Salam dari Bali!

I feel so fortunate to be able to escape the country so often with my family. I love traveling to the most unexpected places like Turkey, Russia, Hungary, and Czech Republic. After every journey, I always feel enriched with the different cultural values and lifestyle I was so graciously exposed to. I always believed that opening yourself to other cultures, other than your own, elevates your individuality to a completely different platform. Being recognized as a global citizen is something that I've always wanted to attain.

Three months ago, my family and I embarked on a journey to a neighboring country, Indonesia. Although, we only stayed in Bali for a few days, it was well gratifying. I must say, I was impressed with how the Balinese strongly incorporate their traditional values into everything, specifically their art, theatre, dance, clothing and architecture. In this time-changing world, we only get to see small glimpses of our old ways. In Bali, the centuries-old tradition and culture remains vivid everywhere. Thousands of these antique temples still stand in the island. The unique style is strongly characterized by their religion. Balinese temples are not closed and are rectangular courtyards open to the sky. The shrines and altars are dedicated to the various Hindu gods. These temples are clearly valued by the locals; therefore, replacing them with contemporary buildings is not an option. The spirituality they infuse in their architecture creates a peaceful presence that can be felt by all. No wonder artists and performers around the world travel to Bali to be inspired!