Viva Jakarta! Latin spirit benefits local communities

An exuberant inquiry of como esta might sound perfectly at home when you are gazing towards the ruins of Medina Azzahra in Andalusia or eating tapas in Madrid.

However, on a recent morning, the equivalent of "how do you do" was frequently heard over the echoes of gamelan music and the fragrant aroma of satay.

"It is usually louder than this," Giselle Arroyo, a member of the Club de Senoras de Habla Hispana, or the Spanish Speaking Women Association, told The Jakarta Post.

"Perhaps the atmosphere is calmer because it is Indonesia's turn."

She was attending the annual coffee morning, which is held by the association every third Thursday of the month. Women of different nationalities take turns organizing the event, and that month was Indonesia's turn.

Thus, that sunny morning witnessed the ladies from Spain, Columbia, and other countries, including Indonesia, enjoying traditional Indonesian performing arts such as kuda lumping, and browsing batik garments in between eating and chatting in the main room of a sports club in South Jakarta.

The association currently has around 120 members from 22 nationalities, said Giselle, who is an editor at the club's monthly publication El Pregonero.

Most of the association's members are women whose husbands are working in Indonesia.

Such traits, however, are not necessarily a prerequisite for one to enter the association, said Sirlady Santosa, one of the associations' most senior members and also its Coordinator of Programs.

"As long as the person can speak Spanish, one is welcome," she explained.

The associations' members include those from the United States and Indonesia, in addition to two male members.

"They are very helpful when we want to dress them up in costumes from their homelands," said Giselle, laughing.

The pluralism means that each month the coffee morning has its own special colors.

However, Giselle said that the Latin members of the club, who were essentially "happy and liked to laugh" became even more spirited when it was one of their motherland's turn to organize the coffee morning.

"We are excited to hear our music and eat our food, so it gets more noisy," said the Columbian national. smiling.

The club is not just a cure for homesickness. It is also often involved in various philanthropic activities ranging from feeding the hungry to providing tuition fees for higher education.

"We have a list of special programs," Giselle said.

"We give money to kampung kids, medicine and money to Flores *East Nusa Tenggara*, and we pay tuition fees for students in universities. Every year the social program changes according to the people that reach us."

The association's most recent project is the community kitchen in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta. Each week, a local ibu (mother) cooks in the kitchen to feed 100 children.

There were various ways in which those in need could reach the association, such as by letters, Giselle said.

"Sometimes its personal. Sometimes the person who works at the house of the ladies know someone in need," she said

An Indonesian member approached Sirlady and Giselle's table and produced a small book of coupons just as she was explaining the charity programs.

"This is one of the ways to raise money," Sirlady said, smiling.

"we make ruffles, we have fees, and our main activity is the Gala Latina, the Latin Ball."

According to her, philanthropy had been a long-standing feature of the association, albeit not one that existed from the start, when it was still in its embryonic phase in the late 1970s.

When Sirlady came to the country in February of 1977, the club was already established, albeit only with eight members, she said.

"*The association* started gradually you know, by this time the ladies have been getting together to have lunch together, socialize and exchange ideas."

Eventually, the annual gatherings fostered the idea of charity.

"The reason *for the association* was there was nothing to do, no activities for the ladies, just lunch. So why not make a club and help people?" Sirlady said.

Susana MRS de Sanz de Urquiza, wife of His Excellency Javier A Sanz de Urquiza, the Ambassador of Argentina to Indonesia, said she found the group very helpful.

"*It is* very welcoming to the newcomers, very warm. They make charitable projects and through them, we not only get to learn about each other's cultures but we can also help each other." (dis)

Source: The Jakarta Post , Wed, 09/09/2009

Posted in: Columbia,Columbian national,East Jakarta,Latin members,Latin spirit,local communities,organizing the event,Sirlady Santosa,Spain,tapas in Madrid,Viva Jakarta,Women Association