Back in October, I had a chance to briefly visit the family that I spent a lot of time with while living in Manado/Bunaken... It was great to see old friends and make new memories with the Kasehungs... Ma and Pa are a little older, with Ma having lost most of her sight to cataracts, but they're both still as spry as ever, and going out to feed the 'ghosts' on a daily basis! (they still tell everyone about my little language-learning slip-up!)
The town of Alung Banua is still as quaint and lovely as it ever was, but some change has been happening there as well - they have running water in their homes and school! The pace of life is still slow, although I did experience on disappointment... I remember it as an island lacking the annoying motor sounds of the cities and towns on the mainland... now Bunaken has many motorcycles and even a few trucks as well!
Vera and Ellen and I went for a walk around the island and visited their seaside farm area... Lots of change there as well... someone has built a resort (several bungalows) on the property adjacent to theirs, and in doing-so has proceeded to rip out the natural breakwater what existed in the mangroves and along the coast, already causing huge amounts of erosion! The unbelievable thing is that this is a Swiss foreigner, who, "should KNOW better", as Vera said!!! They were both visibly upset by this hideous encroachment on their island... and with the response (or lack thereof) that they've received in response to their please to the owner for more sustainable development. "What are we striving for and teaching... as locals, we care for our island, and then these foreigners just come in and do as they please!" they lamented.
One new experience for me was going with Vera and her brother out to 'the racket' - what fun!
No comments:
Post a Comment