Saturday, September 4, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Classic Example
Well, it’s 3.45 on a Friday afternoon and I find myself at home eating Oreo’s. Why? I’m glad you asked.
Being Friday, this morning was Limpeza (cleaning) in the office. I decided not to go to work as I’ve been out of action for most of the week with a bad back and thought that weeding the ground, picking up cigarette butts or whatever else constitutes cleaning might not be the best idea for me.
I texted my counterpart (the preferred method of communication) to say that I wasn’t going in this morning, but that I’d be in this afternoon and I was looking forward to speaking with him. Why was I looking forward to speaking with him? Well, on Monday morning he is heading to Darwin on a study tour about Career Guidance in Australia (which is great), but unfortunately I’m not able to go with him. I wanted to speak with him before he goes, and last Monday morning he received a phone call saying that he had to go to Dili "immediately", so I haven't seen him all week.
So, this afternoon I get to work and notice that Leandro’s motorbike is not there. Hmmmm. Not a great sign.
“Where is Leandro?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know where Leandro is?”
“No. He was here this morning but hasn’t come back after lunch.”
Hmmmmmmmmm.
So, I pick up my phone…
“Hi Leanrdro, where are you?”
“Oh, Mana Susan, I’m in Dili.”
“You mean that big city 3 and a half hours away that you just returned from yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I got a phone call to say that I needed to come urgently.”
“And you didn’t think to text me and tell me?
“No.”
Ok, so there goes basically my entire plan for the afternoon. Not to worry – it’s not the first time, nor will it be the last time that happens.
So, back to the drawing board.
“Guys, where is Silvino?” (The only other person in the office that I work with since two of the other staff got moved into different positions.)
“Well, you see, this morning the police had a motorbike check point…”
Pause. (For them to just look at me as if this is enough explanation…which to be honest it was. I had an idea anyway, however, I raised my eyebrows and indicated I didn’t understand, just to make sure.)
“…and they seized his motorbike so he’s at the police station sorting it out.”
Oh, help me God.
(and, this was after one of the admin staff greeted me with, “Mana, you didn’t come to work this morning. Me either – my sister got married this morning so I went to the Church.”)
After a minute of silent swearing, some anger at the idea that it’s ok to go to weddings and get your motorbike back from the police on a work day, and some quick mocking of the so called organisation of my department…I shook my head, took a deep breath and smiled (well, I smiled in my mind – it may not have reached my lips).
And that, my friends is a classic example of a day at work for me.
Of course Leandro was going to Dili – his boss had told him to go. One of the multitude of things that East Timorese people do well is respond to the demands of their superiors. Wouldn’t you, if you and your ancestors had been taking orders from other people since the early 1600’s? And it’s likely that Leandro’s boss's boss told him to get Leandro to Dili. And he wasn’t going to say no to his boss, so why would Leandro?! (And neither would I, let’s be honest.)
And why, when you motorbike has been seized by the police would you not try to get it back? Financially, it is the most valuable thing that Silvino owns and is likely to own for a long time. Apart from that, it’s his only means of transport and a means of transport for his immediate and extended family to go to market, school, visit family in the mountains and lots of other things. Besides, it’s his independence. I would try to get my car back as soon as possible too!
And, of course, when family is the most important thing in Timorese culture of course you would skive off work to go to a wedding. And weddings don’t work the same way here – they’re not the big pre-planned events that we have. They happen at short notice (like pretty much everything here), and you need to be able to just go. I’d have gone if I were her.
Timor Lesson: It’s not your country, it’s not your culture.
You can get cranky and grumpy about things not going to plan (even after you’ve spent days talking about it and think it’s a sure bet), but the only person who’s going to be upset is you. So take a deep breath and move on. It’s really not that big a deal. It’s just the way it is.
Being Friday, this morning was Limpeza (cleaning) in the office. I decided not to go to work as I’ve been out of action for most of the week with a bad back and thought that weeding the ground, picking up cigarette butts or whatever else constitutes cleaning might not be the best idea for me.
I texted my counterpart (the preferred method of communication) to say that I wasn’t going in this morning, but that I’d be in this afternoon and I was looking forward to speaking with him. Why was I looking forward to speaking with him? Well, on Monday morning he is heading to Darwin on a study tour about Career Guidance in Australia (which is great), but unfortunately I’m not able to go with him. I wanted to speak with him before he goes, and last Monday morning he received a phone call saying that he had to go to Dili "immediately", so I haven't seen him all week.
So, this afternoon I get to work and notice that Leandro’s motorbike is not there. Hmmmm. Not a great sign.
“Where is Leandro?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know where Leandro is?”
“No. He was here this morning but hasn’t come back after lunch.”
Hmmmmmmmmm.
So, I pick up my phone…
“Hi Leanrdro, where are you?”
“Oh, Mana Susan, I’m in Dili.”
“You mean that big city 3 and a half hours away that you just returned from yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I got a phone call to say that I needed to come urgently.”
“And you didn’t think to text me and tell me?
“No.”
Ok, so there goes basically my entire plan for the afternoon. Not to worry – it’s not the first time, nor will it be the last time that happens.
So, back to the drawing board.
“Guys, where is Silvino?” (The only other person in the office that I work with since two of the other staff got moved into different positions.)
“Well, you see, this morning the police had a motorbike check point…”
Pause. (For them to just look at me as if this is enough explanation…which to be honest it was. I had an idea anyway, however, I raised my eyebrows and indicated I didn’t understand, just to make sure.)
“…and they seized his motorbike so he’s at the police station sorting it out.”
Oh, help me God.
(and, this was after one of the admin staff greeted me with, “Mana, you didn’t come to work this morning. Me either – my sister got married this morning so I went to the Church.”)
After a minute of silent swearing, some anger at the idea that it’s ok to go to weddings and get your motorbike back from the police on a work day, and some quick mocking of the so called organisation of my department…I shook my head, took a deep breath and smiled (well, I smiled in my mind – it may not have reached my lips).
And that, my friends is a classic example of a day at work for me.
Of course Leandro was going to Dili – his boss had told him to go. One of the multitude of things that East Timorese people do well is respond to the demands of their superiors. Wouldn’t you, if you and your ancestors had been taking orders from other people since the early 1600’s? And it’s likely that Leandro’s boss's boss told him to get Leandro to Dili. And he wasn’t going to say no to his boss, so why would Leandro?! (And neither would I, let’s be honest.)
And why, when you motorbike has been seized by the police would you not try to get it back? Financially, it is the most valuable thing that Silvino owns and is likely to own for a long time. Apart from that, it’s his only means of transport and a means of transport for his immediate and extended family to go to market, school, visit family in the mountains and lots of other things. Besides, it’s his independence. I would try to get my car back as soon as possible too!
And, of course, when family is the most important thing in Timorese culture of course you would skive off work to go to a wedding. And weddings don’t work the same way here – they’re not the big pre-planned events that we have. They happen at short notice (like pretty much everything here), and you need to be able to just go. I’d have gone if I were her.
Timor Lesson: It’s not your country, it’s not your culture.
You can get cranky and grumpy about things not going to plan (even after you’ve spent days talking about it and think it’s a sure bet), but the only person who’s going to be upset is you. So take a deep breath and move on. It’s really not that big a deal. It’s just the way it is.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tunu Bibi
Continuing on the theme of goats there is a village just outside Maliana that is called Tunu Bibi. I asked Leandro why it was called that, “well, Mana, it is called that because a long time ago there were a lot of goats there and that is all the people ate – tunu bibi – barbequed goat.”
Love it.
It’s simple, has historical context and it is about food.
And it’s about goats, and lets face it – goats are cool.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Bibi bibi everywhere!
Bibi (goats) are every where!
They are so much a part of my everyday life - when I look out my window, when we drive to Dili, when I ride to work in the morning, when I ride back home at lunch time, when I ride back to work after lunch, when I ride home at night, when I go to the market, when I go for a run in the morning, when I'm sitting on the balcony reading, when I'm sitting in my office working, when I'm just hanging out with my mates, when I'm crossing the road, when I'm going to the airfield for the helicopter, when I'm sitting in a restautrant...just all the time, they're there!
The kids are so cute - I love them!
But just like the pigs, once they're beyond their childhood and turn into adults they get a little less likeable.
But, all in all, they're interesting animals and they're always around!
...and in Tetun the word for goat is Bibi. Say it - it's fun.
A little hard to see, but these bibi are making a dash across a main road of Dili
The goat is on the left.
From my balcony, they love this spot and there are often bibi just hanging around.
This one is from the back of a motorbike on one of the district roads, I don't know what it is about this photo, but I love it. Maybe because this is what they look like when you're driving past them after they've scattered from the middle of the road!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Words words liafuan
Haveyoueverfeltlikeyouhavesomanywordstumblingaroundinyourheadand
you’renotquitesurewhattodowiththem? SometimesIhave English words
sometimesIhave Tetun words andsometimestheyareallintheretogetherlikebananamangopineappleand
guavainamixedjuice. WhenItrytomovefromEnglisttoTetunorviceversamy
braindoesn’tlikethat,mywordsgetalmixedupandIendupspeakingastrange
mixtureofEnglishandTetunweliketocallTenglish. OthertimesIwanttosay
thingsandmybrainwon’t
work so
it
takes
a long
work so
it
takes
a long
time
to form a sentence.
And I feel like an idiot because I can’t speak in either English or Tetun properly!
to form a sentence.
And I feel like an idiot because I can’t speak in either English or Tetun properly!
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