Just got back from a beautiful island outside of Bali called Nusa Lombongan. The water was a turqoise clear blue and a very peaceful and quiet place to enjoy some relaxation. I traveled with mi amiga Janice and her friend Rachel and the famous Andrew yoga man...:) We had a lot of fun and shared a very nice and large room between the 4 of us. We got lucky with a huge deck that overlooked the ocean and a chance to practice some yoga together. One day Andrew, Janice and I practiced for quite a while and came up with a new style. However, the secret must be kept a secret and stay tuned for a video in the future...........:)
Nusa Lombongan is a very quiet place so there is not much going on and you can see the whole island on a scooter in about an hour or two depending on stops along the way. So, I finally had an experience of riding a scooter and I must say, I'm a scooter pro!!!!! :) Getting prepared to enter the life of Taiwan and traveling via scoot scoot....:) The trip around the island was beautiful and we finally found the perfect spot with crashing waves against rocky cliffs. Very powerful!
We came back to Ubud yesterday and I had plans to leave on Saturday for Gili Meno (Gili islands near Lombok) but the ATM ate my debit card (my world to money etc...) and yes I did say ATE my debit card. Can you imagine the look on my face, HA!!! and it spit out a piece of paper that said, "hot / captured"...........hmmmmmmmm I have never thought of myself as hot and captured (well maybe)...:) and so the process of freaking out started to arise in my soul. Breath Jenna Breath....:) Anyway, after running around Ubud for 3 hrs trying to figure it all out and feeling as if I was going to pass out from the heat it all come to a successful end. I won't be leaving Ubud until next week....:( but it's not a bad place to be so I will wait for my new card. Meanwhile I'm begging for food on the streets ...just kidding Dad!!!! I'm fine! I have dear friends to help me out until the dinero comes.
Today is the Bali New Years so once again I'm enjoying culture at it's finest and taking a lot of pictures. I know I know...post the pictures. Tomorrow will be a day of silence which will be nice. I plan to meditate, do yoga, read and just sip on a Balinese beer or two. Life is good!
Sending you all a Happy New Year from Bali and lot's of incense....:)
love,
Jenna
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Bali Update
I have been neglecting my poor blog....:(...Bali has been great and I have found myself in the zone of Ubud ever since I have arrived. It's a great little town. Busy but not in a frustrating way and if you rent a bike (push bike) you can avoid the Balinese typical "do you want a ride?" "What is your name?" Where are you from, are you traveling alone........YES, I'm alone...Yes, I'm single. Bali has reminded me many times a day that yes in deed I am a single woman traveling alone.....:) I'm ok with this.....:) I can't wait till the day I find a gooooooooooooooooooooood traveling companion though....:) come on Universe! OK.
The celebration that I spoke of in my earlier e-mail (Good energy vs Bad energy) was great. It was fun to walk around and see all the ceremonies happening, woman with all kinds of beautiful things balanced on their heads, beautiful clothing, an abundance of yummy fruit everywhere, music, children dressed up like "Barans" (dragons, lions, maybe both creatures mixed???) and people playing instruments in the streets. I also went to the Monkey Forest where all the monkeys hang out...They are everywhere! I have never been so close to so many of them and just the way they move, look, eat, etc...is so human like. There were many new babies and so adorable as they tried to learn the monkey way.
My House Stay (where my abode is) so kindly gave me a sarang wrapped it around me and dressed me properly to enter some temples. I have some great pictures of all of this so hopefully I will find time to post them soon.
I love my House Stay. They are a great family and I feel very at home. I have made friends with a man named William from Australia, a woman named Max wholives here 6 months out of the year and Sally who is actually from Colorado and knows a couple people I know........are you ready Colorado friends....Ruben and Sue of course........SMALL WORLD!!!!! Tonight we are all going to see a musician that Max knows of and enjoy some Balinese culture at it's finest. Believe it or not, I have only had one Balinese beer and one typical Balinese drink since I have been here so tonight I may cut loose....:)Whoohoo!
Tomorrow I head for an island called Nusa Lombongan for a few days and then return to Ubud on the 24th to celebrate the Balinese New Year for a couple days. On the 2nd day they celebrate with a day of silence. So, no cars, no planes, nothing is open and you must stay in your compound. A day of silence and meditation. Wild eh? but goooooooooooooooooooood! On the 28th I will be headed to Lombok and the Gili Islands and traveling solo once again....:)
Sending you all love from Bali!!!!
The celebration that I spoke of in my earlier e-mail (Good energy vs Bad energy) was great. It was fun to walk around and see all the ceremonies happening, woman with all kinds of beautiful things balanced on their heads, beautiful clothing, an abundance of yummy fruit everywhere, music, children dressed up like "Barans" (dragons, lions, maybe both creatures mixed???) and people playing instruments in the streets. I also went to the Monkey Forest where all the monkeys hang out...They are everywhere! I have never been so close to so many of them and just the way they move, look, eat, etc...is so human like. There were many new babies and so adorable as they tried to learn the monkey way.
My House Stay (where my abode is) so kindly gave me a sarang wrapped it around me and dressed me properly to enter some temples. I have some great pictures of all of this so hopefully I will find time to post them soon.
I love my House Stay. They are a great family and I feel very at home. I have made friends with a man named William from Australia, a woman named Max wholives here 6 months out of the year and Sally who is actually from Colorado and knows a couple people I know........are you ready Colorado friends....Ruben and Sue of course........SMALL WORLD!!!!! Tonight we are all going to see a musician that Max knows of and enjoy some Balinese culture at it's finest. Believe it or not, I have only had one Balinese beer and one typical Balinese drink since I have been here so tonight I may cut loose....:)Whoohoo!
Tomorrow I head for an island called Nusa Lombongan for a few days and then return to Ubud on the 24th to celebrate the Balinese New Year for a couple days. On the 2nd day they celebrate with a day of silence. So, no cars, no planes, nothing is open and you must stay in your compound. A day of silence and meditation. Wild eh? but goooooooooooooooooooood! On the 28th I will be headed to Lombok and the Gili Islands and traveling solo once again....:)
Sending you all love from Bali!!!!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Ketute Leir the palm reader and Good Energy vs Bad Energy
This will be a short update in the Ubud Bali world. Still in Ubud and enjoying the locals and culture. Everyone is very busy getting ready for the big Holiday on Wednesday that I spoke about previously. Basically Good Energy God vs the Bad Energy God. I'm really excited to just walk around and take in all the ceremonies. Hopefully I will have some good photos to show. Still staying at the same abode and loving it. Everyday I wake up to a beautiful breakfast and the scent of incense on my porch. The large cockroach living in my bathroom I could do without but he doesn't bother me so I will just leave him be.....:) and I mean LARGE!!!!
I did a wonderful yoga workshop yesterday and ironically Mr. Love Machine is now in Bali (past yoga instructor). I have made friends with a woman from Vensuala (spelling?) named Paula and it's nice to share time with someone again. She has a very interesting career and has lived all over the world so I enjoy hearing her stories and maybe suggestions...:) We were on the same path when I meet her. I still continue to go to see Wayan (Woman Healer from Eat, Pray Love) everyday along with all the great friends who work with her. I'm very gravitated to her as a person and Nyuman the young Balinese man (20) is fun to laugh with. He has a crush on me but I keep telling him there is a huge age difference and we just laugh...all kidding around. Today Wayan is having a big party with a magazine so I took her a blessing present for the day. Anyway, back to meeting Paula. Paula came into Wayan's clinic and we started talking and of course she was there because of the book.....:) but she is more hesitant than I. Yesterday we rented bikes and went to see the famous Ketut Leir (Medicine man and palm reader) and he was exactly where he was supposed to be. On his porch and smiling with no teeth....:) What an experience that was. I can't tell you what he said because I would rather see if it actually comes true but he did know a couple things about both of us that were unique and made you go...hmmmmmmmmmm He was a very gentle and funny old man. His eyebrows were amazing too.........those things were like flying daggers :). He loves to learn English and so I taught him the word Awsome...:) he kept saying you are awsome and would hold his thumbs up. Paula and I got many pictures with Ketut so I will share very soon. You could tell he was a very wise old man and could read people well. He would start off with the reading by telling you that he will tell the bad and the good but luckily I had mostly good. He did say that I have been born 3 times which I thought was interesting but that is all I can say....:)
All in all what can I say a day with the Yoga Love Machine and the famous Ketut Leir palm reader...life is good!!!
love from Bali
I did a wonderful yoga workshop yesterday and ironically Mr. Love Machine is now in Bali (past yoga instructor). I have made friends with a woman from Vensuala (spelling?) named Paula and it's nice to share time with someone again. She has a very interesting career and has lived all over the world so I enjoy hearing her stories and maybe suggestions...:) We were on the same path when I meet her. I still continue to go to see Wayan (Woman Healer from Eat, Pray Love) everyday along with all the great friends who work with her. I'm very gravitated to her as a person and Nyuman the young Balinese man (20) is fun to laugh with. He has a crush on me but I keep telling him there is a huge age difference and we just laugh...all kidding around. Today Wayan is having a big party with a magazine so I took her a blessing present for the day. Anyway, back to meeting Paula. Paula came into Wayan's clinic and we started talking and of course she was there because of the book.....:) but she is more hesitant than I. Yesterday we rented bikes and went to see the famous Ketut Leir (Medicine man and palm reader) and he was exactly where he was supposed to be. On his porch and smiling with no teeth....:) What an experience that was. I can't tell you what he said because I would rather see if it actually comes true but he did know a couple things about both of us that were unique and made you go...hmmmmmmmmmm He was a very gentle and funny old man. His eyebrows were amazing too.........those things were like flying daggers :). He loves to learn English and so I taught him the word Awsome...:) he kept saying you are awsome and would hold his thumbs up. Paula and I got many pictures with Ketut so I will share very soon. You could tell he was a very wise old man and could read people well. He would start off with the reading by telling you that he will tell the bad and the good but luckily I had mostly good. He did say that I have been born 3 times which I thought was interesting but that is all I can say....:)
All in all what can I say a day with the Yoga Love Machine and the famous Ketut Leir palm reader...life is good!!!
love from Bali
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Bali Bliss
Well...............................The Bali Bliss...need I say more? Of course I will to hopefully to take you all there with a few words and stories if possible. If you have been here then you will smile at the memories and the scent of incense as it follows you everywhere in Bali along with the smiles of the people.
Getting here was a flawless trip from Bangkok..........there wasn't any chasing trains or missing trains. I did have to spend the night in the airport since I got in Bangkok at midnight and my check in time was 5:00am. I didn't feel the need to explore KoSan road any further.....:) My yoga mat came in handy while trying to find the perfect bench to sleep on. When it was finally morning it was time to start the next journey. At this point I was still a little hesitant with whether or not I should have stuck to my Laos plans but NOW I'm completely sure the universe has sent me on the right path.....:)
And so yesterday, I landed at 11:30am to bargin with a taxi driver so I could come straight to Ubud. I'm trying to stay out of crazy Kuta (popular surf destination) and head to the places with more culture and less backpackers. Ubud is def. a backpacking destination but a diff. kind of backpacking destination in my eyes. I do plan to head to the ocean and take some surf lessons but maybe in Lombok or Lovina possibly near Bali...who knows, I didn't know I was coming to Bali until 4 days ago so anything could happen at this point. I will let the wind do it's magic.
Ubud is a very artsy little town full of coble streets, mottor bikes of course, beautiful jewelry / clothing, little guesthouses owned my families, woman carrying amazing stuff on their heads (bricks, clothing, baskets, food, etc...) and everyone doing ceremonies all day long with their bananna leaf bowls and beautiful flowers as they burn incense and make prayers. It's beautiful!!!!!!! The people are nothing but smiles and everyone wants to know where you are going, what you are doing, what is your name, where are you from, what are you doing tomorrow (I ask them what they are doing tomorrow sometimes and then we both just laugh...tomorrow...too far ahead for me to even think). The taxi drivers which drive motorbikes are very funny......I have already had many conversations with them and found myself on the side of the street singing "Hotel California" with one. He thinks I'm a musician now..........hmmmmmm I kinda like that. One taxi driver I talk to quite a bit as I pass him by quite often will be taking me to a river with Holly Water and you are actually allowed to swim in it?????? Seems strange but nice (swimming in Holly water).
Some of you woman know I just completed the book Eat, Pray, Love while in Thailand....Well, I read it backwards starting with Bali and that is just one of the reasons I decided to come. So, as silly as it may seem I came to find the Medicine woman, Wayan and the Palm Reader Kutut...and guess what!!! I found Wayan on my first day in Bali. I wasn't expecting it to happen so fast but next thing I knew she was blessing me and doing crazy medicine woman stuff to me. So, for the next 4 hours I experienced one of the most powerful life experiences.......:) She had me drinking all kinds of juices, teas that tasted god awful, chewing and eating terrible leafs, taking herbal pills and so much more. She has 3 young little healers to help her prepare and bath my body. I had more people see my naked body all at once then ever imagined and they were all bathing me. They use the Beetle Leaf to scrub everywhere and then take a salt ginger to scrub even more........it was amazing and my skin feels great today!!!!! Everything was feeling great until I saw a knife ...yes, a knife.....My eyes showed fear as I made humor out of it and Wayan would laugh. She thought I was quite funny which helped us bond a little outside of her Medicine Woman world. Well, I'm sure some of you are wondering why the knife....yes..why the knife..well, she was getting ready to cut off a wart (I know an ugly wart....:)) off my finger. Hmmmmmmm OK, sure whatever you want to try Wayan. And so with a little pain and massage while she was cutting the wart I screamed, moaned and laughed. After the knife she would rub garlic and hot lime skin on the finger along with using beetle needles to give a type of shot I guess??????? While enduring the pain, the young Bali boys gave me one of the best massages I have ever had. One was only 14 and his family can't afford to send him to school so he learns from Wayan the medicine ways. After my treatment was completed she gives me everything she has used to keep using it everyday for quite a while. Today was my first day and it takes a while so it's a ceremony in itself. Oh yeah, I have to wear these huge leaves on my belly everyday for 3 hrs. Wayan makes you a wonderful snack after the treatment and it's all organic. Everything on the plate is for something (heart, liver, stress, etc...) and it's delicious!!!!!!!
My bungalow is called Gardna's House and it's amazing. It's in this little compound with a family (Gardna's family) and they are so amazinly sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet..I feel part of the family already. It's $90,000 to stay which is 9 dollars (maybe a little under) but that includes a beautiful breakfast and hot tea all day long. I have a huge porch which I love and my ghecko friends to keep me company. Gardna and her family are busy making a lot of bannanna leaf ceremony items because on Wed. I will be lucky enough to experience a celebration called, Galungan Nyepi which is something about the good fighting the evil in their culture. It's supposed to be amazing and I will be emersed in the culture........loving it like chocolate!!!! Oh yeah...Wayan said no chocolate for a while and I just smiled and she laughed. I told Gardna that one day I will help her make the bananna leaf bowls if she would teach me so I'm looking forward to that as well.
OK, so much to write but all in all Jenna has found one of her favorite destiniations and would encourage anyone to take the Bali journey (maybe stay out of the young backpacker places but that is me....:)).
Lot's of Bali love and smiles to you all!!!!!
Getting here was a flawless trip from Bangkok..........there wasn't any chasing trains or missing trains. I did have to spend the night in the airport since I got in Bangkok at midnight and my check in time was 5:00am. I didn't feel the need to explore KoSan road any further.....:) My yoga mat came in handy while trying to find the perfect bench to sleep on. When it was finally morning it was time to start the next journey. At this point I was still a little hesitant with whether or not I should have stuck to my Laos plans but NOW I'm completely sure the universe has sent me on the right path.....:)
And so yesterday, I landed at 11:30am to bargin with a taxi driver so I could come straight to Ubud. I'm trying to stay out of crazy Kuta (popular surf destination) and head to the places with more culture and less backpackers. Ubud is def. a backpacking destination but a diff. kind of backpacking destination in my eyes. I do plan to head to the ocean and take some surf lessons but maybe in Lombok or Lovina possibly near Bali...who knows, I didn't know I was coming to Bali until 4 days ago so anything could happen at this point. I will let the wind do it's magic.
Ubud is a very artsy little town full of coble streets, mottor bikes of course, beautiful jewelry / clothing, little guesthouses owned my families, woman carrying amazing stuff on their heads (bricks, clothing, baskets, food, etc...) and everyone doing ceremonies all day long with their bananna leaf bowls and beautiful flowers as they burn incense and make prayers. It's beautiful!!!!!!! The people are nothing but smiles and everyone wants to know where you are going, what you are doing, what is your name, where are you from, what are you doing tomorrow (I ask them what they are doing tomorrow sometimes and then we both just laugh...tomorrow...too far ahead for me to even think). The taxi drivers which drive motorbikes are very funny......I have already had many conversations with them and found myself on the side of the street singing "Hotel California" with one. He thinks I'm a musician now..........hmmmmmm I kinda like that. One taxi driver I talk to quite a bit as I pass him by quite often will be taking me to a river with Holly Water and you are actually allowed to swim in it?????? Seems strange but nice (swimming in Holly water).
Some of you woman know I just completed the book Eat, Pray, Love while in Thailand....Well, I read it backwards starting with Bali and that is just one of the reasons I decided to come. So, as silly as it may seem I came to find the Medicine woman, Wayan and the Palm Reader Kutut...and guess what!!! I found Wayan on my first day in Bali. I wasn't expecting it to happen so fast but next thing I knew she was blessing me and doing crazy medicine woman stuff to me. So, for the next 4 hours I experienced one of the most powerful life experiences.......:) She had me drinking all kinds of juices, teas that tasted god awful, chewing and eating terrible leafs, taking herbal pills and so much more. She has 3 young little healers to help her prepare and bath my body. I had more people see my naked body all at once then ever imagined and they were all bathing me. They use the Beetle Leaf to scrub everywhere and then take a salt ginger to scrub even more........it was amazing and my skin feels great today!!!!! Everything was feeling great until I saw a knife ...yes, a knife.....My eyes showed fear as I made humor out of it and Wayan would laugh. She thought I was quite funny which helped us bond a little outside of her Medicine Woman world. Well, I'm sure some of you are wondering why the knife....yes..why the knife..well, she was getting ready to cut off a wart (I know an ugly wart....:)) off my finger. Hmmmmmmm OK, sure whatever you want to try Wayan. And so with a little pain and massage while she was cutting the wart I screamed, moaned and laughed. After the knife she would rub garlic and hot lime skin on the finger along with using beetle needles to give a type of shot I guess??????? While enduring the pain, the young Bali boys gave me one of the best massages I have ever had. One was only 14 and his family can't afford to send him to school so he learns from Wayan the medicine ways. After my treatment was completed she gives me everything she has used to keep using it everyday for quite a while. Today was my first day and it takes a while so it's a ceremony in itself. Oh yeah, I have to wear these huge leaves on my belly everyday for 3 hrs. Wayan makes you a wonderful snack after the treatment and it's all organic. Everything on the plate is for something (heart, liver, stress, etc...) and it's delicious!!!!!!!
My bungalow is called Gardna's House and it's amazing. It's in this little compound with a family (Gardna's family) and they are so amazinly sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet..I feel part of the family already. It's $90,000 to stay which is 9 dollars (maybe a little under) but that includes a beautiful breakfast and hot tea all day long. I have a huge porch which I love and my ghecko friends to keep me company. Gardna and her family are busy making a lot of bannanna leaf ceremony items because on Wed. I will be lucky enough to experience a celebration called, Galungan Nyepi which is something about the good fighting the evil in their culture. It's supposed to be amazing and I will be emersed in the culture........loving it like chocolate!!!! Oh yeah...Wayan said no chocolate for a while and I just smiled and she laughed. I told Gardna that one day I will help her make the bananna leaf bowls if she would teach me so I'm looking forward to that as well.
OK, so much to write but all in all Jenna has found one of her favorite destiniations and would encourage anyone to take the Bali journey (maybe stay out of the young backpacker places but that is me....:)).
Lot's of Bali love and smiles to you all!!!!!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
The Pai epidemic and fun getting lost!
WOW!!!!! So, I have been insanely sick for the past couple days but the first 8 hrs were a complete cleanse....:)Need I say more. It hit me like a night train ...:) hmmmm does that make sense..sure! Eleze and I started the day off with some yoga and then an adventurous scooter ride out in the country to find THE waterfall. We took the wrong turn (which is great!!!!)and stumbled upon a Chinese village out in the middle of no where....it was great!!! My favorite part of traveling, getting lost and diving in the culture with a little village in the middle of no where. The village people (and not YMCA style) loved us...we laughed ...they laughed....we laughed some more....they laughed some more etc....what more could you ask for. We finally found what we thought was the road but it was a big dirt incline..................hmmmmm NO WAY would Elenza be scooting me up that on a scooter.................................:) A dirt bike, yes! So off the scooter and up the trail we go as Elenza hikes in her black heals...hmmmm As we get to the top there are other tourists that seem to be confused or perhaps lost, yes LOST!!!! So, we all go back down the hill and some scooter warriors have made it to the top and slide their way down as we cheer them on. We finally find the correct road to the famous waterfall and so excited to see the scenic view.................:) Well, let me say, the ride getting lost was much more enjoyable then the almost empty waterfall hahahahahha!
So then went to dinner at a friends house and all of a sudden I started feeling a bit "green" and that is when darkness took over my body..........I had several conversations with the bathroom for the next several hours and felt like a bug in a spiders web that had been sucked dry. Elenza finally made her way over the next morning and got hit with the same thing but a little bit latter the crazy girl still took the bus back to Chiang Mai. I'm starting to find out that several backpackers have been hit with the same bug in just the past few days and so that is why it's the Pai epedemic.....:)Glad it's over and leaving Pai tomorrow to head back to Chiang Mai. I "think" my plans have changed to going to Bali and finding a Medicine Man and healer in Ubud......we will see....:)
Here is a little insight on traveling alone in the backpacking world and I know some of you already know of this. So, I'm a pretty social person and can chat to almost anyone (can be scarey at times) but I find myself going thru phases while backpacking alone and I would suggest trying the whole alone thing, HA!. David (friend from Australia)and I call it the Lone Wolf "Boooarrrrr" or David calls it.........It's where, for some reason you can't seem to be social or you go a few days without talking to anyone......you start to feel a little like a "looser"...:) but the longer you go the more intense you get and then POW you find a human that wants to be your friend again..........phew!!!!! Sometimes the Lone Wolf can last for one day, two days or a brutal 4 days.............Yes, this is me the past few days...well, all of 2 days...;) However tonight I meet the sweetest little girl named Neim (not sure if that is correct) and i would say she was 4. We were very gravitated towards eachother and she saved me in the Lone Wolf world. We made up card games together, danced and sang even though neither one of us knew what we were saying and then decided to play blocks. She was adorable and had 6 pony tails in her long black hair. Anyway, she made my night and relieved my Lone Wolf sickness....: Thankful for Neim!
xoxoxoxox to you All!
So then went to dinner at a friends house and all of a sudden I started feeling a bit "green" and that is when darkness took over my body..........I had several conversations with the bathroom for the next several hours and felt like a bug in a spiders web that had been sucked dry. Elenza finally made her way over the next morning and got hit with the same thing but a little bit latter the crazy girl still took the bus back to Chiang Mai. I'm starting to find out that several backpackers have been hit with the same bug in just the past few days and so that is why it's the Pai epedemic.....:)Glad it's over and leaving Pai tomorrow to head back to Chiang Mai. I "think" my plans have changed to going to Bali and finding a Medicine Man and healer in Ubud......we will see....:)
Here is a little insight on traveling alone in the backpacking world and I know some of you already know of this. So, I'm a pretty social person and can chat to almost anyone (can be scarey at times) but I find myself going thru phases while backpacking alone and I would suggest trying the whole alone thing, HA!. David (friend from Australia)and I call it the Lone Wolf "Boooarrrrr" or David calls it.........It's where, for some reason you can't seem to be social or you go a few days without talking to anyone......you start to feel a little like a "looser"...:) but the longer you go the more intense you get and then POW you find a human that wants to be your friend again..........phew!!!!! Sometimes the Lone Wolf can last for one day, two days or a brutal 4 days.............Yes, this is me the past few days...well, all of 2 days...;) However tonight I meet the sweetest little girl named Neim (not sure if that is correct) and i would say she was 4. We were very gravitated towards eachother and she saved me in the Lone Wolf world. We made up card games together, danced and sang even though neither one of us knew what we were saying and then decided to play blocks. She was adorable and had 6 pony tails in her long black hair. Anyway, she made my night and relieved my Lone Wolf sickness....: Thankful for Neim!
xoxoxoxox to you All!
Jenna's New Life in Taiwan
So, I thought this was the best way to explain my next career adventure in the world of teaching English. My lovely and amazing friend Jess Jones (not to be confused with the Jess below...however I'm sure she is amazing and beautiful as well but haven't meet her yet....) introduced me to a traveling friend Kevin via facebook (thank God for facebook, HA!)who works in Taiwan teaching and he sent me to Jess below for a "possible" job. I think once again, I'm having another lucky connection on this journey because Jess is handing over her life of 2 years. She teaches at a few different places, various times and has the opportunity to teach both adults and kids...........sounds pretty good to me ...phew!!!! Jess and I have exchanged several e-mails and she has had an amazing experience with all the situations below including living and working in Taiwan. I will probably be taking over her apartment as well. So, starting mid April I will land my wings and shadow her for a week or so to get the swing of things and learn how to drive a scooter like a professional....:) The scooter is my only way of transportation...Yeeha!
HI Jenna,
So I would love for you to come to Taiwan and take over my life. I think i have a pretty great opprotunity for you! I have been able to create a schedule where I am able to make a good salary and have lots of free time.
My first job, is IVLC. International VIllage Learning Center. This is where I teach adults. It is fantastic! It's basically a cultural exchange conversations. I teach all one basic class and the rest are intermediate and advanced students. I get my ARC through them and I negotiatied for a 9 month contract. Ruby, my supervisor is a good lady, though she will try to get you to sign a year, but if you don't want a year, i think you can get 9 months. On Mondays and Wednesdays I work at IVLC in Yuanlin from 6:40 PM - 9:30 PM. ON Tuesdays and Thursdays, I work in Changhua from 630 PM to 940 PM. Changhua is a 25 min scooter ride from Yuanlin where I live. IT is not a bad drive and they give you mileage money in your pay. I also work at IVLC on Saturdays, from 1010-1130. But if you don't want to work it, I am sure you don't have too. I do just for the extra money. This job is fantastic! I love my students and they become your very good freinds! The best job in taiwan.
I also work a kindergartne every morning from about 930-1130 everyday, it's not a bad job, the kids are nice and the pay is good $700 per hour.
I also work on Saturdays in a bushiban from 2-6. THis is really good money for what you do . The job is super easy and it is $700 as well. It is in yongjing 10 mins from yuanlin. I also work at a FANTASTIC bushiban in shewho, which is farther away , but the kids are great and the boss is awesome! I gross about $60,000 NT from all of these jobs. You can pick and choose what you would like of mine. It is easiest to be located in Yuanlin, since it is in the middle of all the little towns i go to. Nothing is too far in taiwan though, as you may discover.
What were you doing in CO? What part? My brother has been living there for the past 13 years as well either in Crested Butte or Colorado Springs.
ALl of my bosses would love to have you take over my position. THey keep asking me if I have found anyone yet. YOu would not be disappointed with this, I gurarenttee it!
The only contract I have is with IVLC. All the other schools I get paid in cash and no contract or taxes. It's pretty easy to find a place to stay here and rent is reasonable. about 4000 NT a month. My roomate will be moving out in July and we have a great apt. I am leaving May 4 and my last day of work will be April 31st. when will you be in taiwan?
I am leaving because I have been in taiwan for two years and i am ready to go home to live a normal life. Tiawan has been the experience of a lifetime and i am so happy I came here to do this, but i am ready to go home, eat american food and see my family! English teaching is not my career so I want to get started on the other aspects of my life.
Yuanlin is a great town! I really do love it and will miss it dearly. It's easy to get out of town and into the mountains and see lots of taiwan. The foreigner crowd here is nice as well. Especially since you are freinds with Kevin he will be able to take you to amazing places!
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you, just busy. Please let me know what you think and if you have any other questions. I would love to answer them for you! Take care!
Jess
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Peace, Love and Hope,
Jess
"Proactive people make love a verb. Love is something you do: sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you want to study love, study those who sacrifice for others, even for people who offend or do not love in return." - Steven Covey
HI Jenna,
So I would love for you to come to Taiwan and take over my life. I think i have a pretty great opprotunity for you! I have been able to create a schedule where I am able to make a good salary and have lots of free time.
My first job, is IVLC. International VIllage Learning Center. This is where I teach adults. It is fantastic! It's basically a cultural exchange conversations. I teach all one basic class and the rest are intermediate and advanced students. I get my ARC through them and I negotiatied for a 9 month contract. Ruby, my supervisor is a good lady, though she will try to get you to sign a year, but if you don't want a year, i think you can get 9 months. On Mondays and Wednesdays I work at IVLC in Yuanlin from 6:40 PM - 9:30 PM. ON Tuesdays and Thursdays, I work in Changhua from 630 PM to 940 PM. Changhua is a 25 min scooter ride from Yuanlin where I live. IT is not a bad drive and they give you mileage money in your pay. I also work at IVLC on Saturdays, from 1010-1130. But if you don't want to work it, I am sure you don't have too. I do just for the extra money. This job is fantastic! I love my students and they become your very good freinds! The best job in taiwan.
I also work a kindergartne every morning from about 930-1130 everyday, it's not a bad job, the kids are nice and the pay is good $700 per hour.
I also work on Saturdays in a bushiban from 2-6. THis is really good money for what you do . The job is super easy and it is $700 as well. It is in yongjing 10 mins from yuanlin. I also work at a FANTASTIC bushiban in shewho, which is farther away , but the kids are great and the boss is awesome! I gross about $60,000 NT from all of these jobs. You can pick and choose what you would like of mine. It is easiest to be located in Yuanlin, since it is in the middle of all the little towns i go to. Nothing is too far in taiwan though, as you may discover.
What were you doing in CO? What part? My brother has been living there for the past 13 years as well either in Crested Butte or Colorado Springs.
ALl of my bosses would love to have you take over my position. THey keep asking me if I have found anyone yet. YOu would not be disappointed with this, I gurarenttee it!
The only contract I have is with IVLC. All the other schools I get paid in cash and no contract or taxes. It's pretty easy to find a place to stay here and rent is reasonable. about 4000 NT a month. My roomate will be moving out in July and we have a great apt. I am leaving May 4 and my last day of work will be April 31st. when will you be in taiwan?
I am leaving because I have been in taiwan for two years and i am ready to go home to live a normal life. Tiawan has been the experience of a lifetime and i am so happy I came here to do this, but i am ready to go home, eat american food and see my family! English teaching is not my career so I want to get started on the other aspects of my life.
Yuanlin is a great town! I really do love it and will miss it dearly. It's easy to get out of town and into the mountains and see lots of taiwan. The foreigner crowd here is nice as well. Especially since you are freinds with Kevin he will be able to take you to amazing places!
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you, just busy. Please let me know what you think and if you have any other questions. I would love to answer them for you! Take care!
Jess
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Express your personality in color! Preview and select themes for Hotmail®. See how.
--
Peace, Love and Hope,
Jess
"Proactive people make love a verb. Love is something you do: sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you want to study love, study those who sacrifice for others, even for people who offend or do not love in return." - Steven Covey
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Pai and Elephants
Well, my traveling time in Thailand is coming to an end in the little mountain town of Pai. It's nice here except for the fact that the farmers are still burning there crops and it's very smokey / hazie (spelling???). Not many blue skys but friendly faces, backpackers, green mountains and yummy food all around. I came with my friend Elenza but will be on my own (solo Jenna) again starting tomorrow. I'm ready to be a solo butterfly again and have my wings take me wherever...................:)but have enjoyed my time with my new lovely friends.
I found a quiet and cute little bungalow. It has the perfect little deck with windchimes, a hammock to enjoy mid afternoon naps and reading, a bamboo interior, a bathroom sink made out of a tin bowl that is a little Wabbie Sabbie (spelling and meaning is not perfect which I live...:)) and a pet Gheko to sing me asleep at night. It's really hot here but the nights are a lot like the mountains in Colorado which I love.................I'm actually using my blanket and wakeing up with a chill. Across the street is an artsy fartsy little cafe that does wheat grass shots and wonderful chai tea. I love the interior of the cafe with swinging chairs made out of wood, carved tables out of trees, wheat grass all around you and old books to fill the shelves. Oh and yes you are surrounded by wonderful teas, YUM!
Yesterday Elenza, Lauryn and I treated ourselves to an amazing life experience, the elephant named "Joy". WOW........................I'm not quite sure how to take you all there with words but I will give it a go. There are a few elephant camps in Pai but finding the one that was a true fit and a camp that really treated there elephants with love and care was important! I have come across an older man named Peter at the wheat grass cafe and happened to ask if he knew where to go. Once again, I love how people can flow into your life at the perfect moment or for a reason......I had a funny feeling he would direct us on the elephant path....:) So, a woman name "Chitty" and her gardens is what he spoke of and then he talked about "Joy" the elephant. So away we go ................the 3 "farangs" on the scooter driving off in to the mountains to find Chitty and Joy the elephant. We take the curvy roads and finally find the peaceful gardens, Chitty and Joy.................everything seems gooooooooood and we are all both excited and nervous to start our journey of riding on Joy and trusting that we will stay on top rather than falling to the ground...:) I mean elephants are insanely large creatures..............nothing like a horse.....:) There was NOT a basket on top to sit in or a chair, it was bareback on a blanket holding on the enormous ears or holding onto a rope and off we went. The ride and "play time" was for an hour because Joy had already taken 2 other groups. Chitty will only allow her to go our 3-4 hrs a day to keep her healthy and safe which I love. So.......................after going down the trail and Joy trying to eat large leaves off the bananna trees or anything else that looked good she slowly walked into the river..................hmmmmmmmm what is going to happen next................Holly Shitake!!!!!! Joy sits down in the water and please note we are still high off the ground / water. She dips her grand trunk into the water and lifts it up in air to spraty cold river water all over us, we are soaked. Then, she starts to rock back and fourth as we hold on for dear life and then throws all of us off into the river..................oh my god!!!!! What else can I really say. Joy loved the river and she loved playing with us. We would all attempt to climb back on determined to hold on and not fall off again but she was determined with a grin (I know) to throw us back off. This went on for at least 1/2 hour and it was a different kind of cardio workout but one I would highly suggest. You can look in these creatures eyes with their long eye lashes and see such gentle souls...truly!!!! I am happy to report she is a happy elephant and is loved very much by Chitty.
I hope many of you (I know some of you have) will have the chance to embrace the elephant with this kind of experience and if not, I hope I took you there for a while.
Elephants and love!
Jenna
I found a quiet and cute little bungalow. It has the perfect little deck with windchimes, a hammock to enjoy mid afternoon naps and reading, a bamboo interior, a bathroom sink made out of a tin bowl that is a little Wabbie Sabbie (spelling and meaning is not perfect which I live...:)) and a pet Gheko to sing me asleep at night. It's really hot here but the nights are a lot like the mountains in Colorado which I love.................I'm actually using my blanket and wakeing up with a chill. Across the street is an artsy fartsy little cafe that does wheat grass shots and wonderful chai tea. I love the interior of the cafe with swinging chairs made out of wood, carved tables out of trees, wheat grass all around you and old books to fill the shelves. Oh and yes you are surrounded by wonderful teas, YUM!
Yesterday Elenza, Lauryn and I treated ourselves to an amazing life experience, the elephant named "Joy". WOW........................I'm not quite sure how to take you all there with words but I will give it a go. There are a few elephant camps in Pai but finding the one that was a true fit and a camp that really treated there elephants with love and care was important! I have come across an older man named Peter at the wheat grass cafe and happened to ask if he knew where to go. Once again, I love how people can flow into your life at the perfect moment or for a reason......I had a funny feeling he would direct us on the elephant path....:) So, a woman name "Chitty" and her gardens is what he spoke of and then he talked about "Joy" the elephant. So away we go ................the 3 "farangs" on the scooter driving off in to the mountains to find Chitty and Joy the elephant. We take the curvy roads and finally find the peaceful gardens, Chitty and Joy.................everything seems gooooooooood and we are all both excited and nervous to start our journey of riding on Joy and trusting that we will stay on top rather than falling to the ground...:) I mean elephants are insanely large creatures..............nothing like a horse.....:) There was NOT a basket on top to sit in or a chair, it was bareback on a blanket holding on the enormous ears or holding onto a rope and off we went. The ride and "play time" was for an hour because Joy had already taken 2 other groups. Chitty will only allow her to go our 3-4 hrs a day to keep her healthy and safe which I love. So.......................after going down the trail and Joy trying to eat large leaves off the bananna trees or anything else that looked good she slowly walked into the river..................hmmmmmmmm what is going to happen next................Holly Shitake!!!!!! Joy sits down in the water and please note we are still high off the ground / water. She dips her grand trunk into the water and lifts it up in air to spraty cold river water all over us, we are soaked. Then, she starts to rock back and fourth as we hold on for dear life and then throws all of us off into the river..................oh my god!!!!! What else can I really say. Joy loved the river and she loved playing with us. We would all attempt to climb back on determined to hold on and not fall off again but she was determined with a grin (I know) to throw us back off. This went on for at least 1/2 hour and it was a different kind of cardio workout but one I would highly suggest. You can look in these creatures eyes with their long eye lashes and see such gentle souls...truly!!!! I am happy to report she is a happy elephant and is loved very much by Chitty.
I hope many of you (I know some of you have) will have the chance to embrace the elephant with this kind of experience and if not, I hope I took you there for a while.
Elephants and love!
Jenna
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Almost on my waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Some of you already know I have sucessfully completed the TEFEL course. Thursday was the last day and we celebrated the night away. Actually a little too much celebration and so Friday we had a "pool party"....when is the last time you have been to a pool party???? and to have a pool party in Thailand, seems a bit strange but gooooood!
The past two days I have endulged in 8 hours of yoga and I'm feeling even better. Once again, "Andrew" did a workshop this weekend and today was an amazing workshop that challenged our bodies to the fullest. I have really reached a new level with my yoga and I'm excited to find a good studio in Taiwan once I land my wings. I'm hoping to get some kind of yoga teaching certification while living in Asia since it will be cheaper than the US.
So, I will be in Chaing Mai 2 more days and will then be off for the next adventure. Tonight I will enjoy the night market and dive into some yummy food and maybe treat myself to a few Thailand gifts...:)
Hugs and Love!
The past two days I have endulged in 8 hours of yoga and I'm feeling even better. Once again, "Andrew" did a workshop this weekend and today was an amazing workshop that challenged our bodies to the fullest. I have really reached a new level with my yoga and I'm excited to find a good studio in Taiwan once I land my wings. I'm hoping to get some kind of yoga teaching certification while living in Asia since it will be cheaper than the US.
So, I will be in Chaing Mai 2 more days and will then be off for the next adventure. Tonight I will enjoy the night market and dive into some yummy food and maybe treat myself to a few Thailand gifts...:)
Hugs and Love!
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