A day in Moni and Kelimutu

After visiting the sunrise at the Kelimutu crater lakes – worth a 4 am wake up – we headed over the hill to visit a local elementary school. We hit the local version of “being snowed in,” a landslide on the road that blocked both lanes. Despite switching from our car to 2 mopeds, we were waiting with all of the other Indonesians to get over the pass. An hour later, they opened a lane and we zipped over to school, needing to make it before they adjourned at 12:15 pm.

Schools here have short days, but meet 6 days a week. Public school is free (or at least heavily subsidized, can’t remember) until college, and all kids go to school through grade 12, just like in America. The rural mountain school we visited was like rural schools in many places: crowded, underfunded and simple. But unlike some other rural schools we visited (such as two in India), this one was full of bright and happy children and teachers, and was seemingly well organized.

All the children were brought out in the mid-day sun to say hi to us and to introduce themselves. They sang a couple songs and danced 2 dances for us. They were good! We had our ukelele with us, so Paloma and I returned in kind with a couple American songs – “Someone to Lava” and “You Are My Sunshine.” After this, we shared some gifts. Our guide Marino had helped us organize some school supplies to donate to the children, who could really use useful things like pens, papers, and, it turns out, soap and toothbrushes. Paloma and I handed them out to the children, personally introducing ourselves to each one and shaking their hands. “Hi, my name is Hayes. Nice to meet you. Here’s a toothbrush!” They were so very cute and so very happy. We spent some time chatting, and taking pictures together, and then headed inside to the 1st grade classroom.

We saw some math on the board, and Paloma jumped right in as “teacher,” writing problems, and letting the children solve them on the board. I introduced division to them for the first time, asking how 3 children would share 6 fruits. How many would each person get? Paloma drew it out, and the kids looked puzzled, but hopefully got the idea at least a little bit when Paloma showed that each kid gets two fruits. We wrote in their guest book, and after a while said goodbye with smiles and waves to all. I’m not exactly sure what those kids will tell their parents tonight!

Afterwards we headed further down the hillside to visit a traditional village. This village is only fully occupied once a year during a festival, but as we were getting a tour, the village elders, who live there permanently, invited us in to their home. After sitting with us in the cool shade of their palm-thatched home, they offered some coffee and food to us. Paloma was hungry, and who am I to turn down coffee…even though it was a bit scary. Their finest coffee here is processed first by the local fauna, the beans traveling through the digestive tract of a cat before being peeled, roasted , ground, and brewed for us in the manner of Turkish coffee (no filter). I guess that’s what you call a delicacy! Despite my aversion to the coffee-laden poop that was proudly illustrated on the table in front of me, I gave the black brew a try. And…it was delicious. And the food was too.

Paloma did happy dances she loved the food so much! Our hosts, who may have been in their 70’s, could not have been more smitten, like loving grandparents you’d meet anywhere in the world. You like my food? I like you! Here, eat more! We even ate the chili sauces – both of them! Our “snack” consisted of boiled bananas (not too sweet, more like bread), boiled sweet potatoes, fried banana rounds, fried sweet potato rounds, and two chile sauces – one fresh, and one cooked (Spicy!!). It was so good we got seconds! We learned that the elder man plays guitar, and he took quite naturally to the ukelele. And we learned that we are welcome back any time, because we loved their food.

Once again, Indonesians have proven that the world is a kind place. I like the people here a lot. The critters and the weather, not as much. They have mosquitoes and moths, some malaria and dengue, and jellyfish that I seem to be both attracted and allergic to. And it never stops being humid, even up in the mountains where the air is cool. But it seems safer and cleaner than India, so I travel with less paranoia for germs and dirty water. (The rural folks here boil their water before drinking it, yay!) I do miss Rachel though – we’re traveling separately this week, she with Anika and me with Paloma – and I’m excited to reunite with her in 3 days. Until then I’ll stay away from the bugs and try to talk to as many kind people as I can.