Basically, I have been helping with a business that does multiple things. The part that I am involved with is an Island resort. Guests that come out have to take a traditional Malayu boat called a "pancung" for 1.5 hours to reach the resort which is located on one of thousands of Islands on the western side of Sumatra. Some of the photos below are from one of the "ethno-tours" that I helped with. For an ethno-tour we actually take the guests into the villages located close to the resort. They are then able to be immersed in the local Riau Melayu culture and also help with community development projects. The scenery around the resort is pretty unbelievable!
An evening shot of the resort.
The is a shot of the resort from a boat. The closest village is about a 15 minute boat ride. The resort also includes 14 acres of beach front and jungle.
The following shots are from a local village on an "ethno-tour" that I helped with.
This is us as we are about to leave the village. The village people are usually very welcoming of guests, as many of them have never seen white people before! Several trips to local villages within the last few weeks has allowed for some great opportunities to learn culture, share my life and help with service projects.