Note: If you want the video version, skip to the next section. This is probably the longest post I will have. Explaining life here is not easy in a few words. So read a bit then take a break and come back to finish another day! Sip a glass of wine or drink a beer or have a drink and read out loud to your mate. Or not!

I am living in the University of Bengkulu Vice Rector’s house (= to University Provost in US). He did not want to live here because his kids wanted to be close to social activities. Not much to do here. (BTW–the President is a woman! GO GIRL POWER!!) A little slice of heaven to me.

I live in a private, gated area. I have 24 hour guards here. Usually, I am out working in other places across Sumatra. I am safe when I am here–so need to worry. The guards are young and handsome too, which is nice. They take good care of me.

This is my home from the outside. If you want to skip to the video and not read what I say, you can click on the Youtube video. However, you will miss my excellent commentary on the place.

Daily life at the shack! After I clean the morning ants off the counter, I fix breakfast in my kitchen (I rotate between yogurt and oatmeal with dragon fruit). We have an agreement–they clean up for me overnight and I let them stay. The lady at the store asked me if I wanted a cover for the dish drainer. She kept saying I needed one (things fall on and get on the dishes if they are not covered), but I told her I was living on the edge and did not mind. Only cold water here (for baths too). To wash dishes I heat water in my tea kettle.

The kitchen doubles as my office. I have a dining room table that looks out at the mountain.

The Long tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) come through around 10:00am (they are here now). I can see them out the kitchen window pictured above. I like the macaques, but here they are like squirrels at home–you love them or you hate them based on how much of your food they eat and what they steal. They are really smart. Abdul asked if they stole my clothes. Nope. I have not done laundry yet. Will let you know if I see a macaque with a bra strung around his neck! No matter how quiet I am, they know when I am close. Below are my sad captures of one on the back fence. Macaque in the bottom picture just found a tasty meal in the garbage next door. If you want to see what the professional photographers see, go to Ecology Asia–scroll down the page for better pictures.

Wow all that in one morning! Now midday to bed time. Way more excitement than ants in the kitchen. I take a bath after breakfast (really about 2-3 times a day because it is so hot). If you watch the above video you can see what it is like to bathe–sort of. I really want you to get an idea of what it is like to take a bath here, but when I watched the video I made of me in a bathing suit taking a bath, I decided no one needed to see a 54 year old woman in a bathing suit trying to pour water over her head and body. Just NOT A PRETTY SIGHT. AND my Dad reads this. He does not want to see that!!

I did take a few pictures of the bathroom–at least I can sit on the toilet. Usually, you kneel over a hole in the floor. I think my knees are getting tired. I am always worried I am going to lose my balance and fall in–yuck. I do not know how old people here do it. When I take a bath, I pour water over my body, lather up, and then rinse. Remember no hot water–the water is SO COLD. They do not use washcloths here, which is OK with me. The washcloth just makes it a bit easier to clean when you are pouring water over your body. They do not use toilet paper here–this is my little luxury I brought from home.

Lunch is a choice of: peanut butter sandwich or tuna or an apple. Dinner is a choice of: potatoes/chicken, or potatoes/veggies, or chicken/veggies, or Ramen noodles. I stopped making past dishes–I gave the pasta to the bugs.

I drink a lot of hot tea. I can use bottled water, but it is cheaper to use the water from the faucet. Watching what I spend, as the university is not paying my salary. I use a Grayl to clean my water. The water goes in the bottom. I push the middle part down and it fills with clean water. Safe to drink! Check out their products if you ever go camping they are awesome!

Would not be home without a place to entertain. This is my sitting room.