It's Coming Step by Step

I’ve just got the email from Wageningen. It's good news and I have to prepare better before depaturing. It will be the November though but I wish to spend also another two or three weeks visiting ISS or other european countries or perhaps spending my day off in Asia; Cambodia or Soul or Manila? We'll see..

And the fund from London is coming too. We're so excited. There'll be a celeberation this week. We prepare things better though. Aruni from London is coming at the end of this May as well. It gonna be lovely days. She's smart and there would be a lot discussions with her. She's humble too. We love to have guest visiting us.

I was thinking of buying my new guitar here. My guitar left in Medan and I don't want to bring it here. Oh yea, another one, it seems bicyling is a fun one. Also more exercises.. i'm thinking of going for swimming regularly. Swimmng on the sea is always great. Oh yes, snorkling equipments. I have to buy it this month too. I'll have juicy life, man...

Hey, it's always good to find any news from you.. Love it and I don't know how long this feeling will last.. I don't know...
D

India Pics Left

feel gloomy

I feel gloomy. Things just inside my head and thinking of you. I often sense this. good news is coming. Hopefully it’ll be sooner.

Gagri Panchayat

Palace on hill

Cow is everywhere

another cow

Jantar Mantar

City Palace of Udaipur

Beautiful Lake

of the orners in New Delhi


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India at Glance through Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar; Protesting Site
People Action 2007

One of the town corners of New Delhi

Strong Women in Village of Gagri, Udaipur, Rajastan

Beautiful View of India Village, Udaipur, Rajastan

Much Contemplation

Kid's always amazing

Visiting India was just kind of eye-opener with a lot new perspectives and reflection. It was extremely different from the last year’s visit to Japan. It was a kind of two incredibly situations.

Arriving at 19 March at 9 pm local time, first impression was that the way of people driving vehicles that was so hurried with the horns every second and driving was kind of fighting if you could say so.

The next day 20 March, we visited Christian Aid India Office. Here I got brief perspective about India at general; poverty, SEZ (Special Economic Zone), dalit, adivasi, caste issues and little about tsunami programs.

On 21 to 22 March, I attended the Gender Training held by Jagori at CNI (Church of North India). All the participants are the CA partners Delhi based and we the four participants from Indonesia’s partners (me from LPAM, Lily from YTBi, Natalia from YEU and Linda from PKPA). Facilitators, Sheema and Malini from Jagori, were smart. The training was very participatory. We draw the conclusion that from the deprived groups, woman was at the bottom of the bottom line. The other days was exploration of how the patriarchy system put stigma, stereotype to woman and how in micro level (within organization) could fight for this gender equality.

The other day, 23 March was visiting three CA’s partner offices; SEEDS, JAGORI and HRLN (Human Rights Law Network).

It was actually from Malini and Sheema that I knew the information about Jantar Mantar. Previously, there was a sort of people's meeting supported by HRLN named People Tribunal but I missed that as it was held on 21 to 22. But I promised myself that I would not miss this opportunity to attend the People Action 2007 Meeting. Sheema explained little bit about that and handed me the brochure of the action.

In spite of spending the weekends visiting Taj Mahal like others two; Lily and Linda, I and Natalia planned to visit Jantar Mantar on the Saturday. We arrived there and at the whole spot were protesting banners. I tried to sense the bottom line of India if you could say so. There I found the People Action 2007. The issues raised were varied, community displaced on the behalf of development, right for natural resources, SEZ (Special Economy Zone), child labor and employment, communal prejudice, discrimination and so on.

It was a kind of mix feeling to sit and join the protesters. There was a kind of feeling that I had to stay longer there and it recalled my memories of my past. Yeah, it’s been long time I didn’t organize that kind of and suddenly I just feel comfortable despite the smell of the cow and things. They were from the villages with their families and staying there for couple days. the songs they sung although I didn’t understand the meaning but the songs gave them spirit and it touched me.

Jantar Mantar was a spot eye-opener for me to see the India at glance especially to see what the Indian colleague’s fighting for. I'll be back someday.. It's fabolous.

****

Seing India Through Jantar Mantar

Aley

It's good I can go home earlier today. Yes, tomorrow I'm attending the CSO (Civil Society Organization) Assessment Workshop held by UNDP. So, perhaps I can go to bed earlier tonight. We are considering to attend the workshp three of us; me, Aris and Serena. I heard that UNDP provides one sit for one organization but lets see tomorrow. Usually, it's not as strict as that. I also think to take Aris and Albert to see the FAO livelihood project if not tomorrow perhaps the day after tomorrow. I'm thinking of having a cooperation with FAO. They are just pretty good in agriculture so we can learn things from them. Besides, the guys down here are just so friendly.

I had a chat this early morning around 1 or 2 a.m. with Aleyamma. It's always great. It took almost a year didn't talk to her except that she keeps posting things in the G5 google groups so I can still have idea about her but not personnal emails until this morning we had a chat. Awsome, she's just like that; thinking fast, fresh and rebellious. I didn't know that she has a good collection pics in the web until last night she showed me. Very nice.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/aleyamma/ . She also gave me helpful link about India http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/communism.html, http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/Kerala.html, http://www.newint.org/issue241/model.htm http://www.indiaresource.org/news/2005/1034.html Talking to her is just gorgeous.. She tried to hook me up with Saurav, a friend of her, a journalist living in Delhi in which I think my next travel to India will be inspiring. I had no idea at all about India before, even if when i tried to do a brief search on the web last couple weeks until I chat with her. So, I'm exciting to visit India..
THANKS SO MUCH ALEY...

Itchy Eye to India

Couple weeks ago my top left eye kept itching. I knew that it was a sign but not knowing exactly what it meant. Not to mention that I believe on superstition but a lot things can’t be explained with logics. Some might call it irrational but it exists just only few explanation about that.

Back to the point. Yes, my top left eye itch and I suppose the meaning is this. I’m going to visit India in this coming March. Aruni from CA London office makes that. She organized the exposure trip on the theme of Advocacy and Gender issue. How the two issues especially gender is integrated or programming. That’s awesome. Institutionally, LPAM concerns on the issue but just doesn’t dig up the frame work of how to implement that issue on the work program. Therefore, in these two years program, there’s no any specific exploration on that. We once sent staff to SATUNAMA for understanding the issue so that she could arrange and share the frame work and things like that but somehow that never happened. It could be because that’s pretty new for her. But now, I think I’ll use this chance to do much exploration about that.. Thank you so much Aruni and India, I’M COMING.!

*****
This pics were taken from Ivan, Mike and Indri's visit from Christian Aid office. These pics were taken by Mike

Earth is used as the materials for blocks reducing
the use of cement, sand and stones

This technology is from Thailand introduced by Geoffrey.
It provides livelihood for the local community

Ivan made a try..

I and Ivan discussed the process of the housing reconstruction




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Returned to Nias

I returned to Nias on last Wednesday and I just felt fresh. I was sort of trapped in Medan office just because there were a lot things to do and couldn't go anywhere. But here, I feel fresh again. I went down there for monitoring and found things run smoothly. There are a lot things to do but exciting. Couple days ago Aruni from Lond gave me a call and I've just checked her email about exposure trip to India about gender and advocacy issue. That's was wonderful. I like it. Exciting. I think I will learn a lot from the Christian Aid's partners there. It must be amazing experiences.. I love it. It will be in this coming March, at the end of the month.

Those Days

I don't know.. I perhaps should be a batman.. staying up late.. but I just feel fresh working at night. Itsn't good though but hmm... Well,.. I wonder if I can afford to change that habits..

Anyway, I remember this..

My Japanese Big Dad, Takeo Odaka SMI (Sake Master International). I miss him a lot.

He's fun and I like one of the songs of his harmonica. I liked that.

Great buddies...
Yulia, Sheena, Adriana, Aleyamma, Hye Sung, Miyuki
Su Yan, Chomrouen, Miwa

Beautiful...
Adriana, Aleyamma and Su Yan

Road to Hale Kuahine.. I miss it a lot..

***

:)

Good Luck! You are on the right track. I believe you can do that as usual..
I pray for you...

Mekong, 31/12/06. Hope is always there







***

thinkingofyou

Can't Sleep, thinking of you... just wonder how things goin on with you now

this pic was taken 20/10/06 in Sua Lake Japan

carla bruni days

I just love the songs. My days filled with that songs. It becomes my companion doing the works at night now. I checked on the web last night that and she's actually and Italian but really 'french'.

I'm still stuck here in Medan. I suppose to go back to Nias but I still can't do that yet. The financial matter lay down.. I can't stand on that. I might need be more patient. The problem then is I can't make any financial decision toward new plan. But well, I hope that this week that will be clear and I can return to Nias. I have an appointment with Kusnadi UNDP though to submit him the early situation for the emergency response in this Friday. Or I think I'll just ask the staff to copy the video and the pictures and give him.

This afternoon I got email from TdH Netherlands but it was just late for them having that decision. We'd be more than happy if they just decided it. But let's see...

Tomorrow, I'm going to CA office here in Medan. London office doesn't reply for my email yet. They must be reading on it and hopefully this week I get the answer.

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Warming Up

No much thing to do these days except for completing the annual report ( and still...), attending the annual meeting of Walhi Sumut, meeting with fellows there, and do little stuffs. This week's sort of warming up. But I think I'll be busy next week. Plan's shown the schedule for next weeks's meetings and there are still more pages to do for the report; narration and financial report. I have to discuss much to the finance staffs here. They are little bit slow these days.

I talked with Willy today about the proposal he wrote about the environmental issues as one of the impacts of the reconstruction over the tsunami and quake response and it seems good. There are some items needed to be improved but for the whole, that's great. I mean, he has the capability in doing that. He might just need doing that often.

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No Much These Days

No much thing to do these days except for completing the annual report ( and still...), attending the annual meeting of Walhi Sumut, meeting with fellows there, and do little stuffs. But I think I'll be busy next week. Plan's shown the schedule for next weeks's meetings and there are still more pages to do for the report; narration and financial report. I have to discuss much to the finance staffs here. They are little bit slow these days.

I talked with Willy today about the proposal he wrote about the environmental issues as one of the impacts of the reconstruction over the tsunami and quake response and it seems good. There are some items needed to be improved but for the whole, that's great. I mean, he has the capability in doing that. He might just need doing that often.

----------------------------

Ay

2007.. officially... I spent my new year's eve here in Medan. And in this big town, sometimes I just feel so lonely. I don't know. It wasn't like to be used. Yesterday night I wanted to celeberate the new year eve with somebody, someone closed to me but it's little bit awkward when people gathered together but I was just here alone.. I hang around the town for a while but then I found convinience to just keep staying at home and office as well.. Trying to review my whole year in 2006 but the beer made me fall asleep at least sleepy so I didn't feel fresh to do that.

Only today I went out with Novi and her son, Jeffry, Vera and his friend Agus and Fauzul. We went to starbucks for a coffe and then for a movie. I was with Jeffrey enjoying Happy Feet. It was pretty good movie. The message was that being different was okay.. It was good yet it taught me that there'll be always someone along with you in whatsover you are. Yeah, I guess so.. Then I had meal along with Fauzul while the rest went home after the movie. I and Fauzul continued for a beer at RC. No bad music though..

2006. I reviewed a little bit my years in the 2006 and I found pretty happy in what I did along the year except for couple things just like taking TOEFL test. That's the problem of being perfectionist. I wanted to have good preparation before taking the TOEFL test but the problem then was that I wasn't consistent for the preparation. I set time for that actually, every evening before going to bed but that's it. Beer was always there along with others to end our exhausted days (or perhaps I regarded that exhausted by myself?) I don't know. But I have to change that. I am thinking of moving for another house down there... I have to have a good time management for the 2007. I have to.. In this 2007 there should a huge change in me.. should be.. at least I have to make my life balance; between working and social life. Not to say I'm getting older but I'm not getting younger either. I mean besides following my mind and my temptation, there's should be also a re-thinking over things mainly personnal life. Yeah.. Job is always there no matter what.. It will be always there..

Dragon in 2007.. What's supposed to be?

xmas

For this xmas, I went home for 4 days. I departed from Gunungsitoli at 1 pm and arrived in Teluk Dalam 15 minutes before 6 pm. On the way, I used to drive fast but just didn’t know I drive slower than ever. I felt a sort of thing that I had to do so. It was kind of superstition that there’s something that I had to do so. Yes, it was right. I supposed to visit my parents directly but I stopped at Fali’s house just couple miles from where I received his text message informing me that his dead had just passed away. Soon after we arrived at his home, it was a sort of emergency action to help them; providing the generators as they didn’t have the electric yet, purchased things for the emergency needs and things like that. I called all the staffs down there and only in minutes we hand in hand to help after it reached 11 and it was time to go home visiting my parents. I kept being there until one day after the funeral because I had to go back to Gunungsitoli for meetings.

Anyway, I’m happy I can visit home, staying for couple nights. I enjoyed there. I also visited my grandma, actually my grandma’s younger sister. She’s okay now, better than when I met her last year. She had good memories of things. Pretty good even. And suddenly it brought back my memories of the past.

I’m also glad that I can still find how people in the village hand in hand to do the community works cleaning the village yard. I, Eka and Willy also spent one day for visiting the site project in Hiliamaeta in which I was very happy for what we’ve done there.

My Grandma is getting better than the last time I visited her after the disaster. She still has good memories of past times. She also keeps talking about the respecting of the parents and the ancestors. We heard a lot stories about that from her. We loved her.

We, LPAM, are very happy that we can serve the people reconstructing their houses after the disaster. The people deserve to get good houses just because actually all the NGOs, UN Agencies and BRR funds and donation are for them.. We work for them...!

One of the houses in Desa Hiliamaeta

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Not what way but how to go to that way

Hopefully, at the end of this year, I have couple days doing nothing, going away for a while from the works, from the screen, from the phones and all that stuffs. I'm thinking to go to Bukit Lawang as I used to do except that I'm not sure how the place looks like now. Yeah, after the 2003's flood, the place was totally changed and damaged. I'm not sure if it's already recovered now. Hearsay, it is already okay but still I'm not sure abt that.

Carla Bruni... The songs are just awsome, so mello with the guitar sounds.. It's just so perfect. I realize how the French are just so mello.. Sylvie or Sylvia left it for us.. Another side of their fave on hard musics. Thanks Sylvie and Sylvia. You guys are just wonderful with your stories of life and now with the musics you left for us.

Back to the point.,. with all that happened in this life, I feel how great life is. A lot things happen, a lot lessons-learnt, a lot good people around and huge opportunity to make life as you wish. Isn't that wondeful?

I'm actually considering of couple things I want do in life for the years ahead. I'm thinking of extending my service for LPAM for another two years. To build the strong and sustainable organization. I need to build the foundations for that. At the same time, the obsession for pursuing my grad school is pushing.. I'm thinking of going back to normal life, yeah going to school. The time will show what part I'll fall in. Another obsession are just there... Sometimes, it's not easy to choose what the right way on the right time. Actually, it's not on my plan for extending my service for another two years. But, that's it, to finish what I started. What I'm afraid is if I leave LPAM and it will start from the zero point again. At least, it will be more challenge and huge. Just because it's not yet established well. There are couple things to do more just such as to train the staffs for making the plan, appeals for donors, project management, administrative works and building good network. If the organization works well, at least there will be more poeople helped. There will be more people get benefit of the works. Besides, our committement to the people whose houses damaged by the disaster is not fullfilled all yet. Or perhaps I'll do a sort of combinging. Yeah, while do the job, I will attend the trainings and things for the capacity building and again at the same time doing a better preparation for going to grad school.. Yeah,. that sounds cool... That sound acceptable, right? Hmm..... let me think about that deep before having a decision. Thinking deep...

Feel Good

I feel good. :) Inspite of the unfinished annual report, I just feel good. My day started with the book from Sylvie from Germany. It's pretty cool 'Days of War Nights of Love'. Bambang got 'The old man and the sea' :) Sylvie might think he's just a pretty old buddy.., :) Bambang handed me the book this morning before I left for work. Hey, we love the bench... we are only three left here. The rest have gone for the holiday. But I like it.

Today, I did some writing for the annual report. It's not finished though but still I'm exciting to do that. Hopefully I can finish it before the end of this year. I also made a decision to participate with the Walhi Sumut group for the emergency response over the Mandailing Natal quake. Another one..:(

I received calls from Alex, Bang Parlin, Bang Monang and my dad as well. It's just great. Then tonight's meeting was better. Aleyamma also posted the people tribunal on World Bank Group. I like that.

Hopefully, Mike's flash disk could be sent tomorrow to London.

Well,.. if I get a call from Horep early in the morning and then I'll pick them up to airport. But if not, that's okay too just because I have the meeting again tomorrow morning at 9. Well.,.. life's just great. I'm exciting and I will be always. LIfe's just great...!:)

Novi, the lonely buddy.. How poor she is.. She's sleeping on the bench. She'd like to talk to me but I'm writing my blog. THere she is, fall asleep. It's not because there's something wrong with her but what I understand is that she just need a buddy to talk to. I know the stories she has always bored but I think deep inside her there a good heart. She's struggling for her life though. Good luck for you Novi. She's leaving for Medan tomorrow as well.... and the bench will only for me perhaps ? Bambang will go down for the vessel. The vessel doesn't arrive from Banda Aceh yet. The weather's just not okay for sailing.. Delay.. He'll work the whole weeks until first week of January perhaps. I will too but I'm thinking of spending my xmas with my parents and my younger bro. My older bro and my sister are still in Aceh. They are not coming back..

??

This evening I didn't feel good mood. In the middle of Vera's party I went to office and I did arranged the working papers. It's done a part. I don't think that I start to get bored. I am not and I hope I won't be until I finish what I started. There are still a lot couple things to do with the jobs. Building foundations for the sustainable organization. It will take another one or two years. I know that there are a lot things in mind, a lot things to do for myself but I think I can put that aside for a while. There will be a right time for that. Anyhow, I have to prepare for it as well. Huge effort for that.

I have no still clue for this xmas and new year. I have no clue at all or perhaps I need a really break. Yeah, that sounds cool.. Going somewhere where I can be lost. Hmm.. Sounds good idea.. All right., let me do the plan for that.

My Big Dad Sake Master

My Bid Dad International Sake Master created me a blog. It's in Japanese though..:)

http://duman.exblog.jp/4314271

http://nias.exblog.jp/3787622

Thanks Dad. I miss you, mom and sister....

Tomorrow's Field Visit

I suppose to go to bed now but I can't. I know that I will have a busy day tomorrow, field visit with Christian Aid guys from London, Ivan and Mike. We had the meeting this morning. They were just cool. I like that. I met Mike on the Tsunami Learning Review in last September. I've just known Ivan though. Aruni said that he's a good guy. Well, I feel so as well. We will spend much time tomorrow so I think I will know them especially Ivan better.

I'm still thinking if I will come along with them the day after tomorrow to Lolomatua or staying in Teluk Dalam having discussion with the guys down there. I'm not pretty sure yet. Let's see tomorrow.

I'm thinking of having annual holiday from this Dec 22 to 4 or 5 Jan perhaps. I don't know. I'm still considering about that. My annual report is still far away from what I want. I don't even start it yet. I wrote the outline but there will be still long journey for that...

My goodness, it's already 6th of Dec and the deadline for NOHA MUNDUS is 15th. Hmmm..,, I don't know... I need one more recommendation letter and still I don't set up time for the iBT yet. There's offering from ICTE posted by Aleyamma today for the human rights issue. I don't know...

I visited TdH Netherlands office in Jakarta on last Saturday and a new guy will be sent in Nias. It'll be another busy day. Yeah...

In office, it's hard to expect the financial staffs to do the best of their own or perhaps I expect too much on them? I don't know...

No clue yet for things.