A Saturday Before Work

Mornings are always filled with the same sounds. At about 4am the rooster starts crowing. I've learned to tune him out while I continue sleeping, and he blends in with the morning prayer. In addition to the rooster, our neighbors have a hen and four chicks. Before a month ago, these birds barely existed. Now they're the first things I look for when I leave my house.

Then there's Molly, a fluffy brown dog that's growing up too fast in her cage. During moments of heavy rain, you hear her whining, and your heart breaks a little each time. Kak Lidya decided to voice concern to our neighbors, so they recently added a canvas to cover up the exposed side of the cage. Molly gets taken out from time to time, and when she does, she goes absolutely insane, sprinting in every direction, jumping all over me. In the morning, like now, she barks sporadically. I've been thinking about dogs lately, and how nice it would be to have one. I'm not sure when I would be ready for the commitment.

Somewhere in the main kampung street, there are birds chirping happily. I listen to them until they stop, abruptly, as if they've moved on to the next neighborhood. Occasionally a motorbike revs up its engine: someone going to work or out to run an errand. And even further out, past the kampung, there's a dull roar from the main road of Monjali. Jogja wakes up early. A baby cries.

Path outside my house

Rifka stands off to the side, shooting me a stern look, and I love her for it. I know, I know. I need to mandi and get ready for work. It's one of those rare Saturdays when YDD has an international visitor, and I've been asked to come in.  This time, we have a management expert visiting from GERES, an NGO partner of ours based in Cambodia. Today we're going to discuss quotations for equipment we need to purchase for the lab -- a task I've been asked to manage. My role is somewhat important...