Sunday 26 May 2013

Selasai yang Dekat - The End is Near

 
One month before finishing in Kupang.
I have decided that as of June 25th I will be finished with my placement in Kupang and wrapping up. The projects that I’ve been working on will be finished, local volunteers with be trained and able to carry on the interviewing and linking of people with disability to appropriate resources, the  awareness DVD on “abilities of people with disability” is done and the resource poster will be finished and in two venues in each of the two villages. That means it’s time for me to move on and allow local people sustain it all as much as possible.
Berty's birthday

So, to that end this month is busy with all the follow up of the volunteers, yesterday being a day of hearing how they made out in their meetings with people in their village, and us helping them understand the resources available for the people who expressed desires for change in their lives or that of their child.

Beach at Wini
One such possibility we are helping them to follow up on is a man who had polio as a youth, now married with a family, but with no use of his legs who is mobile by using his arms to propel himself along the ground. He has been making money my building door and window frames, does not want mobility aids but does want better tools to do more of his carpentry work. He does not want to go off the island for extensive training as he has a family to support. On investigation we have learned there is the possibility of a sponsored 3 month training in Kupang, an hour and a half from the village, and at the end he would get the tools to carry on his carpentry work more efficiently. I sure hope this comes to fruition and hopefully will know before I leave.

Breakfast in the garden
Another is a young girl who is mentally challenged and also physically and her parents want her to receive some education. We have confirmed she can come to boarding school in Kupang and the fee is within the means of the family as it is a government-supported school.

I’m also busy trying to remember to take photos of the everyday sights that I don’t want to forget, but have become such a part of everyday life I forget they will soon fade from memory. A couple of videos taken while on the back of Berty’s motorbike should prove fun to watch some day!


Wini sunset

Dinner at Wini Beach
So, there will be a couple of more posts from Indonesia before I depart on July 10th.
Berty at market

We've also had Berty's birthday celebration with dinner, carrot cake baked by Angela and great music from a friend's guitar.



Also a visit from a CUSO volunteer working on another island along with his girlfriend visiting from Canada. 6 of us, including my former CUSO volunteer housemate Nelly rented a car and driver and went for an overnight trip up island to a village and beach named Wini. It was mountain driving all the way, so winding narrow roads. A good trip and excellent souvenir shopping at a shop sellling weavings from a local women's group. We started with a lovely breakfast at Angela and Morton's in the back garden then off we went for a full day of driving. Great dinner at the beach when we arrived - fresh fish, of which I'm getting loads of these days.



Also, on the way to the village this week we stopped and Berty bought fresh fish - cleaned on purchase, to offer to the family and have for our lunch during our visit/meeting with the local volunteers. Grilled to perfection - the fish, not the volunteers!

So, there will be only a couple of more posts from Indonesia before I depart on July 10th but I'm sure a few more stories to go!

Sunday 12 May 2013

Selamat Hari Ibu - Happy Mother's Day

 
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY NORTH AMERICA
The “big” move has now successfully happened. Our lease was up the end of April and as Nelly my housemate is here for another year and a half she found a place to live that suits her well. I am staying with Angela and Morton in their house, where I stayed last year for a month when looking for a new place for me. Angela’s work contract of 4 1/2 years is finished the end of June and they are heading to the UK for a while before settling back in Australia. Their plan is to leave about the second week of June, then I will have the house to keep running until I leave.

The projects I have been working on; the awareness DVD that is now finished, the informational posters that will sit in the offices and health clinics of both villages I have worked in, and a website for the Disabled Person’s Organization PRSANI, will all be completed by the 3rd week of June when I feel my work here will be at an end. I will be leaving Indonesia July 10th. There will be many memories and special people and experiences that will stay with me forever. I am trying to capture some of the everyday life to share with all of you.


“The Move” (Balcony photo care of Morton Rees photographer supreme)
moving truck


Angela got us a small truck through her work driver which was a blessing as Nelly had SO much stuff: all the kitchen stuff and her own. So they got a full load from her then came back for me. By then the little local boys had arrived and all wanted to help load.  Our friend Laura arrived to take James’ (former volunteer) big motor bike down to Angela &Morton's as VSO doesn't know yet what they want me to do with it as no new volunteers are coming, but it has been sitting since January so wouldn't start, had a flat front tire and hardly any gas!!!!! So Laura took off on her bike to find a guy to come back to push it to the nearest tambal ban - roadside business selling air. By the time she got back the guys with the truck had the bike running, opening up the choke, and  the guy she brought took off pushing the bike, down the road to his air service, Berti  and Chris arrived to help, so Chris took Laura on her bike to follow the guy pushing James’ bike, I had mine and Berti on hers and the little helpful boys I paid off for the loading, telling them they had to share the money. So off we set, me driving behind the truck, Berti leading on her bike and Chris with Laura off to the air pressure and the guy pushing James' bike!!!! What a sight we were. (sorry if this is just very confusing but I was laughing all the way to Angela’s! See the photo of the truck unloading.  Even brought my little herb garden with me – basil, mint and parsley.

movers

Friday nights are often the night some of us go out to eat and have a drink so this Friday was a walk to the Sasando Hotel for a burger, fries and a beer. It feels so good to walk nd get some exercise, as this is not a walking country. We have a road with a good short hill as busy intersection to cross then a busy roadside with no sidewalks – very few of those in Kupang – and of course it is dark at 6 pm so we carry our lights with us more for others to see us than us to see as the motorized world is not looking for walkers! But, we also have to keep our eyes open for holes and pits along the road as well as rocks. This is what makes walking not an enjoyable experience and especially in the dark.
ikat weaving class in village

But now that I am living closer to the “Zumba” class, Angela and I are going up the hill for a 5 minute walk to the classes 3 times a week. A good workout aerobically and fun women and good music! Tells me how out of shape I am though. I am down about 12 pounds from my Canada weight but still feels like I’m hauling around the same poundage on the Zumba floor!
volunteers trainees interviewing in vllage home

This morning I babysat Rose, my friend Chrystal’s little one and enjoyed watching a 9 month old explore her surroundings, while Chrystal tried to get some of her correspondence schoolwork done. Such fun watching this little one!
So all for now everyone. Next one should have a link to the new website Kelsey is helping to build from distant Vancouver and a photo of our new poster – all going well!