Almost One Whole Day Spent @ the Consular

It was August 4, 2014..the first day after one-week long Eid-Fitri Holiday. The consular section of Indonesian Embassy was finally opening its service normally again. It was such a coincidence that I got to have my passport extended since it was due on August 4!!!

Well, yes..that happened.

So...without having any prior knowledge on how to extend a soon-to-be expired passport, I got to rush to the embassy only to find that there were lots of people 'thinking' and 'doing' the same thing. Of course, each of them must've got some reasons to go to the consular. 

As for me..I got to wait for..well...4 hours to get my passport renewed.^^

Thank God that it was cloudy and been drizzling a bit....so the AC at the almost-crowded consular waiting room did help a bit to ward off the heat.

Although I got my online reservation and application ready...I was baffled by the fact that I forgot to upload ONE (more) file. DARN!!! :-)

So...my 2.5-hour of waiting was almost going "POOF!!" up away into the sky..I started to imagine...my long-standing moment from the start.

But...luckily..I didn't have to. Some interns at the waiting room helped me sort things out.

Scan the needed document, uploaded it, and sent them to the system provided.

Done.

After a quick session of photo-taking at the designated photo-booth and paying some money for extending my 48-page passport....

I waited for another one hour ..and ended with a BANG of smile!

My passport's extended.^^

This Year's the First & the Last Buka Puasa @ Rumah Sangwolgok

This year's last breaking-the-fast @ Sangwolgok House owned by mas Khoirul. 

Today's menu for breaking-the-fast was 불고기 or daging asap. Looks like everyone seemed to like it. 

Aris and om Wawan were busy 'barbecue-ing' the sliced beef.

While others, mostly the Moms, were busy preparing the side-dish. 

Thanks to Dikka for having left some kolak or coconut milk fruit cocktail. 

Then, excluding the photographer....lots of them seemed to enjoy the meal we prepared for today.  

Then, there was Om Kiky who's generous and close enough with teh kids.

Happy Hari Raya...1435 Hijriyah.

The Last Buka Puasa @ KBRI this Year.

The 4th Buka Puasa Bersama @ Indonesian Embassy. That day's topic was insurance for migrant workers in Korea. Lots of issues were discussed during almost 2-year session of talks about insurance. Despite its utmost importance....one phrase: a dizzying fact!:-) 

Short story long..I mean long story short...let's jump to the main event of the day: Having the Fasting BROKEN..I mean ...buka puasa...or breaking the fast. This time, I finally managed to ask Pak Nugroho (a reporter from KBS World Indonesia) to come to the event. 

It so happened that this family (his wife and two sons) are in Korea for 3-week visit. So, why not bring along his family to the occasion, then? After all, we thought that we might find it hard to get in touch: due to the distance... 

So, it's a good chance for us to get to know pak Nugroho's family.

Selamat Berlebaran

Buka Puasa Bersama @ KBRI

The 3rd Saturday in Ramadan. And...it's the 3rd event of Buka Bersama or breaking-the-fast-together held at the aula of Indonesian Embassy in Seoul. Overseas Indonesians,  immigrants, students, and migrant workers residing in Seoul and its vicinity were welcome. Oh, it's not just a simple 'buka bersama' but as usual, prior to having the fasting dinner, we have a 2-hour session of lecture.

The topic for that day was Indonesian culture and how to nurture it in other countries.

Okay..I won't touch that theme since it's gonna require much space to jot it down.^^ 

The second presenter was Mr. Anton from Ciputra Entrepreneurship University in Indonesia. He gave us a lecture that mainly dealt with the importance of 'entrepreneur-ING and 'marketing' the culture.  

Then, the last session was closed by the Indonesian Ambassador, H.E. Mr. John A. Prasetio. He was accompanied by our moderator for the day, Mr. Didik Eko, the counselor. Credits to Mr. Didik for initiating the weekend-gathering like this. 

After the Magrib (dusk), we went down to the basement to have the iftar. Well, yes...I think there were about 500 people attended that evening's buka puasa.  

Bumped into my friends, Ahmad ( the train transportation expert), and Ony Jamhari (the traveler guy cum expert in marketing)...and me. ^^ 

Again, with Ony and Rizky (international relation dept)..the same university I am attending.

Oh, Rizky..congrats for graduating this August. Salute.

That's it. A good buka puasa bersama with friends @ KBRI.

Lebaran 2012

What? yes..yes..yes.I should have put these pictures months ago. Now that I have time, I just want to make sure that these pictures are right here on the blog.

it was during Lebaran or Eid Mubarak last year (2012). 

We were at Indonesian Embassy in Seoul where most of Indonesian citizens flocked to the venue to perform the annual Eid prayer. Well, I did not perform mine--a loooooong story. 

All I could say is that...I came, I saw, I met some students, and then...enjoyed the festivities.Looking at these pictures...oh...how I miss summer^^

( well, it is a chilling winter now.)

Idul Adha (Eid Mubarak) 2011

Got up at around 6 and took a shower.

even the consulate office was turned into a prayer venue...since lots of people did come to celebrate the occasion

So cold.

It was raining.

6 degrees Celcius. 

That was what I learned.

It was Idul Adha, Hari Raya Haji, Eid Mubarak...

Instead of going to the Mosque at Itaewon, Wawan, Jobirson, and I went to Indonesian Embassy at Youido. 

aning and me

Pak Yuda, Jobirson, me and Sidum
Pak yuda: on a recharging program at SNU
Jobirson, our friend from Uzbekistan
Sidum, Embassy officer --my old time friend back home in Indonesia

It was 7.20 or so in the wee morning of cold and chilling Autumn. Not many people were seen on the street...and it was the first time ever..that ...we could sit on the Metro to our heart's content..since not many people were present. hahaha.

It took us about 45 minutes from HUFs to Daebang station where we're supposed to stop.

But, I did not know what got into me that all of a sudden I got this crazy idea of transferring at the newly established station (line number 9). I thought that the new line would stop at Saetgang station which lies only 200 meters away from the Embassy. But, instead of stopping there, it went straight to Yoiudo station which was of course way far off than the Embassy.

taking a rest after the commotion ^^

Since we did not want to be late....we took a taxi and rushed ourselves into the embassy..only to find that lots of people had already filled in the room. Even, all floors were packed with people.

Had we arrived later, we would not have gotten a better place to pray.

Thank God that we made it in time for the prayer time.

As the number of jamaah exceeded the expected number, the Idul Adha prayer was carried out in two shifs to accommodate those who came late or those who could not get enough space to pray.

It was a good decision.

Then....even after the prayer was over, ...it was time for the to take another challenge..: taking a queue at the men's room

Then, that was not all..since I got to wait for another 1 hour or so to take my breakfast...^^

I thought that there would be something that I could eat, e.g. tempe or something: O dream on, Suray....

but....what I got were spicy eggs, cucumber and meat(?) that of course I could not enjoy since I am vegetarian.

Ok. then...it was time to settle down and relax.

Jobir and me in front of the Embassy

Oh, lets see what happened, too..today. I met my student, Aning, who's about to leave for Indonesia in two days' time. She said that she was happy since her treatment goes successfully.. She is now fully recovered from blood-related disease that had been perturbing her life so far. 

She must be so pleased and thankful for having received such a warm life here.

Then, off we went home..

we were standing all the way from Daebang to HUFS stations....it's OK.

then...it was not OK.. actually simply because we needed another meal. So, we went to a restaurant to have dolseot bibimbap--my fave dish right here in Seoul.