My New Family

Yesterday, I just met my nice friends from Belgium, Slovenia and Germany. They invited me to come to meet them in Kadidiri. I went there. It was great to met them all. I was so much happy when I saw them. They were the nicest people I have ever met in my life J. They were like my family. During my 20-hours in Kadidiri, they really took care of me. They reservated a room for me, danced for me, made tea for me and they even called me “the angel of Togean”. Hehehe.... I felt like I was with my family in the Kadidiri. I really enjoyed to be with them. May be you all want to know how  I know them. Well actually it started from Lonely Planet. I posted something there on lonely planet forum. 

This is my posting on lonely planet which made me met them.

Togean Islands

Hi Guys,

I am Lataima from Togean Islands, if you need any infromation to get to Togean Islands please contact me here nurdahlialataima@gmail.com, I am not a guide. I just want to help travelers who want to visit Togean Islands (Kadidiri, Wakatobi, PT Walea, etc). I want to help you all because I know that travelling in another country is not really easy. I will help you without hoping any cents from you. I am doing this because I saw some people in my town are playing price with tourists and I just don’t like the way they treat tourists. I will be very happy helping you all.

Cheers,

Lataima

 2 months later, I got an email:

Dear Lataima,

I’m Barbara, from Slovenia. I’m just amazed about your kindness you expresses on a forum I’ve just read.

Actually, with my boyfriend we’re landing in Jakarta on the 11th December and then we want to head to North Sulawesi. We’ll be landing in Manado. We’ve got 23 days and wanted to go scuba diving to Bunacan Island and also obligatory visit Togian Islands. We’ve heard your islands are just amazingly beaufitul!

Actually, I would be very happy if you helped me with some information. Lonely Planet says that there’s a flight of Merpati Airlines from Manado to Luwuk, is that true? Do you may be know? Because on Merpati page you can look for that flight, but then nothing appears... the second option is take a Ferry from Gorontalo to Togians and back. Do you maybe know the schedule? I’ve heardthey go just few times a week ... and that it’s harder to go return to the north from Togians. . . is that true?

I am just afraid to get stucked somewhere, because we’ve got the flight from Manado back home on the 4th January and around New Year boats may be don’t run or are full. .

If you can help me with any infromation like that I would be the happiest! Thank you very much and a big hug from Ljubljana, Slovenia!

Barbara.

I replied the email and tried to help Barbara to get the tickets. We both were working on “Tickets project” for about two weeks because Barbara needed to send money for tickets through Western Union (she couldn’t use her credit card to buy the domestic tickets). I was happy because Barbara trusted me to help her in buying their tickets. My sister is actually the one who went to buy the tickets in Tour and Travel Agency. I was really happy when Barbara got the E-tickets and we both planned to meet in Ampana. But after one weeksince she got the tickets, I just got a news that I should fly to Jakarta for the CCIP (Community College Initiative Program) Interview http://nurdahlialataima.blogspot.com/2010/12/ccip.html

I was happy and sad. Happy to know that I have been selected to follow the interview because I knew that there might be hundreds of people who applied for this scholarship and I have been invited to follow the interview. But I also was sad because my interview schedule would be on December 13th which is the same date with Barbara’s arrival in Ampana and I should stay in Jakarta for 2 days.  Barbara and I were hopeless that we could meet. When I was in Jakarta, I got a message from Marina Cottages (The cottages where Barbara and Brane stayed before going to Kadidiri). The man said that I got gifts from my Slovenian friends and they left the gifts at the Marina Cottages. I tried to call Barbara and Brane but I was unlucky, they just left Marina Cottages and went to Puspita (the name of a small boat to Wakai). Again I missed them for the second time.

After my interview and ITP test, I and other CCCIP applicants who were scheduled to have the interview and ITP test on the same days were leaving Jakarta. But 3 hours before our each departure time, we spent time together at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport. And at that time, I got an email from a man.

Hey,

We are two belgians who just arrived in Poso, we are going to stay here until the 15th of December and the we are going to Ampana. . .it should be nice to meet each other (if you have time) to get some good information . . .

Thanks in advance 

My name is Xavier and I’m also a member of Facebook

I replied the email and because of my careless in readin the email, I asked them where they are from, although he already told “we are two belgians”. I think that was because I couldn’t concentrate in reading the email. I also gave them my phone number so if they will need me, they can call or send me SMS which is easier than send me email.

After replying Xavier’s email, I got another email from a Germany man.

Hey Lataima,

I’ve got your mailadress from the lonely planet forum and I’m planning to go to Togean Islands. Because I’m little short of time i’m wondering when the ferries from ampana to togeans and from togeans to gorontalo leave. Do you have any informations about this? I couldn’t find out anything on the internet so far. Perhaps you can help me??

Thanks a lot!

Jens

I quickly replied the email because I knew that he really needed the information. That’s what I do. Helping travelers or backpackers to get to Togean Islands (in fact I had never been to Kadidiri hehe). By helping them, even it is only through the email, it makes me happy. I want to help them because I don’t want them to get stucked in a place and meet G guides. 

       On the 16th December, at 4 PM, six hours after I arrived in Ampana, I got their (Xavier and Hector) messages. They told me that they already arrived in Ampana and wanted to meet me in the evening. So, I met them at the Marina Cottages (the same cottages I suggested to Barbara and Brane). At the same time, I took the novel “Eat, Pray, Love” and the chocolates which Barbara left for me as the gift for helping them. At the first time I met Xavier and Hector, I already knew that they are nice people. We had chit-chat about their experinces, about their journey in visiting Indonesia. We planned to go to Tanjung Api in the morning. (you can visit our journey in Tanjung Api here http://nurdahlialataima.blogspot.com/2010/12/tanjung-api_24.html)

                          (Gifts from my lovely friends, Barbara and Brane)

     So I was in Kadidiri yesterday. I met six people from Europe that I just knew through the email. They are Barbara and Brane (the couple which I thought would never meet me), Xavier and Kaka ( my new brothers from another parents :D), and Jens & Chemmile  who I just knew through the email. I was surprised to know that they know each other because of me (Barbara told me that they have been talking about me for 4 days ). 

       We (Barbara, Brane, Xavier, Kaka, Chemille, Jens and I) spent time and talked each other  at the Dining Room of Pondok Lestari (the ressort where we all stayed). We spent  about one hour talking and they invited me to walk around and see the Baby Shark behind of Kadidiri Paradise (another Ressort in Kadidiri). Seven of us went to see the baby shark (at that time they become my guides because I had never been to Kadidiri before ). When we walked to see the Baby Shark, there were three or four dogs (dogs from Pondok Lestari) came along with us, before reaching the pool of the shark, a dog killed a hen (hen of Kadidiri Paradise) all of us were surprised to know that (actually I didn’t see the dog killed the hen) but Kaka and Chemille did I think. Kaka (the lover of Animals *as big bro told me* hehe) was upset to see the hen because it was dying and he felt sad about that. He was sitting on his knees  and watching the dying hen. I know he was so sad but he couldn’t do anything to help the hen. I was amazed to see how Kaka cares other God creatures.  We spent about 20 or 30 mins for watching the baby shark and another beautiful fish swimming on the pool. 

At night, after having dinner, we all were crazy. The daughter and son of  the owner of Pondok Lestari played music for dancing (I think the name of the dance was Dero or Malese). Xavier (my new big bro) became “crazy”. He danced alot and made his own moves. I was laughing almost all the time when I saw him dancing. He was always funny.  We really enjoyed our night and we went to bed at 11 PM.

In the morning, I woke up at 6 AM and went to take pictures of Kadidiri. We all had breakfast  together. After having breakfast, Barbara, Xavier and Kaka who had a diving schedule, left us for their last diving in Kadidiri (because they all planned to leave Kadidiri at 2 or 3 PM and will go to Manado). Brane, Chemille, Jens and I just sit and talked together.

                           (Breakfast with my new family)

                   

            (taking pict with Jens and Chemille before leaving Kadidiri)

  At that time, I was confused to leave Kadidiri at 10 AM (because I don’t want them to leave me alone in Kadidiri or leave Kadidiri on Saturday (waiting for another boat’s schedule). I actually did not want to leave them because I really felt comfort to be with them, Talking and laughing together. But I also don’t want them to leave me in Kadidiri because I would cry (I knew I would cry because the most difficult thing for me is to say “Good Bye”  especially to the nicest people like them) I really hate those words.

            At 10 AM, after snorkelling (my first time of snorkelling, I will write about my first experience of snorkling later) I took a decision that I should leave Kadidiri before they do. I asked Pudin and Teteng to take me to Wakai (the departure and arrival village of the boats) but because of raining, we could not leave Kadidiri at 10. We waited until 11 AM. I was thinking if I would leave Kadidiri, I wouldn’t meet Barbara, Xavier, and Kaka because three of them went diving. Again I became sad because of that. But thanks God, 10 mins before I left Kadidiri, My Big Bro Xavier, Barbara and Kaka came back from Diving. We all shaked hands and hugged like a family that would never meet again. I had tears in my eyes. I just did not want to leave them and I also did not want them to leave me. but that's life, as Kaka used to say. 

                                            ( I hate  "Good Bye")

                                             (verlos a todos en Europe) 

 Now, when I am writing this story, I still am crying to remember them, I missed them.  I sent message to Hector and asked if they already in Manado, but  no answer yet, They might be busy or tired because of 20 hours journey from Kadidiri to Manado. I hope they all are okay and arrived safely in Manado.  I hope that you all will never forget me Barbara, Brane, Big Bro, Kaka, Jens, and Chemmile . Hopefully we will meet again someday, in Europe may be. Amin . . .