Ainsley school updates

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Favorite new things...Nanas

The Pineapples here are hands down one of the most amazing things i have ever eaten. They are not acidic like in American, they are sweet and a little bit tart, they taste like a white gummy bear!

The are much smaller and there would not be much flesh left to eat if you cut down past the prickles so they cut them in this amazing spiral. So pretty :)

 

 

 

Market morning

Markets are one of my most favorite things. Ever.  Its an easy trip into town, but usually my Ibu goes once a week, mostly because its easier for her and she gets better prices than "the American Lady", :).... but I wanted to try some of the sea food out of the market. Im feeling brave....

Yummy crabs. We attempted a version of chili crab.

girls

some updated snaps of the girls....hopefully (fingers and toes crossed, counting down the days) our shipment will be here soon and I can get the computer set up and post more often....

 sisters!

 

Im three months old!!!

Favorite things...jungle view

This is one of my favorite views so far here, this was right behind our guest house. I see it almost everyday going to park or when out for a jog. Its striking the way the light hits the leaves they just glow.If you stop and listen the jungle beyond has this humming sound that fluctuates with an warning tone, its surreal really. As normal as some of these things become the longer we are here this little sport reminds me that I freakin live in the jungle !!!!

Elephant Camp

One of the things we were most looking forward to when coming here was the Elephant Camp!
Sadly, The Sumatra jungle is quickly being burnt up for land to plant "Sawit" (the tree used to make Palm oil.) These Elephants have lost their habitat and were being snared and killed when they would stomp through the sawit plantations. Inside Chevron camp is some of the only untouched jungle. And my understanding is that they have given use of part of the jungle to the tribe that helps to take care of the elephants.
So you can visit pretty much any day to feed and ride the elephants! We showed up with a car load of food, watermelon, pineapple, apples, etc, plus a load of sugarcane.
They loved it.
Right when we hopped out of the car they came up and Ella hands the elephant a whole watermelon. It took Ainsley awhile to warm up :)
After feeding them we took our turn to ride the largest female through their trail in the jungle. It was amazing! A bit scary too, as some of the slopes were quite steep and I felt like I was going to fall off the back! The elephants were so amazing to watch. Using their knees to pull out of the mud. THe baby holding the mamas tail.

What a fun adventure!

First Day of School and family introduction to Rumbai!

The girls started school today. Ella in Kindergarten and Ainsley in Pre-K 3!

Our biggest adjustment is that both girls come home for lunch. A at 11 and E at 12 then E goes back to finish her day while A stays here with me and the Ivah!

 

We are still in the guesthouse so they girls are picked up by their own special driver instead of the bus/van that will pick them up with the rest of the kids in our new neighborhood. They Love it!  (seriously spoiled rotten)

 

Ella has a hard time with anything that doesnt follow the pattern she has planned. We had a gate at St Rose that we would wave goodbye from after assembly and there is no gate here so she got a bit teary on the first day, and I promised her a treat if she made it to Friday....well, luckily she came home and said "i dont need a treat I want to go to school just because I like it!" Yay!

 

Its a tradition here that new families get introduced and "Gonged" in at morning assembly after a few questions like 'whats your favorite food?' (Ella=smoked salmon, Ainsley=noodles???)

The principal here is the most even tempered calm spoken and at the same time excited person I have ever met, of course Ella loves her :)

 

We are very happy with how welcoming everyone has been:)