After five days at the farm another volunteer arrived, a German girl called Romy. She joined Kenny and I as we continued with the farm work; we weeded pineapple fields, harvested tiny cucumbers the size of a fingernail, picked mulberrys (another favourite job of mine because I couldn't help eating them as I worked!) as well as collecting and cutting a strange looking fruit called roselle that Lee-May makes into jam for breakfast. Every day we had breakfast, snacks and lunch prepared for us but were expected to cook dinner for ourselves however we were often so full from all the amazing food given to us that we skipped dinner. Kenny and Lee-May were very concerned about this - they explained that in their culture, because of the history of food shortages during the war, food is the main topic of conversation and they will eat a meal even if they don't feel hungry. Having said this they were both tiny, Romy and I looked like hideous giants when we stood next to them!
As well as the history of famine in Malaysia my hosts taught me many other things about the country and its history as well as hoards of information about organic farming; there we'd be squatting by a vegetable patch whilst Kenny explained the shape of the ginger plant roots, why the snails' shells curl clockwise here and the opposite way back in Europe, or he'd tell me about the history of the native Asli people that up until recently used to live in the jungle but were forced to join modern society by the government. Romy and I visited a nearby waterfall one afternoon - we walked up the side of it and as we were approaching a dark, forested area we realised we were being watched and followed by two young Indian men; Romy was quite worried about this however I'd had it happen several times in India so I asked them to leave us alone - they couldn't comprehend why watching and following women is unacceptable. We spent the rest of the afternoon hovering around families...
Monkey News:
One night I was woken up by a clattering sound on the roof and then it sounded like someone was trying to get into my room (my room is a small building on its own surrounded by dark jungle). It took me ages to work out what it was until I thought back to something Kenny had said about the "big and unfriendly" monkeys in the foothills! I could hear the door knob starting to turn as the monkey alternated between the roof and the door and I was so relieved I'd locked it until I realised I'd left the key in the door and it was only a matter of time before the monkey worked out how to use it! I waited for him to clamber back up before I quickly removed the key but the monkey continued to terrorise me for hours after that, pacing the roof and I could see his silhouette trying to peer into the window. Kenny finds this hilarious and now refers to this monkey as my 'boyfriend'....
Delicious spiky fruit similar to lycées called Rambutan (named after the Malay word for hair) with a seed in the centre that tastes like mange tout.
Lee May showing us how to eat the latest delicacy she had cooked for us
This is a Thai appestiser and the idea is to wrap a little of all the ingredients, eat it in one mouthful and wait for the explosion of flavours!
The farm has the mantra 'love and gratitude'.
Papayas are Kenny's main fruit - before I came to the farm I detested them (they tasted like drain water to me) but now they are one of my favourite fruits because of how organic and fresh they are.
As well as the history of famine in Malaysia my hosts taught me many other things about the country and its history as well as hoards of information about organic farming; there we'd be squatting by a vegetable patch whilst Kenny explained the shape of the ginger plant roots, why the snails' shells curl clockwise here and the opposite way back in Europe, or he'd tell me about the history of the native Asli people that up until recently used to live in the jungle but were forced to join modern society by the government. Romy and I visited a nearby waterfall one afternoon - we walked up the side of it and as we were approaching a dark, forested area we realised we were being watched and followed by two young Indian men; Romy was quite worried about this however I'd had it happen several times in India so I asked them to leave us alone - they couldn't comprehend why watching and following women is unacceptable. We spent the rest of the afternoon hovering around families...
The waterfall.
Kenny showed me how to prepare jack fruits, "The big bits you put in the box and the small bits go in your mouth.". Awesome method.
Pineapple field.
This is how pineapples start their lives!
Pulling Tapioca from the ground!
Monkey News:
One night I was woken up by a clattering sound on the roof and then it sounded like someone was trying to get into my room (my room is a small building on its own surrounded by dark jungle). It took me ages to work out what it was until I thought back to something Kenny had said about the "big and unfriendly" monkeys in the foothills! I could hear the door knob starting to turn as the monkey alternated between the roof and the door and I was so relieved I'd locked it until I realised I'd left the key in the door and it was only a matter of time before the monkey worked out how to use it! I waited for him to clamber back up before I quickly removed the key but the monkey continued to terrorise me for hours after that, pacing the roof and I could see his silhouette trying to peer into the window. Kenny finds this hilarious and now refers to this monkey as my 'boyfriend'....
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