Two weeks to go!

Hello faithful blog readers!

This time, in two weeks, I'll be flying somewhere between Jakarta and Makassar. That's a tad overwhelming thought.

This morning, I was helping out with a breakfast program run in a school in Bendigo. After the program, I was helping washing the dishes in the staffroom. I was telling a couple of girls about how I am going to Indonesia, when I heard a voice come from behind me asking "where are you going?"

There behind me sat a man reading the paper. I told him that I was heading over to Sulawesi. It turns out this man frequently visits Makassar.

I ended up sitting in the staff room until after everybody else left, with an atlas as I talked with my 'new friend' about where we've both been.

How am I feeling about the trip at this point of time? I'm incredibly excited and overwhelmed all at once!

I've been thinking a bit about what it will be like coming home after nearly a month in what's considered to be a third world country. I remember that just after a week in Yogyakarta I found it incredibly difficult with some of the various things that I saw that broke my heart (things like beggars on the street). Where I am going is going to be considerably more poor than 'Yogya.
I've been thinking what it will be like going from a place like Indonesia, back into the hussle and bussle of the christmas season in Australia.

We will see. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - so in my opinion, this will be life changing!

And hereth ends the deepness.

Until my next post,

Sammy


(PS. Feel free to leave comments! I have changed it so that you can leave comments without being a blogger member! If you choose to leave an anonymous message though, make sure you write who you are in the post!!)

first post!

Hello everyone!

Here is my first blog on what I will hopefully be able to keep updated!

I know for some of my readers, you're probably thinking, what on earth is a blog?

Let me briefly explain. A blog is basically a tool used to keep people up to date with their lives, a bit like a news feed. Basically, just keep coming back and look for updates. The web address to this blog is http://travel-with-sammy.blogspot.com

A bit of background info.
I went to Indonesia in 2002 when I was in year 10 with my school, Murrayville Community College. We spent about 7 days in Yogyakarta, Java. Prior to going on this trip, I was thinking of quitting Indonesian as a subject. I gave in to going on the once in a lifetime experience (and it was - you wont find many schools going to Java, let alone Indonesia alone these days) and instead of me giving up on Indonesian, I followed through to VCE with my Indonesian, and then moving 4+ hours away to Bendigo just so I could go on with Indonesian (I had heard great things about Indonesian here at La Trobe).

At the end of 2007, I will have an Indonesian major. I have the trip going to Indonesia, and some fantastic teachers and lecturers to thank with my persistance on this. Without initially going to Indonesia I would have never been ignited with such a passion to embrase studying a second language and another culture!

When the opportunity came up to go to Sulawesi in November, I was quick to apply. And so now here I am. As I write this post it will be 20 days until I go - yes I am counting down!

I believe that it will change my life in a whole new way, just like it did in 2002! It seems like yesterday I was in Yogyakarta, but wow, it was actually 5 years ago!

So I'm all set for the journey.
I have had my injections, I have my passport, and I've paid for my airfare. I just need to sort out a few things to wear, a few souvineers to take over.

Now a bit about what I'm doing over there. Basically, I'm heading over with a group from uni. We're going to a town about the size of Bendigo (but a bit more crammed, think 200,000+ people). We're going to do a bit of language stuff, as well as visit a whole heap of different places. We're also spending a heap of time out in a village (think "the lost tribes"). I'll tell you more about it as we go along.

So here's to Indonesia - keep checking back here for more!