Little house in the jungle.

I continue to feel like I live in the world of Little House on the Prairie: Malaysia. Everyday there are chores to be done, food to be cooked, sun to be enjoyed. Life is full of simple joys.

This is the hostel I live in! It's cute right? I didn't think so when Courtney and I first arrived, but I have really come to love it. If you look closely, you will see Shenny in the gazebo playing guitar. To me, this picture is the epitome of peace. That's saying a lot, since this hostel houses 20 teenage girls!

This is Courtney's and my little room. Her bed is on the left, mine on the right. Note the mosquito net over the window by my bed. We're missing a screen. I'm obsessed with the quilts we were given. I think they make our room really homey. We sleep, stretch, do yoga, everything in here. I know I'm going to miss our little room when we leave. But I will say, I've been having a really hard time sleeping. I think I'm still adjusting. More on that later, possibly along with the post dedicated to insects.

Last weekend, all the girls and staff went on a field trip to Beaufort, which is another part of Sabah. We went to a monkey conservatory!! Probiscus monkeys to be exact. Google them, they're pretty funny looking...Our journey consisted of a 45 minute drive to Kota Kinabalu (the capital city of Sabah), lunch break at the Sister's convent there, a 3 hour charter bus ride to Beaufort, and then a 10 minute boat ride to the welcome center of the conservatory. Courtney and I didn't know we had to take a boat, so when we got there by 5pm, I couldn't stop laughing! We had no idea why we were arriving so late or what was in store!

Life jackets! So here, we were finally on the tour in search of probiscus monkeys. It was literally like the real life version of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland. Sounds, sights, smells, everything. Oh except that it was raining for much of it! But of course, none of the girls complained (or not that I knew of). We all had so much fun looking at the monkeys who came out after the rain stopped. After this leg of the tour, we went back to the welcome center for dinner. Another Disneyland comparison, the center was totally Pirates of the Caribbean. But it was all so much better obviously. I think I kept thinking about Disneyland because it was all rather surreal. The absolute best part of the trip though was on the boat ride back to our bus - we passed by thousands of fireflies in the mango trees. I wish I had a picture to show you (again, Pirates of the Caribbean). But it was pitch black by that time and the fireflies LIT UP those trees like they were Christmas lights. In some trees they blinked together. In other trees, they alternated and the guide said that none of it was coincidence. So so magical. Courtney and I were on a high after and we had to end the trip by stuffing ourselves with chocolate on the bus ride back.

Yesterday, Courtney, myself, and three of the girls walked with Bernadeth to her school. Since they are in final exam time right now, only she had to go to school yesterday. It took us 40 minutes (on a paved road, but pretty much through the rainforest) to get there. On the way back, we took another road past lots of rice paddies. That is Mount Kinabalu in the distance. It is the highest peak in Southeast Asia. Courtney and I plan to climb it, which you can do in two days. It's visible from the hostel, but yesterday was the first time I really noticed it. And I'm obsessed with it!

This weekend, Courtney, myself, and Pat (another staff here at the hostel, in the white polo shirt next to Courtney in the boat picture) are doing a visit at Jiana's home. Looking forward to it!

I'm grateful for this blog, because as I sit here rather sweaty, with skin itchy from mosquito bites and redness from not sleeping well, I am reminded that I am in a fantastically beautiful place with fantastically beautiful people.

Sending you all much love and peace and happiness!