..menjadi orang INDONESIA..

Lupakan sejenak mengenai ruwetnya pemerintahan Indonesia, koruptor yang merajalela, kemacetan,banjir dan segala permasalah Indonesia mulai dari yang simple sampai yangsangat kompleks. Namun renungkan saja, apa yang sudah dilakukan agar bisa dikategorikan sebagai seseorang yang mencintai negaranya, Indonesia. Baiklah, gue akan memulai dari diri sendiri saja.

Jaman dulu, waktu gue duduk di bangku SMA sampai dengan kuliah, gue punya satu keinginan bahwa suatu saat nanti, gue harus pindah warga negara dan keluar dari Indonesia.Entah kenapa, tapi gue sangat tidak suka menjadi seorang Indonesia. Saat itu,bapak gue masih hidup dan serta merta dia menentang keinginan gue itu (apalagi mengingat dia adalah mantan Marinir, beuuuuuh, kebayang kan ??).

Namun seiring berjalannya waktu, kalau tidak salah semenjak gue bekerja di Kedubes AS, pelan-pelan gue belajar mencintai Indonesia dan menjadi seorang warga Indonesia yang baik. Mulai dari hal yang mudah sperti mematuhi rambu lalu lintas di jalan (sebenarnya juga supaya tidak ditilang sama pak pulisi krn gue gak ikhlas ngasih "sumbangan" kemereka), membayar pajak (walo uang pajaknya ditilep & diselewengkan oleh para Gayus), mencintai fashion produk lokal (membeli barang2x sisa export dari FO, beli kebaya batik di pasar-pasar yang gue kunjungi ketika berwisata), mencoba berbahasa Indonesia dengan baik dan benar (walo tak dipungkiri gue harus belajar lebih banyak lagi - kata favorit gue adalah "ketika"), memasang bendera merah putih di meja kantor (dan baru disadari, ternyata ini bendera sudah ngikut gue selama 5 th), suka menyanyikan lagu2x perjuangan (and selalu terharu kalo dengar lagu Syukur, hiks..), menonton film-film Indonesia yang berkualitas (CATAT: bukan yang banjir hantu ato mengumbar seks) dan segala macam hal2x kecil lainnya, yang mungkin menurut orang lain bukan sesuatu yang bisa dijadikan tolak ukur bahwa gue mencintai negara ini.

Dan sampailah gue ke titik ini, titik dimana jika gue ditanya orang, apakah gue mencintai negara ini, terlepas dari keruwetannya, gue pasti akan menjawab YA! Gue cinta Indonesia. Gue cinta sejarahnya (terutama pada saat masih banyak kerajaan & kalau gue bisa kembali ke masa lalu, gue ingin kembali ke masa kerajaan Majapahit), cinta keindahan pariwisatanya (dan gue masih punya PR utk menjelajah berbagai tempat di negara ini), masakannya yang terdiri dari berjuta-juta rasa (dan karena rempah-rempahnya, penjajah gak mau melepas negeri ini), cinta akan budayanya yang memiliki karakter tersendiri di setiap daerah (mulai dari seni tari, musik, bahasa, dll).

Sangat disayangkan memang, jika masih begitu banyak orang yang mengagung-agungkan luar negeri. Bukan berarti mereka tidak boleh kesana, sama sekali tidak, tapi alangkah baiknya jika mereka menjelajah Indonesia juga selain keluar negeri tiap tahun. Indonesia bukan hanya Jakarta, Bali, Yogya, Lombok. Tapi Indonesia itu terdiri dari beribu-ribu pulau (kalau jaman gue SD, terdiri dari 13.667 pulau), dan setiap pulau itu memiliki perbedaan.

Kembali ke topik mencintai negeri ini. Gue hanya mau bilang bahwa negeri yang kaya ini sudah sepatutnya dicintai oleh rakyatnya. Dan sudah sepantasnya pula, bahwa kita harus membangun negeri menjadi lebih maju, lebih sejahtera. Tidak perlu berpikir untuk langsung melakukan hal-hal yang besar, karena gue beranggapan bahwa dari hal yang kecil, jika dilakukan bersama-sama, pasti akan menjadi hal yang besar.

Cintailah negeri ini, berlakulah selayaknya orang Indonesia yang menjunjung tata krama, norma sosial & bermoralitas tinggi. Jika bukan kita sendiri yang mencintai negeri ini, maka janganlah kita terpancing amarah jika negara lain lebih mencintai negeri ini. 

- sebuah catatan dari seorang pecinta Indonesia -

..menjadi orang INDONESIA..

..tinggal di kampung..

Setiap kali gue ditanya di Jakarta mana gue tinggal, pasti gue selalu bilang gue tinggal di kampung. YA! Gue gak pernah malu menyebutkan diri tinggal di kampung. Sejak pertama kali gue menjejakkan kaki di Jakarta, gue tidak pernah pindah rumah (yang ada juga pindah kamar dalam rumah). Jika dihitung-hitung, sudah 26 tahun gue tinggal di kampung itu. Banyak sekali perubahan dan insiden yang terjadi selama kurun waktu tersebut. Mulai dari perpindahan orang-orang yang datang-dan-pergi, kegemparan karena peristiwa2x yang menurut warga kampung "asusila" hingga ke kejadian kasat mata (baca: nyai kunti yang berkeliaran, hahahahaaaaaa...).

Mungkin di saat sebagian besar orang merasa risih tinggal di kampung, tapi sebaliknya, gue merasa nyaman dan enggan untuk pindah dari sana. Begitu banyak pelajaran yang bisa dipetik dari perkampungan itu, baik secara langsung ataupun tidak.

Yang terutama adalah gue belajar bertoleransi & bersosialisasi, dan itu dimulai sedari gue kecil. Daerah gue bisa dibilang percampuran dari berbagai macam karakter dan latar belakang, kelas menengah, dan komposisi menengah ke bawah dan ke atasnya itu berbanding hampir serupa (60:40). Pekerjaan mereka pun bervariasi, mulai dari tukang sampah, tukang sayur, tukang jahit, kuli bangunan, penginjil, ustad, sampai ada juga yang menjadi direktur suatu perusahaan, semua membaur menjadi satu tanpa perbedaan jarak.

Kehangatan tinggal di kampung sangat terasa ketika kita jalan keluar rumah, begitu banyak sapaan yang diberikan oleh mereka, bahkan tak jarang melontarkan pertanyaan2x retoris, yang kalau kurang peka pasti akan merasa bahwa itu adalah pertanyaan basa basi, heheheeeeee...

Sifat kekeluargaan tinggal di kampung akan sangat terasa, terutama apabila ada keluarga yang sakit, meninggal atau hajatan, sudah dipastikan warga sekampung akan sibuk. Dan itu sangat gue rasakan ketika bapak gue meninggal. Ketika dibawa ke rumah jam 12:30 pagi (betul, pagi, bukan siang). Rumah seperti jam 7 malam, sudah banyak tetangga yang berkumpul menyiapkan ini itu. Benar-benar sangat bisa diandalkan!

Banyak hal lain yang tidak ditemukan di suasana perumahan, antara lain permainan yang dimainkan anak2x kampung, yang tidak ada hubungannya dengan gadget, dan semua dimainkan bersama-sama. Lalu suasana belanja tiap hari yang dilakukan oleh ibu2x & para pembantu, obrolan2x seputar belanjaan sampai tetangga, dari yang bener sampe gosip (apalagi tukang sayur senengnya mampir di samping pagar rumah, neduh di bawah pohon kersen).

Plus, kalo di kampung itu, bisa dipastikan akan banyak sekali tukang jajanan & tukang2x lainnya mulai dari bangun tidur ampe tidur lagi. Mulai dari pagi, sudah berkeliaran roti dg berbagai macam merek & bunyi (yang suka membuat ibu gue pusing karena dia suka lupa mana tukang roti favoritnya, Homey Bread). Trus gak berapa lama akan berseliweran itu tukang lontong sayur, bubur ayam pake sepeda. Diseling juga sama tukang kerupuk kaleng, tukang tahu-tempe & tukang buah. Geser dikit sekitar jam 10 pagi, ada tukang ketoprak & bubur kacang ijo-ketan item. Jam makan siang, ada mie ayam & bakso. Sekitar jam 2, ada tukang es campur, es krim walls & es krim medan  dg suara yg khas, "Es krim medan... Rasa stroberi, coklat, alpukat, nangka... Es krim medan.." Dan juga ada tukang tanaman, patri besi, sol sepatu yang sibuk berkeliling menjajakan pelayanannya. Sore2x - this is the best time for all tukang jajanan keluar menjajakan jualannya - akan ada tukang odading, jagung rebus, gorengan, roti bakar, bajigur, susu nasional pengalengan (and suara jualan di sejagat jakarta pastinya akan sama). Dan yang pasti, ada odong-odong, mulai dari bentuk naga dengan suara kaset yang bisa ngangkut 8 anak keliling jalan2x di kampung, ampe yang manteng di depan rumah & si abang mesti ngegowes sepedanya supaya tuh anak naek turun kayak naek mobil2xan di mall. Semuanya diiringi dengan suara kaset yang sudah begitu sember dan lagu2xnya gak gitu pas sama anak kecil, tapi apa daya, itulah yang dihapal ama mereka. Maleman dikit, ada pempek, soto mie, sate baik sate ayam biasa, sate madura and sate padang . Sekitar jam 9-10an, akan ada tukang sekoteng, dan paling malam berjualan itu adl tukang mie goreng, mulai dari yang dung dung sampe tek tek.

Hal lain yang gue sukai tinggal di kampung adalah kita kadang suka bisa mencium apa yang sedang dimasak  tetangga, apalagi kalo mereka sedang membakar terasi, haruuuuuuuuuuum bangetttt... *lapar* Saking padatnya perkampungan gue itu, tak jarang, selain cium bau masakan, kita juga bisa mendengar omongan orang di dalam rumah, terutama kalo sedang berantem antara orang tua-anak, sesama orang tua, dan you know what, you won't believe this, but I could hear the sound of a steel bed's neighbour when they  had sex at night, hahahaaaaaaa.. Blame it on the quietness, his barren house of a furniture and their broken bed so other people could hear it (and good Lord, no moan's heard!). It's a damn true story, people!!

Di kampung, gue masih bisa menikmati kabut tipis, masih bisa merasakan dinginnya udara pagi, masih bisa melihat bintang walau cuma beberapa titik, dan masih bisa mendapatkan udara yang cukup segar gue gak tinggal di daerah persawahan (well, dulu di deket rumah gue terbentang sawah & kebun, and disanalah gue sering menghabiskan sore, membuat senapan dari pelepah pisang, wayang dari tangkai singkong, bermain lumpur, melihat terbitnya matahari pagi. Tapi sekarang sawah itu sudah menjelma menjadi rumah kontrakan)

Itulah sekelumit cerita gue tinggal di kampung, tempat dimana gue bisa menjadi lebih membumi, lebih bertoleransi & yang pasti, mengambil pelajaran dari lingkungan sekitar. Kalo gue ditanya apakah gue mau pindah, keluar dari area situ, hmmm, I don't know what answer will be.... Kudu shalat istikharah minta petunjuk dari Tuhan kali, hahahaaaaaa *lebay*

..tinggal di kampung..

..to the children of Indonesia..

My last social activity this month and it so happen that it falls on the week of my birthday.

I almost couldn't go cause until the end of June, I still haven't submitted my leave & haven't prepared for anything. Anyway, things went well and got the ticket on my hand. However, since I had other stuffs like LSC & KKS Melati, so the preparation for the story telling & origami was made 1 week before D-Day. Pretty worried that I couldn't make it in time, but thankfully, everything went well as it planned, and the EXCITEMENT begin!!

We are leaving on the 28th by Batavia, with route JKT-KPG-WGP. Quite shaky, but the heck, nothing compares my madness when knowing a passenger across me was having his phone ON all the way from JKT-KPG !! (when his phone was accidentally ringing, I looked at him & asked him to turn it off, but do you wanna know what he said? He said, "It's OK, I already reject the phone & always turn the phone on". What the F*@$ !!!). Ugh, had I not realized it's the beginning of my journey, I would punch him on the face. I couldn't call the flight attendant as everybody's were all ready for landing position.

Anyway, we got to Waingapu and then off to RSU Imanuel as Dr. Dani was serving us lunch there. Afterwards, the journey to Ngadulanggi began. It took about 3 hours to get there, and the road was pretty knocking you out if you can't stand it. However, since the view along the way was breathtaking, so nobody mind with it. And since it's my first time seeing the AMAZING savanna, so I object none :))

It was already dark when we got to the school & there's no electricity at all in the area. But dear GREAT LORD, when I looked at the sky, it was a very clear one and lotsa stars. I never see so many stars in Jakarta's sky & the moon was about to come out from its kingdom. The view was drop dead magnificent!

Though I got beaten by some kinda insect who was attracted to the light from my headlight & almost lost the slipper when I went across the small river (and when the local guy found it, the strap was broken), yet I couldn't careless about it when we were welcomed by the traditional dance whom performed by the local people (especially seeing the dancer's hair which almost touch the ground). 

After unpacking & chitchatting with the locals who served us sirih pinang (I didn't eat it though), we went to the classroom, our accommodation during the stay (yes, it's the place where we eat, sleep, change clothes & putting all of our boxes). The electricity went on later on & we all started to work. We were finish around 12 midnite and off to bed so quickly. (Actually, i couldn't say we're off to bed, since we slept on the table, which reminds me of my elementary school's moment when I was doing Persami before attending a Jambore in Cibubur, hahahaaaa..)

Perhaps we were some kinda stranger to the locals, or perhaps they never see anybody who was outside their area, so they were very excited seeing us in the classroom, wanted to know what we were doing. Thanks to CT who immediately created an emergency curtain from many sarongs to cover us so they didn't have to know what happened inside the classroom. Not our intention for being rude, but we're not used to be under-the-microscope :)

On the following morning, we all woke up pretty early, round 6AM (it's 1-hour ahead of Jakarta's time). Today is the D-Day, our 1st day for our activity. I was very excited ! In the morning, I helped out the registration desk for free medication treatment with Iting. 90% of them were having the same problem, uric acid (aka asam urat or they called it asam-asam), cough, flu, high fever, low-blood pressure, ulcer. After lunch, I helped the education team for the science games. There were 6 posts, and my post was "Telepon Kaleng". First team I handled the 3rd & 4th grade. My goodness, my patience was tested as they could hear what I was saying, but couldn't understand it. So grateful that I had those young teachers as my translator.. Though I still need to improvise as it didn't go as it's planned. Second team I handled was the 7th grade students, and it was way better than the 1st one. They really showed their enthusiasm and I didn't have to explain in details what they should do. It was around 4PM when the day was ended by giving school bags to the students. Seeing their expression on the face when getting a new bag is somewhat satisfying. At night time, there was movie time for the locals. We played 2 movies, one is Denias, and the other one is Laskar Pelangi. This 1st day was completely ended around 10PM after we all finished packing uniforms & snack which will be given tomorrow. 

Day-2. THIS IS IT! The day where me & Iting will tell a story to the kids about clean environment & teach them origami. Things were all prepared, but there's one BIG obstacle, which is the participant. We were gonna give this to 1st & 2nd year, and learning from the 1st Day, students who could speak Indonesia fluently are those whose in 5th & 6th grade. So before we began, we were busy looking a teacher to be our translator for the show. Luckily there is Nona Guru, so the message could be sent out. We were glad too that they are attracted to the hand puppet, laughing at it and they even got the chance to play with it. After story telling, we continued with origami. Actually, I planned to give around 3-4 shapes in 45 minutes, but turned out, only 2 shapes that could be done. It's not that I gave difficult shapes, not at all, but it's just they're having difficulty in absorbing what I said. Even with the existence of a translator, but they didn't know what to do with the paper. I showed them how to fold in front of the class, but really, they just stared at me, do nothing about it. *sigh* Fortunately, it's only 29 students, so we still could manage going around the class, came to each student & showed them how to fold correctly. Anyway, it's a new learning experience for me so I must not complain at all.

After our "show" is finished, we helped out the medical room, precisely in weighing the locals, quite an easy task to do. However, knowing how "harsh" they treat their kids, somehow I couldn't help myself to come out front and tell them not to yell at their kids. I know I might be rude to them, but I couldn't just staand there and watched. Here's the example... When I ask their kids to step up the weight scale and they were kinda ignorant to do so, their parents yell at them and not too few slap their kids' head.. And if this is done to their 2 y/o babies, you know what happen ? YES, you are absolutely right. They CRIED OUT LOUD !! So I had to improvise how to get their weight, heheheeee...

The daytime activity was finished quite the same time as Day-1, and the night activity also similar, movie time. We had some problems with the genset, as it ran outta fuel, but it's solved couple of hours later. At our last night, few people left already, so only 12 people remained in Ngadulanggi. We slept much earlier than yesterday, because we had nothing to do left. Besides, we wanted to go to the hill early in the morning, so we should sleep early.

In our last morning, we woke up bit earlier because we wanted to capture the sunrise from the hill behind the school. Me, Iting, Shiek Lie, Ferry & ibu Sita all went up there. It's not that steep, but perhaps I wasn't used to it, so it's kinda weary me out (and the smoke gave a big contribution to it, I assume). It was a nice sunrise, the orange lights, when its warmth touched our skin, it felt really nice.. My friends sang me "Happy Birthday" up in the hill, because it's indeed my birthday.

After breakfast, handover the remaining goods to the chief of village, priest and school principle, we took off to Waikabubak. Somehow, it's quite sad leaving the area.. Many lessons I learned during my 2-days activity there. I wish that we could do more to them. They are also Indonesian, yet somehow, our government does not care about them. From the access to area, the electricity, until the education & their health. It is an eye-opening to me though... I wish that I have more time to contribute to a community like this, giving back to less fortunate people, doing the best I could, not only once in a year.

This is one of the birthday I won't forget and absolutely one of the great birthday I had in life.

..to the children of Indonesia..

..to the children of Indonesia..

My last social activity this month and it so happen that it falls on the week of my birthday.

I almost couldn't go cause until the end of June, I still haven't submitted my leave & haven't prepared for anything. Anyway, things went well and got the ticket on my hand. However, since I had other stuffs like LSC & KKS Melati, so the preparation for the story telling & origami was made 1 week before D-Day. Pretty worried that I couldn't make it in time, but thankfully, everything went well as it planned, and the EXCITEMENT begin!!

We are leaving on the 28th by Batavia, with route JKT-KPG-WGP. Quite shaky, but the heck, nothing compares my madness when knowing a passenger across me was having his phone ON all the way from JKT-KPG !! (when his phone was accidentally ringing, I looked at him & asked him to turn it off, but do you wanna know what he said? He said, "It's OK, I already reject the phone & always turn the phone on". What the F*@$ !!!). Ugh, had I not realized it's the beginning of my journey, I would punch him on the face. I couldn't call the flight attendant as everybody's were all ready for landing position.

Anyway, we got to Waingapu and then off to RSU Imanuel as Dr. Dani was serving us lunch there. Afterwards, the journey to Ngadulanggi began. It took about 3 hours to get there, and the road was pretty knocking you out if you can't stand it. However, since the view along the way was breathtaking, so nobody mind with it. And since it's my first time seeing the AMAZING savanna, so I object none :))

It was already dark when we got to the school & there's no electricity at all in the area. But dear GREAT LORD, when I looked at the sky, it was a very clear one and lotsa stars. I never see so many stars in Jakarta's sky & the moon was about to come out from its kingdom. The view was drop dead magnificent!

Though I got beaten by some kinda insect who was attracted to the light from my headlight & almost lost the slipper when I went across the small river (and when the local guy found it, the strap was broken), yet I couldn't careless about it when we were welcomed by the traditional dance whom performed by the local people (especially seeing the dancer's hair which almost touch the ground). 

After unpacking & chitchatting with the locals who served us sirih pinang (I didn't eat it though), we went to the classroom, our accommodation during the stay (yes, it's the place where we eat, sleep, change clothes & putting all of our boxes). The electricity went on later on & we all started to work. We were finish around 12 midnite and off to bed so quickly. (Actually, i couldn't say we're off to bed, since we slept on the table, which reminds me of my elementary school's moment when I was doing Persami before attending a Jambore in Cibubur, hahahaaaa..)

Perhaps we were some kinda stranger to the locals, or perhaps they never see anybody who was outside their area, so they were very excited seeing us in the classroom, wanted to know what we were doing. Thanks to CT who immediately created an emergency curtain from many sarongs to cover us so they didn't have to know what happened inside the classroom. Not our intention for being rude, but we're not used to be under-the-microscope :)

On the following morning, we all woke up pretty early, round 6AM (it's 1-hour ahead of Jakarta's time). Today is the D-Day, our 1st day for our activity. I was very excited ! In the morning, I helped out the registration desk for free medication treatment with Iting. 90% of them were having the same problem, uric acid (aka asam urat or they called it asam-asam), cough, flu, high fever, low-blood pressure, ulcer. After lunch, I helped the education team for the science games. There were 6 posts, and my post was "Telepon Kaleng". First team I handled the 3rd & 4th grade. My goodness, my patience was tested as they could hear what I was saying, but couldn't understand it. So grateful that I had those young teachers as my translator.. Though I still need to improvise as it didn't go as it's planned. Second team I handled was the 7th grade students, and it was way better than the 1st one. They really showed their enthusiasm and I didn't have to explain in details what they should do. It was around 4PM when the day was ended by giving school bags to the students. Seeing their expression on the face when getting a new bag is somewhat satisfying. At night time, there was movie time for the locals. We played 2 movies, one is Denias, and the other one is Laskar Pelangi. This 1st day was completely ended around 10PM after we all finished packing uniforms & snack which will be given tomorrow. 

Day-2. THIS IS IT! The day where me & Iting will tell a story to the kids about clean environment & teach them origami. Things were all prepared, but there's one BIG obstacle, which is the participant. We were gonna give this to 1st & 2nd year, and learning from the 1st Day, students who could speak Indonesia fluently are those whose in 5th & 6th grade. So before we began, we were busy looking a teacher to be our translator for the show. Luckily there is Nona Guru, so the message could be sent out. We were glad too that they are attracted to the hand puppet, laughing at it and they even got the chance to play with it. After story telling, we continued with origami. Actually, I planned to give around 3-4 shapes in 45 minutes, but turned out, only 2 shapes that could be done. It's not that I gave difficult shapes, not at all, but it's just they're having difficulty in absorbing what I said. Even with the existence of a translator, but they didn't know what to do with the paper. I showed them how to fold in front of the class, but really, they just stared at me, do nothing about it. *sigh* Fortunately, it's only 29 students, so we still could manage going around the class, came to each student & showed them how to fold correctly. Anyway, it's a new learning experience for me so I must not complain at all.

After our "show" is finished, we helped out the medical room, precisely in weighing the locals, quite an easy task to do. However, knowing how "harsh" they treat their kids, somehow I couldn't help myself to come out front and tell them not to yell at their kids. I know I might be rude to them, but I couldn't just staand there and watched. Here's the example... When I ask their kids to step up the weight scale and they were kinda ignorant to do so, their parents yell at them and not too few slap their kids' head.. And if this is done to their 2 y/o babies, you know what happen ? YES, you are absolutely right. They CRIED OUT LOUD !! So I had to improvise how to get their weight, heheheeee...

The daytime activity was finished quite the same time as Day-1, and the night activity also similar, movie time. We had some problems with the genset, as it ran outta fuel, but it's solved couple of hours later. At our last night, few people left already, so only 12 people remained in Ngadulanggi. We slept much earlier than yesterday, because we had nothing to do left. Besides, we wanted to go to the hill early in the morning, so we should sleep early.

In our last morning, we woke up bit earlier because we wanted to capture the sunrise from the hill behind the school. Me, Iting, Shiek Lie, Ferry & ibu Sita all went up there. It's not that steep, but perhaps I wasn't used to it, so it's kinda weary me out (and the smoke gave a big contribution to it, I assume). It was a nice sunrise, the orange lights, when its warmth touched our skin, it felt really nice.. My friends sang me "Happy Birthday" up in the hill, because it's indeed my birthday.

After breakfast, handover the remaining goods to the chief of village, priest and school principle, we took off to Waikabubak. Somehow, it's quite sad leaving the area.. Many lessons I learned during my 2-days activity there. I wish that we could do more to them. They are also Indonesian, yet somehow, our government does not care about them. From the access to area, the electricity, until the education & their health. It is an eye-opening to me though... I wish that I have more time to contribute to a community like this, giving back to less fortunate people, doing the best I could, not only once in a year.

This is one of the birthday I won't forget and absolutely one of the great birthday I had in life.

..to the children of Indonesia..