lovely picture

Monday, July 28, 2014

Eid ^_^

Selamat jalan Ramadhan, semoga kita dipertemukan kembali dalam sebaik-baik pertemuan dan perpisahan.
Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum. Semoga Allah menerima amal ibadah kita. Semoga Ia jadikan kita selalu kembali kepada-Nya dalam kesucian dan sebaik-baik ‘kemenangan’. Aamiin.
Selamat melanjutkan perjalanan kawan-kawan semuanya.. baik perjalanan mudik yang horisontal, perjalanan belajar, perjalanan kkn, perjalanan hati yang bersifat trasedental, dan perjalanan hidup apapun. Allah, sebaik-baik tempat untuk kembali. Betapapun kita telah jauh dan jatuh. Innallaha ma’ana.

Mohon maaf atas segala kesalahan. 

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Senyuman untuk Masa Depan Indonesia #HAN2014

Apakah kau ingin melihat masa depan?
Lihatlah wajah anak-anak. Berilah mereka impian dan kekuatan.
Bukankah senyuman mereka begitu menentramkan dan menguatkan?



                                         Ayo minum susu! Gerakan minum susu untuk anak-anak :)

Membuka kotak ajaib. Sebuah kado pensil warna dari Liliana yang telah lama tak disentuh akhirnya.. meskipun amatir dan jelek. Anggap kado buat anak-anak hebat :)

 Haha, narsis banget ya mereka :D

Pipi mana pipi? :D


Selamat hari anak nasional, anak-anak Indonesia :)

Catatan Kecil Perjalanan: Sebuah Relativitas Waktu

Hidup adalah sebuah perjalanan. Seperti jarum jam yang berdetak, ia bergeser dari satu angka ke angka berikutnya.

Relativitas kehidupan. Sebuah jarum waktu yang terasa terus melangkah maju.
Relativitas waktu dalam perjalanan hidup. Bahwa sejatinya semua telah tercatat rapi dalam Lauful Mahfudz.
Lalu, dengan kaca mata yang berbeda ini, bukankah semuanya tampak seperti hitungan mundur?

Dan, apakah kita menyadarinya? Apa sejatinya makna di balik sebuah jarum jam yang melaju dalam relativitas waktu, dalam pergerakannya yang semu?

Ialah Cinta. Cinta yang memberikan kita harapan. Cinta yang memberikan kita makna dalam perjalanan ini. Bahwa hidup adalah untuk berbagi.

Perjalanan menjadi sebuah pencarian, pemaknaan, dan pendekatan kepada Khalik. Hanya dengan Cinta-Nya, perjalanan menjadi selalu berarti.


Catatan kecil selepas fajar, jalan-jalan pagi #thesolitarymorning #thesolitarywalk


*after a solitary walk, found this sort of lake. unfortunately it's lack of maintenance.



Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Accumulated Thought

Bismillaah. In the name of Allah. The Most Beneficent. The Most Merciful.
Ini sudah kurang dari 10 hari terakhir Ramadhan :”( Merasa begitu tertinggal.. Harus mengejar tujuh hari kemarin dalam waktu yang tersisa. Entah kenapa tiba-tiba rasa takut menyergap. Sudah biasa sebenarnya terbangun sendirian tidak di kosan eyang itu, tidak pula di pendopo pak dukuh. Huhu tidak ada waktu banyak, semangaaat! Lillaah.

Bukan rasa takut yang biasa yang membuat saya tidak bsa tidur. Wudhu, sholat dua rakaat, tilawah dan bersedekah adalah kunci menghadapi masalah. Hanya tinggal sedekah nih. Yang jelas tidak mungkin sudah larut malam.. Jadi boleh ya sedekah pemikiran lewat tulisan? Ya kalu bisa disebut sedekah hehe.

Galau kah? Entahlah lebih tepatnya rasa takut. Bukan rasa takut biasa. Bukan rasa takut anak-anak yang melewati makam itu. Bukan seperti saat pesantren Ramadhan beberapa tahun silam ketika saya memimpin rombongan adik2 tpa yang masih kelas 1-2 melewati makam dan si kecil-kecil itu begitu ketakutan. Suara jerit ketakutan mereka terkalahkan oleh suara takbir yang saya serukan di hadapan tembok makam. Entah kekuatan dari mana. Saya hanya ingat kata pemandu saya, jangan takut, cukup ucapkan takbir apapun yang terjadi. Allah Maha Besar tidak ada yang pantas ditakuti selain Allah. Itu saja. Dan saya tidak tahu kenapa selepas kejadian itu, orang-orang banyak membicarakan dan menganggapnya sebagai hal lucu. Padahal saya tidak bermaksud melucu. Saya benar2 merasa sebagai pemimpin yang punya tanggung jawab sama adik-adik kecil di kelompok saya itu dengan seluruh anggota perempuan maka hanya takbir yang bisa saya gunakan untuk menguatkan mereka dan diri saya sendiri. Tapi kondisi saat ini berbeda. Kelompok ini bukan lagi rombongan anak kecil. Semakin dewasa semakin kuat karakter dan keyakinan masing-masing. Dan di sini saya belajar memahami. Ya, semoga bisa belajar.

Rasa takut kali ini entah ada yang beda. Pertama, takut amalan Ramadhan tdk memenuhi target karena kesibukan dan kemalasan. Kadang kepikiran buat jadi anak laki-laki yang ga perlu bolong puasanya, yang ga perlu ngejar ketinggalan target amalan krn panggilan satu minggu, ga perlu merasa insecure hanya krn dianggap tidak setangguh laki-laki. Astaghfirullah. Pemikiran dangkal yang kadang datang menyergap padahal sudah jelas menentang ketetapan Allah :”( Huhu semangat. Ngejar 12 juz dalam waktu yg tersisa setelah absen tujuh hari T-T

Kedua, takut tidak bisa menjaga hati dan diri. Bukankah galau karena Allah itu bukan hal yang salah? Iya. Rasanya KKN itu banyak sekali godaannya. Banyak sekali tantangannya. Jika dibandingkan dengan perjalanan ke luar tantangannya sama tapi berbeda bentuk. Jujur, saya beberapa kali berkesempatan melakukan perjalanan jauh. Tanpa keluarga. KKN ini hanyalah 25-30 km dari rumah tapi tetap saja ada ketakutan dan kekhawatiran.

Alhamdulillah kalu membaca tulisan mbak Asma Nadia dkk dalam Jilbab Traveler, perjalanan saya sampai detik ini aman terkendali hehe tidak separah pengalaman mereka. Meski ya, tetap saja banyak godaan. Terakhir saat AsTW di Filipina, harus kuat dan tangguh untuk menolak sake dan party yang tidak jelas. Itu bukan hal mudah untuk meyakinkan pada mereka yang mayoritas Jepang dengan tradisi sakenya. Sake sebagai wujud menghormati. Tidak semua orang bisa meminumnya memang. Pada usia tertentu. Jika tidak salah pada saat sma itu mereka (anak sekolah) terutama yg pertama kali akan diundang tk minum sake biasanya wujud penghormatan atau perayaan. Katanya sih minumannya panas. Sekeras apapun mereka merayu saya harus mengatakan tidak. Saya menghormati tradisi untuk merayakan akhir pecan kalian dengan sake dengan tidak mengganggu kalian, maka ijinkan saya menghormati keyakinan saya untuk tidak minum sake. Bayangkan, saya merasa begitu sendiri terkadang. Di lantai atas di atas dipan dan sayup-sayup saya dengar gelak tawa di antara mereka. Saya tak berani membayangnkan apa yg terjadi krn mereka pasti sdh setengah sadar. Saya hanya merenung, merasa lebih aman di atas sini menyendiri. Mencari-Nya, dan tiba-tiba sudah terlelap. Tidak ada yang istimewa memang. Pada benak mereka yang terdalam pasti mereka masih bertanya-tanya dan menganggap saya cupu. Hehe. Karena menurut tradisi mereka, yang cupu dan di bawah umurlah yang tidak minum sake. Ya anggaplah saya anak di bawah umur :p Atau saat mereka berencana merayakan pesta semacam clubbing. Saya tidak bermaksud untuk sok-sokan ga mau bergaul. Tapi saya rasa manusia manapun pasti membutuhkan space untuk menjadi diri sendiri. Agar hidup tidak mengalir kosong dan hampa. Agar ada perenungan dan pemaknaan. Mungkin tidak semuanya mengaggapnya penting kecuali yang luweh buat mikir. Tapi setidaknya di akhir hari perpisahan dg mereka, saya mendapatkan note dan feedback beragam. Dari mulai kata-kata sepele semacam cute dan kawaii sampai yang mengharukan. Yuriko mengatakan “you’re more Japanese than the Japaneses, how come?” Saya jadi bingung perasaan saya ga ikut2an minum sake ga ikut2an clubbing, dari mana mereka nemu Japanese-nya ya? Mungkin karena sy makan nasi sedikit dan suka makan sayur hehe. Katanya karena kalem juga karena saya suka music Depapepe nah lho haha. Moga aja sih mereka ga nganggep saya dingin kaya lelaki Jepang yang katanya sih dingin (kecuali Sato satu-satunya yang heboh yang saya kenal). Mungkin mereka belum kenal sisi ceriwis dan emosional syaa. Mungkin saya masih bingung untuk jadi rame di tempat yang asing dalam waktu adaptasi yang hanya 2,5 minggu. Entahlah tapi saya terkesan. Dan, Aya, roommate saya kala itu, dia mengatakan “I respect you….” Dia heran karena tiap malam saya tidur hanya beberapa jam. Tugas akuntansi yang di rumah sagaat overload belum juga tugas di sana. Dalam hati saya pun bertanya, bukankah orang jepang lebih ngeri lagi dalam hal kinerja dan manajemen waktu? Ah, sepertinya Aya berlebihan dalam menilai saya karena lebih banyak orang keren di Jepang.

Saya jadi ingat dulu waktu SMA di Walla Walla, saya pernah nemu sebuah love stick (ga tau namanya kaya tongkat bidadari tapi ujungnya bentuk lope2 warna pink) di atas meja saya di kelas multimedia pas masa-masa sekolah lagi heboh Valentine’s Day. Saya mah selo aja hehe. Wong itu love stick kedua yg pernah sy dapet. Nothing’s special. Sombong amat ya. Yang pertama saya dpt dari Melinda-teman sma beda kyakinan yg lumayan jd deket setelah gabung klub debat, dan dia yang selalu nganggep saya anak kecil. Waktu itu kami berkirim surat ga tau gimana ceritanya. Iya kayanya sih Imel dan Oky agak diasingkan dan kalo anak-anak lain ngomongin di belakang dia. I feel sorry for them. Biasalah anak sma. Tapi aku ga peduli karena mereka ga berniat buruk. Mereka baik kenapa kita harus berlaku buruk? Mengapa harus mengikuti yg lain? Balik ke love stick di atas meja saya. Saya takut banget antara mau ngambil atau nggak. Kalo ngambil kepedean kalo dibuang keterlaluan kalo dibiarkan mungkin jadi sok-sok innocent. Maksudnya biar ga mubadzir kali aja yang punya atau yg lainnya mau ngambil lagi trus dikasih ke orang yang lebih tepat hihihi. Tapi akhirnya saya pindah kelas hehe bukan karena apa-apa karena saya ngerasa ga cocok. Kelas multimedia itu advanced banget, mayoritasnya cowok yang IT banget. Bikin animasi 3D gitu. Nah lho, saya kan gapteknya ga ketulungan ditambah love stick itu tambah ga nyaman. Dibilang cupu juga biar toh saya biasa aja ketemu Mr. DeBroeck dan murid-muridnya. Beliau sangat welcome meski saya akhirnya pindah kelas.

Nah di KKN itu, banyak sekali tantangannya. Sejak pertama kali dapat kelompok syaa shock dpt tema kesehatan tiba-tiba juga dtawari jd kormasit. Alamak. Kok ga ada nyambung2nya sama ekonomi batin saya. Apa karena dokter yg meriksa saya kala itu tiba2 bikin catatan agar mahasiswa ybs (saya) ditempatkan di dekat rumah sakit. Entah maksudnya apa. Perasaan saya paling anti sama rumah sakit. Lah ini kenapa malah disuruh deket rumah sakit? Mending deket rumah bapak ibu aja dok, hehe. Belum lagi rumah pak dukuh ini kosong. Beliau hanya di lokasi (balai dukuh) siang hari atau jika ada panggilan karena setiap malam beliau pulang ke Pakem di tempat istri, anak, dan ibu mertua (smbah). Balai dusun sejak bapaknya pak dukuh meninggal belum lama ini selalu kosong. Jadilah kami menyiapkan semuanya sendiri. Superwomen J Meski kadang sedih, Nay dan Dea kan rumahnya dekat. Trus gaya hidup kita juga beda. Aku yang biasanaya makan makanan pinggiran hehe (sayur2 gitu) sekarang stoknya macam sarden, kornet, dst. Buatku itu makanan kota. Tahukah kau, pertama kali aku makan pizza aku muntah. Dan saat aku masih SD aku tidak bisa minum susu kecuali ASI karena lactose intolerant. Makanya aku minum ASI sampai kelas berapa ya? Hehe memalukan. Dan semua perbedaan kami akhirnya nyatu saat nonton Masha atau nonton kartun Kisah Teladan Syaamil dan Dodo. Haha dasar remaja-remaja berjiwa kanak2. Dan aku yg ngantukan. Kalo rapat di atas jam21 pasti udah ga konek kalo diskusi makanya rapat ditunda sampai pagi tapi giliran teman2 yang ga konek kalo pagi. Maaf guys, I am a morning person. Kesepian dan sibuk dg kesibukan yg dibuat-buat.
Wah wah, senengnya setelah bisa belanja sendiri dan bikin sayur simple. Cuma tumis sawi, selada,  pecel sayur tapi rasanya sedap. Bikin badan jadi seger. Ya kali makan sarden mulu yg saya paham sangat kalian suka. Atau kita akhirnya berselisih karena kita punya budaya yg berbeda. Entah kenapa kalian sangat suka makan di luar. Padahal menurutku masak bareng lebih menyenangkan dan membuat kita semakin akrab. Terima kasih banyak karena sdh banyak mengerti. Tapi saya tahu kita hanya beda budaya dan taka da yang salah tentang itu. Selain itu kloset di sini tdk berjalan lancar. Kata Nay yang anak Teknik Sipil karena saptitengnya kurang miring. Jadilah kami sering ke SPBU terdekat. Kadang takut pada syaitan aja. Syaitan kan banyak bentuknya ada yang dalam bentuk manusia. Nggak nyaman aja dilihatin orang sekitar pom karena keseringan ke toilet pom. Huhuhu.

Dan lagi, ga tau kenapa semenjak pertemuan pertama kelompok anak-anak suka mem-bully. Iya mereka ga tau aku sebenarnya senior sampai semua rahasia pun terungkap. Jaadi ya sudah aku enjoy aja ga ada yang manggil mbak ga ada yang sungkan-sungkan sama aku J Tapi ini pun menjadi boomerang eh boomerang kah? Pas rapat pertama ditunjuk kormasir jelas2 aku nolak, kalau masih ada yang lain lebih baik yg lain. Habis itu kbrnya ada yg mundur dan ga ada pengganti dan well aku ditawarin lagi. Nah entahlah apa karna ditunjuk jadi kormasit trus ada gosip yang merisaukan. Sebenarnya salahku apa ya? Bingung eh bingung… Perasaan aku sudah berusaha utk biasa aja.

Kondisi semakin parah. Dokter Teti, dosen pembimbing lapangan kami datang. Mengevaluasi LRK person to person. Giliran subunit kami. Aku, Nay, Dea, dan saya pasrah menuju peradilan hehe setlaah satu jam ngantre lama… LRK saya yang pertama. Dokter Teti memanggil saya si kecil hehe. Katanya saya kaya anaknya yg masih SD (?) Beliau dengan muka penasaran bertanya, umurmu berapa? Saya mengalihkan pandangan. Sebuah pertanyaan yang sangat tidak sy harapkan dalam evaluasi LRK ini. Oh come on! Dea sebenernya udah tahu krn aku yg cerita sama dia. Dan ternyata kakak sepupu dea temenku sma juga. Tapi yah harus banget ya nanyain umur pada evaluasi LRK. Zzzz… Dalam awkward moment itu, dokter Teti kembali menatap saya dngan muka yang tidak bisa menahan penasaran. “Eh, beneran tanya ya dok? Dua puluh dua Dok…“saya jawab sambil nunduk. “Udah bisa nikah dong…”lanjut dokter Teti. “Udah bisa ya dok?” Saya hanya tersenyum dan masih nunduk pasrah. Seseorang di samping dokter Teti itu menyahut. “Yah, saya lebih muda… Saya dua satu.” “Zzz siapa yang tanya?” (batin saya). Nay pun membisik. “Tuh dikode sama Efendi.” Saya mengernyitkan dahi. Aduh gimana ya menghentikan perlakuan mereka. Saya bingung. Dokter Teti sendiri yang bilang hindari segala macam friction (gesekan) dengan masyarakat atau teman seunit. Jangan ada getaran2. Yah dok, satu subunit cewek semua juga. Tapi ga tau nih satu unit pada kenapa perasaan saya ga salah apa-apa kok. Muka polos begini di-bully terus gimana bisa stay calm, padahal juga udah tau saya lebih senior. Huhuhu.

Sebenarnya saya sudah lelah dan kebal juga dipermalukan di depan kelas atau di depan umum atau harus menjelaskan mengapa mbak dan blab la. Sy lelah menjawab dengan jawaban yang sama. Jadi kalo ada yang tanya lagi. Ini ya jawabannya baca baik-baik. Saya seharusnya angkatan 2010 karena saya sma masuknya bareng angkatan 2010 tetapi saya memang baru masuk kuliah tahun 2011. Pertanyaan berikutnya yang selalu sama, lah kenapa gitu? Oh nggak papa kok memang baru jadi mahasiswa tahun 2011. Anyway, apakah seorang yang belajar bersamamu dan usianya lebih tua darimu dia selalu lebih buruk?

Allah sebaik-baik penolong dan pelindung. “Ya Allah berkahilah kami di tempat yang Engkau berkahi. Engkaiulah sebaik-baik pemberi tempat.”

Ini doa yang dipanjatkan di akhir tausiyah dr. Probosuseno dan ada di Al Quran juga surat apa ya, al mu’minun mungkinkah?

22 Juli 2014 2:22


Eh, jamnya bagus banget ya 2:22 pernah denger katanya kalo pas liat jam sama semua angkanya ada yang kangen kita hehehe. Apa hubungannya coba? Nggak logis banget ya. Ya sudahlah bentar lagi sahur)

Reminiscing The Solitary Morning

Allah, sebaik-baik pembuat rencana. Maka apalah tugas seorang manusia kecuali melakukan, mengharapkan, dan menerima apapun rencana yang terbaik dari-Nya. Allah, sebaik-baik tempat untuk kembali. Betapapun kita telah jauh dan jatuh.

Today marked the seventh day of our community service in Dukuh Village, Sleman. There has been much going on. I have been learning quite of new things from this little journey-sort of a journey that I would like to share here at least that I have quite of sometime after a morning prayer.

Reminiscing each morning, we prepared everything on our own. Yes, we live in pak dukuh’s house all by ourselves. Pak dukuh owns two houses, one in Dukuh and the other in Pakem which is his wife’s house. He stays in Pakem with his family all nights since he has his mother-in-law living alone and runs his business there. He visits his house (sort of an office) in Dukuh every morning till dawn. That makes us feel like we learn to live independently. Preparing the food all by ourselves, cleaning the house, and getting fixed everything. On our first day, we were so happy, feeling like we are the most lucky in our subunit having the least member with my wonderful girls I have just known; Dea, Nay (Nurul), and Fiika. We had a gazebo (pendopo) with nice ceramics. We have a kitchen! But we were almost crying when we found we did not have a closet. Our first day was to clean up the house. We worked reaaally hard. This house hasn’t been used for quite a long time. So, imagine how dirty it was. But, thanks to wipol. Till now sadly, the closet is not working properly, when it is not dark outside, we walked down to the nearest gas station for that purpose hehe. You may say, come on, this is not in the mountain how come you don’t own a closet? Oh man, you see, even in Sleman City, people are under poverty and hedonism. If you saw those youngsters hanging out touring around with such motorbikes with their friends when it comes to maghrib. Even in one night, it was after 12 night, I was awaken of the sound of people singing and playing guitar. I feel like, well, this is worse than my village. There is still so many things to work on. People who keep throwing litters into the river and the hill. People who keep washing their clothes in the river. And so on and so forth. This is the city. The highest economy in this province. Yet, the highest gini ratio which means the discrepancy or the inequality is quite high.

Walking through the streets in between the villages in this early morning after the prayer. I thought of this. Thinking of how I was sent here. I decided to take a plotting for this community service. Yes. My mom wouldn’t let me go further. I wonder. I have been traveling a lot, why not? I hopelessly think that community service is a serious, sincere, and all-out-activity, not just something you have to do. It is something we need to do sincerely. And I have been questioning why they keep telling me this and that. If happy little blue birds fly over the rainbow, why oh why can’t I?


It was me who has this great ambition to travel the earth. It was me who loves wandering around. It was me who at the same time dreamt of making something. Yet, it was only me who enjoyed some solitary walk. And yes, it was me who almost forget to be grateful towards all the bliss of life. It was when we only keep thinking of what’s less and count too much on this temporary life. Perhaps that is why. Nevertheless, the world is just a finite journey and we think too much of it, neglecting the infinite of the afterlife. Don’t we sometimes feel so stupid? Because I once learnt that the al hadith said, among the smartest people are those who keep the remembrance of death. If you have dreamed of your own death which I did just not long ago before going to the community service. It was very scary and the important thing was that, we always regret our sin at the very last moment of our time that ironically we keep thinking of our worldly life at the peak of death.

Maka apakah mereka tidak berjalan di muka bumi, lalu mereka mempunyai hati yang dengan itu mereka dapat memahami atau mempunyai telinga yang dengan itu mereka dapat mendengar? Karena sesungguhnya bukanlah mata itu yang buta, tetapi yang buta, ialah hati yang di dalam dada. (Al Hajj:46)

Allah ya Allah, guide me all the way to Your Jannah. Ya Allah ya Allah, don’t let me go ashtray cause I need You by my side I wish to be closed, closed to You through all my life. Ya Allah oh Allah be with me all the way.

Glad, finally it's posted.

Dukuh, 16 July 2014

Random Thought

“Mbak, gambarkan pocong… Mbak dia mirip setan. Mbak pernah liat kuntilanak?”
Wah wah anak kecil sekarang mainannya dunia mistis begituan ya hehe. Ya, akhirnya saya hanya geleng2 melihat mereka nyerocos ga jelas tentang makhluk ghaib yang terkadang terlalu lebai dikamuflase dalam film dan berbagai media. Lalu apa jadinya jika mereka nanti menjadi manusia manusia yang takut pada khayalan mereka sendiri? Bagaimana mereka bisa kuat? Saya jadi inget salah satu kandidat AFS YES kala diwawancarai dia juga suka hal-hal mistis, baca buku mistis, nonton film mistis, dan sepertinya dia juga suka berkhayal dan paranoid sendiri.
Wong putih-putih apa yang mengitari masjid? Pak ustad pake baju koko mencari sandal yang ilang… Nek ini saya ngakak. Ada-ada saja anak-anak.
Mbak, kelas berapa e? Tinggal di mana? Sapaan pertama para remaja masjid yang saat saya gabung tadarusan mereka selepas tarawih. Mereka takjub loh udah kuliah mbak? Kuliah di mana belajar apa? Di mana mbak tinggalnya? Mbak sampai kapan di sini? Wah kok Cuma sebentar dua bulan kurang ya ya…
Kekurangan desa ini ya itu pemudanya ga saling kenal. Dulu sempat aktif tapi sudah vakum. Ya tolonglah mbak mbak KKN nanti yang mengurusi mereka. Mereka sudah tidak bisa diharapkan.

Bismillah… mencoba memulai lembar baru.  Allah tidak akan membebani seorang hamba melebihi kemampuannya. Semangat ya!

Sunday, July 13, 2014

The Silent Message

It was a silent moment when each of us had this unspeakable mind. The air we breathe, the sky above us, and the stars we gaze, they are all silently speaking, shaking our hands, and gently holding us. There needs no wires at all, no medium to transfer, because we know that we are always together. That we breathe the same air, gazing at the same sky and its stars. No matter how far. My wish was that we were held by the same Holder, yaa Muhaimin. Dear mother, wish you had a blessed birthday! It was a disappointing fact that I was out of connection when we could actually connect with each other. But, you know you are connected hopefully through my prayer. I am so blessed to have you! A wonderful mother and a best friend :”)

P.S.:
Check this song. This was pretty much what I felt. Since I don’t have my voice record, you can listen to this part of Rectoverso (a literary works by dewi Lestari). Enjoy. If you would like the translation I will have it in my favor writing it down here. But at other times since I am really exhausted and need some rest.





We were supposed to have a scheduled skype time. Feeling sorry that it was too late night and dark outside to get out to obtain internet access. Such a pity! But, all is well after I got to send you this!




Dukuh, 13 July 2014

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

sometimes

sometimes all you need is to be taken as who you are. not as somebody else. not as a different person. all but the same. egalitarian.

sometimes all you need is to be taken as who you are. not as somebody else. not as a different person. all but the same. egalitarian.


even if you dont get to say it, at least you mean it. when it's a heart to heart. feels better though you dont say a thing.


kadang ketika kalian memperlakukan seseorang apa adanya ialah kebahagiaan yang paling sederhana bagi orang tersebut. sebab terkadang menyakitkan ketika kalian menganggap seseorang berbeda hanya karena satu lain hal.


kadang ketika kalian mengatakan aib seseorang di hadapan umum adalah hal yang menyakitkan bagi seseorang. karena seseorang itu bahkan tak ingin membuka aibnya meskipun aib itu terkesan positif. sebab terkadang being noticed is not something nice.

"Barangsiapa yang meringankan (menghilangkan) kesulitan seorang muslim kesulitan-kesulitan duniawi, maka Allah akan meringankan (menghilangkan) baginya kesulitan di akhirat kelak. Barangsiapa yang memberikan kemudahan bagi orang yang mengalami kesulitan di dunia, maka Allah akan memudahkan baginya kemudahan (urusan) di dunia dan akhirat. Dan barangsiapa yang menutupi (aib) seorang muslim sewaktu di dunia, maka Allah akan menutup (aibnya) di dunia dan akhirat. Sesungguhnya Allah akan senantiasa menolong seorang hamba jika selalu ia menolong saudaranya." (HR. Tirmidzi) 

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

The Drifter’s Journey to Ninoy Aquino (Part 1)


Finally, I got this time to share some stories about the drifter’s journey to Ninoy Aquino last year. The third semester was quite a fast challenging semester for I had to finish kind of two studies at a time and starting a new job to serve as a vice officer at Department of Studies, Sharia Economics Forum. Quite a tough life, huh? Well, I feel lucky though becoming a part of them. And I didn't even know that I will serve since I had applied for this program long before. I thought I applied in my second semester and got the announcement for a quite long time of waiting.

I was taking the opportunity at ASEAN Today’s World (ASTW) conducted by Kyushu University at Ateneo de Manila University of Philippines. Further information about the program can be found here http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/astw-j/KU&MU.htmlhttp://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/astw/

Even if only two half  weeks, I learnt a lot from this program. Meeting fourteen other ASEAN students rewarded this grant, meeting up with the ASEAN Secretariat, traveling with my travel partner (for the first time with no chaperon) and meeting  Kyushu and Fukuoka students joining the program, I feel thankful to once again feel the thrill of journey! Special thanks to my dearest friend to travel with me from Adisucipto-SoekarnoHatta-Changi-NinoyAquino. Quite a long journey. Thank you, Caroline, for truly making it with me!

The traveling journey starts as we work on proposals. Yes, we had to write permission to leave classes in two half weeks also asking additional funding resources to the university. We actually had grant from Kyushu during the program. But, that would be given as we arrived and completed the program. And so, the most complicated one is arrangement of airfare tickets. We decided to use Air Asia from Jogja-Jakarta. Then, Tigerairways from Jakarta-Changi-Manila (Ninoy Aquino).

My parents accompanied us when we had to leave at the airport. And you know, I myself, had to be in a rush. I had to attend my accounting class completed my homework and quiz. Then I hurrily went to the airport to catch my flight. OMG, that was a big day!

I enjoyed my study with ASTW. I took ASEAN Language and ASEAN Economics which I do love! I learnt Basic Japanese with Ms. Kyoko Takada and ASEAN Economics. ASEAN Economics was challenging. I had Mr. Shoji Sinkai for Agricultural Economics and Mr Victor Vernida for International (Integrated) Economics and Development.

I did a presentation about The Horticultural Production in Indonesia in Agricultural Economics. I talked about a great potential to be reavealed in the land of the archipelago. The horticultural products especially. Who can deny the richness of our tropical fruits and vegetables? Such a paradox when we look at how much we import goods in this sector. That way, last February I read on the newspaper about the policy applied by our government in order to optimize local horticultural products and limit the import rate. Great debates over this status quo. On one hand, the integrated economics is aimed at achieving welfare between nations by creating small gaps among them. The theory of David Ricardo on effectiveness can be achieved when a nation optimize its economic income by focusing on their competitive advantage in certain products and import goods that do not generate high profit and become more efficient just to do imports. However, this could be a threat when the local business do not have enough capacity to strive in the free market. My conventional Economics mindset would tell me that isolated economics could not achieve the goal anyway. It is because a country has to manage its expenditure on matters that will benefit and thus, create efficiency.
I love the lecture. He made the atmosphere of discussion alive. Mr. Sinkai is a great lecturer. He made us love and enjoy this class, especially the development economics in the environment and agricultural development. He is very nice young man and he told me that he has once visited UGM.

Anyway, I thought that there’s an interesting fact in which Agriculture is part of the majority source of occupation in Indonesia. Yes, large amount of people depend their lives on the Agricultural sector. However, a sad undenied fact is that our land are becoming an expensive commodity. Less and less land is available. Thus, the production of the agriculture keeps decreasing. Even though more and more people depend on our agriculture, high demand of rice, soy, and the other products but it’s threatened by less and less rice field. Now, becoming a farmer is like nothing. Their harvest is priced very low.. The farms are owned not by farmer and more and more farmer are just labor in the field. Their boss owns everything. The loan shark that embed the life of our farmers with high interset killing the life of the farmers slowly but surely. No wonder, no one would dream of being a farmer. If you dont believe this, ask any Indonesian kids who are still dreaming of becoming a farmer or perhaps any parents who wants their kids to be farmer, is there any? May be countless.

This reminds me on a song during my elementary school telling us how we should appreciate and be proud of our farmers. “Nasi putih terhidang di meja. Dari manakah datangnya? Dari sawah dan ladang di sana.. Petanilah penanamnya.. Panas terik tak mengapa, hujan rintik tak dirasa, masyarakat butuh pangan. T’rimakasih bapak tani, trimakasih ibu tani, tugasmu sungguh mulia..”

My lecture in Integrated Economic Development is so tough that kids in my class keeps complaining how much work we had to do and how sleepy and boring it had been. I did feel the same. But guess what, i loved that class! It is because I was enjoying syudying there. I just got through their style and loving the thrill of studying abroad with such atmosphere. And that I could sense the freedom of learning. I could go through my days with spirit and enthusiasm. I do things for reason not for a respective symbol to others. I do it because I want it. I have no objections of my past. I look just what the future seems to be. And that is the nice part of becoming an overseas student. I wish this could last for completing my bachelor degree not just a two weeks program.. :”(

I know that the two lecturers have different styles of teaching, However, they bring great message and lesson by their own ways. Mr. Victor really makes me learn a lot. Writing a twenty pages of paper analyzing the Economics in ASEAN countries and having it presented in front the class was quite a! I chose to present about the Philippines and I analyze the data of the economic structure in Philippines focusing in the employment and its demographic structure.

Interestingly, the geographical setting of Philippnes is quite similar as it is also archipelago. But more interestingly, the economic structure of this developing country is majored in service sectors. My friend Josh, a senior at Ateneo, who is the one knows anything in the class told me that my thought is right about the unique economic structure in Philippines. Service sectors are supposed to be the focus in developed countries. But developing countries with high quality of service sectors is another thing. I would analyze this country is similar in coping the problems of pollution, traffic jam, beggars, unemployment, translocation between the geographic areas, the Asian ethnicities. However, I was amazed as to the system taht adapat much from US. The transport regulation, the education system, and the govt. It is quite intersting that English in the urban cities sucha s Manila is very popular. People in the formal institution like in campus talk and speak English most of the time. It;s like their second language. And their English speaking is so American-ish although mix with an accent of Philippinos. No wonder, the international labor with expertise in service sectors sucha s operator, communication, etc are mainly coming from Philippine and India. Somewhat they are well recognised. No wonder, I sam at the bookstore in and nearby teh campus offering SAT preparation almost anywhere. Like you know, kids are so flexible to study abroad esp. to US since SAT is a standard asmission test to enter college in US. I took once I was at Walla Walla haigh School. I think this standard admission test is interesting sinceit has Math, English, and essay. Besides, we can take others such as Science or Sociam science (AP-Advanced Program) for a college credit that could give you a start up so then you can accelerate your college year. Oh well, that is different in Indoensia.

The fun and enjoyable class was Basic Japanese with Ms. Takada. She’s very charming, beautiful lady with such a grace of teaching. I learnt simple Japanese, the writing of Hiragana and Katakana, the culture, and practiced the tea reception, also did the Japanese calligraphy. Besides, we did presentation in Japanese, quizzes every day, mini drama, and singing performance. Yeaay!

Coffees, my day feels nothing without it. How could I devide my self in focusing my ASEAN studies and at the same time keep working on my home studies works. Yes, I had every day home work for my Accounting class. I got it done, scanned, and sent. That way, i brought my heavy thick text of Intermediate Accounting. And that was awful. No one else did such a thing. No one was an Accounting student. All the Japanese students are having their spring break. So, I was lucky that every night I had to stay awake while others were sleeping or perhaps having one with the other kids in the boarding house. And me, I have to finish tomorrow’s homework at home and tomorrow;s homework and quizzes for my ASEAN class! Wow, that was great I could get through it!

Although honestly, I feel such a disgrace, when I had been working really hard. Yes, on weekends I’m supposed to do homework for my Monday class at my home country since I had three lectures on Monday I had three homeworks and the only time to do is weekend. However, on weekends we ASTW students aren’t free. We always had projects durring weekends. We traveled and did nonacademics activities suring weekend which was good for refreshment although it was also tiring.

But, on my first night before Monday I felt like crying. I didn;t know how i could finish all overloaded homework here and there. Besides, i had to scan my accounting work since accounting has to be hand written. I felt hopeless when I know that the price for scanning is so high abou forty pesos each. Then, my roommate a Korean student told me to have the scanning at the library tomorrow morning. So, I did. I went to the library with Josh and Jasmine, Ateneo students. But, the library is closed for it had a private session like misa you know.. I was hopeless... But then, I remember I had a camera that I could use to take a picture of my homework. Even if it wouldnt be that good with a camera at least I did my homework and had it sent in time. Later, the saddest part is that it was not satisfying enough. You know, sometimes the lecture only value what’s on the paper. Physically. I wish they learnt how much I work for it. Like I put all my life into it. And I feel that wouldnt count. Nothing at all. Only three times of absences is another threat to me. And I’m glad I got through it. I kept my absences in my home countries twice up to three times which save me enough from dropping the class because I had to miss the classes by attending ASTW short program for 2-3 times without doing any illegal presence. I did not want to do what so called "titip absen" and I took the risk of it. But it’s all worth it at the end. I felt like learning alot and  good to have a nice report at last, yeay! Thank God!

There is a voice within my mind... Though we’re from ten different lands..bound by shores and common sense. Singing out as one, lets dance, the world is in our hands.
No matter where we’re from. If we could sing one song. Dreams that are yours and mind taht will be realised. Trust in the love we feel. Trust in the love thats real. Children unite. People of ASEAN rise. (ASEAN Rise, a theme song that we all performed at the opening ceremony at ASEAN Today’s World)

(to be continued)

People keep asking, don't you wanna travel more? Of course I do. I'm longing for some more adventure, to learn new things and new life. But, there's sometime that we need to pause to see, listen, hear, and think more for something bigger. Work, pray, love. Hope we always be in the blessing of Allah to travel the world to learn and be rahmatanlil'alamiin. Sometimes, I do hope we can have a journey together, Ibu, Bapak, Mbak. Hopefully, someday.