Less is More

Bahagia itu sebulan sekali makan donat coklat di Wamena. Setelah kurang lebih sebulan menu sehari-hari adalah nasi dan sayur daun labu ala Eragayam. I'm almost vegetarian not by choice but by circumstances. When you have less you start to appreciate things even more. I never thought a piece of donut can make me smile! Bahagia itu sederhana. 

Zero Carbon Footprint

Where in the world you can do the following things on your 15 minutes break from work: go home, wash your laundry by hand, hang them to dry and still have time to make a nice cup of tea and make it back to work on time. Only in Eragayam. Life is good.

Outfit Of The Day

Gooooood morning Eragayam! It’s 6 am now and it’s chilly and windy today! Don’t get disheartened, lighten up and chin up! Yes it’s freezing in the morning. But a warmer day with temperature in the 18s is expected today. But don’t dry your laundry yet because heavy rain is expected in the afternoon. With more cold wind and some heavy fog it will be another lovely day in Eragayam. Dress appropriately. Have a good one! 

Butterflies In My Stomach

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I'm terrified with tiny creatures with wings or with more than 4 legs. Two months and counting living in beautiful Eragayam, Papua I learn to befriend them and learn to appreciate them instead of swatting them with rolled paper or books. Working my way up to other type of creepy lovely crawlies.

What Are The Odds

All my life I never win anything for free. Once in a while my computer or my mobile will mockingly claim that I've won some money or some car. I expect my only offspring would probably have no such luck either. So I thought. My jaw dropped to the floor when I learned that my only daughter Dena who lives in Vancouver won a car! I thought she pulled a prank or something. If you know her you know what I mean. But it's true! For real! Dena you are one Lucky girl. Literally and figuratively, if you know what I mean. 

Oh Joy! (2)

Happiness is getting a home made pumpkin cake from mama Dani in the morning. And a home made loaf of wheat bread as an early Christmas present from Adit & Putri in the evening. Bahagia itu sederhana di Eragayam. Wa wa wa. 

Oh Joy!

One rainy day in Eragayam, Papua. It was raining cats and dogs when I saw Boas, a third grader, outside the computer lab. I offered him to use my umbrella so he could go home. His eyes lighted up. When I showed him how to use my folding umbrella his eyes danced, he smiled and grinned from ear to ear. I've never seen anyone so happy to have an umbrella. Bahagia itu sederhana.

Ob Anggen

I thought I'm the one who will bring blessing for students in a school in the middle of gorgeous layer of mountains in Papua. Turned out I'm the one who are more blessed by my little brothers and sisters, by the beautiful nature, by the simplicity of life, by the warm-hearted parents, by gracious people and by inspiring, compassionate new friends. Dena, I'm high on life! 

For Real

Lovely Saturday evening in an elevator of UOB building on jalan Sudirman. On the way to 9th floor for IES Saturday service. In came three teenagers from B1. All dressed in black with sleek hair. "Besok udah gue siapin mobil sama ajudan buat lo ya," one guy said to his friends as he pressed 8th floor. "Ajudan lo?" his friend replied casually. "Nggak lah, ajudan gue sama supir udah jalan duluan. Jadi mobil gue dua-duanya udah siap disana besok pagi." Was I on candid camera or something? 

Forget-Me-Not

Hari Rabu yang panas di Mayestik. "Ya ampun, mbaaak. Untung belom saya jual bajunya. Hampir 4 bulan di gantungan," sambut si mbak penjahit yang membuat saya cuma bisa tertawa malu sambil mengarang cerita untuk menutup kekurangan diri yang sering lupa. Sampai rumah baru sadar bahwa botol minum tertinggal di tempat penjahit, karena ikut sibuk membantu mbak penjahit mencari baju yang terlupakan. Kalau botol minum lain nggak akan dibela-belain balik lagi ke Mayestik. Mending beli baru. Tapi ini edisi spesial!