A Taste for Bali Adventures -- by Alexa Bascon

 

On this Sunday of our trip, we took a break from our regularly scheduled program to fit in some more fun-filled Bali activities to get a small taste of the amazing adventures the island has to offer. On the agenda for the day was ATV riding and ziplining. And while some of us in our group had done either ziplining or ATV riding—or both—before, I had personally never done either of those things and I was honestly pretty nervous about doing it.

Our ATV riding adventure was first up on the list. None of us knew quite what to expect for this adventure and that was quite evident when our driver arrived for our hotel pick-up and told us that we each needed to bring an extra pair of clothes for after ATV riding and we all had to quickly scramble back to our rooms to scrounge up a spare outfit. When we arrived at our destination, we geared up for the muddy trails ahead with heavy duty rain boots and our ATVs and headed off.

Unfortunately, however, I was off to a rough start. I stalled out my engine not just once—but twice! I also couldn’t quite figure out how to turn the handles in the direction that I wanted them to go and I ran into the side of the trail and had to have our trail guide help me get unstuck. Truthfully, I was pretty scared handling the ATV and because I was scared, I was very timid with how I handled trying to drive it. At that point, I was embarrassed that I wasn’t getting the hang out of it as quickly as everyone else in my group had and I was worried that I was going to be like this the whole way—holding everyone back because I needed extra help. Everyone else in the group was so kind and so understanding and no one made me feel bad about not getting the hang of it. There was a good moment when I wanted to just give up and take the easy way out and ride with someone else to get us moving along. But I didn’t. I reminded myself of all the things in my life that I had previously accomplished even though I was pretty bad at it when I first began. So, I took a deep breath, re-grounded myself, and I kept going. And I’m so glad that I did. I had a newfound confidence driving that ATV and it was exhilarating. We rode through Bali’s lush countryside across riverbeds, jungle terrain, and muddy trails, and —most fun of all—through the iconic Gorilla Cave, a tunnel that was carved into the shape of a giant gorilla’s face. It was like we had jumped into a Temple Run videogame!  

After traversing through the mud, it was time to take to the sky. We headed off to our zip-lining destination where we all flew across the stunning rice terraces on the zipline. The night finished off as it usually has with a group dinner at a different local restaurant. Tonight’s selection was a great little place called Herb Library. The restaurant had a live musician that evening and we all sang along to the songs we knew as we enjoyed our delicious meal together and shared our highs and lows of the day with each other. A great conclusion to our adventurous day.

Today’s activities reminded me that even though you might not be good at something when you first start it (like law school for example) that doesn’t mean that you quit. You stick with it and you try your best and, often times, waiting for you on the other side is something incredibly amazing and rewarding. Growth happens when we leave our comfort zones and I feel like I have grown from the day’s experience and on this trip overall. I’m happy and exhausted as our adventure-filled day comes to end. I’m ready to head off to bed and get some much-needed sleep before the next day of our Bali adventure.

Days Full of Joy by Natalia Gama-Gomez

The past couple of days have been so joyful!  We have spent a lot of time at a local elementary school for our service project, which has become one of the most meaningful parts of our trip thus far. For our service project, we are helping the school build a garden! The garden is something the school has long wanted, and once it is finished, each class will have its own garden bed to care for and take pride in.

On the first day, we showed up excited and ready to work. We jumped right in and started working, and to our surprise, the children were there to help. The children had eagerly volunteered to help. We were all working together, having fun and laughing, until it started to rain. As soon as it began to rain, the children ran into their classroom, and the teacher and workers insisted that we stop working. We waited to see if the rain would let up, but it didn't, so we had to leave. We then regrouped and decided to return the next morning to finish what we had started. Although the rain cut our work short, the day was still filled with connection and purpose.

When we came back the following day, the kids were there again, just as excited to see us as they had been the day before. When we got there, all the children were dancing, and we jumped into the dance, too! It was so delightful to dance with them. 

Before we got to work, we made macaroni necklaces with the children. We showed them pictures of what we were making, since there was a language barrier, and most did not understand what we were saying. Therefore, we resorted to other forms of communication, such as pointing and helping them get started on their necklaces. However, the children are smart and caught on so quickly. They made the most beautiful macaroni necklaces and were so excited to wear them. Watching their faces light up as they proudly showed off their necklaces reminded me that creativity and connection can exist without a shared language, and that the simplest moments can be the most meaningful. 

Afterward, we returned to work, and once again the kids volunteered to jump in and help. They were so excited to work with us and kept telling us how strong we were. We worked for a bit, and then it was time for games. We played Duck, Duck, Goose and Red Light, Green Light with the children. We taught them how to play, and as they played, their laughter and joy filled the schoolyard. One moment that has really stuck with me was when one of the children looked at me and said, “I am so happy”. Hearing those words warmed my heart and made me realize that not only were the children bringing us joy, but we were bringing them joy, too. It totally made my day! Their school day had ended, unfortunately, and we got back to work. We worked a bit longer and did as much as we could until we had to leave.

After leaving the school, we went white water rafting. It was SO much fun, but at first, a few of us were nervous because we had never been rafting before. We had to hike down a million steps to reach the river, but when we got there, the view was beautiful. Because we were a group of 7, we had to take two rafts. On one raft, the guide kept singing "Row, row, row your boat," which made everyone laugh. On the other raft, Emery and Sam sang songs the whole time, clearly having the best time! Despite our initial nerves, the experience brought us even closer together and reminded me how rewarding it can be to step out of your comfort zone.

Overall, these past couple of days have been among the most joyful and meaningful of this trip.  Spending time with the children, working together, laughing, and simply being present reminded me how powerful small moments can be. Whether we were building a garden, playing games, or making necklaces, each interaction felt memorable and rewarding. These experiences showed me how impactful service can be, not only for those we are helping, but for ourselves as well. Trying white water rafting for the first time was also incredibly fun and exciting, even though it was a little scary at first, and it pushed me outside of my comfort zone in the best way. 

Five People, Two-Hundred Students and One Unforgettable Day by Kendrick Myers

 With our jetlagged bodies, we all awoke early to make the hour long drive to Denpasar, Bali to Yayasan Kemanusiaan Ibu Pertiwi (YKIP). YKIP is a non-profit organization that was originally created to provide aid for children of those affected by the 2002 Bali Bombing, the deadliest terrorist attack in Bali.

What started off as a relief program quickly expanded to include any child in need.  Chakra shared with us that he is 1 of the 5 people who run the entire operation, providing scholarships to over 200 children from elementary school to university. The children are required to maintain good grades to receive the scholarships and are typically given a semester to improve grades if needed.

YKIP works with the community on small revenue generating projects and accepts monetary donations from all over the world. They keep the contact between the donors and children minimal and monitored for safety. The donors receive a letter from the children once a year in December as a form of appreciation and for them to see the difference their scholarship has made in the lives of the children.

After a enlightening visit learning from Chakra, we began the drive back to Ubud in the pouring rain. Although rain is nothing new for us all coming from Salem, we were not ready for this downpour. Through the humid, torrential rain, we trudged on through the streets with our ponchos and sandals. We stopped at the sweetest used book shop, small in size but was full of the best homemade trinkets and books from all over.

After the bookshop, we ran across the street to the post office where we all took a moment to write postcards to home. It was a quiet moment for everyone as we all took a few minutes to reflect on our experiences so far and share it with loved ones back home.

We ended the night eating dinner together, sharing our highs and lows of the day and enjoying each others company in conversation. After a full day, we ended the night by stopping for massages on the walk back to the hotel - the perfect way to relax and end the night.

It was a wonderful day of learning and adventure which deepened our insight and appreciation to the dedication some organizations such as YKIP are putting into supporting children’s education. Sharing this interest and experience with colleagues made it all the more special.

Education = Liberation by Kirby Nix

 

"The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you." – B.B. King

 

A consistent theme has developed in our first few trips to various public schools here in Ubud: education is liberation. The English philosopher and statesman Sir Francis Bacon popularized this idea in three words: “Knowledge is Power”, but the idea has been around for centuries. The concept strongly echoes the teachings of Imam Ali ibn Ali Talib, a 7th century caliph, who emphasized that knowledge elevates one's value and protects them, unlike wealth, which perishes expediently.

 

There is a man here in Ubud named Irham that was the director at a local Montessori program dedicated toward not only teaching the local children, but building community leaders. He is now working for the Ministry of Education tasked with the ambitious goal of revamping the primary school curriculum to include teaching primary school children English by the time they graduate to junior high school to meet the requirements of a new law.  It’s a particularly difficult task not only because most of the children don’t speak English at home and only speak it once a week in school, but also because of the lack of fluent English speaking teachers. If he is successful, and the majority of children learn English by the time they reach junior high, they have many more opportunities in the tourism industry here in Bali, which makes up the majority of the economy and the desirable jobs.

 

Vocational schools are an important aspect of the education system in Bali. The school we visited trained students in kitchen work, hospitality, housekeeping, arts and culture, farming, and other crucial industries here in Bali. While we visited the school, the restaurateur students practiced their budding skills on us by serving coffee, tea, and pastries. We visited the kitchens, peaked into a classroom to see them about to take a test, and spoke with the headmistress of the school.

 

There is obviously a giant monkey hanging above this entire issue: the creeping Westernization of Bali. Is it preferable for the Balinese people to give up much of their culture and their way of life to cater to tourists? Should the island’s economy be largely dependent on the pleasures of American and European vacationers? In some ways it can feel a bit gross, but who am I to judge the progression of the island? Perhaps serving tourists is preferable to farming rice fields and sustenance living. It seems the younger Balinese generation in particular prefers hospitality jobs rather than traditional work. Even if they didn’t, it’s difficult to fight progress as the concrete and the villas encroach on the rice fields. Progression is the human way, and it seems unbearably patronizing for a Westerner to judge the people for wanting to pull themselves into an urban lifestyle much like the West has done over the past few centuries.

 

It’s a balancing act to protect Balinese culture while pursuing a more comfortable lifestyle, but it shouldn’t be up to me or any other foreigner to decide what is best. It should be a choice for the people who live here, particularly the younger generations, and the English literacy program and the vocational schools seem to be pointing into the inevitable direction of “progress”. The knowledge and skills these programs offer – from creating community leaders, to teaching English literacy, to job training – hopefully empower the younger generations to make the best decision for themselves and to live a life with more opportunities. Perhaps once that level of prosperity is reached, they can begin to more strongly consider whether the Westernization and the creeping of the concrete is what they want for the island.

First Day Fears by Samantha Clements

 

Our first day of instruction in Ubud started with my worst fear – a trip to Monkey Forest. I have a very real, and very reasonable, fear of monkeys. I really did not want to come face to face with my fears. But alas, Professor Buske had scheduled a tour with the monkeys, and Buske gets what Buske wants. 

As soon as we walked in, I had the other students make a bubble around me, so that monkeys could reach out and touch them, but I was insulated. If I had to confront my fear, I’d do it as minimally as possible with my eyes to the ground and holding someone’s hand. I had no interest in being brave. I came to Bali to learn about children’s rights, not monkeys. 

We walked all through monkey forest, seeing families huddled together, young monkeys rough housing, and older monkeys feeding their young. The more I saw, the more comfortable I became. Not enough to look them in the eye or walk right up to them, but enough to not be in a total bubble. I could walk on my own and walk past the monkeys. I didn’t need to hold someone’s hand anymore. 

As we were walking to the exit, a baby monkey walked right up to me. I felt okay. I stood still, as instructed, and let it play with my skirt. It was little, cute, and curious about me. I would be okay with a baby monkey near me. That was until its mama jumped onto my shoulders. Yes, ONTO MY SHOULDERS. To say I was terrified was an understatement, I was petrified. A monkey was literally on my back. The mama monkey was protecting her young. By jumping on my back, she reminded me that this was her home and that was her baby. I held my breath and let her sit, and then she jumped away. 

I lived. My worst fear happened and I lived. 

After Monkey Forest, we headed to Sari Hati. An Indonesian school for children with physical and developmental disabilities. Sari Hati is an NGO that gets its funding from private donations. They have 78 students between the ages of six and fifty five, and have a waitlist of another thirty-five students. Through small classes, dance, and art, Sari Hati teaches their students how to eat on their own and to communicate their needs. They also educate the community about developmental disabilities. According to the program leader, many people in Bali believe that developmental disabilities come from black magic, a punishment from God, or that the disability is a transferable disease. 

At Sari Hati, those misconceptions are gone. The volunteers see these children through a lens of unconditional love. They seek to help all of their students lead normal lives and become fully functioning members of society. As one of the volunteers, Thony, explained, “education is to liberate human beings.” At Sari Hati, the students become integrated into their communities. The shame many families feel about their children is removed. Community engagement helps these students to flourish, to find themselves, to grow.  

We had the opportunity to interact with the students and join their dance and meditation class. These students were vibrant with joy, dancing and smiling the whole time.  One of them latched on to one of my colleague’s, Natalia’s, hands and did not let go. They were seen and celebrated, and what a wonderful experience to be a part of.  

Through both Monkey Forest and dancing with the students at Sari Hati, Thony’s words rang true. This educational experience was liberating. Through this class, I was able to face my fears and celebrate those around me.

 

It's December -- We're in Bali

 It's December 2025 and I'm in Bali with another fantastic group of students:  Kirby Nix, Alexa Bascon, Samantha Clements, Emery Greenwood, Kendrick Myers, and Natalia Gama-Gomez.  This year, we're spending two weeks on the island learning about Education in Indonesia generally, and Bali more specifically.  We're meeting with schools of all kinds, NGOs, and government officials.  We'll also be helping to build a school garden at a local primary school and taking in as much Balinese culture and food as possible.  We hope you'll follow along!   ~ Professor Buske