In which I encounter heat, dengue mosquitoes, and citronella patches . . . aged cocktails and air-conditioned expats . . . eggs benedict on the beach . . . complex thinking about development, localness, and food . . . a visualization map of Timor-Leste’s agro-biodiversity . . . hero food . . . fresh coconut water, near the water . . . the Portuguese supermarket with a local food display . . . storytelling and crying, storytelling and laughing . . . Tetun and 44 other languages . . . coffee with an activist-educator-musician . . . U.S. dollars and Portuguese centavos . . . luhu . . . betel nut . . . budu . . . crocodiles . . . international development workers . . . cars breaking down, drivers paying for accidents . . . four new Burger Kings and duty-free Absolut . . . avocado juice with chocolate syrup . . . chickens, dogs, kids, potholes . . . and one, then three, then many more extraordinary connections . . .
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