I will start with today’s excitement… Today we had two false Tsunami alarms as there was an electrical failure of the tsunami warning system in a village about 10km from Banda Aceh. We did not hear any alarms in BA, but everyone was calling each other and the villagers evacuated to higher ground. There were even rumours of the water being higher than normal (and while I am no tsunami expert, I believe tsunamis are supposed to begin with an earthquake – which we did not have – and I heard the water was supposed to retreat as the tsunami needs to pull in the water in order to create the tidal wave). Anyway, most of the national staff left to go home to be with family as people get very nervous with the threat. So, today was not the most productive of days… But actually I felt quite good as I set up a bunch of appointments to meet with other organizations to discuss their livelihood programs. So, tsunami warnings #1 and #2 were happily false alarms!
So, let’s see what have I been up to since my trip to Lamno? I am still getting settled into my position. I am starting with an initial livelihoods assessment of the villages in which we will be working, so I have been spending time thinking about the methodology and goals of the survey. I have actually been surprised by how little information is readily available on how to conduct these surveys, but still I try. As I mentioned, I am also trying to meet up with other organizations that have been doing livelihoods and economic development work in the area. I know exciting stuff.
Wednesday I went to my first yoga class in Indonesia. It was a wonderful hour and a half. I almost fell asleep at the end of the session, it was that good. But when I got home there was very little water. (I found out later that the cleaning lady had turned off the pump from the well.) So, on the one day I really wanted a shower bad, it was a bucket bath out of the mandi
(it is essentially a really big sink that is kept full of water and most people use it for bathing. Out house has a real shower so I don’t usually use the mandi. And one in my bathroom seems never to be filled with water for some reason. For some reason it is also extremely deep, which for me is a challenge when it is not very full because I can hardly reach the bottom so I am hurled over the edge trying to fish out a small bucket of water. OK, enough of the painful imagery. I have included a picture of a mandi for your viewing pleasure. But please do not climb in, even though it looks like a small bathtub, it is only for entry by the buckets.) Anyways, when I am in Banda Aceh, I will try to get to yoga when I can. Not the cheapest exercise, but it is really hard for us women to do exercise here. I had asked if I could join the guys playing soccer and told that was nope. Oh well, too bad. And while I do not run, I am told that women don’t do much of that here either. I am not even sure if there is a gym when women can go. So, it is mostly walking as the only option for us and here is not the easiest place to walk. So, maybe I will actually come back plumper than when I left.
On Thursday night a woman from American Red Cross had a BBQ. They had shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning. Ah, the memories of the Chesapeake Bay. So nice. I also was able to meet more people in the community, which I just love. I am really looking forward to getting more integrated into the community to make it my own.
Friday was a holiday here – Buddha’s birthday, I believe, which is slightly ironic in a Shari’a Muslim area. But, I went into work anyways. I also started cat/house sitting for a friend who
went to Bali for the long weekend. She live in an absolutely incredible house – see the koi pond
off the kitchen. She has two cats, but the kitten Taco is the real pride and joy. He had gone missing before, so not sure what I was getting myself into. He is called Taco because of the Mexican mustache. That night we went back to the fancy Italian restaurant where we had my birthday. When we got there, we were informed that there would be no alcohol as the Shari’a police had raided the place, confiscating over $2,000 in alcohol. They had just received a shipment and had not had time to lock it away. Yikes! Normally if there is a raid, they get a warning, but the religious police are no part of that.
So, when I left to go to the office on Saturday, Taco went out as well and she did not come home until Monday morning. Rough few days I must admit. I got up on Monday and star
ted to
walk
through the neighborhood. Then the neighbors drove by and asked if I was looking for Taco. They informed me that Taco had just had breakfast with their kittens. So I went over and scooped him up and brought him home. I am not letting him out of my sight again. (They come home from Bali on Tuesday evening.) He seems to really like my computer – stepping on the keys and licking the screen. I now have him confined to my lap. Oh no, he just jumped on the table. For some reason, he thinks my fingers are toys and
she keeps trying to bat them around – even taking little nibbles. I know I have small hands, but I didn’t think they looked like cat toys. This is Taco jumping up on me this morning (the blue is my shirt)… Had to get some pictures, so happy he was home!
Saturday night I went for a cream bath with some lady friends. Essentially this entails an hour long session which includes several hair washing, a head massage with avocado cream, along with a shoulder massage – all for the reasonable price of about $5. Unless of course you have long hair for which they add 25%. Too bad they don’t tell you that in advance. While it was nice, that whole long hair thing bothers me. I think I will go for full body massages in the future. I think those run a whopping $10.50 and no extra charge for my long hair.
Sunday, I actually worked a bit in the morning and then headed over to a friend’s for a swim in the pool. I look my first Becak, which is essentially a cart attached to the side of a motorbike – sort of like a side car, but with a cover. It was such a nice day, a few beers sitting in the pool, a little sun and hanging out with friends. Although, I did get attacked by the suction tube – twice – which left lovely circular bruises on my leg. A nice mark to remember the day at the pool.
Wow…is this entry long enough?
One more thing, several people were concerned about the security situation here in Aceh (me included). I am happy to report that things here are actually really under control. The only real incidents that occur are in the villages and those are confined to blockades of roads when villagers feel that they have been wronged. Most notably, an NGO will come in and promise something and then not deliver it. So, for all of you that have been worried, please don’t be. Thing here are just fine. Probably much better than the other lovely places I have traveled over the last three years.
There is a nice guest house where we stay. Here is the picture of my home away from home, away from home. And here are the roosters that decided to have a roosting competition at 6am each morning. And this is the lovely rice fields right across from the house. They will be a lovely green later in the year. It is 
a nice place, but no running water (yet) and the water now is a lovely brown right out of the well. We will be getting a tank installed in a few weeks and then we will be in the lap of luxury with cable and running water and if we are lucky, the electricity will work!
So, I am not certain how well you can see this, but it is the road. Yes, that is sand and we are right on the water - that is the ocean to the left. Yeah, who knows how long this new road will last - or even when it will be finished. From what I hear they have been working on it for months. But they are moving a few of the hills on the side of the road to move it inland a bit. And that is a truck backing into another truck which got stuck in the wet sand. I am happy to say that our vehichle had no problems.
