I ask this because there seems to be so many versions of it flying about. some people say only 2 persons died in the troubles last week, while another said more like 60 did! those staying in the east of dili heard nothing, while those in the west were under seige. we all have different realities and so do reporters - it depends on who lets them see what. You too - from faraway - it depends on what the news channels reveal to you. a close up of a burning car and shouts and screams on the audio track could make a minor incident a major one while shots of deserted dili could give a sense of calm. so what's real anymore? even i don't know.
i live in this city but work in a world separate from the rest - shielded by gates with barbed wire and big stone barriers. We don't see the rest of the world inside the UN compound but we sure do hear a lot. Yesterday, news came from national staff who said that their villages were now deserted as more people were abandoning their homes to run up the mountains. Apparently there has been a systematic spread of information by SOMEONE to ask people to run and warning them of impending trouble. so what do these traumatised folks do? THEY RUN, with mattresses, chairs, stoves everything. Since 1975, these people have faced strive and been on the run, seeking refuge in the thick cover of forests so the mountains are their friends. At first whiff of trouble, that's where the Timorese would go.
As a national staff put it, "We prefer to pre-empt trouble and run when there is any sign of trouble, before chaos actually happen. Malaes (or foreigners) seem to prefer waiting (like sitting ducks) until trouble happens before reacting to it." That's why in the hearts of our staff, many are torn between running to the hills and staying behind to continue working. Some of their families have already gone and they are left behind here on their own. I empathise with them. But as an international staff put it, "When will they stop running? When will they put '99 behind them?" I also agree that some change need to take place to stop people from bolting at anything. But HOW do you tell them that? As what the Timorese told me, in '99 when UNAMET assured them not to flee because the UN was there, many trusted them but in the end, were killed by the militias. It's not about trusting UN people anymore, it's about trusting their own instincts.
I'm confused and i guess so are many people.
The lil tumbleweed
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
morning after
It's tuesday, and everyone's filed back to work by now. It was a good thing that we had a public holiday yesterday - I think it gave everyone some breathing space after the tensions from friday and saturday.
To be honest, there was tension on those two days. but because i was living in Colmera - a 'business' district sortof area, there was little disturbances. but some of our colleagues especially national staff living further into the hills and in villages away from the city centre reported trouble and hearing the gunshots of police going after the troublemakers - FOR THE RECORD, the officers were ordered to fire only into the air and never at anybody.
Anyways, here's the security update we received on Friday: (very outdated but...)
- 2 civilians dead, 8 civilians wounded, 3 PNTL (police) injured with one seriously injured.
- 3 cars were burned and 8 damaged.
- > 50 houses burned,
- Taibessi market area is extensively burned
and apparently the trouble was caused not by the protesting soldiers but by troublemakers who had joined in the demonstration and caused the mayhem.
On saturday morning, there was still tension in the air but Armando and I ventured out with our friends to the supermarket cos there was no more food in our house. There were long lines of people doing the same and Cold Storage (not the same as the one in SIngapore!) was making good business. I even saw people buying wine! I guess, they felt that since they would be holed up at home, why not get drunk too.
Anyways, by Sunday, things were pretty much back to normal. We even went to Mass in Comoro - the area that was reportedly still in trouble. But everything was really peaceful that morning. eerrieily so cos usually the COmoro market area is bustling with people but that day, it was empty. At mass, we sang songs asking for peace, when I sang, i felt very sad and really sang out to the LOrd to deliver peace to Timor-Leste. I know that singing is like praying twice so i think the Lord heard our prayers and granted us that wish.
On Sunday night, we went to Paradise Restaurant to celebrate a few people's birthdays. Yesterday, we even went snorkelling at K41 - to the east of Dili. You see, it's strange and ironic how life can go on for one group of people, while others remain huddled in fear - even in a small city like Dili. While we were enjoying ourselves, there were apparently still nearly 2000 people holed up in the Don Bosco seminary in the western side of Dili.... these people too scared to return home... and they have no food. We heard from some other NGO people that they wre bringing food to them and persuading them to return home. But you see, with the communications so poor here, people can't receive reliable news. In fact, we have no idea what's the situation now. i.e. have they caught the culprits or what? Yesterday, the police went on a parade, honking their cars joyously to exhibit their prowess. Apparently this was to assure the people of their presence --- and I'm thinkg:
yeah, if only they did so on Friday at lunch time at the Government House, then perhaps Prime Minister Alkatiri's windows would not have been smashed, and 3 cars there not burned to their skeletons! And the troublemakers not gotten loose and set off a whole series of opportunistic troublemaking!
Anyways,rumours are still wildly flying about and we're telling everyone not to panic and run off into the hills. God Bless Timor!
To be honest, there was tension on those two days. but because i was living in Colmera - a 'business' district sortof area, there was little disturbances. but some of our colleagues especially national staff living further into the hills and in villages away from the city centre reported trouble and hearing the gunshots of police going after the troublemakers - FOR THE RECORD, the officers were ordered to fire only into the air and never at anybody.
Anyways, here's the security update we received on Friday: (very outdated but...)
- 2 civilians dead, 8 civilians wounded, 3 PNTL (police) injured with one seriously injured.
- 3 cars were burned and 8 damaged.
- > 50 houses burned,
- Taibessi market area is extensively burned
and apparently the trouble was caused not by the protesting soldiers but by troublemakers who had joined in the demonstration and caused the mayhem.
On saturday morning, there was still tension in the air but Armando and I ventured out with our friends to the supermarket cos there was no more food in our house. There were long lines of people doing the same and Cold Storage (not the same as the one in SIngapore!) was making good business. I even saw people buying wine! I guess, they felt that since they would be holed up at home, why not get drunk too.
Anyways, by Sunday, things were pretty much back to normal. We even went to Mass in Comoro - the area that was reportedly still in trouble. But everything was really peaceful that morning. eerrieily so cos usually the COmoro market area is bustling with people but that day, it was empty. At mass, we sang songs asking for peace, when I sang, i felt very sad and really sang out to the LOrd to deliver peace to Timor-Leste. I know that singing is like praying twice so i think the Lord heard our prayers and granted us that wish.
On Sunday night, we went to Paradise Restaurant to celebrate a few people's birthdays. Yesterday, we even went snorkelling at K41 - to the east of Dili. You see, it's strange and ironic how life can go on for one group of people, while others remain huddled in fear - even in a small city like Dili. While we were enjoying ourselves, there were apparently still nearly 2000 people holed up in the Don Bosco seminary in the western side of Dili.... these people too scared to return home... and they have no food. We heard from some other NGO people that they wre bringing food to them and persuading them to return home. But you see, with the communications so poor here, people can't receive reliable news. In fact, we have no idea what's the situation now. i.e. have they caught the culprits or what? Yesterday, the police went on a parade, honking their cars joyously to exhibit their prowess. Apparently this was to assure the people of their presence --- and I'm thinkg:
yeah, if only they did so on Friday at lunch time at the Government House, then perhaps Prime Minister Alkatiri's windows would not have been smashed, and 3 cars there not burned to their skeletons! And the troublemakers not gotten loose and set off a whole series of opportunistic troublemaking!
Anyways,rumours are still wildly flying about and we're telling everyone not to panic and run off into the hills. God Bless Timor!
Friday, April 28, 2006
panic button
It takes rumours and panic and a few irrational fellas to press the alarm bell here. we had just finished lunch and hopped into a taxi to head back to UN House. Just as we turned the corner (i was still showing the interns the Brasil Restaurant & Erli) when suddenly there was a commotion behind us. 2 guys on a motorbike were honking the loudly and racing towards us, and we saw a stream of men running and then suddenly there were so many vehicles that had seemed to appear from nowhere descend upon us.Two cars next to us began honking persistently, as if in a car rally, in fact, some people were laughing in excitement. But the old man driving us was really worried and i kept telling him, "Tiu, la buat ida, lao neineik." which meant "Uncle, don't worry, it's nothing, just go slowly." it was hard not to panic because when there were so many vehicles rushing past us and onto us. the old man asked me in a shaken voice, "mana, oinsa?" ("How, sister?") I just told him to carry on slowly back to our office. It was a quiet trip back to the office but when we arrived, people were on the radios, monitoring the situation. "A government vehicle has been burnt," the news went around. We turned and saw black smoke rising in the distance but could not see anything else. we are some distance away from the demonstration site and are almost in our oasis - locked up in the Obrigado Barracks. It's hard to know what the reality is like outside. The cackle on the radio sounds urgent, with timorese voices updating each other on the situation. Everyone sounds worried and a headcount is done to find out who is missing and out there having lunch. The Timor Telecom network is down - unable to handle the heavy load from everyone trying to contact their families.
an intern has just returned, she was in the business district when her Timorese friend told her to run. As they were running, she saw black smoke and there was smell of burning in the air. The two of them sought refuge in a timorese home and then waited for some time before the Police arrived and began directing traffic. Then she heard more people running, some screaming and saying that the government palace was burnt down. Then she saw cars driving by with smashed windscreens and broken windows. After a while, the friend's uncle drove by (also with smashed windscreen) and drove her back into the UN compound.
Some staff having lunch at Tropical Bakery said the staff there tried to lock up the entire place including them. While another saw old, aged women in panic, running up to the hills.
The Timorese, thanks to the horrors of the '99 violence still fresh on their minds, have a panic button that is very very easily triggered.You can't blame them because their brothers, sisters, friends and relatives were indeed killed before and they themselves victims of the violence. So whenever there are rumours or any hint of anything not right, families flee to the hills for refuge.
And you know what, some people know this weakness and are exploiting it. The demonstrators may be having a peaceful protest but anyone, just one or two persons who are keen on creating trouble, to loot for personal gains or to upset the current government, can so easily spark off panic.
The international media has also NOT helped. A few days ago the OZ papers reported that there were 5000 people gathered which was untrue. You see, when you feed the rumour mill, more bad things happen! Argghhh...... and it was not true that tensions were high in Dili when they reported it. Today, yes, admittedly yes there is tension and now, sadly, we are making those reports come true...
it's so unfair for timor! we need the peace right now for the economy to progress and we need stability. the LAST thing we need is this thing now!
if you want to help timor, the first thing to do is to get the facts right.. which is extremely difficult too. i mean, as i write this i am in the office, safe and surrounded by guards, i can't see the situation outside and am depending on reports from people to even blog this.
an intern has just returned, she was in the business district when her Timorese friend told her to run. As they were running, she saw black smoke and there was smell of burning in the air. The two of them sought refuge in a timorese home and then waited for some time before the Police arrived and began directing traffic. Then she heard more people running, some screaming and saying that the government palace was burnt down. Then she saw cars driving by with smashed windscreens and broken windows. After a while, the friend's uncle drove by (also with smashed windscreen) and drove her back into the UN compound.
Some staff having lunch at Tropical Bakery said the staff there tried to lock up the entire place including them. While another saw old, aged women in panic, running up to the hills.
The Timorese, thanks to the horrors of the '99 violence still fresh on their minds, have a panic button that is very very easily triggered.You can't blame them because their brothers, sisters, friends and relatives were indeed killed before and they themselves victims of the violence. So whenever there are rumours or any hint of anything not right, families flee to the hills for refuge.
And you know what, some people know this weakness and are exploiting it. The demonstrators may be having a peaceful protest but anyone, just one or two persons who are keen on creating trouble, to loot for personal gains or to upset the current government, can so easily spark off panic.
The international media has also NOT helped. A few days ago the OZ papers reported that there were 5000 people gathered which was untrue. You see, when you feed the rumour mill, more bad things happen! Argghhh...... and it was not true that tensions were high in Dili when they reported it. Today, yes, admittedly yes there is tension and now, sadly, we are making those reports come true...
it's so unfair for timor! we need the peace right now for the economy to progress and we need stability. the LAST thing we need is this thing now!
if you want to help timor, the first thing to do is to get the facts right.. which is extremely difficult too. i mean, as i write this i am in the office, safe and surrounded by guards, i can't see the situation outside and am depending on reports from people to even blog this.
Monday, April 24, 2006
sunrise sunset
which side does the sun favour? where it rises or where it sets? we know that the sun loves both sides but we ourselves don't. "divide and conquer" is an age-old strategy that preys on the hearts of humans by creating imaginary divisions and making us believe that these differences are real and do matter. Long time ago, the tall white people who came here planted fissions in the ethnic kaleidescope, then the neighbours came and did the same, and encouraged the fissions to widen into chasms. Thankfully a bitter war and the common enemy made the people of sunrise and sunset unite, so they could shield off the ugly freezing winter to emerge bright and victorious. Now that the ice queen has been defeated, the warmth that the shiny people of sunrise and sunset had for each other has evaporated too. Not ALL of course but some. But that is enough. Sunrise thinks it's better than sunset because it hails the coming of a new day while sunset think it's so much prettier clad in the pinks, purples, and blues of dusk. one thing leads to another and now, the sunset men in green say they get pushed around by sunrise. Now sunset refuses to budge, and doesn't want to be part of the routine anymore. Afterall, why should the sun rise before it sets? how about if the sun stay up in the sky 24/7? now, as sunset and sunrise tussle, the sun is torn between the two and showing some cracks. the enemies rub their hands together in glee, plotting to throw the nets on sunrise and sunset altogether - while they are distracted. the grass gets scorched, the rivers dry up, the animals starve, and the land cracks up with the sun up in the sky all the time. the visitors say we don't want to visit this land anymore, it's too hot and there's no food or water. so what will sunrise and sunset do? for the sake of the grass, rivers, animals and people, will they realise that they are equally important and equally equal for there can be no sunrise without a sunset, and no sunset if the sun has not risen earlier in the day?
ooo la la
it is finished - the complete look of the mystery man in my life. Anyways, it's Monday but i'm beat cos i spent the weekend cleaning up my room and then scrubbing up another room which i am planning to move into. Yupe. the news is that my SIF term with Unicef is drawing to a close (end of May) but i'll stay on here for another 2 months before heading back to Singapore for a while.... it's only a temporary goodbye as i will be back! Doing what? I DON'T KNOW! I just know that i have to come back as Armando is here. This is going to be an exciting phase in my life - yet again filled with lots of uncertainties.. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Al Jazeera reads this blog!
Ok how could i not be cheered up when I found out that someone from Al Jazeera (that rather controversial news network that Bush has schemed to bomb a few times) actually reads this blog?
How did i find out?
Well just moments ago, a young Timorese guy walked in and told us that a crew from Al Jazeera (KL) is coming to Timor in May and wants to interview a UNICEF national staff who "from a cleaner became a chief" - ok so he was slightly off the mark - but we ALL knew immediately who that CLEANER he was referring to is. The funny thing was he said that in front of that person who "from a cleaner became the principal secretary for the UNICEF chief".
Yulian, Tony and I all looked at G who, by this time, was so mortified and embarrassed. The messenger stared in disbelief and kept asking "is it really you? are you all joking?" So there, that's how i know that my blog's being read by Al Jazeera. It's just made my day and of course G's! ;-)
hey editors at Al Jazeera, are you going to credit moi in your report? I like how newspapers put at the bottom of articles "additional reporting by xxxx". (Hint Hint *kekekeke*)
How did i find out?
Well just moments ago, a young Timorese guy walked in and told us that a crew from Al Jazeera (KL) is coming to Timor in May and wants to interview a UNICEF national staff who "from a cleaner became a chief" - ok so he was slightly off the mark - but we ALL knew immediately who that CLEANER he was referring to is. The funny thing was he said that in front of that person who "from a cleaner became the principal secretary for the UNICEF chief".
Yulian, Tony and I all looked at G who, by this time, was so mortified and embarrassed. The messenger stared in disbelief and kept asking "is it really you? are you all joking?" So there, that's how i know that my blog's being read by Al Jazeera. It's just made my day and of course G's! ;-)
hey editors at Al Jazeera, are you going to credit moi in your report? I like how newspapers put at the bottom of articles "additional reporting by xxxx". (Hint Hint *kekekeke*)
Blank
BLANK --
That's how i felt when i received the email from Columbia announcing their regret for denying me a place in the Grad School there... My world swirled into slow motion while i stared at the screen and digested the news. Me? Rejected? Denied? Slowly a concoction of confusion, indignation and disappointment began to bubble, while at the same time, my guardian angel kept yelling out to me, "hey, remember what you told Jesus? Thy Will be done?" I picked up the cell and called Armando and told him the news, with sniffles punctuating the sentences.
Then i texted my boss Madhu to tell her the news and she called me immediately. Words at moment such as this are hard to find. But she being she, hit the nail on the head when she said, "I know you are going to feel some sense of inadequacy. I know how that feels." She comforted me and told me to take some time off before returning to work for some healthy distraction.
it's true...
while accepting that perhaps this IS God's will - perhaps He means different things for me and perhaps it's not my time yet - but one question (that appears in different guises) stares at me and it's what the Devil will use to make people like me feel even worse about myself:
WHY was i not accepted?
AM i not good enough?
WHY do other people get accepted and not ME?
Armando picked me up and we had coffee at Roo Bar (that had big mossies zinging about). We talked about my disappointment and he tried his best to comfort me. I think, more importantly, i wanted him to assure me that life goes on with or without a master's degree. It's not easy to let go when you've spent the past year taking the TOEFL test (and scoring so well at it!!!), completing two essays, and preparing for a rigourous test - all for this. But i know i must.
I'm just not used to rejections in my life.
OK OK... Even as i say this, i am so keenly aware of how blessed my life has been - a smooth sailing academic life, a wonderful and supportive family who have accepted my less than normal lifestyle, a generally healthy body and now an amazing boyfriend whom i can talk to endlessly and share my dreams with.
But you see.
Bridgette See ain't used to not getting what she wants. Everything she's strived for in her tiny limited world, she's gotten. From high school, to junior college, to university, to her broadcasting career, to the East West Center, even to wanting to do volunteer work..She ain't used to disappointment and now has to nurse an injured pride, while dealing with a re-evaluation of herself.
That's what rejection does to you right?
I started to question the reality i've constructed over the years in my brain. I began to ask "Was i any good before in Singapore? Was it all an illusion?" It seems as if this verdict from Columbia might threaten to sweep away all my self-esteem and confidence simply because i have been denied a place there.
As i write this, i remind myself of where i base my happiness on - - - is it the possession of a Master's degree? or what others think of me? OR can my happiness be found WITHIN me? Can i find joy within myself, whether in my intimacy with God or my character which 30 years have moulded?
One thing i learnt since quitting a 9to5 job in August 2004 is that God will provide.I've had times when i agonised over my sudden drop in income and dwindling savings account but always, He came to my rescue and lifted me up. I've built up a confidence that no matter where i am, what i do, i will be able to forge a living and make it meaningful. WHY? Because that source of happiness is WITHIN me.
This entry is my way of burying those disturbing questions of 'why' and allow myself to take a deep breath, thank the Lord for keeping me alive, and focus on living my life fully, with courage and happiness.
That's how i felt when i received the email from Columbia announcing their regret for denying me a place in the Grad School there... My world swirled into slow motion while i stared at the screen and digested the news. Me? Rejected? Denied? Slowly a concoction of confusion, indignation and disappointment began to bubble, while at the same time, my guardian angel kept yelling out to me, "hey, remember what you told Jesus? Thy Will be done?" I picked up the cell and called Armando and told him the news, with sniffles punctuating the sentences.
Then i texted my boss Madhu to tell her the news and she called me immediately. Words at moment such as this are hard to find. But she being she, hit the nail on the head when she said, "I know you are going to feel some sense of inadequacy. I know how that feels." She comforted me and told me to take some time off before returning to work for some healthy distraction.
it's true...
while accepting that perhaps this IS God's will - perhaps He means different things for me and perhaps it's not my time yet - but one question (that appears in different guises) stares at me and it's what the Devil will use to make people like me feel even worse about myself:
WHY was i not accepted?
AM i not good enough?
WHY do other people get accepted and not ME?
Armando picked me up and we had coffee at Roo Bar (that had big mossies zinging about). We talked about my disappointment and he tried his best to comfort me. I think, more importantly, i wanted him to assure me that life goes on with or without a master's degree. It's not easy to let go when you've spent the past year taking the TOEFL test (and scoring so well at it!!!), completing two essays, and preparing for a rigourous test - all for this. But i know i must.
I'm just not used to rejections in my life.
OK OK... Even as i say this, i am so keenly aware of how blessed my life has been - a smooth sailing academic life, a wonderful and supportive family who have accepted my less than normal lifestyle, a generally healthy body and now an amazing boyfriend whom i can talk to endlessly and share my dreams with.
But you see.
Bridgette See ain't used to not getting what she wants. Everything she's strived for in her tiny limited world, she's gotten. From high school, to junior college, to university, to her broadcasting career, to the East West Center, even to wanting to do volunteer work..She ain't used to disappointment and now has to nurse an injured pride, while dealing with a re-evaluation of herself.
That's what rejection does to you right?
I started to question the reality i've constructed over the years in my brain. I began to ask "Was i any good before in Singapore? Was it all an illusion?" It seems as if this verdict from Columbia might threaten to sweep away all my self-esteem and confidence simply because i have been denied a place there.
As i write this, i remind myself of where i base my happiness on - - - is it the possession of a Master's degree? or what others think of me? OR can my happiness be found WITHIN me? Can i find joy within myself, whether in my intimacy with God or my character which 30 years have moulded?
One thing i learnt since quitting a 9to5 job in August 2004 is that God will provide.I've had times when i agonised over my sudden drop in income and dwindling savings account but always, He came to my rescue and lifted me up. I've built up a confidence that no matter where i am, what i do, i will be able to forge a living and make it meaningful. WHY? Because that source of happiness is WITHIN me.
This entry is my way of burying those disturbing questions of 'why' and allow myself to take a deep breath, thank the Lord for keeping me alive, and focus on living my life fully, with courage and happiness.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Who nose?
It's lunchtime on Monday after a weekend of mass-going and celebration of Easter! I sat through many hours of Tetum mass, clutching my English bible and reading the relevant passages in order to keep up with the mass. Even though the heat was rather unbearable, i still (perversely) enjoyed the experience.
Anyways, here's the promised second piece to the man-puzzle. I'm sorry if this blog is going the way of trivia. I promise there's only one more piece to it!
Anyways, here's the promised second piece to the man-puzzle. I'm sorry if this blog is going the way of trivia. I promise there's only one more piece to it!
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Bridgette SEEs timor
By popular request - an entry about the best places to see in Timor. For pictures you can drool over, and info that will make you drop your hectic schedules and rush over here, click on this official Timor Tourism website. But here's a quick selection of my own limited experience in Timor:
SEA - Timor's a half-island so the sea's the MUST-SEE for anyone coming to Timor. There's just LOOOOTS of great underwater life..The nearest snorkel/dive site is just 15 minutes to the left of Dili town called Dili Rock while the furthest is probably to the right most end - Jako island.
Here's Brian's underwater world site to ogle at squashy,squirmy,soft things!
NEXT ---- the marine sanctuary island of Jaco which is on the easternmost tip of Timor-Leste. Pristine white sand beaches and intense turqoise blue waters greet you as you step off the fisherman's boat onto the island. The snorkelling & diving is great, albeit with rather strong currents. So you should be fairly competent swimmer, or have a good buddy, and use fins! Read my entry on Jako for more details of our backbreaking journey there.
This mural map at a local dive shop shows you the dive sites in the country. There are many nice beaches within 1 hour's drive from Dili, the capital. The most popular is called Areia Branca which is on the way to Cristo Rei - the huge statue of Jesus that perches on the tip of a cliff and where devotees can remember the Passion of Christ by walking up the 14 Stations of the Cross. If you're not religious, you can still walk up to the foot of Jesus to enjoy the panoramic view from his perch. But the best beach (near to Dili) i have seen so far is the ONE DOLLAR BEACH which is about an hour's drive away in the Manatuto District.It has clean white sand and the bluest waters.
MOUNTAINS --- One website that offers pretty comprehensive information about trekking is www.discoverdili.com Timor (like Hawaii) has a very masculine landscape with jagged cliffs and towering mountains. Many villages are hidden up in the folds of valleys and when you drive into the hills away from Dili, there is often mist shrouding the peaks. Aileu (2 hours drive) and Maubisse (3 hours) are nice quaint districts to experience cooler climates. Venilale in Baucau is also pretty. The famous Matebian mountain is in Baucau while Mt Ramelau is in Aileu/Ainaro. To get there you need to hire a good four-wheel drive and if you don't have a person familiar with the hike, it would be advisable to have someone who can speak either Bahasa Indonesia or Tetum so that your group could communicate with the locals and ask them to guide you to the top of Ramelau.
One interesting thing about Timor-Leste is that it has a district called Oecusse that lies outside its border.
Oecusse is supposed to be the first landing spot for the Portuguese which this monument at Lifau Beach commemorates. Oecusse was the capital of Portuguese Timor until the arrival of the Dutch that led to the Portuguese to shift their capital to Dili in 18 A.D. When the DUtch and Portuguese formalised their relationship in 19 A.D., the Enclave or Exclave has since remained politically with Portugueste Timor. But really, the people in Oecusse are ethnically West Timorese - they speak Baikenu and often Bahasa Indonesia - and have family spread across the border into West Timor. So it's a pretty complex issue. Border conflicts continue 6 years after independence was restored to Timor-Leste. Read this blog by 2 filmmakers (based in Singapore)as they recount their experience in making a film about the reconciliation efforts in Passabe. You can get to Oecusse by boat.
There're lots more places to see but the last one I want to add in this entry is ATAURO ISLAND.
I've never been there but i often stare longingly at the island from our end. I've heard stories of how beautiful the place is, but also of how poor the people are because of the distance from Dili and accessibility to goods and services. A ferry service goes there on Saturdays (i've heard rumours of a second service but it's not confirmed!) but you can also get local fishermen to bring you across in their little boats. OR if you are a group of 10, you could hire an Aussie boat for USD250 per way. In a nutshell, it ain't cheap to enjoy Atauro but i still hope to do it before i leave! See this website for an eco-tourism effort to promote Atauro while preserving its natural beauty.
Ok that's all from me now. But remember, seeing Timor-Leste isn't like any other holiday. You need to be 'tough' in some sense - coping with bad roads, simple housing and lack of electricity. So... COME AND VISIT!
SEA - Timor's a half-island so the sea's the MUST-SEE for anyone coming to Timor. There's just LOOOOTS of great underwater life..The nearest snorkel/dive site is just 15 minutes to the left of Dili town called Dili Rock while the furthest is probably to the right most end - Jako island.
Here's Brian's underwater world site to ogle at squashy,squirmy,soft things! NEXT ---- the marine sanctuary island of Jaco which is on the easternmost tip of Timor-Leste. Pristine white sand beaches and intense turqoise blue waters greet you as you step off the fisherman's boat onto the island. The snorkelling & diving is great, albeit with rather strong currents. So you should be fairly competent swimmer, or have a good buddy, and use fins! Read my entry on Jako for more details of our backbreaking journey there.
This mural map at a local dive shop shows you the dive sites in the country. There are many nice beaches within 1 hour's drive from Dili, the capital. The most popular is called Areia Branca which is on the way to Cristo Rei - the huge statue of Jesus that perches on the tip of a cliff and where devotees can remember the Passion of Christ by walking up the 14 Stations of the Cross. If you're not religious, you can still walk up to the foot of Jesus to enjoy the panoramic view from his perch. But the best beach (near to Dili) i have seen so far is the ONE DOLLAR BEACH which is about an hour's drive away in the Manatuto District.It has clean white sand and the bluest waters.
MOUNTAINS --- One website that offers pretty comprehensive information about trekking is www.discoverdili.com Timor (like Hawaii) has a very masculine landscape with jagged cliffs and towering mountains. Many villages are hidden up in the folds of valleys and when you drive into the hills away from Dili, there is often mist shrouding the peaks. Aileu (2 hours drive) and Maubisse (3 hours) are nice quaint districts to experience cooler climates. Venilale in Baucau is also pretty. The famous Matebian mountain is in Baucau while Mt Ramelau is in Aileu/Ainaro. To get there you need to hire a good four-wheel drive and if you don't have a person familiar with the hike, it would be advisable to have someone who can speak either Bahasa Indonesia or Tetum so that your group could communicate with the locals and ask them to guide you to the top of Ramelau. One interesting thing about Timor-Leste is that it has a district called Oecusse that lies outside its border.
Oecusse is supposed to be the first landing spot for the Portuguese which this monument at Lifau Beach commemorates. Oecusse was the capital of Portuguese Timor until the arrival of the Dutch that led to the Portuguese to shift their capital to Dili in 18 A.D. When the DUtch and Portuguese formalised their relationship in 19 A.D., the Enclave or Exclave has since remained politically with Portugueste Timor. But really, the people in Oecusse are ethnically West Timorese - they speak Baikenu and often Bahasa Indonesia - and have family spread across the border into West Timor. So it's a pretty complex issue. Border conflicts continue 6 years after independence was restored to Timor-Leste. Read this blog by 2 filmmakers (based in Singapore)as they recount their experience in making a film about the reconciliation efforts in Passabe. You can get to Oecusse by boat.There're lots more places to see but the last one I want to add in this entry is ATAURO ISLAND.
I've never been there but i often stare longingly at the island from our end. I've heard stories of how beautiful the place is, but also of how poor the people are because of the distance from Dili and accessibility to goods and services. A ferry service goes there on Saturdays (i've heard rumours of a second service but it's not confirmed!) but you can also get local fishermen to bring you across in their little boats. OR if you are a group of 10, you could hire an Aussie boat for USD250 per way. In a nutshell, it ain't cheap to enjoy Atauro but i still hope to do it before i leave! See this website for an eco-tourism effort to promote Atauro while preserving its natural beauty. Ok that's all from me now. But remember, seeing Timor-Leste isn't like any other holiday. You need to be 'tough' in some sense - coping with bad roads, simple housing and lack of electricity. So... COME AND VISIT!
Monday, April 10, 2006
the EYES have it, the EYES have it
Ok, this is not my bright idea. It's Armando's. *Cackle* He said that since i'm so shy about publishing his face, I could cut it up and introduce him by bits. So there.I'm in a good mood too as I've just finished up another feature article for UNICEF and it should soon see the light of day on the internet. YEAH! What a great MONDAY!
This is the Ibu who runs a small warung outside the former UN House. Even though we are now about 100metres further away from her little shop, we still brave the sun and rain to eat there everyday. WHY? because she is one of the best and cheapest eats in town...For USD1.25, you help yourself to
1) rice (unlimited)
2) tempe & tofu (many many)
3) kangkong (big tongful)
4) one more vegetable (usually carrots & beans)
5) fried fish or chicken (one piece)
6) great sambal (unlimited)
**She's preparing it in the picture!
7) sometimes even a fried egg!
God bless her for providing affordable food for people like me! Oh and don't think she looks so frazzled and sweaty all the time. (The warung is super hot!) When she attends mass on sundays, she looks completely different - with coiffed hair and suits!
Friday, April 07, 2006
a taste of Timor
Now that I'm finally re-settled back into life in Dili, I'm looking through old photos to blog - sorta like filling in the blank spaces left by the illness. This was one taken at Maubara in Liquica District when my parents came to visit me in Timor! This visit was something i had been praying to God for a long time because my dad had been very resistant to the idea of coming to Timor ever since I was posted here. He, like many Singaporeans, have heard and seen only the chaos so well-captured on cable news and have visions of crime, theft, and riots etched into his mind. So when I first asked them to visit me many months ago, the answer had been "you just come home quickly!" So it was indeed God's grace that helped my mom persuade Dad to join a group of Catholics (from Legion of Mary) to see this country. During the first few days of their visit, I was up in a retreat center in Maubara for training so Armando drove them up to see me instead. I think my parents got to see the beauty of this country, especially when they went up to Gleno where it was cool and when I brought them to see the spectacular beaches of Timor.(RIGHT)This is them up at Cristo Rei overlooking the beaches of Areia Branca.
But it is no doubt a harsh environment for city people. After being pampered by clean tap water, cool air-conditioning, and dust-free air in Singapore, the sizzling heat in Dili and the generally lower standard of living certainly tested my parents. This was not a conventional HOLIDAY for them. Mind you, they are not rich folks who travel in first class or are mollycoddled, but they still found it a challenge. Nevertheless, I'm still proud of them for even setting foot on the soil of Timor-Leste. I'm glad they took the challenge to step out of their comfort zone although they might have regretted it a little bit! Mom, Dad, Thanks for coming to see me....
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Back @ work
Yeap I arrived back in Dili on APRIL FOOLS' Day! and am now back into the swing of things at work. I lost some kilogrammes during my illness but am now looking like i've piled on the pounds again.......#$%%^&&*** ..... i also had a hair cut the day i came home - thanks to the Vietnamese barber who lives on my compound.And as you can see from this photo... i look rather healthy don't i? (although not very photogenic!) :-) a far cry from 10 days ago when my hair was stringy, my back hunched over, and my face an ashen gray. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
hiatus in darwin
hello.... this is I from a lil internet cafe in Darwin...This has been exactly a week since I landed in Darwin on a special UN flight...I remember the surreal afternoon when the UN ambulance zipped through the pockmarked roads of Dili, with its siren wailing as it rocketed through the streets. I was clutching my stomach as every lurch caused a sharp pain to shoot up my gut... and then after an interminable 20minutes I finally got up to the plane which had its seats taken out so that I could lie down the whole way..
picture of me in the plane thanks to Armando who was with me until the plane took off.
They wouldn't let him come cos he's not UN personnel. He had to take the first commercial flight out the next morning to come to Darwin. Anyways, I had been experiencing severe stomach pains for a few days in Dili (on top of a lot of coughing) and finally consulted a second doctor from the Australian embassy last Tuesday about my condition. He thought that i had a case of appendicitis and quickly requested that I get medical help in Darwin. The UN doctors weren't sure but to err on the side of caution, they authorised the flight and i landed in the Royal Darwin Hospital's emergency room last Tuesday night at 8pm. I waited there - yes just like any other walk-in patient at the emergency room - and waited till almost 11pm before a doctor finally saw me. Then at midnight, a surgeon from the private hospital came and concluded that I don't have acute appendicitis but would need ultrasound and x-rays to find out what was wrong with me. That short visit by the surgeon - by the way - cost me AUS250!
So yeah, the next day I went for 2 ultrasounds and a chest x-ray. They saw nothing wrong with my insides and concluded that i have a condition called "mesenteric adenitis" defined as : "Inflammation of lymph glands located in the mesentery. It causes a clinical picture at times that is difficult to differentiate from acute appendicitis." An international SOS doctor told me that before the days of the ultrasound, many people who had M.A. would often go under the knife as doctors thought they had acute appendicitis. It was only when they were cut up that the doctors saw healthy appendices but swollen lymph glands in the mesentery. But since they were opened up already, doctors usually just removed the appendix anyways. So there... now i don't feel so bad for giving everyone a scare cos all the clinical symptoms were there ---- my stomach so sore when the doctors touched it and whenever i coughed, it was like a knife stabbing me ceaselessly. OUCH!
O i forgot to mention that when i was transferred to the Darwin Private Hospital, i stayed at the Jabiru maternity ward! haha it was rather ironic as there were times i did feel so much pain i thought i was in labour. And that very pretty room cost me AUS640 a night! Ouch! even more pain when i think about the bills i will receive soon.
And apparently a lot of UN staff have previously gone off without paying their hospital bills, thus the hospital's protocol is to charge you first BEFORE treating you. SO i had a AUS3500 bill to my credit card for an appendix surgery that i never received and 2 nights of very costly hospital stay. Eventually they will credit the money back....... eventually....
Anyways, not satisfied that it was just the M.A. causing me hell, the doctor ordered a battery of blood tests on me (PLUS a very horrible tube stuck up my nose to take out samples to test for viruses) to determine if i had any other deadly tropical diseases. So i had vials of blood sucked out of me... in fact, the first day they tried extracting blood from my veins but i was so weak that the vein only DRIPPED blood and the orderly had to wait a long while before she got what she wanted.
Because the tests would take a week to process, the doctor told me to stay at the hospital for observation and that's what i have been doing. I have been staying at a room at the ground floor of the Darwin Private Hospital, being real bored and wishing i could return to Dili soon.
Oh I must say I got to enjoy the perk of a shrunken high tech world as a result - I got this cute bear and a yummy fruit basket from sis - all the way from Washington D.C.
Oh well, tomorrow's D_DAY to hear the news from the doc. I hope that all's fine. Now i just have to worry about the mountain of bills waiting for me back home in Singapore. ARRGHHH.... it is too expensive to fall ill! STAY HEALTHY! i give thanks to God for all the times i have been healthy. It really does take a bout of serious illness for one to appreciate the blessings.
Oh, just because i was so bored, i decided to tabulate the number of people involved in my one 'acute appendicitis' case:
Doctors - 2 UN, 1 aussie, 1 emergency, 1 surgeon, 1 tropical disease specialist = 6
Nurses/ assistants - 2 UN, numerous aussie = 10
Bosses - 2 UNICEF bosses
Administrative - at least 3 UN, 1 SIF = 4
worried parents - 2
Worried partner - 1
Worried friends who knew about my illness - at least 6
Who else?
I'll add on when i can recall.
AS for the $$$$, sigh... i'm not even wanting to think about it. All I hope for now is that the medical insurers that SIF have put me on are generous enough to cover as much as possible. So my fingers and toes are crossed.
Ok, will update with pictures when I return to Dili which i hope will be SOON!
picture of me in the plane thanks to Armando who was with me until the plane took off. They wouldn't let him come cos he's not UN personnel. He had to take the first commercial flight out the next morning to come to Darwin. Anyways, I had been experiencing severe stomach pains for a few days in Dili (on top of a lot of coughing) and finally consulted a second doctor from the Australian embassy last Tuesday about my condition. He thought that i had a case of appendicitis and quickly requested that I get medical help in Darwin. The UN doctors weren't sure but to err on the side of caution, they authorised the flight and i landed in the Royal Darwin Hospital's emergency room last Tuesday night at 8pm. I waited there - yes just like any other walk-in patient at the emergency room - and waited till almost 11pm before a doctor finally saw me. Then at midnight, a surgeon from the private hospital came and concluded that I don't have acute appendicitis but would need ultrasound and x-rays to find out what was wrong with me. That short visit by the surgeon - by the way - cost me AUS250!
So yeah, the next day I went for 2 ultrasounds and a chest x-ray. They saw nothing wrong with my insides and concluded that i have a condition called "mesenteric adenitis" defined as : "Inflammation of lymph glands located in the mesentery. It causes a clinical picture at times that is difficult to differentiate from acute appendicitis." An international SOS doctor told me that before the days of the ultrasound, many people who had M.A. would often go under the knife as doctors thought they had acute appendicitis. It was only when they were cut up that the doctors saw healthy appendices but swollen lymph glands in the mesentery. But since they were opened up already, doctors usually just removed the appendix anyways. So there... now i don't feel so bad for giving everyone a scare cos all the clinical symptoms were there ---- my stomach so sore when the doctors touched it and whenever i coughed, it was like a knife stabbing me ceaselessly. OUCH!
O i forgot to mention that when i was transferred to the Darwin Private Hospital, i stayed at the Jabiru maternity ward! haha it was rather ironic as there were times i did feel so much pain i thought i was in labour. And that very pretty room cost me AUS640 a night! Ouch! even more pain when i think about the bills i will receive soon.
And apparently a lot of UN staff have previously gone off without paying their hospital bills, thus the hospital's protocol is to charge you first BEFORE treating you. SO i had a AUS3500 bill to my credit card for an appendix surgery that i never received and 2 nights of very costly hospital stay. Eventually they will credit the money back....... eventually....
Anyways, not satisfied that it was just the M.A. causing me hell, the doctor ordered a battery of blood tests on me (PLUS a very horrible tube stuck up my nose to take out samples to test for viruses) to determine if i had any other deadly tropical diseases. So i had vials of blood sucked out of me... in fact, the first day they tried extracting blood from my veins but i was so weak that the vein only DRIPPED blood and the orderly had to wait a long while before she got what she wanted.
Because the tests would take a week to process, the doctor told me to stay at the hospital for observation and that's what i have been doing. I have been staying at a room at the ground floor of the Darwin Private Hospital, being real bored and wishing i could return to Dili soon.
Oh I must say I got to enjoy the perk of a shrunken high tech world as a result - I got this cute bear and a yummy fruit basket from sis - all the way from Washington D.C.Oh well, tomorrow's D_DAY to hear the news from the doc. I hope that all's fine. Now i just have to worry about the mountain of bills waiting for me back home in Singapore. ARRGHHH.... it is too expensive to fall ill! STAY HEALTHY! i give thanks to God for all the times i have been healthy. It really does take a bout of serious illness for one to appreciate the blessings.
Oh, just because i was so bored, i decided to tabulate the number of people involved in my one 'acute appendicitis' case:
Doctors - 2 UN, 1 aussie, 1 emergency, 1 surgeon, 1 tropical disease specialist = 6
Nurses/ assistants - 2 UN, numerous aussie = 10
Bosses - 2 UNICEF bosses
Administrative - at least 3 UN, 1 SIF = 4
worried parents - 2
Worried partner - 1
Worried friends who knew about my illness - at least 6
Who else?
I'll add on when i can recall.
AS for the $$$$, sigh... i'm not even wanting to think about it. All I hope for now is that the medical insurers that SIF have put me on are generous enough to cover as much as possible. So my fingers and toes are crossed.
Ok, will update with pictures when I return to Dili which i hope will be SOON!
Friday, March 17, 2006
thirst to learn
can you imagine telling a cleaner at Parkway Parade or Scotts that one day he/she might become the principal secretary of a multinational company? Most people, especially the cleaner, will scoff at your suggestion and ask you to 'get real'! but guess what, today at lunch i heard an inspiring story of a girl who went from a cleaner in the UN medical clinic six years ago, to serving the UNICEF chief as principal secretary now.
G had just graduated from high school with minimal English when the post-referendum conflict broke out. She saw that the UN was hiring cleaners and promptly applied. At that time she was earning only 500,000 rupiahs or 50USD, which during that time was a substantial sum. She said that everyday while mopping the floors, she would observe the doctors and learn a few English words a day from them. Then, there was only one nurse and very soon, G was asked to help out in simple duties like dressing wounds and taking blood pressure levels. She said, "You know, i would come to work early to clean up the place and then sit at the desk to help out." Many people thought that she was a real nurse. When an Arabic doctor came, he saw the potential in her and asked her to help out with administration. The rest is history. G was our programme assistant for 3 years before being transferred to the Front Office as principal secretary.
It's people like G who gives much hope to Timor-Leste. Her thirst to learn is unquenchable and I have seen her bounce back from past mistakes very fast. She's always eager to know new things and accept corrections. Perhaps this was what our parents' generation was like - they felt a real urgency for change. How about us and our children? Are we getting too comfortable for our own good?
G had just graduated from high school with minimal English when the post-referendum conflict broke out. She saw that the UN was hiring cleaners and promptly applied. At that time she was earning only 500,000 rupiahs or 50USD, which during that time was a substantial sum. She said that everyday while mopping the floors, she would observe the doctors and learn a few English words a day from them. Then, there was only one nurse and very soon, G was asked to help out in simple duties like dressing wounds and taking blood pressure levels. She said, "You know, i would come to work early to clean up the place and then sit at the desk to help out." Many people thought that she was a real nurse. When an Arabic doctor came, he saw the potential in her and asked her to help out with administration. The rest is history. G was our programme assistant for 3 years before being transferred to the Front Office as principal secretary.
It's people like G who gives much hope to Timor-Leste. Her thirst to learn is unquenchable and I have seen her bounce back from past mistakes very fast. She's always eager to know new things and accept corrections. Perhaps this was what our parents' generation was like - they felt a real urgency for change. How about us and our children? Are we getting too comfortable for our own good?
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
spacing out
This is the balcony view from the Carmelo retreat house, where i've just been for a residential training. The house sits on a hillslope, surrounded by the prettiest flowers and plants amongst which birds tweet sweetly all the time. There's a panoramic view of the ocean in front of us and a gentle sea breeze lifts the perspiration off us. In the still of the night, the sounds of crashing waves is carried uphill by the wind that has gotten stronger..If only I can sleep outdoors it would be most ideal -- cos indoors, the wind is unable to slip in and we sweat in our slumber. Apart from the heat, this is my dream house...where there's space to grow tomatoes, chillis, bananas, papayas,etc... a space to soak in the morning sunshine as the wind caresses your cheeks...a little refuge from the noise of the city an hour away...We Singaporeans - city rats - have never been privileged with space... Dare I dream of owning such a place? Well, one thing i have been reminded from the training is to DARE TO DREAM!And here's a Custard Apple or Ai ata for you!
Friday, March 03, 2006
bakso kompletu
this is it -- so far the best Bakso you can find in Dili --- or at least the best to my taste - as well as for those i have recommended it to. Diana was the first to bring me there and i have been a fan since - bringing colleagues there and they - their families. Why is this bakso so special? Because for USD1.25, you get 2 wantons, 4 beefballs,and super yummy broth which must have been cooked from duck meat or something for hours...it's miles ahead compared to other bakso places which serve thin soup and uncooked noodles for USD1. This bakso malang place is located next to Plan International & behind Sao Paulo college for those interested. It also has strong ice teh manis & jus apucat (avocado!). and wait, the best thing about this place, it closes at ten pm!
Thursday, March 02, 2006
all natural
See the hand in the picture? It belongs to a special person I am seeing right now. Yeah, now you know why I have been absent from my blog for so long... But no, seriously, i have been all over the place -- from a short unplanned trip to Singapore, to visits to the field, to a recent bout of cold, and of course, lots of cooking in the kitchen with this crazy cook.The mush you see is humus painstakingly made from unprocessed chickpeas.We spent an afternoon soaking, boiling and shelling chickpeas, crushing them with pestle & mortar, before adding in crushed garlic, and then finally grinding the mix into a paste with my cup-juicer.
Cost --
Chick peas : USD0.95
Garlic : USD0.45
Water : Free
Effort : Priceless
It tasted super yummy with spaghetti and with cream cheese on toasted bread. But i think we added a tad too much garlic. The funniest thing was that after proudly completing the paste, we are asked by friends,"You mean, you didn't use processed chickpeas in a can?" So what takes others 15minutes to make, took us close to 4 hours. Haha. Oh well, time on a Sunday well spent.
The next trip to the supermarket, i went in search for the processed chickpeas.
Chickpeas in a can : USD1.25 ONLY!!! But hey, at least ours was all natural - without the sodium whatchamacallit, and colour retention chemicals.
TRY this only when you have time to kill.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
lil' moses
see lil' moses dancing round the ring
see him dance, smile, laugh and sing
oh lil' moses you are the sweetest
your eyes the biggest
your affection the warmest
'how old are you lil moses?'
'9 i am, going up to 10'
pause pause think and pause
I am lost
Because
Lil moses you are too tiny
a 9 year old who's too puny
Don't be shy my little friend
of me who is holding the lens
I see the snake on your forehead
from a machete that kissed you
from a man who tried to hurt you
but you are strong lil' moses
You will part the seas of sorrow
and bring your people into happiness
Oh lil' moses
see him dance, smile, laugh and sing
oh lil' moses you are the sweetest
your eyes the biggest
your affection the warmest
'how old are you lil moses?'
'9 i am, going up to 10'
pause pause think and pause
I am lost
Because
Lil moses you are too tiny
a 9 year old who's too puny
Don't be shy my little friend
of me who is holding the lens
I see the snake on your forehead
from a machete that kissed you
from a man who tried to hurt you
but you are strong lil' moses
You will part the seas of sorrow
and bring your people into happiness
Oh lil' moses
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
barking in the new year!
We had this cute cake for reunion dinner on Saturday at Sakura Towers. Yeah, it was hodge podge 'reunion' of Singaporeans and Malaysians working in Timor - from doctors, to volunteers to business people.
The wishing on it was thought up by my mommy! The cake was yummy - fresh cream and strawberry jam inside.
My first thought when I got the cake was, "That's a BL**** rabbit not a dog!" I couldn't believe that the baker had used MY pathetic sample sketch instead of relying on his better sense to put a more canine-looking dog on the cake!
HAPPY NEW YEAR y'all!
The wishing on it was thought up by my mommy! The cake was yummy - fresh cream and strawberry jam inside.
My first thought when I got the cake was, "That's a BL**** rabbit not a dog!" I couldn't believe that the baker had used MY pathetic sample sketch instead of relying on his better sense to put a more canine-looking dog on the cake!
HAPPY NEW YEAR y'all!
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