How do you put all this into words?

What an action packed last couple of weeks I have had. Between internet that can never be counted on and how difficult it can be to explain the wonders of Bali in words, I have kind of neglected the blog lately. Mostly because trying to explain the magic and joy of some of the things that have happen lately is kind of hard and leaves me kind of lost or words. So lets just start at the beginning.

So the Balinese Hindu holiday of Nyepi came around and it was way more special than I expected. Right before hand alot of my friends were making plans to leave the island because for Nyepi, there is no use of any electricity for 24 hours and everyone must stay inside. I have to say I was a little bummed at first, hearing my friends are going on fun surf trips and boat trips, and I was thinking, “What am I gonna do all day at home in Bali for Nyepi? ohhhh nooo..” But it actually turned out to be a super pleasant experience and one that Im glad to be apart of and know I will see many more in the future. The night before Nyepi every village in Bali parades huge, evil spirtual looking statues through the village that the young boys all spend alot of time making as their duty to their community. They believe that parading the statues around makes the evil spirits in them happy. After that everyone goes home and gets ready for Nyepi. The reason why there is no power and everyone must stay inside is because Nyepi is a day where it is believed that many bad spirits are roaming around. By staying inside and not making any noise or using electricity, the bad spirits will pass over you and leave you and your home alone for the year, until the whole process to please these evil spirits is repeated.
I have to say that the spiritual air did feel a bit dense as I watched the ogoh-ogoh statues parading through my families village the night before Nyepi, but at the same time I was just so stoked to witness such an old and much respected tradition in the Balinese calendar. I spent the evening with Edi’s brother Wayan and his wife and daughters. It was so nuts being the blondie in the middle of the huge crowd, there must have been at least a thousand people around watching and showing support to their local boys who had spent weeks and weeks making these statues, and this was the time to show off their work. There was fireworks and ice cream and it was just alot of fun. I have great videos that I wish I could show you all but the internet here is so dang slow!

So there is something amazing that has happened here that I am so stoked about and really excited to fill you in on! There is a local magazine here called Magic Wave. It is a surfing magazine that is free and really done in a way that lifts up the local communities of surfers within Indonesia and takes the time to honor them and spread the love! I have been given the opportunity to work for them, unpaid, as their Public Relations girl and also getting to contribute to the magazine. It is such an answered prayer for me because as you all know my heart is big for the local surfers in Bali and my goal is to see them be honored and blessed by the sport of surfing. For example, there are these 2 boys from Uluwatu, where I normally surf, who have been surfing so well. I went to our chief editor and asked if I could write an article about the boys, because I really felt the deserved some recognition. I was able to sit down and interview the boys, go for a surf with them, and write an article that will be put in the mag in May. The local crew at Uluwatu asks me about this article all the time because they are all affected by it, because of it they get to have some light shone onto their village, their community, and who they are. They all have thanked me for it, but Im just stoked to be able to give back in such a great way. I also got to go to the local university here with the magazine. Our staff photographers were teaching a class on photography at a media seminar for the students. I tagged along as the PR girl and got to sit with students and spend some time getting to know them all. I met beautiful girls from Java dressed in tradition Muslim head coverings while in class and it really opened my eyes to the lives of these kids. I had a blast and the best part was being apart of helping these kids use their passion for the arts and expression. I will be in the magazine next month and will be sure to post the link so you can all download it yourselves at home. Im really stoked about the platform it has given for me to serve, and has kind of showed me that my possibilities here are endless, and the only way from here is up! You all can check out the magazine at www.magicwave.org.

I have been going through a little bit of things spiritually and would love to have prayer for this. I also am really feeling a desire to find a new place to live and so Im not sure what will happen with that so would love prayer for that as well.

I have really had lots of great opportunities to explore my heart and passion here and I want to thank everyone for supporting me for that. I cant imagine getting on a plane and leaving this place, leaving these people. I dont know whats headed for me in the future and I know that Im still so young, but I feel every day that this place becomes more and more exactly where I want to be!
Here are some photos of whats been happening.. enjoy!

Ogoh-ogoh statue from Edi’s village.

Hanging out with the university students with the Magic Wave family. I even got to try on their uniform!

oh yeah, and I’m brunette… I havent been brunette in like, 5 years!!! what do ya think?!

Much love from the island of Bali
Kadek Michaela