Time to say good-bye

As I sit on the plane during my flight back to Jakarta I become overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. We only have few days left in Indonesia, a place that I have called home for the last eight months. I feel a great sadness leaving this country and the wonderful people I have met along this journey, but I am also faced with emotions of happiness and excitement, as I will soon see my family after being away for a year. Most of all I begin to feel anxious as this chapter in my life starts to close and I don’t know what the future will hold. An experience of a lifetime has passed me by in the blink of an eye!

Recently people have been asking me how this experience has been and I have one word – life-changing. This journey has helped me restore confidence in myself and at the end of it I emerge from the forest as a stronger, more self-assured and fiercer woman than when I first entered. 

I have encountered many obstacles, however, I fought each one down and overcame them. I can proudly say I was the first researcher in Sikundur to catch a fungus! It is the large red rash on my neck in the photo. I needed to take two types of antibiotics to get rid of it! Also, the boys finally had enough confidence in me to allow me to use a parang, which is equivalent to a machete. I cut ourselves a few trails and felt really proud of myself! Furthermore, this experience has helped me become more cultured since I have been able to experience a completely different way of life. Their attitudes towards life and happiness are completely different from the western world. In the midst of poverty and desperation, people here always seem to make the most of their life and don’t dwell on what they don’t have.

What I will miss most of course is the forest and the camp assistants.  Listening to the forest wake up is one of the most amazing experiences one can witness. Every morning as I sat on the camp steps drinking my delicious instant coffee, a sense of calm always washed over me as I listened to the sounds of the forest. Each morning I was greeted with the smiles of the assistants, ready to tackle on a new day. The guys at camp (Loga, Ricki, Irfan, Ben, Supri, and Supra) always went out of their way to make us smile, to make our favorite Indonesian dishes and to make sure we were happy with everything. They were our go-to-guys when we had any insect problem, especially with the massive spiders hiding underneath our beds or the venomous centipedes lingering in the bathroom! During our time together in the forest, the camp assistants helped us with the identifications of important plants, animals and fruits, even during the days when the weather was miserable and all you wanted to do was lay in bed listening to the rain hit to the tin roof.  Their help in the forest was indispensable and made this master’s experience truly unique.

 I must say that this journey would not have been the same without my side-kick Helen Slater. She has seen me at my worst and also at my best. We have been side by side (literally) for 8 months and only a few days ago did we spend our first night apart. Helen and I met as complete strangers, but this experience in Indonesia has made us soul sisters, best friends and some people even think we are lovers! We have encountered wild animals such as elephants, we have pulled each other out of swampy water, while being stuck in the mud knee-deep, we have hitched rides on motorbikes and we have survived a tropical storm in the forest all in each others company (plus many more adventures). I never thought that by completing a master’s abroad I would end up meeting a diamond of a friend/sister and end up building a friendship that I know will last a lifetime. Friendships as ours are truly rare and I am forever thankful for this experience we have shared together. I know when we are old we will laugh about many of our adventures together such as that time when a monkey fell out of a tree and almost knocked me out! The company of John and James were also a blessing and were often sources of entertainment for Helen and myself as they behaved like an old married couple. All four us got on exceedingly well and this experience together has allowed us to form a little family unit. These bonds we have formed will keep us united even though large distances will lie between us. 

 I am incredibly sad to leave this country and its wildlife. 

Life in the forest is one that I highly recommend if you ever feel like you need a fresh start at life. Living in the forest gives you perspective on life and on the things that really matter. Also, immersing yourself into a different culture and a different way of life is a really great way to remind yourself of all the blessings you already have and to not take your life for granted at any moment. What we may consider difficulties in our lives may in fact be luxuries for others and it these realities that will keep you grounded for years to come. Encountering wild animals on hikes throughout the forest is a feeling like no other and I am going to miss every single smell, noise, and view I have witnessed over the past eight months. I am finding it incredibly hard to describe what this experience has meant to me, as I am unable to wrap up everything I have experienced into words. I only have one piece of advice for you all: 

Go out there and challenge yourself. 

Put yourself outside of your comfort zone and I can guarantee you will be rewarded beyond your expectations with the adventures you will experience and the people you will meet!