Wednesday, September 06, 2006


September 6, 2006

Dear Friends,

Second weeks in Bajawa is just started for me. I am at work with Dinas Pariwisata already. It is quite strange working in government institution-which I never experienced before. One side it is strange, the other side is interesting environment. Officially we must work start at 7.15 in the morning and should be finish at 2 pm – for six days a week. Dinas Pariwisata gave me a ‘private’ room as a workplace. I need to learn more about the work environment and also their program and expectation having me here. Off course we will discuss this matter soon; since I already went to several places of their work. So many tourist destination objects in this regency that are need to have a better management and also to develop to become a good area for visitor. But I will not to ‘greedy’ to ‘develop’ as an ‘ecotourism’ destination; we will see what kind of expectation those communities have and government has. Not to forget it will be ‘crazy’ job for me too if I want to work all over area of this regency. I think I will do some screening of the area, its potentiality and also accessibility for future improvement.
I’ve met the kepala dinas Pariwisata (my placement’s boss) on Friday night-a few days after I arrived; then Saturday morning I went to work for the first day. There were friends from Jakarta were here in Jakarta, then this first day of my work, I took them to see the kepala dinas, because they’re doing research in this area for ecotourism purposes too.

Did I mention that Romi’s family and I moved to new house already? We moved on September 1, 2006. It is a big house. CUSO rented for me and Romi’s family will stay with me till his wife relocation process is finish (which we do not really know when). It is good for me too, because in this big house (4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms) I do not really want to live by myself, especially in the new environment. Luckily Romi was lived in this neighborhood a while ago. This new place has a better view than the old one and also a lot more quite, because a little outside of the town. This house is located in higher place, so I have routine every morning: drinking local coffee, and cigarettes, while enjoying morning views. I put the pictures on my yahoo photos. So, do not forget that you have a place to stay whenever you come to visit, plenty of rooms here.

Bajawa is a small town with around 20 thousand people; it is a capital town of Ngada Regency. Bajawa can be reach from different directions, from the west; we can travel from Labuhan Bajo, a port town and close to Komodo Dragon Island. For more information, I will give you some information this in different blog entry.

Talking about Bajawa is a small town and hilly area in its surroundings; and the fact that it is beautiful place to explore, I order a bicycle from friend of mine who live in Bali. The reason, why I order from outside of town, just because of in Bajawa, bicycle is not popular, even though it is a small town there are a lot of ojek (motorcycle taxi). In general, people here – I think – still in the transition level, which I think most of us are, it depend where we take a look at it right? You will see…what I mean by transition.

Just like my life now…. I think I live in the middle of transition as well, or even I just starting of this transition…..well….a thousand steps always started with the first one right?.....