Have heard from a few friends and now know there has been an earthquake and tsunami away from here in Indonesia. We are fine (although basically drenched as we have had torrential rains off and on - mainly on for the last few days). This has created some internet problems and has made watching a DVD under the bednet at night impossible because we can't hear over the noise of the rain on the tin roof. I may get those books on my Kindle read after all.
I thought I would basically include some "odds and ends" in this e-mail about our life here.
First of all, there are swift houses all over. These are tall multi-story buildings with lots of little windows on the sides. And at night the swifts are chirping and swooping everywhere. The Indonesians who have build these swift houses (sometimes living beneath them) are collecting the nests and selling them to China as these nests are used in making birds nest soup. This has been a real money maker for many families, but we have heard that the bottom has fallen out of this business. One report was due to the fact that there was some kind of health report that birds nest soup didn't improve health, but there certainly may be other reasons. Regardless, we are glad they are here as they do help keep the mosquito population down. Somehow the nests are collected and the "younger" nests are prized as they are easier to clean etc. There is a variety of birds nest canned beverage in the shops but haven't had the courage yet to try it.
Yes, there is a beach here but basically no one swims. This is a major disappointment as we had counted on it. Kinari, one of the founders as you know by now was stung by a box jelly fish around a year ago and almost died. The result is that no one in the clinic swims at the beach and fishermen who have survived a similar sting from the same kind of jellyfish (and this is always iffy) do not go in the water either. Being transparent and impossible to see doesn't help. She still tires easily, spent about 8 months basically in bed, has no startle reflex, gets a heart rate of 130-`140 without any change in activity etc. etc. So our beach time may be limited to a little wading.
There are many mosques in Sukadana and many women wear the head scarf and many of them are very attractive. All temperatures are taken under the arm here as a way to avoid having to sterilize the thermometers. The nurses, both male and female, do not place the thermometer for these women and somehow they are able to get them in the right place under scarves, long tops etc.
We do have access to DVD's which are a combination of having been purchased as well as left behind. I'd like to meet who is responsible for the first set as there is a heavy influence on horror and conflict. Still we have enjoyed a couple of fun old movies when the rain lets us.
Exercise is basically absent here although we are using some elastic bands for upper body workouts (thanks again, Char). Due to the quality of the bikes we have, we are limited to riding around the town. Hopefully it won't rain and we will be able to ride around 3-4 times today. We both are a little stir crash and are not looking forward to having to get "retrained". This weekend, if rain allows, we may also try some hiking. Jim is supposed to be getting directions from Jason, who has done some of this.
Fruit has been fun. Yesterday we tried Jack fruit for the first time. This is a fruit which can grow up to 10 inches or so in length, grows on trees, and has rather separate compartments - light yellow- with a very mild taste which reminds me of mild pineapple. We have yet to try the one which really does look like dragon skin on the outside.
When I walk to the bunkhouse - across the road from our non yellow house - and look inside, I am still amazed to see 10 or so people working away on their laptops, ipads, or talking on their smart phones. There are no land lines here..that has been entirely skipped. Smart phones, are all over this town which is rather a time warp as everything else seems to be of a different time.
I have enjoyed helping Monica the dentist which mainly consists of handing her an instrument, getting additional pieces of cotton, holding my head lamp to provide extra light etc. Seeing dentistry from the other side is interesting and gives us a good opportunity to talk between patients. She hasn't been too busy lately, which has given me time for my other project.
I've just finished a report to donors for the Goats for Widows Program. I will see if I can send it on to you. It sounds like they will send it to their "mother organization" Health in Harmony in the states to have it printed. One thing this volunteer opportunity will give me is time to learn a few more computer skills.
I should also mention that everyone takes off shoes before entering houses or the clinic. So lots of bare feet time. And any shoes worn outside the home do not come in. This was even true in the forest. We left our shoes at the base of the wooden stairs leading to the elevated platform where we ate.
And then there are the cats. They are basically everywhere and we are sure that a couple fight under our house at night. They have a rather funny bobbed tail with some of them having a round tip at the end of the tail. We learned yesterday that around WWI an unknown number of cats were parachuted into Borneo over fear of plague with the "charge" of killing rats. Well, since there was a limited gene pool, strange things happened hence the funny tails. They love to venture into the house AND the clinic, are docile, and are very persistent about attempting to eat any unprotected food as we sit on the floor and eat lunch. Thankfully there does not seem to be any rabies here.
Time for lunch. Fried: fish (just chopped up and the same happens with chicken...no identifiable pieces), noodles today (nice change) and vegetables including the longest green bean I have seen.
Love to all
Lauri.....Jim too
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