Hi hi

So a lot has happened since the last time I posted.

Both Eri and I are back in the States!!
He came home December 16th!! We are all settled in, and loving life!

I'm back to updating the blog, so check back!

What's Carle been doing all these days?

Mastering these smooth moves:

I know you can't wait for me to come back and amaze you with my skillz!!! I LOVE the song!!

Fat Talk

Mojokerto has a problem with Fat Talk....

I found this great video on my friend Mary's LiveJournal page, and I thought I should post it here... It's quite informative, as well as to take a look at that FAT isn't everything!!! It's causing some serious health issues among women in America...... Great video, whoever made it did a fantastic job! Enjoy!

Sad News :-(

This is me & Mak - September 2008

It's sad news that I have to share with everyone that reads this blog, Eri's Grandma passed away this morning, August 16, 2009 @ 1am. Eri and I were scheduled to visit her today, but we were too late. She passed away from complications of Juandice.

The traditions for a Chinese Buddhist traditional funeral are unique, and I'm trying my ultimate best to fit in with the customs. I get the feeling to describe what went on today might seem quite weird to some of you guys back home, but I'm going to try my best.

Eri went over to the place this morning to be with the family that's arrived already. This place is like a visiting place, but it where Mak was embomed. A representative from each family basically washed down Mak and prepared her for burial. They applied nice clothes and make-up, she was stunning when she was laid into the casket. Later in the afternoon Eri came to pick me, around 1:30pm, and we had to wear white colored shirt. We got to the place, and there were all sorts of offerings. You do not say condolences to other family members for the reason that you are family. You give your condolences to people that you are not a family member of. But as got there, we saw various memembers of family, and Eri and I, and cousin D (shout out Darmadi!!!) hung around until the first day activities completed. Now, I'm not sure what the rest of the days bring, but I know there are more customs coming....

I think that's all the description I'm going to give right now, it's still too fresh. I will let everyone know about it after all the traditional stuff is done.

Love ya.

C & E

It costs 10 cents to pee.....

Hello hello --

Just an update - Eri and I are doing good! We had fun in Jakarta taking care of everything and seeing his family! His family that we visited is from his Dad's side, and I posted most of the pictures on facebook, but I might post another one here - or not. Feeling lazy to wait for it to upload.

Eri and I have planned a fantastic vacation! We are going to Yogakarta and Bali in less than 2 weeks, and we are so excited!! I will definitely post pictures here and not on evil facebook. It occupies too much of my time! Farming and all...

Yesterday we went into Surabaya to extend my VISA (I will be home by Halloween, I have to go to the haunted house with my sister!! It's a must because we didn't get to go last year!) But anyways, after we did that, we went to McDonald's for a snack, then to the travel agency to pick up our plane tickets to Bali, then to a mall called Super Mal(l). It's the largest Mall in Surabaya. The thing about Jakarta and Surabaya is they have malls like we have gas stations, they are literally everywhere you look! Indonesian's love to spend money, that's for sure. We walked around the huge mall, that was covered in white people, I think we saw at least 10 but more like 15 - that's crazy! We hardly ever see white people, and definitely not in our little town, I'm the only one. Only in Surabaya or in Jakarta. Oh but wait....I'm forgetting there was another white person here in Mojokerto recently - Cousin Yenni's husband is white and he was visiting. He's super tall to, almost as tall as my Dad I would say, so there were 2 of us for a while. It's weird, I'm so used to being the only one, when I get back it's like culture shock for me to be around them again. But I digress. At the mall we where hunting for a hotdog place called Brood 'N Broojes (American's don't even try to pronounce it...you won't say it right......the J makes an actual J noise not a H sound, no matter how many times Eri tried to help me pronounce it - no luck.) Let me see if they have a website, if they do, I will hyperlink it for ya. Ok no such luck. But they give delicious hotdogs..... (Indonesian's [I know it's weird from my point of view] put weird stuff on their hotdogs, like lettuce and tomato's and mayo....) But we got our dogs and headed to A&W for a rootbeer float and fries. Yumm! What a lunch! Since things are cheaper (and extremely pirated in this country) we stopped by the game store and movie place. I got BONES season 4 on DVD for $4.80 USD. Coolness! I need to do my homework so I can start watching it, I'm kind of sad though, I don't want to see Angela and Hodgens break up :-( Jeez....I digress YET AGAIN! So then we just walked around. I was having massive massive diarrhea (I know, TMI) but the food here has really been kicking my ass! I got food poisioning in Jakarta 2 weeks ago, and yesterday, yuck, Poopville. Each time I had to use the bathroom, you have to pay 1000 IDR which is 10 cents USD. Ridiculous you have to pay to pee. It's only at certain malls you have to do so....and only certain bathrooms inside that Mall. I don't get it. So I spent at least 20 cents on peein yesterday....grrrrr.....I usually have standards that I will not pay to pee and hold it, but I couldn't yesterday, so I broke down and paid. We left Super Mal, and went to an important grocery store called Papaya, then left there to go where? Mal Galaxy! To shop at Ranch Market, and shop more. I bought 2 learning Indonesian's books there, where Eri didn't hear the end of me saying random things in Indo....LMAO. You could tell my his face that he wasn't in the mood to be a teacher, but did it anyway. Gotta love him! We ate dinner at our favorite resto called Sushi Tei, where we had eel, tuna maki, 3 fish platter, and crab salad maki! Yummy we love sushi! Then we went shopping at yet another import grocery store, where get this everyone - I went to the meat counter and ordered our chicken and steaks all by myself!!! What a wonderful achievement! It is really. I have been buying stuff on my own for awhile, and I can order coffee and stuff, but I was actually having a real conversation with a native speaker! (Other than my hubby....or the workers downstairs.) WOW! Let me replay it for you in English (of course our conversation was in Bahasa Indonesia ;-D)

Clerk: How can I help you, ma'am?

CW: I would like Australian cattle sirloin steaks, 2 please

Clerk: Ok (clerk packs them up)

CW: (walks down 4 feet or so to the chicken)

Clerk: (follows me)

CW: I would also like the boneless chicken breast, 7 please

Clerk: Ok

(gets the chicken, and wraps them up, comes back over) Would you like them on ice?

CW: Oh, yes please.

Clerk: Thank you, Ma'am.

CW: Thank you, good night.

I know, it's a small victory, but it made me feel really good. Eri's family always asks me to count, but I learned that last time I was here. I seem to feel really embarrassed to talk in front of them, but I'm totally fine talking in front of strangers. Weird. I know his cousins read this blog, so they're probably going to ask me to talk for them....I MIGHT. Not sure yet. I just feel uneasy about talking in front of them, but hey we'll see. Let me keep studying my Indo. So we leave Ranch Market, Eri and I are absolutely exhausted. Then we head to J.Co, where they make fabulous donuts and drinks. The U.S. has nothing comparable to a J.Co donut. They are so delicious. My favourites are Tiramisu and Lady Thai Tea. Yummmm..... We got a half-dozen, 3 of each of those kinds. It was funny here, I spoke to the clerk in Indonesian, he replied to me in English, lol. But it was fun. Then we went home! Fun day!

Since this blog is kinda long, I will write more about our trip in a few days. In the mean time enjoy the video at the bottom of the page.

Goodnight! (Selamat Malam) and be safe (Hati-hati)

I found this on another friends blog, and I think it's great!

Here's the link for his website: http://wherethehellismatt.com Check it out, it's really cool. I would love to visit his bookstore in Seattle when I make it that way again!

-CW

This is so cute!

And I love this song! Listen to it, you will too.

Indonesian song!

Sunglasses Hut :-)

Sunglasses Hut American Style:

Sunglasses Hut Indonesian Style:

Interesting article

Climate 'shielding Indonesia from swine flu'

By Indonesia correspondent Geoff Thompson

Posted Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:24am AEST

Indonesia's health minister says the reason the country has been spared from any confirmed swine flu infections is largely because of its climate.

Dr Siti Fadilah Supari was previously embroiled in controversy when she decided to cease sharing samples of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus with the World Health Organisation (WHO), because of fears that any vaccines developed would be sold for profit to the developing world, with no share going to Indonesia.

Now she is seeking to calm the nation worst-hit by bird flu by suggesting that the H1N1 swine flu virus may be more of a problem for people of Spanish origin than Indonesians.

"We hope that H1N1 is not compatible with Indonesians," she said.

"H1N1 may be more compatible with their race, while H5N1 is more compatible with Indonesians."

But the spokeswoman with the WHO's swine flu communications team in Geneva, Viktoria Dijakovic, says there is no evidence that one race would fare worse than another.

"We don't know this virus very well yet, and there is no vaccine at this time, so we can't say if it's racially a problem ... or not," she said.

The WHO is particularly concerned about the southern hemisphere - where the flu season is kicking off - because the virus survives better in cold climates.

Ms Dijakovic says equatorial countries like Indonesia are a problem because there the flu season never ends.

But that is not the way Dr Supari sees it and yesterday she said that H1N1 could only survive in cold weather.

"Australia says H1N1 is more dangerous than bird flu," she said.

"Well yes, for Australia ... but for Indonesia that's not the case, because in Indonesia the weather is never cold, unlike Australia."

Australian epidemiologist Dr Andrew Jerimijenko is now involved with the response to the swine flu threat in Australia, but spent years studying influenza in Indonesia.

He says the Health Minister's theories are dangerous.

"Her idea that a tropical climate will protect them from H1N1 is not true, because H1N1 survives in tropical climates," he said.

"It survives a little bit better in cold climates, but it also survives in tropical climates."

Indonesia is taking more conventional precautions against pandemic.

Pork imports have been indefinitely banned, there is thermal scanner screening at some airports, and extra surveillance has been ordered over the nine million pigs managing to survive in a nation of mostly Muslims who do not eat pork.

Link: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/29/2555500.htm

There's nothing I can say in response to this......other than just shake my head with my mouth wide open thinking "what the hell kind of screwed up country is this?"

Carle and Eri are united again!

Hi hi,

I did make it to Indonesia!! Woot woot!!

Yes it was over a week ago, BUT I'm just now getting back into the grove of writing a blog and updating it!

I'm glad to be back with Eri, and everything's exactly the same. It's like the place stood still while I was gone and waited for my return.

As for the flight, it was brutual at some points, but I made it through. I am glad to know that I don't have to look forward to that long of a flight anytime soon! :-)

I absolutely love Singapore. I swear, one day, I want to live there (But Eri's been there done that, so he doesn't want to live there!). Maybe retire there, hehehe. I love Changi Airport too. When I arrived at Changi I had already been on the plane for 22 1/2 hours, so I was ready for a bath, and last time I read about the hotel they have inside Changi, so I decided to check that sucker out. Get this, I got to take a very luxurious bath (its actually a shower, but for some reason I call showers, baths!) You can rent a shower for 8 SGD, which is somewhere like 4.5USD. They give you soaps, warm towels, 'free' drinks, which I never got one (and NO NOT THOSE KIND OF DRINKS!!), but I was supposed to though. The hotel looked super lux, I would of stopped in and taken a nap if 1.)I wasn't so tired 2.)You have to rent it for 6 hours, I only had a 3 hour layover and 3.) I was just too amped to check out Changi. All the other times I was there, I was there super early, and everything was closed. So this time I got to check out everything. After my bath I went to Starbucks and got a drink, warm one, and a muffin. From there I decided to head to my gate, and oh my it was a massage post right beside my gate!! I got an hour long whole body massage for 15 SGD, which is about 7.50 USD!! How awsome was that?!!? It was so relaxing too!!!

So when the lady finished my massage, I headed to my gate, only had to wait about 10 minutes to start boarding, so that was awesome! And then the plane wasn't full at all, so I had 3 seats to myself! Took me a little nap, and then I was clean and fresh to see E!

The Swine Flu sure does make it bad for travellers though. When I got out of the plane, I had to be quarantined because our plane came from a country that has reported cases of swine flu. It was lovely.

Well Eri came and got me, we went shopping and came home to Toko/Rumah. And everything has fallen back into place like it was before.

Oh and yes, before I forget, there's no doubt in my mind why Singapore Airlines is considered the most luxurious airline in the world. Love it! 

Anyway that's it for the moment.

Love ya.

Greetings from Changi Airport!!!

Hello all, well I have made it to Singapore! Believe it or not hehehehehe!

I just finished taking a bath at the transit hotel, and now I'm just sitting here enjoying a Carmel Machiatto and a banana muffin from Starbucks. It's 1:07 Friday afternoon here, and my flight leaves at....hmm....let me look, I know it's 3 something, 3:40? Yes yes I think that's it! So I have a little while to just hang out here, so I decided to get online until the battery dies out.

First off, yes I'm exhausted, and if you talk to me, I sound like I am exhausted! Yes I am very excited to see Eri, but being on a airplane for (5.5+14+3.5=??) 23 hours already, it drains you a little bit. I do have some interesting stories from my flights, including one about my opinion how the airline industry is raping everyone with crazy stupid outrageous charges, BUT I will save that [rant] for later, most likely tomorrow.....

The flight from Singapore to Surabaya is only 2.5 hrs (thank god!!!) so I'm sure it's going to go by super fast, hopefully at least. They don't speak any English on that flight, and I'm sure they will try to feed me yet again, but I will resist, because....I'm having DUCK KING tonight!! Woo hoo! We are going to the mall after the pickup, buying some meat and eating dindin...hanging out with E and E (Eri and Eny [Eny is my cousin-in-law for all those who don't remember, she works for a coffee plant place testing the pH levels of coffee, I think. Or at least she used to.])

I will say this.....there are so many white people around these places! Last time I was here there weren't that many at all, but now, it's like damn what all these people doing up in here. I've been trying to guess where they are from before I hear them talk, cause some of them are super easy, like Austrailians, a lot of them have this look about them that just screams Australia. 

I'm going to be a tiny bit upset if my laptop dies before I can read my celebrity gossip for the days I have been gone! Anything juicy happen? I was chatting with Claude for a moment earlier, and she said something crazy happened on American Idol, Danny got voted out. What's the big deal about that? Not too sure. I just know that I was  reading some crazy shit on my friend's facebook that was saying that they wanted the good guy out. I can't really remember his name at the moment but the guy that everyone thinks is going to win, they were having a lovely wall chat about that. Yeah, I don't even watch the show, so it's kinda hard for me to explain what the hell I'm talking about. I missed Biggest Loser finale, America's Top Model finale, and something else....can't remember. 

While I do remember something, The Univited is a very good movie. It's slightly horror, but it's more like psychological thriller. My sister gave it to me for my birthday last week, and we watched it, very good. I give it $$$$$ for its value. Today, 5 $'s is the most you can get. 

On the plane I was watching some movies, which all of them I fell asleep during, so I don't know if that means they suck or I was sleepy. Or both. I think it's they sucked. I watched: Bride Wars (midly entertaining actually), Transporter 3 (boring!), and The Reader (soooo slow, but probably good if I wasn't so sleepy!!!).   

Ok I think that's it for now......got to go read celebrity gossips!

Love ya. Miss yall already.

Oh btw it's been 5.5 months since the last time I saw Eri!! And in just a few hours I will be seeing him soooo soon......so excited!!!!

I still totally LOVE Singapore.......especially since I took a bath in their transit hotel - awesome!!

Love ya'll.

Your little pony <3

Today is the day!!!

My flight leaves tonight!

San Fransico here I come!

Hong Kong here I come!!

Singapore here I come!!!

Eri here I come!!!!

So excited!

I will my family terribly though <3

Love ya'll.

-C

Last day at UPS :-(

It was a lot more emotional than I expected, I really love a lot of the box holders and regular customers, and the truck driver, I like hime too. But anyway, we said our goodbyes :-(

Ok, now I'm over that :-D! I leave one week from tomorrow for Indonesia! It's the final countdown! And the next few days are going to be SUPER SUPER busy!

But my birthday is Thursday, so we are going to have a family din din at the Cheesecake Factory, then Friday AM we are going to Virginia, for the weekend, coming home Monday. That basically leaves me Monday, Tuesday and the day Wednesday to finish all last tasks!

I'm sooooooooo excited to see Eri again!

Friday will be our 6 month anniversary <3 

And by the time I see him, it will be 5 months since we saw one another!

I'll keep you posted.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Love you.

-CW

3 weeks!

Three weeks from today, I will be in Indonesia!!!!! 

Yesh!!!

I got my VISA back on April 9th, so as long as I have that, I'm good to go!!!

I did turn in my 2-week notice at my job last Wednesday, so my last day will be Wednesday May 6th. Then my birthday is the 7th, then the 8th-11th I am taking Bobby to VA for Mama's Day, so she can spend it with her Mama!! Then I have Monday and Tuesday to gather my last stuff, the Wednesday I'm off to ATL->SanFran->Hong Kong->Singapore->Surabaya!!!

It's not that I don't love my life here, and eager to get out, I just can't wait to see Eri, so no offense anybody!!!

Love ya.

CW

I did color Easter Eggs!!

Well, I obviously don't know how to use blogger right, like at all, so these pictures are going to be all screwed up, but they start from the bottom. Point being, Patricia and I got to color Easter Eggs, on Easter no less!! Woot woot! I'm not sure what is so fun about coloring eggs, but even the cat enjoyed it!! After Easter was over, I splurged and purchased some, ok ok, about 8 or so dying kits because it's just fun to make eggs fun colors!!

To the right is Merke, the cat, protecting her obession , Easter Eggs. 

Well forget trying to tell you captations, it's just not going to work, but here are a few pics of our eggs. Obviously the red/pink dye was the strongest, because most of our eggs were pink in color. I hope everyone enjoys the pics. PC I had a blast dying them with you!!!!

Oh btw, the music you are hearing is Eri and I's wake-up alarm. I hear it every morning :-)

Just 3 weeks til I leave for Indonesia!!

Just 2 days til I turn in my 2 week notice at work! 

So much to do!!!

Can't wait! I feel so anxious, just let me leave already!!!

Love ya.

Car W. 

Rest In Peace Sri Gunawati

Today is the first year anniversary of Eri's Mama's passing. 

Rest In Peace.

I think I wanna color some Easter Eggs......

Hmmmmm updates updates updates.....

Well, for starters, I was able to get my VISA application in the mail, all complete and everything. At least that's taken care of.....

As for Eri's birthday gift.....well that's on hold for the moment til his birthday gets a little closer. 

Right now I've just been working everyday, and now since it's April 5 my departure date is quite close, so I can go ahead and start lightly packing for Indonesia....or at least making a list.......I love making list I don't know why.

We got a new printer on Friday night...it's a pretty cool printer, not too expensive or excessive at all....it's a Cannon PIXMA MX330. Works beautifully so far....

Hmmm what else......let me think...... 

The one year mark of the passing of Eri's Mom is coming up this week. 

Well, I think that's it for the moment at least. I'm just working and getting ready for Indonesia.

Love you all.

CW

Checklist

While my list of things to do before I head back to Indo for the summer, the most important (to me at least, hehehehe) is my checklist for my VISA to get into the country, so I go ahead and get that in so I won't have to worry about it, unlike last time :-)

Ok so here's the list:

(And yes those are square roots....not check marks, but they do just as good as job as the others would)

• Valid Passport (at least 6 months beyond entry date) √
• Copy of Eri's Indonesian I.D.  (KTP) √
• Copy of Itinerary √
• Completed 2 Visa Applications and 2 passport photos
  
• Sponsorship letter from Eri√
• Proof of Financial Support (letter from my bank saying I have over 2k just in case I might be a burden to the Indo Govt)
  
• $45, in the form of a money order
• pre-paid self addressed return envelope 
  

I'm planning on having this done before the end of the week....and mailing it by Friday.....

So the list isn't looking too bad at all.......as for my other "to-do" list....yikes....is it long!  I'm not going to post it.....because it is long, and involves a surprise for Eri's birthday..... Plus he reads the blog so it might give it away, and we can't have that. He always knows what I'm doing because he sneakily pulls it out of me...but not this time.....he's going to love it! It will be a very memorable 27th birthday gift.  Let's see it's Monday, March 23 (Tuesday March 24 in Indo) at 7:30 p.m. (6:30 a.m. in Indo ;-)) that means it's just over 50 days before I leave....wow that sounds like a long time....but it's just a month and a half, lol. But yeah, I need to get started. So I can leave with a peaceful mind and enjoy my summer in Indo. (Yes I'm spending the summer in Indo, btw, I'm arriving in May coming home in August!!! Fun! Exciting! Can I board my plane already?!?!?! Please?!?!?!) 

What I am looking forward to is quitting my job!! woot woot! Can't wait.......it's not that I hate my job though.....just looking forward to seeing Eri again. By the time I get there it will be over 6 months we haven't seen each other!

I had a brutual work-out this morning....and I'm aching! Looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow morning. I am not very happy about my gym changing it's hours of operation...but I will learn to deal with it. 

I think that's it for the moment.....

Oh and btw, for Claude, that guy at the top is Ichigo Kurasaki, he's from the show Bleach, Eri and I love that show. The people in the sword are also people from the show.....  It's a great show.  Oh look at that, it's a clip of Bleach!! Woot woot check it out!!!

Oh speaking of totally awesome Japanese shows....you should check out this: 

it's Go-Onger- G3 Princess!!

Desperate for another? How about Kiva Kamen Rider.....very good too!!! 

Enjoy.

Bye for now.

CW

The ticket has been booked!

We booked the ticket this AM!!!!!!

Woot woot!

Traveling to Surabaya Wednesday 13 May 09
Atlanta (ATL) Depart 9:15 pm  Terminal SOUTH TERMINAL	to	San Francisco (SFO) Arrive 11:32 pm  Terminal 1	2,135 mi (3,436 km) Duration: 5hr 17mn	Delta Flight: 1079
Economy/Coach Class ( 36D ), Breakfast, Boeing 757 Thursday 14 May 09
San Francisco (SFO) Depart 1:05 am  Terminal INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL	to	Hong Kong (HKG) Arrive 6:35 am +1 Day Terminal 1	6,915 mi (11,129 km) Duration: 14hr 30mn	Singapore Airlines Flight: 1
Economy/Coach Class ( Seat assignments upon check-in , Meal, 77W Friday 15 May 09
Hong Kong (HKG) Depart 8:00 am  Terminal 1	to	Singapo*re (SIN) Arrive 11:40 am	1,594 mi (2,565 km) Duration: 3hr 40mn	Singapore Airlines Flight: 1
Economy/Coach Class ( Seat assignments upon check-in ), Meal, 77W
Singapore (SIN) Depart 3:40 pm  Terminal 2	to	Surabaya (SUB) Arrive 5:00 pm	855 mi (1,376 km) Duration: 2hr 20mn	Singapore Airlines Flight: 5226

Exciting News!!!

Hi Everyone!

I'm not too sure if anyone still keeps up with our blog, BUT I have exciting news! 

I will be going back to Indonesia on May 13th!

Yes, it's only March 18th, but I'm still so excited to go back and see Eri!

I can't wait.....I have so much to do, but I'm so ready to go!

This time my trip is going to consist of ATL->San Fransico->Hong Kong->Singapore->Surabaya. With no layovers this time....

My checklist includes:

Book my ticket (lol I know, I'm doing it tomorrow, but I already knowthe flight info)

Apply for VISA

And tons of other stuff!!! Including Eri's extra special b-day gift....it's taking some planning :-)

I can't wait!

Otherwise, everything is going good. I've been working and working out a lot, but mostly just staying busy.

Can't wait for May <3

I will start updating more frequently, especially since I'm leaving again for the summer. 

Love ya'll.

CW

Happy New Year!

I know, it's been awhile....but since I've been back in the US I haven't really had too much to blog about...but I thought I could do some now, since I have a few things here....so....yeah.

My Great Grandmother's 100th (Yes 100!!) Birthday was on December 28! So me, Janet, Mom, Patricia, and Bobby all packed into the truck and drove to Bedford, VA for her birthday!! Here are some pics: 

This is Great Grandma....and her daughter's - Betty and Barbara :-)

Opening presents!

Wow...she really is 100!!  December 28, 1908

This is everyone!

Her birthday gift...a carriage ride.....and a 2008 $100 Bill 

The sister, great grandma and myself 

Great Grandma and Bobby 

We made Ginerbread cookies for Christmas, and I made a pile of dog poo on some grass....

and I also made some other cookies....that's Eri and I on our wedding day :-)

Shout out for my cousins!  This is us on Christmas Day 2008, up in Chattanooga, with 2 of my cousins....some are missing though......

Ok that's it for now. 

Love ya.