Today is my first day back to school. Just like usual, every teachers who taught us today emphasized the need for extra dilligence and motivation for the exam, only this time the exam isnt HSC but UN (Ujian Nasional).
School seemed weird. The familiar places; classes, canteen, pool, elevator, library, elipse building, yet something is missing.
My friends are missing, scattered all over the world in various colleges.
School is never going to be the same again.
Today was an extreme brain puncher. We came in, straight into hrs of Chemistry, Bahasa Indonesia, Biology, Maths, English, and lastly Physics. My brain was striving to cope with what came out of each teacher's mouth. Shit. After 2 years being a commerce student, I am now a Science student.
Me,
A science student.
See how weird yet flattering that sounds?
Anyway we are expected to work our asses off until April. My favorite month, spent striving with the UN Exams. What other Indonesian students learnt for 3 years, must be covered and stored in my still freezed brain within 3 months.
There goes my skipping-classes fantasy.
Moreover, everything is taught in Indonesian. Having spent my highschool years in English, Indonesian terms are challenging. Not impossible, but challenging. Challenging, but not impossible. Oh who am I kidding, I skrewed up. It was hard. 2 yrs with English scientific and maths terms, which until now still havent stick in my head. Now this.
Challenges, challenges.
Anyway I guess it's better than staying at home everyday, doing nothing but watching TV. I was a jelly who doesnt do anything worthy out of my holiday. But now this jelly is going to be a meat. Or salmon. Or Omega 3. Anything that's smart and dilligent until April.
And I do admit its kinda nice to see your teachers again. Your friendly, dedicated, witty, smart, brilliant, funny, and kind teachers smiling at you, congratulating your achievements in the HSC, and good lucks for the UN.
Oh I missed my teachers, BI, Maths, English, Econ, Business (yes you too sir). My precious precious classes.
My new teachers are fine, but I would prefer my teachers. All the fun we had in class (clearly when we werent preparing for the HSC). Sigh.
My precious break ritual of going down for a cup of teh poci and croissant with Shanghai. Shanghai's large appetite of nasi and pete and chilly eggs. Lunches with PPGs. Coming late for school. Running away to the library with Audi. Teasing DPH's sexy ass. Cheering and teasing Mr Kris-Will-Smith-Lookalike to slow his Math teachings. Getting teased by witty comments from Mr Kris.
Anyways.
Challenges.
This jelly shall conquer. Ha!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
From Up to Down, and the other way around
Played cards with bro, sis and dad this evening in my sister's room. My big bro's going back to Amsterdam tomorrow, which kinda pulls us to spend some time together, the 7 of us. My eldest, engaged sister is planning on having her marriage in Bali. Christ how marvelous is it? She plans on having it next year on March. Me and my sister is apparently going to be her bridesmaids. A weekend wedding in Bali. How romantic can things get?
In one occasion, in between the cards playing, my big sis asked dad about his childhood, teenage days away from his family. He spent his high school years in Surabaya at his mom's bro's place because he was too naughty. Apparently he likes to kick some breathing walking live chickens to death in his home.
For some reason, I cannot bring myself to imagine my dad as a child. A prankster too. Well that explains so much.
Then he told us how his host family used to talk about him when they ate together. They talked of how my dad took a lot of food from their table. And he was staring down at his cards silently when he said it. It is.. Much more harder to imagine. My dad, who always complained that we are (well, me to be exact) are underfed and we need more food to eat.
Maybe this explains his thoughts, his drive to provide more for us, his need to give us, his children, a much better and more prosperous childhood.
Coming to this realization, my heart dropped. I always complained to him whenever he's trying to give me more to eat. I realized how he used to live in adversity as a kid. And how lucky I am right now without even realizing, let alone be thankful for us.
I remembered this afternoon, when we were on our way to the Bali Wedding event organizer, we passed a row of sad looking little huts by the riverside. The black, brown and smelly riverside. I looked at it, at the topless men sitting idly, looking at nothing. I tried to imagine what kind of life are they leading, but failed completely.
Then my sister said to me, "Mom used to live in one of those houses when she first came to Jakarta with nothing, you know. Look how far she has gone."
Bloody hell.
I really should be showing much, much more gratitude for the life that I have now, and stop complaining over petty things.
---
They say people should stop looking up and complaining, and start looking down and thanking.
In one occasion, in between the cards playing, my big sis asked dad about his childhood, teenage days away from his family. He spent his high school years in Surabaya at his mom's bro's place because he was too naughty. Apparently he likes to kick some breathing walking live chickens to death in his home.
For some reason, I cannot bring myself to imagine my dad as a child. A prankster too. Well that explains so much.
Then he told us how his host family used to talk about him when they ate together. They talked of how my dad took a lot of food from their table. And he was staring down at his cards silently when he said it. It is.. Much more harder to imagine. My dad, who always complained that we are (well, me to be exact) are underfed and we need more food to eat.
Maybe this explains his thoughts, his drive to provide more for us, his need to give us, his children, a much better and more prosperous childhood.
Coming to this realization, my heart dropped. I always complained to him whenever he's trying to give me more to eat. I realized how he used to live in adversity as a kid. And how lucky I am right now without even realizing, let alone be thankful for us.
I remembered this afternoon, when we were on our way to the Bali Wedding event organizer, we passed a row of sad looking little huts by the riverside. The black, brown and smelly riverside. I looked at it, at the topless men sitting idly, looking at nothing. I tried to imagine what kind of life are they leading, but failed completely.
Then my sister said to me, "Mom used to live in one of those houses when she first came to Jakarta with nothing, you know. Look how far she has gone."
Bloody hell.
I really should be showing much, much more gratitude for the life that I have now, and stop complaining over petty things.
---
They say people should stop looking up and complaining, and start looking down and thanking.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
For You
There's this girl I know.
She was once a girl who lives happily with her parents, until her mother had another daughter. Her sister arrived to this world when she was a little girl herself. As both are full time working parents, the duty of child care and work consumed their attention, leaving the older daughter feeling alone and lonely.
She felt awful when the mother started to compare her and her sister, as if saying that the little sister is better than her.
And she felt alone, terribly alone that she would lock herself up in the closet.
But as time goes, she grew up into an incredibly strong and talented teenager. She was to me very beautiful, she had the aura of calmness inscribed all over her face. She has a very generous heart, and she volunteered to several social organizations to help.
What she doesnt know, is how her mother often told me how smart she is. How she told me about her social work.
I guess if only she knew, she would be less lonely.
--
Come to think of it, I think most parents do it. Just like mine. But it's just the way they are, and I'm grateful for who they are thoroughly.
She was once a girl who lives happily with her parents, until her mother had another daughter. Her sister arrived to this world when she was a little girl herself. As both are full time working parents, the duty of child care and work consumed their attention, leaving the older daughter feeling alone and lonely.
She felt awful when the mother started to compare her and her sister, as if saying that the little sister is better than her.
And she felt alone, terribly alone that she would lock herself up in the closet.
But as time goes, she grew up into an incredibly strong and talented teenager. She was to me very beautiful, she had the aura of calmness inscribed all over her face. She has a very generous heart, and she volunteered to several social organizations to help.
What she doesnt know, is how her mother often told me how smart she is. How she told me about her social work.
I guess if only she knew, she would be less lonely.
--
Come to think of it, I think most parents do it. Just like mine. But it's just the way they are, and I'm grateful for who they are thoroughly.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year 2008!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!!
We went to Shangrilla for countdown and dinner last night. The whole family was there, including most of dad's and some of mom's family as well. It was a rare occasion indeed. The dinner was superb. Although the menu is admittedly too much. There were dragon fruit and lobster salad. Fish. Duck. Crabs. Eggs. Wagyu beef. Crap by the end I couldnt even move from full stomach.
The performances were a bit boring and crunchy at first, but as the clock drew nearer to 12, it got better. 5 minutes before midnight, we were told to stand and line up to do the polonaise across the room. Everyone was blowing their given trumpets, making every noise possible with their limited tools given by the hotel.
I look around and everyone seems to be having a blast. Smiley faces were everywhere. Some even managed to smile to strangers, another rare occasion here.
1 minute before midnight, everyone was told to gather on the stage. Trumpet blows were ear-deafening. The MC started to count down. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,
3
2
1
Happy new year.
A blast of something, and the room was instantly filled with colorful paper cuts. Everyone is not screaming "Happy New Year" to the people around them. Some are jumping. Some are still trumpeting. Some are shaking hands. Some are hugging. The atmosphere of exhilaration was all around.
Then the music started and guests started dancing. They didnt last very long, and the staffs quickly took their places in the stage. They were going crazy. Putting on all sorts of new year accessories and danced up and down with all their energy. Some guests even danced with them. It was very refreshing to see, after they bowed to serve the guests hours before that minute.
Tired of standing, I drew the nearest chair and sat, smiling at the stage. Red cheeks were everywhere, obviously tired from dancing, but still smiling to go on more and more, unaware of tomorrow.
Some of the songs remind me of our time in Bali. 2007 was filled with so much new things, too many mistakes, too much disputes, so much adventure, so much things to learn. Things that brought me here today, mistakes that I no longer regret.
So much had happened in 2007 that I couldnt wait for 2008 to start.
We went to Shangrilla for countdown and dinner last night. The whole family was there, including most of dad's and some of mom's family as well. It was a rare occasion indeed. The dinner was superb. Although the menu is admittedly too much. There were dragon fruit and lobster salad. Fish. Duck. Crabs. Eggs. Wagyu beef. Crap by the end I couldnt even move from full stomach.
The performances were a bit boring and crunchy at first, but as the clock drew nearer to 12, it got better. 5 minutes before midnight, we were told to stand and line up to do the polonaise across the room. Everyone was blowing their given trumpets, making every noise possible with their limited tools given by the hotel.
I look around and everyone seems to be having a blast. Smiley faces were everywhere. Some even managed to smile to strangers, another rare occasion here.
1 minute before midnight, everyone was told to gather on the stage. Trumpet blows were ear-deafening. The MC started to count down. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,
3
2
1
Happy new year.
A blast of something, and the room was instantly filled with colorful paper cuts. Everyone is not screaming "Happy New Year" to the people around them. Some are jumping. Some are still trumpeting. Some are shaking hands. Some are hugging. The atmosphere of exhilaration was all around.
Then the music started and guests started dancing. They didnt last very long, and the staffs quickly took their places in the stage. They were going crazy. Putting on all sorts of new year accessories and danced up and down with all their energy. Some guests even danced with them. It was very refreshing to see, after they bowed to serve the guests hours before that minute.
Tired of standing, I drew the nearest chair and sat, smiling at the stage. Red cheeks were everywhere, obviously tired from dancing, but still smiling to go on more and more, unaware of tomorrow.
Some of the songs remind me of our time in Bali. 2007 was filled with so much new things, too many mistakes, too much disputes, so much adventure, so much things to learn. Things that brought me here today, mistakes that I no longer regret.
So much had happened in 2007 that I couldnt wait for 2008 to start.
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