I started school!

Ladies and gentlemen, this girl started school. On Monday morning, I woke up at the crack of dawn, got dressed in my shiny, new, not-too-revealing school uniform, ate a quick breakfast, and was rushed out the door to school with my host mom and liaison, Priyanka.

My family and I on my first day!

We headed to the school that would in a few days, quickly steal my heart. The second I stepped foot through the towering, steel gates I was greeted by a mix of puzzled expressions and enthusiastic, "Hellos!" After a quick meeting with the school headmaster, I was escorted up to my new classroom. The second I entered the class went crazy. Now, I say crazy but, really that's an understatement. Picture what your reaction would be if you won the lottery. Twice. Now multiply that by thirty loud, enthusiastic, Indonesian teenagers and that's sort of how that went. The class was shouting things like, "beautiful" and "Selena Gomez is here." Just to name a few. After a few introductions, I got the honor of a seat right in the front of the class. My first day of school was one big hot mess. Let's be honest. Between not knowing what anyone was saying and having everyone want to touch my hair and having people ask me,"Do you know Justin Bieber?" and taking millions of photos and sweating like a dog in that dang uniform, I was grateful when the last bell rang.

Keep smiling! It's an Indonesian thing. 

Tough guys.

However, the next day went much smoother. The day was filled with singing songs and playing guitar. For whatever reason, all Indonesians have been blessed with a musical gift. I was serenaded by the boys of the class multiple times and I really enjoyed it. Really, really enjoyed it.

Sandy teaching me guitar :)

I swear I'm usually good at history but...

While everyone still wanted to talk to me and take photos, it was okay. Everyone is so friendly, and so welcoming, and really wants to take strides to make sure I feel at home. My classmates are hilarious, my teachers are understanding, and everyone in the school is just great. SMA Kartika, congratulations. Because you've officially won this American girl's heart.

Until next time,

Nature Mal signing off (Reference for Charis Ramsing) :)

First Impressions

So I'm in Indonesia. Wait, what? Did I really just say that? Am I really here or am I dreaming? Because honestly, I can hardly tell. This whole YES Abroad journey has felt sort of surreal. I thought things would sink in in Washington D.C. at the PDO. They didn't. I thought things would sink in when I was saying goodbye to my three best friends and my family. They didn't. I thought things would sink in as I was in the air to Hong Kong. They didn't. And guess what? Now that I'm here, sitting in my new home in Bandung, it still hasn't hit me.

So while I'm still trying to process where I am, here's a recap of my first week away from home. Tuesday morning, August 20th, I headed off to the airport to leave Bozeman. The night before I finished packing, and said goodbye to my best friends. After a few teary-eyed goodbyes, I was on my way to NYC. The rest of the YES girls met again for a one night, quick pre-departure orientation.

Indonesia girls at dinner

Toasting to a good year with some sparkling cider

Our last picture before the airport!

Then came the flying. The eight Indonesia AFSers and myself were in hysterics before preparing to board our first flight. We were talking about our excitement, our nerves, and how quickly we were getting slapped in the face with reality. Then I noticed a random dude wearing glasses. “Now why in the world is this loser wearing glasses in an airport at night?”My mind immediately jumped to a conclusion: there would soon be a celebrity on this flight. I talked it over with the rest of the crew, all while being called crazy for thinking that this guy was legit. Me being the independent person I am, would not budge. I came to the conclusion that this too-cool-for-school looking guy wearing stunner shades and a snazzy leather coat had to be the one and only, Jon Bon Jovi. I immediately whipped out my phone and googled an image, only to make me further believe that this guy was him. And let me tell ya, I was convinced. Myself and Bre started hardcore fangirling. We boarded the plane, scoped for him, and thought he had disappeared to the first class. Disappointed and let down, we made our way to our back of the plane, economy class, seats. But then, BOOM. Bon Jovi and crew were sitting in the very last row of the plane. Long story short, Mr. Jon Bon Jovi himself moved up to the seat behind me. Over the course of my five hour flight to Vancouver, he gave me some pretty stellar life advice, and I gave him some as well. When he got off in Vancouver, I was left with nothing more than a few crappy photos and his airplane blanket. So that was pretty neat. 

We spent a few quick hours in Hong Kong, exploring and trying some interesting Hong Kong Food. 

Before I attempted chop sticks

Our final flight was from Hong Kong to Jakarta. Which for the majority of time, was spent sleeping. When we finally touched down, I was quickly drenched in sweat. Picture a snowman melting. It was in this moment that I realized my two inch thick, Nike sweats probably weren't the best idea for Jakarta. I quickly solved that problem by changing into jeans, which were still quite hot. We made our way to shuttles, and were taken on an hour long drive through Jakarta to our orientation site. Now, I say we were taken on a drive. But really, it was more like we were taken on a roller coaster for an hour straight. Everything I had heard about Indonesian driving was true. We side swept cards, nearly took out people on motor bikes, didn't stay in between any lines, and pounded on the horn. I got a front seat view to what I thought were going to be for sure fatal car accidents. But, to my surprise, everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and everyone was calm and collected. When we arrived to the orientation site, we got our room assignments and we checked in. Arrival orientation was a whirlwind of meeting other AFS exchange students from all over the world, learning basic Bahasa, talking about cultural norms, and adjusting to the new food. Overall, it was super fun!

My view of Jakarta from our balcony

First meal!

Sarah attempting to squat it like it's hot

Sometimes random people will ask foreigners for photos

Matching pants!

Bules go adventuring.

All 38 of the AFS Indonesia students for 2013-2014. Keep smiling!

YES girls on our way to the American Embassy... Party!

On our last day of Arrival Orientation, the YES Abroad girls got to take a visit to the US Embassy where we discussed safety in Indonesia. Later that evening, AFS Indonesia had a welcoming party for all of the AFS Indonesia students. At the party, each country got to showcase there culture with a country booth, as well as an act in the talent show. When it comes to special culture, the US sort of lacks. So what did us Americans decide to do for the talent show? A mash up of pop culture dances. You could say it was a huge hit. Did I mention that we performed this crazy dance in front of the American Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia, as well as other Embassy officials? Well, we did. After a night of good company and good food, our orientation was over.

And that brings me to today, Wednesday, August 28. After a four hour drive to Bandung from Jakarta, I finally got to get settled in with my host family. I was picked up by Bunda, (my host mom) and was taken to my new home.

Home sweet home for a year

I immediately felt like I was at my own home, and I was ecstatic to finally have a place to call my own again. Living out of a suitcase gets old fairly quickly. Tired from my five am wake up call and four hour long journey, I fell asleep fairly early. This morning I was woken up by the Call to Prayer around 5:30- much earlier than I am used to. However, Bandung looked much too beautiful to stay in bed, and it was calling my name. So I rolled out of bed and went for a morning stroll. I talked to the locals and attempted some Bahasa.

 

Overall, I'm so happy to finally be here in Bandung. The quirks and cultural differences of Indonesia are crazy, but, I wouldn't trade this place anything.

Until next time,
Mallory

New Vlog Post!

Hey, everyone! So as I'm sure you know, Charis and I have a VlogBrothers style vlog. I recently created the first solo vlog of the series. Please check it out!

Click here for the latest vlog!

I Have a Host Family!

Ladies and gentlemen, this girl finally has a host family! I groggily rolled out of bed yesterday, ate a quick breakfast, and being as tired as I was, went right back up to my bed for a nap. When I woke up, I grabbed my phone and started checking Facebook. I saw that Izzy had posted on our page and said, "I have my family and I'll be in Surabaya!" Just as I was about to start feeling sorry for myself that I STILL didn't have a host, my phone vibrated. I went to my email, and saw, "AFS: Your Permanent Host Family Placement with AFS-Indonesia." I got way, way, way too excited and screamed. I then tripped over my dog on the floor, and rushed over to my computer. 

Aren't they the cutest?

So this is my cute family! I have a beautiful mom named Irma, a father named Andriti, an 11 year old sister named Adziqa, and a 5 year old brother named Faiq. My mom is a doctor and my dad works for a telecommunication company. My mom did an exchange to Belgium, so that's great because she has gone through an exchange herself before. My new family loves to go out and do new things on the weekends together. Mom loves to cook. Dad likes to play soccer every week. Adziqa likes to draw and takes piano lessons. And Faiq likes to play soccer and bike! 

Some more family photos

                               

I forgot to mention, I will be in Bandung! I will be there with Breanna. From the beginning we said we would be together because we were roommates at the IPSE, and then we were placed in the same country, and we will now be in the same city! Bandung is the third largest city in Indonesia with a population of 2.4 million people. Bandung is surrounded by volcanoes and a river. So that's pretty neat. Because of the city's elevation, the climate is actually cooler than other places on Java. Hallelujah. The average temperature is 75 degrees. 

More about Bandung later. I am so very thankful for my host family! I have exchanged emails with my mom and I don't think she could be any sweeter. Getting my host family has certainly made my upcoming journey much more real, and I cannot be more excited for my upcoming year. 

38 days,
Mal Pal

 

The Puhh-Dough.

Leaving people is hard. Leaving people that I have fallen completely in love with is even harder. I have just arrived home from debatably the best four days of my life, the YES Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation. Aka, the PDO. Or as I like to call it, the Puhh-Dough. Charis and I drove up to the 4-H Conference Center together on Wednesday. Pulling up to the place that I wasn't sure I would ever see again brought on so many different emotions. The excitement hit me, and things became real. We quickly checked in and were given our room assignments, our official YES t-shirts, YES tote bags, and our handbooks. We were super excited about those shirts, let me tell ya. The rooms were assigned based on alphabetical order. So, I roomed with Maria, Mae, and Marin (Thailand, Oman, and South Africa.) Our first night was spent eating dinner, going over introductions, and meeting the rest of our country groups. We also had to plan for what we would do if a zombie apocalypse happened when we touched down in our country. 4/8 Indo girls said they would chose me to be their partner in crime because you know, I'm from Montana and know how to survive and stuff.

Your 2013-2014 YES Abroad Indonesia Girls! From left to right, Carly, Sarah, Me, Emily W, Izzy, Emily R, Ellen, and Bree

The second we sat down at our round table, I knew that our Indonesia group was a match made in heaven! We have the largest group, and it's all girls. Can you say girl power? After an incredibly long day, it was time for bed. Well, let's be honest, my room didn't fall asleep until around 2:00 AM. But you know, that's another story. The next day was FANTASTIC. After breakfast, we boarded a bus to the State Department, where we then hopped on another bus with the YES Indonesia inbound students who were just finishing their years in the US. Together, we rode over to the Indonesian Embassy. To say it was a party would be an understatement. I first connected with a girl named Ade who, go figure, was hosted in Great Falls, Montana! We instantly bonded. 

Ade and I after arriving at the Embassy

Our time at the embassy began with us taking hundreds of pictures. (Indonesians are super into selfies and Instagram. Can I get a hallelujah?) We then all sat down and listened to a speech by the one and only, Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, the Indonesian ambassador to the United States. I could try and sum up all of the great things he had to say but, I think that this video gives him more justice. 
Click here to hear the Indonesian Ambassador's speech!
Here's a funny story. After the speech, the ambassador came right up to me and asked if I wanted to take a selfie. Yes, a selfie. So, of course I did.

My selfie with Mr. Ambassador. Word.

After the speech, it was time for food. I couldn't tell you everything we ate but, it was pretty good. There was rice, (of course,) satai, and other things that I can't pronounce. It was all very, very good.

A little bit of the food I tasted

The rest of our time at the embassy was spent talking with the inbounds, singing songs around the piano, and dancing. At the end of our visit, some students wanted to show us their traditional dance. Apparently all Indonesians are blessed with amazing dance abilities. So, they got up there and did there thing. Of course, me being Mallory, I had to get up there and try dancing along with them. Now, I usually consider myself a fairly great dancer but, I was put in my place. I ended up looking quite silly but, you know, when in Rome.

In the few hours I spent at the Embassy, I fell in love with the Indonesian students. Every single one of them was welcoming, friendly, humble, and grounded. All apprehensions I had about spending a year amongst kids I didn't know were quickly put to rest. 

Indo girls in front of the Embassy

Indonesian statue outside of the Embassy

Party at the Indonesian Embassy!

Sarah and her newfound friends

Izzy and I making our best Indonesian faces

It was so beautiful inside!

Best friends!

When it was finally time to leave, we said our goodbyes and hopped on a bus to the Department of State. After going through security, our YES country groups were lead into a large conference room. We were then addressed by  Rick Ruth, Senior Advisor at the Bureau of Cultural and Education Affairs. He gave us some very inspiring words, and discussed his goals for us and our upcoming years. Following that, we then had a Q&A with a panel of State Department employees who represented our countries. The panel was incredible, many of them having multiple degrees and perfect SAT vocabulary. Myself and the other YES kids posed great questions, and overall the session was a success. 

In front of the State Department

Following our time at the Department of State, we then walked to the Lincoln Memorial where we were given time to explore and take lots of pictures.

Looking super professional with my favorite Floridian, Christian

Indo girls at the Lincoln Monument!

From there, we headed back to the 4-H center. The next day was spent having multiple workshops on religion, digital storytelling, health and safety, and my personal favorite, "not good, not bad, just different." Of course, in the midst of all these workshops the Indo girls had more bonding time and took even more pictures. 

Attempting our best Indonesian poses

Indo dinner date!

With what seemed like the blink of an eye, the PDO was over. The dreaded moment had finally arrived. It was time to say our goodbyes. For some country groups, it meant they were headed right off to India and Thailand. For others, it meant returning back to their homes and awaiting their departure dates. No matter the case, it was rough on everyone. YES Abroad is a family. And although family members may not see each other often, and although they may live all over the globe, they always hold a special place in your heart. So, with that said, Watch out, world. Because the YES Abroad 2013-2014 class is coming for you, and we've got big things planned. 

Until next time,

     You know who

Cupcakes, Suburbia, Courage Bracelets, and Segways: My Week with Charis

June 20th. The day had finally arrived that I would be reunited with my best YES friend, Charis. We hadn't seen each other since way back in March at the IPSE, but over the course of a few months we had grown to be pretty close and decided I needed to take a visit. My plane touched down in Reagan International Airport and the excitement started to build. I sprinted. Ran. Skipped. All the way over to her. You could say our reunion was a good one but, that would be an understatement. 

I could probably write a novel about our week together. However, I think these videos do more justice. Our first day was spent prancing in the river and being nature enthusiasts. 

And on another day, we went for a segway adventure in Annapolis. Now, I don't know if any of you have ever rode segways but, they aren't for sissies. Charis and I OWNED those Segways. Our first hour was spent getting a historical tour of the area. We visited the Naval Academy, the Governor's Mansion, haunted mansions, and the Thurgood Marshal Monument. Little known fact here, it is nearly impossible to fall off of a segway. In fact, our tour guide had only ever had one person fall off in all her years working there. Well, in an attempt to warn me that a car was coming, Charis took quite the spill. Yep. She was the unfortunate one to fall off of the segway. Her injuries included two very scraped knees, a scratch on her chin and elbow, and a few bruises. Thankfully, she survived. After the tour, we were given an hour of free time to explore the rest of Annapolis. It was an excellent day.

Charis and I on the docks of Annapolis

In front of the Naval Academy

We also spent a day in Baltimore Inner Harbor. Baltimore was beautiful. We went to a candy store and of course, the candy addict I am had to spend ten dollars on candy. It was heavenly. We walked around the water, visited a few shops, and grabbed some lunch from a cute little restaurant.

So Marylanders have this strange obsession with this Old Bay seasoning stuff. I really don't understand the fascination.

That candy store... It was prodigious. 

Down by the water

And finally, our last day together was spent adventuring/navigating/exploring D.C. All. By. Ourselves. As two girls who are spending their upcoming years in cities larger than NYC, we figured it would be a good idea to learn how to navigate these places alone. So. We did.

First, we found ourselves trapped in the Metro. Thankfully, we found a nice man that was willing to help us out. We made our way to the Smithsonian American History Museum. I fell in LOVE with this place. The exhibits were so enthralling and well put together. It was great to see all of the American history I had learned this year in one place. My favorite exhibit was hands down the First Ladies Exhibit that showed all of their inaugural gowns. I was hardcore fangirling those dresses, let me tell ya. After the Smithsonian, we walked all the way over to the Washington Monument, the FDR Monument, and the MLK Jr. Monument. 

Washington Monument

MLK Jr.

After a few monuments, we then thought it would be a good idea to walk to Georgetown just to get my taste of Georgetown Cupcakes. The walk was long, blazing hot, and super sweaty. But let me tell ya, those cupcakes were worth it. 

D.C. Cupcakes at last!

I should be a cupcake model.

Chocolate ganache, lemon zest, salted caramel, and chocolate peanut butter.

And just like that, the best week ever had come and gone. The few days we spent together were so special. And though we may not see each other for another year, and although we will be on separate continents, there is no doubt in my mind that our friendship won't keep on keepin on. So ladies and gentlemen, keep your eyes out for Charis and Mallory. We're coming for you.

P.S. Check out and subscribe to our YouTube vlog.

                                                  

With Every Ending Comes A New Beginning

Well, BHS. It's been real and it's been fun. It's been real fun. Today, I spent the last few hours with the high school that I have come to know and love. Bozeman High School has been so much more than a place to try and learn a thing or two. Over the course of the past three years, my life has been full of change and experiences. There have been many defining experiences with Bozeman High that have shaped me into the person that I am today.

I can't say that I remember my first day at Bozeman High. Let's be honest, my memory sucks. But I do remember my first pep rally, with Purcell's famous Homecoming speech. I remember spending countless hours online trying to find a sublime dress for my first school dance. I remember going to the Prom as a freshman, apprehensive of how elegant all the upperclassmen girls were. I remember winning State football freshman year and realizing just how much Hawk Pride exists. I remember the support I got the summer my friend died, from teachers who weren't even my teachers anymore. I remember the spirit weeks and the bad-ass outfits we were able to come up with. I remember UCA cheer camp with my team and making memories. I remember the countless classes I took with teachers who went the extra mile. I remember the Project X2 meetings where I would sit in awe of the amazing students that were in the club, with lofty lists of accomplishments. I remember the first day I ran Hawk Compliments, and the tears I shed seeing the affection of BHS. I remember cruising on my scooter down the narrow hallways, with nothing but a big smile plastered on my face.

Whether you realize it or not, Bozeman High is filled with so many passionate, dedicated, good-hearted people. And though I am just realizing this now, it's an idea that I will run with in the future.
So. What next? Severing ties with BHS will not be easy for me. However, I know I am leaving prepared, and ready to take on whatever the world throws at me next. And thankfully, I won't ever have to make the trek from Junior Lot into N-Wing.

Until next time,
Mallory