Matching entries matching “orang orang project” from LINDY-LOO'S LIFE

 
The OrangOrang Project

--Real Beauty Is Ethical --


A deciding factor in my moving to BeiJing to study Chinese full time as a 'Foreign Exchange Student' (loving the ridiculousness of this, by the way) was for me to be able to spend more time and energy on The OrangOrang Project. We are technically half a year old now; and legally 3 months old. Over the last few weeks, Cat and I have been going into hyper drive: the catalogue for next summer is available; I've been reprogramming the website and we now have a wholesaler page for distributors to purchase from and the website is three seconds away from the average Joe being able to purchase our product online and pay for it through paypal.

SHOP NOW!
 
I've had some major brainstorms involving both good and bad ideas this past bit, and Cat has also been creating and moving and shaking - hence these new marketing pics, to be printed into brochures after the kinks have been worked out. Cat is being kept out of trouble preparing me for a huge Fashion Show and Trade Show in Shanghai in the middle of October; Hana is being kept out of trouble preparing for her wine and dine in Vancouver this weekend as well as art show in Victoria next month; and the rest of us are just balancing on that tipping point between fun and stress.



More and more these days I've been feeling like this project is really going to work. Now we just need people to buy our stuff! Please, check out the website every once in a while for updates; and please feel free to send me an email with your suggestions or questions. With everyone's help, we can really make a difference!

www.orangorangproject.com




PS, Cat, this guy is a keeper ~ live and let live!


Ok, really, go to our site now

Hi Home!
Man, I miss you. I just had a long Monday (taught 6 classes) and walked home; picked up my laptop; filled a mug full of Okanagan Pinot Gris; and walked over to sit by the lakeside to write to you. It is a beautiful 20C. The skies are clear and I have another few hours of day light. The Cherry blossoms are out in full bloom now and the city seems really peaceful today. It's a great day to be alive - and more importantly - lucid enough to see, hear, smell, feel, breath -  all of this.

(This is the exact thing I am looking at right now as I write home)


Not a lot really to report here. It seems like it's the same old same old lately. But a lot is about to happen so, as usual, I have a lot to look forward to. To be honest, lately I've been pretty down in the dumps. Going to the garden to eat worms... It's a combination of a lot of things; and ultimately I have a lot to be thankful for and it could all be a lot worse. So I won't burden you with my troubles - I'll put on a brave face, as usual, for the fans.

(About 5 Long Island Ice Teas later, I put on an "I'm not drunk" poker face for the camera)

A way I cope with my current state of constantly missing family and friends; being lonely; feeling stressed out; working too hard; and generally needing a break from my constant thoughts is (as I have mentioned before) listening to music. Right now Jason Mraz is playing. A few other musicians that have been keeping me sane and therefore I'd like to recommend to you are : The Cat Empire, Kathleen Edwards, Eskimo Joe, Born Ruffian, and Jose Gonzales.

(About 5 beers later.... My poker face is not so good this time)

Since I've been a bit stressed, I've been trying to think of things to do that make me happy. Sometimes I ask myself what I liked to do as a child. Reading was certainly one of those things and so I've recently made some time to read a few books (other than my Chinese Language for Foreigners textbook). I just finished 'Fermat's Last Theorem', which has opened a door to an amazing world that was previously clouded in highschool-classroom-frustration. It is a book about the history of Maths - but it is also so much more than that. I learned so much from it that I think I will do a book report in a few weeks and post it as a blog posting!

(Geeks shall inherit the earth!)

Ugh I just looked down at my arms and was reminded how old I am looking lately. 28 might be the year that I look back on as the first year of my life I started to look old. Oh well. If there is one truth in life it is that we age as time goes by - a law of life perhaps. Why fight it~ In fact, I wouldn't mind being a little less attractive every once in a while. Ha ha. Who says that! I'm sure I'll delete that later -  the benefit of writing a letter home over the computer rather than with a paper and pen. (Also you don't see how horrible of a speller I am- thank you spellcheck!)

(Classic - two-beers-in-one-hand pose)

So what else~ I should probably sandwich some negatives in with some positives in order not to depress you (or I) too much. I only have a week left of classes (Spectroscopy in Chem and Radioactivity in Physics) and then it is review for a month, and then exams for 3 weeks. What's more, in a month and a half when it's all over, I'll be jet-setting to Northern China for the cycle tour of a century! Jenn, seriously, this is going to be the most amazing 3 weeks of our lives. From this I'll maintain a state of ecstasy on route to a whirlwind tour of the Maritimes and then a visit to my Gran in Toronto before heading back to China for another go.

Well, that's the plan for now - but you know me.
Nope, I don't plan to head to B.C. as of now. You'll just have to come see me!

(I had the pleasure of hosting some friends from Suzhou recently where I introduced them to some local delicacies as well as local Wuhan sites - I miss you May and AP!)

FYI and in case you were wondering, China is still China.
Sigh~
Too many people; smoke every where; amazing culture and history; great friends and lots of travel; constant staring; constant littering; Shangbalao central! Loving it BUT I am feeling restless lately and can't figure out why.

(A surprise around every corner - I never get tired of that!)

I'm Definitely missing something in my life, and have found myself thinking a lot about really wanting a new challenge of sorts.

I feel as though it should be in the form of a family. But something tells me maybe I'm still not ready for that. In larger part because I still pity anyone who tells me they are getting married or having a child. Maybe I should wait until my mind changes about that before I go and do something I wouldn't even condone another person to do.

(Wow, it is hard to please a girl like me - I even had my own version of Kobe recently and was bored to tears with him - WTF~ PS: this is a new Orang Orang shirt that is for sale now and is part of the Winter 2009 collection.)

Oh, this reminds me of a movie I just watched recently (Vicky blah blah Barcelona) in which my favorite actress, Scarlette Johannsen (would have her babies in a second), stars as a platinum blond bombshell living MY life. It inspired me to go blond again, and also reminded me that life is a journey and there is no right path or ultimate thing we need to attain. And this is different for everyone. It has to be.
Like she says in the movie (and I have heard myself say over and over)
"I don't know what I want - but I do know what I don't want."
Guess I'll just keep going with that one for a while.

(Why can't all men be like you, Didi~)


This brings me to the topic of men. Why~ Why oh why does this have to be so difficult~
As if life isn't hard already - half the population has to be comprised of lying assholes who only care about themselves. Ugh!
This life has not been easy on me when it comes to this topic.
Two things: yes I do it to myself; and yes, it just keeps getting worse.
My mum once told me that you're not stupid for making a mistake. But you are stupid if you make that mistake again.
Um, I am an idiot.... Alas, I will leave it at that. One day, the right prince charming will come along and sweep all of these bad memories and experiences under the bed and I will be whisked off to a land of love, trust and respect.
The good news is I still partially believe in that fantasy, so it can't be all that bad.

(If May can find AP, I can find someone - anyone!~!@#$@!~ I just want someone to have fun with and explore this wonderful world and life together with me - is that too much to ask~)

Ok, gotta sandwich in another good thing now, eh?

Well there is no doubt I am fully addicted to and loving learning Chinese. Although now I can hear people slag me - but I can also slag them back! Like the Taxi driver who told me my Chinese sucked and I was like "oh really, my Chinese sucks? Yeah, well your Chinese sucks AND you're a shitty driver!" He was silent for the rest of the ride.

One point for the white girl! But I am getting tired of the constant comments about how good my Chinese is.

Like, because I have white skin and round eyes I can't possibly be able to use chopsticks or speak their language!??!?! Get over it already! 

Imagine if I worked at a bar in Victoria and a Chinese-decent-fourth-generation-Canadian came in and ordered a drink and I said "Oh, wow, your English is so good!" Obviously it would never happen. Talk about an ignorant bunch of hicks we've got over here- but give it a generation and the entire world will speak Chinese, so it'll all just be a distant memory. One day day I'll tell my (undoubtedly one quarter to one half Chinese decent) grandchildren about how it was strange for a white person to speak Chinese back when I was young.

(I love China)

Last but certainly not least, The Orang Orang Project is keeping me busy - and partially insane. We are building such an amazing thing and I really can't say enough about how fortunate I feel to be a part of it. So far we not only have an amazing group of women on Bali Island but are slowly building a team of young, brilliant, beautiful women all over the world to build this vision and project with us. How cool! I really want to quit my job and dedicate all my time and energy to this but the realities of the real world (money) requires that I teach Chemistry to fund the project for now - though I have a feeling that'll be all part of the value of the story later on.

(Have I mentioned lately how much I love the beauty in simplicity~)


Well, with that, my wine is done. The sun is going down. And if this were on paper, I'm sure I'd have run out long ago.

Again, I miss you, Home!
Please write soon (address above) and give yourself a big hug, kiss, and lots of love from China.

XOXOXO Lindy-Loo

As I have eluded to in the two previous posts, an exciting venture was solidified this year while I was in Bali. Finally, my desire to help people, use my skills, and make the world a better place now as well as in the future has a name:

The Orang Orang Project.

Regardless of the personal gains that this project will provide; what's much more important is the vision and intentions that we have for both the local women and children of Bali as well as the Western consumer and businesses. It is a challenge to those businesses out there who are not thinking in this way. We want to prove that it is possible to make money and to make a difference at the same time.

Cat's passion for people and talent for design coupled with my passion for improving the world and talent for business are a perfect match. Furthermore, between the two of us we cover the globe in the languages that we are proficient at and the people that we are connected to. It is like a win, win, win, win, win situation - every direction you look!





I think, however, that I might be getting ahead of myself.  
You are asking: who, what, where, when and why, right?


So, here's my pitch:


OrangOrang is a fashion label offering socially responsible clothing and fashion accessories (jewellery, bags, belts) for women and children. The human dimension is central to our project, so much so that our name means 'people' in Indonesian.

 

Established in Canada and now rooted in Indonesia, OrangOrang designs and produces socially responsible fashion. We believe a better future can be made available to all, by enhancing the well being of the small communities in developing countries. Coupling traditional knowledge and modern taste with the use of organic fabrics and dyes allows us to create beautiful products with a purpose. Our guideline is the concept of sustainable development, which encompasses both environmental and social consciousness throughout each step of the supply chain.


Our project is multifaceted; we want to show the world that a company can make money and make difference at the same time. The fundamentals of the project involve teaching transferable skills to women in poor communities on Bali and then working with them and their new skills to develop beautifully hand made clothing and accessories. As technology and fashion evolve, so will we regarding social, environmental and economic issues. Currently, all the dyes we use are made from the little treasures and traditional knowledge offered by Indonesia`s rich vegetation and history. As most common industrial dyes are toxic, we ensure the safety of our workers, the environment, and you by happily offering all of our products free from the use of these harmful synthetic dyes. Moreover, we work with 100% certified organic silk and cotton. Silk is sensational to wear and allow us to play so much with the dyes as they create an amazing effect on that material. The cotton we use is light and perfect for dressing up or down.


We want to provide the educated and conscious consumer with choices. This enables people (you!)  to choose to wear stylish clothes without damaging the environment and without affecting your health and the health of the textile industry workers. Furthermore, all pieces combining organic cotton and natural dyes are perfect for people with sensitive skin or allergies as well as children as they grow and develop.

 (Cat with Kadek (her jewelry expert) making earrings one morning while I visited in February)

A business can make such a difference in both the lives of people and the protection of environment - as well as grow in a sustainable way. A portion of all our sales go to keeping street children on Bali in school and on route to a happier, healthier life. So, with us, you can really make a difference!

(Our first day in business with our new business cards and freshly made earrings!)


So, how can you buy our products and help us help the world?
Well, right now we have a website in the making so check out www.orangorangproject.com
And we already sell many things in stores in Quebec, and with your help spreading the word we will hopefully get our stuff into more stores - specifically in BC and other countries as well. We are looking into selling our products on some other socially responsible websites such as www.green2greener.com, www.nosweatapparel.com, www.organicconsumers.org, etc. which will make us more accessible to the world. And of course we are always open to your emails, requests, suggestions, orders, help, time, or anything!

After the thirteen-hour-layover-from-hell in Kuala Lumpur due to the most intense bout of food poisoning of my life, I actually passed out getting off my flight in Denpasar. The upside to this embarrassment was they wheeled me through customs; paid for my entrance visa; and got me out ahead of a few other hundred pasty-white tourists. Oh yes, warm Indonesian air. I sat there wishing I was dead, and when Catherine came to pick me up, although I was about 10% all there, we headed straight for the Yayasan (a school/safehouse for some of Bali's street kids, which this blog is about).
No rest for the willing!

The Yayasan is a modest two story building brimming with love. Upon arrival, I was well taken care of by the volunteer doctor who no doubt sees his share of food poisoning. And to my pleasure, I was greeted by some familiar faces and other unfamiliar, but extremely happy and healthy smiles, who by now (as I write this blog) are as close to me as family.

Giving the full time staff a break on my second day. Egg and green veg... using what was there and trying to make a somewhat balanced meal.
Catherine is to my left and Putu, the head honcho is at the far right of the picture.


Although I had been offered several volunteer posts for my "voluntourism" stint for this year's Chinese New Year break, I decided to return to Bali for more grass roots activism. I worried I might regret it. After all, the other posts were in India working with women and Vietnam helping to set up sustainable farming -  two places that top my "must go" list and two jobs that would challenge and reward me in ways Bali may not be able to. But quickly my fears of regret abated as soon as I saw the kids that I had known from the streets last year: healthy bodies, smiles on their faces, clean clothes, safe in the yayasan - I knew it had been the right choice.

One afternoon, Catherine helped with their homework.



While I taught the younger ones other important skills like making funny faces.

 

Yayasan Kasih Peduli Anak (deeply loving and caring for children) is a non-denominational Indonesia non-profit charity assisting Bali street children in a transparent way with the help of local and international volunteers. The mission of this yayasan is to "give love, caring, education, skills and health care for needy children to have a good and happy life." and the vision is to "see these children living in safety, enjoying childhood, growing into healthy, spiritual, educated adults with job skills and as moral citizens." (More on this in a later post when I tell you about the orangorangproject - a business that I am helping Catherine work on here).


In any developing country there is poverty and begging. But in Indonesia, the adults for the most part exploit their children in many ways - the main one being pimping them out to beg on the streets. The kids are actually pretty good at English too, and of course it is easy for tourists to give them a few dollars (which can easily feed a family for a week here) but when you give money to a child begging or selling on the street, someone else gets that money: They must give your donation to their 'boss', some adult who typically does not work, and treats them abusively. Moreover, The 'polici' repeatedly capture the children, take your donations from them and then abuse the children in various ways. You encourage this sad life to continue for many years; and for girls, this can develop into working in the sex trade - for some  (we took one out for dinner the other day with broken hearts) they are not even teenagers yet. Furthermore, when you give food instead of money, the child doesn't have enough money to give the boss, who frequently physically abuses them, doesn't let them come 'home' to sleep, etc.

So the idea is to get them out of this spiral of abuse and back into school. The only way to get support from the parents is to somehow have them making them same amount of money that they would if they were working the streets. So one thing they do is sell their art class art as cards.



Another important thing we've bee doing with them is something that I consider myself an expert at: playing.
I may not have any motherly instinct or skill...but I do know how to play.
There is a soccer field near by, and we spent an afternoon this week tiring each other out.





A wonderful semi-retired Kiwi couple has a house up the road with a pool. They are involved in various things with the Yayasan; one of which is to teach the kids how to swim. So Friday afternoon we packed the kids into a taxi and took them up there.


Imagine living on a small island and not knowing how to swim? Well, believe it or not, only a handful here do. Hence: water-wings soup.

And lets just say my brief lifeguarding education as a teen came in quite handy on this afternoon. More than once.

Catherine and I also had the thrill of teaching this new guy how to swim.
His first time EVER. He was equally as thrilled.

As important as playing with them, is watching them, listening to them, and letting them just be kids - when a year prior their were being exploited as workers until 5 and 6 in the morning and not allowed even to go to school let alone eat junk food or watch tv.


The next challenge to all involvoved will be what to do as these kids grow into teenagers, and then of course adults. After all, their families and in some cases villages rely solely on them.
What skills can we help to teach them and values impress on them in order to improve not only their lives but the lives of their entire villages for the future? We're working on it.


Until then, I'll work on relaxing a bit too.
Playing with the fish both in the water and on land.
I'll also try to steer clean from any more stomach issues by following my own Bali-based advice: water is for playing; Arak is for drinking.


www.ykpa.org

'Tis the season to be jolly!
And Gina and I, going against our feelings (or lack thereof) regarding this Christmas season, spent last Friday baking goodies. The effort was threefold: to get into the spirit of the season, to make some presents, and to get drunk. (ok, the last one was just my thing).


Gina spent the early part of her childhood in New Mexico and so our first project was to make these amazing Mexican Christmas cookies called Bisco Chitos. If you want to try to make them yourself, just make short bread cookies, then add about a half a cup of OJ, a tablespoon of anise, and then add more flour to get the texture right. When you put them on the pan, top them off with cinnamon sugar before popping them in the oven at 325F for 10 minutes.

This was the oven we had to work with. It is the only oven on the entire school campus. Val, the woman teacher from Ottawa has it in her apartment. Chinese people don't have ovens for the most part.

And yes, there just so happens to be a drink in my hand. It is champagne and orange juice. So Christmassy!

The following night, Gina, Linsey and I went to our first Chinese birthday party. The lucky birthday boy was Mickey, some random guy who stopped to talk to Gina last week while she was struggling to determine what the heck she was looking at while shopping for groceries.  This is the crew that came to dinner. Mickey is the guy furthest on the right. They were actually quite unreserved for Chinese peeps, so it was really fun.

Birthday parties in China are different in a few ways. For one, the birthday boy pays for everything. For two, it revolves around food and a very long meal. And for three, you are not really supposed to get the birthday boy a present...they are supposed to get you something!  Needless to say, I was stoked to be a guest!

We ate hot pot for dinner. This is like a soup version of fondue. There is a big, boiling bowl of broths in the middle of the table and you order whatever you want (in this case, extra pig intestine and whole, live shrimps) and when it comes to the table, you plop it into the broth and then fish it all out with your chopsticks as the night goes on.
I ate a shrimp whole. It was.....crunchy....and I couldnt get the eyes, brains and antennae out of my head. Too many invertebrate labs in my Univesity career. But I managed to swallow and then guzzled some beer to make it all better.


Which brings me to yet another story about me drinking. Well, I didnt really drink a lot that night. Even so, the Chinese kids at the table started calling me Janada Jiugui (pronounced jew-gway). This directly translates into Canadian alcoholic. (They were somewhat stunned that I was shooting 56% bijiu...that Chinese white wine I have told you about) But really they claimed it just means someone who likes drinking.... Yeah I do!
It is very rare for Chinese women to drink. And you would never find one keeping up with the boys...it would be considered unrestrained, of which Chinese women are made to believe they should always be. Hey, at least they don't bind their feet anymore.