Greetings from SUMBA #21

Long time no newsletter! An update about my island life 🐟 🌊 🌞 🩵

Hester Vanacker

Jun 17, 2024

CURRENT LOCATION: Sumba, Indonesia

LOCAL TIME: 19h50

LOCAL TEMPERATURE: 25 degrees

CURRENTLY READING: House of Glass - Pramoedya Ananta Tour

Hi there,

It’s been a while since I took the time to write a new edition of “Greetings from Sumba”. In the last two months I have experienced so many incredible moments that it is far too much to pack into one newsletter. So today I want to focus on the two and a half very special weeks I spent with my parents visiting Sumba!

Selamat Datang di Indonesia!

Sunset selfies + Drawing what I saw underwater :))

It was my parents' first time in Indonesia, which made it a very special trip for them. It was not only exciting for them, but also for me, as I wanted to make sure that this holiday would be an unforgettable experience! They arrived in Bali and spent two nights in Ubud to get over the jet lag and get their first impressions of this world-famous island. Beautiful but busy, nothing like Sumba …

And then, after seven long months, we had our reunion. I flew in from Sumba and went straight to the hotel where they were waiting for me in the lobby. Hallelujah, what an incredible feeling to see them in real life again! I can say that we have a very close relationship, but nothing like being able to spend time together in real life. Although it felt very familiar, we all had to get over the fact that we could finally spend some precious time together again after such a long time. We relaxed for the rest of the day and travelled to Labuan Bajo on Flores the next day to go on a live aboard tour of the Komodo Islands.

Exploring the underwater world

Labuan Bajo is a small harbour town in the east of Flores, close to the world-famous Komodo Islands. It is claimed to be one of the best diving and snorkelling spots in the world, with its stunning corals, incredible biodiversity and archipelago landscape. We took part in a 4-night trip, which was a first for all of us, and enjoyed 5 days of snorkelling, hiking, more snorkelling, panoramic sunset views and of course more snorkelling. For all three of us, it was our first time snorkelling, and so intensely too, and I'm very proud of my brave parents for just going for it. What we saw underwater is difficult or even impossible to explain, but the images are etched in our memories. We were lucky to have a great crew on board who looked after us so well and provided us with delicious Indonesian food!

Komodo sunsets and meeting the dragon!!!

After the boat trip, it was time for the second part of the trip: Sumba

Selamat datang di Sumba

The reason my parents came all the way to Indonesia was, of course, to see the place I've called home for 11 months (already?!). After a first week exploring the Komodo Islands, the highlight of the trip awaited them ( at least I hope so): Sumba.

For the first few days, I had decided to put them up at Maringi Sumba, the training hotel on the foundation's campus. This allowed them to immerse themselves directly in my everyday life, get to know the students and see where I live and work. We explored the island on various excursions: from mangroves and remote beaches to traditional villages, waterfalls and local markets. It was a perfect mix of nature, culture and relaxation. I also enjoyed Sumba as a tourist and rediscovered some parts of the island.

Sampa Jumpa Lagi

Meeting Kini and Vennie + My dad seeing the Bintang house in real life!

And before we knew it, those two and a half weeks together were over. I am so glad that my parents took the long journey to see my life in Sumba with their own eyes. I remember exactly how they reacted when I told them that I wanted to move to Sumba after my two-month voluntary service. It was quite a shock after I had endeavoured to build a career in the fashion industry and make a comfortable life for myself in Paris. My decision was purely for me, I wanted to do something that was 100% what I wanted to do, I wanted to follow my heart, I just knew I had to do it. It's impossible to explain this to someone who has never visited the island or the foundation. And although they have supported me along the way, I believe it took their visit to fully convince them that Sumba was the right place for me. They can see that with all my projects here, I am thriving, happy and energised, learning so much every day and developing into the person I am today. One thing is for sure: without them, there is no way I would have made it this far (literally and figuratively), because where would I be without their support and encouragement?

So I'm a little late, but happy that I was able to write down the time with them that I know is so special and rare. And I'm lucky that my sister is coming to Indonesia in August (again!) to spend another summer with me!

Ik zie jullie graag moeder, vader en zuster!

Talk to you soon,

Hestie -x-