To write or not to write? (She always writes)

 "Go but if you go, don't tell anyone. That's the general rule." That's what cross-cultural workers who serve in a non-profit are told. What? Why?

Well, though we're technically "self-employed," our "bosses" are God and the people at home who partner with us as we serve abroad. They support, pray for, and counsel us. So we esteem their input and value their sacrifices. And we carefully steward our salary and non-profit resources.

It creates joy for those like me who love beauty to walk into my yard, cut 6" blooms from along the fence, and pop them into a bowl. These are stunning, right? I grab a 2-minute, 18" bouquet. I never get enough of the natural treasures here. I appreciate the setting every day.

Well, in the balance between work accountability and just plain having a good time while you work, this post feels a bit tricky. How much may cross-cultural workers take advantage of their setting? Should we revel in culture shock, suffering by not seeing our kids, parents, and grandkids, or leaving the familiar behind? 

Or can we go somewhere beautiful to rest and refresh like we used to in the States and Canada? Will everyone think we're just goofing off?

No matter. This pause was both work and play. So please enjoy it with us without judgment. God is good, whether you are here and there. I'll start with a rave about mango, chestnut, and salted peanut gelato: the best I've had, outside of a trip to Rome 17 years ago. (Yup, that tasted so good I haven't forgotten it.)

Honestly, the first question for us is rarely, "When's the last time you took a break - or a vacation?" But maybe that's a good question for everyone to be asking as COVID seems unending. So let me ask you: "If you're not taking a break once in a while, why not?" Is that healthy for you?

oh oh oh! On our side of the planet, Bali is 1.5 hours away via airplane. (For some of you, it's across the world, but for us it's like driving from Seattle to the east side of the mountains.) Many expats and Indonesians treat Bali like their weekend campground, flying in every month or two to hike the mountains, walk the beaches, and eat the delicious food.

"What do you mean, you haven't been to Bali for a few years?" they ask us, coming back tanned and relaxed. Well, unless we have a "reason" to leave, we kinda like Bandung. We are busy with work and can hike weekly in our own mountains. 

The thought of "Bali" feels extravagant. However (with loud cheers), our peers are meeting in the central location of Bali for a conference.

"Come or don't come, depending on how safe you feel," say the field administrators. "And if you come, be prepared to unwind in preparation for the next hard season ahead, wherever you serve."

At this point of 2020, everyone is exhausted. We see it in the eyes of our coworkers. COVID, on top of constant culture stressors, means ongoing pressure for most expats.

Well, we think it over and decide to join in. Bali IS lovely. And empty. Only flights from Indonesia are permitted. Instead of a plane filled with tourists and conference guests descending every few minutes, flights come in 20-40 minutes apart ... or more.

Some famous beaches are closed. The rest have few people on the shore or in the water.

One hotel uses their loungers as a fence along the beach walk. Usually the sidewalk swarms with pedestrians. Not this time.

At least 3/4 of the shops and restaurants are shuttered. The ones that are open are almost empty.

Some friends stay at a hotel for a few days. They are the first guests in 5 months. Did you catch that? IN 5 MONTHS, they are the first guests. Yikes. That's brutal.

"Thank you for coming!" says the staff to them, over and over. We hear the same words, wherever we go. "We have no work if no one is here."

Getting up to walk on flat terrain at 6am every morning? It's a wonderful change from the hilly neighborhoods of Bandung. W and I put miles on our soles before, between, and after meetings. But I still gain a kilo (2.5 lbs) from the good food.

"Thanks for talking me into a few extra nights here," says W on our last day. Yes, this break feels life-giving.

W snags a cheap Airbnb villa in Jimbaran (south Bali) for a few nights of decompression before the conference. He finds another @$23/day afterward, too (in Seminyak on the west coast). Bliss. Below is the first, with its little pool wedged into a 15' backyard. The pool starts mere feet from the back sliding door. There's no room for swimming but it's great for a cooling dip after walking to town.

Getting to the second Airbnb, the lane is a bit narrow, don't you think? Yes, those are concrete walls and iron gates on either side. The lane is a one-way dead end with a tight turn-around in the driveways of the last houses.

We use Go- or Grab-Car unless we're walking. The drivers seem comfortable with a jalan tikus (mouse street.) We can only open the narrow SUV's slider to get out on one side ... when the gate is open. (Luckily the driver's side also opens if the gate is slid back.)

This 2nd airbnb has two bedrooms on either side of an open kitchen, off a tiny parking spot. No car means an instant courtyard, right?

Even better for this vacationing cook is that we use the microwave only once, for leftovers. The fridge is handy for stashing juice and snacks but we never turn on the stove. Yay. The resto portions are big (tourist not Indonesian sized). We're stuffed with 2 meals a day.

On the other side of the table, along the outer wall, is a little pool. We plunge in after every walk to town. With 90Fo weather, it cools us quickly. Luckily, it is overcast much of our stay. When the sun comes out, temperatures soar.

The view below: standing in the entry gate. The design uses every square foot. So pretty, isn't it? You never know what might be on the other side of the cement wall along a little street in Indonesia.

Of course, even in the heat, locals are wearing jackets and long trousers, along with helmets and hats. The ladder on the back of the bike is a bonus, for another glimpse into culture.

Puff puff. Don't you break into a sweat just seeing them? The guy below is still wearing a motorcycle helmet as he fishes for breakfast at 7am. Is he's bad at casting his line? Maybe he has snagged himself with the hook before?

Cock-fighting is big here. This guy has two roosters ready to challenge each other, with a few more in the background.

Bali is known for its color and crafts. It does not disappoint, with beauty in every corner and dotted throughout the landscape. (30" wooden turtle below)

The food is also amazing. With so many competing for business, the chefs certainly do their best. One breakfast ($6 for an avocado smash) is amazing. The others are equally good, and while we stay in the hotel, are included.

On the beach, few things are open. A plate heaped with jumbo shrimp or lobster is under $10. Oh the view - this is the first beach at Jimbaran. Almost deserted, as you can see.

Pork is freely sold in Bali, unlike in Bandung. Naughty Nuri rib restaurant comes highly recommended and worth a trip or two.

Its decor showcases the humor of Bali: everywhere you look, you have to smile.

Here's another example: nasi goreng is pretty much the national staple: fried rice. You can get it anywhere, but of course the Balinese would make it fun. I take this sign home for a friend with a new restaurant in Bandung.

Most markets have only a little strip of vendors left over from floors and floors of craftspeople. I love the brightly-colored fabrics, especially the ikats (think tie-dye, Bali-style). Many are $2/meter (39").

I buy a few rayon sarongs for recutting into craft projects @$1.75 each - so bright. The old sellers beg us to buy more, saying no one is buying with tourists gone. Ok, though 10 are plenty, even when giving some away. Later I think, this is the price of a souvenir pencil. I should have gotten more to gift for our partners. Oh well, in the moment, 10 seem like a lot.

The conference hotel is lovely. It costs less than pre-Covid at a cheap place. The economy may be good for us; it's hard on the hospitality industry. We decide to appreciate every moment and every part of the beautiful landscaping. The kids love the pet ducks that roam the grounds.

We wander into a rug store full of vegetable-dyed, tightly-woven rugs. The seller claims, "We bring these from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India. Afghan families spend the cold winter dying yarns and weaving together."

Who knows if that's true? A 7'X10' (2meterX3meter) handmade rug costs about $400. That's not much for a winter of work - esp after transport and seller fees are taken.

Glass bowls blown by glass-blowers onto wooden stumps line up along the road. It's a Bali specialty. They're sure dusty without clientele.

I bought one several years ago for the porch and use it for tropical fish: no heater or pump needed. Change the water every week or two and the tropical platys I scooped from the neighbor's pond are thriving.

Indonesia is proud to have the biggest Muslim population in the world. However, its constitution guarantees the rights of citizens to choose from 6 religions: Islam, Christian (Protestant), Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu, and animism. Many Indonesian islands are predominantly Muslim; some are very restricted. Others are more inclusive.

Bali and a few other islands are mainly Hindu. What a contrast in culture, attitude, and artwork. "Our sacred cow," reads the sign above. Moo moo. The cow seems content to be spoiled.

All week, we hear no calls to prayer or chanted broadcasts like Bandung has from its plethora of mosques and neighborhood minarets. Instead, most homes and businesses have an altar with a little umbrella to ward off rain and birds outside the gate or doorway.

Many also have statues like the ones above or at the main bank in the capital city, below. In the morning, women hope for good luck by putting out little straw baskets for the gods, filled with flowers, food, and spices. At the end of the day, they throw away the uneaten items if the little baskets haven't been trampled in traffic.

I sum up the relaxing parts of our trip with an accordion-fold watercolor journal (6"X9" pages).

Work is less interesting for a journalist, whether it's online meetings or in person. (I'm masked because I'm in the car during this one.)

Yup, those meetings keep going, though we take a more-or-less tech-free Monday: tech-free for me; less so for W who keeps looking things up and checking in.

We fly home late Wednesday and unpack immediately. Everything sorted, we eat a quick supper and fall into bed. Even one hour time difference makes us sleepy earlier. Bali's one hour ahead of Bandung - I'm not missing daylight savings time at all.

Below, our view as we come in for a landing. This is a small fraction of our city, tucked into the mountains of Java with 5-8 million people, depending on the perimeter. It's back to work again!

Friday, Saturday, etc.

Our daughter found an already-pieced quilt top for $25. Thursday, I sew on a backing and start "big stitch" quilting. No time for finesse; I've got less than 2 weeks to get it done before she heads to the USA. I find thick gold thread gifted to me in the USA and hauled here 4 years ago. (If you gave it to me, thanks! It's perfect for this project.)

In the office, I am scattered and unfocused. I do some of this and that, catching up on people, newsletters, and planning.

Next week, we'll get back to normal. Our teammates have recovered from COVID, and God willing we'll see them online again. We have many  memories and inspirations from talking to colleagues among the beauties of Bali. That's enough to keep us going.

Read more:

*Not one of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. Joshua 21:45

*I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things. Isaiah 45:6-7

*May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Movarian Prayers: God, you are the creator and lover of all creation. Forgive us those times when we turn our backs on what your hands have made. Refocus our minds. We praise you, your creation, and your son, our savior. 

Giver of promises, you have been faithful in keeping your word to your people. Help us to be faithful stewards of your words of faith, love, and hope. Amen.