Anne Halloran, Timor Leste
27 May 2010
The life of a volunteer is a life of adventure!
Sometimes we find adventures and sometimes they find us. At
least that is what I think happened to a group of volunteers in
Timor Leste recently.
Join AVI volunteer Anne Halloran for a fascinating ride on the
Tour de Timor.
The life of a volunteer is a life of adventure!
Sometimes we find adventures and sometimes they find us. At
least that is what I think happened to a group of volunteers in
Timor Leste recently.
Having been first proposed in 2006, but delayed for the
intervening time, the Tour de Timor was scheduled to begin
this year on August 24th. We all knew about it in the weeks leading
up to the race but for those of us who were not seasoned,
energetic riders there seemed no prospect of getting
involved. However, things can change over some relaxation and idle
conversation! So it came about that a group of volunteers
participated in the Tour in a variety of roles; two as riders in
four person teams and three others in support roles. Volunteers are
just that and inclined to take on new adventures at any time. This
is also a story of collaboration of three volunteer
organisations.
Thanks to an enthusiastic cyclist, Jan, who was looking for
someone to drive her vehicle and act as support for her team, Marg,
a VIDA volunteer and I, agreed to drive a vehicle and act as
support for Jan's team and that of another AVI volunteer, Tim
Stats, whose assignment is in the same organisation as mine, (that
is the national Red Cross). Jan's team consisted of Karen (a former
AVI volunteer) Phil (whose wife was a former AVI volunteer) and
Jeff. Tim's team included his brother Brendan, Sarah, and Jamie
Galbraith, a volunteer with AYAD). Alice, an AVI volunteer also
signed up as support, providing massages for weary riders each
evening and with her expertise in tetum also acting as interpreter
for the lead cars for the Tour by day.
{CAPTION: the 5 volunteers}
In preparation we studied the maps, shook our heads in wonder at
the hills, state of roads, distances to be covered, hills,
beautiful scenery, hills, and felt excitement at the anticipation
of exploring parts of this beautiful country we hadn't yet
seen.
We learned that there were riders from many countries including
Timor Leste, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Malaysia,
Japan, Canada, America and Portugal.
Preparations completed, briefings attended, responsibilities
allocated, car packed, riders in top form, we assembled at the
newly completed Presidential building around dawn on Monday 24th
August. There was a tangible air of excitement not only amongst the
riders and support crews but also the huge crowds who had turned up
to see the riders off. The sides of the road were packed and in
their usual style children had climbed into the branches of trees
to get the best view.
{CAPTION: Brendan, Sarah, Tim, James}
Suddenly the waiting was over and off the riders went at a great
rate through the closed off streets of Dili lined by enthusiastic
waving and cheering crowds. It was not long before the riders
reached the first of several challenging hills and we, in the
following convoy, began our slow procession.
Many aspects of the first day were pretty typical of the days to
follow. In the comfort of our car we had time to contemplate the
surroundings in a way that is not usually possible when we go
hurrying by and with each bump or pothole wondering how the riders
were faring. We soon learned that, in spite of the gap of some
hours between the first riders and the end vehicles, the villagers
remained by the roadside throughout the day to wave and cheer us
on.
We had a little Australian flag to carry in the car and on
seeing it were often greeted by shouts of 'viva Australia!'
and not infrequently another Australian flag would be waved by
villagers along with Timorese and other flags of nations
participating in the Tour.
{CAPTION: A welcome party}
Day's end saw weary but enthusiastic riders cleaning bikes,
carrying out repairs and upkeep, erecting tents, lining up for
showers, followed by dinner prepared by local communities and then
relaxing with a mix of local music and dancing. After nightfall in
each venue local communities were able to view a screening of the
newly released film 'Balibo' dubbed in tetum. I doubt that any of
the riders or support crews would have stayed awake for the whole
duration.
Days began before dawn, with time to repack the tents, indulge
in a hearty breakfast and generally prepare for the day
ahead. As support for the riders we repacked the car and
joined the community to farewell our riders and watch the start of
the race.
Most abiding memory? I asked around amongst riders, the support
teams and organisers and the most commonly mentioned aspect of the
Tour which brought smiles to weary faces and delightful anecdotes
was the wonderful welcome from the people in areas varying from a
single person in an isolated area to tiny village communities, to
what seemed like the entire population of major towns. Enthusiasm
wasn't dampened by waiting patiently for hours so riders and the
following convoy were greeted with applause, cheers, waving,
shouted greetings, high fives, and even proudly displayed bicycles
including one village school where the students stood by the road
in uniform with their bicycles.
{CAPTION} A welcome sign in a village View from the
hilltop
On the final day all participants were welcomed back to Dili by
the President, Jose Ramos Horta, and awards presented at a ceremony
in the Presidential Palace grounds. In spite of how tired
they must all have been, the riders' response to the President's
announcement that Tour de Timor would become an annual event and
that the riders were invited to return in 2010 met with
enthusiastic cheers of acceptance!
AVI volunteer Anne Halloran, working as Capacity Builder- Human
Resources at the East Timor Red Cross. Check out another of Anne's
articles featured in our Summer 2008/09 AV magazine on East Timor
Red Cross.