Dear Readers and Fellow Time-Travelers, Prepare for a double take, for we find ourselves once again in the enchanting land of Timor-Leste! But amidst this return, I’ve got a confession to make: while going through our blog, I noticed a few amazing stories and pictures that somehow slipped through the cracks of time. But fear…
One of the things I’ve learnt while working in this beautiful country is that you need to be able to adapt & learn quickly. I may have worked in the built environment in various capacities but I’m no electrician. Fortunately, God blessed me with a curious mind and after a quick photo of my design…
Since the beginning of May 2022, we have been working tirelessly on the septic tank project. It has been quite the journey, considering the numerous challenges we faced and the fact that all the excavation work was done by hand. Surprisingly, the digging was completed in just about two weeks, which is quite impressive when…
We planted coconut trees this week… and here are the steps we followed Step 1: dig the hole (thankfully this was already one by Daniel.. yey) Step 2: fill the hole with 200mm of sand (to help the water drain) Step 3: add plants that are rich in NI (to help the trees grow) Step…
Yes… on 27.05.2022, around 11:30 am, there was another earthquake in Timor… but it was the first one here! I was in the house in Gleno… It was such a weird feeling, cause it lasted more than the one in Australia (my only other experienced comparison). At first, I thought I was dizzy cause it…
Although the road needed fixing, meetings and discussions were held with the chefe-suco, who in turn talked to the relevant land owners… but after all that, four 20ft shipping containers were delivered to the site. The preparation for the foundations has also started and a gallery showing the delivery and the progress of the works…
Yesterday we brought home approximately 100 fig tree seedlings.. Luke messaged a stranger at the time, and later met with Julio – a Timorese man passionate about fig trees and the development of his country. The majority of the seedlings will be given to the community in Gleno and Julio will give them training on…
Due to visa extensions/applications, we needed to travel quite often to Dili, as you might know by now, it’s a ride full of beauty and at the same time full of obstacles…. But the trips are worthwhile – when you have friends at both ends of the road. In Dili, we got to meet some…
Today was a sad day… we got a call and found out that the owner of our rental in Gleno passed away. He was a good man, he helped many people in the village, and whether young or old.. everyone knew Mr Paulo Maia. He was a policeman during the Indonesian occupation and then became…
ok.. so we’re in Gleno… but why? Our volunteer work here is to design and raise a radio tower, and also to organise the construction of a residence / area where the locals can come and learn about agriculture and a better lifestyle- VIVA MELHOR; in 2013 an estimated 90,000 children under 5, or 50percent, suffered…