PROJECT SUNGAI GERINGGING VOLUNTEER INFO
Please print out the Project Sungai Geringging Volunteer Information sheet which includes transit info, our Indonesian contact information, a packing list, and more.
Join us!
Join us at Project Sungai Geringging in Indonesia! Since Sunday, 25 October 2009, we’ve been living and working with the people of Sungai Geringging to recover and rebuild, and have just extended the project to run through April 9, 2010!
The area was critically affected by a 7.9 earthquake on 30 September, 2009, followed by a separate 7.0 earthquake the following day. We will begin work in korong (neighborhood) Tanjung Alai, part of nagari (village) Kuranji Hulu, in kecamatan (sub-district) Sungai Geringging. (All tongue-twisters, but all fun to say.) This is located in Padang Pariaman, along the western coast of Sumatra. Despite their losses, people are proactively cleaning up and moving forward with energy, humor, and spirit.
The Basics
There is no cost to volunteer with HODR; you are just responsible for getting yourself to and from the project. However, we appreciate donations and encourage volunteers to set up a personal HODR sponsorship page on Firstgiving.com or through Facebook Causes to engage your friends and family in your efforts.
Travel to and in Indonesia takes patience but is not difficult. We strongly recommend that you research independent travel resources (the online forum at www.lonelyplanet.com offers current information, and Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and others publish English-language guides to the country).
Indonesia is a Muslim country, and it is important that we respect the attitudes and customs of this community. Dress for both men and women should be modest, even while working. Women should expect to live and work in pants or long skirts, or shorts no higher than the knee. Female volunteers should pay special attention to the “Women’s Travel Issues” section below.
As a Muslim country, consumption of alcohol is not widespread, and in fact it is not available where we live. If you are able to find it, consumption will only be permitted inside the house. Drunkenness is absolutely not tolerated.
If you plan to volunteer with HODR in Indonesia, YOU MUST:
- Inform Tom at info@HODR.org with your dates of interest. (Please include “Project Sungai Geringging [YOUR NAME]” as the subject line.) This allows us to plan projects and occupancy at the volunteer base. Once you have your specific flight information, confirm that with Tom and indicate whether you would like to be picked up at the airport.
- Agree to our Volunteer Waiver. Upon arrival, you will be asked to sign the document and allow us to make a copy of your identification document before heading to work.
- Plan to take a “mental health” break away from the project after 30 consecutive days. (It will likely be necessary to make a visa run at this point anyway.)
How do I get there?
Soekarno Hatta Intenational Airport (CGK) is the primary gateway into Indonesia. Flights are also available from Kuala Lumpur directly to Padang (PDG) and several volunteers have reported this to be the most economical route.
It is likely that you will spend a night in Jakarta to arrange your onward travel to Padang. Taxi/transit info is available in the Project Sungai Geringging Volunteer Information sheet which we recommend that you print and bring with you.
If you enter through CGK or PDG, there area ATM machines and money changers just outside the baggage claim area. ATMs and money changers are common in the major cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Padang, and Medan (your most likely transit hubs). There are NO ATMs in the area where we are based, so aside from the ATM 40 minutes away in Pariaman City it is difficult to access money or exchange currency locally. It is advisable to change your money into local currency, and some smaller denominations BEFORE arriving in our village; local businesses have difficulty making change for large bills (IDR 50000 and higher). There is one local shop that will change USD (bills in very good condition, no bills earlier than 2003), but it charges a significant comission.
You can check online or a travel book for hotel recommendations in Jakarta. Indonesia offers a range of reasonably-priced accommodation, and you may find it worth a slight splurge on your Jakarta accommodation. While not an issue in larger cities or places that see more tourist traffic, unmarried women and men may not be permitted to share a room in some hotels.
We recommend booking your tickets all the way through to Padang before your departure though. (We cannot arrange an airport pickup/transportation to our base if we do not have your flight information.) Specific transit information, including how to get from Padang to our base in Sungai Geringging, is available in our Project Sungai Geringging Volunteer Information sheet, which we recommend that you print and bring with you.
If your arrival time deviates in any way en route, YOU MUST call us at +62 81386494285 for Marc, or +62 81374980689 for Henri.
Relax on the flight and be patient on the ground. Think and breathe deeply if things don’t go exactly as planned. You will eventually get here. It will be OK.
Travel Agent Assistance:
If you need help organizing your international travel plans we recommend Dina Phinney. She has been great in helping us plan our travel and that of our volunteers. It’s best to email your travel plans before calling. You can reach Dina at dina@ballardtravel.com; she’ll provide answers to your questions within 24 hours.
Also, if you book your travel through our affiliate sites, you can support HODR while making your way to our project.
What about Visas?
Indonesia visa requirements vary for different nationalities. Visitors from most countries can get a 30-day Visa On Arrival at the airport. This type of visa cannot be extended. If you would like a longer visa, we recommend that you apply in advance. 60-day tourist visas are available in advance for US$45. We cannot provide documentation for any other kind of visa. Indonesian immigration policy requires proof of onward travel, within the terms of your visa. In our experience, immigration officials have always checked us or those surrounding us in line for this.
A note for onward travel: flights out of Padang are notoriously late. It’s typical to have 2+ hour delays leaving from PDG.
What kind of accommodations can I expect?
We have a 5 room house with a kitchen, front porch, and large yard. The house did not suffer any damage in the earthquake and is structurally sound. Out of respect to the local Minangkabau culture, women are sleeping inside and men outside in a 15m long tent. Both sleep spaces are set up with HODR’s typical bunk beds and dormitory-style sleeping. Make sure that you bring your own sleeping pad, bedding, and mosquito net. Each of the 2 bathrooms has a squat toilet. We have a rainwater catchment system so that we can take bucket showers in our outdoor stalls at the end of the day. Trust us – after a day of work in the heat and humidity, a cold bucket shower will be refreshing, in a good way!
We expect to be able to accommodate at least 40 volunteers at a time at the volunteer base.
Will I be safe?
West Sumatra is a highly earthquake-prone area. Aftershocks continue, even weeks after the initial event. We will have guidelines in place for how to react to an earthquake on a jobsite and at the base.
Regarding personal safety, of course precautions need to be taken; as with any travel, you will need to take care and be aware of your surroundings. Please check your country’s travel advisories.
You can opt to store your valuables in the lockbox at our base. Over the course of the project, we may install security cameras in common spaces to ensure your safety.
Indonesia has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs. The penalty is death, as you will learn from prominent signage welcoming you to the country.
Health issues?
Expect to read about all of the common infectious illnesses and ailments that accompany international travel. Malaria and dengue fever are both concerns here, so carefully consider your insect repellent and prophylactic options. The sun is intense and humidity adds to the heat, so it’s advisable to use sunscreen and a hat.
Please read travel health advisories when deciding what immunizations and medical supplies to prepare. Again arm yourself with the knowledge available on the web and from the CDC and make you own decision.
Post-earthquake work environments are often dusty. We recommend bringing a mask or bandanna and eye protection. The demolition and cleanup work is particularly hard on gloves and boots, so pack multiples or durable options.
Before your departure, we recommend getting a tetanus shot and purchasing travel insurance. You will be in a remote area with limited access to medical facilities. Please consider purchasing your travel insurance via our affiliate links. You get the same rate, and HODR receives a portion of the purchase.
As in the past, we will provide drinking water at our facility.
Cultural Cues
It is important to give and receive items with the right hand. This is especially important with food. The left hand is considered unclean, as it’s used for toilet purposes. Indonesians often eat with their hands, and it is courteous and hygienic to wash your hands before and after each meal, even if you choose to use utensils.
Feet are considered unclean as well. Remove shoes upon entering someone’s home, and do not point your feet (particularly the soles) towards anyone.
Modest dress is mandatory. Please visit our photos to see how people in our community dress. Casual western-style clothing is fine, as long as it is modest. Tops should have sleeves and conservative necklines, not showing too much chest or back. Shorts or skirts should reach to the knee. Clothes should not be form-fitting.
Women’s Travel Issues
As stated before, Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country. Modest dress is particularly important for women. Handle yourself assertively but politely in public. Solo women travelers may attract more attention than they are comfortable with; simply ignore it and use common sense.
Women may want to consider bringing their own supply of tampons with them. They are generally unavailable, although we have found them at large supermarkets in Jakarta.
How do I call my Mother (or send email)?
There are few landlines, especially outside of the city. We will have a mobile phone stationed at our house, which all volunteers can use to receive incoming calls. The number will be available from Tom, at info@hodr.org.
Cellular networks have been restored to the area. An unlocked mobile phone (available here) can be fitted with a locally purchased Indonesia SIM card (starting at IDR 12000/US$1.30) for pay-as-you-go service. Local and international calling and text messaging both work with this kind of prepaid service. Top-up cards to add more money to your phone (load) are widely available. We are using Telkomsel Simpati SIM cards.
To make international calls from your Indonesian mobile, there is a code you can use for more economical rates. This information is available at the base.
We have a wireless connection at our base; the signal is in and out (and power is off and on). There is an internet cafe at the local market (a 15 minute walk from our base). It costs IDR4000/hour (~US$.45).
You can receive mail at our base! Just use the address listed in the Project Sungai Geringging Volunteer Info sheet.
What will the weather be like?
The weather is hot and sunny during the day, and can quickly turn to an intense downpour. Evenings are cool/mild. The humidity can be thick. We still suggest packing at least a light long-sleeved layer. A minimum of a poncho or umbrella is advisable, as it is the rainy season.
What is the food like?
We provide three meals a day to our volunteers. Breakfast is do-it-yourself coffee, tea, bread, and cereal. Lunch and dinner are cooked Indonesian meals. Indonesian food is a spicy cuisine with Indian and Malay influences. In this coastal area, the diet is strongly based in rice, noodles, chilies, chicken and beef, chilies, fish, vegetables, chilies, and tropical fruit. We will accommodate vegetarian diets at our base, although vegan diets will require patience and humor for both our volunteers and our local cook. A wide variety of fruit is available.
Travel inside Indonesia
Once here, we highly recommend you budget time to allow for travel within Indonesia. A vast and varied archipelago, there is something to suit any taste. Sumatra itself offers surfing on Mentawai and orangutans in Bukit Lawang. Your options only expand as you go east: temples, art, wildlife, Bali, volcanoes, scuba diving, diverse cultural attractions, and good (spicy!) eats. In fact we hope you still come and volunteer with us with all of the exploring you’ll be tempted to do.
Packing list
MUST BRING:
Sleeping pad/air mattress & sheets (We DO NOT provide mattresses)
Mosquito net
Insect repellent
Masks/Safety Glasses/Gloves/Hat (multiple pairs gloves recommended)
Trail/work shoes (sturdy pair)
Modest clothing
Shots (minimum – tetanus)
Water bottle
Personal first aid kit
Sunscreen
Passport + copies
Cash/ATM card (USD in good condition, no bills earlier than 2003)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Headlamp
Personal items/toiletries
Sunglasses
Rain gear
3 shirts (recommend one with collar)
modest shorts/tank tops (ok for house)
3 pairs work pants (at least 1 long/zip-off)
1 nicer outfit
1 jacket (mid weight)
laptop/camera
USB memory (for photo sharing)
umbrella/poncho
travel insurance policy (Please consider purchasing your travel insurance via our affiliate links. You get the same rate, and HODR receives a portion of the purchase.)
SENSE OF HUMOR
Remember, PACK LIGHT!
The electric power here is rated at 220V, so your appliances must be 110-220 capable. The electrical outlets accept the two round pin style plugs so if you have flat pin plugs please bring an adapter. There is power service in our village, but it is in and out. Please seriously consider your needs prior to packing anything requiring electricity.
Print out a handy copy of this checklist (along with contact and transit info) with our Project Sungai Geringging Volunteer Information sheet.
Language
Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of Indonesia. There are several published guides available if you’re interested to learn a bit of the language. We have translators working with us on a daily basis in order to help our volunteer projects.
Not comfortable with our set up?
Unfortunately, this time we have not found any other accommodation options in our area. This community was heavily affected by the earthquake and sound structures are hard to come by.
What can I bring, as a donation, if I have extra room?
The community where we will be working is very poor. The needs are tremendous and we are hesitant to have you give any hand-outs. Even the gift of a pencil to one child could be unfair to other children who did not get a pencil. This situation is fluid and we hope that we will better identify needs over the period of Project Sungai Geringging, allowing us to make donations on a micro scale. Please also consider making a donation, which will be used to directly fund the projects we’re working on. Even though John isn’t here, we’d still like a 52” flat screen for the dining area.
There may be tools and materials that we are unable to source locally. Tom at info@hodr.org will have a list, if you’re interested in bringing some of these items.
What if I forget stuff?
You can buy most anything you need in Jakarta; several malls have large western-style supermarkets. You are encouraged to carefully consider your needs and pack accordingly. Shopping is an interesting experience but it’s a lot less hassle for you (and us) if you bring it with you.
Anything else I need to know?
It will be hot, dirty, hard work. And that is why we love it!
Ask info@HODR.ORG
Ummmmm, is it worth putting up with all of above listed things?
If you were with us for Project Jogja, you will know the warmth and humor emanated by the people of Indonesia. If you were not with us for that deployment then the reward of helping and seeing the appreciation will far outweigh all of the potential negatives.
