Everybody Happy

Cita - likes being photographed
Waterfall
Central mountains - Java
a Laundry in Jogyakarta

28 April


After months of unremitting hedonistic joy riding on the bike, taking pictures, meeting people and being the centre of attention suddenly there is much to do – writing a final report on my project, arranging tickets, preparing farewell speeches and so on.

On the project everyone is happy, the village have five new houses that they would not otherwise have and financed by a grant 13million Rupiahs more than originally asked for, VSO are happy that that they can show they have spent the donor’s money before the ‘spark’ scheme closes down in a few days and the volunteer is happy to have had a six month holiday meeting so many good people and experiencing a very different life and landscape to that he was familiar with.

At the laundry Thomas and Alice have gone for the nuclear option – buying a tumble drier to speed their service and avoid the bottleneck caused by waiting for clothes to dry. It seems that an uncle may be able to join them and provide help, delaying the need to take on paid staff to keep up with the ever-expanding number of customers. Personally I still cannot see it working out but if determination (or is it desperation?) and hard work count for anything then perhaps they will win through – I hope so, they surely deserve to.

My final leaving party is on Sunday night, mostly other volunteers notably the effervescent Eunice from Kenya also just finishing her placement, the ever cheerful and good cook Athena from the Philippines and the new guy, Raymond an ecologist from Kenya. Antok, a student teacher from the village has promised to come, as has Santrika formerly a waitress at the Saphir hotel (although in her case only after being reassured by Alice that I was quite harmless).

I’ve had a new haircut for the leaving do’s and a final trip up country into the forested hills beyond the Progo river – all in the pouring rain up and down narrow tracks to a farmers HQ building in the middle of a forest where the third anniversary (well 1000 days) of someone’s death was being commemorated in the traditional manner.