안녕하세요?...Welcome to Suray's World & Beyond

where you will see what I treasure and cherish in simple yet wonderful life.


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

I am back to Seoul

alhamdulillah.....I am now finally in Seoul again. I am back.
it is just like de javu for it seemed so familiar yet different in its own newly created ways that I got to find out.
now I am staying at Globee dormitory where most of foreign students stay mingled with the local (Korean) students.
It has been such a hectic day since I arrived at Incheon airport.
but it is such a great day as well.
more on these coming up...

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Buka Puasa @ SMP Branggahan




Another buka puasa or breaking the fast together.

This time around...it was my father's invitation. He asked us to join him to attend the buka puasa at his school where other teachers and their families would also be coming. It was like a pot luck party in essence because each family would bring some food to share. Daddy bought chicken satay and my sister cooked some vegetable salad and soup.
As we arrived at the school, other teachers were busy preparing the food for buka puasa. I noticed some of the things that I could eat and some that I could not. Kolak? of course. The appetizer for most of buka puasa time was there. Many kinds of soups, vegetables, chicken, beef, fish fillet and desserts were available.
I met my father's colleagues that I have known for a long time since we are like a family in itself.
After breaking the fast, we had Magrib jamaah and followed by Isya prayer and tarawih as usual.

This time I noticed that the school had been under renovation since there are new buildings and more greenery are visible around it.
My kids love to play around at the field at the center of the school.

Oh, Eyra ate 3 or 4 satays I guess. I never saw her eat that much...I guess it was because of peer influence or peer pressure. There were tens or more kids just in Eyra's age. She saw them eating with their respective parents, so I think Eyra must've wanted to taste the same situation....or was it because the satay simply delicious? Well, I never know. But, ...the buka puasa bersama has been a good rewarding experience for us.  

Ogoh-Ogoh


happy kids
Here they are.......
traditional ride!
After having a culinary trip, we did not want to go home, yet. Instead, we wanted to circle about the small town of Ngadiluwih. Actually, the kids did not want to go home, yet. We were heading towards the narrow street of Tamtama area where numerous street vendors dazzlingly trying to sell their stuffs were visible. It is apparent that the competitive life is hard here. Everyone should make the best to meet ends. One of the things that caught my kids attention was ogoh-ogoh. It is a pedal-driven ferries-wheel except that it does not rotate like any ferries wheel does. It just goes up and down and made a tiny circle on the spot. No electricity is necessary for this ride. Even, we do not need to insert a coin or swipe any card to start the ride. All of these are done manually by a person at the back of the motor-bike looking vehicle. It is a famously cheap entertainment in most kampong or village or any other laid-back villages across Java. I do not know whether they have in on other parts of the country.
Eyra, Freya, and Lala were all happy riding the ride. It is cheap. It was only IDR 4,000 or US$0.5 for 3 persons  for 3 times ride. The striking characteristic of this ride is the children music or song that is accompanying the kids while the ride is on.

Soto Branggahan or Soto Kediri

Soto Kediri? I think some people may have heard about it. However, this specialty from Kediri is not that well known as its counterpart, nasi sambal Tumpang. I am not going to talk about the latter, but I am going to talk about this Soto Branggahan.
Every time I go home to my kampong in Kediri, one of the must-to-do items is going on a culinary trip, particularly to take the tasty sip of Soto Branggahan. Yes, I am a vegetarian. But, not that 100%. I can taste this light and tasty coconut oil of this so-called Soto Branggahan. Of course,  I do not eat the chicken, just the soup. It has its unique taste different from any other Soto in other areas. It is so famous that lots and lots of Soto vendors are lining up along 3 km long in Ngadiluwih and Branggahan subdistrict in Kediri, East Java. Everywhere we look, we will encounter on each side of the road, the sellers with its big banner attached or set up in front of the house or tent where the Soto is being sold.
For any passers by who are going through the road, it is likely that they may get enticed by the striking atmosphere of how Soto is being sold as the main culinary of the district.
This time around...of course...we did not let the chance pass us by. We surely got to taste it again. This time around, we went into Soto Pak Munir --one of the three of our favorites. Pak Beno and Pak Sumali being the other two.
The most interesting thing about this culinary venue is how each Soto seller decorates or serves its guest. This one still uses the traditional method of preparing all the stuffs right in front of us so as to make us more eager to eat. Or better yet, it challenges our patience. But, patience pays off here. The Soto is completely different from any other Soto in the country, even Soto Kudus. For me, this particular Soto Branggahan is the best. :) not because it came from my hometown...but simply it is. Try it for yourself....:)
So, just visit Kediri in East Java and go straight to Ngadiluwih and Branggahan road. It lies between the main road that connects Kediri and Tulung Agung district in East Java.

My father's Old Red Colt

Colt? what is it? I do not think that kids these days would instantly know what Colt is. They never see it nowadays. But, my father owns one. It is a Japanese car made in 1974--the year when I was born. So, it is as old as I am. I remembered that my father bought it in 1997 (the year of the Rabbit) from used cars dealer. I remember when it was because I still remember the time when my father attached a sticker of a rabbit on the back window of the car. Now its price is just a mere IDR 10 million--which is so cheap compared to the nostalgic moments and memories it had with the family. So, instead of selling it out, my father decided to keep it although there is actually a Toyota Kijang at home. He decided that it would be wrong to sell it since the Colt itself has played its important role in shaping the family's history--that is how my father speaks of the car.
I got a chance to take a snap of the cars while my kid and her cousin sat on the front part of the car (I do not know what it is called in the automotive world). Since it was taken at night using my cellular camera, it did not turn out quite clear enough to make it out what it was about.
The most important thing is that.....it is still in a good condition and works just fine.

It is not a Tree House, but a Chair House

the house we made together
It just came up to my mind as to how I should call the 'play-house' that I made for the kids. It was the 4th day of our stay at Kediri. I think the kids kind of starting to lack ideas of what to play again with themselves. Apparently, they just did not wan to repeat the whole series of play-along games they'd been playing. So, they came up to me and asked (sort of demanded, precisely) me to make them something to play with. They gave me a requirement: that the game or anything I would make would be something extra ordinary in their eyes--at least. After a while, it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to make a play house out of the pillows and other clothes available.
the happy lala, freya, & eyra
After 1 hour of strenuous work because the kids just could not let me do it alone: they kept bugging and bothering me. Of course, they intended to help me out; but instead of helping, they sort of sneaked into the house that was being built which eventually hampered me from finishing it sooner than I thought it would.
So, these are the looks of this Chair House.
I use pins, safety pins, paper clips, and knots to hold them together. as for the pole to erect the tent, I was using the lamp pole or lamp stand.:)

We lost most of the data


As for the pictures of the time we spent on Kediri Town Square, Hypermart, and its Game Fantasia..…..too bad, although we took a lot pictures via Mommy’s cellular camera…we could not download it again since Mommy’s cellular just got corrupted by a virus when I accidentally attached it to a computer at home. It turned out that the computer is notorious for being dubbed as the VIRUS BREEDER. Gosh…the data just suddenly got lost and then zzzzzaapppeedd they are gone. What a way to spend an evening. I felt so guilty..but what can we say…
The pictures, contact numbers, video files that captured the nostalgia since last year are now long gone.
Sad….of course. But the good news about it is that now my wife is more careful in saving her file and put an extra protection over them. 

Kediri’s newest hip place: Kediri Town Square

(***)
So, my cousins showed me another place in town. Kediri Town Square where Matahari Department Store—the first ever in Kediri—and Hypermart are located. This is quite a shocking piece since Kediri has actually had 5 malls already (though not that big, but I think 5 is enough for such a small town like Kediri). And..this so-called KATOS (Kediri Town Square)will only jeopardize the traffic and the pockets of Kediri people as well. Hehehe. 
But, some may see it as about time that Kediri has more than 4 since this is the first ever that one of the biggest retail and wholesale industries in Indonesia set up its foot in Kediri. The mall itself is only 2-storey tall, but it is quite impressive for the town. It will be the new hang-out place for people; be it young or old. Actually, a week before the opening of KATOS, the 4-storey mall called Ramayana & Robinson also officially opened its flagship store in town. Since I have never been there, I do not know how it is. But, judging from its façade when I was passing it by, it looks pretty big, too. Another shopping haven for people with more disposable income to get rid of , of course. Hmmm…
And what surprised me was that…more and more restaurants and chain stores are opening up their branches in Kediri. I guess it was because Kediri, the headquarter of the notoriously or famously…(I dunno) well-known cigarette factory “Gudang Garam” is in fact in Kediri. Not to mention, the spreading and sprung up medium-sized businesses that lurk into Kediri…..the town is lucrative for markets. So, I think it is attracting more investors to chip in the economy cake of Kediri town.
Back to KATOS: since it is newly opened, not many shops are yet open, but the big ones are. I guess ..I got to wait for another year to see how it will go.

Since it is new, we wanted to go there and see how it looked. Okey is the first impression. Not fancy. But, it is just an ordinary-looking hang-out place. That would be OK for this town. Then, we tried to go into the much talked-about and hyped Hypermart. It turned out to be quite huge. We managed to buy some food and just to have a rack (not window) and alley shopping.

One more thing….before shopping, we took the kids to Game Fantasia where kids could play to their heart content. It was an impressive place where kids and adults alike can explore basic sciences and how some things work in this life. They can experience it for free, except for the games. I did try to ride this one of the seemingly just so so and not that challenging ride….since I thought it was for kids. But, I was wrong. It knocked me out. It is a bit bumpy and made me dizzy. No wonder, Freya was a bit scared. But, on the other hand, her sister and cousin were so excited that they wanted to ride the ride twice. 
(***) 

Being back in Kediri and how the kids see it


This is another part of stories about how we spent the time in Kediri. This time I am thinking of jotting down how my two daughters spent their time with their cousin. To sum up: it was completely out of hands. The kids started their day early in the wee hour of dawn when we woke up for sahur. I had this coming, though. Before leaving for Kediri, my daughters, especially Eyra—the eldest one—had always been so excited of meeting to play with her cousin, Lala. It turned out to be quite more than what I had imagined. They just could not stop playing all around the house and off-the-house like there is no tomorrow!!!
They shouted, jumped around, ran about, played hide and seek, and did all imaginable things kids mostly do. They looked so happy together that they ate, took a bath, slept at the same time.
Well, I guess they must’ve had one of the happiest days in their life.

An encounter with an old friend from junior high


I met my old friend from junior high school. Teman SMP Negeri 1 Ngadiluwih, Kediri. She is mbak Emy or how I used to call her. I still vividly remembered how we were in addressing each other. She used to call me a ‘walking dictionary’ though I am not actually into it. But, that affectionate-kinda-name-calling seemed to be exaggerating in itself. I remembered her as someone who was so studious who always paid attention to what the teachers said. She took notes on the subject rigorously.
So, I met her again after more than 15 years of not seeing each other. She is now running a store—one of the chain stores that her parents have. I think she is pretty good in it. I see that her business is growing. The funny thing about our meeting (this time) was that she still remembered me as how she remembered me 15 years ago—which would be so preposterous should I be still look like how I was back in 15 years ago…because…as she could actually see herself….that I have no hair…that it would be easily recognizable. On the other hand, I also see the reminiscence of what she looked like back in junior high: a highly spirited girl (now a businesswoman) who looks—as she has always been—diligent and hard-working. 

Monday, August 22, 2011

Tarawih @ Kediri, East Java (part 1)


Even before going back home, I had this reminiscence of what I would encounter on the days ahead while I am home: to be exact….I had this notion of the specially observed night prayer that every Muslim should do at night: tarawih. The reason as to why I had this so-called preparation, reminiscence, willingness to think about it is because the tarawih in Kediri, my hometown, would surely be different from the way I am used to do for the past 18 years in Jogjakarta.
Jogjakarta can be considered the basis of Muhammadiyah where tarawih prayer is observed in 11 rakaats (including witir). While on the other hand, East Java, especially my hometown Kediri, can be considered as one of the devout basis of Nahdlatul Ulama where tarawih prayer is observed in 23 rakaats (including the witir ‘ the last’ prayer of the night).
I am not going to venture into the differences between the two in depth; nor will I talk about how they differ; nor will I think about the reasons as to why each became so. No. I am just going to jot down what I felt during my experiences of having been in  a different situation from what I am used to have.
At first, I felt kinda reluctant to go to the Mosque where tarawih is observed in 23 rakaatsJ. So, on the first night of my being home, instead of going to the Musholla near my house, I asked my father where he usually observes the tarawih prayer. He informed me that he always goes to his school where the tarawih is organized by the teachers as well as the students of SMP PGRI Branggahan. When I asked how many rakaats are there to perform, I jumped on my feet upon finding out that it would only be 11 rakaats. That was just what I had expected. Not a chance to miss it.
So, on the first day of the tarawih at home, I found it a bit challenging. Although it was performed in 11 rakaats, I found it different as well. I thought that it was a bit hasty and I could not just keep up with the rhythm. Well, the verses were short, instead of the long verses of Surah that I am used to having back home in Jogjakarta. I guess it was because the jamaah was mainly the students who must know that performing tarawih should not be deemed as a burden. So, the Imam was deliberately using short Surah so as to let the students know that performing prayer ‘sholat’ was not a difficult task to do. They can just use short verses of Surah in praying. I agreed to that.
Then, I was waiting for any kultum (kuliah tujuh menit) or any religious speeches or so. I found none. Instead, I just found some very short speech from the Imam. I guessed it was meant to be the sermon. I presumed so. (to be continued)

August 17, 2011


17 Agustus, tv dll.
It was Holiday. Independence Day. Waking up late. No need to go attend the ceremony whatsoever…since I was not at campus. I was on a holiday. So, to compensate of what I should have done but I did not…..which is….attending the ceremony…..instead…I watched television that was airing the live coverage of the national Day from the Istana Merdeka ‘Presidential Palace’. Indeed, it was a treat for myself. I never thought that I would deliberately watch TV just to get to know the coverage of the event. Well, it was because the whole family was watching, too. So, I might as well glue my eyes to TV. It turned out to be quite an interesting thing to behold. I found lots of interesting stuffs going on TV’s multi channels that repetitively and simultaneously aired Independence-day related programs.
Let’s see what I remembered: how the selected youths representing each province of the nation pride themselves to be the bearer of the national flag during the ceremony. I got to know the live coverage from the Tugu Proklamasi at Jalan Pegangsaan Timur. I managed to get a glimpse of the euphoria and the fun time most people had during that particular day. Loved to be part of it, though only through television.

Malam Tirakatan

Preparing the food
"Malam Tirakatan” or literally means ‘a night of reflection’ was the time when we gathered with our family and neighbors, be it children and adult alike to celebrate as well as contemplate the meaning of being independent. Yes, this so-called Malam Tirakatan was a celebration specially designed and prepared by the neighbor in the communal and cooperative attitude in the eve of Independence Day Celebration the following Day. It was August 16 in the evening and we did this Malam Tirakatan to remember the sacrifice the national heroes and local heroes had mad and given us so that we live in this independent country and nation called Indonesia. This ‘Malam Tirakatan’ is an annual celebration carried out across the nation in the Eve of our Independence Day. I think I was lucky and blessed to be home in time for this annual event. Indeed, it was a simple and yet meaningful occasion since it was carried out during Ramadan (Fasting Month), so the whole guests—the whole community—from our neighborhood came and brought along their food to share. It was pretty much just like a POT LUCK party, in that it differs only in the momentum. It was in Ramadan and meant to celebrate the Independence Day. What a touching way to spend the evening together.
Cheerful children
I was moved and touched by the voluntarism and the cooperation as shown by my neighbors. They came and shared the food and beverages with all of the people. It was indeed a great time to spend and a great sight to behold. The traditional food, as well as the modern one, was wrapped up together. Nasi kuning or yellow rice was also served since it resembled the welfare of the community. The kids came with their fathers and mothers. The women in the neighborhood came early to prepare the food. Mbak Yuni—my childhood friend—prepared the specialties of the day: Soto Ayam ‘traditional chicken soup’. When it was ready, ibu-ibu (the mothers and women) in the neighborhood prepared them in the dish and were ready to serve all the guests. Oh, one particular drink that I noticed was Teh Rio ‘Rio Tea’. Rio is the brand name of the tea. It would not have caught my attention, had its name not been ‘Rio’J. My daughter—Eyra—as also keen in noticing this particularly named tea. Now, whenever I go ….my eyes would instantly notice the word Rio. It turned out that this tea is famous in East Java region. The same goes for Siiiplah (brand name) apple juice from Kusuma Agrowisata Malang—a special beverage made from the extract of apple originated from Malang (a town in East Java). This brand is also one of the most sought-after brand for juice in East Java. (hmmm, I guess I caught up some things while being home this time).
In the pictures that I uploaded here: kids and adults alike were all sitting on the mattress where food and drinks were laid in front of them. They were sitting in a circle around the food.  After some speeches made my father and the head of the neighborhood, and the prayers were performed, we all ate up the food and had the leftover brought back home to enjoy afterwards.
I think this kind of event may seem trivial for some, after all the kids as the younger generations may see and look at the meaning of Independence as something varied in nature. They may have different opinion as to what being independent means; but the essence of being together as one family; as one neighborhood, as one nation cannot simply be ignored. It is through this seemingly simple ‘Malam Tirakatan’ that the meaning of togetherness is energized and strengthened—especially among younger generations.
Pssst: I ate a lot. So did my wife…and kids, too. We enjoyed it very much.

The 16th Day of Ramadan: Mudik already


So, it has been such a long time since the last time I wrote down something on my blog. The thing was that I was going home to my hometown (of course) for a week. It was a long well-planned trip back home because I would not be coming home on this year’s Lebaran. So, a week before Lebaran, I took my family on a trip back home for an early Lebaran or Ramadan on purpose. The reason: I am going to Korea the day the Lebaran starts. Insyallah I am going to Seoul again on the first day of Syawal...in the evening. So, I have to make sure that I meet my mother and father back home before leaving for Korea. That is the reason as to why I’ve been in Kediri for a week (August 16 until 21, 2011).
Since I cannot connect to the internet with my AHA account while I am in Kediri, the only modem I could use is my Indosat internet access---which is quite expensiveJ. So, I refrain myself from using internet: which means that I do not check my mails and my facebook account and no surfing for a week. I can do it, though. Of course, I did check my emails through the indosat access but only for a few minutes.
Back to my stories:
I managed to book an executive compartment in Sancaka train that goes from Jogjakarta to Surabaya (the capital of East Java). It was a good thing that I did book the executive class instead of business class because it was comfier, one thing for sure. Apart from that, it was not that expensive, yet. Despite the fact that it was only two weeks away from Lebaran, the ticket price was only as much as  IDR 130,000—which was quite reasonable for this trip. Actually, it was already more expensive than its original price which was only IDR 90,000. But, to think that it would be about IDR 300,000 when Lebaran is approaching, we might as well took this executive class. (Additional information: for those who would want to know more about the annual rite of going home a.k.a. exodus to hometown—which is affectionately called “mudik” in Indonesian language—please just type in the word “mudik” in Google).  Yes, “mudik” is what I am doing at the moment.
So, in the wee early morning of Tuesday, August 16, 2011, I got to wake my daughters up. Interestingly, though, I never suspected that my kids were so fast and tactful in reacting to my first signal of waking them up. Hmmm, I guessed they must’ve had this pre-notion of what to expect from this trip. They were so excited of having this trip simply because they love going to Kediri where they could meet their cousin, Lala—in the first place. Then, I am sure they knew that they were going to meet their mbahkung and mbahpi (their grandparents). And…most of all, they were so excited of getting on a train.
When I woke them up, they smiled back at me as if giving me a ready-to-go signal. So, without further ado, I asked them to take a bath in warm water. They pretty much liked it and as soon as they finished taking a bath, the put on their previously prepared clothes and ready to have their breakfast. Since they were so excited of going….they did not take a lot of breakfast…just a simple one.
While I was busy preparing all of other stuffs, my wife was busy doing her make-up. J.
The train leaves at 07.15 but it was already around 06.30 and the taxi was not coming, yet. But, when the taxi came, we were not ready yetJ. Gosh…it was a hectic time for us since we did not have that much time. So, after saying goodbye to my mother-in-law or grandmother of my daughters…off we went to the Tugu train station which was about 10 km away from home.
It would’ve been an enjoyable ride, had we not been so late in leaving from homeJ. I got no other choices but to ask the taxi driver to speed up in the midst of crazy morning traffic of kids going to school, people going to work, and some going somewhereJ. Jogja is small, but I always keep this in mind that despite its being small, it is just the same as any other cities in Indonesia where motorbikes rule the streets, roads, alleys especially during rush hoursJ.
Luckily and thankfully…we managed to arrive at the train station at 07.05. Only ten minutes left before the train left. Of course, we did it. Otherwise, I would not be able to ponder about that I am writing and what I am going to write in my next entries about this trip.  
With only one big orange suitcase, and three other small luggage, we managed to find our seats at the first compartment. It was still empty. We only booked three seats instead of four whenever we travel on train simply to cut the cost and we thought that Freya still does not need to pay the extra money for the ticket. She is still a toddler. Apart from that, if we secure three seats which are usually facing one another, it is unlikely that other passenger will show up or book the one seat left—unless it is Lebaran or mudik time just like this oneJ.
But, we were lucky enough. From the onset of our journey from Jogjakarta, we could secure the remaining seat for us until we reached Madiun which was only a 45 minute ride away before we were getting off at Kertosono station. So, it was a good bargainJ *chuckles*. In short, we did have a great ride from Jogjakarta to Kertosono. We paid only three seats for the price of four. Good deal, huh?
On the train, it was so terrifyingly cold. Yes, it was cold. The air conditioner was a centralized one in which the passengers could not adjust the flow and the temperature of the AC. We were frozen…..not literally of course. But, it was a good think that we prepared the jackets for the kids and me myself…wearing my Autumn sweater. (What I mean by Autumn is that because I bought it in Autumn in Korea a couple of years before. So, I affectionately called my sweater….Autumn sweater).
Eyra and Freya were sitting in their respective seats while we were on our own. The kids did enjoy the trips that they did not want to sleep. But, Freya did eventually. It turned out that she was still sleepy. I guessed she pretty much kinda overwhelmed by the idea of being tossed around in the morning: After having been woken up early and bathed early, then she found herself on a train!). I guess she was pretty much overwhelmed as much as being excited.
After an hour or so, Freya woke up and the real story began. She just could not stop jumping around, walking around, eating this and that, chatting around, looking around, all of other imaginable activities that they could think of doing on the train. Ah, to make it even more intriguing, my wife was not observing her fasting that day—which meant that she kept eating and drinking some refreshments along the way with the kids! As for me, I just watched them eating and drinkingJ. Big ordeal it was!
To make things worse (or betterJJJ…..) we arrived in Madiun station and stopped there for about 5 minutes. Well, Madiun is famous for is Pecel—its specialty. Meity would surely not miss the chance of tasting this tempting and mouth-watering pecel pinchuk. Since I was the one who was sitting at the alley, I had no choice but to get up and buy the pecel for Meity when she asked (or begged) me for it. Hmmmm….what an ordeal. But, hey it was a fun thing to do and watch, though. In gusto…...hehe…sorry Mama, she was as if enjoying the best meal ever…right in front of me who was fasting. She seemed to say sorry for having to eat in front of me…but I guess….that guilty feeling was easily overcome and subdued or overpowered by the tastiness of the food she was eating. Hahahaha. So…she kept eating to her heart contentJ.
Speaking of food, there is one more thing that I’d like to jot down here. Despite the fact that it is Ramadan which means that some people are fasting…..the atmosphere on the train was not different from any other day. The stewardess kept passing by and asking each passenger whether they would want to have breakfast or snacks or refreshments. (Of course, they had to pay separately—since the ticket does not include meals). But, it was an interesting sight to behold.
Now back to the main story:
A girl was approaching our seats and told us that the one seat left we’ve been securing from the first 3 hour ride was hers. J. Aha. Now, we had only three seats left. But, it was worth-it. Then, Freya was sitting on my lap while Eyra and her mother were sitting in front of us in their own seats. Nothing happened much….until….the girl took the Samsung Galaxy tab that she was bringing along. It was the latest and the chic Android based gadget to date. It was an eye-catching gadget since she kept playing around with it. Since my daughters were curious in type…..they were interested in looking at what the girl was doing.
So, I told them..that the girld must have had some cool stuffs like games on the gadget. And politely and smilingly she said…yes and she asked my kids as to whether they wanted to play with her. Oh…NO. It was a genuinely nice gesture and offer that she gave them. But, to my kids…..it was surely an offer they would never say NO.
Off they went into the craziness of ANGRY BIRDS fiesta.
Three of them were giggling, laughing, and jumping off their seats when the ANGRY BIRDS were on. The game’s ON. The Fun Time’s ON. The Time’s ON.
To make it even more interesting, the ANGRY BIRDS they were playing was Rio-based themed (the latest animated motion picture). Since both of my kids adore this Rio, they never let their eyes off the screen for another 30 minutes that I had to remind them that we were about to get off at the next station….with no avail. But…luckily….they knew that it was time to get off the train and headed for Kediri where their cousin was waiting.
Indeed, the train trip was an exciting one.
We stopped at Kertosono at around 11.15 and had to wait for another 30 minutes for my sister to pick us up. It was 30 km away from home. So, I asked my sister to pick us up…a convenient way to go from the station to our home. Well, we could’ve taken a bus, but with the luggage and the kids…it would take a lot of energy. Taxi: it would cost more than the train ticket!
After waiting for about 20 minutes, we met our sister and her husband. As for my kids, they met their cousin.
Now…the journeys and the stories during my Ramadan at home began…

Monday, August 15, 2011

The Tall Neighbor

Yup, I guess that's what I call it eventually. I never thought this this so-called Pertamina Tower being erected right next to my college is relatively tall compared to other building surrounding it. So, this 9-storey building is dubbed as the tallest building in campus to date.
I took a snap picture of it on August 15, 2011. Well, just to make it as a remembrance of how it is being built. Afterall, I think I will be able to see it again in a year or two. When it is completely built, I wonder how it will look like. So, I guess...on my vacation from my study in Korea...in between...I guess (hopefully), insyaallah I can see how it will look like.
Oh, I took this snap while I was talking over the phone to my wife over what I've been through today....
one hour or more...waiting in line to talk to the customer service of Bank BPD Jogja. I need to have my account transferred to another bank for some other reasons.
I got to copy all of the related documents I have to prepare if I want to get a promotion.:)
I got to make sure everything that I want before my departure to Korea in two weeks time.
hmm such a hectic day. Indeed.
and...now it is almost 3 pm and I got to prepare the buka bersama with my office at Pring Sewu this evening.
hmm....fighting..semangat, suray

'Tis Just a passing infatuation in Ramadan...


It is not easy to suppress the real me inside. Some say there is a ‘devil’ in each of us lurking into the surface of our appearance through the veins of our vulnerable heart. It seduces us in every way it can to lure us into the edge of our senses. Once we are overcome by this seemingly innocent wish…before we know it…it is too late to admit that we are powerlessly wicked. So, in this holy month of Ramadan…I admit that at times it is so hard to ignore the seeds of past that are flashing through my eyes. I think Allah intentionally dares and challenges me with this ordeal. He presents every night right in front of my eyes….an enticing being that I cannot resist but to overlook. After all this time of abstinence…..at the moment ….Allah does give me an ordeal ….that only I myself can cope with. It is hard….yes…. but Alhamdulillah it has been nothing but a passing infatuation and admiration. J. And….the worst is that…..or should I deem it as the best thing ever….. I did nothing but to ponder of what could have, should have, might have, would have…..been J

The 14th Day of Ramadan


Al-Asr 
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Rahiim
Wal-`Asri,
 'Innal-'Insaana lafii khusrin,
 'Illallaziina 'aamanuu wa 'amilus-saalihaati wa tawaasaw bil-Haqqi
wa tawaasaw- bis-Sabr. 

Time
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By the declining day,
Lo! man is a state of loss,
Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth
and exhort one another to endurance.
(Translation were taken from Holy Quran Translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali)

Demi Masa…manusia kebanyakan merugi karena mereka tak menggunakan waktunya dengan benar untuk beribadah dan beramal sholeh dan menyeru kebaikan. Untuk itu, agar kita tak termasuk orang orang yang merugi, maka hendaklah kita banyak beramal soleh dan berbuat baik. Hiduplah seakan akan kita akan mati besok. Allah telah membuat kita sadar bahwa dimensi hidup kita ini hanya untuk beribadah. Bahkan pekerjaan apa pun yang kita lakukan harus kita maknai dalam rangka ibadah. Hanya dengan itulah, maka hidup kita tak akan sia sia. Dengan surat Al Asr itulah umat Islam selalu diingatkan untuk sadar akan dimensi kehidupannya yang tak lama bahkan sangat singkat. Inilah sekelumit kecil yang saya pelajari dalam kultum subuh dalam Ramadan hari ke-14. Sudah sering saya mendengarkan tentang hal ini, namun selalu perlu untuk tetap diingatkan terus mengenai pentingnya menjaga apa yang kita lakukan dalam setiap detik yang kita lewati dalam hidup kita.


Buka Bersama at Daejanggeum


On Saturday night, we finally made it to Dae Jang Geum with the whole family for the first time. It has been our plan to take the whole family to taste the Korean food at Korean restaurant. It finally happened thanks to my sister-in-law (Yuni)’s generosity to use up all of the voucher as much as IDR 195,000 she received from Happy Land Hospital. She kept collecting the vouchers from scratch. I mean…she got an IDR 5,000 to around IDR 20,000 voucher every time she visited the hospital for her pregnancy check-up for the last 9 months. Then, it occurred to her that she may not be able to use the voucher unless she asked us out. In fact, she is not sure of whether she might like the food.
Yes, for most of us..it was the first time ever the we ever tried the Korean food.
My mother-in-law and my brother-in-law had their first taste of Kimchi, Kimbab, Dolseotbibimbap, suntubu and other food we ordered. They found it strange and weird. Of course, it was natural that they had to find it hard to taste. Well, I think it was simply because it was their first time. I myself began to like kimchi after 6 months of living in Korea. AHA. So, it was natural.
But, the most important thing is that they now have experienced the Korean food and how it tastes.
The best thing about it is that…we can make the best deal of the food thanks to the voucher we had :). We only had to pay one third of the total we spent. What a treat.

Finally, I lost my sandals


Finally?
Yup….  not that I expected it to happen. But, I’ve always been alert on this one. I know that I should not have worn those slippers. Yes, I finally lost my slippers at the MosqueJ. For those who may not know it, it is a common sight for someone to have their slippers or sandals or better yet J …..their shoes….especially the nice ones at the Mosque. It is really pathetic and so sod actually. But it happens.
So, I went to have my dusk prayer in the evening and looked to me that only a few came.
I never thought that I would lose these slippers of mine…the only pair I have at home.
….It really kinda reminded me of the time when my friend, Peter who came to the Mosque and sadly…lost his shoes. He could not just believe it. Well…..prepared yourself…J
Not all people are good. Those who are seemingly coming to the Mosque do not necessarily come to pray…some do come for other purpose like the one that finally got me. Yep…somebody must’ve stolen them. (or euphemistically speaking….they rented my slippers for free) hahaha.
I just pray for the best and hope that anyone who stole will have hidayah ‘guidance’ from Allah that he may feel sorry or better yet…he realizes that what he did is truly wrong.
May he have some peace in his mind…and stop stealing other people’s stuffs …any more.

Buka bersama at home


On Friday evening, my wife invited some of her students. It was her last class she got to teach this term. That is why she invited them to have breaking the fast together. She made her signature specialty: spaghetti. Since she made this particular food she loves to make, I asked her whether it would be OK to invite ms.Lee Jin Hwa (my colleague) to attend the feast. Yes, she said. And..come did she.
She loved it. The students loved it. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food we prepared. Apart from the spaghetti she made, we had …let’s see: fruits of course: kelengkeng and watermelon; we had some setup jambu (fruit cocktail), cakes, biscuits, fried chickens (that the students brought); grated cheese, plain water, gorengan (fried vegetables, tofu, tempe), and other assorted snacks.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Rumah-rumahan

Eyra insisted that I had to make her a 'house' out of blankets, pillows and stuffs found in the bedroom. I am sure that she was sleepy. And that was the reason as to why she kept nagging at me to make her something to play with.With lots of energy and efforts, I managed to make a 'house'.
She was happy, and so was her sister, Freya.
Once I finished making it, they forced me to stay put inside the 'house'. They just wouldn't let me go out of the bedroom. So, I told them a story...of course a made-up one.:) It was about Timun Emas 'golden cucumber' Well, it was actually a folktale passed down from generation to generation. However, since I forgot much of it, I kinda made it up. It turned out that my kids loved it. 

Friday, Office, 12th Day of Ramadan


The day Ms. Han Sang Mee came back to our office, we did not let the chance of taking a picture together slip away. So…in front of the newly made-to-order book cabinet, we took these pictures. Mbak Nining, Fitri, Ms. Han, and me.
It was just a few minutes before Ms.Han said goodbye to us, before tomorrow flying to Jakarta before leaving Indonesia for Korea, again. 
Oh, I guess it was about 12.45, minutes after I finished my Friday prayer--the second Friday in 1432 Ramadan.
It is good to know that Ms. Han Sang Mee appreciated what we did for her during her stay in Jogja.
I heard that she even managed to meet some of her students and ask them to have dinner together on Friday night. I am sure it must’ve been a great experience for her. Hopefully.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Last minute Change of Plan for Dinner

Ms. Han Sang Mee, KOICA volunteer, who served her 2-year term at our university from 2007 -2009 just arrived in Jogjakarta for a 5-day visit. She told us that she misses Jogja...and that is her simple reason of coming back again.
Two days ago she surprised us by showing up unexpectedly at the office. Some of us just could not believe that she just dropped by like that without any hints of visiting... but hey..it was a great thing indeed that she is here now.
So, she told me that she kinda planned it lightly. Booked a flight from Seoul - KL - Jogja and flew right here.
As she did not bring any oleh-oleh from Seoul, she told me that she would take me out for dinner with the rest of my family and our gang:) Well, who wouldn't want that?
...One day passed by...
On second thought....it would be so weird of having to be together...but she is the one who invites us for dinner. Wait...!!! Wait...Wait....!!! something seems a bit odd and not right...
So....on the last minutes of being invited to Ms. Han's dinner....
I confirm the situation once again.....which is ....the simple fact that she is our guest at the moment. She is now visiting Jogjakarta to meet us.
....Without further ado, I decided to tell my colleagues that we would never let Ms. Han Sang Mee invite us and pay the meal for us. Nope.
...Instead...we should invite/ask Ms. Han for dinner.So, I invite her to come for dinner, as for us..it is breaking the fast together.
Coincidentally...today is my 9th anniversary of marriage. ....So..I have the more reason to invite some of my colleagues...
Since today is the only time she has time, and so is for us....(She has an appointment of meeting her students on Friday and on Saturday she is flying to Jakarta for vacation).
So...today we ended up having dinner a.k.a. breaking the fast together at Hartz Chicken.
Once again...this was also the last minute change of plan.
Everything went well and it was a great dinner and break the fast together.
Ms.Han Sang Mee unexpectedly also give us a pair of gifts that we love.
I just hope that she enjoys her stay in Jogjakarta and hopefully we could meet again in Seoul.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

11 August 2002

9 years ago I still vividly remember the day I got married.
And...interestingly or should I say...incomprehensibly.....2 days before my wedding, I was still working at Kaltim Prima Coal in Sanggata, a small town in the remote jungle of East Kalimantan. I was at times amazed at the decision to go home just two days before my marriage. But, that was pretty much what happened.
Then, the question is...who did the whole stuffs for the wedding, then?
The answer is quite simple. My wife did.
Then..I found myself in the midst of awkwardness of not being there before the wedding.
But..that is pretty much how it is in the culture right here.
It was the bride's family who will take care of the whole thing.

...then....my turn to prepare for our second wedding party. This time..it was carried out at my parents' house. This time...it was the groom's family who prepared the whole stuffs.
so...that was pretty much how it worked and how it works and possibly how it will work.
now...today...9 years ago...I became a married man.
Now...I have two lovely daughters.

I still remembered how I found it hard to memorize the wedding's vow in front of the penghulu (religous or government official to perform and supervise marriage).
I think I stayed up late...very late...to prepare for this.
Then...I also got to find store at around midnight just to find a frame and a box for the wedding dowry.  :) hehe. I prepared them so late that I did not sleep early. A mixture of anxiety, nervousness, excitement, and  responsibility.                            

The 11th Day of Ramadan

Still cold it is.
As usual, the morning starts with sahur. Tt is a bit wee cooler than it usually is.
let's see what I learned from today's sermon.
I learn that history is one of the most important things in life that we should cherish. Even Al Quran has quite a lot of stories related to the past. In fact, some of the contents in Koran are related to historical facts and stories from the past so as to give us some knowledge and learn out of them. That is the reason as to why it is important to see what happened to the people before us so that we could move forward by leaving behind what is bad, and taking along what is good...from the past.

I also learn about the importance of shalat once again. It is said that Subuh (dawn prayer) is the most difficult prayer among the five daily prayers. Well, it is obvious as to why it is dubbed as being the most difficult. In the wee hour of the dawn, we got to get up and observe our prayer. So, only the faithful and those who really seek the Grace from God will  not reluctantly do so. People might tend to sleep through and wake up bit later just to perform this important prayer. So, Subuh is the best prayer for Muslims who want to seek the Grace from God. Simply by looking at how a Muslim observes this particular prayer (subuh), we might know the depth and the seriousness of his faith. The second most difficult prayer is Isya' prayer or early night prayer at around 7 pm. It is only 45 to one hour interval after the evening of Magrib prayer at around 6 pm. So, it is a bit obvious as to why it is difficult. People tend to stay home and watch TV or (better yet:?) they end up having parties, going to the malls, taking a night walk, having dinner outside, throwing parties/having parties (be it wedding, etc)......and they start/begin preparing these activities early in the evening. Instead of performing the duty of Isya' prayer first....they prefer to having those activities in the first place. As for the prayer? They tend to do it later, a bit later at night before sleeping. If that is the case, it is still good and  a relief should the person still remember to do it. Alas...some people just go to bed without observing this Isya' prayer. (that would be an unimaginable sin).
This simple fact also slapped me on the face again....because I am still the one who procrastinate doing it early. Please forgive me, ya Allah. Astagfirullah...
The third most difficult prayer is Ashar or late afternoon prayer. It is because at around 3 or 4 pm, people tend to be working, or those who just finish working, they tend to take a rest instead of putting Sholat first as its priority before taking a rest. So, those who can observe the Ashar prayer in time or on time, it is considered as having a good faith in their hearts. The rest: Dhuhur (noon) and Magrib (evening) prayers are considered as having no challenges whatsoever because they are the time when people are usually having lunch/rest or free time respectively. Not that difficult...except for those who find it difficult in the first place. For this, I cannot say anything about it.

One last thing worth-mentioning here is that.... all of those prayers are better observed at the Mosque by performing them in jamaah (together with other people). 

Sandwich for 2nd round of Fast Breaking

I had my fast-breaking meal already. Still, I was thinking of having something else to eat after coming from tarawih. Guess, I felt kinda wee bit hungry afterwards. So, just when I was about to ask my wife whether she had something in store for us (me and the kids), she asked us if we wud like to have some sandwiches. Without thinking...we just nodded.
Hopla...this is it. This is the sandwich she made for us.
Today, August 11 is our 9th anniversary. We got married on August 11, 2002.
So, the sandwich was a kind of starter (appetizer) for today's anniversary that we're planning to celebrate with friends. (of course, during buka puasa 'breaking the fast" time).
..since it was a bit late a nite, I do not think the pictures are clear enough. They are a bit blurry, I suppose. But...at least it shows the sandwiches my wife made for me.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Simple yet Eye-Catching Vespa


upside down no saddle Vespa!
flattened milk box
Do not be mistaken! It is not  glass . instead, it  is  Aqua bottle.
At the campus parking lot, I bumped into Taufiq (my junior at English Department). I spotted him trying to start the engine of his eye-catching Vespa. It was the vespa that caught my attention (to be frank)..simply because I never saw that Vespa before. I was pretty sure that that was not his Vespa. Upon asking whose vespa that was, he told me that it was his brother's. Just take a look at the deliberately designed details his brother put in the Vespa. Really..it got me.

The 10th Day of Ramadan (Part 2)

So, I'd like to continue what I learned this morning.
The second thing that I remembered about how expensive it is to commit a sin is about an example of adultery. Yep, the speaker of today's sermon interestingly told us a story about how expensive or at least how not-that-free it is to commit adultery. Those people need a place (be it hotel or so), they had to cover up their sin by of course spending money on stuffs (be it communication), not to mention the fear of being got caught. But the funny thing was that those seem to never in fear of God's wrath. Interestingly, we do not need to go through such worries and despair should we just avoid commiting a sin in the first place..simply because avoiding it is free of charge or effortless (hmmm...the last one being debatable).

(it is 3.15 pm in the afternoon. just finished meeting my students for the final report of their graduating papers). and..now it is ashar time.
it is now 5.25 pm...just 20 minutes away from breaking the fast time. :)
I just remember another thing being mentioned in the sermon:
There  was this banner strapped across the street in the southern part of Jogjakarta. The banner said something like this: "Berhenti dulu Maksiat di bulan Ramadan. Setelah Ramadan Lanjutkan.....Berhentinya.." It    literally means something like : Stop Committing Sin in Ramadan month. After Ramadan...Continue ...Stopping."
The eye-catching banner will surely attract anyone and passer by's attention simply because of the word 'Lanjutkan or Continue". To make it even better...the word 'Berhentinya' and 'Stopping' were written in asterisk (*) and in small font. Hmmm....a clever way to catch someone's attention.

The 10th Day of Ramadan: things to ponder about (part 1)


So, this is what I learned from the dawn prayer’s sermon this morning. I think this is by far the best or at least the most memorable and understandable things ever said about Ramadan. Well, it is my personal point of view. Others who attended the sermon might have different point of view, though.

For every Muslims observing fasting, it is required for them to follow the rules/guidelines underlining the implementation of fasting. However, lots of people are so preoccupied with what to do and what not to do during Ramadan while ignoring the fundamental question as to why they have to observe the fasting during Ramadan. Most Muslim would surely remember, know, learn by heart the Surah portraying the requirements for all Muslims to fast. Yet, as to why they need to fast is often ignored.
It is once again, as I was reminded during this morning’s sermon, true.
So, I was slapped again this morning. * so many slaps on my face during Ramadan: which is a good thing ever happen to me * J

Of course the ultimate goal of observing the fasting is to become taqwain (those who truly believes in the words of Allah and follow the good deeds and refrain from doing bad deeds simply because they have faith in Allah). Thus, fasting is like a practice for one month to become a obedient and good Muslim so as to keep continuing to become a good one for the rest of other 11 months ahead.

We need to have a goal as to why we are fasting.
Interesting allegory that I learned this morning was like this. When we take a taxi, the first thing that we must tell the driver is where we are heading. So, when the driver asks where he should take us, we should/must have the answer where we are going. It would be incomprehensible to say..like….just drive and I have Rp 50,000 and just stop when the meter shows Rp 50,000. If that is the case…then…we may end up at the side of the road, nowhere, or worse…plunged into the ditch…J.
Using that metaphor, we are now taking a taxi (Fasting during Ramadan) and we have to tell ourselves where we are going even before calling on the taxi. The direction, the goal, the destination that we are going is the ultimate goal of being a good and faithful Muslim according to teachings found in Al Quran and Al Hadith.
By doing so, we know that we are going somewhere.

There are other things that I learned. Hmm let’s see if I could remember them correctly. J. I guess I will start with this. I learned that committing a sin needs a lot of energy, time, and money. While not committing a sin is free of charge.  I kept giggling and chuckling during this sermon. Here we go:
First, suppose we are to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, it would so easy just to ignore and pass it by without doing nothing. So, avoiding alcohol (a.k.a. not committing a sin) is free of charge. While, on the other hand, it will take a lot of cash to buy those beverages, plus the extra money to pay the entrance fee to the places where alcoholic beverages are served, and not to mention the time and energy we spent on those things. Yep, the so-called hmm let’s see (think of any famous brands) would cost lots of Rupiah to buy. Of course there are cheaper ones, but hey…it still needs money.
Interestingly, the speaker of this mornings’ sermon puts it in this way: It is not free of charge to go to hell. We have to pay a lot of money to go to hell. But, hey it is free to go to Heaven. But…interestingly….lots of people ignore this simple fact.
Once again….I was slapped on my face AGAIN!!!

Second, ….to be continued

cnofsunig thguohts

Eynovree can raed tshee sceennets agoutlhh I am wnitirg tehm in a rehtar cnofsunig way. Hamun has a capticay to raed all kwonn wrods to hmuan as lnog as the wrods' inaiitl and osnet leettr are not dispceald. Isn't it amniazg?
Syaa ykian Adna pun jgua bsia macbmea tsiluan ini wpulaaun syaa baolk bliak hruuf-hynuurfa.

Tak jadi tarawih, deh.

Wah...malam ini tak kesampaian tarawihnya. Niat? sudah. Berangkat ke mesjid? sudah. Nah lho masalahnya di mana?
Pas mau berangkat ke Masjid, Eyra dan Freya mau ikut. Karena tak ada orang di rumah, selain ibu......ya memang seharusnya mereka ikut. Sibuklah menata dan mengganti baju mereka. Setelah kelar dan siap, jalanlah kami ke Al Jihad yang jaraknya hanya 200 meter. Lalu..syukurlah bisa ikut jamaah.
Begitu selesai jamaah.....si Freya minta pulang...karena something came up.
Apa yang came up....* tak perlulah* diceritakan di sini. * malu *

Mau tak mau harus pulang nganterin si Freya pulang. Setelah selesai *something came up* nya...kembalilah kami ke mesjid lagi.....hanya untuk mengetahui bahwa solat tarawihnya sudah dimulai yg berarti ...saya ketinggalan, dong.
well.....akhirnya hanya * melongo * saja mengikuti dari belakang....(usut punya usut ternyata tak ada yang ceramah kultum. Begitu pengumuman tg kegiatan Ramadan...ternyata...langsung solat).
Si Eyra kebingunan...kenapa kog tak jadi ikut solat  di masjid.....
well, seandainya....

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

So much for Harry Potter part 2!!!

I was disappointed because I could not watch HP2 for the second time although I had bought the ticket already. !!!
Well, so much for the waiting.
So much for the money I spent on it.
So much for the time I spent expecting for it.
So much for the energy I spent on wasting on it.
So much for such an expectation...
I never thought that all of a sudden the tickets I reserved ........were in vain.
I did not use them.
Something came up..I got to attend a meeting.
My wife simply could not go since she got to take care of the kids.
Meanwhile my sister could not make it since she got to pick our mother from the hospital.
There goes the ticket.
There goes the money.
There goes the time.
But.....at least I could contemplate on it.
I will make sure that it won't happen no more.
(I put the picture upside down so as to show how upside down my feeling was this afternoon :) 

It's Not a Great Diet Plan

Despite the daily fasting, Ramadan is notorious for being a month of weight gain. There are many reasons why practicing Muslims often gain, instead of lose, weight during this time. AHA....:) To certain extent, it is true...please read more on It's Not a Great Diet Plan

The 9th Day of Ramadan

During subuh 'dawn' prayer, I learned something new again.
It was about a revelation that during Ramadan, great occasions, great event, great achievements were made in the past history. The Revelation of Al Qur'an, the day Muhammad became the Prophet and Messenger of Islam, the victory in Badar War...to name only three of great many others (too bad...once again..I did not quite remember what they were). hmm...guess..I got to learn more.
But funny thing that the imam said was when he said something about nazaruddin's being captured in Colombia during Ramadan (yesterday I guess) as something Islamic (of course he was just joking seriously).
Other things that I learned were:
- Javanese people especially the ancestors of Javanese people used to perform fasting (tirakatan) before doing something, e.g. building the house; setting up the traditional plowing equipment made of wood; Empu (Kris maker) finishing his works; and many other occasions that they thought as something worth-fasting for. Of course, at that time the Javanese did not observe such fasting as something religious, let alone Islamic. Of course they were Muslim but they sort of combined the Javanese beliefs (Kejawen) and Islamic teachings they once heard of, saw, or learned partially. Unbeknownst to them, their practices were actually far from Islamic values. Still, despite their lack of understanding in Islam, they did those fasting practices as the ways they connect to God (according to their beliefs). May Allah forgive them.
So, what we can learn from this is that.....the essence of true Islamic teaching has been rooted in the world of Javanese people that it is then necessary for the current generations to understand that they need to observe Islam according to the teachings of Muhammad. Of course, the good cultural values left behind or traced back within the Kejawen teachings should be preserved as mere cultural traits only not as something to believe in.
In my opinion, all in all, despite the differences in seeing the practices, they are still the pinnacle of human spirit in searching for power greater outside of this world. 

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