Well I have actually set up a blog and it was suprisingly easy! Feeling technologically confident now. Firstly we want to thank everyone who helped us before and after we left. It was pretty crazy for a while there, not sure what we could have done better but thanks to family and friends who gave us a hand so cheerfully and helped again when our plans changed again and changed again with the house!
The first week in Timor-Leste has been eye-opening and full on to say the least. Dili is your typical third world city, but even more run down than we had expected. Poz says not as run down as that but I felt a bit shocked on the way in from the airport. I think there is a big difference in how you view a place if you are a tourist passing through compared to someone planning to stay for half a year. How I was viewing it the first day is probably summed up like this "FAAAARK!!"
The first day was spent trying to sort out our working visa. We started at the Ministry of Immigration. Ross was not let in anywhere as he was wearing shorts and men have to be in long pants to get into government buildings. Good move on his part. So the Ministry of Immigration sent us to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They didn't want to know and sent us to the Australian Embassy. They then sent us to the Ministry of Justice. Which is in at least 4 separate buildings. After finding the right one, the official there said...You need to go to the Ministry of Immigration!!
They might be short of a few things in Timor-Leste but bureaucracy is not one of them. So we still don't have a visa but we think we have worked out what we have to do and will return to Dili within the month to sort it out.
There is a shopping complex in Dili called Timor Plaza which has big supermarkets and a few different shops where we stocked up on stuff we can't get around here, like UHT milk, pasta, frozen grated cheese etc. Then we hit the road for Balibo.
The poverty in Timor-Leste is hard to understand until you see it. It boggles the mind that Australia could be fighting over maritime boundaries to stop them from getting access to the natural gas resources which are in their waters if you draw a boundary equally between Australia and Timor. We have so much in natural resources and it is unbelievable that we could think to deny them when they have really so little. It makes the Australian government look like complete arseholes really. Anyway that's my rant for this post!!
The road to Balibo was pretty interesting...There had been tons of rain so there were sink holes in the road, land slides and pretty large rocks just sitting in the middle of the road! Its a 3 hour drive made longer by lunch break and landsides.
Poz here now
We have been given a week in Balibo Fort Hotel while we sort out the house. The hotel is great the house we are meant to live in is not. The house is basically a shell with a roof however with Timor Leste building methods the rain was running down the walls, no kitchen no bathroom although it did have a squat dunny. Its also 5 kms out of Balibo which makes it tricky as Ginny will be running classes morning and afternoon. Anyway we felt bad as our local contact Marino has organised the house but we can,t live like that for 6 months. There is a few options to check out in the next day or two.
So we sleep in the hotel and cook down at the Community Learning Center, which is Ok especially as I am not allowed to cook or wash up as I will lose respect with the men in the town. I don,t like it as I will pay for it big time when we leave.
There is one other Australian working here on a 2 year contract as volunteer . Michelle has been fantastic meeting us in Dili and driving back to Balibo . It would be really difficult to do this without her guidance and I think we will all be able to work well together.
Today had drive to Maliana about 45 min away to get this internet sorted and shop for food at markets which was interesting. Plenty of food ,good veges, questionable hygiene.Definitely clad we are in a smaller town as large places can be overwhelming.
Today is Saturday tomorrow we are going to the beach to bag up some sand so I can set up a watertank at CLC and Monday make an attempt at starting work although have accommodation to look at too.
Will post photos next time.
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