tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28842921427715064142024-03-14T15:15:42.583+09:00Adventures in Timor LesteTRAVEL HOPEFULLY, AND HAVE A BACKUP PLAN:
The online diary of a family working in Timor Leste (East Timor).Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-7547845116777720772014-12-30T17:01:00.000+09:002014-12-30T17:01:17.643+09:00Skitching<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I first
came across this term as having the meaning to ride your skateboard behind a
car holding the bumper bar, preferably ducking low enough so the driver
couldn't see he was towing you as a hitchhiker-cum-stowaway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">There is a
refinement here in Dili. A kid on a bicycle will hang on to the tail hook of a cooperative
motorbike rider and coast along. Sometimes 2 kids. My record, though, was Dad
with one hand on the right of the tow rail and his other arm linked to a son
whose brother was linked to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But wait,
that’s not all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">On the
other side, brother number 3 was holding the left of the tow rail, making for a
5-wide cavalcade of riders. They were travelling at a comfy 20 kph down the
main street of Dili calmly ignoring the honks of protest from traffic banked up
behind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">There
aren't that many roads without deep or extensive potholes in Dili and it didn't seem to me that
the one handed riders (or none, in Dad’s case) would cope with this well. I
wonder where they were going?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-25417656701285511742014-12-30T16:52:00.000+09:002014-12-30T17:58:43.540+09:00Conference in a Carmelite Convent<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It’s the
weekend between Christmas and New Year, and I’m working trying to begin the
process of educating staff. Some of them are finance staff who have never been
shown their budgets. This weekend they are going to be told about execution
rates, how to estimate cash needs and even perform the actual estimate for next
year. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They are also being told they will be getting position descriptions (most
have none, and those that exist are outdated) and the outline of a restructure will
be promulgated for discussion. It’s a massive load of work for staff who really
aren't prepared for much of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The beauty
of finance, governance and systematization will, I suspect, be largely lost on
them, given the extraordinary amount and mix of coceptual, legal and process work and learning being imposed in such a short time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
But we are
in an Carmelite convent, in Maubara, one and a half hours west of Dili. It is also beautiful. And I’m about to upload some photos of the convent, high on a hill,
and the views to my Flickr account. <i>Edit: Sorry, Yahoo has bought Flickr and locked me out of my account. Here are a couple of the convent, and the view. Clicking on them should bring out the lovely large HD images.</i><br />
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Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-88946768802739834682014-12-23T15:25:00.000+09:002014-12-23T15:25:19.166+09:00The things you seeThere is a principle in law in Australia called adverse possession. If you use something for at least 20 years and don't recompense the owner, who does not make a claim on you, you can claim ownership. It's a very drawn out version of 'Finders keepers, losers weepers' I guess. I'm not sure that the same principle applies in Timor, but quite a few companies publish letters stating their sole right to names (such as Samsung, Toyota etc). I do wonder if this is in response to, or anticipation of, such a law.<br />
<br />
It rains every day, and there is more water on the roads and less water in the drains. Haven't figured that one out. <br />
<br />
Many of the Timorese seem to sing their language (which is not tonal). Just Add Water pointed this out to me about a month ago, and now my accent is much better as a result. Rising and falling inflections are often the only way to distinguish between a statement, a question and a demand. No wonder that the word for language in Tetum ('lian') also means song. <br />
<br />
It's Christmas and all over Dili, people are building nativity scenes, with spare wood, thatched roofs and cut-out or even plaster figures. And huge numbers of multi-coloured LED lights. Often there are sound systems and kind of impromptu parties going on. It seems to me that these are being set up by poorer, rather than richer folks, despite the electrics etc. Sometimes Santa Claus is accompanying the three kings. The local Burger King hands out cardboard crowns (without branding) for kid's birthdays, and some of these are being used on the plaster heads of the kings.<br />
<br />
There is an unofficial contest for 'highest Chrstmas tree in Dili'. The current winner is Telcomcel, whose entry is only visible at night, since it is green LEDs strung from the ground to the top of a mobile phone base station. A lot of us have thought that the Telcomcel people in particular are showing tendencies about which Freud might have something to say.<br />
<br />
All Government cars have to be labelled as such ("kareta estada"), to prevent corrupt use. This does not stop assignees legally using the cars after hours, just as in Australia governments fund privately plated cars for senior officials. There seem to be an awful lot of "kareta estada" on the streets.<br />
<br />
Fireworks seem to be freely available and a toy of choice for children. I haven't yet worked up the courage to ask where I can buy some, but a few (or more than a few) fireworks for my birthday next year sounds like fun.<br />
<br />
Dogs are everywhere. In the heat of the day, they sleep so bonelessly by the side of the road that I've thought they were dead, perhaps fatally hit by a car. Until they'd open one sleepy unconcerned eye or cock an ear. A dog on my street barks a bit at anyone, but goes nuts whenever I walk by. I'm wondering if it hates me because I smell like a malae. Or if I just need to change my deodorant.<br />
<br />
People, especially young women, and also people on motorbikes wear jackets or hoodies backwards. To my eyes it's an odd look. Maybe it helps keep their clothes clean?<br />
<br />
<br />Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-55187451217352236572014-12-23T10:26:00.003+09:002014-12-23T10:26:32.745+09:00Best (?) laid plans<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been having endless and fairly boring problems getting and keeping an internet connection and as a result have had to use two different computers to do my work on. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">[Warning: Dangerous stupidity alert. If you are subject to contagious stupidity, reading further is at your own risk.]</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I’m working, unavoidably, on the same piece of work on two computers. I can do this with what used to be known as the sneaker network – you carry the work from one to the other on a USB (or, in the old days, a floppy disk). So what do I do? I store it in the cloud so that whenever I access it I have the latest version. Which is great for version control, but not so good if you are having internet access problems. So now I can’t get at a vital piece of work on either computer. I can’t believe I did this, especially since work provided me with a 4GB USB drive. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Final solution was to get a temporary internet connection, download the paper pronto. And get a new computer from work, my third in two months. I started blushing now every time I contact IT support. :(</span></div>
Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-8522601141503679372014-12-10T22:12:00.000+09:002014-12-10T22:12:51.280+09:00Tempu udan (rainy season)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rains have really come. They are washing out the sewers
and the garbage men have obviously been waiting for this. At the grates of
every canal/sewer all the plastic bottles, litter and other stuff has gathered
and can be easily scooped up and trucked away. Littering is not a national
sport here, but it is a part of normal life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is a form of spinach which grows in the sewers called
cancun or kang kung. Although I recognise that many of our vegetables are grown
using hen excrement (excuse me, dynamic lifter) there is something that worries
me about eating the product of the human equivalent. The outside is washed (at
least by restaurants) but even so…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have also been warned off water coming in the 18 litre
bottles for the duration of the wet season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just Add Water and I have been exchanging poetry. Usually
haikus, but she did demand a sonnet. I have recently been readmitted to Rotary which
meets at Timor Plaza. A dinner is served at every meeting as a small
fundraiser. The following event occurred when I spotted my favourite food,
pesto, but discovered I had made a slight mistake:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the dark lonely night of old Dili, <br />
Where the Plaza Club towers e'er higher <br />
I took a huge mouthful of chili<br />
And was set in an instant on fire. <br />
I called out "For pity's sake, water!" <br />
And the steam from my ears reached the rafter, <br />
As my friends and their pitiless laughter <br />
Made me feel like a lamb to the slaughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her response to an event back home sent me into fits of
laughter:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hey diddle diddle<br />
[Names are deleted]<br />
Went for a walk in the wetlands.<br />
The little dog laughed to see such fun<br />
And ran away, and ran away, and ran away…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You have to know our dog to understand the humour I guess,
but let’s just say that she has ribbons for obedience and is allowed into (and
behaves in) restaurants and libraries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Work continues to amuse, absorb and frustrate in turns, but
‘twas ever thus. I’m very focused on doing the right thing and sticking to my
hours, to prove that a solid day’s work and putting 10 hours or more per day is
not a prerequisite for good performance. Overwork sets a poor example for my
Timorese counterparts who can conclude (a) that if they want good results they
too have to work hours that separate them from family, family life and social
obligation; or (b) the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">malae</i> will
take care of it all, so why bother? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m afraid I have become somewhat cynical about the motives
of a minority of the consultant community who seem to either deliberately breed
dependence to keep getting highly paid contracts or who like to feel the
country would collapse without them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
firing and expulsion of the Portuguese judges and legal advisors and trainers are possibly a case in point. Nearly all the arguments have been around the independence of the
judiciary. The only arguments in relation to existing Timorese capacity was
that foreign judges and trainers were not doing enough to justify their
continued presence. This criticism has largely gone unanswered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Meanwhile, the rains are usually warm and pleasant to be in.
On one occasion, my wallet, the cards in it and that ridiculous paper US
currency got soaked. Drying them all was a challenge, but in the end everything
was OK. Just like being here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-48055720055939152652014-12-01T20:49:00.000+09:002014-12-01T20:49:06.855+09:00Hanesan, maibee la hanesan ("the same but different")'Same same but different' is what the street hawkers in Bangkok tell you when you ask if the $20 Rolex you are about to buy is authentic. I've been promising for some time to say how Dili has changed in the five years<br />
<br />
Some of the differences: Dili now has some really decent roads. Unfortunately the previous lower speeds are not maintained by many of the drivers, some of the motorcyclists in particular. They are breathtaking in their audacity, skill and ability not to worry about their safety or anyone else's.<br />
<br />
Dili has a shopping mall with a Gloria Jeans, a Burger King and a cineplex. It charges much more than its less elegant counterparts. It does have a decent supermarket and a really good coffee shop run by a local charity for orphans and abused youth. Of which Timor has a shocking number. I am told that the advent of a Burger King was not greeted with enthusiasm by UN workers here. An international fast food chain ticked the last box for lowering the hardship allowances they were being paid.<br />
<br />
On the seashore in the bar/restaurant stretch that we used to frequent, a new coffee store has opened. They only use Timorese coffee, which is very good, from accredited growers who are paid a higher price for the product. They roast the coffee right in the store (mmmm!) and serve a great espresso.<br />
<br />
Much of the area where I used to live was the centre of town, due to its closeness to the Palacio do Governu (essentially Parliament house and the Department of the Prime Minister rolled into one).<br />
<br />
The central focus of town is now the Dili Plaza (the new shopping mall, not far from the airport. That old centre has really declined. It's rather sad that some of the places are now so run down. Less sad is the closure and demolition of some of the brothels which were accused of having underage prostitutes and of people trafficking. However, I was told by an expat that anyone who wanted anything could fairly easily find it in Dili. It was not a topic I wanted to explore, but his expression gave me the impression that this was on the rise.<br />
<br />
The rise and fall of restaurants is to be expected, with some having massively improved their quality and some declining markedly. The informal market which used to set up each night along the beach near the restaurant strip selling barbecued fish, chicken, corn cobs and root vegetables got moved on to a place where they would have a hard time making a living. Again, a shame. I wasn't scared of eating their produce and had the occasional cheap and tasty snack.<br />
<br />
All in all, it's a story of slow, unequal and less than planned development. But there <u>are </u>plans and as I saw in Liquica, the will to put them into action. I shall now pour a gin and tonic, and toast Timor's development. <i>Ba Futuru!</i>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-53995854316952642652014-11-30T09:28:00.000+09:002014-11-30T09:30:09.833+09:00Travelling West<div class="MsoNormal">
A bit an adventure yesterday. I went to a nearby town,
Liquica, with the hash for a walk. It was pretty hot but somewhat cloudy.
Liquica is far enough away to have different weather to Dili anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our walk set off. It was to be a short walk around the town,
pointing out points of interest rather than a long walk with occasional beauty
spots whose purpose was principally exercise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The points of interest arose before we reached the first
one. A group of youths had blocked off the street with traffic cones and were
saying “Labele! Labele!”. This literally meant forbidden and it was clear from
the context that we were not to follow our path. A rapid exchange of Tetun
began and it looking up ahead there was a large outdoor ceremony with people on
plastic chairs overflowing out of a shrine and blocking the road. Our prospects
for continuing did not look good.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just then the skies opened. Torrential rain bucketed down. My
carefully applied sunscreen and mosquito repellent were gone in a flash, but
there was no sun to speak of and any insects foolish enough not to be seeking
shelter would have instantly drowned. All the chairs on the road were
immediately shifted to positions with a less favourable view but more cover. The
youths manning the roadblock, seeing the way clear, allowed us past with an
instruction to be respectful. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went past the shrine, where a bass-baritone was singing
something that sounded like it might have come out of Timor-Leste’s animistic
past. A supreme irony of the Indonesian occupation was that through their
refusal to accept ‘non-organised’ religions, like the widely prevalent animism,
they may have created the most Christian and Catholic country on earth outside
Vatican City itself. Nevertheless, articles I have read suggest that strong
roots to the old animism survive inside ‘Timorese Catholicism’.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We quietly filed past the crowd, who looked at us curiously,
but no-one disturbed the old man singing. We made our way up to Liquica
Hospital and back down through the ceremony once more. This time a pair of
teenagers were singing a religious duet. We quietly filed by again, and
although some of the younger people in the crowd looked at us and giggled (they
were sheltering and we were stolidly trudging through the rain) it seemed we
had not really impacted on those for whom this was most important. I hope so,
anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went past the Portuguese governor’s mansion, now being
rebuilt after having been pretty much destroyed, an intact church where Indonesian
troops or their Timorese supporters had massacred women and children attempting
to hide from the fighting and other buildings, either derelict and being
rebuilt or in the process of being built to stimulate social and economic life.
One walker commented that after travelling the districts he was stunned at how
little trade took place. Firewood, cigarettes, ‘pulsa’ (mobile phone credits)
and car and bike fuel accounted for a great deal of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually we made it back and went to dinner. I’d decided
to go home early and fortunately so had many of the drivers. We went in convey
at several kilometres out of liquica were stopped in a traffic snarl. There had
been a flash flood, the road had washed away and locals were performing a basic
repair as traffic built up. I went to look. They were using nothing but sticks
and bare hands as tools. Eventually the heavy equipment – a single spade – was brought.
After about an hour we got through, aware by that stage that there was another
potential trouble spot ahead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bad news was that there was indeed a blockage, with a
worse traffic snarl than before. The good news was that a combined trench digger/bulldozer
was already at work. The bad news was that the road had been washed away to a
depth of 3-4 metres – it was a gaping gash and the digger at best could create
only a single lane passageway while traffic was snarled in both directions. The
good news was that there was a landslip behind us, which we had avoided but hash
members from the US Navy Construction Brigade (known as the “CBs”) had been
caught behind. Using their own bare hands and with local help they had cleared
the road enough for them to catch up with us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually, the digger finished its work and with CBs
directing traffic, we set off along roads that had been choked with dust that
afternoon. It was now night and the roads were wet all the way to Dili. The
night was cool and pleasant and we’d driven the 40 kms home in about 3½ hours.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope my next travel out to the districts isn’t quite as
interesting.<o:p></o:p></div>
Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-55966687689564725692014-11-29T07:24:00.001+09:002014-11-29T07:24:31.153+09:00Monster postI swear I am going to start a new blog. Currently I have to go into a years-dead identity, linked to a now non-existent ISP, to log on. Because Google knows what my current identity is, it helpfully logs me into that instead and refuses access to this. So I have to do it via an incognito window - cumbersome, but I can do it, so enough complaining.<br />
<br />
I've been in Timor for a month and it has changed in some ways and remained very much the same in others. Despite the huge turnover in advisors and diplomats and aid workers, I'm pleased to keep running into old mates. Long term expat friends are also a pleasure plus I'm making new friends.<br />
<br />
I have been as busy as a one-legged man in a bum kicking contest, trying to find accommodation, buy a car, learn Tetun and put in a decent week's work while learning the ropes. Also I have absolute nightmares with Google, IT and networks, so forgive the lack of communication until now.<br />
<br />
The rains came today (it remains to see if they last). At 4 pm it felt like 45 degrees C, at 4:05 I was wondering if I was too late to build an ark. (And where would I get the animals, two by two? Dili's not London and it hasn't a zoo!) By 6 pm 2 inches of rain had fallen and the roads were largely dry. Muggy is too mild a term for how it feels, but the temperature has dropped to about 30 and the humidity can't be too much above 98%.<br />
<br />
I'm working in a Ministry which at least for now shall go nameless, helping them strengthen their financial systems. I'm getting used to the pitying gazes when I say that, and the surprise when people realize that I'm not here for the cash, I think this can be done and I am the bloke to do it. Not the only one in the world, obviously, but uniquely qualified all the same. And I really have some great people to work with.<br />
<br />
(As everyone knows, I don't discuss matters properly the business of the Timorese government, the Australian government or my employer here on my blog. Apart from anything else, it would a betrayal of confidence and totally unprofessional.)<br />
<br />
I smile and say the greeting appropriate to the time of day to many people on the street (I walk nearly everywhere which is great for fitness but has led to a couple of bad sunburns). I get the occasional thousand-yard stare, but usually at least a smile and/or a verbal acknowledgement. Quite a few times young people (and I remind readers that the Timorese are rather beautiful, with the most stunning smiles) have walked along with me. I have spoken in my fairly stumbling Tetun, which their English generally puts to shame.<br />
<br />
I have to admit, I was rather worried about the intentions of some of the young women, but it seems that they just wanted to talk to a friendly <i>malae </i>who was at least trying. I realise that very few foreigners do try. A couple of the young men did want to use me as a contact with the embassy to help them access the 'working in Australia' scheme, but I managed to persuade them that I was not in the embassy and had no influence on their selection processes. They gave up with reasonable grace, and as with everyone else, I thanked them for the Tetun lesson.<br />
<br />
In talking in Tetun, direct questions are asked, although indirect replies often given. Questions <b>not </b>considered nosy when talking to someone for the first time include "Where are you going?", "Where are you [originally] from?", "How many children do you have?" and "How old are you?". The answer to this last question nearly always shocks them, in that I am so old (they wouldn't have guessed) and that I only have two children, none returned (i.e. died before the age of 2). I get my own share of shocks. One girl I was walking with turned out to be 22 (somewhat more then I had guessed although I had been misled because she was still at school) with two children.<br />
<br />
Oddly, your name often is asked last, or not at all.<br />
<br />
Tonight I am sitting in the restaurant in the place where I live. The food's not great. Apparently it used to be then both chefs left. I had fried eggs the other morning for breakfast. Possibly deep fried. The staff are friendly but need just about a .45 fired over their heads to get their attention. Like much of Timor, busy work plus a fair bit of wandering back and forth and taking mobile phone calls occupies them. This is not a slur, It is an indication that 400 years of occupation where initiative was punished takes its toll on even the proudest people. But it is something that can, in time, be adressed.<br />
<br />
And that will be part of my job, in a country that has always known the stick and rarely the carrot.<br />
<br />
<br />Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-79865693775583077072014-11-06T13:40:00.001+09:002014-11-06T13:40:47.774+09:00Back on the ground againWhere has the time gone? Just Add Water and I have been rushing around like the proverbial headless chooks, particularly trying to arrange new accommodation. The market is very tight for reasonable apartments or villas. Between the two of us we've inspected well over twenty and the search continues. The thought of living in a hotel room for a year leaves us both fairly cold.<br />
<br />
With the sacking and expulsion of a number of foreign legal advisors and judges (remember, my blog does not make political comments or judgements) I was rather selfishly hoping that some quality stuff would hit the market, but none of my contacts have come forward. At the moment we are paying $US3,200 per month for a 2 bedroom place overlooking a construction site with electricity, gas, laundry, cleaning, water rates and everything else NOT included. There is free internet but you are fortunate to download a single page in a night. Reminds me of internet speeds in 1990!<br />
<br />
We're also looking for a car, although we might have a little more luck there. A soon-to-depart aid worker has a relatively good 4WD on offer. Cars in Timor keep their value, and so are relatively expensive but you get your money back in the end.<br />
<br />
Less household, more Dili.<br />
<br />
I've been on one Hash run (walk), walked the 11 km loop around the Christo Rei peninsula behind the huge statue of Christ, attended Rotary (funny how many of the Hash hoons are pillars of the Rotarian society) and covered a very conservative 50kms on foot in the last two weeks. Just Add Water has been doing well and will go on her first dive tomorrow. Somehow, don't ask me, last night she was complaining of cold feet (literally, not figuratively).<br />
<br />
Dili has changed in some ways and not at all in others. I'll go into more detail later, but I'm warm and there's really nothing that compares with a G&T in the tropics. The Dili population, by and large are not as painfully thin as I remember them, but I'll be visiting the hospitals in the districts soon and I expect to see another story. Hunger is a major issue here.<br />
<br />
The clever merchants of Dili have come up with a way to market jeans. Given that Timorese women are still very slender on the whole, they buy skinny leg mannequins, squeeze them into the jeans and just leave them unzipped at the front (no way that these jeans are going to fit a western model's figure!).Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-19645751399050329172014-10-11T15:41:00.001+09:002014-10-11T15:41:40.813+09:00Packing Part 2Our house used to resemble Aladdin's cave. Dirt on the floors, chests everywhere and loaded with treasures (if only you could find them). And don't even get me started on the storage warehouse called the garage that looked less like a place in which a car had ever been parked and more like Ground Zero in New York City. And enough spiders to make Shelob's lair look like a haven for arachnophobes.<br />
<br />
We have cleaned, polished, tidied, gardened and most of all disposed of the accreta of several decades. Our neighbours unknowingly allowed us to fill up their bins on garbage night, and still it comes. We have not yet begun to pack. Just Add Water's passport has not been issued yet and I'm pretty irritated since we paid over $100 more than a week ago for priority processing.<br />
<br />
Other things are progressing. I've signed my contract, we're flying out in less than two weeks. We don't know where we are staying, but that will sort itself out. I hear that One More Bar in Dili has closed, which is a pity as the proprietor not only ran a decent bar but was a qualified butcher and served up some pretty good tucker.<br />
<br />
We're getting tradies in to fix everything we should have done long ago. Just Add Water is putting in a sterling effort and Three Strokes has been of assistance.<br />
<br />
And of course we're leaving Canberra just as the weather starts to improve.Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-31216964665208158172014-10-05T07:56:00.002+09:002014-10-05T07:56:59.801+09:00Packing - part 1 of many.We are getting ready for the move, which is less than 3 weeks. It's been a salutatory lesson on how much you can get done if you have to, rather than if you vaguely want to. My study, a source of personal shame and disgrace, will be tidy and ready to vacuum today. Fidget's bedroom is already done. He saw it on Skype and was gobsmacked. For the first time I actually believe that we can do this. Things are moving quickly and stars are falling into alignment.<br />
<br />
Even the weather is cooperating. It's spring in Canberra and it isn't pouring with rain and sleet.<br />
<br />
We had a mild disaster last night when a shelf gave way and dropped onto my computer chair. It was about 100 kilos of shelf and papers. However, I was downstairs and it somehow missed everything of value, including my main computer. Just Add Water was terrified that I'd been injured, only to find me arriving and asking what the blazes was going on. Picked up all the mess and got ready to continue, but I decided it was bedtime.<br />
<br />
There are going to be a few time consuming things, and the question will be whether to address the problem now or do a Pablo Picasso. Picasso was notorious for crating everything up when he moved house, and never uncrating, but simply accumulating more possessions. By nature, I am very minimalist (with a couple of exceptions, mainly T-shirts), but Just Add Water gets sentimentally attached, particularly to books. It's a question of approach - I ask "Will I ever read this again?", whereas she asks "Will I feel comfortable getting rid of this?".<br />
<br />
We still have a long way to go, however, and the question of our trio of pets is very much unresolved.Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-62568046773562634652014-09-29T07:06:00.000+09:002014-09-29T07:06:24.594+09:00Diak Malae rises againIt has been 5 years since I posted and much water has gone under the bridge since then.<br />
<br />
I left my job in Dili and returned to my Department in Canberra. Leaving there, I went to AusAID, which became the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I left there, thinking to retire, but found that retirement was a gig that was too hard for me. I haven't had one of those for a long time.<br />
<br />
Plus Fidget has announced his intention to pursue an education in Melbourne. Or Canada. Or anywhere that is (a) expensive and (b) far away from his loving parents.<br />
<br />
Just Add Water has had no water added for quite some time, and I think a return to Dili and its diving may do her the world of good. It's possible she could write 'colour pieces' for the new Timor Tourism initiative.<br />
<br />
We've got about three weeks to pack the house and get it presentable for letting and it's panic stations already. I'll post as I get time, but everyone I speak on the phone says I sound excited and happy (subtext: for the first time in ages).<br />
<br />
I am looking forward to the Dili morning sky.Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-91069778069317489272009-08-12T15:22:00.000+09:002009-08-12T15:25:08.516+09:00A Dili miscellany.I haven’t written for a while, largely due to work pressures but also thanks to no large focus.<br /><br /><br />So I’ve assembled a few small things, a bunch of verbal gewgaws.<br /><br /><br />Some Tetum expressions: oin midar (“sweet face”) translates to “smile”. “La halimar” (“not playing”) translates as “seriously” in the sense of “very” e.g. tasi bo’ot la halimar means “seriously big waves”. Oi-oin (face-facing) means “a variety”. Manas (“hot”) is fun. Rai manas (“hot land”) actually refers to hot weather, but if you are suffering from hot weather, you cannot say “hau manas”. That is either ungrammatical, or slang for “I’m crazy”. You can say “nia manas” (s/he hot) and that translates out straight into our English idiom of “She’s hot!”. Isin rua (“two bodies”) means pregnant; it’s a useful phrase in my office. <br /><br /><br />The deer who graze by the shore have vanished. I hope Christmas in July did not feature venison. The tents for the night time barbequers also all vanished one night, although the people did not. The wood and bamboo scaffolding round the statue of Jesus is no longer there. Unfortunately, it didn’t vanish. It was simply untied and pushed down the slope.<br /><br /><br />I see so many things that take my fancy here, it really is a different place. Last weekend, I was just wandering and a family invited me to sit down and have a drink with them. I smiled and declined, as they were drinking Coke and Fanta. Asking for tea might have been too much and asking for water may have been unhealthy, so it was easier to pretend I had somewhere to be rather than refuse hospitality. Nevertheless, it made me feel good.<br /><br /><br />For those who don’t know, Just Add Water is now a Dive Master, to add to her impressive list of credentials. Solves the problem of answering: “And what do you do here?”, although what she is currently doing is learning Tetum, an activity for which she hasn’t had time to date.<br /><br /><br />The dry season has started. No, it hasn’t. Yes, it has. No, it hasn’t. Yes, for the moment, it has.<br />Except it rained last night.<br /><br /><br />Work progresses, and I’m going to leave that description right there.Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-53574850346501140952009-07-21T10:05:00.001+09:002009-07-21T10:07:44.378+09:00Update from the trenches<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">I haven’t written for a while, and this one really is just an update for those who are interested in personal happenings.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It will be of less interest to those who read for an understanding of Timor-Leste.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">I spent two weeks in Canberra.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Subjectively, they were two of the coldest weeks I have ever spent and my normal clothing amounted to 5 layers, including thermals.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Fidget was running around in shorts, a t-shirt and a hoodie.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The hoodie was a fashion statement, he wears one in subzero temperatures and +30 degree temperatures.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Naturally, just as I was about to come home I started to acclimatise.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Work has been crazy in any number of senses.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are at a key period and tension is running high.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Our national (i.e. Timorese) management team in the office have been promoted or reshuffled and all are new to their jobs, which does not help, so the international advisors are working as change managers, have higher support requirements being placed on them and also are still trying to deliver on the original aims set in a somewhat different environment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Tempers are not in short supply, but good tempers are.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">I’m fielding a few job offers (or at least inquiries as to my availability) at the moment, here and elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Just Add Water has noted that diving facilities will be a key criterion in determining acceptability – one of the options fares rather poorly in that regard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And Three Strokes would reverse-disinherit me if I tried to go somewhere a little dubious.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Like Afghanistan, Iraq or Pakistan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So places like that aren’t on the list.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Although I am told that the hazards are somewhat overstated.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The dry season has arrived at last.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Only no-one has told the weather, so the rainfall this week has been torrential.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Just Add Water is still in Australia and will be for a few more days.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She’ll be thoroughly dehydrated by the time she gets back.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And she acclimatised to Canberra’s cold awfully quickly, so I suspect she’ll be suffering a bit when she gets back.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">I’ll try to get out for more Timor colour, but I appear to be working 7 day, 90 hour weeks at the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-89006166258554548902009-06-24T23:22:00.008+09:002009-06-25T17:45:32.444+09:00A picture is worth a thousand words…<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEy3Oy3dk4CUm8m4Uq-0ro1kG7FdDxxLX19dKf7yy6M506AUrgcDNxgD4NS8sPTVtZp0H4PWkeHZgvNAN-01Ep5CW602MTEFKyRKBUpG9_Yprz8m1paXqh4XFWynHTX7Gk1Bsi3mNjaBv/s1600-h/skyfire+v2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351176540943108322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEy3Oy3dk4CUm8m4Uq-0ro1kG7FdDxxLX19dKf7yy6M506AUrgcDNxgD4NS8sPTVtZp0H4PWkeHZgvNAN-01Ep5CW602MTEFKyRKBUpG9_Yprz8m1paXqh4XFWynHTX7Gk1Bsi3mNjaBv/s320/skyfire+v2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EHaPNRL-Kt9-UKjQ3w8mxBlZTGfcGSgDRUeEPNdUm0iXqox0g-3JiewfnQ68xjdcHnz6l2QOFMjjp54iiXUYNO9nKHc9rQIraJ8dMRzAT2VTOSwnZqb65Rn8cOst4xamFv-1dD0od-yl/s1600-h/skyfire+v1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351176537876535538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EHaPNRL-Kt9-UKjQ3w8mxBlZTGfcGSgDRUeEPNdUm0iXqox0g-3JiewfnQ68xjdcHnz6l2QOFMjjp54iiXUYNO9nKHc9rQIraJ8dMRzAT2VTOSwnZqb65Rn8cOst4xamFv-1dD0od-yl/s320/skyfire+v1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none"></span> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHdsCNNPgbF5bkKFYfbv8RsDtk_X5mG_kzPL_8SetFVvnO1Q1Srp2cSlG1RSxgtBPlkg_Z3TwlwX2_5Ud-Kdt1gsn8V1_qZND21OYy2j-7jGxat_gI9r1t69_NO-nfkxbJfKSuK_xsR7r/s1600-h/skyfire+v2.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none">...but sometimes even that is not enough.</span></a><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU">I was walking to work, and the sky was spectacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even that is too weak a word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Across a pale azure ceiling, someone had thickly spread a swathe of glowing lava, with a palette knife half the width of the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was sharp edged, entirely artificial and gloriously natural.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU">Blessed are the early risers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We have already inherited the earth.</span></p></div>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-74414720051378074532009-06-24T11:47:00.001+09:002009-06-24T11:52:03.172+09:00I think the air is alive.I work in an office with 10 women. Two are currently pregnant, one gave birth 6 weeks ago (and has now been back at work for a fortnight) and I suspect one more is starting to show. Two are grandmothers and may be largely past childbearing age, although I wouldn’t be laying any money down. <br /><br />Four are unaccountably not pregnant.<br /><br />At least visibly.<br /><br />Today.Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-194522004964325902009-06-17T08:16:00.001+09:002009-06-17T08:19:20.271+09:00When success is failure, and failure success.<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal">We were talking the other day about the quandary that faces most serious developers of capacity in any culture which has had long term aid programs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Decades of well meaning (I shan’t enter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">that</i> debate) intervention often leads, not to a nation developing a robust system of responsibility, accountability and bedrock bureaucratic competence, but instead a disempowering of national staff in the face of international expertise.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Very often, the better the technician, the worse the capacity builder.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Of course, there are real traps here, because perverse incentives get built in.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For national staff, while there is an advisor to take work off your hands if it is not up to standard, it is easier and safer <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">not</b> to do it well and push both the effort and the risk of failure onto the advisor.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With a never-ending stream of advisors and a philosophy that seems common amongst agencies to ‘churn’ advisors, no one is there long enough to catch on.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Or they are incapable of allowing failure.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Or maybe they even play along too.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">So what happens when the rules change?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The advisor, hired nominally to build capacity, actually attempts to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She folds her arms and says “Not good enough, do it again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Or don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am not going to do it for you, so I <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">advise</b> you to do better, for your own sake.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If she is alert enough, she won’t be fooled by a quite alarming number of strategies coming forward to shake her position, including stealthy resubmission of basically unchanged work, attempts to have other advisors take over the work, appeals to deadlines, appeals to urgency, appeals to friendship etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">That is when failure can happen.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If she has judged matters well, the failure will be painful but not fatal, and the errors will not relate to mission-critical work.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She will not be popular, and the blamestorming will be intense.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The failure may work well enough to shake up some entrenched dependent behaviours.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Of course it needs to be supplemented by support mechanisms (for the very people vituperating her) and development strategies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">If she misjudges either the people or the situation, she may be sacked.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Despite forcing a capacity build, she will almost certainly be endangering any extension of her capacity building contract.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">No wonder some take the easy path of doing all the work and bemoaning the inability/incapacity of national staff.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The system reinforces dependencies, institutes a round-robin of reports proving those dependencies and shores up the position of aid agencies abroad.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The rewards to nationals of taking responsibility are unclear and often uncertain.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are not looking to incentivise the system, and the perverse results remain.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">This post is more asking the questions than proffering answers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m not trying to offend aid agencies – I work to one that is serious about trying to develop capacity, not just pay lip service to the concept.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I just wish there was more consciousness of this and less reliance on systems and methods that seem to have such a poor track record.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">In the meantime, my arms are crossed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My national friends can – and will – do better and will be better off for it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">I hope they eventually forgive me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-29486183521746611792009-06-17T08:07:00.002+09:002009-08-09T07:51:07.161+09:00Limpeja, round 3.<p class="MsoNormal">Dili’s emu parade is still on, with the President exhorting the UN and diplomatic agencies and non-government organisations to join in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>About the only group not included in his call is the unemployed who would probably leap at the chance if offered a couple of bucks and a brush every week.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU">He wants the place to be clean and tidy, “like Singapore”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some malae fairly acidly observe that the problem is not in the cleanup, the problem is the littering that immediately follows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU">If Ramos-Horta seriously wants the place to be as clean as Singapore, maybe he needs to take a leaf out of Lee Kuan Yew’s book – make littering illegal, make the penalties both severe (stiff fines) and humiliating (caning) and enforce them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU">Medical doctors often prefer to attack the disease rather than treat the symptoms.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU">Just sayin’.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU" lang="EN-AU">In the meantime, Friday morning should be a relaxing stroll with a broom or a bag.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-8420978572306873762009-06-03T14:13:00.005+09:002009-06-03T22:00:22.926+09:00Apparently, my dad enjoyed buying cars......and I like cars, but have been able to scrape by without one for a while in Dili. Taxis are cheap, usually, and walking is really cheap, but both are problematic after 8:30 pm. Also, we own enough cars back in Canbera as it is. However, we have finally bought a[nother] car, a Honda CR-V. It's basically a 5 door hatch back automatic all wheel drive [AWD], relatively compact but not tiny.<div><br /></div><div>Our previous experience has made us familiar with AWDs. For Defence wonks, these AWDs are not to be confused with Air Warfare Destroyers. For a start, instead of several billion dollars, they cost USD 8,500. Or this one did anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>$8,500 is a reasonable amount of money. Until you go to the bank and attempt to take it out, whereupon it suddenly became unreasonable. I've already taken out a bank cheque once and won't do that again if I can possibly avoid it. But I did get a shock when they handed it to me in $10 notes. All of it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Talk about feeling vulnerable! I would have felt less visible with one of those huge and stupid publicity cheques, rather than with this fat bundled envelope which 50 people in the bank had seen me stuff to overflowing with banknotes and take out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fortunately, I was able to flick it to the seller quick smart. In her car, soon to be my car, she pulled out a computer case and slipped the cash inside. Then she refused a lift to the bank, hopped out and was on her way. She was very cool about the whole thing.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It probably looked like I was dealing drugs.</div>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-92078309127196250412009-06-03T10:58:00.001+09:002009-06-03T11:48:56.490+09:00Sights of Dili, here and there.<p class="MsoNormal">Motorcycle gangs, some on heavy duty 125cc machines, most on smaller bikes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some with sports exhausts.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Umm, yeah.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Girl asleep on the beach in the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Looks like it’s her usual spot.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">A deer (no kidding!) grazing on the park near the beach road.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think it belongs to the US or Norwegian embassy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It seems content, rather than overheated.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Honey sold in bottles hanging off the end of shoulder poles.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Atypically, the sellers are usually female.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Instead of corks, a dried corn cob is used as the stopper (plus sometimes a layer of bees).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The honey itself is strong and aromatic.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Guards outside the President’s house to protect it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the shadows of the walls, 10 feet from the guards, people smoking and selling petrol.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Security, anyone?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Although the Dili emu parade (the “limpeza”) appears to have ended, some bits of rubbish didn’t get moved.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Like a derelict car on the foreshore that has now been there for over four years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe no-one noticed it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Kids picking aluminium cans out of the garbage and off the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There must be a market for them, although since only the kids do it, it probably doesn’t really pay.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The normal PR victory of a huge 4WD, emblazoned with “UN” on all sides, driving well over the speed limit and horn blaring at any daring to get in its way.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think the driver was in a hurry to get to breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">People washing cars by repeatedly throwing buckets of water and/or hosing them down, and (separately) scattering water on the ground in front of houses and stores to settle the dust.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My comment that some of these activities would be illegal in my home town was met with blank incredulity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-17431461179423089962009-05-27T12:25:00.004+09:002009-05-27T13:13:32.347+09:00Walk to work<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIU2KNVlzsyLM-XxOtynNQULhoxdOPiH-dmLej_q982w_MvUqtSb3x_AKyBYkRp3S4RAu8JUTN3H14vAyQN7XlGEMmVBjNPimgtTkocNaXU1vy2yePm7A3SdqBYok3Kj7LxWKVI23qVS4/s1600-h/walk+to+work+26-5-09001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340351810941728930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIU2KNVlzsyLM-XxOtynNQULhoxdOPiH-dmLej_q982w_MvUqtSb3x_AKyBYkRp3S4RAu8JUTN3H14vAyQN7XlGEMmVBjNPimgtTkocNaXU1vy2yePm7A3SdqBYok3Kj7LxWKVI23qVS4/s320/walk+to+work+26-5-09001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My usual form of exercise is to walk to work. This takes between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how hard I push it, and I carry a 7-10 kilo pack. I start before dawn and walk to the Palacio. I usually go past it, down to a local café, where I meet a few work friends and discuss the day’s issues before heading off to begin the actual business of sitting down and producing.<br /><br />I decided, despite my poor camera skills, to actually record this. With my normal good timing I must have picked one of the haziest days I have ever seen to do this. The smoke on the air largely smelled of wood, rather than plastic, which was nice.<br /><br />I started at my front door (the photo is the view looking out from there), then I basically stopped every 5 minutes and took a photo and then moved on.</div><br /><div><br />However, the camera work slowed me down to the extent that I’m unlikely to do it again, so here’s the walk on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/diakmalae/sets/72157618847128412/">Flickr</a>.</div>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-23911251910240389102009-05-16T16:19:00.001+09:002009-06-03T11:51:10.622+09:00Good news, bad news.<p class="MsoNormal">The good news was that like most of my work area, I was excused from ‘Limpeza’ (the Dili emu parade) this week.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The bad news was that, unlike the rest who were on a training course, I had worked till late the previous night.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I then worked early through to late on Friday, and was going to have to work all Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">However, the good news was that my first boss said the Saturday work would just be facilitating meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The bad news was that it was Ministers of Government who were meeting and I don’t speak the language that well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">However, the good news was that one of my co-workers will be there to translate, assist and for me to help her as well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She’s sharp, well qualified and a subject expert on much of the material.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The bad news is that she doesn’t want to be there and may not turn up.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">However, the good news is that my other boss says that I’m not facilitating the meetings anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The bad news is that my first boss doesn’t know this.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">However, the good news is that I’m not being forced to take a position, just agree with whoever spoke last.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The bad news is that the situation is a bit like two dogs with one bone, and I’m the bone.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">However, the good news is that the meeting will define a lot of our strategy for us and help us aim things in the direction that the Government wants.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The bad news is that this will involve a shed load of high pressure, tight deadline work.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Which will inevitably fall on the shoulders of malae advisors.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">However, the good news is that I am alive, healthy and happy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After that, there can be no bad news.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-13554524031073007732009-05-13T09:26:00.001+09:002009-06-03T11:50:33.277+09:00Mothers Day 2009We went out to Bob’s Rock for Just Add Water to just add water to her sadly dehydrated physiology.<br /><br />I took photos on the way (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/diakmalae/sets/72157618014811658/">set on Flickr</a>) but most of them were blurred. Some things stuck with me, however. There were goats on the beach, a heavily pregnant pig which desperately wanted to pinch all our food and a couple of dogs, similarly motivated. Sometimes the pig would start to make a move on the food only for the dog to warn it off – a bit of an amusing game, all said.<br /><br />Also we drove through an IDP [internally displaced persons] camp. This was a bit of an eye opener. I had expected UN supplied tents and folks sitting around doing nothing. Neither was the case. They had constructed huts out of local materials, the roads were lined with stacks of firewood and there were little canteens and such selling the necessities of life. Commerce was quite active. The denuded hills behind the camp pointed to the source of the firewood. These people are refugees in their own country, displaced largely in 2006 in the most recent round of significant civil strife. The Government is trying to resettle them back in their villages, but problems remain.<br /><br />At Bob’s Rock, Just Add Water spent 90 minutes underwater on each tank, which is really low air consumption – good value for money, too! I just sat and read, as my initial snorkelling plans were derailed by murky water and a report of strong currents.<br /><br />On the way back, we saw an accident near where we had dived, but the ambulance was approaching and we had no room in the car. Then we were diverted, as a UN car had apparently fallen off a low bridge just coming in to Dili proper. Then we were diverted again near the Royal Thai Embassy, for reasons that were not clear, but involved swags of police.<br /><br /> I later found out that, apart from these accidents, two young Timorese men had drowned that weekend, swimming near Cristo Rei in Dili. Unlike Just Add Water’s dive at Bob’s Rock, there are treacherous currents in front of Cristo Rei, the two men did not have scuba tanks and they were not Dili locals. Both left behind young families and one had just graduated from university with a master’s degree in international relations – a tragic loss for both his family and the nation. I had met him at several Rotary meetings. The other turned out to be a friend of my Tetun instructor.<br /><br />Although this sounds fairly alarming, I mention its more by way of assuring people that this sort of thing is not normal. I see very few traffic accidents, despite the often carefree approach to driving.Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-4825202259304218962009-05-11T22:18:00.001+09:002009-06-03T11:45:11.490+09:00Just for Fun…<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><br /><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[i]</span></span></span></span></a>Hau nia naran Diak Malae.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hau nia ferik-oan nia naran Just Add Water.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ami iha ona-mane rua, sira nia nara Three Strokes ho Fidget.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hau hela Timor-Leste fulan rua ona, e hau ho Just Add Water atu hela iha fulan sanulu liu nia laran.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Horiseik dadeer Just Add Water luku oras ida ho balu nia laran, e horiseik lokraik hanesan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nia gosta barak.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nia haree “juvenile warty frogfish” hanesan “clown anglerfish”.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Iha lingua Tetun, ikun.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Sexta koruk iha hau nia servisu fatin, sira dehan katak hau nia xevi ba hosi director iha diretor geral.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ami advisor sira preciza ajuda Ministeirio agora.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Depois, tenki servisu liu.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Hau aprende Tetun maibee hau comprende ituan ituan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>La gosta la bele koalia lingua Tetun seidauk, maibee hau hela aprende segunda-segunda, quarta-quarta, sexta-sexta. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hau nia maestri hanoin hau koalia diak liu agora, e nia kontentu.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Yes, I’m showing off, but if you had to work the way I do to make what feels like really slow progress, you might feel a little bragging reinforcement was good therapy too.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Translation follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">My name is Diak Malae.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My wife’s name is Just Add Water.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We have two sons, whose names are Three Strokes and Fidget.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have lived in Timor-Leste for two months now, and Just Add Water and I will stay for [a further] 10 months duration.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Yesterday morning Just Add Water did a dive for an hour and a half and did the same in the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She was very happy [with that].<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[ii]</span></b></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She saw a juvenile warty frogfish, also known as a clown angler fish.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>[That translates]<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn3" name="_ednref3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[iii]</span></b></span></span></span></a> into Tetun as “fish”. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Last Friday at my office, [it was announced]<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn4" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn4" name="_ednref4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[iv]</span></b></span></span></span></a> that my boss was [promoted]<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn5" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn5" name="_ednref5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[v]</span></b></span></span></span></a> from director to director-general.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We advisors will need to assist the Ministry [to adjust]<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn6" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn6" name="_ednref6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[vi]</span></b></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>now.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So, [we]<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn7" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn7" name="_ednref7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style=" line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[vii]</span></b></span></span></span></a> will have to work harder.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">I am learning Tetun, but I still only understand a very little. [I]<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn8" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn8" name="_ednref8" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[viii]</span></b></span></span></span></a> do not like not being able to speak the Tetun language yet, but I am continuing to learn every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My teacher thinks [that]<a style="mso-endnote-id:edn9" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn9" name="_ednref9" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[ix]</span></b></span></span></span></a> I am speaking better now and he is happy [with my progress]<a style="mso-endnote-id: edn10" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn10" name="_ednref10" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[x]</span></b></span></span></span></a><sup>,</sup> <a style="mso-endnote-id:edn11" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_edn11" name="_ednref11" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">[xi]</span></b></span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <div style="mso-element:endnote-list"><br /> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn1"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;">End notes:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[i]</span></span></span></span> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Just Add Water is a spoil sport and has insisted on a translation<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn2"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[ii]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Tetun is highly contextual – many parts are not spoken, they are simply understood.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn3"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref3" name="_edn3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[iii]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">See ii.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn4"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn4" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref4" name="_edn4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[iv]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">I have mistranslated/oversimplified this due to my insufficient language skills.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn5"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn5" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref5" name="_edn5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[v]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">See iv<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn6"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn6" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref6" name="_edn6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[vi]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">See v<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn7"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn7" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref7" name="_edn7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[vii]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">See iii<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn8"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn8" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref8" name="_edn8" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[viii]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">See vii<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn9"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn9" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref9" name="_edn9" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[ix]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">See viii<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn10"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn10" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref10" name="_edn10" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[x]</span></span></span></span></a> <span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">See ix<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style="mso-element:endnote" id="edn11"> <p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a style="mso-endnote-id:edn11" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2884292142771506414&postID=482520225930421896#_ednref11" name="_edn11" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">[xi]</span></span></span></span></a> See vi<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div></div>Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884292142771506414.post-13598859969419636402009-05-08T10:51:00.003+09:002009-06-03T11:46:27.831+09:00Lots of blogging goodness today.I have now caught up somewhat. Everything was delayed by wanting to get the piece on Kakadu up (in chronological order) and that meant getting the photos on Flickr and that meant getting the internet at home (which we have at last) and that meant getting organised. All of which I have now done. Normal service is resuming.<br /><br />Some comments have appeared regarding adviser salaries up here, with that expert on running a lean, mean organisation, the Hon Alexander Downer, putting his 2c in. For those of my readers who know him and his track record, my advice is to read his contribution, apply as much belief as you would have to any of his previous statements, and you are all too likely to arrive at the truth. I'm not going to comment further on the issue, as the criticisms have not been based in fact, and responding to them is like putting out a fire by pouring on petrol.Diak Malaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853548508600085307noreply@blogger.com0