Headspace

one of the perks of living in the countryside is how one could easily live inside one's own head without having to receive all this unnecessary distractions and information the internet is capable of unloading. it certainly gives time for one to delve into his/her own headspace and put things into order/perspective. i find that i'm able to write a lot better when i have a cleared headspace and some ounce of boredom, so it became my post-dinner ritual to write something into my journal during my stay in the farm. linking elements of my visit to my then current state of mind gives me some sense of relief and closure. there and then, i've never known how writing could be therapeutic for the soul. that, and a little help from Phil Elvrum and his lonely guitar playing in my iPod helped me through some nights when thoughts kept surfacing and resurfacing when i thought i had already buried them deep within my mind. guess it wasn't deep enough,

Canon AE-1

Fuji Pro 400H

What You Sow

it goes without saying that living off the land takes a lot of work, effort, and time. the results don't necessarily measure up to what one would normally get in the city (or perhaps they're sort of even). however, i find that people here are comfortable and happy with what they have, despite how little. as long as the crops are bountiful, food is on the table, and some Korean drama is screening on terrestrial television, people are content, and they carry on with their everyday lives.

Canon AE-1

Fuji Pro 400H

A Glimpse Into Sri Aman

the nearest town to my grandfather's farm is Sri Aman - about 30 minutes drive along the main trunk road past fields of farmland, jungle, mountain ranges, and rivers. certainly a far shy from big cities like Petaling Jaya or even Kuching, but small towns like this have their own particular charms. we spend most afternoons walking the plaza looking for groceries and farming supplies, and also stopping by at this dingy and old kopitiam for afternoon tea and kaya toast. not surprisingly, you'll find plenty of pencil pushers in this kopitiam having their coffee and cigarette break at four in the afternoon, deep in conversation or perusing the dailies.

walks along the riverside promenade also reveals sights one does not normally find in big cities - people waiting for their boat rides with bags and baskets of foodstuff, rice, petrol, mineral water, and clothing. a lady haggles with a sampan owner, informing him where she wants to go, while her four children and toddler look on with indifference and disinterest. aren't they supposed to be at school now? what are they doing out shopping with mum? these people probably live across the river deep in the Sarawakian forest, and it is only very so often that they come out to town. it hit me that mother couldn't possibly haul all those petrol cans and mineral water bottles back to the longhouse, so she drags along her kids to help her with the load. and she brings her toddler along with her because she's probably unable to get somebody to keep an eye on her. and mother is still trying to get the sampan owner to take her and her kids across the river.

when a trip to the supermarket involves a long trek to the riverbank from the longhouse with a bunch of screaming kids, haggling with the proprietor for a boat ride, buying groceries in bulk, and getting all this crap back across the river, through the dense jungle, up and down hills and mountains, while having to deal with grumbling kids and wailing toddlers, it really puts a lot of things into perspective.

at least we have basement parking. and trolleys. and pizza delivery.

Canon AE-1

Fuji Pro 400H

Home

i left behind the anxieties of modern city life for a one week stay in the Bornean countryside, accompanied by my Canon AE-1, one and a half rolls of film, Phil Elvrum, William S. Burroughs, Tao Lin, and my Moleskine journal. for one week, i called the Bornean countryside my home, and it surprises me how very little the people here live on, yet they are able to give so much. a month after my return, i still cannot quite put my thoughts into words, but if i were to sum it up with a phrase, it felt like home.

Canon AE-1

Fuji Pro 400H