Discover Top Posts Tagged with #volunteerlyf

A Road to the Woods : II

The air was different that time. It's dry and wind didn't blow like the one in my place. I always love the strange feelings of landing in a new place. It encourages me to enjoy and explore the place more. Who knows who will you meet in this strange place? Who knows what will happen? Not me. I just can't wait to seek for the answers.

It took about three hours from Bakauheni to Batutegi. We got off the bus at Talang Padang and continued to Batutegi by motorcycles. Unfortunately, we arrived earlier and two men from the team who would pick us had not prepared to go. So we decided to walk a few meters (or kilometers) to kill the time and tried to find some foods. Different from Bogor/Bandung/Jakarta (and many city/towns in Java), we couldn't find much activities at 5.30-6.00 a.m, so it's kinda difficult to find restaurants/cafes that had already opened.

After thirty minutes of walk, we finally found warung nasi uduk. I ate a lot because the portion was too big and when I was about to think to end my eating session, an old lady asked me, “kok ga dihabiskan?” I was embarassed, so I continued eating. My plate finally empty and suddenly men from the team came and picked Kang Mursid and me. Let me introduce you to Kang Indra and Mas Nari, men from the team.

It was scared, being on the passenger seat of KLX motorbike, carrying a really huge bag on your back. Mas Nari drove very fast, I could just pray for our own (honestly, my own) safety along the way. Perhaps it's kinda habit in here, driving fast, without helmet, as long as you arrive quickly. I also heard that there still many “bajing loncat” or “begal”, a person or group of person who like to rob the driver. They don't only steal your things, they're geared with golok, celurit, or another weapon and can kill you sometimes. If you're new in here and drive safely (with helmet and medium speed), a lot of chance that you'll be their target. In other words, you have to mimic the local people's driving style to reduce the chance of being targetted by the begal.

Thirty minutes on the ride made me think about how far Talang Padang – Talang Lima (Kang Mursid said that we will spend a night in Talang Lima camp before go to Batutegi). I was tired.

#volunteerlyf #nature #maplestory

A Road to the Woods: I

After I graduated from college, I continued my life working on my supervisor's project. Got bored with all the lab activities and situation, I challenged myself to involve in field biology-related experience. Started when I found a poster about a non-govermental organization that was looking for a volunteer for wildlife conservation activities in some protected areas in Sumatra-Java, I assured myself to get involved in that activities. It is still being my dream, working for an NGO and dedicated myself in a field that support wildlife conservation.

I want to tell you about my feelings back then first. I did not have any professional experiences in terrestrial ecology and conservation. My one and only “quite-serious” experience was my internship in turtle conservation, Bali. I did not have any experience working in such a very harsh environment like forest in remote area or something. I could not imagine myself in the woods for about one month. Yes, ONE MONTH. I am not that physically strong (and mentally, maybe), but I'm good at holding pain. I worried if I become such an obstacle while the team walk. Negative thoughts came to my mind and I almost gave up before I tried to fill the form. Yeah but in the end, I completed the form and sent it haha.

I WAS SURPRISED. Someone from the NGO called and asked if I wanted to join them in Batutegi, Lampung. It was 2-3 weeks before the D-date and I did not know what to do. I called my parents, asked them for permission, and…. not every parents easily allow their daughter to stay in that kind of environment with no other woman in the team. Many questions were asked but luckily, I could convince them and get my permission. YAY.

At first I was told to go to Lampung on March 19th but suddenly they changed the date to March 6th :'(. It shocked me because I still had a job to do in Jakarta on the day before. So all my schedule changed and I had to travel from Bandung-Jakarta-Depok-Bogor in a day and packed all my things up quickly. It was like a kind of magic (black magic, maybe) when I realized that my field gears had all gone or broken, so I had to borrow my friend's immediately. All things was packed and I quickly ran to the NGO's office (I was surprised that the office is an hour far from my house tbh). After arrived safely, I talked to the staff, had some chitchats, and prepared myself to go.

I always sleep while commuting to somewhere far. Me and Kang Mursid, my friend from the NGO who accompanied me, went to Lampung by bus. We took the night bus and scheduled to be gone at 8.30 p.m. I was surprised by the bus, tbh. It's a ROYAL CLASS. I have never been in a royal class before. So I was kind of norak for knowing that the bus had some facilities such as charging spot, wi-fi, a very comfortable seats (with the extensions for relaxing your feet!), blankets, pillows, dining/smoking room, snacks, and the most important, TOILET! Yes. I'm a girl that can't live without toilet. Oh, DAMRI really know how to comfort the passengers. I was very grateful.

I was lucky, Kang Mursid is a very very nice person. We talked a lot, not only about the NGO and the program, but also something deep such as love life :p. He easily talked about how he met his wife and we laughed too much! He gave me so much advices that maybe useful for living my life in the future. I am an introvert, I have not much to talk, and he likes to talk with everybody. Again, the grace was with me.

A few hours after we talked, we both fell asleep. When I woke up, our bus was entering the ferry so it was time to leave this too-comfortable seat. We didn't get some seats in the inside, so we just sat on the deck. It was rainy and cold outside, my jacket couldn't give me warmth so I didn't feel really well. Pop Mie that Kang Mursid bought for us didn't help that much and.. a lesson for you, do not buy any Pop Mie in the ferry. It's really pricey, you should save it for any ayam penyet—or bakso beranak when you arrived in town. After finishing my meal, I fell asleep (again).

Fifteen minutes had passed. I got interrupted by the intercom-woman who said that we will arrive at Bakauheni Port in a few minutes. It's time to get back to my lovely seat in the bus, I thought. I prepared my things and walked down the stairs. Hello, Lampung! Hello, Sumatra! (Yes, this was my first time walked on Sumatra Island's asphalt)

***

tbc

#volunteerlyf #nature #maplestory