campus

Today we got to go to the main campus. My school main campus is huge! It is beautiful and filled with amazing landscape and all the trees are labeled. We even have coconut trees. My apt is beautiful. Today i am going to go get a massage. I will post more later!

1st day of orientation

Today was the first day of orientation it went very well. We had great food for all 3 meals. They really know how to feed you. Tonight we went to an authentic Indonesian restaurant. It was great and many flavors. It was beautiful with gardens and fountains. The people are great. Its funny we come from all over the world. I have one co-worker from PA the Wilkes-boro area and then met a couple that just moved from Raleigh. I got my Indonesian cell today too. I am so tired and having problems posting pics. Sorry will try again tomorrow when i know i will have more time. Today was busy.

So my journey has started!! I left Pittsburg Friday night. I didnt have to many problems except for rearranging luggage and having to pay for an extra bag. I made it to LA with no problems. In LA, i met up with Brooke, Christina, and Jessie. Unfortunately, my friend Janine didnt make her connection because of weather. If that was me i would have been freaking out. LA was crazy big and took my like 30mins to change terminals and find everyone. On the flight Jessie switched with a guy so we got to be right beside each other. That was nice. I slept off and on for about 6-7hrs. I watched two movies Remember me and Valentines Day. Then i watched some of Big Bang Theory the tv show. The 14hr flight went by pretty fast. Our breakfast was really good. We had a sausage breakfast sandwich on a croissant, fresh fruit, yogurt, and coffee. It was all good but the coffee was super strong. I forgot to take a picture of the meal. I will take pictures of my next meal and post it. If you want to see pictures please find me on Facebook if your not already my friend. You can find me by my email julie_hart33@lycos.com. Please dont email that account, i dont check it i only use it for facebook.

In Hong Kong I got a Starbucks latte and it was 37 dollars (chinese though) lol. well just waiting for my friend to come back and then fly to jakarta. I will post more later. Thanks for your prayers and support and pray that my bag gets there.

4 More Days

I cant believe in 4 days i leave for Jakarta!!! I cant wait. The packing is pretty much all done except for my carry one bags. Still trying to sell my car but other than that I am ready to go. Please pray that my luggage arrives safely with nothing missing. I know God has gone before and prepared the way. I have been studying the language a little more but still have a long ways to go.

Wow cant believe i only have until next Friday until i leave. I cant wait!!!
Thanks to everyone that made it to my party this weekend! And to all of you in NC that made it to say goodbye when i was there. I will miss you all so much!

I have packed most of my checked bags already thanks to space saver bags!! I just have to watch the weight limit now. If you have any last minute advice on how to get over jet lag fast I would appreciate it.

I have my Visa! I am done with all my before hand requirements for my new school JIS. I was in NYC last week and did a writing workshop at Columbia University with Lucy Calkins. It was great and learned so much! I am ready to go to K and start this new journey!

Last Monday was my first day on the subway in NYC by myself. I thought to myself I can do this! I did all the research. I wrote down the addresses, subway stops, and changes I would need to make. My agenda was to get from the airport to the hotel, then the consulate.

I left the airport excited to start my adventure and got on the air train. I got to Jamaica Station with no problems. I stood on the platform nervously waiting for my train. I thought in the back of my mind, I know where I am going so I don’t need to double check or ask anyone. I can do this I thought. I got on the J train, I knew after the 1^st stop by looking at the map that I had gotten on the wrong train.

I got off the train and looked at the map and tried to figure out what I had done wrong. I realized I was supposed to get on the E train. While I was waiting I asked and double checked with a young teenage couple also waiting. So I got back on the train and headed back to Jamaica Station. There I got on the E train. I liked this train! It was an express train and went fast. I just wanted to get to the consulate and drop off my stuff fro my visa.

Finally, I arrived at the spot to transfer, I got off and found the green 6 train with no problems. I made sure to pay attention so I knew when to get off. I only went a few stops and got off at Hunter College. I thought this wasn’t to hard until I got to the top of the stairs. I didn’t know which way to go. I didn’t want to be in anyone’s way or feel like a tourist, so I just walked. After about ½ a block I asked and old man if he knew what direction we were going in. I was to relieved to find out that he knew only because he asked someone. I had realized it was much easier to ask someone than to get lost. We chatted as we walked. I told him I was trying to find the consulate because I was moving to Indonesia. He thought it was exciting to move so far away.

I was relieved that I only had to walk a few blocks. I was tired of hauling my luggage around. I got to the consulates office and realized I didn’t have my flight information for the application. I had asked my mom to email it to me then I had changed my plans and went straight to the consulate instead of going to the hotel first. I didn’t want to back track. So, I called my mom and was worried that she wouldn’t answer her phone because she was at work. It rang and rang and finally she answered. I asked if she still had all my flight information. I explained about changing my plans and hadn’t checked my email. I know needed the information over the phone. She gave me all the numbers and I wrote them all down. Next, I asked the consulate which flight number was needed because I had 3 flights. He said, “the flight when you are coming into the country.” I went back to the sitting area and put in the flight number from Hong Kong to Jakarta. Then I happily gathered all my materials: letters from JIS, passport, photo, money order and application. I handed it to the consulate. He looked it over and said , “You just need to sign your passport.” He smiled and said it would be ready on Wednesday. He asked for my cell just in case there was any problems.

I left the consulate office with a sigh of relief knowing that almost everything was done for JIS. I walked back to the subway station. I got to Grand Central and didn’t have any problems finding the right train. But I did double check with a nice young Asian girl for help. She told me I could get on get on the 2 or the 3 but would need to transfer to the 1 at 96^th street because only the 1 went to 116^th. I rode for 20minutes or so and got off at 116^th. I knew that’s where Columbia University was and my hotel was only a few blocks away.

I got off the train and at the top of the steps was an information booth. So I stopped and asked the man about my hotel. I couldn’t remember the name but new it started with Mar-something He had never heard of it. That worried me so I dug through my laptop bag and found my confirmation. I told him and showed him the title, The Marrakech Hotel and it was on Broadway. He thought it would only be a few blocks maybe 4 or 5. I started walking with all my luggage. I went 4 or 5 blocks and the address was not getting much closer. It was so hot and over 90 degrees outside and my bags were so heavy. I kept changing shoulders with my bags. I walked 8 or 9 blocks and saw a McDonald’s so I decided to stop there and get a sweet tea. Since it was 11am and I had been up since 4am and hadn’t ate breakfast I got a yogurt parfait as well. I sat and enjoyed my food and the air conditioning. I started my computer and tried to check my email but it didn’t work. I was so but decided I should just find my hotel. So I left McDonald’s and walked so more. I walked 3 or 4 more blocks and found my hotel. I was frustrated to find out that there was a subway stop right across the street. I had walked 13 blocks with my luggage and was exhausted.

I opened the door only to see a long set of steep stairs. I struggled but made it. I got to the desk and told them my name. Unfortunately my room wasn’t ready but I was glad I had finally made it!