Febrina and Lasma

Febrina and Lasma appear to have found each other. They are like twins. They have become inseparable. Both are tiny, both are bright. I call them ‘Mikro’ and ‘Mini’.  People think that they are just young girls because they are both so tiny. They giggle together, share stories, complement each other.

Apparently they are now looking for fish along with the males of the team and the driver of the boat. I hear their joyful voices. They are generally helpful, always adventurous of spirit. They make easy contact with people and have ready smiles. They have no difficulty filling their days and are terribly excited about being on the Boat Budaya. Personally, I am not a camper, but these young women prefer sleeping on the boat to sleeping in a hotel room.

They were infinitely helpful with the day-to-day activities on the Boat Budaya.

I like to give them experiences that people with greater means would be able to give to their children. Today we swam together in one of the hotspring pools of Pusuk Buhit. For Febrina it was the first time; Lasma’s family originates from close to Pusuk Buhit and she had experienced it once before. I want the journey to be joyful for them, full of adventures and new things.

Nevertheless, it is also my task to get them to focus. Today I impressed upon them that they had been selected because they are so bright. In Jakarta, I had asked them to blog their experience and Ojak had prepared a website for them:  Solu Bolon Bona Pasogit.
 Both like to write, but so far no words have emerged except for the occasional comment on facebook. They do not seem to have been inspired by having a communal blogspot. It is one of my challenges to reveal to them how this can be an outlet for their creative spirits.

Lasma Sitanggang and Febrina Pakpahan enjoy using the cameras
that I bought (secondhand) for them. (Photo by MJA Nashir)

Today, when Nashir and Pak Jerry went to the market to find cooking supplies and ingredients, I took them aside and we talked about the possible content of a report on their Jakarta experience. I impressed upon them the need to get their report done to free up their minds for the next step. Yesterday we showed the film in Sianjur Mula2 and today we were to show it in Hasinggaan. The reports are an important part of the journey, and it is up to me to make sure that serious attention is paid to this facet of our travels.

By the end of the day, both claimed to have finished their writing, but their stories are not yet uploaded. Perhaps we should tackle that right away before the night deepens.

Working on the boat.