I think the stifling heat and humidity of Kuala Lumpur have finally caught up with me, since I have been feeling really drained. Since the rain has been coming down in heavy bursts all afternoon, it seems like a good time to lay low. Craig and I are on vacation for the Idul Fitri (end of Ramadan) holiday. Roughly a week ago, we flew from Semarang to Singapore. The flight was a breezy two hours, but given the differences between the two cities, they seem to be on different planets. The majority of our coworkers have never once set foot in [View Full Entry]

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This weekend we went to Yogyakarta and stayed with the families of two of our coworkers. Yogya has the undisputed reputation as the cultural center of the island, where Javanese traditions flourish. Not only is it a major hub for silverwork, Wayang puppetry, Batik, and traditional dance; but it is also a place where the Javanese language, both spoken and written, is practiced regularly. The curling Javanese script can be found throughout the city, marking streets and neighborhoods. Yogya is also known as the “student city”, as it has many universities and students from through [View Full Entry]

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We continue to settle in to life in Semarang. Last night there was a colossal thunderstorm that rolled in after dark. We were on the top of our stairs listening to the echo of the evening prayer call and watching the lightning creep across the horizon. When it finally reached us the rain was tremendous, literally flooding the street in seconds. It was deafening. We were enjoying the action until a huge clap of thunder and blinding lightning broke over our heads and scared us inside. Probably the most intense storm I have ever seen. Last weekend we went to Barobudur, [View Full Entry]

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I am thrilled to be writing the first blog entry from our new home in Semarang, Indonesia. My first week here has been a complete and total blur. It was extremely difficult to wrench ourselves away from the beauty of the Perhentian islands. En route we spent one brief night in KL, which only made us want to stay longer. Our endless purgatory of air travel finally ended as we slid into Semarang airport late last Saturday night. After a turbulent flight through a thunderstorm from KL to Singapore, I almost didn't think I could make it through another two flights. [View Full Entry]

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We arrived in Malaysia after an exhausting 18+ hours on airplanes, not to mention long hours of layovers and waiting in airports. We broke our journey in Singapore for one brief night, before continuing on to Kota Bahru (via Kuala Lumpur) the next day. We had originally intended on beginning work in Indonesia upon arrival, but fate intervened and we were left with a spare week. We decided to spend it in the Perhentian Islands, a favorite spot from last trip, before beginning work at the end of August. We spent one night in Kota Bahru, which gave us a great [View Full Entry]

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Ditched the city chaos to return to my beautiful home state of Oregon for a week's vacation. I think the world of Seattle, but do frequently feel claustrophobic in the city. The fresh sea air and open spaces were a perfect remedy. Few places compare to the Pacific Northwest in natural beauty, and I feel lucky to live here. In all my travels I have never really found anywhere I have been more in love with than the Oregon Coast. A true Oregonian never utters the phrase “I am going to the beach” (unless of course she is going on vacation [View Full Entry]

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Washington's incredibly bipolar spring weather teased us with another glimpse of the elusive sun this weekend. Thankfully we were in a perfect place to enjoy this rare scrap of warm weather-the Olympic Peninsula. My parents moved back to Sequim after years of restlessly circulating around the U.S. and now occupy the house that once belonged to my grandparents. Despite leading what I feel to be a rather nomadic existence, the Olympic Peninsula has been one place I have returned to frequently. Port Townsend in particular is a great town. Discovered by the western world during one of [View Full Entry]

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This weekend we managed to exchange one rainy, gray city for another as we headed north to Vancouver BC. When the stern looking border guard asked us for the purpose of our visit to Canada we replied with grave seriousness: “hockey”. He didn’t say anything, but I thought I saw a twinkle in his eye when he handed us back our passports. I had been to Vancouver several times when I was younger, mostly for visits to the incredible Vancouver Aquarium. Returning as an adult, however, gave me an entirely new perspective on the city. One thing I noticed instantly was [View Full Entry]

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So today Craig and I officially celebrated the purchase of our plane tickets by taking a long bus ride out to the Rainier Valley and having Malaysian food. I had eaten at the restaurant, Salima, previously with coworkers. It was very good; we had roti, fish, and lemak (a kind of seafood curry with coconut milk). It’s delicious, so if any of you are ever in the Seattle area and have a craving for Malay, check out . I thoroughly believe in the idea of one being a tourist in her own city. When we are planning for a huge trip [View Full Entry]

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The End! Here is a brief collection of photos from the last portion of our trip through Eastern China. It was completely fascinating, and hopefully someday I will have time to write more about it. For now, enjoy the pictures! [View Full Entry]

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