August flies by

Kids at the Charity Iftar eating

August has been busy with lots of visa interviews, a visit to Manado, and trying to find time to write my "EER". We also celebrated our first and only Indonesian National Independence Day on August 17th. There have been several opportunities for me to attend Iftars. During the month of Ramadan where Muslims fast during the daylight hours, some gather at the end of the day with family or others to break their fast with food and prayer. Our consulate holds a few of these and invites political, religious, or other leaders or students to join for different events. I went to one that was a charity Iftar with my family. We donated money towards gifts, food, and supplies for a school that provides education to children from poor families and then went to break the fast with them, hear their presentations, and give them what we brought. We went to one last year when we had just newly arrived, too. They are a highlight.
On August 17th we had a branch activity where we celebrated the Independence Day (66 years) and the birth month of the Primary (a lot more years). We had a good time. Our children dressed in some traditional clothing and modeled it with the other primary kids and then showed their talents. Our girls shared poems and baked goods. Our youngest played the piano in a last minute entry. (He had told us earlier that he would not be doing anything and we couldn't convince him otherwise, but he decided on his own while there that he could play something he had memorized.)
My EER is my yearly employee evaluation. It's a big deal since it's what is used to determine whether I get tenured and promoted. It is a challenge to write since I need examples from the past year that are good but it also has a word limit. It requires precise wording and a careful choosing of what you will put in and what you will not. My supervisor has a section and the principle officer (her boss) has a section and I have a section. I provided information to all and my proposed changes, etc. I have also been getting advice from others to help me make it good.

View across the sea to volcano "Old Manado"

Mt. Lokon still steaming

At the Yesus Memberkati Monument in Manado

The gas hose is going from the pump THROUGH the van 

A couple weeks back I went on a trip to Manado in North Sulawesi. This area of Indonesia is mostly populated with Christians, unlike a lot of Indonesia. It was different seeing churches instead of mosques but most things were pretty much the same. While there I ate sate (like a little shish-kabob) made from something that lives in the water and is like some kind of clam but in a shell more like a snail. I also got to do some pretty exciting things (besides working 10-12 hour days) like meet the governor of North Sulawesi and attend an event at his mansion. Before I came home I even had a chance to go out on a boat with a glass bottom and see the coral and fish in the coral and jump in the sea with goggles and a snorkel to explore around the coral. It was amazing.

The captain of our ship leading the way

Oh, I climbed with climbing ropes on an indoor climbing wall for the first time in my life yesterday. It was fun, but I spent most of my time "belaying" for all of my kids to climb. They had a good time, too.

Before eating a fish head

After eating the fish head!!