christmas eve thoughts.

For more photos from our recent journey, visit our Flickr photo album:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradilabali

This is the email I sent today to my group of 40 plus supporters, who donated to World Pulse and made it possible for me to attend the Bali conference in July/August..

Two-thousand-and-seven is bob-sledding to an end, and I feel like I’m head-to-toe in Teflon…what a sweet, quick trip it’s been!

This is my little note of thanks to you for your kindness over the past year.

By contributing to World Pulse, and thereby giving me a platform to share my work with other leaders in Bali, YOU have helped pave the way to begin an online space where women can speak for themselves to the world. (This especially includes women leaders who are building solutions on the frontlines of human trafficking, global AIDS and water sustainability. These leaders are currently utilizing and giving feedback on the beta version of PulseWire.net, which is alive and kicking – thanks to you!)

Of course, by giving to World Pulse, you clearly gave to me personally, as well. Here is a very compressed list of what you gave me, when you gave your donation.

You gave me, not one but TWO, thirty-hour rides across the Pacific, during which I filled my journal with observations, hopes, sketches, and memories (do you know I love airplanes?)

You gave me a sensory reunion with the smells of burning coconut husks, pork satay and chili sauce, sandalwood incense, night-blooming plumeria and frangipani, monkeys, bugs and birds as a lullaby and wake-up call

You gave me a venue for introduction to thousands of intelligent and hope-filled advocates for various ways of improving our world, and who are also my new friends, including:

Olin Monteiro, an incredible and influential Indonesian Leader with1000peacewomen.org

Rina Meutia of Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, a tsunami survivor, who has just finished her Masters in Public Service in the US, works for the U.N., (and I swear will be the president of Indonesia someday)

Prince Cedza Dlamini, grandson of HM King Sobhuza II of Swaziland and Nelson Mandela, a humanitarian, youth activist, spokesman for the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals who has offered to keep me in connection with his circles of HIV/AIDS activists in Africa

Kadek Agus Skolastika of Bali, who despite many challenges has created a grassroots group to re-build and staff neglected schools in Bali, and who volunteers his not-so-spare time teaching English at his Gandhi Ashram (I was able to visit his Hindu Ashram and it was a highlight of my year)

(And so many more amazing contacts, friends, walking inspirations and bodhisattvas)

You gave me a deep confirmation that by being part of creating PulseWire.net, I am helping to provide a needed resource to the women everywhere. (I can’t count how many times I described this tool to men and women in Bali, only to have them finish my sentence with..."Yes, because if you help the women, you will help everyone!")

You gave me confidence to know that support is available for me when I can muster the courage to ask for it!

What a delicious gift I have received, with more layers than a pan of baklava.

Thank you.

Love in 2008 and beyond and way beyond that,

ILa

PS-- You also gave me the irrepressible need to share the magic that is Bali with my truelove, Brad!

PPS-- Ho Ho Ho & Merry Christmas!

what brad has to say...

Hi all!

We are here, i swear it. We are actually on the equivalent of
Gilligan's Island right now. As for the photos? We spent 5 hours one afternoon on Bali trying to upload the pics to flickr and it bonked on the final one, so nothing made it. Internet is satellite as we are very remote right now, so we won't be trying it anytime soon.

Ila and i did something pretty amazing the past 4 days! As of last night, we completed a PADI diving course, so we are now certified to dive anywhere in the
world down to about 70 feet! We had a really great instructor and have been studying our asses off for four days. Three of them were spent trying to learn how to do many difficult things underwater without sh*tting in our wetsuits. It was the first time in a long time I have truly been scared. Ila will vouch for me. Making your body
do one of the most unnatural things is a really taxing experience.
www.manta-dive.com
Anyway, we have now seen up close, blacktip sharks, mantas, puffers, turtles, and a plethora of reef life that i never dreamed existed. Actually, our fourth open water dive yesterday was the rock star one for our guide as we were the only group out of 6 that saw the manta (12 feet wide btw). Some of the other instructors that have been here for over a year haven't seen one, so we were subject to a lot of middle fingers last night at dinner. Everyone is jealous, we feel blessed. It was like flying with an eagle.

It is just great to share an activity with Ila that we can plan future vacations around. The surf here is a bit scary for her, so it's been the Brad Show for the first couple weeks. And yeah, I got to watch Rob Machado surf up close. Almost as cool as the Manta sighting.
He was doing a photoshoot for Reef , I think, for about three days. I thought the first day i was just looking at a guy that looked like him, but then some Aussie
surfers gave us the skinny. Never seen someone so gifted in the craft up close!

We are off the LOmbok today if we can manage (WE are on Gili Trawangan right now).
There are no ATMs on the island and we are running out of pocket money...yikes.
Anyway, hope to see more of the NOrthern part of BAli before we leave INdonesia.
Ila has a friend in N. Bali that she wants to go visit. He teaches school and his name is Scholastica. He keeps saying that the kids want to meet us. Because we
are truly exotic to them. Funny. I've heard so many things from Indo people like "Do you live in Hollywood", to "Do you have a poster of the Golden GAte Bridge that you can give me"? (???) Apparently, CAlifornia is the only state in "America". Oh well.

Gotta go now. The internet is sooooo expensive here. It's about 20 cents US for an hour!!

Dad, thanks for the KU update. Didn't think it would ever be possible.

LOve,
Brad

Growing Gills in the Gilis

The past 4 days have been a marathon - physical, mental and emotional hurtles. Is that how you spell "hurtles" like rhymes with "turtles?" well that makes sense, then. brad and I just completed our open water diving PADI certification! Breathing underwater. WOW. And what an incredible place to do it. We've been staying at an absolutely gorgeous "rice barn" style bungalow, surrounded by bouganvillea, and with an open air bathroom with polished volcanic rock floor. Lightning threatens on the horizon each night as the rainy season approaches. But still after all the written exams and tests in the swimming pool, by the time we did our first dive, the visibility was crystal clear, and we swam down in the deep with giant sea turtles and so much more. Status: officially stoked.

gettin tubed.

Rob Machado keeps following us around. He knows that we know where all the good waves are at, yo! Ha ha.
Greetings from Bali-land, from Bradila.
So far...we've soaked in Kuta, budget style, in little inns where the electric current and the shower pipes are close enough to give you a "hot" shower that you never paid for...
Plunged daily in the "baby" waves of Kuta... when the grime became too much, rode up to jungley Ubud in the North, where we shared a private bungalow with birds, butterflies, giant palms and bats, ate delicious food, and watched temple after temple and carvings and dancing and art and ....
over to the sparkly black sands of the Eastern "neck" of the island, where there's nothing, I mean, nothing, but some waves and offerings to the sea... fortunately no human offerings..
then back accross to the windswept beaches of Canggu, another just to ourselves bungalow in
Pereranan
Per
Air
And
On
I can't say it... i took in the gorgeous garden and lots of sun, but didn't dare to take in the big washy waves.. But Brad did, and so did Rob Machado, famous surfer, photographed above as of yesterday! I sat on the beach near him...oooooh famoussssss...
enough days of isolation there..
back to Legian, just north of and not really much saner than, Kuta, in a real big kid hotel with AC and satellite TV (Indonesian Simpsons!) and chaos chaos chaos and PERFECT blue beach break waves..
soon on to Lombok, perhaps we will fly, and to the prisitine and still waters of the Gili islands... wish us luck..
xxx

the BradIlaBali Blogging begins..

I'm makin space for my pacar, (boyfriend!), Brad. We are leaving together for an amazing journey this Sunday, October 14th... back to Bali!!!
I
CAN'T
WAIT!

I am "shouting out" to all friends, family, acquaintances, strangers-who-are-friends-we-haven't-met-yet.. Please:
Send us your great intentions & positive energy for a safe and mind-blowing trip,
Send us your wonderful recommendation if you have any (we plan to surf and enjoy the Bali, Lombok, Gili islands, but we are open to suggestions)
Send us your ADDRESS ( you can post it as a comment to this blog or email directly to me), that way you'll get a POSTCARD!
yippee!
I write really good postcards, by the way.
xxxooo

Get lost.

Nothing makes me crazier than losing stuff. Keys, documents, that thing I just had in my hand.. Yet I loooove (or at least don't mind) being lost! As in, not knowing exactly where in the world I am. As long as I know where my wallet is, I'm not so concerned with where my body is. I'm not great at knowing which street to turn on, but somehow I nearly always have an innate sense of direction, which way is the sea, the mountains, which way I should be heading, even if I'm not sure why.

I would like to hear your stories of being lost, or of losing something, and how that affected you. By the way, if you are new to blogs, please remember to look at and add to the COMMENTS link, at the bottom of each post. That's where the juicy stuff is.
For this post, please share:
Where in the world were you when you were lost, or when you lost something?
If you lost something, did you ever find it again? If not, what happened?

Thank you my friends!

I just did a shout-out email to all the new pals I met in Bali, and the response was so wonderful! PLEASE check out all the amazing comments under the post called "Say My Name Say My Name." And add more of your own stories! And now, what I should have had ready for you before....drum roll please... FOTOS!!

Say My Name Say My Name

One wrinkle in my brain was deliciously unfolded in the presence of so many strong Indigenous Women Leaders. Here are just two of them: Pat McCabe, and Luisah Teish. So much to share about these people... But to start with I will pass on the inquisitive wisdom that Lady Teish excavated from the writing group that I was privileged to attend. Instead of sharing my own writing, I would like to put to YOU her questions, and would love to hear YOUR writings, in the comments of this post.

Here goes:

What is your name?
What does that name mean?
What names were you given?
What names have you taken on or changed?
(nicknames, titles, married names, whatever!)
What do they mean to you?
And how have they shaped your life?

I'll show mine if you show yours..

"How was your trip?"

When I'm asked this question, a flood of images comes to mind. Shall I tell them about the conference itself, the seven, ten hour days of meetings, discussions, introductions, ideas, tensions, and resolutions? Should I tell them about my simple homestay accomodations, how the lovely Ibu and Bapak placed fresh floating hibiscus and frangipani in my "mandi" (tub basin) each morning, and served me sweet kopi and banana jaffles? But the image that wins has to do with these photos: Shuko from Japan, Rina from Aceh, Sumatra, and Chodpaylhamo, from Tibet -- just some of the amazing women leaders who I feel certain will change the world. I had the pleasure of joining them on a quick ride down to the beach one evening, along with Shuko from Japan, and Tresa from Malaysia. We laughed and talked, they each sang in perfect sweet voices songs of bittersweet life from their home countries, with the crash of the waves in the background, and a fine roasted red snapper on the table.
So how was my trip?
I met amazing global activists who inspired my life and my work, and I collected contacts of hundreds of interested participants who will help World Pulse's project: PULSEWIRE.net to grow. But that was only the beginning, as they say...The seeds are barely sewn and need some time and lots of love to sprout..

"Gempa Bumi." 08.08.07

Wed, 8 Aug 2007

that means "earthquake," and yes, i felt it!!!! a 7.5 centered in Jakarta, in the middle of the night, after having dinner with my pals choy and kevin.



I sat right up in bed. out of a dream. it felt like i was between two opposing magnets. that's the best way to explain it. it seemed to last a really long time. i thought it might be the end of the world. I didn't sleep too well last night, but woke up early to a beautiful cool morning, met my pals for a hike in the rice padis as the sun rose over the mountains. then breakfast at their inn, and met their indonesian pal ariwan who is going to drove us all to Medewi..



Photos: rice padis in Western Bali. The Surf at Medewi.

The plums again.

Portland is wrapping itself in the silence of late summer. The plums are nearly gone, just a few blue-black spheres hanging high in the tree. When I shook the branches this afternoon, after arriving at 1 a.m. and being picked up from the airport after 30 + hours of travel by a very true friend, going to a 24 hr smoky diner full of party-ers and brawlers and eating greasy breakfast, unpacking, putting every last item in the laundry...
Then I step outside to see the ground littered with plums, cracking open, languishing, decadent, full to bursting. And that is how i feel right now. So full of stories and imaginings and longings, and with energy to only sit. Splat. In the grass. Until someone picks me up or I eventually melt into the earth. A flash of bright pink orange and then I'm gone.

I see my bloggings ended somewhat abruptly. I got tired of looking forward to experiences, having the experiences, then encapsulating experiences in words... sp I decided instead to just Experience.

So the blog will now be in flashback-form. You know "the rest of the story..." i.e. I'm back, I'm here, I'm tired, happy and grateful. But I will post my memories as they come, in not quite chronological time. I will pick the ripest ones and share a bite with you. Thanks for your patience while I savor..

Mimpi Manis

That means "sweet dream." And yes it was. I'm back now in Portland. But I love this photo that I took on one of my first mornings in Ubud. I can smell the husks of coconut burning alongside diesel fuel, and remember the wondering face of a man watching me take a photo, canonizing his very ordinary day and making it part of my own.

The first meeting of the conference.

Today I got to meet the other delegates and facilitators for the Bali conference. In the Media "pod," I have the pleasure to be accompanied by an American Indigenous poet, and her poet daughter, a Balinese scholar, a professional training facilitator from Comcast..wow! Cool people. During introductions, we went around the circle and were asked, where do you come from, and what do you love about your home community? For me the answer was easy: "I love the intelligence and humor of my community of friends. Some of them may even be described as "cynical" -- but this only belies their generosity, and belief in possibility. In fact, it is because of my friends and family that I am here today."
I mean it, guys. THANKS.

Monkey Morning

Anyone who knows me will be shocked to hear that I happily awoke before the dawn today. Happily. The sounds of the jungle birds, bugs, and yes roosters, are just too enticing. This morning I looked up at the silhouette of a huge tree, and saw a huge monkey hanging from its feet, shoving leaves into his mouth. I later did a similar thing but with my banana coconut pancakes.

Honey, we need roosters.

Last night, checked into a homestay, called "Suwastika Homestay, NO. 9." If you are curious about the "swastika," post your comments please, and I can explain. There are lots of suastikas here. Anyway... lovely old couple run the joint. I couldn't get to sleep, though, even though it was late. Too excited, full moon, and a bit empty bellied. So I went on a long "jalan-jalan" through these familiar streets. It was like falling back into a familiar dream. So little has changed here since 7 or so years ago that I last visited. I had no problem orienting myself, and amazingly the giant run-off holes every 12 feet in the side walks actually had grills in them, versus being deep death pits like they once where.. Anyway, I realized in the moonlight that this place truly and literally has inhabited my dreams, so I visited some of the blocks and corners that I tend to see most in my head. And there they were. I also found a little cafe that served me the most delightful arugula salad with seared peppered tuna, and an ice cold bir bintang.. Ya. life is good. When I got back home and into bed, I slept soundly for the first time in so long I can't remember. I awoke suddenly, and my first thought was that I heard a crowd of frat boys drunkenly "WOOOO HOOO'ing! I was annoyed. Then I realized-- ROOSTERS. everywhere, roosters. But this time I was thankful for the alarm. Had my egg jaffle, bowl of bananas, papaya, pineapple and lime, kopi manis.. and now a little internet time before the conference planning begins tomorrow. I only wish I had my sweetie (and many/any of you wonderful friends) here to share this dreamreality with me.

Su - Karno, Su - Kosta

Our host from the airport was a charming man named Sukosta. He leaned backwards from the front seat with the driver, and began giving the tired and bewildered conference passengers a lesson in everything Bali. I couldn't resist his enthusiasm, and was asking him questions in Indonesian. I asked his name again, because I forgot it. He began to explain: "'SU' - 'means Good', Like "Su - Karno", our Indonesian prrrresident, who was Good. Karno - Listener, because he listen to the People." (Indonesians rrrrolll their rrrrs). I heard myself talk over him to ask, what does Kosta mean, what is SuKosta's name meaning? Ila. Bad. Listener. It was so ironic. And a goooooood lesson for this girl as she embarks on a journey to learn from others...

shaking with excitement

When I (FINALLY!!!) disembarked at the Bali Denpasar airport, the air was at last warm and moist, after all those hours of airport and airplane "air." I met a couple of conference participants who sat by me on the final leg, two nice women from Northern CA, and was chatting a bit while we waited in line for customs, and I realized, I was shaking. My heart was racing. I wanted to burst out of my skin into the evening with my mouth full of Bahasa Indonesia. The first to get it was the customs officer. He gave me the expected 20 questions... (oh, you already are smart speak indonesian how long when where do you have a husband yet). I was full of glee at the perfectly expected-ness of it all.

keep the moon on your left.

The full moon beamed down into my window seat... for over 15 hours. That's a long night. The airplane was out-running the sunrise. Finally, somewhere around Hong Kong, the morning light caught up with us, and beamed through mushroom clouds of pink lightning. But that was just half way..

thinkin bout the plums..

When I left on my first leg of this 30 plus hour journey (I don't remember it being this long...) what i was thinkin about was the plums. The plums in our front yard. If you live in Portland, please come to our house, and pick some plums for me while I'm gone. They turn a smokey blue when they are ready to be plucked, and give slightly to the touch. They are candy sweet, transluscent red and pink inside, with a crazy-tart skin. I leave home just when they are ready. Sometimes timing is everything.

did you hear about the earthquake?

Click here for the CNN report plus a map. Don't worry, Bali is nowhere near the epicenter. But when I arrive there will be another kind of earthquake, yo! An earthquake of awesome-ness! : )

see me featured in the World Pulse Spotlight...

Click here..and scroll down a little..

Forty-eight hours or so..

The countdown begins...

I am leaving for Bali on Friday night, July 27th! Any moment now the buzz and chatter in my head is going to cease, and I'll let myself get very very excited about it!

I have just a few requests from my wonderful friends before I go. No, I'm not asking for more money. Totally covered. (THANKS again).

What I'd like...

1. A great book to read on my 30 plus hours of flying and stop-overing! My general criteria: something adventurous/soul seeking/phenonemenal; nothing too dark or that ends in everyone dying (dwelling in possibility, remember?), having to do with travel and/or SE Asia is a plus but not required, and if you know me, you know that if it's not reasonably well-written by literary standards, it's hard for me to swallow, so no sweet valley high type of pulp, please!
Send me your titles, or, if possible by Friday, send me a book!

2. Next request... the Conference group has asked us to bring a poem or song or performance piece to share with the group. I fear this request. First of all, hello, terrifying, and second of all... I can't decide! If you have a short, positive, beautiful quote that fits with the theme of inspiring positive change and leadership globally... lay it on me!

3. Another special something -- there will be a unique Peace Altar in Bali, and we are asked to bring a little poem or work of art or special item that holds deep meaning to you. If you would like to leave a little piece of love in Bali, send it my way! (If you email something, I will print it out and take it).

4. My only other request.. Please keep watching the ilabali blogspot during the next few weeks! I know it's not much to look at now, but I am planning to populate it with all kinds of neat stuff about the conference, the people I meet and interview.. and I plan to add digital pics and sound as I gather them. How bout that?

I get by with a little help from my friends..

Yeah, I get Bali-High with a little help from my friends...
I can't believe it. Just a little over one month ago, I decided to take this leap of faith, and make the impossible possible by doing one big fat scary thing: asking people I KNOW for money!!!
Now some of you might not realize that I grew up in mortal fear of selling girl scout cookies door to door, and even trick-or-treating gave me an uncomfortable wince of guilt.

But this time, I just knew I had to do it. And the results, $3359...make that $3514! in donated funds, are makin' me happier than a plastic jack-o-lantern full of fun-size snickers! Mmm. Snickers..

Truly, I haven't been this thrilled for a long time. I am doing my best to keep the voices of terror at bay. You know like: "What kind of jerk asks her friends for money?" and "Now that you're going, you sure as hell better rep re sent, yo!" and "How on earth are you going to be able to thank these people enough?!"

Deep breath. Chill out. It's going to be Oh Kay.

* By Emily Dickinson

I dwell in Possibility—
A fairer House than Prose—
More numerous of Windows—
Superior—for Doors—

Of Chambers as the Cedars—
Impregnable of Eye—
And for an Everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky—

Of Visitors—the fairest—
For Occupation—This—
The spreading wide of narrow Hands
To gather Paradise—