tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86870185726769449882024-03-05T18:24:50.283+07:00Starting my 30's in MalaysiaI spent three years overseas teaching at International Schools, two in Malaysia and one in Indonesia. I recently returned to the US for a few years so that I can see family since I had two family members pass away recently, one while I was still overseas and I hadn't been home in 3 years. I want to spend a few years back in the US seeing family and friends. I also want to work on my Master's so I can move up in the International School World. Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-91956361509893816032015-01-28T10:06:00.000+07:002015-01-28T10:06:07.114+07:00Another Rhyme of Mel
I know I haven't been doing very good at blogging this year. I was working on a project last night and wrote this poem. The first part is actually very similar and in some parts the same as I poem I wrote at least a year ago, but the rest is different.
There once was a girl
named Mel
She liked exploring quite well
One day she decided to stay longer overseas
so she moved to Southeast Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-55692435519371629892014-10-27T02:42:00.000+07:002014-10-27T02:42:09.754+07:00Fall Break October 2014My parents came to visit me in Arizona over my 4 day weekend (Fall Break) in earlier this month (October) since I hadn't seen them since last February. We did a lot while they were here. They arrived Thursday about the time I got done with school, so I introduced them to fellow staff. Then, we went and dropped some of their stuff off and they got to see my new place. After that we went downtown Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-37683116407459920422014-10-27T01:26:00.001+07:002014-10-27T01:27:22.930+07:00Grand Canyon West 26th Anniversary
Eagle Point
I was invited to go to the 26th Anniversary
celebration of Grand Canyon West. It was Saturday April 26, 2014. I went with
another co-worker and then we met up with another co-worker, her husband, their
daughter and a nephew. It was raining on the way up and then snowing when we
got up there. I had gotten out a sweatshirt, but then left it thinking that I
was taking too much Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-16166901859074245772014-03-12T10:51:00.000+07:002014-05-01T01:43:08.122+07:00A Ghost town, A hot air balloon festival and caverns
Over Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, I started working on exploring Arizona. First on Sunday we went to Oatman, a ghost town, on Route 66. It is advertised as the ghost town that won't die. It kind of reminds me of Keystone in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It has a main street and little shops all up and down the street. We pretty much went in every shop and looked around. There were lots ofMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-62790875027822908032014-03-12T02:13:00.002+07:002014-03-12T11:23:16.345+07:0011 Questions
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.
<!--[endif]-->Who was your most memorable teacher, and why? My 6th grade teacher was very special to me. I have known since I was in Kindergarten that I was going to be a teacher, but she is probably the first teacher that really encouraged me to actually become a teacher. I also remember giving her a present (even though I don't remember the Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-3015335089453785262013-12-31T08:42:00.000+07:002013-12-31T08:43:51.455+07:00Thanksgiving 2013
Hoover Dam
For Thanksgiving 2013 I traveled to Oklahoma City where my brother lives. Our parents also joined us. I had not seen my brother since 2009 since I didn't come back to the US the entire time I was overseas and he didn't have enough time off of work to come all the way over there to see me. On the way to the Las Vegas airport the lady who took me stopped at the Hoover Dam so Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-89820757222642001422013-12-31T06:32:00.002+07:002013-12-31T06:32:50.746+07:00Looking Back at 20132013 has been a very challenging year. With just the way things worked out I spent Christmas 2012 and New Years 2013 by myself in Indonesia. It was a very long and boring holiday break. The house that I was living in had some problems and so I spent most of the break putting up with that as everyone else was on holiday. January I was back to school and gave notice that I would not be returning Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-33023797383715606442013-11-03T09:50:00.000+07:002014-05-01T01:43:58.698+07:00Cowboy boots and Tattoos
I grew up in Wyoming and so there was lots of cowboys and
Western wear. I went to the Rodeo once when I was young with a friend of mine.
I don’t remember what happened except that I was traumatized and have never
been to one since. I did like to go horseback riding and wished that I could
have had a horse when I was growing up. I was never interested in wearing any
western wear. I also am not a Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-2351618851580050472013-10-15T05:29:00.003+07:002013-10-15T05:29:30.585+07:00Appreciation
Over the last few years I have learned more about
appreciation and things I have taken for granted.
Hot water & showers- I grew up taking showers with hot
water and for me it was just a given. When I moved to Malaysia I rented a room
with bathroom in a boarding house and it did not come with hot water. I took
cold showers for the first few months and it was so hard. Even though later in
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-34394076253123439262013-10-14T11:00:00.003+07:002014-05-01T01:44:22.392+07:00Cries in the Night
I was super tired Thursday night October 3, 2013 so I went
to be early around 8:30p.m. I woke up the next morning slightly before 4:30a.m.
to use the restroom. When I got back in bed I heard this knocking on a wall and
then I heard a man calling for help. I lay there for a few minutes and he kept
calling for help. I couldn’t tell where the man was. I knew that the people in
the apartment below Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-91837764261781358272013-09-01T23:19:00.001+07:002014-05-01T01:43:38.722+07:00My 33rd Birthday
I am continuing the tradition that I started on my 30th birthday. I am celebrating each birthday in my 30’s someplace new. My 30th was Malaysia, 31st-Singapore, 32nd-Indonesia and now my 33rd-Arizona.
Cards from students
It turned out to be a much better birthday than I thought. I have only lived in Arizona for a month and don’t really know many people. Since it was weekday I knew Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-2952161074670405572013-07-01T23:41:00.002+07:002013-07-05T11:15:49.200+07:00Three Years Later-Home
Lots of beautiful sunsets here
It has been almost three years since I left the US to live overseas and I am back in the US for the first time. So far, I don't think it has been too big of an adjustment. I have heard lots about reverse culture shock, but maybe I haven't been home long enough to feel it. I have noticed a few things that are different like all of the buildings seem very squat Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-30478484474844750842013-05-19T18:58:00.001+07:002013-05-19T18:58:27.599+07:00Bali
Sanur beach behind hotel
I have been putting off going to Bali for a variety of reasons, but decided I better go soon so that I didn't put it off too long and never go. Especially since I am living in Indonesia and it is so close. It is less than an hour flight from where I live and it would be silly to not go while I am so close.
Temple at hotel
We had Thursday and Friday Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-85681505297132752432013-05-16T13:20:00.000+07:002013-05-16T13:21:22.557+07:00Rhymes of MelThere once was a girl named Mel
She liked exploring quite well
One day she decided to stay longer overseas
so she moved to Malaysia with ease
The culture was very different from her own
and it was hard to be all alone
She met lots of great people
who she found to be her equal
She learned lots of new things
and to her old way of thinking she no longer clings
She took the opportunity to travel toMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-45773951002952389382013-05-15T15:41:00.000+07:002013-05-15T15:41:28.537+07:00Bali & PurpleWe have been working on poetry this week and it has been awhile since I have really sat down an written a poem or two or three. Most of the time I like to start out by handwriting the poems. These are the two I like best so far. I have done Diamante poems before but since I went to Bali last weekend this one is on Bali.
Bali
hot, sunny
walking, sightseeing,
eating
waves crashing at
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-33873164652097138342013-04-26T15:20:00.002+07:002013-04-26T15:26:59.140+07:00Chopsticks and My Favorite Part of the Day
Chopsticks
California roll (front)
Last Sunday April 21st I went with a friend to Sushi Hana my first time really having sushi. I tried a California roll once but I don't know that it was really sushi, a friend made it. So, this time I had real sushi. I know that some people are surprised that I have lived here for almost three years and haven't had sushi. There was one place inMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-74469151152627075662013-03-28T17:40:00.000+07:002013-03-28T17:51:37.587+07:00Weakness is a Strength or Not?
I read this blog post
about weakness as a strength and it has been tumbling around in my head
ever since. I thought it was an interesting perspective and at first I
thought I disagreed. I really enjoy reading Adrienne's thoughts and
they are inspiring. There have been several that have made me dig down
deep and really look at things I have not looked at for awhile. To pick
up things Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-30229274870487905592013-03-12T12:18:00.000+07:002013-03-12T12:18:45.015+07:00Loss Loss happens in everyone's life. It is an inevitable part of life and no one is exempt from it. My paternal grandma passed away my first year of teaching. It was hard because even though I was out to see her that Christmas I felt guilty that I was so far away. My paternal grandpa died when I was one, but I have been very close to my other three grandparents. Family has always been more important Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-2190626937122320152013-03-09T17:29:00.000+07:002013-03-09T17:30:40.856+07:00Indonesian-Chinese WeddingOn Saturday, March 2, 2013 I went to the wedding of a relative of one of my colleagues. It was another wonderful experience that I will never forget. I got to be included in the family part of the activities so got to see lots of the behind the scenes. I met my colleague/friend early in the morning about 7:45a.m. to travel to the bride's parents' house. We were ushered upstairs to the bride's Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-47475813189293785222013-02-13T20:34:00.001+07:002013-03-10T14:11:53.712+07:00Chinese New Year 2013
Shop at Kasongan
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-58413802347437740972013-02-03T22:18:00.000+07:002013-02-07T05:52:54.747+07:00Melanie I got this idea from Ms. Paula http://negotiatingmeaning.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-short-message-and-poem-welcome-2013.html?spref=tw My Where I am From Poem.
I am from Rapid City
My paternal grandma didn’t want me named Sara Elizabeth
Instead I am Melanie from Gone with the Wind
Mom went back to work part time
when I was 6 months
an elderly couple took care of me
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-24085517344565227402013-01-12T15:23:00.001+07:002013-01-12T15:23:38.687+07:00Letters (more thoughts from the Pen Pal post)Yesterday I got a handwritten letter from back home from a a friend and it was so exciting. Even though I have been playing around with how to combine the old and new, handwriting and technology when it comes to letters. I have to say getting a letter in the mail will always be my favorite way to communicate. I follow The Clever Sheep's blog and when I was going through my reading list I came Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-50647675444891214992013-01-10T20:22:00.000+07:002013-03-10T14:16:16.661+07:006 months in Indonesia
Pool at Ciputra club
I have now lived in Indonesia for 6 months. I decided since this is my second country overseas instead of blogging about all the little differences I have noticed I would just summarize and put into one post. I have also made some comparisons between Malaysia and Indonesia.
School- In Malaysia I taught at a school, using American curriculum, of 70 Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-80135052240847662982013-01-10T14:22:00.000+07:002013-03-09T17:38:32.470+07:00East Java Tour
Purwodadi Botanical Garden
A man who has lived in Surabaya for around 24 years does tours of different parts of East Java on weekends. They are just day trips. I signed up for the Discover East Java Tour that took place on Sunday, November 25, 2012. We assembled at the meeting place and got on a small bus. There were a few people from my school that went on the tour and several from two Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687018572676944988.post-40897713939012301552013-01-10T12:27:00.004+07:002013-03-09T17:44:43.935+07:00Majapahit Hotel and Spa
This is from walking back to the Spa
I have been to the spa at the Majapahit Hotel three times and once to Sarkies restaraunt. I have to say it is my favorite place in Surabaya. I would like to go there more often, but with traffic it is almost an hour's journey. I have gone for three spa packages. I have done the Eastern Princesss, once and the Chinese Empress, twice. I thought their Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727642249363795465noreply@blogger.com0