Notes from the neighborhood

In-country training & orientation continues. Thursday I actually had a brief conversation in bahasa Indonesia. I discovered that Asih, the assistant programme manager, has a three-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son! So, although it’s daunting to realize that on November 2nd, I’ll need to use the language to work, I might be able to squeak by, particularly since my sponsor in Jeneponto does speak English.

Our accommodations in Bali are relatively modest (photo at left). We (the four new volunteers) each have our own room with a fridge, bed, TV & small washroom at a kost* just around the corner from the VSO office. Side note: CUSO International is closely affiliated with VSO (Volunteer Services Overseas) which was first formed in the U.K. Training and administration in Indonesia is handled by VSO because CUSO doesn’t maintain an office here, while admin for VSO volunteers in some South or Central American countries may be handled by the local CUSO offices there. VSO is established in, and recruits international volunteers from several countries: Kenya, Australia, India, the Netherlands, Indonesia, among others; while CUSO recruits some volunteers from the U.S. as well as Canada. Currently the VSO Indonesia office takes care of several volunteers from Kenya, one from the Netherlands, and about seven from Canada. VSO is also working to develop more extensive national volunteering programmes, drawing on expertise available in-country to develop capacity in poorer rural areas.

Around 5 o’clock weekdays, I’m woken by a choir of barking dogs, bird calls & motorcycles revving up. People start the day early & wind down gradually in the mid-day heat. This is the hottest time of year in Indonesia; apparently the rainy season is late this year, usually expected in early October, and lasting until February or March.

The neighborhood around our kost seems to be in the middle of a building boom - several large houses can be seen in various stages of construction. There are many stray dogs in the streets, but they are easily scared off. It seemed at first that the scrawny cats have all had half of their tails clipped, but apparently that’s just they way they are here; not quite Manx cats, not luxuriously tailed. Another example of small island diversity, I guess. 

The immediate neighborhood has a number of warung*, the closest is Warung Qumpul, where we can have dinner & go online using their free wifi. Another internet cafe, laundry & Circle K convenience store are all within short walking distance. I’ll enjoy the conveniences while in the city; my placement will be in a rural village with very limited shopping.

Houses in our neighborhood.

*kost = guesthouse

*warung = cafe, canteen