The path we've chosen has chosen us

This Buddhist monk spent a couple of hours talking to Novita and me while walking through the temples of Angkor Wat. We discussed what it means to be a monk, why he chose such a path, and how his life has evolved. He was quite young and chose the life of a monk as an escape from an alcoholic father and a life of absolute poverty. At one point, he was moved to tears while talking about his family, andRead more

Care for the sick tests Indonesia's health

The following article is quoted from UPI-AsiaOnline. Ripped off from Irene’s Facebook link to the article. Rangga, a 4-month-old boy weighing only 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds), was diagnosed as suffering from malnutrition by the local doctor in the West Java town of Kedaton, Indonesia, and was referred to Arjawinangun Hospital in Cirebon Regency for further treatment. The request for treatment was rejected by the hospital, however, and the child was taken home. The reason given for denying treatment was thatRead more
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Leap of Faith

Taken in a kampung, a small village built on stilts over a swamp in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. These children, for the most part, seemed to be enjoying life like any others, despite the abject poverty they’re surrounded with. I love this photo; there’s just so much going on, so many thoughts, so many details. It certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but it represents an important part of Jakarta’s culture, and the vibrance of youth in this nation. It cannotRead more
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Photo Exhibition in Boston Area

After a hellish amount of preparation, the photo exhibition is finally coming together. The show starts today and will finish tomorrow night (the 17th and 18th). I managed to send 100 prints from Indonesia, 72 of which will be up for grabs. Matted, signed, etc. I truly hope it’s a success, as this is the first time I’ve shown my work without actually being there. I’ve come across many obstacles, yet all will surely lead me to a smoother journeyRead more
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Vacation in My Mind

If you’ve noticed, I’ve strayed from the world of prose lately, posting only photos. Reason: We had a 9 day break for the Muslim holiday, Idul Fitri. Only, um, I didn’t go a.n.y.w.h.e.r.e. ADUH! I did manage to really concentrate on ways to improve my photography. Am I a geek? Probably. I lived on the ‘net self-educating as much as I could. More about that later (tomorrow maybe). A few days I went around taking pics in the kampung (village)Read more