Selamat malam! (good evening)

Actually, it is morning in Canada as I write - there is exactly 12 hours difference between western Indonesia and Ontario.
Well, it has been an interesting week since arriving in Banda Aceh. I am slowly easing into the work that needs to be done here....I have alot to learn and I find myself asking a lot of questions and listening intently to local people and people working in NGO's (non-government organization ie Care, Red Cross etc.). I feel I have much to learn about the culture or this place and the way donated money is spent over here.

Despite the apparent challenges I know I will enjoy my time here. I love how different this place is.....The weather almost always perfect and sunny, the people are almost always pleasant and friendly, and I hear there are some great beaches. The street are an ordered chaos and life seems to be much simpler.

I have posted a few pictures of Banda Aceh:

picture 1 is a typical house which is under construction. It is a reinforced concrete frame with brink infill which will eventually receive a grout-like parging. Materials are a short supply and these bricks are coming from about 400km away.

picture 2 is of my neighbour Frede and her little sister. For some reason these two get really excited when I pass their house each morning on my way to work.....Frede has the chubbiest cheeks and the widest white smile.

Picture 3 is of Rahmad (our security guard) out front of our house. Rahmad is a university student whom I have been learning Indonesian form. In exchange I have been helping him with English. Needless to say, I have been making the most of the fact that he sits out in front of our house most of the day ;)

I hope to update this blog each month so stay tuned.

Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Islamic New Year too!

yours,

Nolan