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9/1/2001 - Consumption and Life in East Timor: Part 1 by Curt Gabrielson

ICWA LETTERS Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young professionals outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Joseph Battat Mary Lynne Bird Steven Butler William F Foote Kitty Hempstone Pramila Jayapal Peter Bird Martin Ann Mische Dasa Obereigner Paul A Rahe Carol Rose Chandler Rosenberger John Spencer Edmund Sutton Dirk J Vandewalle HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 U S A CG Southeast Asia Curt Gabrielson science teacher Institute Fellow observing establishment education East Timor Consumption Life In East Timor Part By Curt Gabrielson SEPTEMBER DILI East Timor After eight months East Timor partner Pamela I flight Darwin Australia Many internationals living East Timor Darwin minutes plane Dili closest outpost civili zation As strolled through customs rented drove pizza I understood smooth roads clean sidewalks plethora options nificent selection consumer goods efficient communication place world present media gladdening machines cranking indoor temperature within narrow human comfort plenty drinkable straight In short US My readjusted comfort instantly which think about going Life East Timor quite different US I chewed banal observation possibly vigor I first arrived Dili Architecture culture language history geology flora fauna climate agriculture money bodily features East Timor different those So Like adolescent newly realizing world I churned brain identify reasons these differences I framework describe variation those never better understand myself I framework would linked descriptions foreign rooted familiar After Australia several weeks East Timor I chosen framework I differences I notice between East Timor US linked different levels consumption By consumption I quantity material energy With foundation I elaborate East Timor viewpoint never US In US someone depending tennis court primary source their family Here Our neighbors fenced approximately cassava papayas bananas beans various other edibles With steady water electric water godsend their family Pamela I chuck garbage fence other house neighbor Tiu found chastised After organic richness could aiding plants which energy family We everything crops Lest think originally dumping waste someone I other question dozen chickens They previous beneficiaries excess calories trotting happily hearing daily splat This always difficult accept opinion these never Do recall supposed These cocks aware archaic They ungodly amount noise hours night The different noises annoying bokking lessly outside bedroom window One after wanted before tropical I decided neigh about chickens I I could where secure restful nights After talking while about everything I could think I asked sually chickens eating selling fighting He laughed Oh If If family friends If short If turns fighter I fights I right They chick because chickens survive house waste scratching alone It would thinkable chickens given adequate space To neighbors chickens basket money gifts coffer I would ongoing salary would zarre arrangement neighborhood Instead friend coming visit brought pairs earplugs This neighbor Tiu raises papaya Papaya banana fruit vegetable Both produce quickly continuously A papaya within planting again again giving fruits sides A banana constantly sends shoots making banana trees nearby which around bananas within Both trees edible flowers banana blossom especially pleasing palate If comes selling bartering giving eventual reciprocity always possible It always interesting locals reaction pestering questions about grows where takes Often unaware everyone world doesn Certainly comes earth their little patches earth supply majority Even person family bring salary there plenty necessities money And facts US Not sumption least related I where I grown I I little growing close Friends extensive gardens still their calories store I consume whatever I money I which seems quite East Timorese consume unimaginable In US someone walking seven hours business family You CG walking Here East Timor considered hardship People enormous distances because there other transport precious In doing avoid consuming I recently Ramelau highest mountain East Timor Ainaro I joying myself strolling through hills I Ermera going visit family Ainaro They walking hours I I walked final hours Ainaro I worked alternate could taken Ermera Dili would hours after night layover Ainaro would another The price would around US which labor minimum And The terrain East Timor precludes extensive bicycles There plenty within flatter traveling between towns Motor bikes other their fullest capacity I daily families traveling motor Enormous cases goods heavy mechanical parts buckets water things I routinely hauled around motor bikes A motor materials manufac upkeep Public transportation ultra efficient Half busses simply A waits until stuffed gills before setting While sometimes those waiting every spent divided among people stuffed inside perched hanging sides INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS hicle That makes impressive numbers miles gallon column When I drive around US usually maybe Pamela minivan getting miles gallon squeaking every years In I I carry gallon I never anywhere minutes What every I intercontinental airplane flight burning nearly gallons single In US households depending their outside energy within walking distance This rather exception those East Timor though practice ravaging forests erosion hills around cities East Timor causing human environmental strong indicator little energy East Timorese consuming Cooking obvious necessity requiring energy beyond human provide Here cially those without electricity nearly story Gathered cooking occasional season Candles lamps provide light evenings perhaps batter bring radio Clothes washing preparation water delivery heating cooling entertainment agriculture production houses clothes innumerable household goods using energy human alone Our neighbor Pedru family above house It takes there When I going coming sacks digging sticks I often question calories produced field spent forth Clothes washing energy intensive operation matter slick local methods Whenever I stepped beside local worker participate washing clothes moving rocks digging holes hauling water I become exhausted always hungry It becomes painfully clear I which I eaten Within larger cities electricity available After having nearly years month meter readers begin their rounds collect electricity usage The kilowatt making evening under light Already light bulbs available corner store watts These bulbs corner lamps decorative shades sockets middle important house Next month decide candles kerosene lamps cheaper My neighbor water pumps around fully irrigate tennis court When meter readers charge month pumping raising water instead Maybe could horse Here horses transport fields places Aside these examples there appear other animals their energy human cause Meanwhile US horses primarily entertainment light bulbs chosen create power tools cooking struction alike regard their expenditure petroleum powers nearly percent agricul tural enterprises thinks about energy required bring water household Wood burned pleasant atmosphere reduce petroleum costs never transported In US house built entirely things found within radius itself In East Timor there still plenty houses built houses using imported items extreme moderation Three major items imported building houses East Timor cement plywood corru gated sheet metal roofing Standard concrete bricks East Timor imported cement river approximately inches Thus walls concrete buildings inches covering cement either I inspected walls progress found mason doing careful against until 1Here numbers A Baukau miles gallon Though seats common people Baukau miles Dili about gallons Eight gallons divided people gallons person Each person traveled miles person miles gallon their To person mileage ultra efficient getting miles gallon would require putting people While jumbo person mileage filled capacity upwards person miles gallon distance still demands large amount Wood burning East Timor extremely inefficient generally three stone Most surrounding More efficient stoves available organizations trying introduce local population In addition smoke fires worse atmosphere lungs primarily female cooks petroleum exhaust CG connected bracing I nearly knocked while checking sturdiness After finished connected building whole plenty strong The plywood corrugated sheet metal thinner similar products divide sheds Missouri I surprised cuttable standard household scissors Thinner means total materials resources consumed While houses imported nails houses without nails Complex carved joints beams sinuous leaves roofing material Traditional roofs branches bundles grass depending which grows close house Traditional walls materials depending climate specific If there bamboo individual tubes stalk unrolled segmented sheets These narrow sheets woven fabric layer largely impermeable If there trees hundreds branches which corrugated cross section together Legos lined vertically The third material earth itself rocks dried bricks places where earth suitable fourth planks where there plentiful large trees Building local products limitations complexity house putting Called bebak pronounced Bach building material available every Each strip photo branch honed uniformity nestled inside another skewered three sticks Standard panels areas where thrives bottom A house brick walls grass Suai below An endless source within limits Dili Comoro River Delta Sand separated larger stones flinging mixture tilted screens Concrete brick factories scattered along banks making immediate house house materials This comparison there plenty these concrete houses around decades I estimate their lifespan least realm thicker sturdier houses INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS total consumption materials In addition using local products avoids consumption transport An occasional areas electricity domestic climate control found needing outside In addition average house smaller US shelters people It someone sleep And US brother I separate rooms before I reached eight Having pride families I Heat varieties conditioners humidi fiers dehumidifiers attempt insure bodily comfort round Building US generally means purchasing materials local lumber professionals clear where given building product produced Certainly US removed vegetation earth rounding Spaciousness climate control transport materials US houses vastly consumptive those East Timor In US goats trimming grass sports field Here would unthinkable waste grass animals entering field between games I recall several gulping machines small school groom football field I never considered where grass Most likely dumped nearby ditch without giving nutrients animal plant blatant waste East Timor standards Waste East Timor When I first rived I walking spare bricks which elevate stove After I concluded there spare bricks East Timor Each either integral element future construction project The after takes about dinner family shape added house There houses abandoned falling victims destruction It uncommon people chipping bricks these houses walls New bricks minimum about chipping bricks A large beach place It immediately felled divided between three commenced outrigger canoes I watched interest found takes about solid chopping complete canoe With canoe catch source income I never fallen again When I mentioned Tiu garden fenced picture uniform produced fencing material perhaps quaint picket arrangement Actually Tiu entirely random rusted sheet metal scavenged piles around CG house propped between stakes trees There East Timor mechanics Casual observa would conclusion these beyond their years mobile service these immortal beasts continue creep roads Just these ancient tomobiles roads East Timor avoid consuming materials Me chanics I never throw matter terribly mangled I constantly prowl which electromagnets science projects One place tarter motor spark I wandered large mechanic house asked gnarled I spotted piles wreckage He hemmed hawed couldn I offered He still refused I I whatever worth become interested worth At story The laminated metal wrapping frame produced whereas there plenty around still starter With scrounged somewhere rusted piece flotsam could start The mechanic I would dissect destroy precious dubious purposes would That years someone someday I waste broader perspec For example I neighbors going waste couple times Every East Timorese every If propel itself street resource paying passengers found business drummed To resource getting drive while riding around every folly Don wrong there plenty trash East Timor Care observation local however reveal there little within Most concrete metal small rusted anything useful Much smaller stuff tends pesky products modern instant noodle wrappers plastic bottles Though East Timor needs extensive cling facilities aluminum presently recycled bottles It machine efficient newer model designed efficient engines It likely these efficient debut East Timor Quite contrary years international trading companies flooded Dili hundreds Japan Singapore The motors fleet junkers clearly pollute While pollution become issue Dili should definitely monitored INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS sealable reused families The rubbish piles remarkable This indicator metropolis Dili consumption level Is there describe waste US It could mistaken national pastime In observations I given East Timorese consume their counterparts US What I described poverty While definitely exists East Timor East Timorese living comfortably follow consumption practices lined above While cannot gnored We living planet eating In cases cited above East Timorese consumption limited culture society personal choice shortages local resources currency which participate economy Oil coffee tourism provide modest revenues East Timor nation depend these revenue sources stable economic political systems These resources developed years resulting income likelihood increase level consumption East Timorese Hopefully positive impact East Timor providing poorest citizens access consumption clean water suffi cient adequate shelter decent education medical These sorts consumption increase quality standard living At other spectrum increased consumption likely create increased waste needing disposal increased pressure fragile environment small island Revenue development poverty quality living environment these words point questions How consumption across globe interrelated How quality standard living related consumption How development related consumption What share consumption taking their share How enough For newsletter I answers I East Timor On negative piles burned periodically which terrible health hazard those standing nearby biosphere large Institute Fellows chosen basis character vious experience promise They young profession funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment international events issues Author Gabrielson Curt Title ICWA Letters South Asia ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia The Americas Europe Russia Mideast North Africa Sub Saharan Africa ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available librar professional researchers subscription Phone E Mail ICWA valley Fax Web Site Executive Director Peter Bird Mart Program Assistant Brent Jacobson Publications Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The information contained publication reproduced without writer permission