Happy new year!

Selamat tahun baru!

I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!

While you guys probably enjoyed Christmas time by going to Christmas markets, decorating your house and eating delicious food from morning till night, I didn't get to do any of this. 

No Christmas decorations, no snow and no bratapfel for Lara this year.

Since most of the people here are muslim people don't celebrate it.

Fortunately Inge, Ade and I were invited for dinner on Christmas Eve by a muslim couple. I know, funny constallation, a muslim couple preparing Christmas Eve for christians. But it was really nice, the food was delicious and they have a piano we played Christmas songs on. Not to forget, they have a big pool in the backyard! My first Christmas on which I jumped in a pool. :)

Me, enjoying Christmas Eve.

Of cause we don't have Christmas trees in Indonesia, but some girls of the Oasis made one for me and everyone wished me a merry Christmas. This little tree made my Christmas! :)

Playing Christmas songs on the piano. This little girl has lots of talent!

So I, too, had a nice and calm Christmas.

New Years was very special!

We spend the night in the Oasis with the children from 5th till 9th grade. A big sleepover which they were soooo excited about! Inge and Ade wanted to surprise the kids and bought a New Years- trompet for everyone.
Ade was to shy to bring them with the motorcycle, so Inge and I had to take a taxi to the Oasis.

And that's what it looked like:

We decorated a lot, to get in the right mood.

Unfortunately some of the kids had the Dengue fever. Bunter did, too, and it was not only New Years but her birthday also. So we brought her a birthday cake with candels. She and many others are still sick, some of them even in the hospital. Since so many people in Jagaraga are sick, I got off for the rest of the week, because the risk of getting the Dengue fever, too, is pretty high and moscitos have always liked me!

She turned 15. Kadek and Ilu gave her the cake.

If you walk through the village there are always at least two kids that follow you. :) In this case, Ayu, Pandu, Leber and WK.

We had special visitors that day! Katharina and Bastian came from afar to celebrate New Years with us. Ida Ketut came also.

Dion and I.

The kids made Kolak. An Indonesian specialty. It is sweet and eaten warm. With bananas, coconut and jelly. Delicious, but you can only eat a little or you will get a sugar shock.

We told each other stories about the last year and talked about what we were thankful for and shared our hopes for the year 2012. Some of the hopes were that 2012 will not be the end of the world...they watched the movie 2012 and actually believed that the USA was already gone and that Indonesia would also be destroyed in 2012. Despite all the explaining some of them are still convinced that it was not just a movie.

Later we sang, played games and watched a movie!

Let's get the party started.We played 'journey to Jerusalem'.

Leber obviously had fun playing this game.

Not yet twelve o'clock and everybody fights sleepyness after watching a movie.

YAYY, finally New Years!!! Everybody, grab a trompet!

Ranti, Moni, Mayang, Ayu and I at the berugak. We were too loud trompeting, so Inge send us away. ;)

Budi. Tired but still trying to make as much noise as possible. After all, when will they get a chance like this again???

Inge and I slept in the berugak. Or at least tried to, the kids weren't really ready to sleep...ever.

Still resisting sleep by trompeting from time to time.

The troulemakers Budi, Made G and Astawa FINALLY fell asleep, too.

It was wonderful and the kids had a lot of fun!

I hope you all enjoyed New Years just as much as we did!

Have a great year 2012!