I hope they call me on a Mission

My Mission. I call this post "my mission" because to me, this is a mini mission. Away from home, eating weird food, talking to people outside of my comfort zone, learning how to keep busy in different ways, making negatives into positives (still working on that one) It's all relative right? I consider this a bit of a mission.  Maybe not the typical LDS mission....but a sarahfied mission.

  It is still hard for me to wrap my little (quite literal) head around LIVING abroad. It is something that I always thought I might do temporarily....for a couple of months. However, here I am with my family for two years. We arrived May 17th at 8pm. Time warped, hungry, discombobulated, and hotter than hates, we made it to our new home.

 Jakarta is the capital and largest city ofIndonesia, located on the northwest of the island of Java. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre and the most populous city not only in Indonesia but in Southeast Asia as a whole.

Jakarta is reputed notoriously for having horrible traffic,(YEP) and lack of mass rapid transport (YES) make it a day for both travelers and locals. Despite of the heavy traffic and heavy sickening pollution (what? I didn't notice the pollution.......) the city is filled with exciting nightlife (Just what I was looking for :)  ) and vibrant shopping (don't mind if I do!) areas. 

Elsie and I found the play area downstairs in our apartment building. I don't think she minds living here.

We went to several malls, and different areas to eat. 

Elsie enjoyed watching the ginormous fish in the pond. 

The first weekend here we discovered that the Hotel next to us offers a petting zoo for all residents.  I was really excited thinking of NORMAL petting zoo animals. Ex.relatively placid, herbivorous domesticated animals such as sheep, goats, rabbits, ponies etc. to safely feed and physically interact with. Well Indonesia's petting zoo thinks otherwise...

Like a wild MONKEY that wants to bite                  your finger off

Or a Blue tongued  lizard.

Or if that doesn't do it for you, pet a Python. I guess this petting zoo was more for Rich than anybody.

ok. They also provided a fun bouncy castle, pony, and arts/crafts. I told Rich he was too big though for the Pony ride.

For Isaac. *Pony/Horse Lover*

I specifically took this picture for Isaac and Ian (its ANgry BIrds!)

With May coming to an end Rich and I wanted to take Elsie somewhere fun. Somewhere you would take your 11 month old to gather stimulus, take in culture, and enjoy the *nice weather.  Where did we take her?  The Monkey Forest of course!  Where else?

Elsie's very first reaction. Very similar to mine in 2010!!!

Whatever you do, DON'T FEED the MONKEYS. I repeat DON'T FEED the MONKEYS.

Things I have learned in the first month of living abroad in INDONESIA.

1. Don't try to sterilize your own food, otherwise it will turn out like this and you won't be able to eat it.  *Ruined lettuce, potatoes, and edamame*  botched attempt "blah."

2.  Understand a quick run to the store with a child turns into a 9 hour day of pure craziness or Hell. So bring PLENTY of food and water.

3.  You become best friends with Bottled water.

4. They offer "American"shows like 

Honey I shrunk the Kids. Where has this gem been?

Yep Ninja Turtles. 

5.  Some food is cheap, some things are not.

cheap.

Not cheap.

6.  When you're sad about not living in the states your family will send you a big box of sweet treats from USA that you can't find here.

Thank YOU Mom and Marion. You know how to cheer up ANY girl :)

7. You can find BEAUTIFUL fabric for cheeeeaaap!

8.  You can find the IDAHOAN pizza at the local pizza hut. Comes with potato and Mayo! Where else could you find this.....pretty sure not even in Idaho. - probably for good reason.

9.  This is considered a park

Miss grass. Miss the smell of trees and flowers.

10.  When you have curly hair here in Indo this is what it does

It becomes a baby FROberry. LOVE

Curls for days. 

These are just the top 10 that I can currently think of. I'm sure more will come to me the longer I stay and actually think of it. There are plenty of difficult things about living abroad so far in Indo, but it has it pro's as well. It has brought me closer to my own little family and has taught me some reliance on others is not so terrible.

Chapter 3: What an Adventure

The BIG Move.

I call this chapter 3 because it has definitely been new phase in our life. We officially moved out of our beloved United States of America.

I have even provided you with a map. Orange = America and Green = Indonesia

Now show your kids and pretend like you knew where Indonesia really was.....

Through this whole process I have heard "oh what an adventure" "what an amazing experience" which  made me personally think of what those phrases really meant. 

TO me this is what it means:

“To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one's self.... And to venture in the highest is precisely to be conscious of one's self.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard

“Adventure is allowing the unexpected to happen to you. Exploration is experiencing what you have not experienced before.
― Richard Aldington

“I'm an adventurer, looking for treasure” 
― Paulo Coelho

“Every day God invites us on the same kind of adventure. It's not a trip where He sends us a rigid itinerary, He simply invites us. God asks what it is He's made us to love, what it is that captures our attention, what feeds that deep indescribable need of our souls to experience the richness of the world He made. And then, leaning over us, He whispers, "Let's go do that together.” 
― Bob Goof

Good or bad, I'm still not sure if "this" is an adventure. It is simply my life.
-Sarah Bindrup  You CAN quote me.


Rich, Els and I traveled by plane obviously. I was dreading the 24 hour flight with a baby. However, I truly lucked out and somehow landed a perfect baby for the flight. She was fine...the entire time. No crying spells, no throw up stories, or diaper mishaps. Just a long boring flight, which I don't mind.

Els just hanging out. Being a good little girl.

                                  

      We stopped in Seoul Korea after our first 15 hour flight for the night. Perfect stop. Beautiful place -

The flights were long. But I feel very blessed to have had such a wonderful baby and positive husband through the whole process. (diapers, bottles, formula, toys, bows, wipes, food, clothes, OH mY!) It also helps that Asians generally just LOVE babies...crying or not. Korean Air was marvelous.