Friday, April 15, 2011

Life Lately...

My very awesome going away cake made by the best baker in the Eastern hemisphere...thanks JB! :) Torajan houses...my favorite! My last day in Makassar a few of my friends took me to a place that has houses and cultural stuff from every people group in Sulawesi. Very cool! Toraja is known for its massive cows. They add a decorative cow like this to their house for every big celebration they hold My friend enthusiastically educating me on Torajan culture :)
Most of my college friends in Makassar are Buginese. The writing at the bottom of the sign is Bugis script.
Wading out the rain. It rained off and on the whole time we were there so we ran from house to house for protection :)
Walking through wet, muddy rice fields = rolled-up, ghetto jeans. I'm so cool :)
Petting the kerbaus!
Beautiful Ditha!
Get together with friends..
R's big b-day party! He decided to show up wearing some of his mom's powder...always a comedian!
One of my friends recently got a job helping at an English center. They just started a class for kids in the community who can't afford lessons, but still want to practice English.
They asked me to help out one afternoon so this in 1 of 3 classes I taught. Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!

Sweet Marwa
Cooking classes at my teammate's house. Learning how to make a few American dishes...
The boys and their stellar chopping skills
So...I moved in with a few friends my last week in Makassar. The bedroom door jammed and wouldn't open, but there was also a locked bathroom door connected to the bedroom that was partly rotted out by termites. We managed to half-way unhinge the door (thus the skillet and hammer) and then I rigged together a fly swatter and clothes hanger with a hair tie to slip under and unlock the door. Mission Accomplished :)
Chillin' at Akarena!
Ellen hard at work on some health material she helped me out on. Trims Ellen!
Some of my yoga/aerobic girls ready to work up a sweat :)
My friends offered thier home for me to hold an informal womens' get together where the ladies could ask health questions and discuss anything that was on their mind. It went super well and and was really encouaging..woo-hoo!
The ladies :)
A Happy Birthday message for my Mama...
My girls!
The guys!
Beautiful Indah :)
Mahya, Indah, and Enchi
Went to Bali for a week to help out with my friend whose jaw was broken and wired shut after a motorcycle accident
She couldn't open her mouth so we had to be creative with meals. This was a scrumptious dinner of chicken, fries, and veggies. Thank goodness for blenders!
Cute kids hangin' out at the clinic
An organization here brought in a doctor and wanted to have a medical clinic for a week in a couple spots around the city. They asked me to translate for the Dr. and help out on the medical side of things. The kids were crazy fun and loved to take pics. Here's a few they snapped...

the community leader's family at the 2nd site. Super sweet family.
Emil is the little guy on the right. He loved that my name sounded a little like his so he followed me around all day giving my high fives and yelling "AMY!" So stinkin' cute!
Babies galore!

Chillin' with some Bapaks after the clinic ended and chowing down on fried cassava and the famous ginger/condensed milk drink of Makassar...heart healthy :)
This little girl's shirt had a Batman cape attached...sweet!
Waving goodbye the last day of the clinic
The local clinics hit each community once a month to weigh babies, take blood pressures, and do prenatal check-ups. This is thier baby scale...

The midwife let me follow her around with a couple students to get in on some prenatal check-up action. Their tools were super old school and super awesome! Very impressive!
The chili pepper crop took a hard hit this year because of all the rain. My teammate has been growing hundreds of plants to give away so families can avoid paying the inflated prices for chilis. We love our chilis here..the hotter,the better!
At the ruko...one of our computer whiz friends helping his classmates create a blog for profit.
A few of the chili pepper plants at my teammate's house
Catch phrase/karaoke...good times!
The view from my kost...home sweet home! I'll miss you, Indo! Peace Out!