The paranormal—para means ‘above,’ ‘against,’ ‘counter,’ ‘outside,’ or ‘beyond'(Wikipedia)—phenomenon is not normally seen in our normal life. I believe I experienced this phenomenon during one of my abnormal life periods. It started with my decision to run away from the suffering at home and at school when I was 15. At home, I suffered from…
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Any correlation between honesty and stupidity? Is honesty inherited, like the intelligence? The second question often pop-up into my mind when I see people cheat in the daily life. That question stays in my mind every day when I am traveling. People cheat and corrupt everywhere in Indonesia, mostly for single reason: money. Some studies…
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If a student came to my clinic at Green School more than twice a week and I did not find any significant medical abnormality, I switched my role from doctor to counselor. Majority of these children, especially the primary students, were confused with the question “where do you live?” Or, they unconsciously said “my mom’s…
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With ten pieces of luggage weighing 70kg, I felt lucky that my friend Lily Sanjaya let me have Alpen, a Moni boy, to accompany me to Bilogai. He watched and carried some of the luggage during the travel. Missing luggage is common at the airports in Papua; I had lost some before. Airplane delay is…
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Lore Lindu is not only on the map of the important bird areas (IBAs) of the birders, but of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) as well. Schistosomiasis is widespread in Africa, Asia, and South America, but in Indonesia it is only restricted to Lore Lindu, Central Sulawesi. As a medical researcher, this phenomenon is very…
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Traveling to interesting areas and helping people in need at the same time always make me happy. I have done this for many times in Papua and Kalimantan. The last time is two weeks ago, but this time in Sulawesi. Chris Majors, the parent of a Green School student, is the Indonesian Manager of Operation…
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Jacinta Dinsmore, class 2/3 teacher of Dyatmika School, invited me to give a presentation on our project at her primary school assembly this afternoon. I am honoured because at Green School only Jerry, grade 1 teacher, who invited me to do so in front of his class. And, that was historical because one hour afterward…
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Nothing much has changed in the last two months. The forest of the Lore Lindu National Park is as beautiful as it was, but there are more “bald patches” along the way from Palolo to Doda (around 150 kilometer). The road has been much worse; heavy rain has removed off the top layer of the…
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If you read my previous posting “Pessimism and Hope”, you can feel my gloomy tone, illustrated by the photo of the moss forest in Papua. I wrote, “The chance to get funding in Indonesia is practically zero. Endangered species is not well heard by most Indonesians, and the ones who have heard about it do…
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I had only one experience on fundraising before our foundation was formed. I helped a daughter of a widow with her post-high school education, the cost of her living in Yogyakarta, and the treatment of her tuberculosis. I almost gave up trying to help her as the money sent from my parents—I did not tell…
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Chinese is about 5% of Indonesia population. Japanese, outside Bali, is rarely seen on the streets. Indonesians can easily distinguish them. But, most of them think I am a Japanese, especially in tourist destination areas. They talk to me in English, or greet me with Japanese words such as ku ni chi wa. Last week…
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We often rode becak (similar to rickshaw) during the holiday in Yogya for two main reasons: it is environmentally friendly and we wanted to help the poor. However, a couple of times Meidy and I argued on riding a becak. Most of the becak riders are old men and heavy smokers. I feel guilty sitting…
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Regarding the environment, Yogyakarta is not much different from other big cities in Java for its crowdedness, traffic jam, and pollutions. But, for its people, especially the indigenous ones, it is very different. The Yogyans (my own term) are famous for their friendliness, patience, sense of humor, and, to some extent, honesty. I am not…
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Last night I presented our project in the regular meeting of the Rotary Club Canggu. The response was minimum, which is understood because the project is beyond the scope of local Rotary club. But, the rotarians were enthusiastic with my second project, the Ruty. They asked me to find out a more precise estimate of…
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Giving money to charities and volunteering are not common practice in the eastern societies. If people do them, these acts are usually related to their formal religious practice. Many rich Indonesians–some of them on the the Forbes billionaire list–seem confused what to do with their abundant money. The most likely their churches are the receivers…
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Being a woman in rural areas of developing countries is very tough; being a Papuan woman is the toughest. And being a Papuan woman with a severe handicap is an unbearable life for a human being. However, I learned from a young woman in the interior how to handle such an unbearable life. Ruty Boani…
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Besides the Green School (GS) community, two teachers and one librarian of the Dyatmika School also attended the presentation on the Jane Goodall Institute and its Roots&Shoots program by Alicia Kennedy on December 22, 2012. The Dyatmika team participated in the discussion on our foundation too. The result is very encouraging: the Dyatmika School (DS)…
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I wrote Nat and Lynn about the illustrating picture of “Parent Donors” post: ‘a common view in rural areas of developing countries.’ And, yesterday I saw that view in the interior of Papua. Check this video clip “Big sister syndrome in developing countries” I wrote that the view always stirred my feeling: touching but sad…
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When I was forced by my conscience to adopt her in 1991, I was not sure what would happen to Upik. But I was optimistic that she would have a bright future when I let her adopted by the principal of a junior high school in Wamena, the capital of the Central Highland Regency. The…
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A papuan man stopped me a few meters from my hotel in Jayapura. “Do you want to buy cuscus?” He showed the cuscus, the flurry brown strips over white fur. It was so cute and beautiful. “Where did you get it?” “Sarmi,” he anwerred. I know where it is. A village in the northwest coast…
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