Greetings from SUMBA #16

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CURRENT LOCATION: BALI, Indonesia

LOCAL TIME: 01h05

LOCAL TEMPERATURE: 25 degrees

CURRENTLY READING: The Idiot - Elif Batuman

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Hi there!

I'm writing this “Greetings from” newsletter for the 20th time from Sumba (wow)! Time flies when you are having fun and I've had an amazing couple of weeks. So many different things have happened, that I didn’t know where to start. But a few reflective motorbike rides later, I was able to put the below update on my Sumba life together!

Sumba tanpa Sampah - Sumba without trash

Trash is everywhere on the island, as you have already read/seen in my previous newsletters. The problem is so big that it seems almost impossible to get a grip on it. However, a few weeks ago I met with another foundation that wants to tackle the issue together. I'm really looking forward to it and hope that we can make a difference together. The approach? A focus on education from young to old, while strengthening the informal economy that already exists. A daunting task, but it seems like we have an approach that really makes sense.

Natural dyeing at Karaja

Natural Dyeing in Sumba

I've been visiting the kampung (traditional village) for over 4 months now and I'm gradually getting to know all the members of the community. From the young children running around to the weavers, the husbands and the occasional dogs, pigs and chickens. They are all part of the close-knit community. My Bahasa Indonesia is also getting better and better, allowing for more fluent exchanges. Sitting there amidst the daily activities is so peaceful. It's like a home away from home. So simple, so interesting, so rich. I have learnt a lot more there than just understanding the weaving process. I truly hope that through my work I can also contribute to their work.

In the Kampung where we did the natural dyeing

The joy of teaching and exploring the island

I have also been teaching my students how to make patchwork from small scraps of fabric, I have started my module on conservation introducing them to the biodiversity in Indonesia and on Sumba, also known as Bird Island.

Roy is proud of his first patchwork!

I have had a lot of fun with the volunteers on and off campus. On Sundays, we travelled around the island on our motorbikes, and have been visiting various remote beaches, swimming in lakes and spending some time with the students during their yearly outings.

I also spent some time in Karaja and met with Asty to work on our upcoming projects. I helped her create Karaja’s website and new logos, which are now online (and which I am very proud of!!!). Over the last few months we have been spending more and more time together and it has been wonderful to connect with her. She has been doing community work in weaving, English and women's empowerment for years and is such a valuable partner and friend (a Sumbanese sister I might even say). We are planning to open an upcycling hub in Lamboya, just like in SHF, where we employ women and make products with impact from old textiles. This is part of my PhD and couldn't be more meaningful for the island, Asty, Karaja and myself.

Continuous growth on a personal level

It’s sometimes surprising how much I am still evolving (growing up maybe?). The Sumba life is incredible, but also very challenging and clearly not for everyone. I am really proud of myself and how well I can deal with stressful situations, have become more flexible (read: no wifi, no electricity, no internet and no sense of time) with the high workload I impose on myself (full-time job + PhD = spicy workload) and the associated pressure to perform. More and more often, I experience moments of extreme happiness, with this indescribable feeling that everything has a purpose and is in the right place.

I'm counting down the days until I meet my parents (!!!) in Bali for an exciting boat trip to the Komodo Islands to take them to Sumba. I am so curious to see what they will think of this beautiful island and their crazy daughter who has decided to start her life here. I can't wait to share my life on Sumba with them and I hope they will enjoy it as much as I do.

Just a snapshot of my current life here, and I hope it allows me to channel all the good vibes all the way to wherever you might be reading this from!

Happy Hestie here in Sumba!

Talk soon -x-