They all moved to Bali together, but Maria Chardet’s mother died just a year later. All the same, Maria is happy that her mother got the chance to be part of this adventure.
The place for the cremation has been chosen: a local cemetery where funeral services are held outdoors. “Surrounded by local, everyday life. I think it’s good this way,” Maria Chardet says as she walks between the graves.
“But we’re not going to have her buried here. We want to scatter her ashes out at sea, close to Sanur, a beautiful beach which my mother liked to visit. Lovely shady spots under the palm trees, and those beautiful, little coloured Balinese boats.
Mother came too
It took nine years’ preparation, but finally the day came when Maria Chardet and her husband were ready to emigrating to the island of their dreams: Bali. But Maria, an only child, didn’t want to leave her elderly mother behind, so she came with them to Indonesia. “She was an Amsterdammer through and through, but once she got here she felt at home straightaway. She even said that she should have done it sooner.”
Maria doesn’t think the move to Bali played any role in her mother’s death. “Some people say that you should never replant old trees, but she thought it was fantastic here. She was simply old, her heart packed up.”
Together
Maria is particularly happy that she was able to share the move to Bali with her mother.
“I think a lot of people who move abroad would like to be able to take everyone and everything along with them. We were able to do just that. It meant I was able to take care of her a little bit towards the end of her life. That’s got to be better than being stuck thousands of miles away from each other.”
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For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
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