The very first day of our retreat, during our all-group orientation, one of the ground rules I laid out as a core group agreement was this: “One of the great things about being in Bali for 15 days is a break from the news. I know some of you—those from the United States—are looking forward […]

Today, we transferred to Puri Lumbung, a beautiful hotel set in the rice fields in Munduk, the coffee growing region of western Bali. It’s my favorite stop on our tour, a deeply peaceful and natural place. After lunch, we met in our new writing space for the first time. And this was what we wrote

Yesterday, we ended the first leg of our 15-day tour of Bali. We moved from Candidasa to Ubud, and travel/transition days are always stressful. We were leaving our idyllic beachside resort behind. I’d warned people in our orientation on Day #1 that people often get cranky during transition days. I see it on every trip,

Here’s the thing about teaching writing in Bali. From day to day, moment to moment, I never know what we’re going to do. No wonder my pre-planning is useless. I don’t use a set curriculum. Especially not when teaching a group that’s traveling as a community, when writing is just one component of a multi-faceted

Today we got to witness the cremation of Cokorda Istri, a member of the noble family of Ubud. As the time for the cremation procession approached, the street got fuller and fuller until it was teeming with people, some in ceremonial clothing, some in tourist garb, some in bright green or bright orange uniforms with

Judy gave us a dramatic lesson in the art of bargaining this morning over breakfast. She began by saying, “Some of you may already be very good at bargaining from yard sales and flea markets. Others are terrified of bargaining, and think, ‘I’ll just pay the first price,’ but bargaining is expected in Bali.” This

In our group orientation this morning, I stressed two qualities I wanted the group to embody: courage and flexibility. Courage has to do with taking risks and moving out of our comfort zone. I put it to the group this way: “What I’m going to ask you to do every day you’re on this trip,

This tropical deluge woke me up today… Delightful. Turn up your sound. I guess we’re not going snorkeling this morning after all! Seems like an excellent morning to write!

While our remaining travelers were making their way to Lotus Bungalows in Candidasa today, Laurie, who arrived last night, and I headed to Tenganan Village to witness the Mekare-Kare Pandan Wars, an annual ritual for the boys and men of the village. Three hundred people live in Tenganan Village. They are an original aboriginal village,

I have been a huge fan of WhatsApp for years. Having a daughter who travels and lives on the other side of the world makes me so grateful for this versatile communication app that lets you text, leave voice memos, send photos and videos, and make international phone calls, with video or without, all for

I came to Bali with my friend Nancy Gertz a week before my students were set to arrive. In the course of that week, Nancy and I became friendly with a couple from Holland and the four of us enjoyed meals and conversation. The three of them, in Bali for the first time, were sharing

This is me after my final three scuba dives of this trip. I’m still drifting on the currents, swimming with schools of fish, watching octopi and bright blue eels poke out of crevices while the most amazing manta rays swoop and glide around me. I hadn’t gone diving in six years and thought maybe I

My co-leaders and Bali partners Judy and Surya gifted me with this “aromatic flower bath” at Andre Bali Spa in Manggis. The spa sent a car to pick me up at my hotel and drove me about ten minutes up the road. The treatment started with a foot washing. Then I was taken to a