Sunday, November 28, 2010

ACICIS Fieldtrip: Imogiri Cemetry and Batik Making Workshop


Yesterday we went on an ACICIS Fieldtrip to Imogiri Graveyard and on a batik making workshop. And whilst I was jealous of all the people going to the beach (I miss the beach) I’m glad I went on the fieldtrip. I got to see people I hadn’t seen since orientation, meet a few new people and catch up with the ILTI girls who we rarely see.  I also got to see a part of Yogya I haven’t seen before

Imogiri is a cemetery for the kings of Yogya in the past. It is a sacred site and you have to put on traditional outfits to enter the actual grave site. Unfortunately, because it was a Saturday, we could not go in and look at the actual grave. We did however, walk up the 400 stairs and put on the traditional outfits for a photo shoot at the gates of the grave.

Next we went to a batik making workshop where our artistic skills were put to the test as we dropped dye onto calico to make our own special piece of Batik. Mine turned out better than I expected – thanks to a bit of tweeking by the ladies there.

And finally, it was time to return to ACICIS and home (or in my case to Katrina’s kost where her Ibu kost had made cake for us YUM YUM.)
Yasmin plays the DEVIL

The Climb to the Top

The Stars of  the Show

The Cast 

Javanese Goddesses (Or trying to be)

I'm the Man!!!

Seksi Sinta

Fickry the ACICIS CHICK??????

One of the days better  creations

Yasmin - She Definately Won the Days Batik-Off

My Batik Creation

Thursday, November 25, 2010

I Hired a Motor Bike - Now what????

Well i've finally taken the plunge and decided it's time to get driving - both because i'm sick of relying on other people to take me places and because I want more freedom. The only thing is i've only had one lesson - and a short one at that - and i'm terrified of driving it. I drove home from uni yesterday and almost cried I was that scared. I've done another couple of short drive but still scared.......AND IT'S AN AUTOMATIC!!!!!!!!!

O, well. We'll see how I go in the next couple of weeks. If that doesnt work out I can always get a bicycle

Sakit perut, WC Jongkok dan hal lain.


Today’s story has a rather poopy and probably inappropriate twist (too much information comes to mind). But living in Indonesia your bathroom habits become an everyday discussion point and if you have sakit perut you can just tell anyone. Sakit perut if you don’t know is the same as Bali Belly, Dheli Belly and any other belly you can get. Basically, it’s food or water poisoning at its worst.

This week unfortunately I’ve been struck down by a bout of it. I have no idea what it was from – maybe food, maybe water not being boiled properly – all I know I’ve been rather sick with it for a few days and I’m sick of it (no pun intended). Obviously, living in Jogja there is a high risk of getting sakit perut, and with questionable cooking and cleaning methods, not to mention unclean water, it was inevitable I would get a case at some point.  However, I’ve gone nearly three months with nothing and maybe getting a bit to blasé about the whole situation. All I can say is NOT ANYMORE.

It all started on Monday (I think) when I was sitting in a café trying to finish a ridiculously long assignment and write a presentation for the following day. Sudden pains in my stomach indicated that something wasn’t quite right. I practically ran to the bathroom , receiving several curious stares as to why the bule was running. Hmmmmm. After doing my business and not feeling to great I realized that unfortunately there was no toilet paper, as is the usual situation for Indonesian toilets, and in my haste to get to the bathroom I’d forgotton my tissues (and I thought the day couldn’t get worse). I was left with no choice but to wash Indonesian style with water – splashing it all over myself nonetheless. Woops. Just another crazy bule.

Now, Indonesia has a ridiculous number of squat toilets which usually I don’t mind using, but let me tell you when you have sakit perut you do NOT want to be using one. Squatting on a toilet numerous times a day is NOT fun, although your legs do get a good work out. Not only do you have to aim but you also have to do it with skill so as to prevent splash back. You then have to flush it manually using a bucket and a scope to flush out all the poop. Gross.

After about two days of sakit perut, I had to use the toilets in INCULS. Damn my digestion. Well the toilets in INCULS  are disgusting, probably some of the worst on campus. They’re always blocked because us stupid bules can’t read signs and put toilet paper in the toilets.  This would be fine if they were toilets like those in Australia but they aren’t. The pipes are thinner so as soon as there is too much paper, usually be about 11am, they’re blocked.

So I headed off to the bathroom to do my business again and alas the toilets are blocked again – not that I realized this. I went to the bathroom as per usual and guess what I can’t flush it. INCULS also lacks the bucket facilities and tap normal Indonesian toilets have so I’m stuck there with a blocked toilet full of poop. What do I do? Leave? Tell someone???? Try and fix the situation myself? My solution, use the spray hose (used to spray yourself clean) to flush the poop. Not preferable considering it took about 30minutes. O well, it’s done now.

Now, I think that’s enough poop stories for one day, and I’m pooped (shit I love Aussie slang). Happy pooping everyone.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Evacuation Vacation










After a couple of weeks of rather large volcanic activity, a 'suggested' trip to the beach and days of wearing masks and inhaling ash all of us ACICIS students were ordered to re-locate from Jogja for a week or withdraw from the program. This was a decision made in conjunction with our at home universities and considered the best option for our health and livelihoods (Jogja at that point was empty and frankly depressing) .We all took this order on board and decided to make the most of our 'evacuation vacation.' For some of us it meant evacuating to Surabaya, other's it was a trip to the big smoke Jakarta (though the air there is worse than jojga air), others it was to Bandung and for me it was a trip to Bali.


After a quick night and day stop over in Surabaya, where we caught up with Rifqy, it was off for a week of relaxation in Bali - or not as was the case. Our 'relaxing week off' ended up a week of partying, travelling and partying more.

DAY 1: Arrive in Bali, go directly to Sanur, check into hotel, swim, walk, eat, head to Kuta, drink and party until 4am, go home.

DAY 2: Wake up around 11, try to eat, throw up, go for a swim, throw up, go to sleep, throw up, shower, through up, swim, through up, eat dinner, throw up.........well you get the gist of it. Go clubbing again, arrive home at 5am, sleep.

DAY 3: Wakeup, pack up, meet Katrina, head up to Ubud, swim, visit monkey forest, go for a long walk (obviously my idea), eat and chill out.

DAY 4: Chill out in a cafe for the morning, walk and visit the markets, swim, head back to kuta, check into hotel, meet Katrina's new British friend, meet Katrina's brother and dad, pre-dinner drink, dinner, bar, dancing (with Katrina's drunk dad), Dimas gets grumpy, Dimas storms off, 2 hours looking for Dimas, 3am skinny dipping, bed).

DAY 5: Wake up, find Dimas passed out on the front porch, swim, beach walk and swim, breakfast, pack up, meet katrina's dad and brother, head to village near Tabanan (Katrina's mums village), arrive, eat, sleep, chill out, Katrina's party starts, traditional dances, everyone leaves, Coco (Kat's cousin) and all the village boys pull out the arak, drunk on arak, sleep.

DAY 6: Visit the monkey forest, chill out, eat a lot, relax, eat more, play cards and drink G&T, early night.

DAY 7: Wake up early and head to kuta, meet Sina (by mistake), drop our stuff in her hotel room, eat, walk, foot reflexology, eat, facial, pick up our stuff, airport, flight, travel (mini-bus) to jogja, home 6am.

Argghhhhhhhh what a crazy week. Next time much more chilling out to be done!

Meletusan Gunung Merapi

ALERT: GUNUNG MERAPI IS ERUPTING

Yogyakarta has certainly become an interesting place to live in recent weeks (not that it wasn't before). With the eruption of Mt. Merapi we have seen a different side to Yogya. One of panic, one of abandonment, communityy alliance, but possibly most inspiring of all one of pulling together to help those in need.

Mt. Merapi is the most active volcano in the world with smaller eruptions every 2-3 years and slightly bigger ones every ten to fifteen years. It is located approximately 28km north of Jogja but the effects of eruptions usually go unnoticed by the city. This year Yogyakarta was in for a treat with the biggest series of eruptions since the 1870s. In normal circumstances the eruption of Merapi would not even effect Jogja but unfortunate changes to wind direction and the sheer scale of the eruptions (the biggest eruptions saw heat clouds go as far as 10km into the air)resulted in Jogja being covered in ash.

On the weekend 23-24 November volcanologists raised the status of Merapi to the highest possible level indicating that an eruption was imminent and for everyone in surrounding areas to exercise extreme caution. The eruption was predicted to be large and people were no longer allowed to climb the mountain. On the 25th the first of the eruptions began. It has now been almost a month since Merapi began erupting and whilst the power of the eruptions has decreased Merapi may continue to erupt for weeks or months to come. At present the exclusion zone around the mountain remains at 20km from the peak in Sleman (where I live). My house is located ~27km from the mountain.

The eruption of Gunung Merapi has killed almost 180 people and displaced a further 350,000. At last check the Yogyakarta airport is still closed with it predicted to re-open on the 20th November. Activity is basically back to normal in Yogyakarta however, the effects are still being felt through out the community with thousands of refugees at various camps around Jogja and the remenants of ash on the ground and in buildings throughout the city.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Professional Photos

A few weeks ago we went to Ina, Dimas and Putri's graduation. WE then went with Dimas' family for professional photos. Here are the results. I have a hot tip on the next famous boy band!












Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Merapi Meletusan

I'm now back from my evacuation vacation in Bali and am so exhausted I need another holiday to get over it. Please see photos of Gunung Merapi courtesy of my friend Matt Burgess. If any one is interested in donated for rebuilding communities effected by Mt Merapi erupting please contact me alex_gibson_888@hotmail.com

Copyright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess

Copright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess
Copyright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess


Copyright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess

Copyright Matt Burgess

copyright Matt Burgess