For a minute then just a whisper of a breath really I genuinely had visions of sandy white beaches & frolicking in turquoise waters.... But nope my friends not this week or this month actually for we have been Rumah Aja-ed for a further 6 weeks. I am not sure if June 1st will ever come or if it is just another carrot with a date stamp.
The magical mystery gift that keeps on giving was the air & sea travel ban which was initially all as in domestic & International air travel. This has been modified eleventy times over & seems to be more like a work in progress international passengers should check with your airline kinda thing than an actual ban. Its practical application was to restrict movement from covid hotspots to reduce the spread through rural Indonesia. I would have put a link here so you could see it but its changing more frequently than a yoga teachers leggings who is doing free covid19 IGTV lives.
Meanwhile I am eating the last of my Vegemite (on toast) dreaming of one day getting some new Bonds Gstrings & some Allens Killer Pythons......
This week there was a great article article from The Diplomat talking about some of the initiatives that have been undertaken in Indonesia in the areas of science & technology, research & development, social cooperation, volunteering, support & pop up manufacturing in the face of product shortages - think sanitiser & face masks. Just so you know we wear & use these all the time & there has not been a shortage of either since day dot.
When I shared this positive & enlightening article on my FB page to let people in AU know that it wasn't all fear fuelled media sad stories, doom & gloom. That good stuff was happening here.... I was met with a couple of comments about AU media only being positive & that ist was all pat on the back press back in Australia???
Insert Midnight Oil chorus here...."short memory must have a dah nuh nah nah shor or ort memory" This from the same people texting messaging & calling saying that I must return to AU, Indonesia is ill equipped to handle "this", that there will be rioting in the streets & that we will run out of food, that we/I do not want to be here when shit hits the fan. The tiny texts of terror...."I'm going home" "you should to" Sending me into a vomity anxious state..... etc etc the list goes on the fear increases.
I don't need to elaborate further I am certain that anyone that stayed put had similar conversations from one direction or another.
This reminds me of the year that I lived in Malaysia as an exchange student. My host sister told me I couldn't be friends with the Chinese. I carried here words with me for years... saddened by the racist (possibly flippant) comment. When I met up with her some 10 years later she had married a Chinese man!!! - who was lovely. I had carried the weight of her comment for years, I am not even sure she would remembered having said it. I digress.
My point here is I remember all of their words....how do people forget what they say in such a short time frame?? (March 25)How do we find away not to carry the baggage that gets dumped when fear goes looking for friends??? We sit with our selves we make the best decision that we can, that is the right one for us. Thats what I did & why I am here.
Bali rules are if you leave your house wear a mask if you ride a scooter or anything with two wheels & a motor wear a bloody helmet. Not exactly rocket science... you would think.
I love Indonesia - not wearing your facemask in public is a punisheable offence. Punishable by push ups!!!! Seriously drop & give me 20 side of the road, in public push ups... Not girl style knees on the ground, we are talking chaturanga & reverse chaturanga! Video it .. don't mind if I do - man style push ups. I am pretty sure that this particular punishment is not being gifted in the Gu (Canggu) The Banjar would be bored after the first 50 & likely it would turn into a gram worthy competitive sport.
This week I celebrated my 50th lap around the sun, celebrating anything in grandiose style during this time when all over the world there is suffering socially emotional & financially with people are out of work, just didn't sit right with me. I road side noodled with friends wearing masks 2m apart.
Bali the worlds most Insta famous & hash tagged holiday destination where 80 % of businesses on this island paradise are hospitality related. There are some local people finding themselves facing some tough times. The balinese are amazingly resilient & resourceful many are supported through family, village & Banjar networks but they could use a little extra help. There are some groups in Bali doing some amazing work, groups providing meals, bread, rice, medical supplies (@balimakers, @the.masksociety.bali @theyakmagazine) here are groups supporting entire regions, Desa & Banjar such as Bali 2020 Aid & Yayasan Team Action I have attached the links if you would like to find out more or perhaps help.
We are all on a Groundhog Day roundabout of stay at home repetition. I have been trying to keep busy & be productive but this week I kind hit a wall. Am pretty sure that anyone reading this has hit a wall at some point as well. I am doing things that keep me occupied but am missing the connection.
Observing that this week Face times & lives have slowed down as we slip into this new normal. I am grateful for many things in my life my morning coffee overlooking rice fields at The Farmer Brews in Semiyak. I am grateful for my asana practice & meditation, my friends & family. I am working my way through 21 Days of Abundance a meditation & mindset shift which has made me miss my mum & be teary at times. I am enrolled & working my way through an online course. I find a new warung to eat at everyday so that I am supporting the local community & enjoying some seriously good Balinese food. I have stopped overloading my fridge with preparation for lockdown food purchases... which I have been eating my way through & replacing at the peril of my waistline.
Writing & sharing my thoughts through my blog is a small release. This is the third in the series of my life in Bali during the pandemic that has shifted life of freedom to move around this bright blue & green planet the shining sphere of adventure. I am still tapping into this source of abundance creativity it seems to take a different direction every week or so as I explore a tangent & move on to another one. Just trying nt to be so hard on myself.
You can read my writings here - Is Corona Killing Connection Feb 13 My life in Bali March 31 Rumah Aja Now what? April 13
Light & fluffy furry really .....my neighbour & I rescued 5 fattie bombattie fur ball puppies from underneath a pile of timber down our gang ....It was like playing the worlds biggest game of Jenga, the puppets were scared but they are settling in & already have new homes to go to!!
Coffee imbibed, I am gonna drop my washing off at the laundry & go hug a puppy
xxxkit❣️
So whats up this week we it wednesday feels like every otherday every other week. Its not exactly like I have meetings & deadlines although I have things going on & I am working it still feels weird getting used to this whole concept of just being. I thought i was being before but this is next level being...
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