You're the Superhero!

The strange patchwork of my time in SE Asia has enjoyed some colorful additions.

First, this thing called Teachers Day happened and it was good. It is a day of teacher worship, which manifests itself in a series of games and piles of presents (mainly towels). We threw water balloons, bounced balls on tires, and ate a lot of rice.

I acquired 2 wash cloths, 3 dish towels, and one large bath towel, among other treasures.

I spent 2.3 weeks in Indonesia, visiting Bali and its Eastern neighbor, Lombok. Bali was full of temples and tourists and small flower-filled offerings. We spent our first nights in Kuta Beach which is the epitome of wack. Kuta is the place that got bombed in 2002, and walking among its seedy crazy night clubs splattered with alcohol and related sins, I could see why people might think it is hell on earth. Of course, violence is never a good method of resolving fear.

This is sin.

Ubud, is inland a bit, and deeply green and full of tempting shiny things and old tangled spirits.

Lombok is Bali's Muslim counterpart. My life high-light list was significantly lengthened on this glorious lush landmass. There was swimming, dancing, snorkeling, and general madness. We motorcycled down roads that were accurately described as "broken," which twisted the situation into a strange dirt-biking racing event (trying to get off the insane roads before dark made it impossible to survive). I used to scoff at such activities, but it was an exhilarating adventure in the end.

Please observe one of my life high-lights in action.

These children were absurdly great. The baby had been eating candy.

Jon Strahl became precisely one year older while simultaneously leading a small group of maniacs in a rousing karaoke experience. The song was about cats, and he sang it twice because the Indonesians in charge of the operation wanted it that way.

Then I came back and realized that this program has some serious issues. Namely that some high-up officials have decided this region needs some shaking up and have placed me in the thick of it to spread this strange, vague Americaness I supposedly leak out everywhere I go. But most people don't want their life disturbed by the wild West, and I am a human--not a propaganda machine. Also, the program is seriously lacking in financial and political support.

It simultaneously struck me I'm stuck here for many more months.

Additionally, I suffered a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs are really wretched creatures. They reproduce entirely by "traumatic insemination" which is a fancy name for rape. So my bed was infiltrated by blood-sucking rapists and it didn't do wonders for morale.

Then my mom came and she offered sublime perspective. We co-taught some classes and impressed all Malaysians with our gravity-defying hair and combined friendliness.

Then she left and I sunk into a slight depression. Things are looking up now, as I'm discovering ways to work less and laugh more. An English Talent show is in the works, and a visit from my only brother is imminent.

Updates: The RESPECT mural is finally finished, thanks to the help of this security guard, who painted crazy things on the wall when I wasn't looking.

Earlier in the year, I was instructed to write a play about an entire family that dies of AIDS, but apparently it was not depressing enough and I didn't include sufficient details--like vomiting blood. As a result, the task was taken away from me. Recently, however, I was re-enlisted to direct it, although it was a new script with fun additions like attempted suicide and ghosts. The play, in all its emo-glory, ended up winning 2nd place in the competition (we would have gotten first, except there was some severe "over-crying"), and the award for Best Script (no thanks to my writing talents).

Happy drama kids.

Also helped coach debate team, and debate is really weird.

Happy Debate People

Even weirder: is choral speaking, which consists of 20 students singing/speaking in unison with hand motions, and I'm helping direct that too. Which is funny because I don’t know what it is, but I did write the script: "Global Warn-ing. " It’s based on a Magic School Bus-type field trip into the issue of global warming and includes verses like:

Messing up weather
is what global warming’s about
Some areas flood,
while others have drought,
The heat increase changes the air
And makes weather crazy everywhere!

(Its basically the lovechild of Al gore and Dr. Suess.)

And melting the frost

Comes at a very high cost
When ice melts at the poles as it gets hotter,
It raises sea levels, putting us underwater!
And it gets even worse!
If the ice continues to shrink
Many plants and animals will become extinct!

(Its pretty depressing, but luckily some solutions are offered):

Don’t use a dryer…
Let your clothes air dry!
And exotic food, you must not buy.
Local food doesn’t use transportation.
So eat what grows within your nation!
Drive less!
Bike more!
Use your legs, that’s what they’re for!

And finally, a message I will pass on to all of you, relevant to all matters in addition to global warming.

You’re the superhero,
Saving our world’s up to you!
So think of the impact of every thing that you do!