How'd I end up in Bali?

Hello world!

(And by world, I’m guessing probably 90% of people reading this are related to me, but hey there to the other brave souls who’ve decided to learn a bit more about what I’m up to).

Let’s start with why I’ve moved to Bali.

Back in July, I was offered a position with MDPI, an organization that’s working towards sustainable small-scale fisheries in Indonesia. MDPI is focused on tuna fisheries, and they have teams dedicated to fisheries improvement, fair trade, and supply chain development. I’m working with the fisheries improvement team, though I’m fairly certain I’m going to spend a lot of my time learning rather than doling out fisheries improvement advice.  

First glimpses of Indonesia

In typical me fashion, I barely hesitated before agreeing to move to a place I’ve never been. I’ve always been curious about Bali, and have heard wonderful things about the culture, the lifestyle, the food, the surfing, the diving, etc… Not to mention the fact that Indonesia is a hotspot of marine biodiversity, so the opportunity to really make a difference in marine conservation through fisheries sustainability is huge. There are a ton of different marine conservation organizations here, so I’m looking forward to making some cool connections. As with any of my experiences living abroad, I’m excited about the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture, try new things, and hopefully contribute in a meaningful way.

Momo's yard

After 24 hours of travel (which went really smoothly, thank you Cathay Pacific!), I arrived in Bali yesterday afternoon. I was instantly enamored by the people, the architecture, and even the smell (seriously, it smells really nice here). It’s busy, yes, but it doesn’t feel frantic or panicked or intense. I’m sure I’ll feel differently once I hop on a motorbike and try to make my way through traffic, but for now, I’m sticking with that.

I’m currently staying at my boss’s house (she’s at home in Ireland for a few weeks), and it is gorgeous. It’s in Seminyak, which is a bit busy, but it’s tucked away in a small complex down a narrow street, so it feels completely isolated from the hustle and bustle. There are flowers everywhere, the ceiling is probably 20 metres high, the bathroom is outside, and there’s a pool. What more could a girl ask for?? Oh – how about the fact that the beach is less than a 10 minute walk away? 

I think that’s it for me for now – stay tuned for updates about my new job, delicious food that I eat, cool places I get to explore, and inevitable pickles I end up in.

Ally

p.s. I nearly forgot. Everyone’s first question is whether Tobin is joining me here – and the short answer is YES! – as much as he can while balancing two jobs. So hopefully you’ll see lots of him in this blog.

Sunset at Seminyak