News from Timor Leste #1

1. Although the capital of Timor Leste is reportedly home to nearly 200,000 people, the lack of infrastructure and density makes it feel like a town.  At night there are few lights and we can see the stars.  I can pretty much ride my bike anywhere (with helmet firmly attached) in 20 minutes.  The largest (completed) buildings are the University and Parliament house, about the size of the UM Social Science building.  Until recently a 4 story apartment building downtown (imagine something smaller than Missoula’s antique mall) was the tallest building in town.  Now the Chinese are helping build a new government building which will be the tallest at 6 or so stories.  Dust and burning of vegetation and garbage diminish the air quality at times but the breeze from the ocean clears it out and overall it’s not too bad.  We live on the edge of town with better access to the hills than we had even in Missoula and can run and bike to a few beaches.
   
2. We saw the biggest spider we’ve ever seen, and it was walking in our front door while we sat outside after sunset.  Including its legs it was bigger than my palm but not quite as big as my whole hand.  It had black and brown flecks and would have been beautiful if it wasn’t a spider and/or wasn’t crawling into our house on it’s enormous eight legs.  Chad smashed it with a shoe before it got too far.  We didn’t want to kill it but it was just too gigantic to let go wandering around our house and we just weren’t sure of the safety of any kind of removal method.  We’re such North Americans.  And need to learn lots more about the tropical creatures of Timor.  Steve Siebert?  Alfred Wallace?  Will you come visit us? 
   
3.  The constants in our lives are 1. Ants, 2. Geckos, 3. Tropical heat.  And Chad goes to work while I go running, reading, meeting, householding, and buca hela servisu (looking for work).
   
4. We are certified open water scuba divers!  The snorkeling and diving here are really, really wonderful.  We see an amazing array of coral, sponges, fish, and other things.  I had no idea all of that life would exist just a few meters from the shore.
   
5. Here in Dili, camps for internally displaced people continue to close and people are returning home with the assistance of NGO and government dialogue teams to ensure peace and security.  Reportedly the process is going well with only a small percentage of people unable to return home due to land claims conflicts or continued tension among neighbors.  Within the government, Transparency International's 2008 international Perceived Corruption Index reports Timor-Leste's position fell 22 places from 123rd to 145th behind Kazakhstan and one place ahead of Bangladesh for the period August 2007 to August 2008.  More political news soon for those that are interested. Cheers, L&C