WE HAVE DREAMS TOO

-
BY GEORGINA KEKEA

ONCE a small fishing village, Labuanbajo is now said to be a bustling epicenter of tourism in Indonesia.

Labuanbajo does not have much to offer but it is the center point for impressive trips to see komodo dragons on Komodo island and the islands around it has extraordinary marine life, not to mention an island with a pink beach.

Capital of the regency MangarraI Barat, the western most region of Flores, Labuan Bajo (also spelled Labuhanbajo andLabuanbajo) is home to a number of people from surrounding villages.


 Yeni and Febiola are two year 12 students at SMKN 1 school in Labuanbajo. 

Like all teenagers in a rural area they also dream of seeing the city lights once in their lifetime.

"Every night I dream of going to Jakarta", says Yeni
"It is my dream to save money and go to Jakarta one day", adds Febiola.

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and is more than two hours flight from the small town of Labuanbajo. With 10 million people in Jakarta, it is a far cry from the town of Labuanbajo with only an estimated number of 53,000 people.

Yeni and Febiola are on attachment for three months as tour guides.  Their parents are farmers who plant and sell coffee beans for a living. All their young life they have never been anywhere else except around the islands of Flores where they grew up. 

"My favorite artist is Justin Bieber" says Yen while Febiola loves rock band Linkin Park.
In Labuanbajo, the wider area produces fish and oil PALM while alot of families do subsistence agriculture. 

For Yen, her village is called Indrong and Febiola comes from Muntung. 

"Our village is not like town, it is still rural", they say.

Both say being in the tourism business and learning how to be tour guides they hope to be the best tour guides in their province.


 "We see Komodo dragons, we go diving", they say.
But despite going about their daily business, they also have hopes to travel the world.

"I like America", says Febiola. "I wish to go to Korea", laughs Yen.
They are both 18 years old and this year is their final year at the local school.

"Ever heard of the Solomon Islands?" I asked and they both shook their heads.
They promised to look for Solomon Islands on a map when they both have the chance though.



For them, life is only in the islands and a treat for them is when they get to follow the tourists to islands such as Komodo as part of their training. 

Ends////

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AUSTRALIA: A STEADFAST PARTNER AND FRIEND TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY DR LACHLAN STRAHN, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SOLOMON ISLANDS Australia and Solomon Islands enjoy a close bond – indeed, we are Pacific family. The Blue Pacific is our shared home, our common region. The Coral Sea links us forever and continental drift is in fact pushing us closer together. But our deep friendship is based on much more than shared geography. We are bound together by our common values as democratic countries committed to peace, a rich spiritual life and a shared determination to give every individual, man, woman, girl and boy, the opportunity to reach their full potential. Family stick together, through the good times and the tough times. Australia partnered with Solomon Islands during some of the country’s darkest moments, including through RAMSI to help restore stability and law and order. And Solomon Islands has been there for Australia, with people across the country reaching into their hearts to raise funds for the communities ravaged by devastating bushfir...
Read more

HOW A TINY PROVINCE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS REACHES OUT TO AUSTRALIA

-
Image
THE small island province of Temotu in the far eastern part of Solomon Islands is one of the nation’s most prone natural hazard areas. The tsunami in 2013 swamped through 20 villages With an estimated population of less than 25,000, Temotu often has its bouts of natural disasters. In 2015, tropical cyclone Pam left devastating effects on the tiny province where people were affected from damages to their fruit trees, food gardens and agricultural crops. People near the coast were evacuated. Then again in 2017, TC Donna in its wake and formation also impacted badly on the people of Temotu. Not to mention it was only seven years ago a tsunami claimed lives of more than 10 people, swamped more than 20 villages forcing the government to declare a state of emergency over the Santa Cruz Islands. Remains of household in Venga village after 2013 tsunami (Photo supplied) Their most recent bout of disaster was in January 2019 where bad weather caused people to face food shortag...
Read more

VANUATU BIGGEST IMPORTER OF CANNED TUNA FROM SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY GEORGINA KEKEA VANUATU is the biggest importer of canned tuna from Solomon Islands. National Fisheries Development (NFD) Limited Managing Director, Frank Wickham shared this information in a recent radio talkback show to mark World Tuna Day. Wickham says the biggest export destination for SolTuna’s canned tuna is Vanuatu. “Followed by Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the market is now open in New Zealand. There is a big move now to promote and market in New Zealand and Australia. We have containers going to Kiribati, Tuvalu with a few to Tonga and Marshall Islands. The biggest of them all is Vanuatu”, Wickham said. He says domestically the consumption of tuna is growing annually making Solomon  Islands one of the biggest canned tuna consumption per capita in the world. “Two years ago it was like more than 800,000 cartons a year. which means for every woman, man and child in the country, they consume one carton a year. So if you look at 48 tin cans in one carton, it is almost one ...
Read more