Coconut water/juice comparing between 2 brands (real coconut water and sun tropics coconut juice)

The first time when I moved to USA my husband really excited for that, days before I get to California he bought like 3 box package of coconut water, he was so worry about I will missing Indonesia and coconut water/juice. So the first day I was here he gave me with proud a can of coconut juice, I was looked at the can with weird face because never imagine will have that in can, so I given tried and for sure I spited it out right away, taste so bad!!!!
After months I staying in California I realize many californians are coconut water/juice addict, most of mike's friends drink that everyday and for sure you will find easy in any market in California. Mike and I, well especially me love to shop in Asian market since you know I am Indonesian where I can find any kind of Indo food easily and for sure coconut water too plus according to mike philosophy it's cheaper compare to regular market, and it's true for many kind of food that asian consuming is cheaper there, except for western or american food like cheese, bacon, pork, and many western veggies it's away expensive in asian market.
Since I am from tiny island in east Indonesia call Timor where beach only 5 minutes away from my parent's house of course I grew up with drink fresh coconut water straight from the coconut fruit and even better sometimes we got straight from the tree. My dad has 1 coconut tree in his yard, my grandpa has piece of land with full of coconut trees so my standard of coconut water is kinda high, like american standard about their shoes or clothes. When I was little kid coconut only 10 cent/piece so you get coconut water and coconut pulpy jelly from young coconut fruit, now days it cost 50cent/piece, we never know about coconut water in can until last few years we have isotonic drink booming in Indo, and still it's an isotonic drink for us not real coconut water/juice.
2 months ago a friend stayed in our house and shared information about which is the best coconut water in California, when we talked about it and I complained about coconut water in here. She pointed in one brand which is for her is really good cause fresh and no sugar adding like many coconut water can in here, it's almost 2$/small bottle for 2 grams/280 ml coconut water with lil pulpy, it's expensive for me but yeah better taste I think than others that we always got from Asian market.

1.50$-2.50$/bottle for 280 ml

 
Well of course we always have coconut water cans in the house cause mike love them so much, I drink sometimes but not that much because I am not really enjoying them, when we got them few days ago we added some cans from new brand and today I drank that new brand to give a try and boo yaahh, it's really good, packed in Thailand, and distributing from san Ramon, CA with brand Sun Tropics, no added sugar and the taste really good just like real coconut water sure with pulpy, for 520 ml in can it's only cost 99 cent in Asian market, very recommended for taste and price. As mike always said all the expensive brand from healthy Asian food in here, they are only change the package and price so it will look good for them but the content just as same as regular cheap one in Asian market
Thank you Mikey for picked this up

99 cent/can for 520 ml (photo from the web)

this is the one we bought, and I am enjoying it right now

 

Maca Green Tea

if you a big fan of "bubble green tea" at tamansari food court at Ambarukmo plaza Yogyakarta like me, you absolutely should buy this one, it's all the secret of that green tea, and this is the best one, I had tried some similar products of green tea like in starbucks Bali and a cafe in Yogyakarta but nothing comes perfect like tamansari's one and this MATCHA is the secret, just made mine and it comes perfectly like I want and the tamansari's one. US $7 for 1 oz in here, I bet better price in Japan, you can get one from Gali A Setyawanwho's now there and will come back soon to Yogyakarta. You only need half tea spoon of this MATCHA powder, some milk and ice cubes and tararrara comes perfect and just add some bubble jelly then your a big glass of bubble green tea ready for your summer. Thanks to Stephanie Saito-Tyson who taught me about this secret powder oooohhh I love this

ACICIS tentang tenun songke Manggarai

Menemukan link ini tentang kain songke di Manggarai, mungkin terlihat biasa bagi teman-teman tapi bagi saya makalah ini sangat menarik dengan beberapa alasan berikut ini
1. Membahas tentang tenun songke di Manggarai
2. Manggarai adalah tanah kelahiran mama
3. Ditulis oleh salah satu anak Acicis dalam bahasa Indonesia yang baik dan benar
4. Saya punya banyak sekali teman dari ACICIS dan saya sekali menjadi relawan pendamping bagi teman2 ACICIS
5. Selama ini teman2 ACICIS banyak melakukan studi lapangan hanya di universitas2 atau daerah2 di Jawa dan jarang yang saya temukan melakukan di NTT
6. NTT tanah kelahiran saya
7. Yang sangat menarik adalah sistem penulisan yang dilakukan adalah sistem penulisan makalah yang banyak dipakai di universitas2 di Indonesia
http://www.acicis.murdoch.edu.au/hi/field_topics/ulla1.pdf

PINTEREST

here is I gave you a favorite capture that I took from her pinterest

I bet you know this insane web www.pinterest.com, I think this web is really brilliant, I love pinterest so much giving me so much idea about stuff. I have been pinning a lot but not many of my stuff got pinned or repinned by others, but my record was fall outfit, I got about 20 pinned and repine, woohoo.....!!! always excited when I got notice that someone pinned from my board or following me.
Yesterday even better, I had a pic of myself and friend that I pin as Indonesian girls and one gal repinned that pic of us into her board call "" woohoo....well I like that so much got notice that I am one of that beautiful face one hahahhaha but as you know camera and photo sometimes lied to you, it won't showed to you what is real hahhahaha. The board "beautiful faces" is about all the beautiful female faces from all over the world. Anyway here is the link of the board that I am talking about, really interesting one, I like her choice. Anyway i tried to put that icon "PIN" in my blog pictures but I haven't figure it out yet how to do that, if any of you has idea how please help me, I found one but seems too complicated to me to do it, it didn't work :(
Happy pinning guys and enjoy being addict to pinterest

HALLOWEEN

my favorite spot after decoration

Halloween is coming, I have been prepared decoration from last week, start from searching for bat shape in internet, this one actually came with yellow eyes, but i think will be a hazel to add tiny eyes on tons of bats not to mention to copying it manually and cutting. All the skulls and spiderweb we got from dollar store and thrift store last year.

already looks creapy just by spreaded on the carpet

I bought some black crafty sheets from dollar store only 65 cents/sheet, the 1st sheet went to friend's kids who visited us right after we bought from dollar store, she was happy spent time in our house doing some crafty and brought home about 15 bats for her own halloween decoration. Take a week for me to finish 3x21 bats, well actually it is fast but with all the domestic work plus lazy kinda make me had some lack. Since yesterday everything is set up, I tag bat with double tape, which is I am really surprise with the price almost 5$, remind me when I am back to Indo to bring some double tape from there. Here is our house now with halloween decoration, seems like our neighbor enjoying it. Oh we don't buy any pumpkin the tiny one we have is belong to friend who left for us plus who is gonna finish  the big pumpkin, there are only both of us at home.

Looking for the light in the end of the tunnel

DREAM

I don't know you but I always have problem with my dream not because it is a bad dream or  nightmare but many of my dream always tried telling me what's gonna happen which is really torture me.
I am barely can tell what will be happen not specific but I know bad or good and when it's come to bad thing, it is just killing me because I will keep worry until something happen.

There are about maybe 5 things from what I can remember that if I had in my dream then I know what's gonna happen. They are will be dream about: poop (shit), party, snake, wedding party, lost of something, dream where I can't move my body, dream about people who I love around me and from those what I can remember only dream about snake is about good things going to happen. I always wish I don't have to have any dream every single night just let me sleep.

When I had one of that dream then the next thing I know when I wake up in the morning was scare and paranoid or afraid for something and it makes me feel stupid. Is any of you have problem like I have? please let me know what your solution is... I just wanna be normal just let's thing happen as surprised either bad or good. Been like this for maybe 10 years maybe more but I just don't really realized that before but for last 10 years I really notice that.

I am tired being afraid of scare knowing something gonna happen

BUMBU GENEP (BALI) *http://wongbalireceipy.blogspot.com/2009/05/bumbu-genep.html

http://wongbalireceipy.blogspot.com/2009/05/bumbu-genep.html

AAAahhhh akirnya nemu sejak di Bali beberapa hari kemaren jadi sakau sama masakan Bali yang akhirnya nemu di Jakarta bukan di Bali hehehehehe, akhirnya google deh resepnya setelah nanya kiri kanan ga berhasil wwuuiiihhh siap2 masak masakan Bali, bakal seru kali ini di Cali hehehhee

1. Bawang Merah
2. Bawang Putih
3. Empon-empon berupa ; Laos, Jahe, Kunir, dan Kencur
4. Cabe besar
5. Cabe kecil
6. Kemiri
7. Merica
8. Garam
9. Trasi
10. Minyak goreng
11. Sere
12. Daun Salam
13. Daun Jeruk

Yang tersebut diatas adalah hal yang wajib ada di dapur anda. Karena dengan itu akan sangat mempermudah untuk memasak hidangan apa saja.

Dalam masakan bali di kenal dengan berbagai macam bumbu. Ada yang disebut dengan bumbu genep/lengkap serta bumbu cekuh/kencur.
Sebagai pelengkapnya ada juga sambal matah/mentah dan sambal goreng.

Ok, sekarang kita akan mengolah BUMBU GENEP terlebih dahulu.

250 gr bawang merah
125 gr bawang putih
170 gr empon-empon, dengan perbandingan : 
45gr Laos, 65gr Jahe, 40gr Kunir, dan 20gr kencur
125 gr cabe besar buang bijinya hingga bersih
50 gr cabe kecil
40 gr kemiri
50 gr trasi
1 st ketumbar
½ sm merica
Garam secukupnya 
100 mlt minyak goreng
200 mlt air
4 lembar daun salam dan 3 lembar daun jeruk
2 batang sere

Potong-potong semua bumbu lalu masukan ke dalam blender, tuang minyak goreng 50 mlt dan air secukupnya lalu blender. Bila lebih menyenangi bumbu halus maka blenderlah hingga halus.

Setelah itu, panaskan sisa minyak kemudian tumis bumbu tambahkan air, daun salam, daun jeruk dan sere yang telah dimemarkan. Tambahkan sisa air.
Tumislah hingga asat dan berbau harum.

Angkat dan dinginkan.
Setelah dingin simpanlah di kulkas. 
Perlu diketahui, bila anda menyimpannya di freeser, bumbu ini bisa bertahan paling lama 1.5 minggu.

MANFAAT KULIT JERUK BUAT KECANTIKAN

Bagi sebagian orang kulit jeruk sudah menjadi ‘sampah’ dan dibuang setelah isi buahnya habis. Tapi sebagian orang yang suka dengan aroma kulit jeruk justru memanfaatkannya untuk dibuat campuran makanan seperti kue, asinan, rujak dan sambal.

Bicara soal kulit jeruk, rasanya memang tidak seenak daging buahnya. Kulit jeruk cenderung terasa pahit dan getir, tapi aromanya jauh lebih segar dari buahnya. Meski sebagian banyak orang tidak menganggap kulit jeruk bermanfaat, tapi ternyata ‘sampah’ yang satu ini bisa dimanfaatkan untuk menjaga kecantikan kulit wajah. Tidak percaya? Mari buktikan.

Bagi Anda yang berminat mencobanya, bisa mengaplikasikan kulit jeruk dengan beberapa bahan untuk perawatan kecantikan. Berikut cara dan penggunaannya :

Kulit jeruk + yogurt

Campuran kulit jeruk dan yogurt bermanfaat untuk membersihkan kotoran dan sel-sel kulit mati, juga untuk mengecilkan pori-pori wajah agar terlihat bersih dan bersinar. Caranya bersihkan bagian putih kulit jeruk, lalu cincang halus. Campurkan dengan satu sendok makan yogurt, aduk rata sampai menjadi pasta. Sebelum dioleskan ke wajah, basuh terlebih dulu wajah dengan air hangat untuk membuka pori-pori. Baru kemudian gunakan masker kulit jeruk ke seluruh bagian wajah dan biarkan selama 30 menit. Setelah itu bilas dengan air dingin. Lakukan perawatan ini 2 kali seminggu.

Kulit jeruk + lemon + madu + sari jeruk nipis

Ingin membuat wajah lebih kesat dan halus, gunakan masker perawatan kulit jeruk ini. Caranya bersihkan kulit jeruk, lalu campurkan dengan 1 buah lemon dengan cara diblender hingga halus (sebelumnya buang biji lemon). Tambahkan 1 sendok makan madu dan satu sendok makan air jeruk nipis, aduk rata. Oleskan ke seluruh wajah dan biarkan selama 25 menit baru bilas dengan air dingin.

Kulit jeruk + kunyit + madu

Perawatan dengan campuran kunyit dan kulit jeruk dapat menjadikan wajah bebas noda dan segar. Caranya mudah, siapkan kulit jeruk dan 1 ruas kunyit, parut kedua bahan itu sampai menjadi sebuah pasta. Tambahkan sedikit madu agar mudah larut dan mengental.  Sebelum diaplikasikan, cuci wajah dengan air hangat baru oleskan wajah dengan masker tersebut. Diamkan selama 30 menit baru kemudian dibilas.

Kulit Jeruk + air mawar + bubuk cendana

Gunakan kulit jeruk yang sudah kering (haluskan), campur dengan air mawar dan bubuk cendana secukupnya. Oleskan ke seluruh bagian wajah termasuk leher, biarkan selama 30 menit baru kemudian bilas dengan air dingin. Perawatan ini bermanfaat untuk menghaluskan kulit, wajah nampak bercahaya dan menghilangkan noda jerawat.

Daripada dibuang, ayo manfaatkan kulit jeruk sebagai scrub alami untuk mencerahkan kulit.

         Kupas kulit jeruk perlahan untuk mendapatkan kulit jeruk yang lebar. Nah, buah jeruk bisa Anda makan sebagai nutrisi dari dalam.

         Saat mandi, usapkan bagian dalam kulit jeruk ke seluruh tubuh.

         Bilas dengan air dingin.

Gunakan scrub jeruk alami ini dua kali seminggu untuk mendapatkan hasil yang maksimal. Selamat mencoba.

ROTE

Akhirnya officially saya bisa keliling Rote. Sampai ke ujung dan pelosok Rote yang saya jamin bahkan teman2 dengan nama belakang Therik, Giri, Foes, Ndoen, dll, mungkin belum pernah melakukannya. Kemaren bersama 3 orang teman dari Australia kami sempat snorkling di pantai Bo’a seriously…pantai yang sangat indah, nembralla masih kalah bila dibandingkan dengan Bo’a, di pantai ini pertama kali gw ngelihat “cuddle fish” kering yang cukup besar, ga tau apa bahasa Indonesianya cuddle fish bahkan bentuk aslinya ketika masih hidup seperti apa sampai sekarang sama sekali belum ada bayangan. Snorkling di Bo’a cukup menyenangkan pemandangan bawah airnya sedikit mirip dengan tempat saya pertama kali snorkeling di Amed, Karangasem - Bali 2008 yaitu tepat di depan bungalow tempat kami menginap kala itu, kalo dalam point 0-10 Bo’a dapat point 6 dan amed 7, kecuali untuk daerah amed tempat kapal jepang tenggelam, angka 9 untuk daerah itu. Tidak cukup banyak warna yang dilihat tapi ikan kecil berwarna biru cerah menjadi favorit saya, cukup stunning, ada sedimen selebar meja makan dirumah orangtua saya, hal berikut yg baru pertama kali gw lihat adalah blue star fish yang akhirnya bisa saya nikmati secara lagsung. Sebelum berhenti untuk snorkeling di bo’a kami sempat berjalan2 masuk lebih ke pedalaman dimana terdapat “laut yang menjorok masuk ke daratan” (mencoba mengingat2 pelajaran IPA waktu SD sebutan untuk daerah itu adalah LAGUNA???? Ato….?????) saya lupa nama pantainya tapi dari Bo’a sekita 20 menit perjalanan melewati hutan mangrove yang dihuni oleh sekawanan kera. Daerah pantai itu adalah lahan petanian rumput laut  dengan ratusan bintang laut jelek berwarna oranye, cream dan pink, dipinggir pantai ribuan anak muscle (sejenis kerang hitam) mendiami batuan  dibibir pantai. Cukup jelas kalau daerah tersebut menghasilkan cukup banyak kerang…ooo Gosh sempat menetes air liur ini ngebayangin makanan surga itu, terbukti ada ribuan rumah kerang yang sudah tak berpenghuni berserakan dipinggir pantai dengan berbagai bentuk dari yang paling jelek sampai yang paling bagus. Akses jalan dari pantai Bo’a ke daerah tersebut cukup bagus kecuali ketika harus memasuki daerah pantai dari jalan utama sepanjang Rote Ndao, ada sekitar 100meter jalan berbatu yang harus kami tempuh tapi akses didalam desa cukup bagus dan baik, ada gubuk dipinggir pantai yang seketika mengingatkan akan buku “memoir of geisha” dimana cerita berawal dari cerita tentang “rumah mabuk” yaitu gubuk reot yang posisinya miring karena diterjang oleh angina laut selatang di jepang sana, dan gambaran cukup jelas tentang seberapa hebatnya angina laut selatan menghantam gubuk2 dipinggiran pantai yang berhalamankan laut lepas di selatan Indonesia ini.

Pantai Bo’a cukup menakjudkan dengan pantai berpasir putih dengan ribuan bintik2 merah /pink yang memberikan tambahan warna cantik di pantai ini.  Di pantai Bo’a yg cantik hampir tidak ada orang sama sekali selain kami berempat ditemati sekitar 5 anak2 dari kampong terdekat yang mendekat ketika kami menyentuh bibir pantai, Tobin bahkan tertawa terpingkal2 melihat ekspresi anak2 berusia sekita 6-8 tahun ketika melihat begitu banyaknya kulit putih ketika Sarah yang bule Ausralia itu harus menanggalkan pakaiannya dengan hanya meninggalkan 2 pieces bikini membalut tubuhnya, fair enough. Sepanjang perjalanan menyusuri Bo’a – Nembralla saya sempat bertanya2 kenapa banyak sekali orang Rote yang berurbanisasi ke kupang ketika Rote yang sangat indah dan kaya potensi ini serasa dibiarkan bergitu saja dan perlahan2 mulai diambil alih oleh para Bule yang mengaguminya. Rote sangat lebih indah dan eksotik dibandingkan Kupang bahkan untuk urusan pantai Rote bisa mendapatkan nilai 8 dibandingkan kupang yang hanya mendapatkan nilai 6 di mata saya, termasuk system pengolahannya.

Sepulangnya dari Bo’a saya menyempatkan diri berbincang2 tentang perjalanan kami dengan pemilik penginapan Tirosa tempat kami menginap. Sudah sejak 2006 mike tinggal di tirosa kemudian dilanjutkan dengn tahun 2008 kami berdua menginap disini dan sekarang tahun 2013. Mungkin dari sekian banyak penginapan, resort dan bungalow di pesisir pantai nembralla hanya tirosalah satu2nya yang kepemilikannya masih dimiliki bukan saja org Indonesia tapi penduduk local nembralla asli.  Tirosa adalah penginapan keluarga dan mungkin yang termurah diseluruh nembralla, dibandingkan tahun 2008 tirosa sekarang jauh lebih bersih dan indah, terakhir kali kami meninggalkan Tirosa tahun 2008 mike sempat berpesan kepada pemilik tirosa bahwa mungkin ada banyak bule yang hanya diam saja dan tidak ngomong2 apa2 ketika dating melihat tirosa dan kemudian tidak jadi menginap karna kondisi penginapan yang kotor, bahwa kami berdua dengan standard yg sangat rendah tidak terlalu keberatan tapi mungkin bagi bule2 yang lain akan lain lagi ceritanya.

Dalam perbincangan saya dengan Martina sang pemilik penginapan, beliau sempat bercerita bahwa Bo’a sudah 2 tahun ini tidak terjadi penyelenggaraan surfing kompetisi yang selama ini selalu dilakukan di sana dan tentu saja menguntungkan para penduduk local dan binis lokal termasuk didalamnya para pemilik bisnis di nembralla, entah kenapa, beredar kabar bahwa Bo'a dibeli oleh pebisnis Prancis tetapi sungguh tidak masuk akal berita itu, karena berita burung lain yg lebih masuk akal adalah daerah tersebut dibeli oleh pebisnis lokal Indonesia yang bukan saja seorang pebisnis tapi juga seseorang dengan power kekuasaan yang sangat besar dan itu berarti bahkan pemerintah lokalpun tidak mampu melawan kekuasaan untuk tidak melakukan kompetisi di daerah itu tapi juga bahwa Rote benar2 dipersiapkan untuk menjadi Bali berikutnya tetapi semoga tidak dengan infrastruktur minimalis dan berantakan seperti Bali saat ini.

History of Timor Woven in the west Papua woven culture (edited and translated from http://sosbud.kompasiana.com/2013/02/20/sejarah-kain-timor-dalam-budaya-tenun-ikat-di-papua-barat--530271.html)

More than a century ago, when the majority of Papuans wearing penis gourds (koteka), hula skirt and Awur, the Sorongnese (West Papuan) actually had started to wear their own home-made sarong weaving. The weaving motif is similar and looks like with the cultural products ikat Timor, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). How come this products can be same? The following is search results.

Ikat in Papua apparently first appeared in Sorong, West Papua, on Maybrat tribe which is one of the original residents of the Bird's Head region of Papua. Some of them are Tehit tribal. While the Moi tribal famous with body tattoo culture inhabited the region east of Sorong, especially on the island of Um. Bird's Head region is due to be expanded into a new province with the name of Southwest Papua.

Ikat known in tribal culture Maybrat where their livelihood is gardening and simple farming. Some of them are government officer (PNS). This tribe is known as hard worker. They call it as the Timor woven fabrics. Why is it called so? Reputedly, this weave culture get into West Papua began around the 1700s were brought by missionaries and teachers from the Timor, NTT.

The teachers, missionaries and migrants from Timor are the people who are introducing fabrics as well as train and educate local children to weave fabric woven Timor.

Many women now wearing their own  home-made sarong, especially in the traditional parties in the city, just like the people on the island of Timor. The sarong who has Timor pattern also becoming dowry as most prestigious and most expensive for people of Sorong. If a family has more wovens, especially hundreds years old one then their social status getting higher.

Yosafat Kambu (purple suit), is a spoken person for South West Papua expansion wearing Sorong ikat woven. Photo by  rakyatmerdekaonline.com

US Fiance Visa

Setelah mencoba turis visa dan gagal akhirnya kita memutuskan untuk mencoba fiance visa. mulai tgl 12 april persis setelah turis visa ditolak, attorney yang sudah kita bayar mulai bekerja keras bo....semua surat2 plus ngisi form dia yang ngurusin kita hanya duduk diam manis menunggu (menyebalkan banget menunggu) dan baru mendapat kabar dari USCIS 3 bulan kemudian berupa "REQUEST FOR FUTHER AVIDENCE" yang intinya minta kita masing2 buat statement bahwa setelah masuk ke US dalam 90 hari kita akan menikah dan itu butuh tanda tangan asli dari kedua belah pihak. Contoh surat pernyataan bisa dilihat di http://www.k1-visa-wizard.com/doc-intent-letter-of-intent.html, butuh waktu 10 hari untuk EMS kantor pos Indonesia untuk mengirim surat saya sampe ke tangan attorney dengan biaya berkisar antara 150rb IDR - 200rb IDR, dengan waktu yg diberikan oleh pihak USCIS hanya 1 bulan sejak surat itu dikeluarkan. Tanggal 6 Agustus batas terakhir surat kami masuk ke USCIS dan tanggal 10 Agustus keluar surat resmi dari USCIS yang bilang kalau petitionnya di approved. Butuh 3 minggu buat embassy untuk menghubungi saya via email bahwa mereka sudah mendapatkan semua document saya dari NVC (national visa center) beserta document yang dibutuhkan oleh pihak embassy untuk interview. Berikut email yang dikirimkan pihak embassy beserta document yang mereka butuhkan: "this is an official notification from U.S. Embassy Jakarta regarding your approved I-129F petition. U.S. Embassy Jakarta have received the approved I-129F. Please forward this information to beneficiary and have beneficiary complete the attached forms and submit them to the embassy within 4 months. <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> The EVAF DS-156 can be found at https://evisaforms.state.gov/ds156.asp Please note that you need to prepare two copies of the completed DS-156. When forms and documents completed, please send an email JakIV@state.gov for an interview date. When communicating with this office, please provide your name and case number exactly as shown in this letter. Regards, Immigrant Visa Unit"

TIMPOLMAS

My Dad started his own school 2 years ago, he builded a building next to his house being a school, lil bit annoying I think, but it is his dream, his property so he can do whatever he wants. When he started his school 2 years ago only 5 people join and on 2nd year it's grown up to 20 students. I was lil bit pessimistic about his school but seems like everything gonna be find. It had been a week Mike and I taught english and swimming for his 20 students. Today is our last day, that was really fun in english class where we talked about personality. So every single student went to front class one by one then a whole class start to tell she/he what kind of personality she/he has and only good one, no offense but full of fun and joke, in the end we found about 80's personality words which is good more vocabs to learn and know. In the swimming pool was not less fun then classroom, even only 9 kids showed up, we learned more about breast stroke and butterfly stroke, kids are happy since today is free for every one to come in swimming pool.
They are gonna move to new building as ex of government office that my dad rent from local government in Kupang. I am happy for my dad and proud of him to know his students that I realized the students are not come from high class family but more like middle class. My dad gave about 3 kids scholarship that they can study there in his school for free.
Was fun to know those kids and had great time to saw they are happy and enjoying english and swimming class

whole students after class in the last day of english conversation 

last day of swimming program

Ikat Weaving for people in NTT (edited and translated from http://nttprov.go.id/2012/index.php/en/potensiwista/pesonabudaya/tenunikat)

http://nttprov.go.id/2012/index.php/en/potensiwista/pesonabudaya/tenunikat

Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara) is one of province in Indonesia. NTT has many islands and regencies with many different tribe/ethnicity with their own language. NTT has more than 100 dialects, has customs, culture and art of their own. This influence explaining as well as illustrate why there are so many decorative patterns/motifs woven on traditional fabrics called tenun ikat (ikat weaving) in East Nusa Tenggara Province. Every tribe has their own distinctive fabrics that describing mythical figure, animals, plants and also disclosure of abstractive as a deep appreciation of the power of nature created by God Almighty.

Woven developed by each tribe / ethnicity in East Nusa Tenggara is the art of hereditary crafts that taught to our children and grandchildren as preservation of the art of weaving. Woven motif that wore by someone will be known or used as a characteristic of a tribe or island where they come from, people are happy and proud wearing original tribal weavings.
At particular tribe or region mostly pattern/motif that they are use could be animals or people like in East Sumba style motif with horses, deer, shrimp, dragon, lion, scarecrow, tree skull and others, while many Timor Tengah Selatan/TTS (South Middle East) the highlight motif patterns are birds, lizards, crocodiles and motives kaif, for other areas floral or leaf as pattern motif is more highlighted while animals it alone more only as decorative.

Traditional woven fabrics or traditional textiles of East Nusa Tenggara in tradition and culture has many functions such as:

• regular clothing to protect and cover the body.
• the clothing for special occasion like dance party or ceremony.
• rewards and awards in marriage (dowry)
• award and administration tool in the event of death.
• Penalty/fine cost in traditional customary law
• exchange 
• prestige in the social strata of society.
• myth and symbol depend on design/motif, some specific design are believed as protector from natural disaster, bad spirit, evil, etc
• appreciation to guest

Woven in traditional societies of East Nusa Tenggara has high value not only because is hand made but it is hard to make too. Making process need the imagination of maker to create motif/design, that is why it is quite expensive.  Woven is really valuable according to symbolic value inside it, including the meaning of all the small symbolics has spiritual and myth value according to culture and tradition
In the beginning woven made as clothes for body protect and cover then became custom needs like parties, ceremonies and dancing  and then now it is populer as formal clothing with modern design according to fashion trend and market demand
Right now weaving is one of economical income for NTT society especially for rural communities, mostly women in the village make woven for kill their time and help increasing family income and clothing needs for culture and tradition parties/ceremonies

At first woven made to meet the daily needs as clothing and protective body cover, then evolving to the needs of indigenous (parties, ceremonies, dances, marriage, death, etc.), until now an official dress material and modern which was designed in the development of fashion, as well to meet the demands / needs of consumers.

During its development, handicraft weaving is one source of income (UP2K) NTT society especially in rural communities. In general, rural women use their spare time to weave in an effort to increase family income and clothing needs.

If viewed from the production process or how to do it then that is woven in the East can be divided into three types, namely:

• Ikat weaving; ikat called for the formation of the binding motif threads through the process. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, to produce a pattern on the fabric weft threads are tied, while weaving in East Nusa Tenggara, to produce the thread that tied motif is lungsi thread.

Ikat Weaving. Photo by www.inimaumere.com

• Weaving Buna; term local area (North Central Timor) "woven buna" which means weave to create a pattern or decorative / motifs on fabric using yarn that has been dyed prior

weaving Buna

• Weaving Lotis / Sotis or Songket; Called also Sotis weaving or songket weaving, where the manufacturing process is similar to the use Buna weaving the threads that have been dyed.

Songket from Manggarai. Photo by www.travel.detik.com

According to the fungsional of ikat, woven products in East Nusa Tenggara has three (3) types: sarong, blanket and syal with base of color generally dark basic colors, like black, brown, maroon and dark blue. This is because craftwoman must always use vegetable dyes such as Tauk, noni, turmeric and other plans in order to coloring yarn, and the dominant motif colors of white, tan, red mereon.

For dyeing / coloring yarn in East Nusa Tenggara have been using chemical dyes that have the advantage of a case like fast, fade resistant, light resistant and rub resistant, and has a lot of color variations. The dyes used are: naphtol, direck, sulfur and reactive dyes.

However, most of small craftswoman still using natural dyes in the dyeing process and thread as customary consumption for collective resistance, oil with wax and others to get the quality and savings staining dyes drugs.

From the three types of woven mentioned above, the distribution can be seen as follows:

• Ikat weaving; almost evenly spread in all districts except in the East Manggarai and partly Ngada.
• Weaving Buna; Spread in Kupang, Timor Tengah Selatan, Belu and most are in North Central Timor.
• Weaving Lotis / Sotis or Songket; contained in the District / City of Kupang, East South Central, North Central Timor, Belu, Alor, East Flores, Lembata, Sikka, Ngada, Manggarai, East Sumba and West Sumba.

FOR NANA

Nana is one of my best friend who lives in Jakarta, been my customer for last 3 years and just ordered kebaya from me. I am happy to make kebaya for her since her size and my size kinda same except she has "bigger asset" :p well size D is really making a big different on dress between she and me hahahha even though she looks skinner then me.
Here are pics of her with my dresses and kebayas

I made this neckless by my self on our last day in Peru.
When I looking for souvenir that I can give as gift for friend in Cali, I found they sell this colorful seeds. They sell it in souvenir shop in Lima, they sell it in different color, when I saw that I was right away in love with the color, so I picked and mixed all different color. That was winter time in Peru on May 2012 when Mike and I went there, and when we should back to Cali I was thinking that is summer time in Cali and I want something colorful for summer, until I found this seeds and this neckless just came crossed my mind exactly this way.
I don't know from what plant all this seeds come from but the shape is really interesting to use and especially when the peruvian colored this way. I still have one of this neckless that I wanna give to friend in Kupang.
When I wore this neckless never in that day I don't get any complement about it.