Archive for July, 2009
25 July 2009
Leaving Timor
Timorese legend has it that if you drink the milk of a coconut in Timor you will come back. I didn’t drink any coconut milk, but I will be back. I have loved the friendliness of the people who have endured horrific events over the last 30 years and are now one of the world’s poorest nations. I’ve loved the beautiful coastline and the fact that the basic huts and houses I’ve seen are cleaner and tidier than any house I’ve ever kept. I’ve loved the children and their incredible thirst to learn and the fact that the East Timorese know that education is a vital part of the way forward for them. I am hopeful that with the great support from Kirsty Sword Gusmao and the time and effort from people like Simon, Jenny and Agostinho there is a lot that Spend it Well can do here to give children a chance in life with a proper education.
project: OSTICO EAST TIMOR
23 July 2009
Zoe… Asha…. Leah….
Bruce, Simon and I went back to Ostico School today. The children weren’t in school (I think an unofficial holiday had been declared to clean up after the previous days’ events). It was great to have time to wander around and properly look at the school. Everything was a bit of a blur from the day before. As we were leaving, I remembered I’d brought a picture of my 3 daughters. I pulled it out and held it up to show a few children who were around me. Within 30 seconds a huge crowd of children had gathered to look. I pointed to my oldest daughter and said “Zoe” – then to my surprise all the children repeated after me in one voice “Zoe…”. I pointed to my other two daughters and said “Asha” and then “Leah” and they repeated their names back to me in the same way. It was wonderful. I was about to put the photo away, then changed my mind and gave it to a little girl next to me. Her eyes opened as wide as saucers and she took the photo and took off at a sprint, with several children chasing her. I like to think of her keeping that photo of my girls in a hidden spot and pulling it out to look at them.
project: OSTICO EAST TIMOR
22 July 2009
The official opening!
I had no real idea what to expect of the school opening. But it was an incredible day.
Stephen and I travelled to Ostico with Kirsty – it was wonderful to have so long to talk to someone like her. We travelled along the coast for a lot of the way, past beautiful white sandy beaches with perfect blue water. Just before the town of Baucau, we turned inland and drove for about 20 minutes along a single lane, rutted, dirt road.
We drove past some very basic huts and houses and arrived at the school to see 350 children in two lines from littlest to biggest all standing waiting for us. We walked up between them and they started clapping – very hard not to start crying at that stage! They’d erected a shade structure for the day with bamboo poles and palm fronds and had seats for us and all the people there to watch. There were speeches from the Education Minister, Kirsty and me…. then they presented us with the woven scarfs called “tais”. They have our names on them and apparently take the local ladies a month to make each.
Kirsty and I cut the ribbon and then there were lots of dances and songs from the children which they’d written specially for the day, to thank us. The word I kept hearing was “abrigadu” which means “thank you” in Tetum.
After that we had lunch (the builder had donated a buffalo!) which I’m told would be the best meal the villagers have all year.
Things relaxed a bit after lunch and we were able to wander around among the children. We gave all the books and the soccer balls and skipping ropes to the principal (a very impressive lady who has the kids jumping when she speaks).
The kids loved the balls and skipping ropes and the books are now the first of any books in the school. We are doing a bit of work to make a mini library in one of the extra buildings with some cushions and a rug to sit on and arranging some training for the teachers. Once that is done the government will be able to provide local language books to go with our books.
The school itself looks wonderful. There are now 4 beautiful looking classrooms and the tin building (now insulated, ventilated and with a verandah added) is being used for a library, for the teachers to work in and for lunches.
It was quite strange being the centre of attention. I think everyone is still rather bemused as to why these strangers from the other side of the world decided to help build a school in their little village. I am glad we did – it was an extraordinary day.
project: OSTICO EAST TIMOR
20 July 2009
A day in Dili
Simon took me up to Dare today – a little hamlet in the mountains behind Dili. It’s not far in distance, but took us about half an hour by car, winding around tight turns on a small road. It’s also the road that Xanana Gusmao’s car was ambushed on during the assasination attempt in 2008. I love the story of his escape – the rebels held up the car, but he realised immediately what was happening and slipped into the bush and escaped them. Capturing someone who was the leader of a guerilla army and lived in the mountains for years, is not a simple process!
There is a memorial at Dare commemorating the extraordinary support provided by the East Timorese to the Australian troops who were in East Timor when it was captured by the Japanese in World War II. The Australians were eventually evacuated, leaving behind the East Timorese over 60,000 of whom died during the occupation. It’s hard not to feel that Australia owes a massive debt to the East Timorese which it has never repaid.
Dili is still full of ruined buildings, destroyed during by the Indonesian militia in 1999 as they withdrew from East Timor. Despite the poverty though, people are happy. Walking through the streets, I heard laughter and people smile at you freely.
We had a lovely evening on the terrace of our hotel tonight. I like this place!
project: OSTICO EAST TIMOR
19 July 2009
We are in Dili
Stephen and I are here. After over a year of thinking about East Timor, we’ve finally arrived. It was a glorious flight from Darwin, with the sun just coming up and reflecting on the water. For the first time I could understand how, in such a small country, the Resistance could remain hidden from the Indonesians and wage a guerilla war for 24 years. Timor is an island with a high ridge running down the middle, with steep slopes on either side and almost totally covered in trees. Dili is on the side of the island opposite Darwin on a small coastal plain.
The airport is tiny, little more than a big hangar and a stretch of tarmac. Simon met us and took us to our hotel. It’s a great little place with a massive terrace covered with a thatched roof and furnished with wicker sofas and chairs with lovely soft cushions. There is a road between the hotel and the beach which is a narrow stretch of white sand, fringed by coconut trees. Somehow I hadn’t realised that this was a tropical island. I’m hoping to find a few spare hours to sit on the terrace with a cool drink and watch the world go by.
project: OSTICO EAST TIMOR
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