Expat Flores

The Sunday Age

Sunday December 21, 2003

Paul Edwards

Jo Keating has worked in Flores, Indonesia, for two years. She is a teacher with Australian Volunteers International and lives in Maumere, which makes a change from home in Boolarra, Gippsland, she tells Paul Edwards.

'There are two Canadians, two Aussies and one English woman here. We try to get together at least once a week on a Saturday night at the harbour. The food is cheap and fresh, the beer is cold and we can converse in English in a relaxed atmosphere. My job also involves running workshops for local teachers while my partner Michael teaches maths and sport. Our three daughters go to school here.

Being the only white family with children, we are instantly recognisable. A brisk stroll down the street usually involves greeting and chatting with a large number of people. Our front door is always open to neighbours, teachers or students asking for help with homework. At first I would be charged double price at the market because I was a tourist, now they give me a cheaper price because they know I'm a teacher.

Australian products are rarely seen here in Maumere. One of the local shopkeepers can import cheese, wine and Australian beer but it is very expensive, so it rarely happens. The locals drink a distilled palm wine, "moke", made from the lontar palm. It smells like petrol and doesn't taste much better. The local Bintang beer is good - it costs around $3 a bottle. A live chicken is $5, a live dog $15, a hotel room with cold shower $4 to $25.

Tourism has not really taken off here, although there is a daily plane from Bali for around $200 and a "fast" ferry - 18 hours - for around $60. Visitors should go to the local weaving villages where they make the beautiful woven cloth. In the Buginese fishing village at Wuring the houses are all built on stilts. The markets are a definite must-see - especially the Geliting market about 15 minutes from town.

There are two seasons - dry and wet. It is always warm; sometimes very hot.

Local guides will gladly meet you at the airport and plan a trip for you for a few days, maybe including the coloured lakes of Kelimutu (five hours) or as far as the Komodo dragons on Komodo Island, about 20 hours by car. Be prepared to share local buses with chickens, pigs and goats. Hotels range from basic to two large resorts, Sea World and Sao Wisata.

There is a fabulous beach about 30 minutes from our house where a Javanese man, his Swiss wife and their son run accommodation for tourists. You stay in simple bamboo huts and eat deliciously fresh food. The sand is black, the water is warm and because the locals are used to tourists we can wear our bathers. To stay at Ankermi is $8 a night including breakfast of fruit, pancakes and tea/coffee.

We've had two fabulous years here and made many friends but in the New Year we'll be back in Australia."

© 2003 The Sunday Age

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