life

Since tales of island hopping isn’t disappointing to you, my loved ones, I’ll faithfully continue to share my “sufferings” here in the other hemisphere, including the recently-schemed Thanksgiving excursion. But more on exploring this nation of 10,000 islands later…

It’s been another crazy week, actually, the busiest so far. I hit a point somewhere mid-week on about hour 12 of the work day that I think I’m working harder at this job than I ever have any other in my life. Maybe it’s that there’s more to do, maybe it’s because I’m living amid the disaster aftermath, maybe it’s because there’s not much else to do here other than work, or maybe it’s e a combination of those and a lot more, but I have realized that I definitely couldn’t go at this pace forever! The one-year mark ahead signals a time of respite, and for that I’m thankful. Things *will* eventually slow down. In the meantime, though, I’m hard at it. Meeting, planning, typing, walking, talking on this tiny black cell phone that is my constant companion, and overall, trying to keep up with more “to do” details than my little brain will hold.

Thursday of this week, though, I did hit a bit of overload… or maybe it was bad chicken, but something made me deathly ill for about 24-hours. I woke up the night before throwing up, feverish and nauseous and that’s about it, but my symptoms continued into the next day and sent me home from work after a few hours and back to bed. Sleep helped immensely, and I was fine again by the next day. Through it all, I came to two important conclusions – First, I will not be eating chicken again while I’m here. None. The only variation of what I’d eaten from my housemate Sharmila the night before was chicken, so it’s been deduced to be the possible culprit. So, since the fish here is so delicious and knowing there will be plenty of hot wings waiting for me back in the States, I’ll have all the chicken I want *after* returning. Second conclusion – That I’m grateful for my “on-call” doctor here in the eastern hemisphere. Sharmila is an M.D., so if I'm lying in bed convincing myself I have bird flu, she'll be there to assure me (with authority) that I indeed do not.

I have much, much to be thankful for…

Other items of late include the joy of finding a little café near my office that serves PIZZA. Yes, that’s right – fluffy dough, something that resembles tomato sauce and a few shreds of unidentifiable cheese. After rice for every meal for well over a month now, it was absolute deliciousness! And, to top it off, the restaurant even has internet connection (dial-up, like everywhere here, but I’ve gotten used to it) so I’ve decided that it could likely become my satellite office, away from the sheer chaos that often invades my working quarters. My current workspace did, however, receive the indescribable blessing of an air conditioning unit this week. So, even though it’s still noisy and packed with people, it is much, much cooler than it was!

And, we can now wear shoes in the office (another exciting little happening this week). Had I mentioned that you have to take your shoes off before you go inside most places here? Well, you do. It’s like that in many cultures around the world, I think, and even though it keeps the germs of the street outside, it makes for quite a shoe assortment piled outside every door! Within my first few days here, I switched from wearing my New Balance and tying and re-tying them every time I came and went, to the slip-on ease of my Chacos as a result of the “shoe policy.” But for some reason, they changed it for our offices now. Perhaps because it became more sanitary to let everyone keep their shoes on than have dozens and dozens of people running around barefoot on floors that may or may not have been cleaned this year. Who knows, but I’m just glad the bottoms of my feet aren’t entirely filthy at the end of the day anymore… my shiny red toenails are one of the only remaining things that help me feel pretty!

This week, I also had fleeting moments of feeling like I actually knew how to do my job (which is always exciting). I prepped my boss for an interview with Associated Press, and we went over the questions that I knew I would ask if I was the reporter. And amazingly, the reporter asked those questions verbatim! It was extremely reassuring, and made me feel more confident looking ahead to the onslaught of journalists who will be coming our way in the next few weeks…

On a happiness of the heart note, I’m starting to feel like I really have friends here. And we all know how very important that is. Everyone’s been super nice from the get-go, but over the last week or two, the moments of connection and familiarity with people have saturated my day-to-day with an ease and comfort I had been missing. Whether it’s going to a big meeting and knowing most everyone around the table, or having coffee with colleagues from England or Canada or Argentina and chatting long after our “official business” discussion was over, it’s been really good to start to feel connected. There have even been parties to go to the past few weekends. These regular get-togethers for all the “foreigners” had slacked off during Ramadan but have now restarted. Usually they’re hosted by one of the organizations and held at one of their group houses. Most, like my new house, are ridiculously spacious, so it’s plenty of room to hold 50, 60, 70 people. It’s a great place to get to meet people outside your organization, and the mixture of backgrounds makes it seem more like a United Nations assembly. So it’s been great to get to “socialize” too, and we’re planning to host party ourselves in the next few weeks.

But amid working and socializing and island hopping, I hopefully will never lose sight of why I’m here – to be a part of helping the people of Aceh. I’ve resolved that no matter how crazy work activities are, I’m going to make sure I balance tasks and meetings with being out in the field interacting, reporting, photographing and doing what I truly love most – being a journalist. My duties here necessitate so much “other stuff” than I ever realized I would be responsible for… which is challenging and stretching, but very fulfilling in realizing that I can help our work here move forward in an assortment of ways. But it’s being out in the hot sun in the middle of a village with my camera slung over my shoulder and my notebook clutched in my hand when I know I’m in the posture that suits me best.

So, yesterday, I went with our psychosocial team out to an ocean-side community about an hour away that was ravaged by the tsunami. Hundreds died there and almost everything was destroyed. Survivors live in makeshift houses and tents now, but the school has been rebuilt and was the site of the event yesterday. Our Indonesian partner agency took the idea of a competition like American Idol (which they have here and in almost every other country around the world) and are holding singing competitions for kids in the schools throughout Aceh. The winners’ songs will be played on a radio station that we’re helping sponsor, and then anyone can call in and vote – just like American Idol. And if the fun and big turnout of yesterday’s activities were any indication of what’s ahead, it will be huge success. The community loved it! We even had a videographer come out film it, and that could evolve into something very cool in the long run. But for now, I hope you’ll enjoy seeing some of the scenes from the day and some of the sweet, adorable faces I encountered. I’ll try to get them downloaded and posted soon.

As the pelting rain drowns out the sound of Sarah McLachlan and clicking keys, I’ll sign off for now. (This has indeed become a novel-length posting, and I have no idea really what I've been rambling on about.) But as I mentioned earlier, on the next island jaunt, we’ll be taking advantage of two unexpected days off this upcoming week –Thanksgiving. Our team had assumed that since we follow local holiday schedules that there was no way we’d get time off for turkey, much less travel, but our director surprised everyone and gave us two days vacation and another reason to be thankful! I’ve concluded, though, that the only way to cope with my first Thanksgiving away from my sweet family is to treat myself to a trip to a place that makes me almost as happy as Mamaw’s house – the beach. (But it’s definitely a *distant* second, of course!). More details after we know if we’re actually able to get tickets tomorrow…As always, thanks for all the love and prayers i feel coming my way!

All my love,

Bonnie Jean

p.s. If you heard of the earthquake here over the weekend, don't worry. We barely even felt it! The one that happened a few days after my arrival was much stronger. Everyone's a-ok.

snorkeling

It’s been awhile since I’ve written, so please accept my apologies for the delay in updates! Moving into the new house this week and trying this weekend to get settled, allowed for no rest for the weary after a long, long week in the office.

The island trip last weekend was fantastic and relaxing. I learned on the ferry ride there that the names of my destination that I had shared were wrong – the island itself is Pulo Weh and the main city there is Sabang. We stayed in a “resort” area called Gapang on the north side of the island that was situated at the center of a magnificent blue lagoon. But don’t be mistaken – by “resort” I mean a very rustic cabin with running water and not much else. I even had to take a “bucket bath”, which means I splashed water on myself with a bucket from the little basin, and used the squattie potties because that's all there was! The little community had three hut/house type restaurants and a dive shop, all of which had either withstood tsunami waters or been rebuilt afterwards. So it wasn't like Panama City or Cancun or other beach towns, and rivaled only the island of Pulo Aceh where I went the week before in its exquisite natural beauty.

I decided not to try scuba diving on this trip and opted to snorkel instead, and soon learned that depth isn't required to see some amazing underwater sights! A coral reef which miraculously stayed in tact during the tsunami ran along the perimeter of the lagoon, providing one of the best underwater viewing sites on an island world-famous for its aquatic opportunities. The first day was primarily a beach day, swimming a bit and sitting around lazily with colleagues and new acquaintances enjoying the spectacular scenery. But by the second day, I strapped on my rented flippers and mask and headed out to the reef. Inching along on the water’s surface, everything below me shimmered in vivid, fluorescent colors. Coral of all shapes and colors erupted from the ocean’s floor, and fish of unimaginable varieties darted and drifted all around – I felt like I was inside Finding Nemo! Over the next few days, I patrolled the waters of the lagoon like Jacques Cousteau and never ceased being amazed at Life under the water. Huge sea turtles, baby octopus, and my favorite – giant purple and green starfish – were absolutely incredible to witness. Oh, how I longed for an underwater camera…

It was a great trip, and just good not to have to use my brain for a few days. As vacations like that should be, my most taxing daily decision was what to eat next. And we did a lot of that! One of the “restaurants” was literally the front porch of a family’s house and we feasted there several times on grilled tuna and mysterious dishes drenched in deliciously spicy sauces. Fantastic! But even leisure days seem to go by quickly, and before I knew it, I found myself back in Banda and back to work.

And in the midst of a busy week in the office (national program director coming in, media beginning to arrive, lots of meetings and multi-tasking and what not) I moved into the new house. It’s so nice and incredible spacious, but like any new house was missing lots of things when we arrived, like furniture and dishware and cooking and cleaning stuff and so on. So evenings and this weekend, we’ve been scrambling around trying to get the basics, and shopping even for what you’d consider “basic” things in Banda Aceh is like the hunt for the Holy Grail. But I think at last we’re about to get there. We even have an adorable housekeeper that’s young and sweet and speaks some English, plus she cooks like a gourmet chef! It’s wonderful (and yes, absolutely everyone here has housekeepers, so I’m only as spoiled as all the other foreigners in Aceh!) It’s a one-level house on the edge of town near the mountains, which makes for lovely sunsets, provided I leave the office in time to actually seem them. My room is on the west end of the house and has its own porch and door outside. I’m even on the hunt for a swing. But perhaps the nicest thing is to have a housemate that I can sit up and chat with at night, or watch a movie (we bought a DVD player this weekend) or whatever – just having good company in a place where it’s easy to feel far away from loved ones makes an immeasurable difference. So I’m thankful for my new living situation here for many, many reasons, and thank you all for your prayers to get me here…

I should be traveling some next week gathering new stories, so hopefully my next post won’t be tales of island hopping again! Speaking of stories, my first story is posted online after weeks of delay, so have a look if you get a chance, keeping in mind that it's been edited, so any awkward wording didn't originate with yours truly! And I’ll send some new photos in soon, too, of Pulo Weh and the new house and room.

I love and miss you all.

-bj

lobster

We set sail across the midnight blue waters of the Indian Ocean toward Pulo Aceh just as the noonday sun reached its pinnacle. It was a beautiful clear day, and I had worn short sleeves just for such a semi-tanning opportunity (women here wear long sleeves only, a cultural imperative I try to abide by). Since I can’t estimate feet very well, I’ll just say our wood-frame boat was longer than a ski boat, but shorter than a luxury yacht. There was an enclosed area for storage and one for the pilot, situated strategically over the long metal bar he balanced on, steering the rudder with his feet. My teammates and I relaxed on the floor of the deck, soaking in the sun and spectacular scenery.

Careening through mile after mile of Indonesian islands, I was astounded by the beauty that unfolded before me. Towering mountain peaks, coated to their tips with trees and vegetation. Secluded beaches nestled in tiny coves, with white-capped waves tumbling and crashing onto their shores. It was Nature at its most magnificent. Yet, amid the brilliance, every shoreline still bore the visible scars of the tsunami, with only reemerging greenery wrapping the landscape’s border with the ocean. Like a rim stretching 20, 30, even 100 yards inland, a distinct line evidenced what was vibrant and what was recovering.

As we reached Pulo Aceh about two hours later, the scene was the same – lingering marks on the land of the tragedy, but an unencumbered natural beauty rivaling few other places I’ve ever seen. It was an undeveloped, untouched paradise. A few dozen villagers greeted us, and a staff member who had been staying there packed us into our four-wheel-drive truck, which I soon learned was the only motorized vehicle on the island. The curvy, dirt roadways had been reconstructed following the tsunami and had the makings of a great off-roading trail. We bounced around in the truck bed, the tires sloshing and slinging mud, and I felt like I was back in the Delta!

Before the tsunami, there were about 25 villages on the island, now there are 17. The disaster claimed the lives of entire communities, and up to 80% of the people in the remaining villages. Survivors are now living in government-built barracks made mostly of tin and plywood, resembling summer camp cabins at their worst. Residents now depend on faulty water tanks and live amid deteriorating sanitation conditions. This is where our current work in Pulo Aceh begins – to build dependable new water systems by tapping into fresh water springs from the nearby mountains, along with working to improve the overall living situation.

Hiking up to the system construction sites was like walking through a rainforest. Our lead engineer kept shouting, “Watch out for the wild boars!” Thankfully, I never saw any, but heard lots of rumblings in the bushes! Our engineering teams designed the concept of water system and dam, but the local people are building it, creating a sense of ownership and pride within them and their communities. Utilizing the downward slope of the mountains and a natural spring, fresh clean water will flow freely into the villages below. One of the projects should be completed in a few weeks, having taken around two months to complete in its entirety. Needless to say, everyone is excited!

Later, we walked on the deserted beaches at sunset, listening to the thundering waves and picking up shells. Lying amid acres of stone-white coral, the shells' hues were vibrant and distinctly pure. After a Ramadan breaking fast dinner at one of the villages, we talked long into the night with colleagues from Britain and our new friends from the island. I slept soundly in the tent, and awoke in the morning to a scene of palm trees, blue waters and fog-draped mountains. Turkish coffee and crackers kick-started the day and fueled me for an early hike to another water construction site. When we came down the mountain a little while later, the Lobster Tale began...

Apparently, the last time our lead engineer, Teh, was on the island he mentioned liking fresh fish and that he should perhaps get some next time he was there. So, as we’re coming down the mountainside, two small fishing boats are easing toward the shore, and we hear a distant voice from the water’s edge, “Mr. Teh! Miss Bonnie! We have fish! We have fish!” We hopped in the four-wheel drive and sped over to see the catch. Even though the locals were fasting for Ramadan and wouldn’t be eating the fish themselves, they had gone out and caught fish just for us – and they were enormous! Red snapper, barracuda, tuna, an ocean catfish (who knew?), and even a shark. The locals clamored around, and the Brits soon caught on to what was happening, too. But amid the chaos brewing around our instant mini-fish-market, one of the fisherman motioned us off to the side, “Here, here, look here. Special for you.”

And then we saw it – the dripping-wet cage filled with absolutely gigantic lobster! I shrieked aloud, and I think my colleagues all did as well. Teh questioned me excitedly, “Which one do you want? Which one do you want?” I tried to pin-point one or two but they were all so huge it was impossible to decide. We paused simultaneously, looked at each other and nodded. He turned to the fisherman and said, “Pack them up, we’ll take them all.”

Seventeen lobster, two red snapper, and one ocean catfish later, we headed back to Banda, having invested significantly in the local economy for a price that would have been unheard of in the States, even in Maine. That night we rallied our whole staff for Banda Aceh Lobster Boil 2005 and feasted on massive crustaceans, fried ocean catfish and grilled red snapper until we couldn’t eat another bite.

Hardship conditions? I think not.

And to perpetuate my “suffering,” I’m actually headed out on another island jaunt today. It’s the end of Ramadan, and celebrations abound like Christmastime back home. Since all of our local staff is gone (as is everyone else, too), seven of us are headed to Sabang island for the next four days, home of such areas as Pulo Weh which is among the top diving and snorkeling sites in the world. Unlike Pulo Aceh, it’s developed to some degree (or so we’ve heard) and has resorts, huts, and a restaurant… oh, and a pristine lagoon as well!

Yes, I know – I’m supposed to be over here toiling away doing good deeds, and I’m eating lobster and island hopping. Who would’ve thought? But, seriously, I look at it as a God-given chance to step away from the weight of day to day conditions in both life and work here, so I’m thankful… very thankful. But I will be taking my laptop with me to do some work, so I'm not goofing off completely!

I’ll be moving into the new house when I get back, and the new offices are nice – much quieter and a bigger work space. However, it did take me about four days to find the “western-style” toilet. I thought all we had was the squattie pottie and had been using that one, or walking back next door!

Keep the notes and prayers coming – they’re much needed and appreciated! And I’ll update as often as I can. Oh, and don't forget to check out Pulo Aceh photos. Gene said he'd be posting them soon!

Love from Banda,
Bonnie Aceh