In Reply to: Pillow Cases and ? posted by Tonik on Sunday, 7. May 2006 at 13:20 Bali Time:
Hi Toni.
Money of course is always welcome at these places but we like to be a bit more hands-on.
It is easy to overlook the carers at these places. It requires a special sort of adult to live their lives in the same place and under the same (often very poor) conditions as the children. We always try to have a gift specially wrapped for any we know, not very different from the kids gifts but either wrapped with fancy paper or with slightly different contents.
Sports gear is always good. Soccer balls as you have found (did you include a pump to inflate them?) are always good for the boys and we can see a gleam in the girl's syes when we have Badminton racquets and birdies with a net or even a long length of rope that they will improvise as a net.
Even simple things like heaps of thongs (for feet) in various sizes and colours. Makro is a good supply source.
Don't reject warm clothes as it can get a bit chilly in Tabanan. Not all of Bali is tropical.
Another thing we discovered almost by accident is black rice and even red rice. When we go through Bedugul we alwasys stop at either the Candi Kunning markets or the very local market at Baturiti just a couple of kilometres above Pacung. Black rice is something they would not pay the little bit more for but they love the thought of sweet Black Rice Pudding and coconut cream. The red rice is very special for temple offerings on certain days and also makes a favourite tea.
Last visit we had a years gift subscription for the new Indonesian edition of the National Geographic magazine that you can take out at Gramedia in Bali. I was surprised at the interest the older kids had and they took great delight in explaining the pictures to the younger ones who gathered round. It might seem a bit like brainwashing but as an old teacher I don't mind expanding their minds with something other than anti-western sentiments that they might also hear.
Black school shoes are also special for the older kids, particularly the girls who are often more concerned with their appearance than the boys. If you have a contact at the orphanage they might be able to find out sizes for you. A good pair of shoes can be up to Rp2000,000 but thats only about Aus$25. Isn't it?
Girls also go mad for the brightly co;loured hair scrunchies that we can get in Oz but which seem to come in dull colours only in Bali. Pocket mirrors are also designed to get huge smiles from the girls.
Sorry if I've rambled on and I havn't even got to Australian chocolate or more staple foods including meat.
Have a look at the link below for other ideas.