GIFTS OF INDONESIA: THIS TIME FROM BALI
I had to divert my trip to the USA from
Europe, so that I could once again be with my Indonesian friends.
My good friend Joe announced that he had
made arrangements and that I am to arrive in Bali close to midnight on a Friday
night.
Joe who is interested in many forms of
exercise and sports and more importantly is interested in facilitating that
interest among his employees was participating in the Bali Triathlon to be held
a couple of days later.
I had wanted to see his daughters M and M,
and I thought I would catch up with them in San Francisco the week later, but
they were also there, which was an added bonus. Brother Chee from KL had also
come.
The main event was the triathlon and
watching the incredible number of persons participating and their physique, one
gets inspired to do more and more exercise! Joe himself was the first among the
Indonesians to complete the Triathlon, even though there were Europeans ahead
of him, most of whom had experience in such matters, this being Joe’s first.
The team from the staff members took the no
3 spot that made every one happy since the 1 and 2 spots were taken by Bali
teams with the knowledge of the terrain.
Even though the visit was a short one, I
was in Bali less than two days, the warmth and affection felt among the friends
was overwhelming indeed. I am glad that in the past 14 months, I have been able
to visit them 7 times and each and every time pass many hours in their company:
and also enjoy the good Sundanese food among others. On each of these visits to
Bogor, another destination had been added on: Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta to
visit Borobudur and of course Jakarta.
My Cuban mother had commented that most
visitors to Cuba fall in love with a person and thus when that relationship
ends, the love for the country also evaporates. It is better to fall in love
with the country, she advised me.
Slowly since 2008, I have fallen in love
with Malaysia and the process is being repeated in Indonesia since May 2013!
Unexpected pleasures await you everywhere.in
Bali, the gift was meeting a recent graduate from the Colombia University’s School
of International and Public Affairs, with specialisation in Environmental
Policy especially Forestry. It felt especially good to feel that connection since a family friend, Tarek
Carney of Jamaica recently graduated from SIPA with double major, and now has
entered the UN Service for Refugees.
It is nice to thank the Spirits for
encounters such as the one I had in Bali, Indonesia.
Within 40 hours of arriving in Bali I was
on my way to KL and then on to Bruxelles.
