With our first week of volunteering almost over, we started the day with the goal of finishing the temple floor. We had a substantial system of laying the soil, placing the tiles, and finishing it off with cement. It was satisfying to see our progress with the floor and we are almost done with it. After our work, we had a fulfilling lunch and made a splash in the pool.
We decided to depart on an excursion to the Tegallalang Rice Terrace in the afternoon. As soon as we got there, the view was absolutely stunning. It was also possible to hike down and be close to the rice paddies. We were able to see the water running down the narrow channels and we did not expect how muddy the hike was going to be.
There were also a variety of activities we could partake during our visit. They ranged from zip line, single Bali swing, couple swing tree, sky bike single, and more. A few of us tried the Bali swing and a single Bali swing gets 15 swings each in both directions. The swing was exhilarating as it was towered over the rice terrace.
We quickly made our way back to Green Lion for a special dinner. Each Thursday, the Green Lion staff hosts a special dinner for all the volunteers. After our dinner, we played a series of fun games. There was a competition where a Balinese cracker was hung from the ceiling and whoever eats it the fastest without his or her hands won. There was another competition where there was a plate of five coins covered with flour and whoever finds the coins first without using his or her hands won.
After our dinner, we wore sarongs, a long elegant piece of cloth worn wrapped around our lower body and headed to a temple, Pura Pengukur Ukur-Goa Garba. Today was the full moon ceremony and Balinese men, women, and children dressed up in their traditional attire for music, prayers, and celebrations. The temple was beautifully decorative and the environment was very energetic for music and celebrations. On the other side, there was a silent area for prayers. It can be overwhelming but it was an experience to observe their culture.
EGL Family Abroad 