Buddha Neighbors

Happy Buddha

Buddha Bette

Buddha Bob 

Hi everyone:)

Thanks so much for taking the time to read through my blog! Although I haven't officially started my Asia trip yet, I wanted to share a bit about the wonderful neighborhood I live in here in Amherst, MA.

I live in a neighborhood consisting of practicing Buddhists...Lois, my landlady, has been a follower of the Vietnamese monk and scholar, Thich Nhat Han for more than 25 years. That kind of explains why every time I'm around her, I feel at ease.

Practicing Buddhists, like any other practicing spiritual persons, make for awesome neighbors:) I guess it's a common thing here in Hippie Valley to find oneself being surrounded by peace-loving, generous people who'd leave treats in front of your door for no reason, or who would gladly call you up from Trader Joe's to ask whether you need anything since they're there anyways.Yet, I give myself a pat on the back every time I remember how fast I responded to Lois' apartment posting online back in September 2008...when I was severely unhappy with my living conditions.

You have to understand that I grew up in an un-neighborly, flood-prone area in West Jakarta. Instead of figuring out how to best solve the problem as a community, those households who can afford it levied their houses way up high without any consideration for their neighbors or traffic safety for that matter. Imagine a jagged street with mini hilly entrances for people's houses.

...and yes, given the law of gravity, come February or March, the start of our tropical rainy season, flood water enters our low-leveled house like crazy. At one point, we had knee-level water (my knee, and I'm around 5'4) in our living room. We saw some fish swimming around near our couch...the black, small, mutated ones who thrive in our gutters!

Here are some pics from last night's neighborhood movie night that I've religiously attended for the past 2 years. I see it as sort of my way of returning the favor. I share a bit of my culture with them by showing them movies that are near and dear to my heart..even the potentially bizarre, risque (as in in danger of exoticizing my own culture) ones.

How does showing a movie featuring a tree devil pimp and an army of ghost prostitutes compare to their kindness and generosity? At least it'll be an entertaining evening for them come this September:)

And oh...you guys are invited as well to see the premiere of "A Chinese Ghost Story" in Pioneer Valley:)