I've learned at previous jobs that you don't truly belong in a new office until you know how to goof off with co-workers during important meetings. I'm glad I've now shared this experience with my colleagues at YDD.
And they have been nothing short of sweet to me lately. They are throwing a farewell lunch party for me next week, and I was also formally recognized for the work I've been doing. To be honest, the recognition came unexpected, largely because my personal self-evaluation led me to conclude that I didn't meet all of my professional goals. But maybe I've been too hard on myself?
I've also acquired something I didn't fully expect. These work friendships mean so much more to me now than I initially imagined they would (mostly because of my early struggle with self-expression), and while my Indonesian is far from perfect, I'm glad I've reached a point where I can make my co-workers laugh at my jokes. That might be my favorite accomplishment.
In addition to meetings and cool colleagues, I've had the opportunity to meet representatives from our partner organization in Cambodia. The other night we shared stories over Indian food in Jogja, and it was inspiring to hear about their experiences in the development sector. It's a world that's beginning to make more and more sense to me, but I am continuously amazed at all the complex challenges and considerations that need to be made.
It's been a good work week, but now I'm exhausted! Gotta catch some z's.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Sukunan, desa wisata lingkungan
Thursday was Hari Waisak, a national Buddhist holiday, so I decided to spend the day off visiting Sukunan, a small village of about 300 families that has become quite famous for their community waste management program. It was initiated by a villager named Pak Iswanto in early 2000s but has since grown in scope and participation. In addition to separating trash for recyclables, and reusing where possible, the community also composts and treats household wastewater. Several organizations, including YDD, have also worked with Sukunan to develop the technologies in ways that are useful and appropriate for the community.
Of course, in order to ensure sustainability, it requires the participation of all people in the village. This means good leadership and education is needed, especially for children. It's this socialization effort, activated by the whole community, that I found to be really unique and impressive.
When I visited Sukunan today with my friend Matt, we were hosted by Pak Haryadi, a villager who spoke to us in Indonesian the whole time. We managed to pick up the most important parts, but I definitely want to go back once my Indonesian vocabulary on waste management systems has improved...
Of course, in order to ensure sustainability, it requires the participation of all people in the village. This means good leadership and education is needed, especially for children. It's this socialization effort, activated by the whole community, that I found to be really unique and impressive.
When I visited Sukunan today with my friend Matt, we were hosted by Pak Haryadi, a villager who spoke to us in Indonesian the whole time. We managed to pick up the most important parts, but I definitely want to go back once my Indonesian vocabulary on waste management systems has improved...
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| Bins set up around the village that separate plastic, paper, and bottles. The far left is hazardous waste. Every household has their own system to separate trash, but they can go to any one of these public stations to deposit. |
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| An underground waste water treatment system, which was installed in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Yayasan Dian Desa (YDD) and Asian People's Exchange (APEX). |
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| A diagram explaining the wastewater treatment system underneath all the houses. Wastewaster is collected from 25-30 houses and is then passed through sedimentation and multiple-stage biofilters before storage and eventual use for the rice plantations. |
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| A public composting station. The entrance door is on the right-hand side (not pictured) and compost is collected from the rectangular hole at the bottom. |
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| various composting bins |
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| a beautiful kamar mandi!! |
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| a urine-collecting station. Urine, which is rich in Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) can be used as fertilizer. |
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| A central storage facility for the community's separated trash. These piles will be collected and purchased by waste collectors and recyclable waste facilities. |
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| Students often come to Sukunan to participate in projects and try out new things. This charcoal briquette, made by a Papuan student, can be used as biomass fuel for cooking. Unfortunately, I accidentally dropped and destroyed this briquette right after this photo was taken :( |
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| a composting site. this pile is almost ready! |
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| The community also reuses coffee sachets and makes them into fashionable bags! |
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| A ceramic pot-in-pot refrigerator. According to Pak Haryadi, it can keep vegetables crisp for up to four days. |
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| They also promote the use of reusable pembalut (pads) for women. |
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| Reusing paper to make the frame of a mirror. |
Thursday, May 8, 2014
The Summer
These next few months are going down in history. I can feel it. Here's what's happening:
- I will work my butt off and conclude my post at YDD. Hopefully the lab will be fully operational before I leave!
- Transition as a VIA staff member for the UCEAP summer program on community development (June 18-July 19). It's going to be fast paced, educational, and simply awesome.
- Travel to Kuala Lumpur for a short visa run...hope to run into two of my college classmates, the beautiful Malaysian twins :)
- Spend Lebaran with my friend Novia and her family in Bukittinggi, west Sumatra. The Minang people have a rather unique matrilineal Islamic culture, and I'm excited to witness their celebrations. Word on the street is that they cook rendang for days! Yuuuum.
- After Lebaran, back in Jogja again. Soon thereafter, Ian, one of my closest friends from college, will fly in and we will spend three weeks traveling together in Jogja, Bali and Lombok. I'm stoked for Lombok, especially, because I'll run into some of my sanitation NGO buddies!
- Back in Jogja my Singaporean friend Lim gets in and we will travel also, around Jogja and maybe to Dieng.
- Finally, Mitch will arrive and we will cycle all over town, travel to Bandung together, return to Jogja, then pack up and head home :)
Afghan Pudding
My senses are telling me to update in the midst of all the busyness, exhaustion, and jaw pain. Santai saja. And so we will listen, we will chill, and we will write.
EARLIER THIS EVENING
At 6:30pm I sat on my bed and I was faced with the classic dilemma: go out and meet people, or stay home in solitude. The latter option was so tempting, and all sorts of excuses began to fill my head. You're sleepy. It's late. You don't even know the host. There will be other parties. I almost caved, when suddenly another voice entered my thoughts. It was my friend Charlotte.
"While I'm in Indonesia, I am going to accept all invitations to hang out."
She said this to me in 2012 when she was living in Indonesia for two months, researching women's bicycle culture. Then I stopped to think, wait, 2012? Has it really been two years? And it suddenly dawned on me that I have less than four months before I go home.
So I decided to listen to Charlotte's voice and found my way to the dinner party. I'm glad I did, too, because tonight I met a wonderful new friend. We talked for a few hours over fruits and homemade Afghan pudding.
EARLIER THIS EVENING
At 6:30pm I sat on my bed and I was faced with the classic dilemma: go out and meet people, or stay home in solitude. The latter option was so tempting, and all sorts of excuses began to fill my head. You're sleepy. It's late. You don't even know the host. There will be other parties. I almost caved, when suddenly another voice entered my thoughts. It was my friend Charlotte.
"While I'm in Indonesia, I am going to accept all invitations to hang out."
She said this to me in 2012 when she was living in Indonesia for two months, researching women's bicycle culture. Then I stopped to think, wait, 2012? Has it really been two years? And it suddenly dawned on me that I have less than four months before I go home.
So I decided to listen to Charlotte's voice and found my way to the dinner party. I'm glad I did, too, because tonight I met a wonderful new friend. We talked for a few hours over fruits and homemade Afghan pudding.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
VIA Video - A Day in the Life
VIA asked us to make a video with the theme of "A Day in the Life", so I've been spending the last week filming and trying to figure out how to use iMovie. Yesterday, Hayu and I schemed up a plan to video tape me on a becak near the Kraton (Sultan's Palace). It turned out pretty well, though I'm definitely not movie-star material! I can't stop smiling and laughing.
Monday, April 7, 2014
The Rest: Bali
Bali is one of those places that people will be talking about forever. As one of the most popular tourist destinations, it's been referred to by many as the epitome of a paradise island -- a place with pristine beaches, beautiful dancers, and exotic food. People come from near and far to get married on this island, and for some, experiencing the night life in Kuta with the beach as your backyard is worthy of many photo sessions. Other people might come to Bali in search of peace and spirituality. With a strong history of Hinduism, combined with local traditions and meditation practices, there are outlets for these seekers.
It's no doubt that tourism plays up the natural beauty and culture of Bali to an enormous extent, way more than the other islands of Indonesia. You'd think that with all the success of tourism, the island would be flourishing.
But what they don't tell you is that up in the mountains, there are still outrageously poor communities who suffer from lack of resources and lack of governmental recognition. There are communities who do not have proper roads and waste management, who are unemployed, and who when sick do not receive adequate treatment for their illnesses. Child mortality is high but deaths often go unreported. If children want to go to school, they have to travel far distances to get there.
It's in one of those communities in northeast Bali, far from the throngs of tourists, that I spent most of my time during my short visit. In a village called Muntigunung, YDD is working with a Swiss foundation, Future for Children, to help secure this community with some basic human needs, such as access to water and sanitation, through the construction of rain catchments and toilets. Beyond the basic needs, another goal is to develop livelihood projects, working with the villagers to secure a regular source of income through the processing, packaging, and sale of cashew nuts, dried mango, rosella tea, salts, and handicraft products, such as hammocks.
Working for this livelihood project, known as Muntigunung Social Enterprise, is my VIA friend Toku's primary work responsibility. He has become a marketing focal and helps to secure sales agreements with hotels, cafes, and grocery stories around Bali.
Before I sleep and leave you with photos, there's one more thing I want to emphasize. The place is just jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It's up in the mountains, with trees everywhere, steep dirt trails… and resting quietly are small clusters of houses. From almost anywhere you can look out and see the dark blue horizon of ocean.
It's no doubt that tourism plays up the natural beauty and culture of Bali to an enormous extent, way more than the other islands of Indonesia. You'd think that with all the success of tourism, the island would be flourishing.
But what they don't tell you is that up in the mountains, there are still outrageously poor communities who suffer from lack of resources and lack of governmental recognition. There are communities who do not have proper roads and waste management, who are unemployed, and who when sick do not receive adequate treatment for their illnesses. Child mortality is high but deaths often go unreported. If children want to go to school, they have to travel far distances to get there.
It's in one of those communities in northeast Bali, far from the throngs of tourists, that I spent most of my time during my short visit. In a village called Muntigunung, YDD is working with a Swiss foundation, Future for Children, to help secure this community with some basic human needs, such as access to water and sanitation, through the construction of rain catchments and toilets. Beyond the basic needs, another goal is to develop livelihood projects, working with the villagers to secure a regular source of income through the processing, packaging, and sale of cashew nuts, dried mango, rosella tea, salts, and handicraft products, such as hammocks.
Working for this livelihood project, known as Muntigunung Social Enterprise, is my VIA friend Toku's primary work responsibility. He has become a marketing focal and helps to secure sales agreements with hotels, cafes, and grocery stories around Bali.
Before I sleep and leave you with photos, there's one more thing I want to emphasize. The place is just jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It's up in the mountains, with trees everywhere, steep dirt trails… and resting quietly are small clusters of houses. From almost anywhere you can look out and see the dark blue horizon of ocean.
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| Women from the village weaving hammocks to be sold abroad in Switzerland |
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| Each time we visited a house, we were invited to sit for a while. |
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| a rain catchment under construction |
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| a dirt path up the mountain slope |
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| a beautiful view from one of the village kelompok |
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| a view from a village house |
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| this little boy played with this spider for a very long time... |
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| at the beach near Muntigunung, these kids are gambling with cigarettes |
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| me with YDD-Muntigunung employee, Mbak Endang |
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| Toku, me, and friends from the sanitation program |
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| Muntigunung Social Enterprise employees, peeling the skin off cashews |
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| peeled cashews in a solar dryer shed |
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| a rain catchment under construction |
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| a garden pilot in one of the kelompok of Muntigunung |
Friday, April 4, 2014
Day 8-9: From Flores To Bali
As we approached the plane on foot at Maumere's tiny airport, I turned to Pak Kam with a grin and said, "Saya bawa alpukat, Pak, lima buah!" (I brought avocados, sir, five of them!) On the road back from Laratuka, I had made Pak Mat stop by a small market so I could buy some avocados for Bali. They were 10,000 Rp for five, that is, a little less than a dollar.
He laughed and replied, "Saya juga! Tas ini, isinya alpukat! Berat, soalnya..." (Me too! This bag here is filled with avocado. Problem is, it's heavy...) I took a look at his backpack. It could easily be carrying about 20 pieces of fruit. "Bagus, bagus!"(Good, good!) I said, laughing also.
We'd just spent the last hour in the airport talking in depth about the sanitation program in Flores. Guy knows his stuff, and has a particular interest in ensuring that local people have the means to achieve their needs after the program is over. "If the workshop gets at least 50% of these tukang to begin making and selling toilets locally, we'll consider it a success."
Out of all the bapak-bapak I met this past week, Pak Kam is one of my favorites. He's about 70 years old, wears a kopiah wherever he goes, and smiles with laughter and wrinkles in his eyes.
* * *
And then I'm in Bali, riding in the back bed of a pickup truck with my friend Toku, watching an eve-of-Nyepi procession pass by on a narrow road. There are old and young walking together, crowding the area for several hundred meters. Some people are singing and cheering, carrying banners for their community, and others are waving batons of fire. Each group lifts a bamboo platform with an ogoh-ogoh statue in the center, representing a unique evil spirit. The fanciest and most expensive are decorated with lights and jewels, symbolizing their hedonistic personalities.
The community will soon destroy these figures by dismemberment or by setting them on fire. Because of this, there's excitement in the air. The children are happy, and the adults are likely drunk. It's a parade, except this is unlike any parade I've ever been to. Eve-of-Nyepi is an island-wide party -- the storm before a full day of quiet reflection. On the day of Nyepi, food, fire, work, and electricity are all forbidden. The streets will be empty in a few hours.
When we finally pass the crowded streets, everything becomes dark except for the cars and motorbikes. Our truck's headlights illuminate the windy road and the jungle we are passing through. The crisp mountain air takes over my senses. Ari slows down a bit, allowing other vehicles to pass so that Toku and I can soak it in. We stand there, holding on to the roof of the truck as the trees whip by on the narrow road. I tilt my head back and look up. Above us, the stars are vibrant.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Day 8: Heading to Bali
I have a 7am flight tomorrow morning to Bali and about a million thoughts in my head. I guess that's the benefit of having limited internet connection. I can mull things over a bit without getting too distracted by pop culture curiosities, like whether or not Divergent is actually a good movie.
It's my last night night in Flores, and I'm now staying at the YDD office in Maumere. What I like about YDD offices in Flores is that they double up as houses for employees, so they're rather cozy and lived in. The past few nights I've been eating dinner in the living room, making very sparse but pleasant-enough conversation with the head of YDD-Maumere. He's a pretty important guy, having been with the org since 1982, back when YDD was still doing water-related work in Kupang!
From these YDD-Flores employees, I've been hearing a lot about a previous VIA fellow that lived in Maumere for about a month. It seems she left quite an impression on people. Hearing about her experiences in this or that island makes me a bit envious that I couldn't spend more time working with the people here, but I am grateful, nevertheless, for even having one week to visit this gorgeous island.
Coming to Flores has been helpful in reminding me about why I'm here. In the office it's so easy to get caught up in international NGO politics, paperwork, funding, and egos that you sometimes forget about who you're really trying to work with: the community, or masyarakat. Having the opportunity to meet the community, and to witness them in action, has been inspiring and motivating.
I can see why YDD's work is important, because they act as a bit of catalyst to get things moving. YDD analyzes the situation by doing research on the ground, develops a possible solution with the community, and finds ways to fund the proposed projects. After implementing the project, they go around trying to monitor and evaluate by, again, talking with the people. In all steps of the process, YDD makes an effort to engage the community, and that's something I really appreciate. Although some past projects were not as sustainable as they would've preferred (it sounds like SODIS may be an example, for cultural reasons), I can definitely see how YDD's presence is making a positive lasting impact on the community here, especially where sanitation is concerned.
Sleeeeeeep!
It's my last night night in Flores, and I'm now staying at the YDD office in Maumere. What I like about YDD offices in Flores is that they double up as houses for employees, so they're rather cozy and lived in. The past few nights I've been eating dinner in the living room, making very sparse but pleasant-enough conversation with the head of YDD-Maumere. He's a pretty important guy, having been with the org since 1982, back when YDD was still doing water-related work in Kupang!
From these YDD-Flores employees, I've been hearing a lot about a previous VIA fellow that lived in Maumere for about a month. It seems she left quite an impression on people. Hearing about her experiences in this or that island makes me a bit envious that I couldn't spend more time working with the people here, but I am grateful, nevertheless, for even having one week to visit this gorgeous island.
Coming to Flores has been helpful in reminding me about why I'm here. In the office it's so easy to get caught up in international NGO politics, paperwork, funding, and egos that you sometimes forget about who you're really trying to work with: the community, or masyarakat. Having the opportunity to meet the community, and to witness them in action, has been inspiring and motivating.
I can see why YDD's work is important, because they act as a bit of catalyst to get things moving. YDD analyzes the situation by doing research on the ground, develops a possible solution with the community, and finds ways to fund the proposed projects. After implementing the project, they go around trying to monitor and evaluate by, again, talking with the people. In all steps of the process, YDD makes an effort to engage the community, and that's something I really appreciate. Although some past projects were not as sustainable as they would've preferred (it sounds like SODIS may be an example, for cultural reasons), I can definitely see how YDD's presence is making a positive lasting impact on the community here, especially where sanitation is concerned.
Sleeeeeeep!
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Day 6: Wae Bao
Today was a more low-key day. Bu Chris really wanted me to get out more in the field, so she arranged for me to visit one of the desa we work with on the northeast peninsula of Flores, a small remote village of 1500 people, called Wae Bao. The main issue there, according to Pak Rafael, is water scarcity, so YDD/SIMAVI is currently working with the locals to establish a rain catchment that will be about 5m deep and 500m in circumference. Unfortunately, I ran into some communication difficulties and didn't quite understand the details behind the current construction work, but it definitely had something to do with piping…
The ride there was very scenic and I spent a lot of time looking outside the window. It took us about 2.5 hours from Larantuka on a very bumpy (and sometimes nonexistent) road. At times we were driving through a jungle, covered in a variety of trees and shrubs, while other moments we were right up against the coast, crystal clear water and mountains standing at a distance. It was peace for the eyes, let me tell you.
I also saw young girls gathering wood in the forest, which is something I am aware of because of Clean Cookstove program, but until now never witnessed in person. Although the YDD house in Wae Bao is equipped with a kompor minyak (kerosene stove), locals still primarily use a three-stoned wood fire for cooking. They do not use ceramic stoves in Flores Timur, like they do around Java.
Tomorrow after lunch I'll be heading back to Maumere. Again, pictures will follow when I have better internet connection...
The ride there was very scenic and I spent a lot of time looking outside the window. It took us about 2.5 hours from Larantuka on a very bumpy (and sometimes nonexistent) road. At times we were driving through a jungle, covered in a variety of trees and shrubs, while other moments we were right up against the coast, crystal clear water and mountains standing at a distance. It was peace for the eyes, let me tell you.
I also saw young girls gathering wood in the forest, which is something I am aware of because of Clean Cookstove program, but until now never witnessed in person. Although the YDD house in Wae Bao is equipped with a kompor minyak (kerosene stove), locals still primarily use a three-stoned wood fire for cooking. They do not use ceramic stoves in Flores Timur, like they do around Java.
Tomorrow after lunch I'll be heading back to Maumere. Again, pictures will follow when I have better internet connection...
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Day 5: Epic Entry
Wow what a day. There are so many things going on in my head right now that I think I need to split this entry up in topics rather than organize it chronologically. But brace yourself and get comfortable. I already know this is going to be an epic entry.
A. The Making of Squat Toilets and Molds
The last few days I've had the pleasure of witnessing an artisan process of making squat toilets, as well as the molds that are used to create them. The former involves different layers and mixtures of cement, calcite, and sand, using a mold as a base. The latter involves mixtures and layers of resin, pigment and fiber glass mat. These processes have been used in a part of Lombok Island, and the experienced tukang from Lombok are now here sharing their knowledge with the local tukang from around east Flores.
It's been exciting, documenting the workshop by taking photos. Yesterday I stayed clear so as not to disturb the workshop, but during a second day of witnessing the same processes, I was antsy to get involved. Today I finally asked if I could participate in making a mold, and super-friendly Pak Amin (one of the tukang from Lombok) said of course! Working together with our driver, Pak Matias, who also until then had been on the sidelines, I started making a mold.
The moment I picked up the sponge and started applying wax to the Master, all the tukang around me stopped what they were doing to stare. After a moment, they began cheering me on in their own way, offering me bits of advice like, "Disini belum ada!" ("This spot here is missing some!"), and one even started taking photos of me with my camera. When I started to paint the pigment mixture on, one of them excitedly pointed out, "Bu, ada lobang disini!" ("Ma'am, there's a hole in this spot!"). I decided to interpret their advice as a way of showing support. Everyone just wanted to be helpful.
B. Gender
The workshop is made up of 28 participants, all male tukang from various regencies in Flores Timur, including some of the smaller islands further east. There are three tukang from Lombok that make up the trainers, as well as two or three local assistants/employees of YDD, all male.
Bu Chris, my boss, a female, is the primary organizer. Pak Rafael, another leader, is the head of YDD-Larantuka. Then there's me, the only foreigner, and the only other female attending the workshop next to Bu Chris.
Not attending the workshop, yet still critical to its success, are a group of five local women, including Pak Rafael's wife, who are responsible for the snacks, coffee, and tea during breaks that take place in the morning and in the afternoon. They come and hang out during these moments, so I've been able to talk to them a bit. These women have been making our delicious coffee, using beans roasted/"fried" a traditional way over a three-stoned fire.
Recognizing the primary role of women as cooks in this area, Bu Chris spent some time asking these women about their cooking habits, and whether or not they would be interested in trying out an improved cooking stove that uses kulit kemiri (candlenut shells) as fuel. The women seemed quite interested. This is actually another project that Bu Chris has been pursuing, and for which I helped edit a Nexus grant sometime last year (which, unfortunately, we didn't get.)
C. Indonesian Ethnic Groups
During this workshop, I've been able to witness the interaction between various ethnic groups in the same place. There's Bu Chris, an ethnically Chinese woman from Java, interacting with males from both Lombok and Flores, and women from Flores.
I can't say much besides that the interaction seems to be very positive. Bu Chris has been visiting Flores since 2010 on various STBM related projects, so she has established a strong connection with the YDD employees. As for the local tukang, everyone pays respect to Bu Chris, recognizing her position as a supervisor. Bu Chris in turn does a great job encouraging the capacity of everyone else present to get work done. Her role, she has told me on several occasions, is simply to make sure that things run smoothly and in an organized way. While the tukang from Lombok are good at training others, they may not necessarily know how to handle large groups of people, and that's when Bu Chris will step in as a leader.
There are a few things worth noting about ethnicity in Larantuka: many of the shop owners in the "downtown" area (a few streets near the waterfront) are either ethnically Chinese or from Makassar. I actually noticed this immediately, because Chinese-Indonesians tend to have fairer skin and straight hair, whereas people in Flores tend to have curlier hair and dark skin.
D. Entrepreneurship and Appropriate Technology
Bu Chris and I were talking about the Chinese presence, and she commented that local entrepreneurial drive is not particularly strong, with business opportunities instead taken up by outsiders who have to come Flores to settle down. That being said, women still play a vital role in the traditional markets, where they sell various commodities.
The hope, though, is for the workshop to stimulate local entrepreneurial ventures, especially for the establishment of STBM-related technology. YDD and SIMAVI's goal here, as with the cookstove project, is simply to stimulate the establishment of local markets. When combining demand (driven by increased awareness of the STBM five pillars) and supply (driven by the growth of manufacturing and the establishment of a local market), it all depends on the people. This in contrast to a top-down approach where items are disseminated, for example, by the government, and there's very little focus on capacity-building (this was seen in Watumilok in my previous entry.)
E. The White Guy
There is a white guy here, a participant named Demon (where the 'e' in Demon rhymes with the 'e' in 'went'). And no, he is not a foreigner. In fact, he comes from around here, born and raised. Flores is home to him.
According to Pak Rafael, there are other Indonesians like Demon who looks remarkably like a white westerner, and many of them are common in this area. Supposedly they are descendants of the Portuguese.
For me, this was a complete mind trip. I've heard of locals inheriting colored eyes from Europeans, but never the entire package. I struggled not to stare at him too much, and not to observe his behavior in such an obvious way.
I also had to re-wire my mind into thinking that this man, despite looking very much like a white westerner, might not practice any European-related customs. He speaks Indonesian and shares a similar culture with the other Flores tukang. So when he flipped his cap backwards and the thought of a "bro" popped into my mind, I mentally chuckled but immediately dissociated him with all the stereotypes that come with a backwards cap.
Indeed I want to ask this guy about a million questions about his family and his lineage, but the timing has never seemed right. Not only that, but I gotta think about how I'm going to ask without being offensive and weird about it! He comes off a bit more reserved than the others, but he's still polite in the same way, like when he said "Ayo!" to me, inviting me to come out for lunch.
I've noticed that the others who are meeting him for the first time have started calling him "Bule" in jest, and I wonder if he minds. Surely by now his own village is used to his appearance (especially if there are other white Indonesians like him), but people from other regencies may not be, and maybe he doesn't get this kind of attention very often.
F. Bonding with My Boss
The last few days have allowed me to really get to know my boss more, as we've had a lot of down time during breakfasts and dinners to chat. She reminds me a lot of my mother, somebody who is hard-working, not afraid to take risks, and thinks in a very logical way. Like my mother, she also knows when to take charge, is rather comfortable being behind the wheel, and can also speak up when something isn't right.
She's also caring towards others, and especially her children. She once expressed how she misses her daughter, who now lives in Bandung, because whenever her daughter is in town they'll usually do everything together -- shopping, cooking, baking, jalan-jalaning, etc. That's exactly the kind of stuff my mom and I do.
Actually, talking to Bu Chris makes me miss my mother very much.
G. Religion
Unlike Java, which is predominantly Muslim, Flores is predominantly Roman Catholic. Larantuka, in particular, is famous around Indonesia for a procession they hold every Easter for Mother Mary. (I really wish I could go.) There's also a small tiny island nearby, which appears to be covered in trees, except for a tiny section that showcases a giant statue of Jesus Christ. I saw it from a distance as we were driving in to town.
I told Bu Chris today that being in Larantuka actually reminded me a lot of the Philippines, especially Marinduque, the island where my dad grew up. Aside from the whole island thing, Marinduque also holds a procession during Easter, though the emphasis and history is different.
Pictures when I'm less sleepy. Tomorrow, I'm visiting a town called Wae Bau (?), where they're going to build some kind of rain catchment system...
A. The Making of Squat Toilets and Molds
The last few days I've had the pleasure of witnessing an artisan process of making squat toilets, as well as the molds that are used to create them. The former involves different layers and mixtures of cement, calcite, and sand, using a mold as a base. The latter involves mixtures and layers of resin, pigment and fiber glass mat. These processes have been used in a part of Lombok Island, and the experienced tukang from Lombok are now here sharing their knowledge with the local tukang from around east Flores.
The moment I picked up the sponge and started applying wax to the Master, all the tukang around me stopped what they were doing to stare. After a moment, they began cheering me on in their own way, offering me bits of advice like, "Disini belum ada!" ("This spot here is missing some!"), and one even started taking photos of me with my camera. When I started to paint the pigment mixture on, one of them excitedly pointed out, "Bu, ada lobang disini!" ("Ma'am, there's a hole in this spot!"). I decided to interpret their advice as a way of showing support. Everyone just wanted to be helpful.
B. Gender
The workshop is made up of 28 participants, all male tukang from various regencies in Flores Timur, including some of the smaller islands further east. There are three tukang from Lombok that make up the trainers, as well as two or three local assistants/employees of YDD, all male.
Bu Chris, my boss, a female, is the primary organizer. Pak Rafael, another leader, is the head of YDD-Larantuka. Then there's me, the only foreigner, and the only other female attending the workshop next to Bu Chris.
Not attending the workshop, yet still critical to its success, are a group of five local women, including Pak Rafael's wife, who are responsible for the snacks, coffee, and tea during breaks that take place in the morning and in the afternoon. They come and hang out during these moments, so I've been able to talk to them a bit. These women have been making our delicious coffee, using beans roasted/"fried" a traditional way over a three-stoned fire.
Recognizing the primary role of women as cooks in this area, Bu Chris spent some time asking these women about their cooking habits, and whether or not they would be interested in trying out an improved cooking stove that uses kulit kemiri (candlenut shells) as fuel. The women seemed quite interested. This is actually another project that Bu Chris has been pursuing, and for which I helped edit a Nexus grant sometime last year (which, unfortunately, we didn't get.)
C. Indonesian Ethnic Groups
During this workshop, I've been able to witness the interaction between various ethnic groups in the same place. There's Bu Chris, an ethnically Chinese woman from Java, interacting with males from both Lombok and Flores, and women from Flores.
I can't say much besides that the interaction seems to be very positive. Bu Chris has been visiting Flores since 2010 on various STBM related projects, so she has established a strong connection with the YDD employees. As for the local tukang, everyone pays respect to Bu Chris, recognizing her position as a supervisor. Bu Chris in turn does a great job encouraging the capacity of everyone else present to get work done. Her role, she has told me on several occasions, is simply to make sure that things run smoothly and in an organized way. While the tukang from Lombok are good at training others, they may not necessarily know how to handle large groups of people, and that's when Bu Chris will step in as a leader.
There are a few things worth noting about ethnicity in Larantuka: many of the shop owners in the "downtown" area (a few streets near the waterfront) are either ethnically Chinese or from Makassar. I actually noticed this immediately, because Chinese-Indonesians tend to have fairer skin and straight hair, whereas people in Flores tend to have curlier hair and dark skin.
D. Entrepreneurship and Appropriate Technology
Bu Chris and I were talking about the Chinese presence, and she commented that local entrepreneurial drive is not particularly strong, with business opportunities instead taken up by outsiders who have to come Flores to settle down. That being said, women still play a vital role in the traditional markets, where they sell various commodities.
The hope, though, is for the workshop to stimulate local entrepreneurial ventures, especially for the establishment of STBM-related technology. YDD and SIMAVI's goal here, as with the cookstove project, is simply to stimulate the establishment of local markets. When combining demand (driven by increased awareness of the STBM five pillars) and supply (driven by the growth of manufacturing and the establishment of a local market), it all depends on the people. This in contrast to a top-down approach where items are disseminated, for example, by the government, and there's very little focus on capacity-building (this was seen in Watumilok in my previous entry.)
E. The White Guy
There is a white guy here, a participant named Demon (where the 'e' in Demon rhymes with the 'e' in 'went'). And no, he is not a foreigner. In fact, he comes from around here, born and raised. Flores is home to him.
According to Pak Rafael, there are other Indonesians like Demon who looks remarkably like a white westerner, and many of them are common in this area. Supposedly they are descendants of the Portuguese.
For me, this was a complete mind trip. I've heard of locals inheriting colored eyes from Europeans, but never the entire package. I struggled not to stare at him too much, and not to observe his behavior in such an obvious way.
I also had to re-wire my mind into thinking that this man, despite looking very much like a white westerner, might not practice any European-related customs. He speaks Indonesian and shares a similar culture with the other Flores tukang. So when he flipped his cap backwards and the thought of a "bro" popped into my mind, I mentally chuckled but immediately dissociated him with all the stereotypes that come with a backwards cap.
Indeed I want to ask this guy about a million questions about his family and his lineage, but the timing has never seemed right. Not only that, but I gotta think about how I'm going to ask without being offensive and weird about it! He comes off a bit more reserved than the others, but he's still polite in the same way, like when he said "Ayo!" to me, inviting me to come out for lunch.
I've noticed that the others who are meeting him for the first time have started calling him "Bule" in jest, and I wonder if he minds. Surely by now his own village is used to his appearance (especially if there are other white Indonesians like him), but people from other regencies may not be, and maybe he doesn't get this kind of attention very often.
F. Bonding with My Boss
The last few days have allowed me to really get to know my boss more, as we've had a lot of down time during breakfasts and dinners to chat. She reminds me a lot of my mother, somebody who is hard-working, not afraid to take risks, and thinks in a very logical way. Like my mother, she also knows when to take charge, is rather comfortable being behind the wheel, and can also speak up when something isn't right.
She's also caring towards others, and especially her children. She once expressed how she misses her daughter, who now lives in Bandung, because whenever her daughter is in town they'll usually do everything together -- shopping, cooking, baking, jalan-jalaning, etc. That's exactly the kind of stuff my mom and I do.
Actually, talking to Bu Chris makes me miss my mother very much.
G. Religion
Unlike Java, which is predominantly Muslim, Flores is predominantly Roman Catholic. Larantuka, in particular, is famous around Indonesia for a procession they hold every Easter for Mother Mary. (I really wish I could go.) There's also a small tiny island nearby, which appears to be covered in trees, except for a tiny section that showcases a giant statue of Jesus Christ. I saw it from a distance as we were driving in to town.
I told Bu Chris today that being in Larantuka actually reminded me a lot of the Philippines, especially Marinduque, the island where my dad grew up. Aside from the whole island thing, Marinduque also holds a procession during Easter, though the emphasis and history is different.
Pictures when I'm less sleepy. Tomorrow, I'm visiting a town called Wae Bau (?), where they're going to build some kind of rain catchment system...
Monday, March 24, 2014
Day 4: Not Quite Selfless
During my interactions with people back home, I've gotten a lot of compliments for my current fellowship, as if the work I'm doing in Indonesia is some kind of altruistic thing. Well I want to set the record straight and tell you right now that it's not true. To suggest I'm being purely selfless in my actions would be a bit of a stretch.
No, I came out here for rather selfish reasons, and I was reminded of this today when I was sitting there at the workshop site, on top of a hill in Larantuka, east Flores, taking a break and drinking tubruk-style coffee made of locally obtained and roasted beans. Surrounded by women and men with only good intentions for their communities, I drank and laughed and tried my best to fit in. Every now and then, I would glance at the coconut trees and the mountains off in the distance, and I would shake my head in disbelief at what I was seeing.
I realized that I live for these kinds of moments. My heart melts completely, meeting people in the land they call home, enjoying their lifestyle and aspirations together with them, helping out where I can. Even if I am perpetually the hopeless and awkward foreigner.
So then I get to thinking, what does this all mean? Maybe it means I'm doomed. If I go back home and look back on Indonesia as only a "fond memory", I don't think I could be happy. Indeed I think that moments of volunteering in Seattle were some of my happiest, especially when I got to mentor Dhan; and even Boeing had its good parts, without which I wouldn't have a unique network of amazing friends.
But I think I'll forever be craving moments like this, being with people whose lifestyles are just so different from what I know. There's a thrill I get from living in new places, new landscapes, while meeting new friends and coming to appreciate what they value most, especially when it's something I've often taken for granted — in the case of this workshop, toilets. And if, in some small way, I can use my skills to help advance this community's goals for the betterment of their future, that's what I'll do. (Not that I'm doing anything special at this workshop. I'm merely playing the part of a photographer.)
I gotta find some way to tame this craving, or better yet keep it fed, no matter where I am.
ps) I posted some photos for the last entry, Day 3: Larantuka, seaside YDD
No, I came out here for rather selfish reasons, and I was reminded of this today when I was sitting there at the workshop site, on top of a hill in Larantuka, east Flores, taking a break and drinking tubruk-style coffee made of locally obtained and roasted beans. Surrounded by women and men with only good intentions for their communities, I drank and laughed and tried my best to fit in. Every now and then, I would glance at the coconut trees and the mountains off in the distance, and I would shake my head in disbelief at what I was seeing.
I realized that I live for these kinds of moments. My heart melts completely, meeting people in the land they call home, enjoying their lifestyle and aspirations together with them, helping out where I can. Even if I am perpetually the hopeless and awkward foreigner.
So then I get to thinking, what does this all mean? Maybe it means I'm doomed. If I go back home and look back on Indonesia as only a "fond memory", I don't think I could be happy. Indeed I think that moments of volunteering in Seattle were some of my happiest, especially when I got to mentor Dhan; and even Boeing had its good parts, without which I wouldn't have a unique network of amazing friends.
But I think I'll forever be craving moments like this, being with people whose lifestyles are just so different from what I know. There's a thrill I get from living in new places, new landscapes, while meeting new friends and coming to appreciate what they value most, especially when it's something I've often taken for granted — in the case of this workshop, toilets. And if, in some small way, I can use my skills to help advance this community's goals for the betterment of their future, that's what I'll do. (Not that I'm doing anything special at this workshop. I'm merely playing the part of a photographer.)
I gotta find some way to tame this craving, or better yet keep it fed, no matter where I am.
ps) I posted some photos for the last entry, Day 3: Larantuka, seaside YDD
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Day 3: Larantuka, seaside YDD
Three hours and a shoulder-smashing windy road later, we've made it to our destination. The good news is, I didn't get horribly carsick, like I did during that ride to Moni last summer. The bad news is, my camera's SD card is nowhere to be found. I discovered it was missing when we stopped to take photos of a large tree infested with about 20 beehives. Just my luck.
Now that we are the site of our workshop, I've been taking photos of our Lombok friends using my phone. Admittedly I feel naked without being able to express myself using my Nikon...
**Update** Crisis averted! Pak Amsel found my SD card back in the home stay and now I'm borrowing Bu Chris's card to take photos with my camera. Feel loads better.
I just squished about five mosquitoes in preparation for this afternoon's nap. I think there are still two more hiding underneath my bed. We are currently staying at the YDD office in Larantuka. Place is gorgeous; you step out the door and you face the ocean and several nearby islands. Pictures when my Internet connection improves.
Now that we are the site of our workshop, I've been taking photos of our Lombok friends using my phone. Admittedly I feel naked without being able to express myself using my Nikon...
**Update** Crisis averted! Pak Amsel found my SD card back in the home stay and now I'm borrowing Bu Chris's card to take photos with my camera. Feel loads better.
I just squished about five mosquitoes in preparation for this afternoon's nap. I think there are still two more hiding underneath my bed. We are currently staying at the YDD office in Larantuka. Place is gorgeous; you step out the door and you face the ocean and several nearby islands. Pictures when my Internet connection improves.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Day Two: Field Visits, Avocado, and Dog Meat
Well I finally did it. I finally ate dog meat.
But before we go into that, let me give the scoop on today's events, because a lot of stuff went down that I don't want to forget.
Started off the day with a visit to YDD's "kebun" (garden), a seven hectare plot of land right by the sea. This is where they manufacture toilet prototypes and work on other STBM-related projects. It's also a famous site to visit Gua Maria, a worship site for Mother Mary. According to Bu Chris, many Catholic tourists come to make pilgrimage.
Bu Chris asked me to accompany Pak Yos, a staff member of YDD-Maumere, to visit a few desa (village) sites for monitoring and evaluation, something "more interesting" than witnessing all the tukang discuss plans for the upcoming workshop. Since I was under the impression that there weren't going to be a lot of field visits during this trip, I was pleasantly surprised and eager to go.
Pak Yos and I went first to desa Watumilok. Regarding sanitation, YDD does not currently have a partnership with Watumilok, but is interested in monitoring the use (or lack thereof) of a public bathroom that was erected by the Indonesian government back in 2011. Pak Yos first asked several villagers, ranging from young to old, and kept hearing inconsistent responses. We couldn't get a clear picture of whether or not the locals actually used the bathroom.
Finally, after speaking with a family who lives next to the public bathroom, Pak Yos confirmed that the bathroom is now obsolete and locked up. After its erection, something went wrong with the piping system, and since there was no monitoring system set up by the government, the bathroom no longer functions as originally intended. Locals initially tried to continue using it by bringing well water in buckets, but that eventually became tiresome, and there was always never enough water. Another issue was of cleanliness. Since there were no community funds to provide compensation for a cleaner, the bathroom got dirty very quickly. The man who kept the key to the stalls eventually became fed up with the state of the place and locked it up. When we visited today, all the bathroom stalls were still locked. Without a functioning public bathroom, and with many homes without a WC, many villagers still go to the beach to relieve themselves. According to Pak Yos, this was a classic example of a failed governmental project, embedded with corruption and poor planning.
After Watumilok, we went to a coastal village called Wae Pare, where house are built on stilts above the water. I asked Pak Yos if this kind of village is common in Flores, and he said, no, this was the only one of its kind, and the architecture was likely brought over from Sulawesi. I learned from Pak Yos that many of the people who live by the water are actually descendants of people who migrated from Sulawesi several generations ago.
YDD does not currently have a partnership with Wae Pare, but it sounds like it may be a possibility in the future. Apparently there are some WCs inland, but at night, when people don't want to venture out, people dump their waste in the water out of convenience. I asked Pak Yos if kids ever play or swim in the water, and he quickly pointed out a kid about 10-years-old who was wading waist high in the water below us.
The final sites we visited were Langir and Watu Liwung, two villages that YDD has a long-time partnership with. After working together with YDD for 4 years, Langir is about ready to declare STBM-status with the government. Receiving status means that the village meets a level of sanitation standard that is self-sustaining and maintained by the villagers. This means proper education, especially for children, concerning good sanitation habits, as well as access to bathrooms and clean water. As for Watu Liwung, YDD has been working with them since 2008, and although there have been delays, it sounds like they're almost ready, too.
After visiting all these places, Pak Yos and I stopped for lunch at a Javanese warung. According to Pak Yos, most of the restaurants/warung in Flores are actually owned by Javanese people. That explains why it was so hard to find "local food" when I was traveling in Flores last August. I told Pak Yos about this, and he said, oh if you want local food, we have to wait for tonight's night market! That's where I ate dog for the first time, but wait…
First, the avocados. According to Bu Chris, Flores has the tastiest avocados in Indonesia. Pak Yos agreed and informed me that Flores avocados won some kind of national competition. Eager to try some, I purchased a few avocados from a local day market. Upon returning home this evening, I asked the home stay cooks if they could blend me a juice using a few small green ones. Indeed, the avocados are enak sekali. I can't wait to try the big brown one! They said mine should be ready in a couple days.
After resting in the afternoon, Pak Yos took me to the local night market, where, at the very edge next to all the Javanese stalls, was a small warung for makanan khas Maumere. Options were red rice, ubi rebus (boiled cassava), stir fry papaya leaves, RW (dog meat), and darah babi (pork with pork blood, similar to the Filipino dinuguan). We decided to get everything except for the vegetables, because we weren't very hungry and I was more eager to try stuff I hadn't had before. The dog meat was surprisingly tender, contrary to reports I've heard about it being tough. I suspect the stew, prepared with a lot of local spices, simmered for a long time. Admittedly, I enjoyed eating it, though I might not be craving it any time soon.
Pak Yos is super nice. Apparently back in the day he went to seminary school to become a priest, and was very set on doing that up until he met his wife in Jakarta and decided to settle down with her in Timor. In Timor he worked as a teacher for seven years before getting his job at YDD in Flores, where he's been working for 17 years. His wife and a few of his younger kids are still in Timor, which is about a day's worth of travel, but he tries to visit them once every three months.
Tomorrow we set off for Flotim, or Flores Timor...
But before we go into that, let me give the scoop on today's events, because a lot of stuff went down that I don't want to forget.
Started off the day with a visit to YDD's "kebun" (garden), a seven hectare plot of land right by the sea. This is where they manufacture toilet prototypes and work on other STBM-related projects. It's also a famous site to visit Gua Maria, a worship site for Mother Mary. According to Bu Chris, many Catholic tourists come to make pilgrimage.
Bu Chris asked me to accompany Pak Yos, a staff member of YDD-Maumere, to visit a few desa (village) sites for monitoring and evaluation, something "more interesting" than witnessing all the tukang discuss plans for the upcoming workshop. Since I was under the impression that there weren't going to be a lot of field visits during this trip, I was pleasantly surprised and eager to go.
Pak Yos and I went first to desa Watumilok. Regarding sanitation, YDD does not currently have a partnership with Watumilok, but is interested in monitoring the use (or lack thereof) of a public bathroom that was erected by the Indonesian government back in 2011. Pak Yos first asked several villagers, ranging from young to old, and kept hearing inconsistent responses. We couldn't get a clear picture of whether or not the locals actually used the bathroom.
Finally, after speaking with a family who lives next to the public bathroom, Pak Yos confirmed that the bathroom is now obsolete and locked up. After its erection, something went wrong with the piping system, and since there was no monitoring system set up by the government, the bathroom no longer functions as originally intended. Locals initially tried to continue using it by bringing well water in buckets, but that eventually became tiresome, and there was always never enough water. Another issue was of cleanliness. Since there were no community funds to provide compensation for a cleaner, the bathroom got dirty very quickly. The man who kept the key to the stalls eventually became fed up with the state of the place and locked it up. When we visited today, all the bathroom stalls were still locked. Without a functioning public bathroom, and with many homes without a WC, many villagers still go to the beach to relieve themselves. According to Pak Yos, this was a classic example of a failed governmental project, embedded with corruption and poor planning.
YDD does not currently have a partnership with Wae Pare, but it sounds like it may be a possibility in the future. Apparently there are some WCs inland, but at night, when people don't want to venture out, people dump their waste in the water out of convenience. I asked Pak Yos if kids ever play or swim in the water, and he quickly pointed out a kid about 10-years-old who was wading waist high in the water below us.
After visiting all these places, Pak Yos and I stopped for lunch at a Javanese warung. According to Pak Yos, most of the restaurants/warung in Flores are actually owned by Javanese people. That explains why it was so hard to find "local food" when I was traveling in Flores last August. I told Pak Yos about this, and he said, oh if you want local food, we have to wait for tonight's night market! That's where I ate dog for the first time, but wait…
First, the avocados. According to Bu Chris, Flores has the tastiest avocados in Indonesia. Pak Yos agreed and informed me that Flores avocados won some kind of national competition. Eager to try some, I purchased a few avocados from a local day market. Upon returning home this evening, I asked the home stay cooks if they could blend me a juice using a few small green ones. Indeed, the avocados are enak sekali. I can't wait to try the big brown one! They said mine should be ready in a couple days.
Pak Yos is super nice. Apparently back in the day he went to seminary school to become a priest, and was very set on doing that up until he met his wife in Jakarta and decided to settle down with her in Timor. In Timor he worked as a teacher for seven years before getting his job at YDD in Flores, where he's been working for 17 years. His wife and a few of his younger kids are still in Timor, which is about a day's worth of travel, but he tries to visit them once every three months.
Tomorrow we set off for Flotim, or Flores Timor...
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