Before you feel good that I am finally in a resort … stop!!! Areas of the protected forest are called Resorts—–so NO I was not in a swank resort sitting by the pool. Instead, I spent a few days with a wonderful family living in a village on the edge of the protected forest collecting data.

Roi accompanied Regen and I for this visit. Roi is a new Ranger (22 years old). The Forest Resort leader wanted to meet me and follow along as we interviewed the farmers. Very convenient that his mother-in-law lives in the village.

Pemdi Geboy was our village contact. Pemdi loved taking photos and videos with my phone. He did a really good job. He made a short video in the rainforest that is so cute!!

The oldest person we spoke with (61) said no non-Indonesian had ever visited the village. Most of the villagers had never seen a white skinned person in person. Sometimes they would reach over and touch me. They felt my hair–which if you know my hair you know it is like baby hair. They were amazed at its softness. They said my skin was soft too. I cannot imagine what that it is like. We have all kinds of people in the U.S., so I do not think about it. When they were not in school, the children followed me around. I would be interviewing someone and look up to see I was surrounded by children.

Because the village is small they do not have a gym, so the guys in the village designed (not built as it is not a building) one. They used cans filled with concrete to make dumbbells. I thought this one was really cool. The Flintstones!

One of their crops is rubber trees. Sometimes they look like a piece of art! This one is beautiful.

The data are much different than the data I collected from people living inside the forest. The village was here before the Protected Forest was established by the government. The people feel this was their land before the forest was deemed protected and is still their land. Even though the village is not within the protected area, their farms are. Who is right? Government for protecting the land that is in great need of protection? The farmers squatting on the land and claim they need it to survive and feed their families? These are the questions I am attempting to answer. What do you think?