Indonesia!

 Halo Semua! 

Welcome back to my little corner of the internet!

While it may have been over 2 years since my last post, I am happy to be back blogging and sharing my new experiences with those of you that follow along!

My little neck of the woods!

Headed to the supermarket!
 

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Decision to go abroad again:

 Traveling and living abroad are always on my mind, so when I started talking to Lauren about potentially going back to Asia (at the time I didn't know where I wanted to go, just knew it would be in Asia) it didn't take much convincing on her part for me to start looking at positions and applying. I applied to about 10 places (Fiji, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.) and interviewed with 2 (sadly I NEVER heard back from the school in Fiji 😫). Several of the schools were only interviewing applicants who were already in the country due to COVID and the travel restrictions. 

Anyway- I got my offer for my new position on Christmas Eve and had to wait until April before restrictions were lifted enough for my visa to be approved! Timing of everything actually worked out in my favor because it allowed me to give my 30-day notice at work and attend my family reunion in Texas prior to leaving the country!

                                                            Bamboo Statue lit up at night!

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Travel:

I left ABQ at 11:50am on June 16th and arrived in Surabaya at 12:35pm on June 18th!

while it was a loooong travel day(s)  it was broken up nicely with layovers in LA and  Hong Kong. I arrived in LA at 1pm got my bags and went and checked into a hotel next to the airport. I was able to relax, shower and eat non-airport food! My next flight (the longest one) left LA at 1:15am on June 17th. So I was back at the airport around 9:30pm to check my bags, have my documents checked and get through security. I lucked out and had the whole row to myself on the flight, and I was able to get about 6 hours of sleep! 

All packed up and ready to go!

    Some where over Japan

                                                          Something about a wing shot!😍

 

 Sunrise!

The bathroom lighting was fab!
 

I arrived in Hong Kong at 6:15am (local time) and had a 2.5 hour layover. When I got to my gate for the flight to Surabaya I noticed a guy who had been on the flight from LA. So I went over and started chatting with him! Turns out he is an international teacher too headed to his first overseas job! It was nice to chat with him and pass the time while waiting for the flight. 

Arriving in Hong Kong!! Cant wait to go back!!

 The final flight was just over 4hrs long, and we arrived in Surabaya a little before 12:30pm! I was glad to have met John in Hong Kong because he had been learning Indonesian which was VERY handy going through all the health checks we had to upon arrival. I could have figured it all out on my own, but it was easier and faster since he spoke some of the language. Once I made it through the health checks, immigration and customs I was met by a driver for the hotel were I am quarantining for 5 days (required by the government for all people arriving in Indonesia).

                                                                   Arriving in Surabaya!!!

                                                The view and a sunset from my hotel room!

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Quarantine:

My company made my reservation for my quarantine and had it all set up for me upon my arrival. When I got to the hotel (one of the 10ish approved hotels by the government) I checked in and had a COVID test done. As part of the "quarantine package" I am provided with 3 meals a day that are all brought to my room. I am able to order additional food and drinks but have to pay for them when I check out... I am not allowed to leave my room unless I am escorted by an official. For example, the official came to my room to get me for the COVID test and escorted me back afterwards. 

 My hotel room!

 

The food has been pretty good for the most part! I'm still a picky eater but I'm trying new things everyday especially since I don't have a choice of what they bring me each meal 😝 I've been taking at least one bite of everything they bring me- with the exception of the mango! (still cant do mango since that one ~incident~ in Mexico for Hannah's bachelorette party in 2018)

                                                Some of my different meals during quarantine!

**please note: the majority of the blog was typed on the first full day of quarantine. Not sure if that tells you how bored I was or not 🤪**

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New digs:

 I got out of quarantine on June 23rd and moved into my new house! I met my housemates- 2 guys, 1 local girl and 2 cats (Jon, Ashley, Dila, Smithers & Woozles)!

The house is a two story house with 6 bedrooms. I have a room upstairs and am the only one up there- so I get my own floor and bathroom! 🤪🙌🏻 (Everybody else is downstairs and they share 2 bathrooms).

                                                        The outside of my new house!

                                                                        Mr. Woozles

I was able to get my things unpacked and my room situated pretty quick, which has been nice! My experience from China and Poland helped me know what I wanted to bring to start out with, knowing that I'd buy things here... Did I need to bring a set of sheets and towels with me? No I didn't, BUT it was nice to have comfy sheets that smelled like home and a towel to use on my first night in the house. (Yes I know they used a good chuck of my allotted 50lbs in my checked suitcase- it was a sacrifice I was willing to make). My housemates gave me a hard time for bring 3 checked suitcases 🤪, but I'm happy with everything I brought with me- even if I did forget the Green Chile 😫😫

                                    All set up! I've since added another bookshelf/storage shelf

My housemates have been great about showing me around the city before we re-entered lockdown! We've been to a few of the malls- they are MASSIVE and have just about every store I could ever possibly need! A good mix of stores from around the world and lots of places for me to shop! 🤑 

There are several larger supermarkets around that I can find lots of local foods as well as a wide variety of American goods. (American things are more expensive, but they have PopTarts and Dr.Pepper!!                                          

One of the massive malls- 8 floors!

 

                                    Dila made this video one of the days they showed me around!

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 New Job:

I'm beyond happy to be back working  with EF!

Welcome gift and my polos!

I can't tell you how many people I have "met" on zoom & WhatsApp in the last week! So many new friendly faces and I'm excited to get to work with each one of them!

I will be working at EF Plaza Surabaya- one of the many centers here! I started by observing classes, and now I am teaching a few of my own! Its essentially the same as what I did in China, just online for now! The COVID cases are on the rise here again so we will be online for the foreseeable future (hoping to be back in person by 2022). Its nice that I am familiar with the materials/books, because its taking me longer than I expected to adjust to teaching online. (Major props to the teachers who have been teaching online throughout the pandemic!!)

EF actually created their own online platform for the classes and so far I think its great! I find the tools easy to use, so its more just figuring out how to adjust my in person activities/games into an online activity/game, but I'll get there!

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If you've made it this far I appreciate your dedication!! 

Thank you for reading and following along on  my newest adventure!!

I look forward to updating again soon!

 

I'll end with some random pics and some cute snaps of Liam and I on FaceTime (he can almost work the phone better than mom now 🤣)

                                                            Mosquito bite on my eyelid 😞

                                            Embracing the humidity, sweat & greasy hair

                                                                            Happy!!!!

                                                                    Talking to his Mimi!

                                                                            Say cheese!

                                                        Big smooches for my favorite guy!

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Adios for now,

Margaret💛

 

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PS. I survived my first motorbike ride the other day with Dila! I started out having a death grip on the bike, but by the end I was comfortable enough to snap this pic quickly! Maybe I'll have my own motorbike one day, but shhh don't tell my mom lol 😆

 

 

Back from a grocery run!
 

PPS. I still cant use chopsticks correctly, and it would definitely be handy here if I could. Maybe I'll finally learn! haha

 

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