Me, myself and I

In autumn exactly in September, 22^nd of 1983, a babe’s cry was heard in that silent night. It was a cry of a little cute boy and that cry was quite loud to break the silence. That cry was a sign that a new person has born to the world. There were only two poor couple who sat around the babe and they are the parents of the little boy. Yeah, that’s me. I was born in a small sub-village called Osso-Lia, a sub-village of Letemumo village which belongs to Quelicai sub-district of Baucau district.

When I was born, my parents named me Kay-watu (traditional name) before I was then baptized in a Catholic church and my name was changed to Anibal da Costa (Portuguese name) and this name has been familiar with me when I was growing up. My father, Agostinho da Costa Belo, was a farmer and so did my mother, Celestina da Costa. My mother and father loved me so much because I am the first son for them. I grew up in a poor environment where it was a hard to get money fulfills our daily necessities. Farming has been the only job my parents had. I grew up in that condition until I was 6 years old before my parents took me to an elementary school in Quelicai.

It was 1990, I could not remember day and month, when my parents took me to a Catholic primary school. It is the elementary school of Sta. Terezinha, Quelicai-Baucau. The school fee was pretty cheap for rich people however expensive for the poor people. Even though it was hard to earn money to pay my school fee, my parents did not change their mind and they remained with their decision to take me to school. I don’t really know what their dream was by taking me to school.

My first day in primary school was good even though I had a mixed feelings of happy, afraid, confuse what to do as it is a new world to me, but always curious to know.

It was a new situation to me but then I get used to it.

Seconds changes to minute, minutes change to hour, hours change to day, days change to month, months change to year I passed each grade of my primary school successfully.

I finished my primary school in 1996 as the education system was following Indonesian one. It was nine-year education counting from primary to junior high school (intermediate).

I continued my education to junior high school in 1996. Again, I went to the same Catholic institution in the same place but different level. It was Sta.Terezinha junior high school which was close to my primary school. I stayed with my aunt and uncle who lived not far from my school when I was a student of junior high school. I was very happy at my first grade of my junior high school because there was a new subject that I did not get during primary school. That subject was English. I really interested in it and I studied it hard. Funnily, my English was quite good compared to other students in my class. I was so happy with that rank and I kept it on until I finished my junior high school.

My junior high school was over and I wanted to continue my study to senior high school in town which is 12km from my sub-district. I was pretty sad because I had to leave my little village and being away from my own parents and got to move to a new town. That new town is Baucau. It was 1999 when I successfully got into a Catholic high school in Baucau. The school name is Sekolah Menenggah Atas Katolik St.António Baucau (SMAK St.António Baucau) or St.Anthony high school of Baucau. It was the only Catholic high school in town. I chose that private school because, around that time, private schools seemed to be more discipline then government ones. It was one of the greatest high schools in Timor Leste at that time. The school regulation was pretty strict which was why students from all grades took that chance to learn hard. Some music and sport activities were included into high school subjects beside the ones that had been decided in national curriculum. School begins at 07:30 and ends at 17:30 and lunch was provided by the school. It takes 30 minutes to have lunch and one and a half hour left was time break for students to do some extra activities such as football game, basketball game, floor tennis game, volleyball game and playing music. I improved my English when I got into my first grade of high school. My English score was good among other friends in the same class and I was proud of it. Beside English, I also like other subjects such as Math, Biology and Chemistry. I enjoyed my high school time very much. I can not forget it and will never forget it. Grade by grade I passed and I successfully finished my high school in 2002.

In 2002, again, I had to leave my hometown because I wanted to continue my study to tertiary education in Dili. Dili was the only place where both government and private universities were. I decided to go to Government University which was national university because it was the only cheapest university in Dili. I chose English Department because I thought I would be able to talk with foreigners one day. My main objective was to be a professional English teacher. So, I took my admission test at Universidade Nasional Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL) and I passed it. I was so happy because I could go to university even though money was the main problem. I tried many ways to get money so that I would be able to continue my study. I was 20 years old when I got into university. I am at the sixth semester now and I still have plan to continue my study.

Time after time I passed until I then got a volunteer job at Centro Audiovisual Max Stahl Timor Leste (CAMS-TL) as a transcriber and also translator/interpreter. It is a journalist organization which is focusing on filming events happened throughout Timor Leste. It was in March, 2004 when I became one of the volunteers in it and it was my first office job ever. I was happy with that job and I tried to do my best in doing my job. I transcribed some footage and translated some scripts and film documentaries from native languages into English and vice-verse. Since I worked for CAMS-TL, I got many chances to work for other NGOs and companies such as interpreter for Land O’ Lakes company delegation for one week in 2005. It is a US-based NGO which focuses on agriculture – interpreter for Korean education delegation in Dili and the last one was as one of tour guide crew for Mega Tour Company where my fellows and I guided some foreign tourists specially to show them some interesting and historical places around Dili.

I left CAMS-TL in November, 2006 because I passed an interview at Kiwi Lines, an ISF to Timor Leste Headquarters in Dili as an interpreter. I then worked for Kiwis, New Zealand peacekeeping forces in Timor Leste, from June, 2006 to September, 2007.

My main responsibility was going out with soldiers to such most conflict areas to provide interpretation to both local people and the soldiers. Most cases we handled were about conflict and investigation. I enjoyed my work because I realize that there are not many people who have chance to work with military as I have. Furthermore, I could understand a bit how military works but I am not going to be a soldier, anyway.

One and a half year experience of working with military was enough for me, so, in September, 2007, I applied for International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), a journalist organization in Timor Leste. Luckily, I passed the interview and worked as a translator/interpreter. I like my work so much because I learn something new and journalist is also a new environment for me. So, I started working for ICFJ in the early month of October, 2007. My main responsibilities in this international non-profit organization are providing interpretation for Training of Trainers (ToT) and translate some documents if required. I like doing this kind of work because I realize I will able to know and understand new knowledge from journalist’s experts. However, I understand that working as translator/interpreter is not as easy as some people think. I will try the best that I can to carry these responsibilities because the more I try the better experience I gain. It will help me to build my career better in the future. I hope I can learn some more things here before I must or need to stop one day for any reason.

The last, life must go on and I believe God will always be with me and of course He will also be with my families, friends and all people around me.