My friend Phil, who lives about 1hr inland was almost flooded out of his apartment! He lives alongside the Hiji river, which inevitably broke its banks as it tried to deal with the runoff from the surrounding mountains. Luckily, Phil is on the 2nd floor so he emerged unscathed. The first floor residents and Phil's car didn't fair so well. The water was up to the hood of his car!
Any mechanics out there? Will his car be ok after it dries out? Aside from gas in the fuel tank?
I'll post some pics once I get them from Phil!
Fumiko brought me a suspicious looking binder this morning that had my name on it. With the new merger of towns, it seems the number of breaths of each employee is recorded. I now have to log every KM that I drive in my car. Distance, purpose, date and odometer reading. Sigh. I am failing to see how this merger is reducing work -- as Koizumi promised.
emma found her way @ 11:35 a.m. | 2 comments
Love, peace and all that!
emma found her way @ 8:31 p.m. | 1 comments
Today I was sent home early because of the typhoon! Woo hooo! Finally a typhoon worth writing about. The weather report was on the TV showing that the typhoon was almost over my area just as we were being dismissed. Ahhh, the logic. On my way home I drove through a freakin' lake - water came into my car! If I could have see more than 3m I would have thought twice and gone around it! LOL I thought I was going to ge blown away, or atleast a tree branch was going to crash through my windshield! I made it home, though my umbrella didn't.
For two years now I have thought that the bars outside my windows were to keep out all the crazy criminals! My town being a top destination for crooks trying to dodge the cops and all. The bars are actually there to stop branches and flying debris from breaking my windows. Duh. Those bars came in handy and did their job just fine.
School starts on Wednesday, with what I like to call 'super souji (AKA super long cleaning time 45 min as opposed to the regular 20 min!) and the opening ceremony. Classes will begin on Thursday. I'm looking forward to seeing the students again! Sports day is also coming up, with the first one being the JHS on the 12th of September.
Ok, that's all for now. Laters :)
emma found her way @ 6:18 p.m. | 0 comments
Japan is also the land of interesting English. Below is yet another example. They are so common that I almost always overlook them. But I think a type of chocolate called セパレーション 'separation' warrants documentation!
emma found her way @ 9:22 a.m. | 0 comments
Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods."
--- George W. Bush Austin, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000
It appears that a typhoon is coming this way! Now, before you get too alarmed I should tell you that this is perhaps the 20th typhoon that I have encountered here in Japan. There always seems to be such a big build up and then nothing happens, aside from a few tree branches breaking. This is not to say that I want chaos to break out but a little excitement couldn't hurt!
This all being said, whilst I was in Malaysia there was a particularly strong typhoon that hit.
Maybe this will be my last post!
Better go, I have some windows that need boarding.
emma found her way @ 4:16 p.m. | 0 comments
On Sunday I participated in the annual Ozu City Kayak Race. Karen put together the team of myself, Karen, AnTam, Vivian and Guy - the Mikan Masters! Vivian was the only one with prior kayaking experience -- but that didn't stop us from thinking that we had a chance!
Team Mikan Masters: L to R>> Guy, AnTam, Me, Karen, Vivian was MIA
We scoffed at the idea of being last - not us! Surely!
Guess again, crossing the finish line dead last - in a blistering speed of 2hr and 50minutes - was Team Mikan Masters! Oh well, there is always next year! That aside, it was a fun way to spend a Sunday morning!
emma found her way @ 11:47 a.m. | 0 comments
Didn't get up to too much this week. Lots of relaxing and watching the Olympics. Saw some of the dressage which was great, as I know that I won't see any in Japan. And I swear that I saw Joanna (my riding coach) in the crowd....
Met up with some of the Habitat group on Tuesday. It was good to see them again before they left for Japan. We'll try to meet up back in Japan. Good times!
Dave left for Cambodia and Vietnam on Thursday but he'll be back in Japan for a wedding next month! The gang won't be the same without him. *sniff* *sniff*
Laters...
emma found her way @ 11:40 a.m. | 0 comments
Just back from a diving weekend with V and Dave. We left for Redang Island (on the NE coast of Pennisular Malaysia) on Thursday morning.
Here's a pic of our dive center. L to R: River, Dave, Me, Victoria and Pan. Pan was our dive master and he was great! We had a fabulous time diving with him! River was a helper at the dive center - insuring that we *ahem* turn our air on properly, for example. Our fellow divers were also lots of fun and made for a great atmosphere! We were able to go on 5 dives over the weekend and saw loads of fish! Including a school of barracuda and a Nurse Shark! Ahhhhh Very exciting! The snorkeling that was available just off the beach was amazing - complete with turtles, more barracuda and a handful of black-tipped reef sharks! I'm so jealous that Victoria is so close - it only took 40 min by plane. We left my sister's apartment by 11am and were diving by 3pm!
Victoria and I are novice divers...Which was made very apparent by all the mistakes that we made! Humm where to start:
- forgetting to turn air supply on
- falling down on boat
- dropping equipment
- getting pushed over by a wave on shore...
- forgetting on inflate BCD at surface (leaving the person at the surface but with their head barely out of the water....)
- incorrectly draining air from BCD before disconnecting....Resulting in a large popping sound as various tubes are being disconnected - - and everyone looking our way and shaking their heads...
Even with all our newbie mistakes the people running the dive shop were very helpful and friendly. If I have free time and spare cash in Malaysia again, I'm heading back! A great place to dive!
emma found her way @ 10:16 p.m. | 0 comments
Eric and some of the other Habitat Kuching staff took us out to a traditional Long House. It was a blast getting there - we had to off-road-it for about 25 min, all packed in the back of a 4x4 - and boy, did we need the 4x4! Once we got there it was a quick hike up some stair to the Kampong. A Long House is a traditional Malaysian dwelling that evolved for practical reasons - safety in numbers! The house is a long building that is raised off the ground and a large communal poarch along the front of each of the homes. Being raised and close together reduse the risk of attacks from the various predators found the in Malaysian jungle.
This was the view from our boat enroute to Bako National Park.
Yesterday, myself, Naomi and Yasuko were on one of the local radio stations! Rose (one of Kuching volounteers) works for one of the stations and asked if we would say a few words about Habitat! It was a lot of fun, but I don't know how well I am suited for radio! Naomi, on the other hand was a star! I have a tape of the show but I have yet to listen to it....
We all went out separate ways yesterday, which was sad. I am so happy to have met so many great people! Before arriving in Kuching I only knew one of the other participants. The teams was made up of some really awesome, motivated people. I had a great time getting to know them and I am sure we'll stay in touch!
Ok, that's all for now. It's great to be back in KL with Victoria. Dave arrives later today, it'll be good to see him. Can't wait to go diving on Thursday!
emma found her way @ 11:09 a.m. | 0 comments
Today we completed the foundation of the house! It was hard work but I loved every minute of it! All those years of working at the stable came in handy - there's something to be said to muscle memory! So here are some stats that I got from the project manager:
- 10 tons of rock
- 6 tons of sand
- 3 tons of concrete powder
- 1 ton of water
Holy freakin' h*ll. That was a lot of concrete we made - all by hand! It was frustrating that the cement truck didn't return but I am happy that there was a large group of us to help out! Many hands make light work! As we left the site today we could see the start of a home - a big difference from when we arrived on Monday! Well done girls (and Ken)!
This was the scene at the start of day four.
We took a walk around the Kampong (village) before we headed back to Kuching. The village has about 400 people, a school and soccer pitch. It is surrounded by beautiful bush and jungle - which is rich in fruit etc. It was interesting to walk around town and glimpse into their daily life. I felt odd walking through the village, like a outsider. I'm sure some of this feeling is due to guilt - as in comparison, my life in the west is luxurious. I hate the feeling of 'us' and 'them'. I hate being the intruder. I hope that the house gives Deloy and his family the solid (material) basis that they need. My concern was that perhaps our project would come off as 'us' helping 'them', a top-down sort of arrangement. From my studies I know that this is a common problem and I was leary of this happening. But, due to the structure of the program, Habitat is an empowering organization. It isn't a handout. And it isn't overbearing. The family has made a commitment to Habitat and will remain involved through the home owners association as well as additional volunteer work.
I came to Kuching expecting to help build a house, which I did. I also came expecting to feel uncomfortable with my own consumption, which I did. I expected to feel good about myself at the end of the build, which I did - in a bittersweet sort of way.
Habitat builds one house every 26 minutes!
By 2005, 1 million people will be living in Habitat Homes.
80% of the world's population survives on 20% of the world's wealth.
We helped one family.
It's not even the tip of the iceberg.
emma found her way @ 10:20 a.m. | 0 comments
Our job today was to mix concrete and work on the foundation. It was hard work mixing sand, water, concrete powder and rocks - but very gratifying. I can honestly say that my sweat is in this house!
On our lunch break we went to Rosia's brothers house. One of the workers cut down a huge jackfruit for us. It was my first time trying jacjfruit and it was great! I am amazed how much food this family takes from the surrounding forest - fruit, nuts, coconut, bugs etc. The family has been so generous with us, answering our silly questions and letting us have a glimpse into their lives.
This evening we had a BBQ with everyone involved with the project. It was a chance to chat and speak about our experiences. It was quite an emotional night, with many of us wiping away tears. Leah, a fellow volounteer made a particlarly touching comment about what is means to have a home and be with family. It was at this that most of us started to cry - it's all Leah's fault! (Insert afterschool special music here).
Deloy is the man in the front, on the right. His wife is the one in the orange blouse.
Well, I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is our final day of building -- where has the time gone!
emma found her way @ 9:58 a.m. | 0 comments
Being mostly teachers in Japan we asked if we could visit a school while in Kuching. This morning, we visited Lodge International School. The school has students from the age of 5 right up to 17. The Headmaster was very friendly as were the teachers - answering all of our questions and letting us sit in (and help out with) the mornings' classes. I visited a 4th grade class who were so energetic, asking loads of questions. It was such a contrast to a Japanese class were the students are much more introverted and shy. We taught them some simple Japanese phrases, answered loads of (sometimes inappropriate and bold!) questions and taught them how to make paper cranes! It was a blast!
The students at this school were following the Campbridge curriculum and were all the children of expats - a requirement of the school. The Malaysian government does not recognize the British system and most students at the school will attend university overseas. Atleast one parent must be a non-Malay. The school is vastly popular and as a result, they have a 2nd school for Malaysian students that follows the government curriculum.
The biggest shock for me at the school (aside from the students willingness to think independantly) was the number of languages spoken! I would hasard a guess that each student could speak atleast 3 languages. English, Bahasa-Malay and their mother toghune. I heard students speaking Japanese, German, French, Mandarin, Cantonese - - just to name a few. Wow, this kids will have a huge advantage in a few years!
In the afternoon we headed out of Kuching to a nearby park reserve for orangutans. This park was of note because in the past few years they have had a number of successful births! It was just a quick trek into the jungle to the feeding platform - where about 6 orangutans came, including a mother and her baby! The animals seemed quite happy and healthy - and their surroundings were lush! From what I have read, most of Borneo Malaysia remains untouched and is still home to a large number of mammals/bird/plants that exist in their natural habitat. There is still hope!
emma found her way @ 4:09 p.m. | 0 comments
Start of day two!!!! Wooohooo, it's starting to look like something!
I think everyone was a a little sore starting out the day, but the warm weather made us all forget quite quickly! Today was CEMENT DAY!! Or so we thought....Sure enough the cement truck arrived, but not before getting stuck no less than 3 times! I like to think that I'm relatively strong but pushing out a cement truck is a bit nuts!! Nonetheless, that's exactly what we did!! It had rained the past few days and the driver seemed to lack the patience needed to navigate the jungle roads enroute to the build site. The one truck load that we moved filled less than 1/8th of the footprint!
The cement truck's only appearance!
After lunch, we noticed that Eric was chatting away on the phone - and didn't seem to happy. It turned out that the truck driver was refusing to return to the site - saying that the roads were to bad. Eric suggested that we have some rocks delivered to place on the wettest parts of the road - making it easier for trucks to get in and out. About 30 min later, sure enough a load of rocks arrived - so we spread them out in eager anticipation for the next load of cement to arrive. It never did. I think we must have looked like puppy dogs who finally realize that their owner isn't coming home....
And so, it was decided. We were are going to mix the cement by hand! We start on Thursday!
Since we assumed that the cement would be done today we scheduled sightseeing events for tomorrow - while the supposed cement was to be drying. Looks like we will be loosing a day of work.....
emma found her way @ 3:46 p.m. | 0 comments
When we arrived at the site on Monday morning, it was quite literally bare! Not a thing in site! Our job for the day was to set up a work shelter (for eating, resting, painting etc) and to make the wooden ground frame in which we would pour cement into!
This is what we started out with!!!
In the afternoon we put in the two main support beams and iron grid - to help strengthen the concrete that will arrive tomorrow!
This is what the site looked like at the end of day one!
Everyone is working really well together - despite both the hot weather and our lack of guidance (at times). In addition to us volunteers, there are numerous other people giving time and helping:
- the future homeowners - Deloy and Rosa
- onsite architect - Eric (he is paid by a local church)
- skilled labourers - 2 or 3, paid position (relatives of Deloy and Rosa)
- current Habitat homeowners - as part of the deal, each homeowner pledges apx. 600 sweat equity hours which they complete on their home and those of future owners
The money that is raised goes into the upfront cost of material and the wages of skilled labourers. The homeowners will pay the entire cost of the house back to Habitat in small interest-free payments. The end result is a well funded NGO that can afford to give out interest free loans to homeowners.
In addition, the homeowners are encouraged to provide as much of their own building material as possible. The reduces their loan requirement and also increases their own person stake in the home.
The selection process for each candidate is well throughout out and strict. For example, the family must not be too poor. If more than 30% of their monthly income is needed to make loan payments, the family will not be selected. Conversely, if the family is moderately well off they are asked to apply for a bank loan. It is a choice that is difficult to make. Habitat is a Christian organization but participant (both volounteer and homeowners) may be of any religion. Habitat is not allowed to discriminate agains race/religion etc.
Once the home is completed the family remains involved with Habitat in a number of ways. The most obvious is loan repayment. Second is sweat equity as mentioned above. Finally, the homeowners have the opportunity to join the homeowners association - attending monthly meetings and giving suggestions to improve the NGO.
Ok, I think that's enough of a summary for one day. I'll tell you about the family tomorrow!
emma found her way @ 8:04 p.m. | 0 comments