My Journey to East FLores Dec 2005 - Nov 2007 part IV : The Lovely people

This is probably the longest part of the story... the story about the people....but this is the story that I can't have enough time to tell... so much to tell about them and sure the lovely one and unique one..

I really learned so much from them...and I'm grateful for this opportunity..
Thanks to Wahana Visi Indonesia that makes this opportunity to happen for me..

Now let me begin my story...

Like I mentioned earlier in another post, it was a new experience for me, being far from home, meeting new people with new culture and customs and it really scared me at the beginning. I'm not the type of people that can mingle easily among new people.. I have to see first whether this new environment will make me comfort or probably will intimidate me....If comfort, then I will be more open, If not, then I will protect myself and just do my job as best as I can since this is the work I chose...
So yes, the first month is a struggle for me... trying to see the situation and in the same time, there are a lot of work to be done to make sure that the work is suitable with the plan....

Adding with my previous post: Learning from the mistake... It really made me a quick learner how to make adjustment with everything, work is work, must be done professionally whether you prepare or not...

In spite of all the problems I had, I will tell you how I began my relationship with the whole communities and how I enjoy every minute of it.

My work is supervising pipe installation, so I thought at that time, I should as often as I can to come to the location where they install the pipe and supervise...
So yes, at least 2 - 3 times a week I will go to the field and go to the location with the field facilitator in charge in the area.
And my next problem is I cannot drive car, ride a motorcycle or even ride a bicycle... soooo if I want to go to the field, I relied on other's help on getting me to the location.

So after discussing with some staff, we came up with 2 solutions
1. If the car is available for me to go to the field, I will go by a car.. and it means i will be going from 7.00 - 8.00 AM to arrive at the field at 10.00 and leave there at least 03.00PM so I can go back to the office at least 5.00 PM ...
2. If the car aren't available, I will find a way to go to a staff's house to stay overnight, and the next morning, the field facilitator will pick me up at the house so I can go to the field...

See the map above, my route to the field is from Larantuka to Ilebura if by car. If not, a day before I have to go to Boru, then the next morning I will go to Ilebura....

And I will say that East Flores people really had generous hearts . Eventhough I'm just a newcomer in the area, two of my friends from local staff allow me to stay at their houses to accomodate this. And they really welcomed me like their own family member... and until now the relationship is not end just because I have moved back to Jakarta, but it just like I have my second home there...
So that welcoming homes at Boru area made it easier for me to work in the field and also I got the chance to get acquainted with the whole families every night I stay there and it's fun.. It's the most precious experience I had.. to be at home although I'm far away from my own home.....
And actually the habit of staying there is more than supervising the pipe installation... sometimes when on the weekend, when I have nothing to do at Larantuka... I followed my friend back to her home in Wolorona... just enjoy the life in the village on the weekend.... (unique experience for a city girl)

Let me give you description on how I experience my stay there in Boru area..

The electricity only start at evening.. from 6 PM to 6 AM
so no electricity in the morning - afternoon.... yeaaa no big deal with me because I have to work on the field..I didn't need electricity
But the problem came when at some times, the power supply down, they cannot supply electricity because they have some damage.. and that was something hahahhaha.... try to survive without electricity... yeaaa you will get used to it after some time

Second, no mobile phone signal... hihihihi....I'm out of reach when I'm in the field... I don't know how I survive then...... then after 1 year I guess, one of the national provider prove their promise to provide signal at sub-district level... so yes... we have mobile phone signal.... but then... when the power supply off... the signal also followed.... so my conclusion.... no assurance of mobile phone signal existence

What can I say... It's fun though... we found more activities out there just chat with neighbours and friends or go to the garden to see the crop... or just do anything we like to kill the time... and yes, sometimes we bore also... but just go to sleep then if nothing else to do :)

Baby pigs hungry

Baby pigs ate with their mommy.... :)

It really a simple life in the village, no rush or hurries... just relax and enjoy....
It is the bonus to the work environment I have... wouldn't I be grateful

Watch local soccer

on the next post I will tell you about my experiences during my work with communities...