The Weather Expert

Being in the Thesis phase of my social science study, I am in the mood of advancing and proposing social theories and concepts. Here in the Netherlands, we had a “moody” spring-to-summer transition times. I am proposing: when it comes down to the weather, consult the Dutch!

The Dutch weather is complex. The idea of spring and/or summer is messy between warm-dry in one week and cold-wet in the next week. Sometimes, it is windy and grey in the afternoon and yet, it can still be great barbecue time in the evening.

In order to cope with this complex weather, my Dutch friends consult www.buienradar.nl. This site gives satellite images of the weather and help them to make informed decisions—when is a good time to cycle to the supermarket, when is preferable to stay home and play board games.






















Satellite image of clouds hanging on top of the Netherlands, prediction for a Wednesday afternoon (15:35 hrs) in a summerless summer of August 2011.


One evening, on a birthday celebration, after a second plate of delicious and creamy pasta, we gathered in the kitchen. It was an international group of students. We were thinking about some things to do this weekend in Wageningen.

At once, a Colombian friend asked the only Dutch in the group: “How’s the weather tomorrow afternoon?” And of course, being the weather expert in the group, he appreciated the question and gave a thorough answer: “Well to be precise, we have to check again tomorrow. I remember the forecast says that it would be windy with some chances of shower, but there’s also a chance of sun for several hours in early afternoon if we want to go to the Rhine.”

My Colombian friend did not ask myself (Indonesian), the other friend (Bolivian), the other friend (German), nor himself--obviously... but, our lovely and reliable Dutch Weather Expert!

Cycling-Basketball

We all know that the Netherlands is well known for its overflowing support for cyclists—spacious bicycle paths and traffic priority in roundabout to name a few.

However, I am quite amazed with the fact that the country went so far as to inventing a basketball exercise for cyclists! This invention is called ‘blikvanger.’

Blikvanger is a trash bin for cyclists on the move. With google translate, it literally means ‘eye-catcher’ or ‘tin-can-catcher.’ Indeed, its shape—like a giant bug-net or a big metal cone—would catch the eye of a passerby. Moreover, the wide diameter of its opening make it a comfortable aim for throwing soda-can or other ‘throw-able’ trash while cycling.














A lady on her bicycle throwing an empty bottle to the blikvanger (picture is taken from here)


My Dutch friends told me that blikvanger is a creative approach to prevent littering. For example, Dutch students like to drink something as they cycle to or from school. Approaching the school, they can throw the packaging into the blikvanger. Throwing trash becomes an easy and fun activity. Of course, sometimes they missed, but at least now the trash are concentrated on one area.

As for me, I used it to improve my basketball and cycling skills. Every now and then, I throw things (cans, used bottles, or last part of an apple) into the blikvanger in front of the Pantarijn High School, which is close to my student house in Asserpark. By doing this, I polish my basketball shooting skill and my ability to cycle with one hand--“Two points!”

The 'Queenlessness' of Queen's Day

As published in Resource Magazine (for Wageningen University students and employees), 21 April 2011.

'Participant Observation' is a research strategy of gathering data through participating in the phenomenon to be studied and observing it in its 'natural' environment.
















Last year, I had an assignment to use participant observation on Queen's Day (30 April 2010) in the Netherlands. Interestingly, the main finding was: the 'Queenlessness' of Queen's Day.

Queen's Day is a national holiday to celebrate the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands.

Before participating in the celebration, my Asiatic background led me to expect to see pictures of the Queen and the Royal Family on the street, on people's T-shirts, or as souvenirs that people sell in the market. For example, it is common to see pictures of the King of Thailand in every corner of the country. One may generalize that in Asian countries there is an overflowing admiration of the king, the royal family, or other leaders.

But as I partied among the orange crowds, I found no pictures of the Queen; I hardly even heard any talk about her. Talking with my Dutch friends over beers and strolling around the market, I found out that the emphasis is not on the Queen herself.

Queen's Day is more about taking a day off with friends and family, checking out the 'free market' (vrijmarkt), and enjoying music performances-both on land and in boats on the canals. The Queen is not present in pictures, but by being thoughtful enough to give the nation a day off on a lovely spring day in April instead of on her real birthday in the horrible winter month of January.

Steisianasari Mileiva (Indonesia), MSc Development and Rural Innovation

Tanzania Volunteer Workcamp 2010: Food for Thoughts

During the workcamp, not only there were lots of “food for thoughts”, but also lots of thoughts were put for (preparing) food.

We organized ourselves by asking all of us, the volunteers, to sign up on which day we would like to be in the daily cooking team. The tasks of the team were preparing breakfast, tea/coffee break, lunch, and dinner, delivering water for people in the construction sites, and cleaning up all the cooking utensils. Every day we had to prepare food for approximately 50 people, except on “Children Day” where we cooked for 300 people. Everyone got his or her turn to be involved in the cooking team, at least two times during the entire workcamp.

Nevertheless, Aunt Teddy and Aunt Kristina (the cooking team from ELU Children Care ‘ECC’ School) were helping us every day, happily and skillfully! Uncle Erasto himself led the shopping for vegetables, fruits, fresh milk, and doughnut (mandazi) in the traditional market. This was mainly because Uncle Erasto knows the sellers who offer the best price. Some of us went with Uncle Erasto to help carry the big amount of vegetables and fruits; and to experience the bustling traditional market in Morogoro. We were always amused with the charming way of Uncle Erasto in bargaining the price!

On normal days, we had bread, mandazi, and fruits (oranges, watermelon, and banana) for breakfast. The cooking team had to wake up earlier to prepare hot water and cut the fruits, at around 7 am or even 6 am when we had excursions in the weekend. Then, between 10-11 am, the sound of “Karibu Chai” called everyone to put down their shovels or to stop their plastering and to come for tea/coffee breaks with mandazi. Chai is a delicious mix of fresh milk, black tea, and sugar. In ECC School, it is a custom for the kids to have chai and mandazi during their break time. “Karibu Chakula” at around 1-2 pm called us to take longer breaks and to enjoy the warm food. Chakula is the Swahili word for food/meal.

The menu for lunch and dinner were traditional Tanzanian: tasty rice (wali); red bean cooked with carrot, tomato, onions, and paprika (maharage); and a variation between eggplants cooked with the same sauce as maharage or “Tanzanian spinach” (to some known as mustard greens). On special evenings, when we had birthdays to celebrate (four birthday celebrations in total), we made special menu such as: Tanzanian pancake (chapati), cooked banana (ndizi), green peas cooked with coconut milk, or pasta.

Of course there were some challenges around the food preparation, things like: salty coffee on the first two days before we decided to buy gallon-water, bread shortage because some mysterious animals decided to crawl on our bread at night time, late dinner time because it took time for us to get used with cooking/warming up with fire, stone, and huge pans; and also some people had stomach problems for a couple of days. But, all in all we managed to go through all those challenges and everyone still remember how much fun they had when they were in the daily cooking team.

We cut buckets of vegetables while sharing stories, learning Kiswahili, and taking pictures. We washed the kitchen utensils and cleaned up the dining area while asking all sorts of questions about different cultures, different life in Tanzania, Kenya, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Brazil, and Indonesia. For example, rituals like: in Europe it is not common to eat rice every day and in Tanzania it is not common to eat warm food only once a day. Aunt Kristina speaks more English than Aunt Teddy, but most of the times, our Swahili speaking friends were there to help with translation.

Most of us agreed that one of the happiest moments while serving in the daily cooking team was when people were sitting on the table; eating the food with their spoon, and saying: Asante for cooking! (Thank you for cooking!)
















A typical 'delicious' lunch time during the construction work

Asante Ianthe for the Picture!


*The workcamp was in August 2010, in ELU Children Care School, Morogoro, Tanzania. It was organized jointly by IDEM and Steinschleuder e.V.

Fast Forward

and finally it arrives ...
feeling like pressing the *fastforward* button
















'dislike'

picture from: here

Sisterhood Space

Dear my dear Sister,

Promise me when we meet again, we'll have our sisterhood space--you, me, the spoken and the unspoken...

Till then... seize the day sis! LIFE has SO much to offer :)
























Big Hugs,
Steisi.

A Speech to Pawan Patil

I delivered this speech one hour ago in Bonn International Toastmasters Club. At the end of the speech, together with the round of applause from the-always-supporting people in Toastmasters, I felt so nostalgic of my FUNtastic time with my previous boss, Pawan Patil, in the World Bank Office Jakarta. I would like to share the speech with you--readers.

Back then in July 2009, we never had the chance to throw Pawan a farewell party. But, I've always wanted to have the honor to convey this speech to him!

In the beginning, I asked the Host of the evening to inform the following to the audience:

"For Steisi's speech, I would like to briefly introduce the context. We are all Steisi's colleagues at work, in World Bank Office Jakarta. This afternoon is a farewell party to Steisi's Boss and our colleague, Pawan Patil, a senior economist and a committed advocate of Youth Issues in the office. Pawan finished his term after 5 fantastic years in Indonesia. He will start a new journey in Doha, Qatar, Middle East Region."

So, here’s the text of my prepared speech (I was delivering the speech without notes):

Wonderful colleagues and friends,

This is not an easy afternoon. I say I prefer one of those busy working days, staying up late in the office, finalizing PowerPoint presentations or policy papers for early meeting with government people//

Why is this not an easy afternoon? Because I have to stand here and address 3 people: My boss, my life mentor, and my good friend. All with the same name: Pawan Patil//

Pawan, when people ask me why I am working in the field of youth development and why I’m so passionate about it, I will tell them it’s your fault!//

It’s because two years ago, there was someone named Pawan Patil, a huge believer in Youth issues, who welcomed me in his team in this office. Back then, I was just finishing my studies in Food Technology, but you spotted that flickering fire in my eyes, that youth energy in me, and my longing to work in the field of development//

You set the bar high in my expectation for future bosses. You are very articulate and your enthusiasm is contagious. I have never remembered leaving your office without feeling excited and motivated to ‘get-going’, to do some action, to get the work done. You brought me to various meetings, even to those high-level meetings, and you introduce me to people. You successfully brought President Martti Ahtisaari on board for our Youth Employment project. You invited me to join meeting wih him! As a young person who is starting my career in the field of development, that means a lot! You welcome critical feedback and you gave me this wonderful advice that I will never forget:

“Steisi, at any time, in those meetings, projects, or events, always think: “How can I do this differently? How can I do this better?”

You are my life mentor. You are a big champion of work-life balance and life-long learning. You put family first! In any stressful situation, I witnessed you picking up those phone calls from your kids, with a cheerful tone. Whenever appropriate, you shared that you are a big fan of your wife and that she is the engine that keep you moving! You were a great supporter of my dream to go to grad school. I still remember that one evening after I got admitted to a grad school, we were sitting in front of the computer screen sending emails to scholarship foundations… and one month later we were talking over the phone literally screaming in joy because they accepted my application! At that time you said:

“Steisi, continue doing that in your future life: do your homework, think strategically, and ask people specifically what they can do to help you. People would love to be part of your endeavor.“

You are a good friend. You are fun to hang out with! We always had fun discussions and creative ideas over lunches or coffee times… One time we submitted this creative idea for an IT competition and we got third prize!! You invited me for a Christmas dinner with your family and we had nice-flowing conversations//

Pawan, all of us here are excited with your new journey in the Middle East region. The region has a huge challenge of Youth Unemployment and you have decided to take that challenge! It is a big loss on our side, but, I would like to see it in the way that the other part of the world needs you… Your energy, enthusiasm, and expertise in the field of youth development//

I can never thank you enough for the most inspiring 2 years of my life. All I can do is paying it forward. In my dictionary the word Goodbye does not exist, only ‘see you later’. So, see you later Pawan, my boss, my life mentor, and my friend//

End of speech