Christmas in the village
Trip Start
Aug 2004
1
4
5
Trip End
Nov 2006
Fatubessi,
Timor-Leste
Monday, December 27, 2004
This year I decided, against my better judgment, to spend Christmas with my host family in the mountains. All the other volunteers either went to Bali, which I couldn't do, or they wanted to experience Timorese Christmas. Which in my town was just a traditional Catholic Christmas. We went to a night service on Christmas Eve and they told the story of Jesus. It was both beautiful and silly. For example, when they rang the bells and lit the candles and sang praise to Jesus they also has a bullhorn with a siren that they used, because they think it sounds pretty. And the language is very simple, so when a group of hundreds of people are saying the equivalent of "I am stupid and Jesus is smart. He was very sick for me..." They just don't have a big enough vocabulary so everyone always sounds like five year olds and the fact they are excited by simple things, like bullhorns and balloons. Christmas day we went back to church in the morning and then afterwards had a big feast. All of my host dad's children came in from school and he was so happy to have all 9 of his children under one roof. He actually kept saying he was happy to have all 10, because he counts me. I am 4 months younger than the oldest daughter and he always talks about how proud he is of her. He likes me living there because I remind him of her. SO all the immediate family was there, the girls prepared a big feast, we killed 2 pigs and 4 chickens (and some vegetables and eggs for me) then my dads brothers and sisters and cousins came over and we had ate together and talked about being thankful for family and such. It was pretty much like Christmas at home. Except the food was different, the people were different, and we had rain instead of snow, (the rain always makes people think of Christmas here). SO my Christmas was nothing exciting and it was so close to Christmas at home that it made me homesick. Which is why next year I am going to spend it with Americans.
I did enjoy hanging out with the older kids that came home for the holidays. Mom was so excited that the kids were coming because they can help around the house, and when they arrived that is all they did. The girls spent all day in the kitchen, washing clothes, watching children, etc. While the boys got to goof around. Girls in this country have it pretty rough. The brothers spend all day goofing around and when they come home they just plop down on the porch and shout, "bring me some coffee" and the girls drop what they are doing to get it for him. If they want water and it is out of reach they shout out for there sisters to bring it to them. And since most of them live in Dili they are used to cooking with gas and having electricity and when they get here they have to cook over the fire all day and haul water and such. I tried to help them out as much as I could but they don't like me doing anything like that because I will get dirty or tired. All of my sisters are going to school to get real jobs so that they will not have to get married because they don't want to be a Timorese wife. The oldest is in the military, one is becoming a nun, and another a police officer. It seems strange to me that people would dedicate their life to Jesus to avoid marriage or for the men just to guarantee work. The sister that is becoming a sister, actually doesn't even like to go to church and she really likes boys and being girly and pretty. But because she doesn't want to be a slave to a man she joined the convent. Another big thing that happened is that dad gave the oldest daughter (23) permission to date boys. Last year he found out she had a boyfriend and beat her, not too bad I am sure. They asked me lots of questions about America and are amazed that my dad lets me have boyfriends, that my oldest brother is married and has no children yet, that men cook and clean too, that my mom tells my dad what to do as much as the other way around, etc. I wish that I could do something to end the oppression. But my house is considered pretty liberal because the women eat in the same room as the men, so they have a pretty long way to go. The women are ready, but understandably the men are reluctant to give up their slaves.
I will be spending New Years camping on the beach and snorkeling with the other volunteers. I am sure that it will be a great time, but whenever I am gone for more than a few days I really miss my family in Fatubessi and my house and Timorese friends. It is quickly becoming my home. Hope everyone at home is well and enjoying the holidays.
