By Alan Tsubasa Pülz

‘My day starts with me setting off on foot from the community centre in Medan. I live here with Gilbert, my colleague, during my 4-month assignment in Sumatra. Every few weeks, Ben, a biologist and orangutan researcher, and Mire from the marketing team, also stay at the house for a few days. On my short walk through the neighbourhood, I pass several Warungs, the small café and snack stalls that can be found everywhere in Medan. I reach the Ring Road and order a grab-taxi or a motorbike to take me to the office of the YEL (Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari) Foundation. YEL is PanEco’s partner organisation in Indonesia. At first, I was still wary of the chaotic traffic in the city, but I’ve got used to it now. The journey takes about ten minutes, and it gives me time to slowly wake up.

I greet the other employees when I arrive at the office, and I usually take the opportunity to chat with them over a coffee. After making sure everything is organised, we set off in a minibus towards Orangutan Haven with Irwin, one of YEL’s drivers. Other employees often travel with me, for example from the veterinary or education team, and I use the 45-minute journey to learn Bahasa Indonesian vocabulary or to chat with the others. I learn a lot of exciting things about YEL’s work, for example about the orangutan reintroduction centres. Sometimes Irwin has errands to run on the way – buying fruit for the orangutans or other orders – and I keep discovering new, hidden corners of the city. I’ve gradually grown familiar with the route to the Haven: we pass small villages, rainforest, and plantations, always along the main road towards Berastagi. Before we reach the Haven, we stop for lunch almost every day at a Rumah Makan, a small local restaurant, and by now I can communicate with the friendly staff in Indonesian.

After having arrived at the Haven, I start working with the architecture team. It consists of Gilbert, who is responsible for construction management, Jhon, a local architect and project manager, and Immanuel, a talented draughtsman. Our workplace is in the ticketing office. This is an elegant bamboo building designed by Jhon. From the office we have a good view of the bamboo bridge, the entrance gate to the Haven, as well as the ‘Unit 3’ toilet facility under construction and the bamboo workshop where the bamboo is prepared for the construction projects. At the Haven we use sustainable construction techniques that utilize bamboo and rammed earth. Both are bio-based materials that are locally available and environmentally friendly. Bamboo is a versatile building material that not only grows back extremely quickly, but also impresses with its flexibility and strength. The low carbon footprint of these materials is essential to help us realise environmentally friendly construction projects in the Haven.

We are currently working on construction plans for the coffee roastery, which will be part of the future restaurant in the Haven. My tasks include creating technical drawings for the foundation and the support details as well as working out different variants of the bamboo roof construction with the 3D modelling software ‘Rhino’. I also work on smaller projects such as designing a ticketing gate or a display case for bamboo merchandise.

The work is varied, and I really enjoy it – I learn something new every day, especially about working with bamboo and its special properties. I regularly visit the construction sites and occasionally lend a hand myself. The direct contact with the construction workers is something I really appreciate. Working with them is uncomplicated and cordial, and I can learn a lot about the processing of the building materials. The construction of the ‘Unit 3’ toilet facility is almost complete, and work on the Eco-Farm’s composting plant is also moving along. We are currently working on the shingle roof, the main structure of which consists of bent bamboo beams. It is impressive to see how our ideas and technical drawings are gradually given a solid shape.

For lunch, we usually sit down on the bridge to eat together and enjoy the view of the river. In the afternoon, visitors often come to the Haven, and we give them guided tours of the bamboo workshop and explain the architectural concept of sustainable construction. I really enjoy taking part in these tours, answering questions, and sometimes helping to translate. On some days, I can even see the orangutans on their islands inside the Haven. The afternoon usually flies by and after an eventful day at the work, I head back to Medan with Irwin and the others.

Sometimes we are surprised by a sudden rain shower, which cools the air. Back at the YEL office, I either take a taxi home or meet up with friends I met in Medan. I have now settled in really well. The people I meet here are open and friendly, and I’m often approached on the street. This gives me great insights into the local culture and life in Medan. I have already been able to attend weddings and funerals and I have been invited to dinner by local families. These experiences are incredibly valuable to me and show how enriching cultural exchange can be – even when working at the Haven. After a long day full of experiences and new impressions, I finally fall into bed in the evening – accompanied by our neighbours, singing karaoke at the top of their voices.’