My Journey to East FLores Dec 2005 - Nov 2007 part III : Living in nature

Learn to deal with the nature....

All my life I never lived outside my home, and I lived in Jakarta where all the facility like electricity, communication tools like mobile phone, malls, all the joyful things to live are available. Yes, I'm really a city girl...
and when you moved to work  the field was meaning that you have to get out from your comfort zone.
you can never expect anything as complete as Jakarta, it will be far far from all the luxuries you have in Jakarta, but because this is my dream to work at a new place far from Jakarta and also my trial of how to survive outside my parent's house :) (another side motivation)

At the first few months, at orientation in the office, I remember my manager told us if we want to have good relation with the community, we have to work minimal 3 days at the field, and 2 days at the office
so because in the first 6 months my work was to supervise the piping installation, I tried my best to be at installation location as much as I can.

Usually I went there 3 times a week. The distance between the city I lived in (Larantuka) to the installation location (Ilebura) was 2.5 hours by car or by motorcycle....
By car, it was easy for me... just by the help of our nice driver, Mr. Toni... I just sit tight and enjoy the view and believe me... the view is amazing...

If you get lucky, you could see the rainbow.... and pose with it :)

And now imagine you have to go that 2.5 - 3 hours ride with motorcycle... (I cannot ride a motorcycle so I'm always at the back). In my first experience, I had a wonderful friend (my fellow staff) who really understood this city girl and he tried to take a break after 30 minutes on the bike. So finally we arrived after 3 - 4 stop because of me hahahahhaha... It was really crazy experience for me and you know, that I cannot always get the luxuries of car to go to the field haha... I have to live out my own consequences ... just enjoy the pain I feel while I'm sitting that long in the bike..

During my second break in Lewolaga, I chase a baby pig #neverendingfun

Another problem I have with taking a bike.... I get sleepy on the bike! I know it was danger but I can't help it... I tried every way I could to stay awake in the bike... sometimes work, sometimes not...  I knew also my fellow staff who took me with him at the bike was scared that I might fall and sometimes they made sudden move so I wake up... hihihih... and I remember my friend said that next time he will make a seatbelt to make sure I'm not falling hahahha...

But I really enjoyed my time to the field.

To supervise piping installation was meant that I have to follow wherever they installed the pipe.... sometimes the road will be easy, sometimes the way will be hard.. I'm no hiking girl... so yes, I always need help if I have to follow the men when they did the work. 

The soil there is red soil... so imagine when it comes for rainy season.. it will be slippery to walk there especially if the road were not easy...

Finding new piping route with the technician (see the background-some itchy stuff are waiting)

Yes. at some points I have to go down t here and hike up again... (tough road)

The most difficult part was to hike to the water capturing. It will be like 30 minutes hiking (something I hate and avoid the most possible hahah).. 

I managed to video some of the road to go down from the capturing...

(only at the end you will see the view, because I have to manage taking the shoot and carefully walking hihih)

Once we had to go there after raining, and because it was really slippery, they said probably not best for me to hike at this moment.. and I was glad I followed their suggestion... hihihih

A lot of experiences with all the nature while I'm living there.

Because Australia is near to East Flores, we felt a glimpse of winter on mid year... the weather so nice and cold enough...it just like using air con without electricity.... so those months were the most wonderful time of the year...hihihiii

Do you know that the sun rise at different times during the whole year?

My rent room has hole in the wall like a ventilator, so the sun can shine into my room.

From the first time I stayed there for a few months, I was kind of get used of the sunshine as my alarm to wake up in the morning.. It usually at 6 AM so it was a perfect time to wake up and prepare to go to work.

One morning, I kind of wake up suprised because I felt the sun already came. I thought I was late, so I was in a hurry to take shower and everything and just found out after that it's still 5AM... 

Yes, the sun rise 1 hour earlier than it used to.... hahahhahah

I learn it the hard way...... 

Yes, living in nature made you realize what you will miss when you lived in city where no window and no clean air....

My Journey to East FLores Dec 2005 - Nov 2007 part II : Learning about mistake

After I learned to adjust myself how to live and adapt in the first month, next the real challenge come.

First challenge I had was how to make a difficult decision.
It should be easy right, just see what is the right thing to do then make that decision.
My problem is after graduating frrom Environmental Engineering at 2000, I never work at that field so about 6 years. So theoritically I knew what is the right thing to do, but being lack of real experience, there's something I have to carefully consider.
I remember I discussed with my friend from university about the problem and how to solve it and what is the main impact for every possibility.

Then finally I made the decision on this problem.
And BANG! next problem is how to communicate that if your decision is not a popular decision among your fellow friends.

Besides lack of experience working in water project, another lack of experience is I never work in the field before. So I didn't know what reaction I had if I told the community my decision.. and I understand that my fellow staff were also unsure on how community will react if the decision will cause them to rework the pipe installation...
I really think hard about this, because I just felt all alone in this decision and I felt really depressed.
Just remember one night, my roommate just told me... Just leave it to God, if this is the best decision for community although it will be hard to do for them, God will help to give understanding to community's heart
I followed  her advice and suprisingly for me, God grant me peace at that night after few of sleepless nights.

Yes, if your life is in smooth way, you just feel prayer is a regular thing to do. You know God answers prayer but just feel like everday pass by as ussual. If you have problems, then you realize that God truly is able to help you get through your problem. It's the first lesson I learned the hard way, how to surrender to God and let Him do His way and I can say professionally.

Next step, God moved me to talk to one of the staff who has influenced to talk to community. Because I know some fellow staff are questioning my decision, so I'm afraid how to communicate wisely, how to make him join my decision so we could all in one voice to talk to community. But that night, I was amazed on how God worked. I try to talk about my decision and my fellow staff agreed with the reason and finally support my decision... and after we talked to community, they understand and were willing to work together for it..What a relieve... A sweet ending story....Never thought in my mind that after my surrender, He open the way one after another...

Until now, I can never forget the feeling the moment I was told to pray by my friend and the relieve I felt right after the prayer. and not because of my prayer has been answered right away but because I believe whatever happen next, God is in control, not me.

Challenge by challenge came during the first 6 months... It was really crazy.. sometimes it just how to communicate with community, but the scale of challenges were getting higher and higher, but because the first lesson I had "Do your best and let God do the rest", I was able to walk from one challenge to another.
and today what I can say is during this first 6 months were my biggest school of life lesson and exam to move to another level and I'm glad to have that opportunity... :)

Bitterness

Today I want to share what I remember about bitterness that stuck in my mind for years… and it surely changes my attitude towards bitterness.

The quote is from the book “Purpose Driven Life” Chapter 3. Here it said:

"Listen: Those who have hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. Your past is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your bitterness. For your own sake, learn from it and let it go. The Bible says “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do” – Job 5 : 2 (TEV)

So.. just press “Move on” button. Learn from it and let it go. Your life is much more beautiful than your bitterness. People will come and go, just let them give color to your life, not control to your life 

My journey at East Flores Dec 2005 - Nov 2007 Part 1: the Beginning

Lately, I've been thinking of the precious time I had when I was working with Wahana Visi Indonesia in East Flores during 2005 - 2007.

Only 2 years (really short time) but with a huge experience for myself that help me to understand more about life and all its beauty..

That's why now I share to you all these stories, good times, and sometimes probably bad times, based on my personal experience and the beauty of children and comminities there who I miss the most

Hope through this journey, you can feel what I feel and learn that simple things in your life will enrich your life forever...

So we will start at the decision I made and the fear I had as consequency of the decision

I was learning in college about Environmental Engineering and after graduating, I never worked in that area.

Then while I was working already in Wahana Visi Indonesia, I heard this opening of water project team leader in East Flores.

While thinking to apply, I could say I brought some fears with me. 

First, I had never went away from home all my home. I lived in Jakarta, Indonesia my whole life. The farthest place I have ever been was only Bandung, back in my childhood, it was only 4 hours by cars and the longest time I have to spend there was only 2 weeks max.

So I didn't know how I would have to live outside my home...

Second, I would go to a place where I didn't know anyone before. I only knew it was the place where Wahana Visi Indonesia worked and they had a special program to help communities get clean water, but that's it.. I didn't know how I will work there, what to expect, who will be my partner in work, will we get along at work?.. It's clearly totally blank for me..

But I said to myself, "This is what I dream when I apply to Wahana Visi Indonesia at a very first place. If God provided me with this opportunity, why should I be afraid? just go and see what happen"

So I apply that position and God grant my wish :)

Let me tell you first about where is East Flores and how to go there

From Jakarta where I live in, we have to take the plane for 2 hours to Bali, and from Bali there's a connecting flight for another 2 hours to Maumere.

Maumere is in Sikka district, the middle of Flores Island. From there, it's still 4 hours by car to Larantuka, the capital of  where I will stay for work and it is such a winding road. If you're not strong enough, you will get carsick. and usually that will happen the first time you go by road to East Flores from Maumere...

So this is when my journey started...
In December 1, 2005 I flied to Maumere and got picked up with the people from East Flores ADP. Thank goodness, the driver back then (Om Toni) was a very good driver and understood the first time traveller like me need smooth driving and good music so I could relax and arrive there with good condition :)

And I remember, he gave me Manado music by Tantowi Yahya, which later on I became interested to learn Manado language (at least from the song)

Here are some pictures I took at first time I arrive in Larantuka on the way to the office
This is the uniqueness of the city... one side is the sea

The seaside 

Another seaside from the city that is close to Adonara Island

Another side of the city is mountain 'Ile Mandiri'. People said during rainy season, just be careful of the flood coming from the mountain, because it will bring big rocks in the flood...

Me and Mount Ile Mandiri

In short stories, that whole month is my orientation month there. Getting to know where the office, who the staffs were, including the field officer who will help me with this water project, the progress of the water piping installation (yes, they have started the project before I was accepting this role) but still I was feeling lonely since it was December where everyone was also busy preparing Christmas and I cannot go home because it was my first month there.... probably the most lonely time I had was in the end of December where the office closed from Christmas to New Year and I just stuck in Larantuka because I feel like I cannot go anywhere by myself because I didn't know anything anyone there..

And the worst thing happened next is the rainy season. It was so different from Jakarta...

The rainy season there was really heavy and scary for me... it hit really bad at the roof so everyday I just got scared because of the rain

Others have told me to listen carefully during the heavy rain.

Because Larantuka is located between mountain and sea, the rain would probably cause flood and not just regular flood. The flood was coming from the mountain and it probably brought rocks (big and small) to the cities.. So they warned me, if I heard sirene or information about the coming of the flood, I had to follow with other people to the rescue place. So if it rained, don't sleep too soundly.. 

That's the best warning you had when you were in new place hahahahhaha

so I remember my heart was pounding so badly when I heard the rain started so heavy at night

and every night, the same situation happened hahahah.. what an unique experience I had in my early time there... really not good impression :)

So after first month, hmm I just wish with the coming of new year, things will go smoothly 

And then... the next journey began..... :)

It’s been 6 years…..(My Mom's Legacy)

Today is exactly the day 6 years ago my mother passed away.

From the day she died until now, I think I never wrote anything about her.

But in the remembrance of her in this 6^th year, I feel that I have to write something…

It’s not a sentimental story, but just an honest story about my mother’s legacy in me

I believe what I have become now is because of her big influence and teaching in my life.

If I can stand on my own feet and independent, it is part of her legacy in my life.

I remember since I was a little girl, my mother, who was a volunteer in our church, bring me everywhere to join her in all her activities. I remember that my priest called me “Little image of her” because he saw the resemblance of her in me, especially the cheerful and talkative (yes, that is who I am since the very beginning.. until now I guess…)

I remember I was asked to join fashion show competition in wearing national/ traditional clothes in the church. My mother prepared me to wear an uniform… and they gave a time to practice so I know the way and how to do it. I remember that time I’m still in kindergarden. When I reached the stage, I don’t want to move unless my mother will walk through me all the way (yes, I am scary at that time)… since this is a competition, no way my mom could walk me all along the way… I would have to walk by myself… so the practice session is a failure.. no matter my mom tried to persuade me, I stop walking after I reached the stage…

And the time of competition come…. I think my mom tried to find a way to make me walk the stage without her companion.. so I remember she said like this to me “I’m sorry. I cannot watch you walk the stage, because I have something to do. Just remember what we have practiced before at home.. do as it is…” and yes.. I’m hard to say no and whinning because my mother wouldn’t allowed that.. so I listened and tried my best to walk alone there and just tried to finish my part there… after that it will be over… What I didn’t know was that my mom never leave the place and her word was only to make me brave enough to walk alone.. She got me but her action made me win the first prize J

Another thing that she loved to do to me was asking me to the market. First, she just showed me around the market, this shop to buy what, this shop to buy other, etc, etc, etc. and she always introduced me to the owner of the shop and asked me to remember his/her name, so next time she asked me to go by myself I won’t get lost…  at the very beginning, I often asked… why me? My mother just simply answered…”Trust me, it’s for your own good” But later on, I found out, I love being in the market because I find my playground in the market hehehehe (yup it’s me) I can sit and talk with the owner just to feed up my curiosity on anything… and later I realized, that order made me to go shopping or travel by myself or even later on surviving on the work place outside Java… J

I also remember how people talked about how my mother is full of compassion on helping people. And sometimes I also joined her or she shared about someone who needs help. She has a really big heart to care for others when they are suffer, and I remember 2 days before she was gone, she joined also the church teams for visiting people in sickness and she told them that it is probably her last visit with the team. I’m glad her compassion influenced me to help them whenever I can although not really as much as hers..

But on recent days, what I remember now is how my mom took care of her father in Bandung when she had the chance to visit him there. And I’m lucky that almost in every school holiday (the long one), I had the chance to stay there at least 2 weeks and without I realize probably I watched just in general back then how she took care of her father patiently and somehow it stuck in my mind, like she’s telling me that when your parents need help, you should be there and help whenever you can…

Although I know, I’m way too far from my mother’s patience on taking care of her father, I think my decision on quit my job and took care of my father also was influenced by the example my mother has given. Although so many times, I question my decision and sometimes doubt whether this is the best decision I ever made, but at the end her example made me realize probably this is the best thing I should have done right now.. and just give my every worries to God to be settled..

Just a simple things and thought she taught me all my life on how to be responsible for my life and I’m proud to say that I can be who I am right now because of all the influences she has put in my life, and I can’t stop telling more and more stories about her

Although it’s been 6 years since she was gone, I feel that she is always stay with me.. her legacy will always in my heart and in my action so she can still be proud of me like I love her and very proud of her...I love you Mom…

August 3, 2007 - 2013