plus the sound system; chairs; tent; and other background decorations.  The entire village helps with the preparations.  From the preparation of all the food (lots!), decorations, places for folks to stay, sound system, etc.  At the appointed hour, the grooms party (instead of the brides) leave the house and a procession forms to take him and his father to the wedding site where the beautiful bride and minister (Islam) was waiting.  I had a hard time understanding the the actual ceremony.  However, I recognized several things in common with many weddings - both parents and their families gathered around; the father of the groom gave him away; at one point they both knelt down and prayed; and lastly, they both walked around a pillow with flowers on it and then stepped on a glass!  Following the wedding was the usual endless photography sessions.  Bride and family; groom and family; bride and groom and families; etc; etc; etc.  I had my camera and was much in demand to take EVERYONE'S photo.  Check the ceremonies page for some good ones.  While all the photos where being taken, everyone else was being fed!  LOTS of food.  Rice & chicken and veggies; sweet cakes; salty snacks; etc.  Everything was so colorful.  The only thing I noticed about this wedding and I don't know if represents all Muslims weddings, is the wedding party didn't seem to smile much.  Plus, even though there was lots of music, there was no dancing.  And lastly,  all the tables were segregated by sex.  Only women at some tables and only men at others.  I think they're missing something there ☺

Overall though, I felt very honored to be invited.   Yanti and I sat at the 'head' or family table (the only one with both men and women).  Everyone treated me so well.  Smiles all around.

We left the next day after spending three days there.  Wayan was kind enough to actually drive us both all the way to the ferry terminal in Bali, just to ensure we didn't have any problems with any authorities.  And we weren't back in Ubud more than two hours when Wayan called to ensure we had made it back safely and to thank me for coming...  How sweet!

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