There was a pre-bid, site meeting - which doesn't really mean anything like on most western projects I've been used to. It's more like a 'let's get acquainted meeting' with some local builders to see if everyone's karma, spiritual, and energy matches up. I always find it fascinating to observe the interaction of cultures at transition zones. Just like in the west, there's a certain dance that happens which always contains hidden agendas, trap doors, etc. One of the things i learned was that Balinese contractors really don't use levels... WHOA! ... they use line of sight, and tripods, and maybe water hoses... at least that's what I've been told by several experienced expatriats (westerners living abroad)
Time and money are always the consistent drivers of most projects in 90% of cases. Wouldn't it be nice to work within the other 10%?
What I've heard is that Balinese contractors follow the age old Asian culture of 'tribal opportunism'. As Peter Drucker once said: 'When western capitalism meets tribal opportunism, there's no contest.'
Here's the Laurel + Hardy act of most western style projects:
Owner: I don't have a lot of money, and I have a very short time schedule: could you have it finished tomorrow at below cost, please? later on.... "oh! I forgot to tell you - could u please add this, subtract that, and don't worry about the hidden on-site conditions that I won't tell you about?" And 'force-majeure'? ... forget about it, you're responsible for that too. :-))
Contractor: I really want this project, but I don't want to appear too anxious. I'll do anything to get the project, and once I get it I'll figure it out how to squeeze the owner for my profits (to make my boat payments :-)) and then make more changes, ask for more money and take the owner for as much money as I can get. If problems occur, i'll blame it on the owner's rep/site manager. I wonder what zipcode the owner lives in?
This dance has been going on for millenia. It's one of the reasons I got out of CREF and IFMA years ago:nothing new has happened and the ugly game of who can screw who first and fastest for the fattest profit is sickening. Nothing has changed, it's the most archaic system in the world.
Hey do I sound cynical here? nahhh..... :-) I had glimmer of hope in how DPR did some of their projects, but those methods were considered unique and extreme.
So back to Bali CMG project: What a gorgeous job site! Beautifully terrace rice fields, the most incredible green color you could imagine. Rain forest flora all around, gorgeous smelling trees - even the stinky ones were inviting. Nature is filled with all kinds of wonderful contradictions.
Traveling to the site was an adventure. It is northeast of Ubud in the foothills to the mountains. It was my second wild ride on Asia backroads that I will always remember. The first one was a 20km taxi ride from Chengdu airport in China... wild in the streets! If only the Bali roads were made out of dirt = they'd be less bumpy - and probably totally washed out. i couldn't imagine driving a motorbike on these... and that answers the question about why Bali has one of the highest accident/injury rate for motorbikes in SE Asia according to several travel websites.
Project Background
So the project site is a piece of land that is available for a long time and will eventually host 100 people to do silent meditation, prayer,and yoga practices. So the whole idea of permaculture and renewable energy is at its heart - maybe. I'm slowly finding out that it really isn't.. stay tuned.
It was 'envisioned' by a California lady with some funding by altruistic westerners... most of which is still a bit confusing to me. There is a very limited budget for the first phase, with subsequent phases to be funded by the retreat centers' revenue.
As with any project, time and money are the issue. It's cheaper to hook up to the electric utility company, or bring in a 250gallon propane tank... Indonesia is the LNG capital of the world - so propane is very cheap and heavily subsidized. Electricity is produced at 40cents/KWH and sold at 10cents/KWH.
The Bali culture is filled with wonderful, easy-going and joyful people - and a LOT of tourists, (who I call 'round-eyes'... i know....) It also does not have much infrastructure outside the western hotel/tourist centers (tourist slums, I call them) so it feels more like inland China or India in some ways with constant motorbikes buzz and hawkers in every store.
I don't see ANY solar PV or hot water collectors anywhere. This is very sad.
I hope to visit the green school - American funded and designed. Next day I will be immerising myself in biomass and biogas... chicken shit in other words! :-)
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