When I visit the remote villages of Bengkulu, I am the first White person they have seen. Being on Enggano is similar but felt different. Recently, birders have been coming here to see the 6 endemic birds—only found here. I saw all of them. However, they are only here for a short time and do…

I found a lot of interesting food. Some I know and some I do not. Melinjo Is an excellent example of something I did not know. Melinjo Is a nut. It is high in nutrients and works like an anti-bacterial. Processing the nut takes a lot of work. First, someone takes off the skin. Reminds…

This was the view for my run this morning. The beaches are amazing and water is so clear. The Islanders are fighting to keep the palm oil company from planting on Enganno. To combat the rising tensions to bring palm oil to the island, they are looking for alternative ways to make money. They are…

Last week Bangka Island. This week Enggano. Enggano is the most remote island on which I have stayed overnight. No internet. Really glad I loaded my Indonesian phone with credits so I can stay in touch. I use it as an internet hotspot. The choices for getting here are a flight or a ferry. The…

Woooooooo!!! Last week was long and busy. Two weeks ago, I explained I was purchasing binoculars and iPads for a teacher workshop. I finally got them! I received a U.S. Embassy/Jakarta grant to support a workshop for 42 science teachers on Bangka Island, Indonesia. The workshop seemed to be a success! Below is an outline…

Out for a run this morning and was greeted by this beauty. They do not eat turkey. They believe they are beautiful and for eating, Happy Thanksgiving!!

In Jakarta, Indonesia all week. I am leading a team of people from various institutions (University of Bengkulu, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Coastal Carolina University, Sekolah Menengah Atas Negeri 1 Puding Besar Senior High School) to do a workshop for Sekolah Menengah Atas Negeri 1 Puding Besar Senior High School in Bangka Belitung Province. Map below shows…

Daily life. So boring. Not really. Every day is an adventure! We just need to pay attention. Spent this week at home. Walked around town. Bought some groceries. All of the fresh fruits/veggies cost me $3.00 at the native market (not the grocery store). This would cost me way more at home. Here the average…

It was like going back in time … I went back to the Serawai tribe I previously visited. If you are interested in comparing how we all looked then vs. now you can take a look here. I spent New Year’s Eve and Day with this family in 2020. Putra (son) was my translator then.…

First, I will talk about the Play because that is the best part! This weekend I followed Abdul to a conference in Lombok. I went for fun. He was there to work. I stayed in a different hotel further down the island. I wanted peace and quiet and a hot shower! Lombok is an Indonesian…