My first visit to Indonesia was in 2018. Aceng Ruyani (turtle conservationist and Professor at University of Bengkulu) developed a NGO for his turtle conservation program. The NGO owns a house down the street from his home. This is where the turtles stay and medical students complete some of their research. Mr. Aceng offered to let me stay in the house in 2018. I stayed there again for my first Fulbright in 2019/2020. This year I circled back around to his house. I like staying with the turtles–no need for television. They are all the entertainment I need.

First night back in SBIH felt like I never left. Cooked a great dinner on a gas burner. Great that I have good sense of smell. The burner leaked gas. Got a new one the next day.

I am serious. I think the ants showed up within minutes after I finished dinner. They clean up what I leave behind–even when I think I leave nothing behind. I opened up my potato chips. They had teeny tiny ants in them. I ate them anyway. The only way to keep the ants out is to put everything in the fridge.