(Near) Half Time Reflections on TL

17-28 February 2014

I thought that it might be useful reflect on some of the highs and lows of my time in Timor-Leste.  I have surprised myself that I have found myself back in the groove since returning from holidays in Australia.

Many people asked before I was going to TL in August 2013 what I was going to miss most, I said the usual, family friends, etc.  Being a water engineer, I also listed being able to drink the tap water and have a shower rather than bathing using a bucket.

In the first few weeks of moving into the first house, I certainly missed having a shower and was rarely lucky to get enough water to last a whole day for the basics.  I would estimate that I (uncomfortably to comfortably) use about 20-60 litres per day for all sorts of needs.  Who could forget me complaining about not having a shower for several days!  Or having a deep and meaningful discussing with the shower (I must have been going mad).  It had certainly put a crimp on my experience here for the first few months, but they are the challenges that need surmounting.  Besides I reckon that a shower is more water efficient than a bucket and ladel.

When I returned to Oz a fortnight ago, I realised that I had adapted to drinking water from big and small plastic bottles and that my yearning to drink water from the tap (and shower) has gone.  I did drink in the shower but I was certainly not like Tiddledink the bullfrog who drank all of billabong water.  It is about habit and not getting to worked up about what is different.  I banned myself drinking water from a plastic bottle while in Australia – it was about the taste not generating plastic waste (which is a big concern).  It is funny to note that a friend in TL here commented that we typically operate at about 80-90% in comparison to working in Oz.  I believe the main cause of this is that we have to deal with life’s basics, so having safe reticulated water keeps us working like Olympics athletes in Australia, although our bosses think they can squeeze a little more out of us.

The same could be said about traffic, there is a system here, it involves tooting the horn, first in best dressed, pushing in, overtaking on blind corners and giving the Kareta Estado (government cars) wide berth as they are a law unto themselves.  Australia it is very orderly – driving instructors and road safety campaigners should be proud of what they have achieved in this space.

You do have to leave your animal liberation beliefs at Darwin Airport, you do see a lot of animals that are in a sad state or are tied down on cars, trucks etc being transported to other parts of the country.  I have lost count of how many dogs I have seen hobbling along with dislocated hips from being hit by a car at some point in their lives.  Devil the Brain Damaged Dog, rest his soul, was a special case and was someone’s dinner just before I left.

There have been several, “I wish I had the camera moments” mainly involving the transportation of live chickens (best form of refrigeration here).  Only last night I saw a man on his motorbike and I thought that it was odd to have chicken feet as a key ring decoration and then I realised this chicken was trussed up and stuffed underneath his T-Shirt.  I think it must be his prized cock(eral) going off to a cockfight somewhere – I think he was keeping it warm so as to have an edge!  You typically see the chook hanging from the handlebar.  I certainly am not advocating for ill-treatment of animals, it is just stuff that you see every day that you need to make a conscious decision to not get worked up over.

On the work side of things, my focus is changing to the operations and maintenance (O&M) sphere as well as continuing the surveying training.  It actual fact, O&M is a largely hidden exercise in Australia but it is what keeps water, sewerage etc moving along.  In Oz for example, most people take their car in for servicing according to the prescribed schedule so as to minimise of breaking down in the middle of nowhere.  We all groan when the mechanic says that something will need replacing by the next service, but most of us pay for that replacement.  Here there is no such thing as maintenance until it is broken, this is largely due to cost, most people live a hand to mouth existence.

The O&M project I am involved in greatest challenge is to change the mindset to act before it breaks down permanently.  The main positive to this approach is that it anticipates when spares are needed in a country that is difficult to get spares and (hopefully) gives time to order and deliver the replacement parts as required (well that is the plan).  It is early days for the O&M project and it will take time to implement well beyond my contract period here.

It will keep you posted on any progress.