Living on Lombok

I arrived at the Lombok airport and was immediately propositioned by taxi drivers as soon as I stepped outside the terminal.  They crowded around yelling at me and some even tried to take my bags.  “Miss, miss, taxi”.  I was tired from traveling all day and I just wanted to shower and go to sleep.  The crowd was standing in the way of that happening.  I looked around for a money changer, and I went back inside where someone told me there was an ATM.  I stood at the ATM and laughed when the screen asked how much money I wanted.  I selected the option for 1,000,000 knowing that it might be the only time I ever see that many zeros.  I’m rich!  The Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is trading at a rate of almost 15,000 per USD, which means 1,000,000 was only about $67. 

I walked back outside and I was surprised to see a driver from All Hands and Hearts holding a sign with my name.  I had booked a hotel for the night and paid for a taxi because I wasn’t expecting to check-in to the base until the next morning.  I cancelled the taxi and followed the driver to the car with my bags.  It took nearly 2 hours to drive along the winding coastal road to north Lombok where the All Hands and Hearts base was located.  Even in the dark, I could see that the island had lush green vegetation and fantastic views of the ocean.  I arrived at the base, quietly unloaded my bags, and setup my bed.  The base observed quiet hours and lights out from 10pm to 6am, so I had to use the flashlight on my phone to see without disturbing the others. 

The next morning, I met everyone and checked out the surroundings in daylight.  We are staying at the event hall of the Medana Bay Marina Hotel, which accommodated about 30 of us in 1 large room in the beginning.

 

the patio aka the office aka the meeting room aka the dorm

Scaffolding

Camping on the patio under my mosquito net

tent city

Some people have tents and others like me just have a mattress and sleeping bag.  The tile floor has color-coded tape outlining bed spaces and the corresponding evacuation route.  Safety is a big priority for all of us.  The area is still experiencing frequent earthquakes, so we have a plan in place to evacuate to our designated meeting point during an earthquake, have a roll call, and head to higher ground if there is a tsunami warning.  Later, everyone moved outside on the lawn with tents or the patio because the building needed some minor repairs. I helped build the bamboo structure to cover the tents in case of rain. Staying at the marina makes for beautiful views of the water and swimming, but we also must be mindful of the danger the water poses in case of a tsunami. The most important thing I learned the first day was always to carry my go-bag and to bring it with me if we ever evacuated. If we must leave immediately, the go-bag has all my essentials, including my passport, money, phone and charger, battery pack, water, change of clothes, etc.  I put my passport and money in my waist pouch and always wear it, even when sleeping and working.  Just in case I forget or can’t carry my go-bag I always have the most valuable item for a traveler, my passport.  Every single time I mention my go-bag to my boyfriend, a combat veteran, I hear him tense up, because he knows very well how critical the bag is.  He has his own bag ready and is ready to alert the A-Team if necessary.

Living on base has been a huge adjustment for me.  I’m accustomed to being by myself and socializing on my own terms, not being surrounded by the same people all day, every day.  We are up to around 40 people on base, which makes sharing the kitchen and bathroom very interesting.  You can hear most alarms going off at 6am six days a week, but some people wake up with the 4:45am call to prayer and can’t go back to sleep.  (Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world.)  Our base is located between 2 mosques on either end of the road.  Some days I’m awake before the prayers begin, and other days I don’t hear them at all.  Everyone gets dressed and makes their own breakfast consisting of toast, eggs, or oatmeal before it’s time to go.  We are dressed and ready to load up the cars for work around 7am each morning and we leave the work sites to return to base before the 3:30 call to prayer.  Two women from the village prepare fresh delicious lunch and dinner for us every workday.  Most of the local dishes they prepare are spicy and vegetarian friendly, and they always make a chicken or fish dish too.  Rice (nasi) After meals, each of us is supposed to wash and rinse our own dishes before placing them in a bleach solution for sanitization, and then place them on a rack to dry.  Some people’s standard of cleanliness in the kitchen is severely lacking.  That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Most of the volunteers are women and maybe 20% are men.  The women have access to a bathroom with 2 toilet stalls and 1 squatting toilet stall that we use for bucket showers. 

After a long day of working in the sun, covered in dirt and sweat, a shower is all you really want.  However, we wait in line to take a cold, disappointing bucket shower.  Honestly, the bucket shower wouldn’t be bad if the water wasn’t so cold.  I think it is a great way to conserve water and it’s very efficient.  You get in and out when you only have enough water to fill a bucket.  On days when I need to relax and feel like I’m really clean, I go to the beach a few feet away and let the salt water wash over my skin while I exfoliate with the sand.  It’s like being at a spa.  Not really, but it does make me feel better.  After an ocean bath, I then take a bucket shower to wash off the salt water.

When the program started, we worked Monday to Saturday, and later the organization was asked to change the schedule out of respect for the Muslim villages where we work.  Friday is a Muslim Holy Day. Most people try to make the most of the rest day by exploring the island and/or taking a hot shower when possible.  I took a boat with a group of people to Gili Trawangan (Gili T) a couple of times.  

on the boat to Gili T

It’s the largest of a group of 3 small islands (gili means small islands in Bahasa Indonesian) located between Lombok and Bali.  The Gilis were also hit hard by the earthquakes in August, and they are trying to recover as quickly as possible, because they are primarily tourist islands.  There are lots of dive shops and excursions for exploring the clear blue water around the islands.  Gili T is known for being a big place for parties and nightlife, and you can relax there.  I think it just depends on where you choose to stay.  I really enjoyed staying at Gili Eden, a small, quiet hotel with a pool and much coveted hot water.  I also enjoyed eating at Kayu Café on multiple occasions.  I sometimes stayed at Kayu for hours enjoying the calm setting and using their wi-fi.  In addition to visiting Gili T, I went to Mataram a couple of times.  Mataram is the capital city of Lombok, which is about an hour away from our base.  The government offices are located there, and it is the biggest city on Lombok.  I mostly went to Mataram because I could use free wi-fi at Starbucks and conduct business that I couldn’t do on base without network service.  When I lost access to my cash, I went to Epicentrum Mall thinking I might be able to exchange money there or find a Western Union, but that wasn’t the case.  At least at the mall, I could use my credit card to make purchases.  Most other places only accept cash.  I had a pedicure at the mall and bought snacks at the grocery store.  Before one of our breaks, I asked Julia, our local translator if I could ride to Mataram with her when she went home.  I thought I would just stay at a hotel with free wi-fi for the night, take a hot shower, and have a nice dinner on my day off.  Julia invited me to stay at her home instead.  I arrived at her mother’s house and was greeted in Bahasa.  Her mom spoke no English, but she made me feel welcomed with tasty snacks and a cup of tea. I was surprised to see a large Hindu shrine encompassing about a quarter of their outdoor space.  I have previously only seen formal temples, not homes with the ornate statues and carvings.  I noticed that some of their neighbors also had large garden shrines.  When I went to sleep, one of their dogs slept outside my door.  Don’t tell Isis another dog was trying to take her place. 

The next day, I explored Mataram and Sengiggi on the back of a motorbike with Julia.  We went up the hills and saw great views of the city and the beaches down below and had lunch on the beach.  We also went to a spa where I had a massage, body scrub, and pedicure for 200,000 IDR, which is less than $15.  I’m so glad I said yes to experiencing Lombok with Julia. 

view of Sengiggi

I have tried to keep up my fitness routine while in Indonesia, which includes running 5 miles a week, 75 daily squats, and 300 pushups each week.  It was extremely hard considering the physical nature of the daily work.  I skipped the pushups the first couple of weeks because my body was adjusting to moving rubble all day.  My runs usually started outside of the hotel gate running through the village before turning on what might be the quietest road on Lombok right behind our base.  There are a few luxury hotels and cows along the hilly road, which made it very peaceful.  I felt like Muhammad Ali in Zaire when I ran through the village as the children and some adults waved and yelled out “Hello” as I passed.  On my last run, a couple of ladies wanted a picture with me.  I was hot and sweaty and near the end of my run, but I obliged their request. 

There are a couple of ladies in the village who have a laundry business located right outside our base.  They charge 5000/kilo (around 33 cents) to wash, dry, iron, and fold the laundry.  I wish I had them at home.  Their business has grown exponentially with our group using their services now.  The first time I went there, I was surprised because they didn’t write my name on my clothes and I didn’t receive a ticket to retrieve my items.  I was concerned that my clothes might be lost.  When I went back the next day to pick up my laundry, the lady immediately went to the bag with my clothes.  That happened every single time I went there, which was about once a week.  I told Julia about my experience, and she said, “No one else looks like you.  They all know you.”  I thought I was the only black person on Lombok until another black volunteer came to the base this week.  I told her it was just us on the island.  I saw 3 other black people on Gili T on one of my excursions a couple of weeks before that I think were African.  I saw 2 more black women on Lombok yesterday in Kuta, which is another beach area in southern Lombok.  Most of the volunteers I’ve seen with the various aid organizations are white.  The pictures and videos show white faces helping the poor colored people of the world.  I think it’s great that people have the heart to help others that they don’t know.  I just would like to see more people of color on the other side though giving aid.  I am aware of government-sponsored assistance and local organizations that help.  I’m not sure if there are international organizations that are led by people of color or groups that keep that in mind when recruiting volunteers. I guess I should investigate that.

"flower power"

French connection

volunteers and staff from UK, USx4, Belgium, Malaysia, and France

I fulfilled my volunteer commitment to All Hands and Hearts, and I left the base a couple of days ago having met some really amazing people with big hearts.  I’m currently spending a few days relaxing in Kuta before leaving Indonesia.  Immigration allows tourists to stay for 30 days without a visa. The southern part of Lombok was not impacted by the earthquakes, and there are no piles of rubble like North Lombok. The Indonesian island of Sulawesi was rocked by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami just a few days ago.  It was 500 miles away, and didn't impact Lombok. At least a thousand people have died so far, and many are missing. Indonesia is already one of the poorest countries in the world, and now they are facing a long recovery from 2 devastating disasters. If you want to help, please consider making a donation on my fundraising page: https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/fundraiser/1623359

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to help with the earthquake recovery in Lombok.  It was also a real growth experience for me living with so many different people.  There were many challenges that I had to overcome, and I wanted to leave several times, but I stuck it out.  I appreciate every prayer and word of encouragement. I’m heading to one of my favorite destinations next.  Can you guess where it is?  Hint: It’s the world’s largest democracy.