[Ubudian]

For about the past three weeks we've had a guest staying in our old house here in Bunutan. He's a wonderful young film maker from Los Angeles and a practicing Buddhist as well. After a little more than a week of getting acclimated to our village and Bali in general, he decided to take a full week retreat within the house and he approached this on a very serious as well as committed basis…no talking, lots of meditation, no TV, no computer…a full on retreat.

Being the wonderful outgoing and very friendly guy that he is, he had made lots of new friends amongst all the kids that live in our area of our kampung. Even first timers to Bali are quick to note the friendliness, curiosity and eagerness to get to know guests that so defines Balinese kids.

While Eri and I as well as our staff were all aware of his special requirements and needs during his week retreat, the village kids weren't in the loop, and so his becoming a hermit inside our old house drove their curiosity into overdrive, to put it mildly.

On day two of his retreat, and after making offerings at our old house, Eri walked back to our new compound carrying this note from our friend that he had placed on the outside door.

He finished his retreat yesterday morning, and we had a great time last night laughing as he explained how balls kept flying into the house, and little eyes would peer over the wall wanting to know what was going on with him.

As for our friend, he says it was his best retreat yet, and surely will be among his most memorable one, thanks in no small part to the delightful anak-anak of Bunutan!

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[NyomanKC]

What a great story! The accompanying photo of the young boys really put the (the what?) - just the expressions on their faces - so individualistic - so relaxed and looking so comfortable with one another and with themselves. A picture of 'life' on Bali.

[Ubudian]

Thanks Nyoman!


I guess all of us who call Bali home take many of hundreds of photos each year, and amongst them all, some really stand out as telling the story of our lives here far better than any words.

[Made Tommy Brahmaputra]

A very enjoyable read and i love the photographs next to each other, the curious children and the note.

I myself spend alot of time with village kids who come by the garden almost every day. Sometimes they want to play, sometimes they help out abit in the garden or pick cherries from the tree and other times they just want to ride a bicycle to the beach together.

[drbruce]

Cute way for your guest to deal with the kids. As we all know, kids anywhere are curious creatures, and the presence of new faces in the neighborhood are always a good source of entertainment. I've been out in front of my wife's little shop cleaning up my Asmat carvings as she has finally made a place where she can try to sell them to the tourists that occasionally wander through the kampung. The local kids have found my cleaning activities and the carvings a source of endless amusement. It's been a pleasant way to pass the time - working and engaging in chatter with the kids. I was just reading about another approach to dealing with neighborhood kids from some of the new expats living in their luxury villas - lock the gates and lock the doors and tell people not to bother them. Good neighborhood relations. If your friend is still around, give him my regards.

[Ubudian]

Thanks Doc and I'll be happy to pass on your regards.