Adeus Dili, Hello Australia!

As we sit in Darwin airport, we finally have the time to reflect on the past 4 weeks of non-stop therapy and activities. After a fast-paced last week, it is hard to believe this placement and inter-cultural experience has come to an end. All teams were up late into most nights creating resources and presentations in Tetun – it was a long process to brainstorm, gather materials, construct, type in English, and translate. We then had many laughs with the CNR staff while they generously helped us check our Tetun translations!

This was also a nostalgic week, as we knew that each day would be our final time in the Speech room, the Physio room, the OT room, and with the Community Based Rehab team. Each session reflected the culmination of all our experiences, combining our inter-professional ways of thinking with the CNR staff to deliver therapy together. Throughout this placement, the process of sharing our health and cultural perspectives has provided everyone, both students and staff, with more ideas to expand our practices. In Australia, we will always remember how our friends at CNR are able to deliver effective therapy with limited resources and we hope that the resources and ideas that we have shared stay with the CNR staff.

One such occasion was when we travelled just outside Dili to Hera on Wednesday morning. There, our whole team joined in the weekly gathering of people of all ages and abilities to participate in group therapy and to promote inclusive communities. This was the fourth week UQ students had been involved in running activities. A highlight was seeing the local volunteering university students continue similar activities after we had finished our program.

It was hard to believe Thursday afternoon was all of our teams’ final therapy session and we were reluctant to leave. However, we were excited to attend the Australian Ambassador’s reception, representing UQ as invited guests. This was a great chance celebrate the New Colombo Plan, to meet other professionals working in Health in Timor-Leste, and enjoy many delicious canapés. We put work out of our minds for the night but this was short-lived as we needed finalise our presentations when we arrived home. All the effort was worth it on Friday when each group presented their topic to the CNR staff and the whole room was full of lively discussion. One of the staff members thanked our IP team for ‘a great presentation’ in the morning tea afterwards.

Our final night was celebrated by Paulo and his family inviting us to dinner in a beautiful beach-front restaurant. In this good company, with many memories and experiences to take home, we watched the sun set on our time in Timor-Leste.

Almost time to say Adeus

COUNTRY: Timor Leste
PROGRAM: Faculty Placement
PROJECT: Health Science
WRITTEN BY: Nicola Brickness, Maathangi Karunaharan & Maddie Pan

Bondia!

So here we are at the end of our third week living in Dili, and we can’t believe how fast our time has gone! The CNR staff greet us everyday like old friends, and our relationships with our clients are growing. It’s sad knowing that we are going into our last week and will have to say goodbye soon.

Its been a busy week as each inter-professional team has been working hard on projects ranging from modified utensils to wheelchair arm supports. Additionally, we are each presenting educational workshops on our last day at CNR to handover valuable experience and information to all staff. A lot of preparation has been going into developing these workshops and creating resources that can be used by all departments within the centre. This also includes designing culturally appropriate handouts and posters that can be distributed to the rural communities and centres that the Community Based Rehabilitation team visits weekly. These resources can be used well into the future, even after our time here has finished!

It’s been an eye-opening experience getting the opportunity to work with an array of clients who present with such varying conditions. Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder and post-stroke patients are just a few of the common presentations we have been seeing. Having exposure to such a wide range of clinical and cultural experiences has definitely seen us develop both professionally and personally. We know we still have so much to learn as we come into our final week at CNR.

To finish the week, we visited a community medical clinic in Hera. It was here that we met the practicing doctor and traditional midwife who work to provide health promotion and community livelihood projects to the local people. We were so fortunate to have a tour of the centre and have our many questions answered. We learnt so much about how health care is provided and the cultural values that underpin these services.

As it was our final weekend in Timor-Leste, we made our way over to Atauro Island! We had a relaxing weekend of snorkeling on the coral reef, sleeping under the stars and swimming at sunrise. To top it off, the food was amazing! At 5:30pm, 3 giant Trevally’s were caught and by 7pm, were on our dinner plates, YUM! The group also travelled on tuk tuk’s to Hospideria Faca where we got to see the most amazing handiwork in the process of being sewn, stitched and woven by the local women’s cooperative. It’s safe to say that many bags and trinkets were purchased! While we fit a lot into our short time on Atauro Island, we left feeling refreshed and ready to head into our final week in Timor-Leste.

Adeus!

Working Life in Timor-Leste

COUNTRY: Timor Leste
PROGRAM: Faculty Placement
PROJECT: Health Science
WRITTEN BY: Conor Rock, Rebecca Parker and Jantje Lezius

Botardi! (Good Day!)

This week, UQ students further connected with CNR staff which resulted in joint plans for a weekend outing with one of our favourite staff members, Physiotherapist Tomas. We are also embracing the inter-professional nature of our teams, thus optimising client outcomes. Whilst still a challenge, the language barrier is slowly disintegrating with the help and support of CNR staff, as well as exploring creative ways to communicate, such as using Tetun songs and music to engage and motivate our clients. We spend one day a week in each department, Speech Therapy, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, and use our teamwork to holistically treat children and adults with a variety of conditions.

Every day, one team gets the opportunity to be a part of the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) team within CNR. Each team of students from Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy travel to a client’s home with an educator and members of the CBR team. There is no greater insight into a patient’s life than sitting in their home or on their front porch. Although sometimes the situation was somewhat confronting, our hearts were warmed by the friendliness, humility and grace shown by the clients and their families for our help, as simple as it sometimes seemed to us. It’s very rewarding to be able to try and improve the lives of those who may not be able to get to the CNR clinic.

We started the long weekend on Independence Day Friday by visiting the Santa Cruz cemetery which was made infamous by the massacre in 1991. After lunch, we sampled the local gelato and some of the group headed to the Taise Markets on the way home where we bought lots of bags and other items that featured traditional Timorese weaving and craftsmanship.

In the afternoon, we went to visit the sacred place where Timor-Leste’s independence was declared at a midnight mass on the 20 May 2002. Pope John Paul II congratulated Timor-Leste on joining the list of “the free nations of the earth” and urged the nation’s people to use their new freedom to build a just and peaceful society. As a result, a statue was constructed on top of a nearby mountain in order to pay respect to the Pope, which we climbed that afternoon and enjoyed scenic views over Dili.

On Saturday, our friendly CNR host for the day kindly took us to our first stop Liquica, a tourist beach. We enjoyed the day playing beach sports and swimming, which was complimented by a hearty picnic lunch of fish and local veggie sandwiches. In the afternoon, we went to Maubara, a local beach where we quickly made new friends: local children, who joined us in our beachside play. We showed them some English songs (e.g.,Hokey Pokey as well as Heads, shoulders, knees and toes) in exchange for some new Tetum songs which we all performed together. Children and students enjoyed playing grip ball, marbles, clapping and ball games as the afternoon seemed to fly by. We left them with gifts so the fun would not stop when we left. We had made our own community for the afternoon, then and there on the beach in Maubara.

It’s hard to believe that we are half way through our trip, but it is safe to say that we are continuously learning more about ourselves and Timor-Leste.

Bondia Timor Leste

COUNTRY: Timor Leste
PROGRAM: Faculty Placement
PROJECT: Health Science
WRITTEN BY: UQ Health Science Team

Bondia!

As we all gathered in the airport, the feeling within the team was filled to the brim with excitement and anticipation of what was to come in Timor-Leste. Our first glimpse from the plane was of the mountainous landscape and beautiful coral sea. As we stepped onto the tarmac we were hit by the wave of heat and humidity. We were greeted by Paulo and were quickly guided to the local form of public transport – a mikrolet.

Our first few days were spent exploring the local Dili sights and learning about the country’s rich history. A highlight included hiking up to Cristo Rei, where we were rewarded with a 360 degree view of Dili. Our hike was followed by a nice swim at a nearby beach, a chance to interact with the local people and practice our Tetun. The Resistance Museum provided us with a chance to learn about and understand the country’s past challenges and gave us an insight into how they overcame adversity.

The team was warmly welcomed by the Centre of National Rehabilitation (CNR) staff whom we would be working alongside for the next 4 weeks. We were impressed by their facilities and resources and the staff’s eagerness to learn more from us as well as us learning from them. Our first day of placement took us out of the busy streets of Dili and into the countryside where we met children and their families at the local rehabilitation centre. Our language learning was fast tracked by being thrown into the deep end as we needed to communicate and connect with both the CNR staff and our clients. This was challenging but we always had a good laugh together over our language mistakes. Throughout the week, we had a chance to work with CNR staff from each of the professions in our interprofessional teams and it has been a great learning experience so far. The week flew by and we had our first weekend exploring Timor’s natural beauty.

This took us to Mt Ramelau, the highest point in Timor. We woke up at 2am to make it to the top by sunrise and it was an experience we will never forget. We are excited to see what the next 3 weeks holds for the team both at CNR and on the weekends.

Until next time, adeus! 

Adeus Timor Leste

 COUNTRY: Timor-Leste
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Health Science
WRITTEN BY: Georgia, Tim, Katie and Jess - University of Queensland

What an amazing experience! As our time in beautiful Timor Leste comes to an end, mixed emotions have set in. While we’re so excited to come home to Australia and see our family and friends, we are sad to leave our new friends and the clients we’ve been working with for the past four weeks.

We have faced some challenging and complex clinical cases during our time but have also had many instances of joy. We’ve been so encouraged by our clients’ commitment to their rehabilitation and their perseverance and have been humbled by their gratitude and efforts during therapy – this is something we will never forget. We also acknowledge the staff at CNR for their dedication to their clients in what is often a complex situation.

We feel privileged to have learnt about Timor and the Timorese people and are inspired by their passion, resilience, and happiness. We were lucky enough to travel outside of Dili and experience some beautiful parts of Timor. Most recently, we climbed Mt Ramelau, the highest mountain in Timor Leste. The picturesque views at sunrise were simply stunning and well worth the 2:45am alarm!

To our beautiful butterflies (i.e., the students), we’ve watched you grow and develop across our time in Timor and are so proud of all you have achieved. While there were many challenges along the way, you’ve taken it all in your stride and will be better clinicians because of this experience. It has been a pleasure to share it with you and to support you in your clinical journeys. Continue to reflect on your experiences and draw on them in your practice in Australia. Next year’s team have a lot to live up to!

Adeus!

Island Getaway to Celebrate The End Of Week One in Timor Leste

 COUNTRY: Timor-Leste
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Health Science
WRITTEN BY: Georgia, Tim, Katie and Jess - University of Queensland

Fast boat. Hammocks and coconuts. Tuk tuks. Nemo and scar. Loud waves. Slow boat.

After just one week we all felt well-deserving of an island getaway: Atauro was calling. We were greeted with open arms and a welcoming second-breakfast by one of the resort managers, Super-Mario/Superman, who never failed to make us laugh. We never realised how much funnier sarcasm is coming from someone who speaks English as a second language. His standard one-liners included ‘good morning’ instead of ‘good evening’ or telling us that the bananas at breakfast were in fact chicken sausages. His catching laughter was the punch line. After hearing the same joke over and over, it only became funnier (motor learning principles in action?).

First port of call was the markets, a strenuous 50m walk but well worth the 2-cent donuts and coconuts. Unfortunately we had to hold ourselves back from the dried squid. Next on the agenda was a tuk tuk ride to the Doll Factory. So bracing to enter the potential horror movie set… we arrived to find ladies sewing away at their very old Singer machines, piecing together anything and everything. Needless to say, not one person left the store empty-handed. After fending off the sales attempts of competitive local wood carvers, we arrived at the moment many of us had been hanging out for (literally, hanging in hammocks), we were off to find Nemo. Safe in our knowledge that sharks had been over-fished, snorkelling was incredible. There were many beautiful colours of the near un-disturbed coral and fish we had never seen before, some only as a Disney Pixar cartoon.

At dinner, a local band came to share their music with us and we were all able to play along with children’s percussion instruments and participate in a local dance for the final song. All this cultural engagement earned us a few cocktails at the bar. You’d be surprised to know that we still made it up on Sunday morning to enjoy the sunrise and we’re so glad we did. Sunday’s itinerary was a little different with not much muscle expenditure happening before 3pm. Left to our own devices to arrange ferry tickets home we were all questioning whether the hefty $US4 each had been given to a fraudster, sure enough we made it on board and 4 hours later we made it home for dinner and very soon after, bed.

Bouncy deer. Traditional music. Beach barbeque. Fish on a stick. Ginger. Obstacle course.

After all that rest we were raring to go on Monday morning. Just kidding, that was a tough wake-up. The clinical week was just as eventful, and was full of challenges and successes for everyone. One common discovery was the extraordinary ability of the mystical “bouncy deer” to improve almost everything during therapy sessions (including our mental health haha). On Wednesday we celebrated Independence Day, unknowingly attending a political party flag raising, that included a show of traditional dancing, with elderly dancers dressed in traditional woven fabrics and vibrantly coloured feathers.

To recover from the challenges of having a day off in the middle of the working week, we went to the beach barbeques at Bebonuk. Here we learnt the ways of the locals, spending an afternoon playing Frisbee with the local kids and watching the sunset over the ocean. After all the running around we were treated to various local delicacies fresh off the barbeque (including a whole fish on stick and chicken livers).

On Thursday it was back to clinic, which was full of moments that challenged us, but also brought us closer together. We also have the undying support of the local cat Ginger, who always finds a lap to stealthily sit and sleep on (we’re starting to wonder if it has a sleeping disorder…).

On Friday we were off to Maliana, where we spent the morning touring the rural health post facility and SISCa clinic, making friends with the local goats and kids as we went (let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be your friend when you’re giving away free UQ Frisbees). We then had lunch at $1 beach (we don’t know either), which excitingly enough consisted of peanut butter (and potato chips for some adventurous people) sandwiches. It was then off for a swim and snorkel (here’s looking at you Tim and Alice) before returning home to Hotel Lecidere. Dinner tonight was a special occasion as it was Ruth’s last night with us here in Timor. We went to Esplanada, one of the fanciest restaurants in town (there’s not many…). While the night was fantastic, we were all sad to see Ruth go. Timor will not be the same without her, and we give our heartfelt thanks to her for her support and comic relief.

Bye for now, adeus!

Settling In To Working Life In Timor Leste

 COUNTRY: Timor-Leste
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Health Science
WRITTEN BY: Talita, Jocelyn and Alice - University of Queensland

Saturday
After an emotional morning farewell (Ruth didn’t believe we would get up for her – we love you Ruth!), the CNR bus arrived at our hotel for an adventure to Maubara. Little did we know, the treacherous nature of the roads that we would face in the 17 seater bus - the CNR staff played on our emotions as they encouraged us to get photos of the cliff that was less than a metre away. Despite this, they treated us to a fantastic day at the beach (pigs and all) as well as a wander through the local markets, an exhilarating 4WD competition and topped it off with a visit to Pope John Paul for sunset. We can’t move on without a massive shout out to Bec’s husband, Kane, who filled his carry-on for the weekend full of muesli bars and vegemite chocolate – you do not know what this means to us!

Sunday
We slept in. After an action packed few weeks, we revelled in the opportunity to relax for a bit and get some work done on the presentations that we are to present next week. We fit in a morning stroll to Santa Cruz cemetery – a sombre moment amongst the hustle and bustle as we gained a greater understanding of the sad history and suffering of the community.

Monday
The Occupational Therapy students had the opportunity to accompany the CNR Community Based Rehabilitation team staff to clients’ homes in the Dili region. This valuable experience provided a better understanding of the home environment of our clients to help guide our planning of therapy and goals. We were warmly welcomed into the homes, but it was a sad moment to learn that one of the clients does not leave her room due to disability and spends her days sitting. We recognised several areas in which therapy could help her and encouraged the CBR staff to get her to CNR for treatment. Monday night, it was time to break out the Vegemite chocolate, and to our surprise, it wasn’t half bad. At least it was almost as good as the mung bean muesli bars the Speechies decided were fabulous (definitely give these a go!).

Tuesday
Everyone is starting to relax and become more comfortable with each other, which is a good and bad thing. The good is that the teams are working well and we are becoming a fully functional IP team (/BFFs 4eva). The flip side is that pranks have started, and certain members of our team are one up, as another member returned home to find they could not reach their bed as their floor was covered in water filled saucepans. Retribution has not yet been received.

Wednesday
After a generally positive morning, we had an emotional afternoon. After giving a modified chopping board to a very grateful patient, we had a teary goodbye as she’d been treated at CNR for the last 5 years. This was followed by an upsetting realisation about the differences in medical treatments here compared to back home in Australia. A young teenager had a severely displaced femur that had not been operated on, and presented at CNR for physiotherapy. Unfortunately, the recommended management is surgery, and in the absence of that, there was very little we could do. This awakening to the reality of developing countries was upsetting to most, as it was probably the first scenario where we felt utterly helpless.

Thursday
Everyone was really upset that NSW didn’t win Origin, but had enjoyed the mid-week break at a restaurant watching the footy. The last clinic day for the week was spent working with clients and finalising the program for our presentations next week. The presentations revolve around areas of our professions that the staff at CNR had requested information about. These include: cerebral palsy, safe feeding, stages of play and gait retraining. We are very much looking forward to passing on this information in a more formal setting.

Friday
A district visit was again planned for today, where we attended a private NGO funded health clinic in Hera; a short drive East of Dili. We were taken through the clinic, and spoke to the Cuban doctor about the challenges he faces. Some of these challenges included the lack of resources, the isolation, the large number of people that he services (177 families), and the fact that whenever it rains and the river flows, they get flooded in. Paulo then took us to his composting centre, the first, and only, of its kind in Timor. Throughout the drive, we experienced our first attempted hitchhiker trying to join us in the mikrolet; the Timorese are very competent in stepping into moving vehicles.
Tonight will be a quite night as we prepare for our 60km, 6 hour journey to climb Mt Ramelau on Sunday morning.

Week One for UQ In Timor Leste

 COUNTRY: Timore-Leste
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Health Science
WRITTEN BY: Emma, Molly and Brittney - University of Queensland

Botardi from Timor-Leste!

Well, we’ve had an interesting first week in Dili and have been warmly welcomed by the people here. We had an amazing view as we flew into Timor-Leste and we were looking forward to all the adventures ahead of us. Once we landed we were greeted by our in country partner Paolo who introduced us to our new mode of transport – the microlet’s. These were van’s decked out in soft toys, colourful stickers and anthem’s of Justin Beiber and 80’s pop.

We spent our first day in Dili exploring the city and the culture. Highlights from the day included trekking up to the Cristo Rei statue (almost thought we were in Rio!) and lounging around at Jesus Backside Beach. Then came our first day we had all been waiting for at Centro Nasional de Rehabilitacion (CNR). We were introduced to all the staff who we would be working alongside for the next month. That afternoon we visited the Resistance Museum to learn about Timor-Leste’s history and their difficult road to independence.

The rest of the week we have spent working with patients and our new team at CNR. We’ve all found it interesting learning about each other’s professions and all struggled along the way putting our Tetun into practice. Thankfully a lot of the staff there have very good English.

Looking forward to a weekend at Atauro Island relaxing and getting some sun before another challenging week begins.

From Team Timor – Emma, Molly and Brittney

Only In Timor: Final update from first group of Timor-Leste volunteers

 COUNTRY: Timore-Leste
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching, Healthcare and Development
WRITTEN BY: Alisha, Zoe and Holley

Bondia! Timor-Leste Antips Team #1 checking in with our final blog. Not sure where to begin...has been a big last week full of farewell parties, goodbyes and plenty of emotions!

None of us knew just how fast a month would go, or how much a month could change us all. Anyone who looks at four weeks as merely a fraction of a life, has never witnessed how much a child can change and develop in such a small amount of time! Moments like watching an eleven month old malnourished child hold their head up for the first time and hearing the first laugh of a three year old, will always be held dearly in Holley and Alisha's hearts. Likewise, watching students go from basic English words to being able to string whole sentences together were amazing moments for Zoë. This one little month is one we will never forget!

All of us said goodbye in our own ways and were lucky enough to each have farewell parties thrown for us. While Holley and Alisha's last day started out like all the others, it ended in a way they had never expected.


After deciding to make the most of their last day with the kids, the girls came in after playing outside to find the eating area completely transformed. The table was laid out with Timorese delicacies and what appeared to be every chair from the centre around it. They had walked into their own surprise farewell party! The way that everyone came together (staff, children and family) to say goodbye was overwhelming. Tears were held back as speeches were made and HIAM tais' were presented, with Alisha feeling particularly touched by the thoughtfulness shown by having her tais presented to her by the little girl she had become so attached to, Eduarda. Cuddles and cake was the perfect way to say goodbye! Zoë said goodbye with a massive prize giving quiz, where she witnessed the power that a sticker has over a child. Once word got out that she was giving away prizes, she had all four of her classes shouting answers at her whilst the teachers laughed in the background. It was some of the most intense, fun, loud few hours of her life! At her going away ceremony, she was given so many lovely gifts from the school, including traditional handwoven tais and earrings, and felt so touched to have been part of this little school.

In an attempt to capture the ambiance of Timor here are a few "only in Timor" moments...

• Seat belt buckles are more useful as air freshener holder than as a means to keep you safe
• Goats are loaded into the boots of taxis
• People find the most unhealthy ways to cook the most healthy foods (fried bananas are the best!)
• You are constantly amazed at how much rice such small people can consume
• Even the pigs are skinny
• All meals, not matter what they include, are served with a fork and spoon
• You drink fruit juice out of a can with added clumps
• A little box with three beds becomes your home
• You go through a million boxes of bottled water and get blisters from opening them
• You find people who have so little but give so much!

Just as we feel like we have settled into Timorese life, it is now time to say goodbye. As we sit here writing this on our final day, while excited to go home, we know how much we will miss so many antics of daily life that have become normal to us in our month in Timor. Holley and Alisha will particularly miss their babies at the centre, and the affection that came from being "Mana Malae" (foreign sister). Zoë will miss the crazy conversations bent over a Tetun to English dictionary, the 'sister I love you' called out every time she went to school, the clapping games and the secret handshakes.

To future volunteers, enjoy every moment because it will be over before you know it!! We all hope to come back and visit this amazing country in the future!

For the final time, adeos!

Sleepless in Balibo

 COUNTRY: Timore-Leste
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching, Healthcare and Development
WRITTEN BY: Alisha, Zoe and Holley

Bondia!

Timor Leste team checking in once again to blog about our eventful trip to Balibo with the EO of the Balibo house trust, “Senior Accidentae” Rich Gilmore, with the purpose of putting Balibo on the map for tourists. Despite some information given to us prior to departure, we all left Dili with absolutely no idea of what to expect from this weekend. Little did we know how much we would be cramming into three short days! The weekend started off on a luxurious foot with the first stop for lunch at exotic Tibar, a modern restaurant and hotel about twenty minutes out of Dili. The mouthwatering food was easily the best meal any of us had had in a while, with the highlights being a succulent steak with a coffee sauce of the owner’s creation and incredible freshly-made juices. This would be the last any of us would taste of luxury however, with the rest of the weekend spent in and around Balibo, a charming place where basic living was at its best.

While we saw and mapped many interesting and beautiful sites between Dili and Balibo on Friday, it was Saturday morning which began in a way we will never forget. The first activity on the agenda was exploring caves outside of Balibo, which, as far as any local knows, had not been seen by a foreigner since Australian soldiers in WWII. While we knew that we would be exploring unchartered territory, what we didn’t know was quite the extent of wildlife in the cave, coupled with tight spaces and dead ends. Whilst terrifying at the time it was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience. After deciding that reaching the top of the mountain through the caves was impossible, we trekked and rock climbed around the outside to be treated to spectacular views of the surrounding area. After such strenuous exercise, the proceeding swim at a pristine secret tropical beach our guide had discovered was a welcome chance to relax. We then took a walking tour around the town of Balibo whilst geotagging any sites of interest to potential tourists. The night ended with the movie of Balibo, watched whilst in the town of Balibo, a unique experience for all of us.

We can’t go any further without saying that this weekend certainly took four-wheel driving to a new level! Roads that had sheer cliff on one side and dropped 500 meters away to the ocean with no barriers and barely enough room for two cars to pass had us all squeezing our eyes shut and hoping for the best at times! The situation wasn’t helped by the occasional cross on the roadside where trucks full of people had gone off the cliff. Luckily for us we had a skilled driver and despite all these conditions we all arrived at each destination safe, if only a little car sick.

While all of us managed to adapt to living with electricity for only six hours a day and no running water, the lack of sleep we all experienced was not quite so easy to adjust to. The fighting dogs and roosters that began crowing before the sun was even close to coming up meant that we were all bleary eyed each morning. Timor Leste’s untouched beauty and breathtaking views however made the long bumpy car rides and lack of sleep completely and utterly worth it. The diverse landscape of this new country is unlikely to stay hidden for long and we all feel very lucky to have experienced it, albeit briefly one weekend. From seemingly endless rolling emerald green hills, to high rocky cliffs, to pristine white beaches and azure boiling hot streams, Timor Leste continues to surprise and delight at every turn. Additionally, despite Rich’s nickname, the only mishap endured was a flat battery in the middle of town!

Adeus!

Zoe, Holley and Alisha
Timor Leste Team #1

First ever Antips volunteers in Timor-Leste

 

 COUNTRY: Timore-Leste
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching, Healthcare & Development
WRITTEN BY: Alisha, Zoe & Holley

Botardi!

Apologies for the hold-up on week ones blog, free time has been scarce! Where to start on the last week and a half in Timor-Leste…

As a tiny group of only three, and the first Antips team to hit East Timor, we arrived on the 30th of June fresh-faced with no idea of what to expect. Flying over Timor and into Dili airport, all of us were breath-taken by the beautiful, mountainous country that is Timor-Leste. Once off the plane, we were hit with the heat and chaos that would be ours for the next month. Thank goodness for Paulo, our in-country partner, who has helped us navigate our lives in the weird and wonderful city of Dili!

After a day of exploration and learning about the history of the country, it was time to jump in the deep end and begin our placements. The only way to describe this was purely “feeling our way”, with Zoe arriving at a school where not a single person spoke english, and Holley and Alisha beginning at HIAM with both directors away and the manager of the rehabilitation centre on annual leave. Thus, our journey to-date has been filled with both tears and triumphs! However, as each day passes and each new day begins, our love for the culture and people that make up Timor-Leste only grows.

Each of us have chosen our most valued triumph so far, and they are as follows:
Alisha - Despite her fear that this would be the case, not a single child has run away from her screaming because of her blonde hair! Not even when she visited two rural districts :)
Zoe - Getting through her first day of teaching when she was led to a classroom of about 60 students (plus the multiple children standing outside gawking at the tall blonde white girl!) and left by herself for two hours while the teachers vacated the school.

Holley - Not getting too upset when we arrived at placement on Thursday and weren’t greeted by our favourite little seven year old, Nando, because he had left and nobody had told us!
We also can’t go any further without saying that, as a whole, we can’t help but see the sheer amount of rice we have managed to consume, as a triumph in itself!

Like that of beginning our placements, Timor-Leste is just beginning to feel its way as one of the newest countries in the world, and much of this shows. For anyone considering this placement, if nothing else, Timor will teach you patience and that sometimes its just better to laugh. It has an untouched beauty that is rare, with pristine water and beaches, and rural districts in the mountains which are stunning. While you might have to get off the beaten track (onto things you can barely call roads) to see much of what Timor has to offer, you are rewarded ten-fold.

Our time in Timor-Leste so far is hard to sum up in a single blog. From Alisha and Holley being involved in SISCA programs in the districts, to Zoe starting up a crazy dance with her students, to climbing up to the Crista Rai statue and seeing the incredible views it offered over the coastline of Dili, to attending a wedding, and going to visit a sick woman in hospital even though we had no idea who she was...it is hard to believe we have only been here for a week and a half! But now it is time to start packing ready for our weekend adventure to Balibo! We can’t wait to see and experience some of the north coast, west of Dili.

Adeus,

Alisha, Zoe & Holley
(Timor-Leste Antips #1)