Author: Estradivari (WWF-Indonesia)

I have always believed that, in this digital age, we can still survive and live happily without phone signal and internet connection. This was proven when I had to spend a week without either. Even so, my 'theory' was broken when I found out that the village of Latalola Besar that the Land Team visited today (13/11) can receive telephone signals, although the network is not good.

Not only me, all members of the Land Team were racing each other to find at least one cell phone signal line in various ways. This was done in order to contact their families and loved ones. Follow the excitement:

• Photo 1: Hellen (Unpatti), Damora (WWF-Indonesia), and Kris (DKP Maluku Barat Daya) were excited to hear that you can get a phone signal if you stand in the corner of the sub-district office. Unfortunately, they had no luck despite their best efforts. They stayed at that spot for a long time, hoping that at least one cell phone signal line would connect them with their loved ones.
• Photo 2: Another spot, another story. According to the locals, there is a spot in the corner of the village called the 'phone box'. It's easy to do, just place your cell phone near the picture of a telephone taped to the wall. If lucky enough, these phone signal seekers will get at least one phone signal line.
• Photo 3: In addition to these two spots, there was also one location that felt right to get a cell phone signal, which was on top of a rocky hill about seven meters high, which required us to climb. But at this location, not everyone can get a signal. If one person made it, the others would not get the signal.
• Photo 4: Locals even say that the higher the cell phone is placed, the easier it is to get a signal. This 'theory' was actually applied by Igna (KKP) when we were at the rocky hill site. Igna tried his luck to 'steal' a cell phone signal from another Land Team member by climbing up one of the coconut trees.