Beer, Gossip, and volunteers... aka NTT weeken (24 September 2008)

Survivor reality tv in real life. The cameras lacking, but the scheme the same. Toss together a random mix of people in the wilds of Indonesia. Foster a stimulus and the viewers are hooked.

An odd blend of nationalities and cultures. Ages and interests vast. We meet for 2 days in Kupang (on the island of West Timor), the largest and capital city of the region NTT (includes my island of Flores). The geographic make-up and challenging transportation of Indonesia cuts us off from the ‘west’, from other volunteers. Thus VSO provides an outlet for ‘discussion’ and ‘sharing’ in the form of a regional volunteer weekend. One for us in NTT province. One for the hard-core vols suffering (tongue in check) on Bali and Java. The later most likely sharing horrific war stories about clubbing in Kuta or meeting up for coffee and movies in Yogakarta. Our tales weak in comparison, thus resorting to rumored chit-chat about those not lucky to be in attendance. Who really wants to sit around talking about malaria and sporadic electricity? The beer and gossip flows (like the running water I wish I had). We weave a soap opera that would make one question if the networks really cancelled Melrose Place all those years ago or just moved the cast to Indonesia. It’s juicy. It’s scandalous. It’s implausible. Nevertheless, we all want to believe. Fact or fiction. It doesn’t matter. Momentarily it’s fantastic to escape reality.

A story worth sharing…
I’ve stayed in many a dodgy place, but this was a first…

To ensure not to be late for our morning flight to Kupang for the weekend, Tjeerd and I traveled to Ende the prior night to stay with another volunteer, Mike, and his wife. Mike works in a residential computer learning center of sorts thus we can stay for free in one of the rooms. They make a big deal that I get the ‘luxury’ room where the director stays when there are late nights. Admittedly, I’ve stayed in some of the most sketch of places. My standards low. Very low if the price is right. The accommodation here is simple but fine. Two or three steps above my normal. Settling into bed. That time between relaxation and slumber. I suddenly have a strange sensation that I hear something odd below the bed, and sit up. Sitting up just in time to see a long tail race across the bed where my head had been moments before. I don’t want to make exaggerated statements, but I feel fairly confident that it was a rat. I jump to my feet. Stomping about the bed. Heart pounding. Wahhhhhh!