Renditions of My Soul: The Story of a Balinese Woman (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9789791173230)

I was born in 1972-or so one of my friends' parents who was a teacher told me, as neither of my parents recall my exact date of birth-in a small village north of Ubud on the island of Bali, one of the many islands in the Indonesian archipelago. When I was young I felt there was no other choice but to leave Bali to free myself from the burdens of poverty and tradition. I have traveled extensively abroad, married, brought up sons, and worked in Australia while continuously educating myself at college and university-my most recent acquisition a Masters degree in International Business from Newcastle University, New South Wales, Australia. I returned to Bali in 2012 after almost twenty years of living abroad, hoping to achieve a better quality of life, rebuild my family and create employment for my fellow Balinese. Since returning to Bali I have experienced at first hand the challenges facing Balinese women in the parallel universe of modern tourism and traditional life, where families struggle to maintain a balance between traditional adat duties and the temptations of the island's tourism playground, illicit drug and sex scene. Tumultuous experiences, a life full of dramas, tragedies and rare happy times that never seem to last for long enough, have inspired me to write this book as a part of my own journey of self-discovery. I am currently working on a second book while continuing other projects in Bali. Desak Yoni