Well, the end is here. It is with sadness that I write this final blog from Asia. The invasion is over, and I return home to become a regular student again, no more adventures. But, I am very excited to see everyone again! Today we had breakfast at a local hotel with all of the company teachers who are here in Indonesia. Eating here in Indonesia has been excellent, as the cost of food is dramatically lower than in the states. We have enjoyed the nice restaurants around here, at maybe ¼ of the cost of an equivalent meal in the states. Breakfast consisted of a multi-course offering of coffee, fruit, an assortment of breads, and a breakfast meat entrée, all for less than 10 dollars. It was excellent. Also, it was great to see the common bonds that the teachers had developed and the fun that they had spending time with each other. This morning was definitely a quality experience (and great food!).

The rest of my day was fairly sedentary. We were supposed to be leaving for the town that has the airport around two this afternoon, but this plan was disrupted. The man who was supposed to take us wasn’t able to go until around six, (he had some other engagement…) but we didn’t actually leave until seven. Culturally, many Asians in the South Pacific don’t have an understanding of commitments or being on time, so when he said six, it more reasonably meant around seven. We did, however, have a quiet afternoon at our guest house. My grandpa spent time with the field leaders here evaluating the work here and setting vision for the future. I, on the other hand, spent most of this afternoon finding the new blog template that you are savoring at this moment, as well as doing a little school reading for Gov’t/Econ.

My time here in Asia has been quite rewarding. Though I have been away from my schooling, there is no question that my education has continued. I have experienced many different cultures with different values and customs, but I have had great opportunities to spend time with people. Since my trip is not really from a tourist/sight-seeing perspective, I have been able to converse and spend time with all sorts of people, from government officials, to seminary presidents, to local residents. Not only have I had opportunities to experience culture, but I been able to contribute to God’s work in different countries. Blessed cannot begin to describe the way I have felt as we have visited so many different cultures and people during the past two weeks. Being able to see all that I have has touched me deeply, to see all that God has done in these people’s lives. Some of the people we have met with have worked or taught in their country for over 30 years and many are past retirement, yet continue to seek visa renewal each year. These individuals have made it their life’s purpose to show the love of our Father to the people of Hong Kong, Korea, East Asia, and Indonesia.

For me, in my idealistic bubble, it has been eye-opening to see and hear of the struggles of the work. The know that families in certain countries must be mindful of safety, especially in East Asia, has a whole different meaning once you have lived, for a few days, under the same constrictions. The blessing of American freedom of religion, as much as we bicker about that freedom, is all the more meaningful once you experience a country without freedom. When you see first-hand the effect that the DMZ has had on both Koreas, the news about the two nations is more understandable and impactful. If nothing else, this experience has most taught me how to empathize with those of different cultures. When I lived in their shoes, even just for a few days, I experienced their daily struggles and situations, and I have a better understanding of their relation to the international community. We cannot begin to become a nation that is respected internationally unless we are willing to step down off Mount Olympus and open our eyes to the cultures of different nations. America doesn’t have all the answers, and in some cases, we would do well to take note of different ways of thought. But, even if we don’t agree, we must understand. Then, and only then, can we truly be a “world power”.

I hope that y’all have enjoyed my daily updates; it has probably been more fun for me than for you. There are so many times that I have wished for a giant teleporter, to bring everyone over to see the sights and experience different elements of my trip. I have done my best to use my writing to convey these experiences, but some things transcend any description. Hopefully, you will continue to check my blog, even though it won’t be from across the world… and there might not be pictures. It is sad for me to write this, and it seems as though I am saying goodbye to someone dear. Then, however, I realize it is quite the opposite. I am returning to those who love me and have missed me (hopefully), and then I start to get excited. Jet-lag is not something I look forward too and cross-country this week will be rough, but I so look forward to seeing, and reconnecting with everyone. Facebook has kept me pretty involved, but some things just can’t be communicated by pictures and messages. If you have any questions about things, people, or places that I have experienced, feel free to send me an e-mail (nate.tilley@gmail.com). And, if you would like to hear more about anything, I’d love to spend some time talking with you, maybe over some coffee or across the phone. The next time that you will here from me, I’ll be in the land of the Free (hey that rhymes!!), so enjoy this last taste of Asia, for the Asian Invasion has ended.

To see picture from the trip, click on the pictures link at the top of the page

Nate.

The end is near. Today was our last full day of business activities, and tomorrow holds only one morning engagement. Then, on Sunday I begin my trek east back to the West. It is quite appropriate that today has been a full day, as Fridays represent the end of our American work week. This morning began quite early--a solid six o'clock. Waking at this time, we set off for the seminary's morning chapel where my grandpa and I were to be guest speakers. We entered to the familiar sound of a praise band, and I was intrigued to see how American-sounding praise music has even been accommodated to Indonesian lyrics. Worship was a touching experience, to see how other cultures and languages respond to the love of God. Singing this morning was not that different from the states, but they do clap on the off-beats. Erika would be hopelessly lost.

Following worship, I went up to give my testimony. It was difficult for me to describe the work that God has done in my life to a different culture, as much of it has been philosophical, and not necessarily drastic or flashy. Though, it is my story, and I think it was interesting for them to hear some about life in the states. Speaking, however, was a very interesting experience, as I spoke through a translator. I would speak one or two sentences, and the seminary president would translate for the congregation. Nothing I have ever done in public speaking has been like this, and it really changed the way that I planned and presented my testimony. My grandfather also spoke, but he had a larger role--he preached the sermon through the translator. One thing that has amazed me on this trip is how gifted my grandpa is as a speaker. I never have heard him preach until this trip, and I'm impressed. I must have been missing out on this secret for a number of years. He, being a pastor in the Phillipines for about 17 years, was quite comfortable with the translator, and it was interesting to see them become more and more in tune as the message progressed.

In the time before lunch, we took the opportunity to talk to one of the Americans from South Dakota who teaches in the school here. Lunch this afternoon was a family-style Indonesian meal with the faculty of the seminary. Again, as with everywhere else we have been, the food was great. We had a local form of sweet and sour chicken, a vegetable stir-fry, and some mystery ball of fish, breading, and who knows what else. It was good, and that's all I that I want to know. I enjoyed talking to the president of the seminary, as his daughter is also a senior in high school, and it was very interesting to hear her college plans. Being across the world, I thought I was away from the college craze, but his daughter is also looking at schools in the area, applying for scholarships, and everything else we all do as seniors back in the states.

This afternoon, I finished all of the calculus that I was required to do (PRAISE THE LORD..), so I was very happy, to say the least. Weather here has begun to cool slightly, as it is currently raining as I sit here typing away. What is cool here is more like... say 75ish degrees in the states. Not exactly my idea of "cool", but it is a welcome change. Dinner tonight was also a welcome change, as I had the first home-cooked meal since I left the States. Two teachers in the international school had my grandpa and me over for dinner, which one of them prepared. Barbecue chicken, corn, and green beans were the dishes of choice, and it felt more familiar, more like home. I guess they are weaning me off of Asian food, preparing me for America again. What will I ever do with normal utensils? I'm sure we can find some chopsticks for me to use. This blog post is sorta like the day before the day before tomorrow, the day that will be the beginning of my return to normalcy. So, enjoy these while they last! To any GDS friends back home who stumbled his or her way onto my blog, enjoy your nice fall break and I'll see you next Tuesday...

mOrE pIcTuReS @ picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatripnate.

nate.

Suprise! You have pictures again, isn't it heart-warming. But really, the very nice man that we are staying with took me to a nearby camera store where I obtained a card reader and an appropriate battery charger for about 15 dollars total. Inflation is unbelievable, but I'm not complaining. Today has been a very different day, simply because of our location. Indonesia is vastly different from every other location so far. My first hint was the open hallway and the giant screen window above my bed, and, in the morning, we saw all of the palm trees. The climate here is akin to our wonderful Greensboro summer humidity, but it is like this all year here. I was told today that we are seven degrees of latitude from the equator. As we were leaving, our hosts asked if I wanted some sunscreen, to whom I respectfully declined. Even with the heat, I'll pass on the slimescreen--it is just not my cup-o-tea.

A tropical country, Indonesia is a system of hundreds of islands that are mainly low-lying and filled with palm trees, amongst other tropical greenery. The roads are yet another experience from the last countries, because the roads are filled with pot-holes and motor-bikes. Traffic is nowhere near the amount we saw in Korea or in East Asia, but evidently the holiday time has taken many people out of the cities back to their family villages. Instead, the streets are packed with motor-bikes and scooters, and Indonesians also don't have a comprehension of "reckless driving". Here it is not so much the tight merges and traffic, but the absence of lanes that causes strange traffic patterns. I think when I return to the quaint metropolis that is Greensboro, driving will be simply a mundane activity, not so exciting anymore. Maybe I’ll have to ride with J.P. a few times, just to get that feeling of speed and adventure again. :)

First this morning, I did a little school work, and then we went to meet a British couple who teaches at the international school. We had a nice time visiting with them, and we went to a local restaurant for lunch with another teacher. Surprisingly enough, most of the food here in town is fairly American, and most of the beef is imported. There is no pork—the majority religion is not really big on pork. Another thing that I really miss from the states is water. They do have water here, thankfully, but the tap-water is not potable. I never realized how much water I drink, but I miss having my nalgene poking out of my backpack whenever I need hydration. All over Asia, the people here do not drink much fluid, mainly small amounts of tea throughout the day. Never in my life have I so wished for good, clean, non-bottled water.

This afternoon, we first stopped by the school to see the campus. It was a very nice and well-maintained campus, and you can see a view of the school in the left picture. We then spent some time in the newly constructed mall here in town, to see how much Indonesia has become modernized. With such a strong religious base, (atheism is essentially illegal), it is interesting to see how much of this country’s religion is simply cultural. The true values of the people can be seen in how they spend their time and their money. Following our people-watching excursion, I spent some more time back at the house slaving over my tedious calculus homework. It seems as though the long homeworks of the last week are intended as punishment for my absence from school. Today has been mainly an opportunity to experience the culture, and there is plenty to take in. My senses have been in overload from taking into account all of the new scenery, people, and cultures. It is, however, an incredible intriguing location, and I’m pumped for the rest of my time here. Adios, hasta luego…

(We're all psyched that there are once again...) More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Today has come to an interesting close. As we left East Asia this morning, we set off for the islands of Indonesia in the South Pacific. We took a very early flight from our previous location and we had to get up around 5 this morning. Long traveling plus early mornings equals a weary student attempting to finish his homework. After I cleared the sleepiness from my eyes around mid-morning, I buried my head in projectile motion equations and graphs of trigonometric functions with derivatives. Those made for a long day, let me tell you. The math for physics and the graphing we have done for math has convinced me that Calculus is straight from the devil. The TI-83 is the rebuke to said demons (thank you Texas Instruments!). Though math and physics consumed the majority of my day, it helped my sanity to make a nice dent in the pile of school work. We left Hong Kong after about 6 hours, and it was at the gate that we had our first glimpse of Indonesia.

As we began to line up for boarding, the line was filled with woman countless house maids from Hong Kong, all returning home for the end of Ramadan. It was incredible that at least three-quarters of the passengers were these women. After a short four hour flight, we arrived in Indonesia to an amazing welcome. From the air I could see fireworks shooting up across the city to celebrate the end of their month of fasting. It was quite a welcome. My first impressions of the country have been different than any other place. Since the majority religion is different, there are many more mosques and head coverings. Also, we drove by an area that has been covered by a gigantic mudslide originating from a drilling operation that penetrated a volcanic reserve (no bueno..). This happened back in 2006, but the mud is still bubbling up into homes and stores. It is a very unique problem. I am interested to see the city in daylight, but this country promises to be quite different than anything before. Until tomorrow…

On another note, there will be no more pictures temporarily for the blog. I know you are heart-broken, but I no longer have the cord to transfer these pictures, so I can’t see them either. It’s quite sad. Please speak to Father about this situation so hopefully I will get it back. Thanks.

nate.

Good Morning! We've reached a double digit title, maybe we should make a cake or something. To celebrate properly for today, the desert should be in the shape of a Giant Panda, as today we visited the largest Panda Center in the world. It was incredible! We arrived at about 10am and watched a short video on the care and breeding of the Pandas, which is extensive. The pandas are specially bred, according to their strange mating behavior, which often prevents good procreation. Having a successful birth is quite a feat, and this particular center has a very high success rate for deliveries. When a mother has its first cub, the action and the new creature is so frightening to the mother that she often harms the cub, so veterinarians sometimes have to protect the baby from the mother.

Following our video education, we set off into the vast expanse of the Panda Farm to see the Pandas. At first glance, the park was a lot of greenery and not many Pandas. We walked for some time through lush bamboo forest until we reached the first enclosure for the Adult Pandas. The park constructed various enclosures throughout the park that were essentially the ideal habitats for a Panda, and usually these habitats contain one to three Pandas each. There are all sorts of things to climb on, bamboo towers, trees, bamboo forts, and the occasional tourist.. It is so fun to watch these animals in action, because they make so little action. Every movement is significant, as their source of nutrition is limited. Bamboo is their only food, and it contains so few nutrients that they must consume it almost constantly and very quickly to obtain the needed nutrition. Eating is their full time job.

In their eating, they are quite diligent, as they sat constantly eating bamboo piece-by-piece, slowly consuming their meals. The only time they didn't eat was when they were moving or sleeping. What a life... Also, these animals seem to have such great personalities, as they are quite sluggish and simply plop down on piles of bamboo. Seeing a Panda sit up is a joyous experience; i smiled everytime the great balls of fat and fur dragged their bodies into the upright position. I was fascinated to watch the consumption of bamboo. For each piece of bamboo, the Panda peels off the outer skin and bites off the moist inner stalk. It is a tedious process, but they must do this to survive. Seeing these cuddly creatures live and in person was a rewarding experience and was much fun.

After leaving the Panda Farm, we ate lunch at a nearby McDonalds (America, thank you for your world contribution...), and I spent a little time walking around the area. I found an interesting book and music store, in which I acquired an East Asian version of John Mayer's Continuum, and an excellent Asian dance cd. I couldn't leave Asia without legitimate electronic music. Then, tonight, we met with another family from the company, this time from South Africa, and ate Chinese food with them. My chopstick skills are light-years ahead of last Monday, and this meal also may have been my favorite genuine Chinese meal. Talking with the family was encouraging and it was great to hear all that Father has been doing for them here. Tomorrow, we leave quite early for our next country, this time in the South Pacific. So until tomorrrow, hakuna matada. (which means no worries)

M o r e p i c t u r e s a t picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

Good morning from East Asia! Tonight, I experienced a flash of homesickness as the residue of Fall Retreat began to leak onto facebook photo albums. My emotions began to swell as I looked back across the Atlantic to see all of my friends returning from such an awesome and rewarding trip. I have talked to our Father in the hope that Fall Retreat would be a great renewal of passions, and the little that I have heard confirms that He was listening. You all mean so much to me; I wish I could’ve been there with you. But, on another note, here I am across the world in East Asia, today setting off to see the sights. This morning we finally slept-in relatively late, at least later than the past two days of 5am wake-ups. First, we met with a local driver who was to take us around during the day, and we set off for Tian Fuguan Chang Square, a local attraction. The square held two uniquely designed spiral fountains, and a giant statue of Mao, the former leader.

The one feature that was most apparent in the city was the incredible amount of people. No where in the world have I ever seen such consistently large masses of Asians pervading an area of city. As you can see the in the above picture (click to enlarge), people filled the squares and moved throughout the city, going about their daily routine. Incredible. Also, taxi cabs in this city are an exciting exercise in adrenaline. It seems that all inhabitants of the city have created a mental block to all cohesive and orderly methods of driving. The streets are essentially a free-for-all, generally divided to the right and left sides (not necessarily always), with pedestrians constantly in the mix. When one must cross the street, he takes no heed to the color of the light, or to the position of traffic, he just goes. It really is a startling process at first. If nothing else, my invisible brake got some serious playing time today.

After lunch, we drove to a near-by Buddhist temple to see local beliefs in action. The structure and grounds of this establishment were impressive. The place was enormous; we walked through row after row of walkways and courtyards. Though its history goes back many years, the appearance was well-maintained. Especially the gardens, trees, and pathways are beautifully designed and maintained, and are filled with exotic plant life. Also, deep inside, the Buddhist priests had set up an area of incense and candles for anyone to use. It was so sad to see many young individuals come and try to speak to their divine one, but they were missing their Father, who loves them. Their devotion and respect were inspiring, as many Americans don’t experience that kind of passion for their Father. Also, I would love to have Westover come to observe the setting. Forget the new building; we need a temple like this.

Following our temple excursion, the driver took us to meet the family of one my Grandpa’s co-workers. The family consists of one daughter and three sons, one of whom cannot walk. By interacting with this individual, by helping him out of the car, by seeing his joy regardless of hard circumstances, I was humbled. I thank our Father that I have the use of my legs, and I can’t imagine what that boy must go through; I hurt for him. His happiness and laughter, however, were an inspiration to me and I’m so happy that I was able to spend time with him. Tonight was so much fun; to be a friend to younger ones who adore me as if I were their own brother. Giving piggy-back rides, getting pinched and tickled, and answering a thousand questions were small sacrifices for the reward of their love and admiration. Little kids are so much fun. Until tomorrow…


More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.

My apologies for two things. First my tardiness with respect to the date of this post. Obviously it is not Day 8, as I have posted 8 & 9 both today (how can this be?!?). Also, this day was pretty bland. We are on a plan through Cathay Pacific in order to get a reduced rate, but we have to go back to HK before leaving for each new destination. So, today, we returned to HK and then sat in the nice red lounge chairs plugged into the nearby wall outlet for the next 7 hours. The most exciting thing that happened today (besides my calculus hw :) ) was our boarding pass for East Asia through DragonAir. Seeing as it is a only a partner to Cathay Pacific, they couldn't give us a boarding pass, but there was also no desk for DragonAir in the Seoul Airport... So, in Hong Kong we had to go out of the HK airport, get a boarding pass (which was an ordeal), then go back through security, and finally we could go to our gate.

For the next 6 hours, absolute max & mins with respect to the FDT & SDT, acceleration vectors, debate transcripts, and hours of music were the fillers for my time spent in the airport. Finally we were able to depart and we safely arrived at our next destination. A short taxi drive, and a long conversation away, we made it into our hotel room for the night. Our check-in at the front desk was an interesting exercise in gesturing and body language, eventually resulting in a white room key and two beds. The picture to the left is our intriguing balcony light, one of which accompanies each room in the hotel. Sounds like quite an interesting day, huh? It was about as intersting for me, but it is a small price to pay for an incredible experience in Eastern Culture. Hasta manana!....

More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/nate.tilley/Asiatrip

nate.