It’s been much more of a culture shock to come back FROM Bali than to travel TO Bali.
Friends keep commenting on how I was in a ‘third world country’ and I laugh because I think that America is more of a third world country than Bali.
Maybe Bali is a third world country in the realm of toilets.
But it’s definitely not a third world country in the realm of the heart.
Bali really has nailed this Life Thing. Life in Bali is all about connection to Spirit, community and nature. Time is created, carved out and honored on a daily basis to maintain those crucial connections.
Because of being around that energy for so long, I got really used to simply ‘being’ when I was in Bali. I discovered that I enjoyed having expansive, open days and letting the moment take me to an unexpected adventure (which happened every day in Bali). I enjoyed not working (big surprise). I enjoyed simply conversing with a friend over coffee or meeting new people from a simple smile and hello at TutMak or Bali Buddha.
Here in America a lot of the the focus is on Doing. Everyone is rushing around but where is everyone going? Being busy and stressed is so expected and in some ways, even revered in America.
Being back I’m noticing how I’m beginning to go back to my old habit of scheduling much of my time to avoid having too much space in my day. The thought of having wide open gaps in my schedule causes me to feel uncomfortable here. It didn’t in Bali.
But I’m still mostly in BeingMode and I’m not sure how to gracefully step into the Doing Culture. Or even if I want to. 🙂
…Back to the land of to-do lists and the frenzied pace that made up a lot of my life before I left for my trip.
Can I hold on to this relaxed new me while ‘doing’?
We shall see.
Thankfully, I can still feel the magic of Bali hovering around me.
Seeing so many of my wonderful, loving friends the past couple of weeks has been so helpful in easing the transition of coming to America. They have commented on how I look and seem so different than before I left.
I can feel that too. On a daily basis I can see and feel the changes that took place inside and outside of me as a result of going on this trip.
The biggest change is that I left with one home and now have two.
Marin County, California and Ubud, Bali.
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Hi Kristin,
Well said. I used to live in Honduras and I had serious ‘reverse culture shock’ for a while when I got back. Maui is sort of in between the hub bub of American culture and the heart/nature centeredness of less ‘doing and having’ cultures’ in lots of ways….but the cost of living is a bitch, which affects a lot. Have you considered scheduling ‘being’ time? 🙂
Blessings in your transition.
jen
So you are home in the mother country! Yes now is the time for you to radiate your new found peace.
Love and thank you.
Hi Jen, So nice to hear from you. I like your suggestion of scheduling “Being Time”- I will do that.
I found Bali to be a lot like Hawaii, except that (to me) Bali is like Hawaii times 100. 🙂
Bali is a lot less expensive than Hawaii and so that makes it even more relaxing to be there…everything is easily within reach of the average American’s wallet (food, accommodation, etc). And also the spirituality is so apparent everywhere I turned in Bali–I resonate deeply with the Balinese type of Hinduism.
Alex, wonderful to hear from you again. I do feel a lot of peace and I think my fellow Americans are getting a taste of that when I spend my time and my love with them. 🙂
-Kristin