Jakarta Indonesia Travel Blog | African-American Expat Life

A Closer Look at Alex Hofstadter, Personal Trainer and ATL Firefighter

Posted by Keme on Feb 12, 2013 in 2011, 2012, 21 Day Detox and Purification Program, Acupuncture and holistic health care, Education, Empowerment, Energy Healing, Food, Healthy Lifestyle, Spiritual Teachers, Spiritual Transformations, Uncategorized | 0 comments

"After graduation I pursued a career as a firefighter in Savannah, Georgia. There I saw a growing problem among the firefighter department. Years of service ultimately brought on years of stress, bad eating habits, and sedentary lifestyle, which were causing major health problems. I decided to become a peer fitness trainer within the department and help my fellow firefighters gain the tools they needed to pursue healthier lives. I also began going to the Firefighter’s Academy and training the recruit firefighters, making sure that when they came out they would be in great physical shape..."

Meet My Personal Trainer – Alex Hofstadter

Posted by Keme on Feb 12, 2013 in 2011, 2012, 21 Day Detox and Purification Program, Acupuncture and holistic health care, Education, Empowerment, Energy Healing, Food, Healing with Nature, Healthy Lifestyle, MYA Articles, MYA Photos, Radio Show: "Work Your Magic", Spiritual Teachers, Spiritual Transformations, Uncategorized | 1 comment

"After leaving my two-year sojourn in the Bay Area California, I returned to Atlanta with two goals: #1 write a novel and #2 get fit. To my surprise, writing the novel has been the relatively easier part. My journey toward personal fitness has been long and fraught too many trips to the bakery and not enough time in the gym time. My first solution was to join a gym. Sure my apartment complex has a small gym on-site, but I wanted a more immersive experience. I needed to see rows and rows of cardio equipment, weight machines and free weights. And to be honest, I also wanted a great women’s locker room equipped with every toiletry imaginable as well as a large, hot, clean steam room. I visited lots of gyms around the city before I finally settled on one: Athletic Club Northeast, in the Buckhead area..."

Photo: Gamelan Band, Taro Village, Bali, Indonesia

Posted by Robyn on Jan 13, 2013 in 2012, African-American expat life, American expat life, Artists, Bali, Bali adventures, black Americans abroad, Education, Energy Healing, Hinduism, I am Other, Indonesia, Indonesia travel blog, International community, international travel blog, Music, SE Asia, SE Asia travel adventures, Sound healing, Spiritual Adventures, Travel Adventures, Travel blogging, Travel writing, Ubud, Women, Women Solo Travel, Writers | 2 comments

"Music in Bali is connected to the religious traditions and is an important part of the Balinese culture from dance to theater performances. Gamelan, the traditional Balinese orchestra is made up of string and woodwind instruments with percussion ranging from gongs and xylophones..."

VIDEO: Surfs Up with the Kiwis, Padang Padang Beach, Uluwatu, Bali

Posted by Robyn on Jan 9, 2013 in 2012, African-American expat life, American expat life, Angel Retreats, Artists, Bali, Bali adventures, black Americans abroad, Healing with Nature, I am Other, Indonesia, Indonesia travel blog, International community, international travel blog, International Yoga Retreats, Jakarta, SE Asia, SE Asia travel adventures, Spiritual Adventures, Spiritual Teachers, Travel Adventures, Travel blogging, Travel writing, Women, Women Solo Travel, Writers | 0 comments

This is a video made by friends of mine, whom I met while living in Indonesia. Well, actually they saved my life (long story, see the Survivor Series on YouTube)! We had run into each other at Padang Padang Beach in Uluwatu, the southern part of Bali. Padang Padang is one of the most popular surfing destinations in the world and one of the most famous in Bali. My friends, Kiwis from New Zealand are definitely "ride or die" surfers!

Photo: Taro Village Men Taking a Break

Posted by Robyn on Jan 9, 2013 in 2012, African-American expat life, American expat life, Bali, Bali adventures, black Americans abroad, Education, Hinduism, I am Other, Indonesia, Indonesia travel blog, International community, international travel blog, Jakarta, Monkey Forest Road, SE Asia, SE Asia travel adventures, Spiritual Adventures, Spiritual Enrichment, Travel Adventures, Travel blogging, Travel writing, Ubud, Women, Women Solo Travel, Writers | 0 comments

Balinese men taking a rest inside temple in preparation for holiday festivities. Taro Village in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Photo by: Robyn Donaldson

Happy Election Day! GET OUT THE VOTE! #Obama2012! #FORWARD America!

Posted by Robyn on Nov 6, 2012 in 2012, African-American expat life, black Americans abroad, Education, Empowerment, I am Other, Indonesia, Indonesia travel blog, International community, international travel blog, Jakarta, SE Asia, Spiritual Teachers, Spiritual Transformations, Travel Adventures, Travel blogging, Women, Women Solo Travel | 0 comments

HAPPY ELECTION DAY! GET OUT THE VOTE (GOTV) For information on your polling location: 1-866-MYVOTE1 If you experience or witness voter intimidation at the polls: FBI #: 202-278-2000 If you have some time today, please VOLUNTEER at your local Obama HQ and/or make calls from home: @barackobama.com President Barack Obama (my old boss) and me! October 2009, 2012 LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! VOTE TODAY!...

POSTCARDS from Bali: Village women in devotion, celebrating Galungan holiday

Posted by Robyn on Oct 23, 2012 in 2012, Academics, African-American expat life, American expat life, Artists, Bali, Bali adventures, black Americans abroad, Education, Empowerment, Energy Healing, Healing with Nature, Hinduism, I am Other, Indonesia, Indonesia travel blog, international travel blog, International Yoga Retreats, Monkey Forest Road, Moon energy, SE Asia, SE Asia travel adventures, Spiritual Adventures, Spiritual Journies, Spiritual Teachers, Spiritual Transformations, Travel Adventures, Travel blogging, Travel writing, Ubud, Women, Women Solo Travel, Writers, Yoga | 0 comments

Village women making an offering and praying. I took this photo on Galungan, the day where the Balinese celebrate good triumphing over evil and honoring the ancestral spirits who make their return to earth for 10 days, then leave.

VIDEO: Being an Anomaly (ie., being an African-American woman in Indonesia)

Posted by Robyn on Oct 17, 2012 in 2012, African-American expat life, American expat life, Artists, black Americans abroad, Education, Empowerment, I am Other, Indonesia, Indonesia travel blog, International community, international travel blog, International Yoga Retreats, Jakarta, SE Asia, SE Asia travel adventures, Spiritual Adventures, Spiritual Enrichment, Spiritual Journies, Spiritual Teachers, Spiritual Transformations, Travel Adventures, Travel blogging, Travel writing, Women, Women Solo Travel, Writers | 4 comments

Everyday I am learning how to navigate SE Asia. No one EVER guesses that I am from the U.S., even after hearing my American accent. I do my best to not get offended, but some days the staring becomes beyond annoying. I laugh and do my best to not take things too seriously and be open to the cultural exchanges, otherwise everyday I'd be walking around pissed off.

VIDEO: Off to Bali!

Posted by Robyn on Oct 16, 2012 in 2012, African-American expat life, American expat life, Artists, Bali, Bali adventures, black Americans abroad, Education, Empowerment, Energy Healing, Healing with Nature, Hinduism, I am Other, Indonesia, Indonesia travel blog, International community, international travel blog, International Yoga Retreats, Jakarta, Monkey Forest Road, SE Asia, SE Asia travel adventures, Spiritual Adventures, Spiritual Enrichment, Spiritual Journies, Spiritual Teachers, Spiritual Transformations, Travel Adventures, Ubud, Women, Women Solo Travel, Writers | 0 comments

This video was taken the morning I was headed to Bali. This trip was a gift and a true celebration as I closed one chapter and started a new chapter here in Jakarta! Never give up, always persevere and know there is a blessing after the storm. Bali was one of many blessings. More to come....