Visiting the Headquarter

Three years ago, while strolling down the corniche in the beautiful city of Alexandria during an office treat, I silently whispered a prayer, to be given chance to set my feet in Africa again. Never crossed in mind that the dream would eventually come true. 

***

It was a usual busy day at the office when I received news that I, along with tens of my colleagues, will be going to Nairobi to attend the office’s annual Science Week.

I pinched myself and realized this wasn’t a dream.

Documenting a Project: An Experience in Sulawesi

The pretty landscape of Bantaeng

 Something I wrote for the project's blog. 

The project that I'm currently involved in, operates  in South and Southeast Sulawesi provinces in Indonesia. A few months ago, I was given the chance to revisit the project areas in both provinces. The objective of my trip was to document the accomplishments the project have made. In order to fulfill the task, I was accompanied by two videographers from Jakarta. Together, we drove from Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi for three hours to  Bantaeng, passing through the flat lands of Gowa and Jeneponto districts, traditional stilt houses, shrimp farmings and hectares of paddy fields. The plan was simple: to go to districts and interview first-hand sources such as farmers, representative of government agency and partner organization. Yet apparently, the simple mission may not be as simple as it seemed in the first place.

The Souvenir Seller, Three Years Later

He took this photo (left) randomly while hanging in Coptic Cairo, during his residency in Egypt, couple of weeks ago. 

The old lady's face looks familiar to me, I think I've seen her before. 

I then decided to recheck stash of photos I captured on my visit to Cairo three years ago. 

And I found her, preserved perfectly with her eyes closed. 

The same lady, at the same location. 

While for most of us time flies at the speed of light, I can't help to think that for her, time seems to pass rather slowly that it stands still.

My Long Distance Love

Because Makassar-Bandung is not that far you know :D

The Come Back

I’ve been abandoning this blog for quite a while. Supposedly, the initial plan was to have this blog updated more frequently this year. That’s sort of my resolution, which has been forgotten, like all the previous ones I’ve made, which is sad. Turned out that keeping commitment on stuff like this isn’t my strength. It takes time, effort and passion which I should’ve known before I even created this blog. 

The Long-awaited One

For the last couples of year, April has always been special for me. It is somehow the month when many significant things in my life occurred. In 2011, after quitting my job in advertising, I had an interview and thrived in starting my journey to Papua. A year later after finished with the Papua mission, I was once again back on a job interview in April. Thankfully I managed to survive throughout the process, and by the end of the month was offered a position for a Sulawesi mission.

Ball in Motion

It’s amazing to see changes, of how things that used to be significant in your life, now just lost its charm completely. They stop occupying much space in your brain any longer, and appear less and less imporant as the distance in between makes the feeling fade away.

Is this called growing up? Or getting older?

Ps. I just sold my camera last week. Thought I would be sad, but turned out I was ok. It didn’t even involve much emotion though.

Halo Apa Kabarnya?

Tahun 2013 sudah masuk bulan ketiga sementara postingan baru satu. Padahal kepengen saya tuh jumlah postingan harus meningkat setiap tahunnya (yang mana sudah gagal total di tahun 2012). Lalu niatan berikutnya adalah mencoba menulis dengan bahasa Indonesia, karena merasa bahasa Inggris saya amburadul. Jadi ya daripada kebanyakan niatan, mending segera kita mulai posting ini.

Berhubung postingan terakhir saya adalah tentang survei keliling Sulsel dan Sultra, maka saya akan menceritakan setelah kelilingan itu saya ngapain aja.

South by Southeast part 2

Wonuahua, our second village on the list of Southeast sites, is part of Lambuya sub-district. From Unaaha, it takes about 30-40 minutes drive.

The village is divided into several sub-villages, spreading across the terrain.

We met Mr. Ibrahim, the leader of farmers’ group at his stilt house that is located amongst cacao trees.

Mr. Ibrahim lives at sub-village 3, which is miles away from the main road, that it takes another 15-20 minutes passing thru slopes and bunches of cacao farms.


Along the grubby soil path toward sub-village 3, plots of cacao trees with owner’s house usually sited at the back are the only thing that is apparent. In this sub-village, each residential is distant between one to another.

Sub-village 3 is also dominated by migrants from South Sulawesi. Most of local Tolaki people lives in the other side of the sub-village that is closer to the main road.