Day 13 (3/30) Makassar - It just got worse - Hotel Day 5

So my partner and I were planning to work from the hotel today anyway and I was planning on leaving with some of the team at 4 pm to go to a resort called Bira beach for a weekend of relaxing on the beach and get my sun tan for Minnesota.  We got a call around 13:30 that we all needed to be back at the hotel and stay there for at least the next 24 hours.  It seems the Indonesian Government (Parliament) is meeting to vote on a final decision about the gas price increase of 33% that has sparked the student and union demonstrations.  So, we are being locked down!  So a group of us ran to the big market next door and stocked up on essentials: beer, chips, apples, beer, cheese, peanuts and beer.  At least we can make the most of it.  Good thing the team all gets along great with each other and I consider everyone of them a good friend.  I plan to go to the roof of the hotel tomorrow with a couple of towels and at least look at the sky, read my book, take a nap, and get some sun.  #ibmcsc

Working with our Interpreter, Bartho, on translating our Presentations for Monday and Tuesday to the Client.

Found time to do some underwear laundry.

Pictures of the Demonstrations from Yesterday . . .

Day 12 (3/29) Makassar (Tranportation Agency) - Hotel Day 4

Yep . . . another day at the hotel.  At least one of our lead Transportation Agency Department heads came by to talk and review our recommendations and plans for next weeks final presentation.  Interestingly, we have two session with the client, one is a training session on "leading change" and the other was our analysis finding and recommendations.  The client told us today, the "leading change" presentation is the more important of the two presentations.  So I'm going to conduct a two hour training session for about 20 employee's and the Agency Chief next Tuesday.  The idea is, our recommendations are already understood by them, but if they can affect "change", none of the recommendations will happen.  I thought that was great insight by our client.  Sorry, no pictures from today except these random ones.  #ibmcsc

The Front Desk Girls at the hotel before we went to dinner - just a random photo!

Street seen from the window of our 2d floor restaurant - the Fat Dragon, Chinese - my favorite place so far.

Day 11 (3/28) Makassar (Tranportation Agency) - another day at the hotel

 Another day of protests in Makassar over the gas price hike and another day at the hotel.  At least this time our clients came to the hotel so we could finalize our schedule for briefings and provide them with some of the information we told them we would provide (Terminal Standards and tips for proposal writing).  We spent the day finalizing our presentation and the class I'm going to give on "leading change".  Two of our Clients showed up to discuss the next couple of days and plan for contingency if we can't present at the Transportation Office on Monday and Tuesday.  Since their office is right across the Street from the Province (State) Government offices, it's a favorite place for the demonstrators.

Photo of the TV screen from the new broadcast.

Photo of the TV screen from the new broadcast.

The news was on in the common room at the hotel where we met our clients.  We would get updates/translation from our interpreter.





 Working with our Client and interpreter in the hotel common room.

Tom, Javier, Barhto (interpreter), Mrs Evi, and Mrs Jarfar (from Transportation Agency) working on our  agenda for the next couple of days.

The team had a meeting later in the day, in our converted bedroom at the hotel, to discuss our common presentation for the last meeting.  We also discussed our Knowledge Transfer requirements from each team, then reviewed our weekend options.



For dinner, two of the students who were on our Island trip last weekend came to the hotel and recommended a place for dinner.  It was Fish restaurant.  You walk up, they show different types of fish in a cooler, you select the type of fish you want, and then they grill it and serve it.  I had a fish they deep fried and a lobster.  Although I "assumed" lobster would be a good deal, it was WAY Over priced . . . $30.00 USD.  It became the most expensive meal I've had here.  #ibmcsc

First, the Selection . . .

Second, the outside grill where they cook it.

The dinner group, Jess, Nitu, Ruth, the two students, Javier, Sabine,and Tom

Dinner looks back at me . . . but it was good.

Day 10 (3/27) Makassar (Tranportation Agency) - Protest prevent us from visiting the client

This is our second day of staying in the hotel while demonstrations occur in the city by students and union workers over the 33% increase in gas going into affect on April 1.  Here is Makassar, the demonstrations actually turned violent.  IBM Security has keep us informed.  The demonstrations are taking place about 5 kilometers from our hotel, so we are not near them.  We feel safe at our hotel and the surrounding area, which includes one of the big malls next door so we have places to eat and someplace to get away from our hotel if we need too.  Today the entire team went to lunch at Pizza Hut.  It was a change from the regular Indonesian food we usually eat.  My team mate Javier and I worked most of the day on our presentation and training material for the Agency.  We had our interpreter come to the hotel to help us work the presentation material and check our translation on the slides.  We are using Google Translator to add a section for on slide to translate the content.  Works pretty well.  #ibmcsc

Picture taken from the TV news about the protests in Makassar. 

A picture form a local news agency.

The team at lunch - Pizza Hut, Indonesia Style - meaning you can get pizza, which has different ingredients then US Pizza Hut. 

Day 9 (3/26) On the Job in Makassar (Tranportation Agency)

Well, we got an alert from IBM Security about big demonstrations this week and we should stay at the hotel.  University Students plan to protest a 33% rise in the cost of gasoline.  Since we all work at Government locations, and two of the teams, including mine, are across the street from the Province (State) government offices where the demonstrations will take place, it was safer to work from the hotel.  We did see some protests last week, but only about 50 students, but they had blocked streets and were burning tires on the street in front of the Transportation Office.  So we stayed at the hotel and are working on our deliverable presentations and training sessions we plan to give later this week or early next week.

During our first week, we saw this protesting group passing by where we were having lunch.

#ibmcsc

Day 8 (3/22) On the Job in Makassar (Tranportation Agency)

We (Javier and I) worked from the home office today.  The hotel we are staying set up a room on our floor with tables and chairs, and AVB (our coordinator), got us a micro wave and refrigerator.  We started putting together our findings and developing our improvements scope and plans.  Next week we plan to do per-presentations on our plans and also training on Leading Change with the 5 department leaders.  Our thought was, by training then on leading change, they might be able to influence the the Chief of the Transportation Agency to adopt new idea's and see the value of our suggested improvements.

Our office - the spare bedroom . . .

#ibmcsc

Weekend 2 (3/23, 24, 25) - Trip to the Outlying Island with the Marine Converstation Agency

We had a long weekend due to a holiday on Friday.

On Friday, we all slept in late - some needed it from the night before.  Two team members flew for the weekend to Yagyakarta to visit the site on that island.  The rest of the team went to the indoor theme park "Trans Studios" for the day.

      If you can't identify it, I won't eat it . . .

Indonesia - Indoor Theme Park

Arun and Tom waiting for the other kids to get off the rides.

The team practicing their Makassar driving techniques.

On Saturday and Sunday we traveled, by boat, with the Marine Conservation Agency to Lompo, Caddi, and Samalona Islands.  The Marine Conservation Agency was sponsoring a Coral Reef check by Marine Biology Students from one of the Universities in Makassar.  We departed Makassar on what is a "Dive" boat, for scuba diving.  Meaning the boat is equipped for a large group and has the capability to re-fill dive tanks with oxygen. Our guides and the most of the students are scuba qualified. 

 Checking that block . .  one of my goals was to Scuba dive on the Trip

Some local kids on the Island we over-nighted at.

The local beach park on the island we stayed overnight in the University Hostel

Some of the marine biology students we shared our weekend with.  They smoke a lot of cigarettes and drink coffee . . . they shared the coffee.

 #ibmcsc

Day 7 On the Job in Makassar (Tranportation Agency) Indonesia Tm 3

Today both Javier and I gave some presentations to our clients.  I gave an overview on the expectations the IBM CSC program has for our assignment.  There was some confusion with the Clients about our purpose in working with them.  They thought we were there to sell them computers and to help implement IT changes.  We level-set with the client leadership team we are there to assess and analyze problems they identified in the Statement of Work, then provide recommendations on solutions.  Also, where possible give them training.  

Javier gave a class/presentation on how to develop employee skills assessments and how it would contribute to their success.

 Javier giving his Skills presentation to the Makassar City Transportation Agency Team Leads

The City of Makassar Transportation Agency Team Leads

Our Interpreter, Bartho (on right) explaining something during Javier's presentation.

#ibmcsc

Day 6 On the Job in Makassar Indonesia Tm 3

Today we met with the Transportation Agency for presenting our idea's for recommendations for the Agency.  They are:

•Proposal Development - Proposal Perbaikan – How does the Agency improve there Proposal for the ATC.

•Skills Development – Improve skill level with On-line training?

•IT Improvements – Recommendation to the Agency on why developing and implementing a centralized infrastructure for communications is important.

•Transportation Improvements - Smarter Planet

       - Bus Stations Standards

       - Parking Solutions

       - City Public Transportation

•Manage Change – How do the Team Leads recommend and affect Change in the Agency.

Over the next week we will begin the detailed development of the recommendations and analysis findings. #ibmcsc

Weekend 1 (3/17 & 18) - Indonesia Tm 3

Our first weekend after arriving in Makassar was an opportunity for the team to get out and visit a rare and unique place in Indonesia - Toraga.  According to Wikipedia: The Toraja area is where a group of people indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi Indonesia. Most of the population is Christian, with others from Muslim and the local Animist. Torajans are renowned for their elaborate funeral rites, burial sites carved into rocky cliffs, massive peaked-roof traditional houses known as tongkonan, and colorful wood carvings. Toraja funeral rites are important social events, usually attended by hundreds of people and lasting for several days.

The team departed Makassar at around 5:30 pm - for the 300 km or 9 1/2 hour bus ride to the area.  We stopped at mid way for dinner and arrived at the hotel/resort at around 01:30 am.  We got up early and toured with a guide and interpreter seeing a typical village, the two distinct burial types and the baby burial tree.  We got some time to relax at the hotel pool and have a nice dinner and an after dinner get together.  In the morning we left early for the long drive back, but at least got to see the country side in the daylight.  #ibmcsc

Traditional Houses being built with Bamboo.

 Traditional Houses in a village.  The homes are on the left side and the rice storage is to the right.

Javier shopping for a souvenir wood carving.  Bargaining was not encouraged but tried.

Jess, Sabine, and Vivek with some new friends at a cliff side burial sight.

Another view of traditional homes.

Me at the cliff side effigy site.

You can by an effigy at this little stand near the cliffs.

The baby burial tree . . . needs an explanation, more than I will say here.

The Mountain country side - Beautiful.

The team at the Hotel/Resort - Definitely forming and performing well.

First day at work with the Indonesia Transportation Agency

My IBM partner Javier, from Mexico City, and I got picked up from the hotel by our contact from the Transportation Agency.  We also met our translator Bartholomeo. We went to the headquarters compound and met the chief of the agency and some of the representatives from the various sub organizations we will work with.  The area they would like us to focus on was Traffic Control at the major intersections of the city.

Day 3 & 4 On the Job in Makassar Indonesia Tm 3 - with the Transportation Agency

Both days were meetings with the various agency leads and tours.  We visited the Bus terminal station that takes people to the interior of Sulawesi (the Island Makassar is on).  The Transportation Agency wants to make it a world class bus station and is looking for standards to apply.

Our Translator and Transportation Client working with Javier.

Javier and our Traffic Representative with the Translator discuss on of the worst intersection in Makassar.

We met with the Traffic department and went on a tour of some of the most congested intersections in the city.  All the traffic lights are set to the same time for the lights to set and don't adjust to rush hour or patterns.  The Transportation Agency does has a request for a proposal to get a system put in to control the lights from there headquarters.

Buses can be Van or Cars if there are just a couple of passagers.

On the Team side, we are definitely forming - at least socially (for work, we are divided up in to two person teams working at 5 agencies), I'm working with my new Brother Javier.  So far, besides going to dinner together, we've had a birthday party and a Karaoke night.

 Nitu's Birthday and her cake.  We are camera using bunch!

Dinner at the "Red Bowl", note the menu is "pick a picture".

#ibmcsc

Day 2 On the Job Indonesia 3 - Meeting with the Transportation Agency

Javier, the Chief of the Transportation Agency, and I at our first Meeting.

My IBM partner Javier, from Mexico City, and I got picked up from the hotel by our contact from the Transportation Agency.  We also met our translator Bartholomeo who stay with us while with the client. We went to the headquarters compound and met the chief of the agency and some of the representatives from the various sub organizations we will work with.  The area they would like us to focus on was Traffic Control at the major intersections of the city.  They already have a proposal in to the government office at the Province Level (State), but they do not think it will be funded.  What they want is the ability to change and control the timing of the lights at 32 intersections from one location. Right now, they have to manually go to each light and change the time, so they only have them set for 3 minutes.  This causes huge traffic jams during rush hour.  Unfortunately, they do not believe their solution will be budgeted.  They also want us to help recommend solutions for assessing their employee's level of training and find out if there are international standards for Bus Stations. 

Javier and I are doing to research IBM "Smart City" and have found several papers with other transportation reference information by IBM.  The challenge is, can we find a way to give them information or training on how to conduct a Cost Benefit Analysis to strengthen their proposal and persuasion skills - that's one concept we have.  Next we are going to take a tour of the city and bus station.

In room Laundry

I did laundry today in my room.  I when to the Mega Mart (like a Super Walmart) and got a bucket and clothes pins.  I brought detergent and made a clothes line in my room.  It worked well.  Our chaperones from Australia Business Volunteers (who IBM contracts to support us), are looking into a laundry service.  They have also coordinated for us to have a spare bedroom at the hotel converted to a meeting/work room. #ibmcsc

Made it to Makassar on Sunday, Started work on Monday

The Team (9 IBM'ers) made it to Makassar Indonesia on Sunday afternoon.  Beautiful day coming in to the airport.  It was only a two hour flight to from Jakarta. So while your in the Jakarta Indonesia Airport you have to take a picture of the Krispy Creme donuts shop. There was no "Hot" sign though.  I did have Starbucks coffee at the airport too.  We got into Makassar and got settled into the Hotel.  It took some time to get organized and make some room changes so we all could get wireless internet.  While we were getting set up, Kentucky Fried Chicken was order for a snack.  It's a nice clean place and I have a great view of the Mall scooter parking lot next door. We  went shopping at the mall for irons (there are none at the hotel), extra hangers, etc.  We then had a team dinner at a mall restaurant.  I took two Tylenol PM and went to bed.

 

In the Jakarta Airport - no, I did not eat a doughnut!

 This is a on the side of the bus that picked us up when we landed.  The Mayor of Makassar is on the left.

 The "big" mall, and it is big, with the Scooter parking lot out my hotel window.

 Street scene from our bus.

On Monday, we had a breakfast at the hotel and took a bus to the Mayor of Makassar's office building.  We met the Major, some briefings were given, we were introduced, met our Clients and had a lunch.  Javier (from Mexico) and I met the two heads of the Transportation Agency we will be working with on Organizational Assessment and Budget and Planning.  Very nice gentlemen and I'm looking forward to working with them. After lunch, most of the team was done for the day and we went over to the beach area and had drinks (coffee, Juice, tea!!) on a veranda overlooking the beach.  Other than being very humid, it was nice.  Then it was back to the hotel and do this blog, and get ready to go for a walk with the team around the neighborhood and dinner. #ibmcsc