Canal living in Jakarta
Jakarta was designed by the Dutch,
Who built it with a system of canals
Much like Amsterdam.
But Amsterdam is surrounded by flat land
And Jakarta, on the island of Java, is not.
Add to this cocktail mix, a pinch of global warming,
A touch of deforestation of the surrounding hills,
An unplanned urban development that converted porous soil into concrete,
And you get a city with a major flooding problem.
The sewers and canals are overflowing into the streets.
Along these canals, families are doing their washings,
Taking showers, cooking, working, selling goods, massaging their babies.
Most of them do not own the land.
They are "squatting" in makeshift structures,
raising their children in a six foot square, rundown wooden or corrugated box,
they call home.
They have no teeth, yet their smiles are wide and their hearts are loving.
Everyone wants to "high five" us,
And no one is running after us, begging for cash.
Everyone wants to practice their English.
So we hear a lot of "Hello Mister" which is used as a greeting for a man or a woman.
They are running after us and asking me to take their photo.
Asking where are we from?
I think about some of the "abundance concepts."
How can a child growing up in a tiny cube by a filthy canal,
With no running water and no comforts of any kind,
Can grow up to think that she deserve a 4000 square foot home
With ocean views, in a quiet and beautiful neighborhood?
Could she even imagine this high?
She grows up in a six foot cube,
That she shares with her parents and three siblings....
With no concept of privacy or space....
Most are Muslims and they have makeshift Mosques,
Built on bamboo poles anchored into the water.
These are humble places to gather and thank their God.
The modesty advocated by their religion,
Is forgotten with the humidity and constant heat.
Some women welcome me and wave,
Wearing nothing but bras and shorts.
Between the broken concrete walkways and the flooded alleys,
I sigh when I think about what this city must be like,
When it rains.... When it pours...
Who built it with a system of canals
Much like Amsterdam.
But Amsterdam is surrounded by flat land
And Jakarta, on the island of Java, is not.
Add to this cocktail mix, a pinch of global warming,
A touch of deforestation of the surrounding hills,
An unplanned urban development that converted porous soil into concrete,
And you get a city with a major flooding problem.
The sewers and canals are overflowing into the streets.
Along these canals, families are doing their washings,
Taking showers, cooking, working, selling goods, massaging their babies.
Most of them do not own the land.
They are "squatting" in makeshift structures,
raising their children in a six foot square, rundown wooden or corrugated box,
they call home.
They have no teeth, yet their smiles are wide and their hearts are loving.
Everyone wants to "high five" us,
And no one is running after us, begging for cash.
Everyone wants to practice their English.
So we hear a lot of "Hello Mister" which is used as a greeting for a man or a woman.
They are running after us and asking me to take their photo.
Asking where are we from?
I think about some of the "abundance concepts."
How can a child growing up in a tiny cube by a filthy canal,
With no running water and no comforts of any kind,
Can grow up to think that she deserve a 4000 square foot home
With ocean views, in a quiet and beautiful neighborhood?
Could she even imagine this high?
She grows up in a six foot cube,
That she shares with her parents and three siblings....
With no concept of privacy or space....
Most are Muslims and they have makeshift Mosques,
Built on bamboo poles anchored into the water.
These are humble places to gather and thank their God.
The modesty advocated by their religion,
Is forgotten with the humidity and constant heat.
Some women welcome me and wave,
Wearing nothing but bras and shorts.
Between the broken concrete walkways and the flooded alleys,
I sigh when I think about what this city must be like,
When it rains.... When it pours...
