“Mamá, I can’t go to the bathroom because there is a frog on the toilet!” Marcus. 2:00 am.

We decided to move from Ubud to Perenenan. Since Bali is new to us, we thought we would explore a different area for another month before settling into a more permanent home.

Perenenan is a quiet, small beach area west of Ubud and just north of Canggu and Echo Beach, aka surfer’s paradise. There is no jungle here but there are plenty of rice fields all the way down to the beach.

We are settled and happy enjoying our new home for the month and life continues to unfold through fulfilling experiences.

Last week after class, our kids gave us an impromptu tour of Green School and we were once again fascinated by the learning opportunities that they are being exposed to. They proudly showed us all the farm animals, and explained to us how to care for them: pigs, cows, bunnies, an aviary… You name it! They gave us a lesson on Aquaponics while showing us the area devoted to this symbiotic relationship between fish and plants by which fish waste turns into organic food for a vegetable garden. Pretty cool! They brought us to see the vortex. A fantastic way of generating electricity by diverting and “spinning” the water from the river before returning back with no impact to the environment. Eventually, the vortex will get the school completely off the grid! They proudly walked us across the bridges over the river and were fascinated telling us how the middle school kids had designed one of them. We got to eat hot chili peppers from the endless vegetable garden that they all help to grow and that feeds the school kids, parents and staff every day (we have developed a true love for chili peppers over the last few months and we cannot live without them!). We got to admire the compost station and the bee project and the yoga studio… And all three of them were so pleased to share their knowledge with us, they were so empowered by their learning and so proud of their school! It was truly a magical afternoon.

Also this past week, while the kids were at school, Jeff and I had the opportunity to join other Green School parents at a stunning water temple for a beautiful Cleansing Ceremony. We had the honor to be blessed with the Holy Water brought by the Holy Eagle from the neighboring island of Java, at a time when the Hindus had to flee the island before they settled in Bali. We got to drink it and bathe in it and we were able to participate in this beautiful ceremony like true Balinese people. We were invited to pray to the God that creates us, the God that protects us and the God that will destroy us, with beautiful chanting and offerings. It was an unforgettable experience…

Bali’s interesting history, nurturing culture, rich traditions, natural beauty and extraordinary people amaze us every day and we could not feel more fortunate to be here.

Terima Kasih!