Travel Archives

The Monkey Ate My Cookie and Other Stories from Bali.

By Susan Weston / July 10, 2019 / 11 Comments

Leaving Canggu

I made my way to Ubud, Bali. My reservation at Tribe Theory in Canggu was finished. I was sad to leave. Many of the people that stay at Tribe are there for a month or longer. We became a little family. It was my safety net, and I needed to spread my wings and fly.

Ubud

First impressions of Ubud: It is beautiful and very touristy. I assumed the beach towns in Bali would be more crowded, but I was wrong. Ubud has upscale stores and restaurants with the people to match.

Ubud Bali Dairy Queen — Polo Ralph Lauren in Ubud

I am staying at the Shindu Homestay. I have my own patio. There is always a carafe of hot water on the table for tea and coffee. The breakfast is also fantastic and free.

I thought all WIFI was the same. It is not. I have been learning the hard way. I can watch youtube and surf the web without a problem. Teaching English… problem.

I received a slap on the wrist for an IT issue. So I googled the nearest co-working place and practically ran there before my next class. This cost me a lot of money and time.

I am only booked at the homestay until tomorrow. I just, as I am writing this, found a place to stay with appropriate WIFI.

Indonesia’s Visa Process

This might get confusing, so I apologize. The majority of Indonesia’s long-term travelers use one of two types of visas: Free Visit Visa and Visa on Arrival (VOA).

A Free Visit Visa grants you thirty days in Indonesia for free but is not extendable. It is issued at the immigration checkpoint and does not need to be applied for in advance.

A VOA (Visa on arrival) grants you up to sixty days in Indonesia. On arrival at the immigration checkpoint, you need to purchase the visa for $37 BEFORE IMMIGRATION. This grants you thirty days AND the option to extend.

DMV Meme — I am scared the visa process with look like this.

Extending the visa for another thirty days is not the easiest process. It takes three different appointments over a week’s time and more money. From what I have read, it compares to going to the DMV in the US three days in a row.

I’m Going to Malaysia.

After thirty days with a Free Visit Visa or sixty days with a VOA, you must leave the country or face heavy fines. Although there is no specific length of time, you must leave the country before you can come back.

Let me introduce the “Visa Run.” A visa run entails leaving the country and then re-entering to obtain a new visa. The travelers I have met usually fly to the closest, cheapest country and fly black. Sometimes on the same day.

I have a VOA and would have to start the renewal process this week. This will only get me another thirty days, and I will be here longer than that. So I would also have to do a “visa run.”

Instead of going through the whole renewal process, I will fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Instead of turning right back around, I am going to stay there for a few weeks. When I re-enter Indonesia, I should receive a new visa, and it should last me until I come back to the states.

Sorry, that’s a lot of information. In short, I am going to Malaysia for seventeen days. Then I am coming back to Indonesia.

The Monkey Ate My Cookie

I went to visit the Monkey Forest to check one off the “what you are supposed to do when you visit Bali” list. It was a bunch of monkeys with a bunch of tourists trying to take photos. This may sound weird… but I already have a lot of photos with monkeys.

Monkey is hanging with the monkey statue — Monkey Forest

After I left, I went to a pharmacy to buy some food. I had to walk twenty feet, just out the pharmacy’s door and into Hubud. At about thirteen feet, a monkey jumps on me and grabs the whole unopened package of cookies. He came out of nowhere.

The monkey ate my cookies — Crackers Round 2

I put my head down in shame and went back into the store to buy another package of cookies. This time I put the package down my pants and ran door to door.

I would not have been a happy girl if that monkey stole my cookies again. You can steal my cookies once, and I will let it go. Twice, I’ll cut you. Obviously, the monkey would kick my ass, but I would give it a good fight. And flip him off as the ambulance drove away.

Monkey with stolen cookies — I went outside later and he was still eating them!

Word of advice: Do not pay to get into the monkey forest. Just hang out in the area around it with a box of cookies. Preferably vanilla filled.

Living in Bali… Past My Prime?

By Susan Weston / July 8, 2019 / 6 Comments

I have been living in Bali for two weeks now. I am slowly seeing the island and learning about the culture. All while teaching english. It has been interesting.

Ghost Palace Hotel

I went on a little excursion last week with some Tribe members. We stopped at the Ghost Palace Hotel. Originally known as PI Bedugul Taman Rekreasi Hotel and Resort.

I am not sure if it is really haunted, but it does have an interesting story. The hotel was almost finished when the owner went to jail and the project stopped. It never opened.

The hotel is open to the public. You just have to pay the “security guard” at the fence a few dollars. It is massive. I only had time to explore the lobby area. I plan to go back. But not at night or by myself.

In America, a place like this would be boarded up with “no trespassing” signs everywhere. Or it would be a “historic museum” with a $10 donation to see three rooms. Just look. Don’t touch.

I fell in a hole

That is the story. I went to the corner store for some candy and was running from tree to tree so I wouldn’t get hit by a scooter.

I took a step backwards and fell in a water canal that runs down the side of the road. Thankfully there was no water in it. I ended up with a few scrapes and bruises but my pride was hurt the most. A little girl watched the whole thing.

Past my prime?

I was in class with a twelve year old Chinese girl. I was asking about her family. She was very good at english and we could carry on a simple conversation.

She asked me if I had any children. I said, “No.”
Then she asked if I had a husband. I said, “No.” Looking at me with confusion, she asked, “How old are you?.” “I am 34.”

Well at this point she was about to fall off her chair. “No, no, no,” shaking her head, “You should have a husband and children.”

Imagine how you feel when your mom questions you at Thanksgiving. Trust me, a twelve year old girl… ten times worse.

Pahk the Cah

V IPKID is going well. Even though I do not have a thick accent anymore, I can not deny the facts. I will always eat Fluffernutters, it’s a bureau not a dresser and I will never say my R’s right.

Guess what my lesson was covering… the “ar” sound. I might have skipped over some stuff and pretended the connection was bad.

So don’t worry.. the kids in China will speak Boston. It’s called well rounded.

The Squat Toilet

And I present to you a squat toilet…

I discussed this in my last blog. I was shocked the hostels have had western toilets.

Normally, places in Asia have a squat toilet. This photo is of a bathroom at a house I was visiting.

If you ever come across this yourself. It is okay. Be confident and act like you know what to do. If you really don’t, then you can learn here.

Travel Tip

Shoe Rack in Bali — No shoes past this point.

Shoes are a big no no. Homes, restaurants, stores, hotel rooms, etc. It is really nice to walk around bare foot. Although, I have had a few moments where I felt like I forgot something.

What I wish I knew my first week with VIPKID.

By Susan Weston / July 5, 2019 / Leave a Comment

My first week with VIPKID was a little rough. I was getting home from my winter nursing assignment. I was freaking out about not getting bookings. I was reading that it took some people months. I didn’t have months.

My first week, I tried to cram so much stuff in. I had never taught ESL before. And I quickly realized it was going to be a lot more complicated than I thought.

I tried to get every certification. I opened every slot. Never unpacked. I Sat on my bed, checking my phone every hour. When I did sleep, I was waking up every hour to check my slots. I was about to lose it.

Practice makes progress not perfect. VIPKID Quote

One morning, after my 3rd workshop of the day, I finally just closed my computer and told myself that I could not work on VIPKID for the rest of the day. I closed my open bookings. And I went for a run. Ok… maybe a walk. I ended up getting two bookings that day, and I felt like all the information I had gathered the previous days finally sunk in.

I actually got a booking on my 2nd day. But when I read the other teachers’ notes, the student seemed like a “problem child.” Great. This booking wasn’t until the next week; therefore, I had a week to fester in my anxiety.

My advice for your first week VIPKID:

1. Take workshops.

I got hired and then didn’t take it any further until I got back to Vegas after my winter nursing assignment… When I sat down at my computer, I realized I had no idea where to start. I learned so much in the workshops. And there are workshops for every topic.

2. Do not take too many workshops.

DON’T sign up for five workshops a day. By the time I was on my 3rd workshop, I couldn’t focus, and I felt like I wasn’t learning anything even though I’m sure it was very informative.

3. Take the workshop “Marketing Yourself.”

It talks about how to tweak your profile and what Chinese Parents look for.

4. Don’t make yourself crazy.

5. It’s not as bad as you think.

I was losing sleep for no reason. I know I am not the best teacher, but I realized the 25 minutes go by quickly. It is a lot easier to talk to a real child instead of a wall or some guy pretending to be a five-year-old.

6. Preparation will get easier.

I am super organized and need to be prepared. I made a binder and organized it by level. It made me feel better, but even after my second class, I realized you wouldn’t have to prepare as much as you may feel like you do. Yes, in my first class, I made notes and practiced. It took me all day. Because of all my preparation for my first class, my second class only took me about thirty minutes of preparation. It helped that it was the same student and the same unit, but I understand what teachers say.

I hope this decreases the anxiety you have when you first start with VIPKID. Just remember, it will get easier. If you are not a teacher yet and are interested in becoming one, you can learn more here. And please use my referral link to apply.