Greetings from SUMBA #10
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CURRENT LOCATION: Sumba, Indonesia
LOCAL TIME: 22h25
LOCAL TEMPERATURE: 22 degrees
CURRENTLY READING: Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts
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Hi there!
And yet another week on Sumba has passed. Gradually, and quite naturally, I'm finding my routine in my new home. The island has been very welcoming and the new challenge was just right for me.
I am lucky enough with my current job at the Foundation not to be tied to a desk and to have versatile projects that allow me to be in touch with the students, colleagues, the community and most of all nature. “Reconnecting with the earth”, as a true yogi would say. But it’s only when I spend more time in nature that I realise how disconnected I was from it. And while we can try to come up with “glamorous" innovative solutions to the environmental problems we currently face, it's nature that has all the answers.
Every Saturday afternoon I teach the students “Fundamentals of Sustainability”, starting with a first module on climate. My aim is to give them an understanding of climate change, its causes and consequences for humans, animals and the planet. Putting such a vast and complex topic into an understandable form is a great challenge, but also an excellent exercise for me. I return to basics and give them some keys so they can make up their own minds.
First sewing workshops with the students
I've also been able to set up sewing workshops again that the students can attend after their normal classes. We make tote bags from old clothes, uniforms and bedding that are sold in the gift shop. It surprises me every time how much they enjoy doing this. With a few basics, they have the opportunity to let their creativity run wild and come up with their own creations. I really believe that sewing is a life skill that can be very useful to them in the (near) future.
I feel like I'm making a difference with my work here and that is all that matters to me. Time flies and before I know it, I'll be here for a month, then a year and then … Without thinking too much about what comes next, I really try to stick to the best advice a wise man (hello father) gave me: Be where you're. And right now I'm where I should be: on Sumba.
