It's Monday morning and I am sitting here waiting for clinic to get started. We have one doc who is screening for the cataract clinic today and another home sick with an insect bite, so the remaining two will be busy. Ilana, a third year Stanford resident arrived yesterday and will be a great addition.
Last week, US AID made a site visit here. This team consisted of the head person for Indonesia, based in Jakarta along with a couple of his folks, and the overseeing organization (makes sure that our tax dollars are being spent as planned) that is based in Manilla. ASRI is hoping to get a major contribution from AID for building the hospital, but their funds are for conservation (which is clearly the purpose of this clinic and hospital). So, it will be a hard sell, but still a good possibility. Fortunately, AID really loves ASRI and has been supportive of the conservation efforts and the excellent record-keeping and care being delivered. So...we had some good conversations with these really personable folks and are hoping for the best.
This whole concept of regulation and policing of expenditures is in direct contrast to what we have seen locally. Truckloads of illegally logged lumber will drive down the street and they do not get arrested. Suddenly, the chainsaws in the national park go silent when the park officials show up. Enforcement is, at best, spotty. All of which makes us even more grateful that we have laws and responsible agencies to protect our national treasures.
A word about smoking here: So many people smoke (mostly men) and we have learned that cigarettes are a government monopoly, thus, very little effort is made to curb the habit. And, they are really cheap. In fact, the television ads for cigarettes have a tiny safety statement that lasts all of a couple of seconds and has print that needs bifocals to be read -- wonder why??? We are now seeing COPD (emphysema), lots of stroke and hypertension -- all the ravages of smoking.
Our weekend was hot, damn hot. Saturday, we took a 1.5hr walk, then did some biking around town trying out different bikes, and finally a 10 mile ride (one-way) to see large fruit bats as they emerged at twilight (only, the bats were mostly no-shows -- didn't get the message that we were there to observe). The ride home in the dark was ok but not as pretty as the ride out. For some reason (we blame the heat), we were really wiped by the time we got home --about 7:30. So, I spent the whole of Sunday, except for an hour at the beach, reading my fourth book (The Help). I cannot remember when I last spent an entire day reading for pleasure. Thankfully, I still have two books on the IPAD.
We have also been thinking alot about infrastructure or the lack thereof. There is no central water system or sewer system and, as we have noted, no system of garbage control. Our water (at the house) comes from a well in-front-of the house and is pumped to a large tank up the hill from the house, thus gravity feed to fill our barrels in the bathroom and to operate the shower. So much is dependent on the people who must provide their own services. As we were riding to the bat place, I watched a man bathing in the ditch water -- a frequent and likely usual place for those who have no water in the house (the majority, I would say). We have so much for which to be grateful.
We have heard about the snow in Iowa. Hope you are all well.
Jim
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