Selamat siang. This is my last update for you all. Sarah and I will go with my supervisor's family to the capital city on Thursday and then get on a plane on Friday. The last few days here are going to be filled. Tonight we are going to a Christmas party. Monday we will go buy our last souvenirs. Tuesday we are having a party at our house for friends. And then Wednesday will be spent cleaning the house.

Last week was our last week at the pesantren and elementary school. They had little parties for us. That is a custom here. If someone is leaving for an extended amount of time they should throw a party and/or their friends should throw a party. Many also give gifts. We also got to go and visit a village that is further out than the first one we visited. Our original plans in going to the villages did not work out so we at least wanted to see an authentic village before we left (since we wrote about them and knew much, we figured it would be good to also see one). We really enjoyed it and wished we could have done more work there! Guess I will have to come back. The houses were built out of dried banana leaves and wood. The floors were dirt. They were very simple. Life there is spent working and hanging out and drinking coffee. I would like to experience it !

Well thank you once again for your yarps. It is what has gotten me through! Can't wait to see whomever I can when I get back!!!

Love Lindsay