In the Middle of our street...

We've moved!  

After a few weeks at Spice Homestay which we really enjoyed, we decided we were better off moving down the street to Maranatha Homestay where we could have a bit more space and a bit fewer distractions.  By distractions, I mean we got away from the loud music and herds of sleeping surfers sprawled out like beached whales at Spice.  In exchange, we have one loud yappy dog (the worst kind, by far) which keeps the girls up at night, and a set of mosque load speakers aimed directly at my bedroom which makes sleeping past the 5 AM call to prayer a thing of the past.  Padang is loud.

That being said, we love Maranatha.  Unlike Spice, there is limited (read: no) english spoken here, so we're forced to use our bahasa Indonesia.  We get a traditional Indonesian breakfast, which at times is a bit too fried for our liking, but we are always surprised by new delightful treats in the morning.  For the first time, I get my own bedroom, and a real bed in lieu of a mattress on the floor.  The little extra space is quite nice.  I even have my own bathroom, or toilet-shower as I like to call it.  It includes a toilet with a seat, and hot water and great water pressure (unlike the cold drip we had at Spice).  I feel spoiled, this place might have ruined me.  Here are a few pictures so you can get a sense of our new home.  Also, we have a new address, but Kelly and I will be leaving by August 16th so send granola bars and money soon!

Manaratha Homestay

Jl. Bandar Pulau Karam 10-D

Padang, Sumatra Barat, Indonesia

   

                     

In other news, Kelly and I surveyed buildings today.  We got to walk around Masjid Nurul Iman for the first time, it was majestic and beautiful and I gave it a big hug.   The three of us have meetings tomorrow morning followed by a visit to some vulnerable costal communities north of the city center in the afternoon.  I got news today that I passed the PE exam, which I am really happy about.  Kelly and Veronica went to a dentist to get their teeth cleaned and, uh, well, I'll let Kelly tell the story...

- Scott Henderson, PE 74677