Green community in Sumatra

I am just finishing up one great week and about to catch a flight and start another week of fun, this time on the scuba diving, island getaway of Pulau Weh off the Northern tip of Aceh, Sumatra.  I am also very much looking forward to seeing Banda Aceh, an Indonesian city frequently in the news for its unique culture and turbulent history that have augmented its importance in Indonesia.  The reason (or excuse) I am taking off work for this trip, is the  long anticipated arrival of my wonderful friend Claire in Jambi this week.  It has been incredible to have a friend from home visiting me, getting to catch up face to face after months of just using Skype and showing off my little world in Jambi.  The heat and spicy food have been quite a shock to her but she is trucking through it and enjoying exploring and seeing all the strange sides of Indonesian daily life.

Work has also been interesting with an all-day seminar on global warming yesterday.  It was really encouraging to see NGO and government officials come from all over central Sumatra to discuss the quickly diminishing forests, the UN's REDD (Reducing Emissions from Degradation and Deforestation) program that carries great hope for solving one of Indonesia’s most pressing issues, and also draw attention to the native people, the Orang Rimba, who live in and off the forest and whose livelihoods are endanger along with the forests.  Of great personal interest, it was strange to see three other foreigners in attendance (in Jambi?!), representatives from international NGOs with interest in the area.  Later that evening the environmental NGO, Warsi, that put on the seminar also held a party at their office, complete with bamboo torch and solar lighting, traditional musicians, singers, and stations of all sorts of Indonesian food.

This morning before our flight to Aceh I am heading on a little outreach trip with my coworkers to talk with women street-workers about the importance of using contraception.