Monday, June 24, 2013

Legacy of U.S. military history in the Solomon Islands -- Part I

There is an unfortunately named hotel : IBS. Which stands for Iron-bottom shore/sound. It is an area with some many sunken ships or remnants of WWII structures that the floor of that area is actually like iron.  When I mentioned to my dad I was headed to the Solomon Islands, he was familiar with it because of the strategic part it played in WWII. The Americans set up a base here in 1943 and had one of the main island groups – the Maliatans fighting with them against the Japanese. There are still some rounded former WWII structures that you pass by on the main road – closer to the airport. Others were just pushed into the sea – thus “iron bottom sound”. I am not sure the U.S. military has learned its lesson considering the amount of former military installments we plan to just leave in Afghanistan, not including the 8 billion USD we will spend to get some of it out. For more on U.S. leaving equipment in Afghanistan.  
Sunset view from Monarch restaurant at Iron Bottom Sound.


Part of America’s “Pacific Partnership” is aimed at these areas. The U.S. is working with the New Zealand, Australian and other armies and navies to make its presence in Asia and the Pacific more clear. The armies assist with bringing supplies to islands by boat and building schools, clinics, etc.. As organizations I have worked with have long argued, as have humanitarian and development NGOs, this type of construction should be kept to AID organizations. Why should the military be building schools? Their work is to train and fight wars, focus on security and stabilization. The expense of armies doing this type of work rather than aid organizations or the UN is much higher. But what are Navies to do this day and age? They do have some spare ships it seems.   “Good will visits” is what a portion of the New Zealand’s navy does. Docking at ports around Asia and as far as Russia and having visits and parties on board.

There is much more to say on the U.S. military history on this island, which will come in time. For instance, this afternoon I will cross a one-way bridge that was built by the Americans in the 1940s - still a main path across the river. And the capital became Honiara in 1952 when it became a British Protectorate after the build up of infrastructure by the Americans.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Coffee

Recently a German friend watered down her coffee as we sat on a lovely Swedish island. It reminded me of my history with coffee. Swedish coffee is very dark, often somewhat bitter. Packed with caffeine. But at least it is strong.

Kenya is where I learned about coffee espresso varieties after a short tutorial from a visiting friend who had spent time working as a Starbucks barista - one of her 3 jobs to put herself through an MPH (Masters of Arts in Public Health). (Macchiato are still my favorite – often the best deal and no fear of too milky a cappuccino.)

In Rwanda, when I first arrived I was always struck by the NescafĂ© (instant coffee) and the Nido (powdered milk). For a country whose primary export is coffee it was surprising, but if you can get more for exporting a product, you price yourself out, being able to yield greater profits from sale and thus cutting your own consumption. Another example of this is the pick-up of Quinoa as a “new super-food” hitting U.S. and European markets. The central American populations which had lived off this “new” discovery for hundreds, probably thousands of years now had to supplement with new products.  See this NYTimes article .
Java House in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Photo from:blog


In Burundi and Kenya, local coffee was consumed. In Burundi it almost always came ground, but in Kenya, thanks in part to a growing café culture among middle class Kenyans and the international city, I quickly learned to appreciate coffee.

It was great to discover whole bean Solomon Island coffee, a company owned and operated by Solomon Islanders. Much improved from the instant coffee available for breakfast at the first Honiara hotel I’d been to.

Those 9 months in Sweden have turned me even further into a coffee drinker – only Finland’s population consumes more than the Swedes (or sojourning Swedes like me.)

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For an interesting look at the coffee industry that will make you always want to buy Fair Trade watch: “Black Gold” to watch the journey of an Ethiopian working for local farmers. http://blackgoldmovie.com/economics-of-coffee

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Sunset

Sunset from Rånö island in the Swedish archipelago



Late night in Rånö.
When I left Sweden the sun was setting at 9:47pm – I know because new friends of mine debated when it would disappear below the horizon a couple days before I left. And THEN it would slow wane and stay sort of light until 10:30 or 11 at night. Here’s a picture from around 11 a couple of nights before I left.

Being in the Solomon Islands and closer to the Equator and the Southern hemisphere’s winter, I’ve been struck by the early sunset. It’s 18:50 and completely dark, what is this? The chatter and cheering of the boys who played late afternoon soccer on the street outside has ceased. The PA announcements of the central market have gone silent after the 6pm “finished”. There’s the sound of a few passing cars, hums of TVs or generators, but otherwise, it’s nighttime.

I’m not in sunny, summery Sweden anymore. But it ain't half bad...


Lovely sunset in Honiara, Solomon Islands from Iron-Bottom Sound. 




Warning to blog readers

I may become more prolific (read: verbose) in coming weeks. There are multiple unfinished blogs or blog ideas from my spring in Uppsala. While I’m still settling into the rhythm of life in the Solomon Islands, I expect to have a bit more time to devote for my musings.

Disclosure:


Once again, these thoughts are my own and don’t reflect opinions of the Rotary International, the Foundation or the United Nations.

Rainy Sunday afternoon in Honiara. View of the harbor from
atop the hill.  Central Market roof visible at left. 

Barefeet

Barefoot running was all the rage a number of years ago. Sports magazines heralded it as the most natural and health beneficial approach to foot care. http://www.runnersworld.com/running-shoes-gear/barefoot-running-minimalism In 2006 a company, TOMS in Los Angeles was set up to provide a pair of shoes for people in need for every shoe consumers bought. I was recently given a pair of these shoes and they are super comfortable, before I’d been quite suspect of them, because despite not wanting to become one of those nay-sayers who creates a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t worlds’, I’m often suspect of for-profit efforts in the rich-countries hoping to help the “poor” or “needy” in another part of the world, particularly if it is selling a product produced by those “poor” elsewhere. Why not just promote better labor practices elsewhere? But that is likely unfair – perhaps they are. I certainly want to commend companies taking corporate responsibility seriously – and a look at the TOMS website suggests that they do. http://www.toms.com/corporate-responsibility/l

My red TOMS looking out at the sunset in Sweden.
I was struck when arriving in the capital city of the Solomon Islands how many people were going barefoot. People of all ages and ones with pretty nice clothes, not just people who are obviously homeless or living on the street or without resources to wash their clothes.

This was surprising to me because in my (limited) experience, in a capital city with sidewalks and paved streets – albeit potholed and disrepair ones, usually people are at least wearing flip-flops (thongs).

It reminded me of the Czech family I saw walking in a Prague park in May and a friend in 4th grade who would walk barefoot in the summer her self-proscribed “foot strengthening” and other funny trends by people with lots of money and thus choice to simulate barefoot running.

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But keep buying TOMS if you do – they are comfortable and sensible shoes and companies trying to make and effort to raise or consciousness and look at their own labor practices are good. But even better shop at co-op companies or non-profit ones like Ten Thousand Villages. Or H&M is better than Old Navy in the cheap clothing production world.