It’s about 6 months since my last blog from Timor-Leste. In fact, I am currently writing this from New Orleans Louisiana USA. I returned to the USA about 6 weeks ago after a hard decision to leave my volunteer role there earlier than planned (I had planned to be there until this November). My reason for leaving was a great job opportunity here in New Orleans with a team I knew and that needed me to start asap due to a unique project.
It was tough to leave Timor. On reflection, I met some of the most amazing people, went some amazing places and felt like I was helping to build a nation. It’s been the most defining time of my life, and I know that experience will likely not come around again for me. I’m grateful to my Organization, The Peace Corps, and fellow volunteers who were all just the best humans🙏. I am so grateful to my host family of Mana Berta and Senor Siscu who showed me love an kindness like parents. They will forever be in my memories.
So, this Blog is some choice shots of my last 4 months in Timor-Leste. Here we go….
Maun Jacob from EAMO in the mushroom “Inoculation Room” we received a US Peace Corps grant for and built together to support an increase in mushroom production. It was successful 😁. I feel proud to have been part of that success.
Mana Bonza in her new school uniform. SO cute I had to get a photo on our porch. Mana Bonza was always the sweetest of kids. Always gentle and kind.
Ahhh my host sister Mana Nina 😀. Whenever the power went dead (ahi mate) she was ALWAYS the first to come and borrow my power bank to charge her phone 😁. I forget the context of this photo, but it captures her personality perfectly!
The Mathematics kids class at EAMO was an absolute success. My fellow volunteer, Shelby, co-taught with me and it was so much fun for us all. Shelby was such a support to me in Timor-Leste and I dearly miss her 💗.
Cheeky Mana Kanya. Such a peaceful kid. It was always great to see her smiling face.
So… I went to Taiwan.. I spent about 8 days there and cycled for 3 of those days with a very fancy Specialized carbon road bike (extremely fast) I had rented. The cycling was the best I have ever experienced. It felt good also because I was fit from hoofing around the hills of Timor-Leste. Some choice photographs, above, of my cycle rides. I want to return there 🚲.
A nice photo of a NEW! barber shop opened Fatuquero by Maun Jaki (sitting on the right) with some of the other scoundrels’ of Fatuquero. My fellow volunteer, Ian, came to visit me in Fatuquero before I left. You may recall from other blogs that he had “big hair” (know as “Maun fuuk boot”…”brother with big hair”). Well, Maun Jaki soon took care of that! 😂😂. Maun Jaki charged $1.50 per cut (some locals thought that was expensive), but he always got a massive tip from me. I miss getting my hair cut there.
Above, more of my F Town rascal’s.
Fellow volunteer Shawn, and I, took a long weekend to cycle an epic ride to Oecusse which is a small enclave on the Indonesian side of the island that is part of Timor-Leste. The photo above was taken on a steep hill we travelled up in Indonesia in very heavy rain. We met one biker, then another and another and suddenly we were swarmed! The Indonesians were the most friendly of people. Shawn and I were not expecting that after all we have heard about the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste. I think we both became a bit wiser on that trip. Thanks for the great company Shawn 🙏.
Mana Espa, posing for a photo we used to create a resume (CV) for her. Such a sweetie 😊. I helped create resumes for all of the FJDE disability group. It was a great activity and I gained a deeper understanding about each of them through that.
Mana Santa posing for her resume photo. Turns out she is quite the wiz at mathematics and surprised everyone by solving a tough sudoku problem extremely quickly!!
Mana Elvira posing for her resume photo. I said something funny and she couldn’t stop laughing 😂. I think this photo captures a fun moment. She has had to deal with a lot in her life, but this photo captures her real personality.
One of my students, Mana Anatoria (left) and her friend I met on our way to church (I went one last time before I left… Mana Berta was happy 👍). Sunday’s was the one day in the week people could dress up and go to church.
The two pictures above were my last Sunday class on my porch. I made fancy laminated certificates for all my students so they could take home and be proud of. I am very proud of them all. Such fantastic kids. I miss them all. In the upper photo Mana Berta can be seen checking all is OK from the doorway 😂.
Above, a few of the kids from my class at Mana Adriana’s, and she is in the lower photo. A really great friend I will dearly miss. Her English was the best in Fatuquero (she previously worked for a US NGO) which made things easy for me. I bought her a big jar of coffee as a leaving gift.
Above, our last evening meal in the house before I left. No electricity so a meal by candlelight. It seemed quite fitting for my last evening. The family all made a big effort for me and I felt very cared for. We made some speeches. A few tears 😪.
Some of the family travelled down to Dili with me, where I spent my last couple of days before leaving. We hired an anguna (no seats 😂). My host sister Mana Cidalia (green T-Shirt) came. Out of all of the family she was the toughest to say goodbye to. She had become my best friend in the household.
On the rainy day in Dili before I left, Maun Tano met me to say goodbye. He rode up on a borrowed motorbike that was barely running and we laughed about how on earth he planned to get back on it. Above, one of the local rascals’ in Dili photo bombed us 😂.
And finally, in the airport about to fly back to the USA. I told them to stay in bed (it was early) but they came. Shawn, Shelby, Max an Katie. 💗💗💗💗. So many experiences and times together….. Once in a lifetime…
So, what’s next? Well for now, I need to knuckle down and make things work at my new job and here in New Orleans and get stable again. But on the horizon I have plans for another adventure :)…… Stay tuned!!!. Thanks for supporting me on these blogs and the kind words. Below…. we go full circle as I meet my good friend Vinay (from my 1st blog) on my first morning in San Francisco 😁 what goes around…….
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