My Journey to East FLores Dec 2005 - Nov 2007 part II : Learning about mistake

After I learned to adjust myself how to live and adapt in the first month, next the real challenge come.

First challenge I had was how to make a difficult decision.
It should be easy right, just see what is the right thing to do then make that decision.
My problem is after graduating frrom Environmental Engineering at 2000, I never work at that field so about 6 years. So theoritically I knew what is the right thing to do, but being lack of real experience, there's something I have to carefully consider.
I remember I discussed with my friend from university about the problem and how to solve it and what is the main impact for every possibility.

Then finally I made the decision on this problem.
And BANG! next problem is how to communicate that if your decision is not a popular decision among your fellow friends.

Besides lack of experience working in water project, another lack of experience is I never work in the field before. So I didn't know what reaction I had if I told the community my decision.. and I understand that my fellow staff were also unsure on how community will react if the decision will cause them to rework the pipe installation...
I really think hard about this, because I just felt all alone in this decision and I felt really depressed.
Just remember one night, my roommate just told me... Just leave it to God, if this is the best decision for community although it will be hard to do for them, God will help to give understanding to community's heart
I followed  her advice and suprisingly for me, God grant me peace at that night after few of sleepless nights.

Yes, if your life is in smooth way, you just feel prayer is a regular thing to do. You know God answers prayer but just feel like everday pass by as ussual. If you have problems, then you realize that God truly is able to help you get through your problem. It's the first lesson I learned the hard way, how to surrender to God and let Him do His way and I can say professionally.

Next step, God moved me to talk to one of the staff who has influenced to talk to community. Because I know some fellow staff are questioning my decision, so I'm afraid how to communicate wisely, how to make him join my decision so we could all in one voice to talk to community. But that night, I was amazed on how God worked. I try to talk about my decision and my fellow staff agreed with the reason and finally support my decision... and after we talked to community, they understand and were willing to work together for it..What a relieve... A sweet ending story....Never thought in my mind that after my surrender, He open the way one after another...

Until now, I can never forget the feeling the moment I was told to pray by my friend and the relieve I felt right after the prayer. and not because of my prayer has been answered right away but because I believe whatever happen next, God is in control, not me.

Challenge by challenge came during the first 6 months... It was really crazy.. sometimes it just how to communicate with community, but the scale of challenges were getting higher and higher, but because the first lesson I had "Do your best and let God do the rest", I was able to walk from one challenge to another.
and today what I can say is during this first 6 months were my biggest school of life lesson and exam to move to another level and I'm glad to have that opportunity... :)

Bitterness

Today I want to share what I remember about bitterness that stuck in my mind for years… and it surely changes my attitude towards bitterness.

The quote is from the book “Purpose Driven Life” Chapter 3. Here it said:

"Listen: Those who have hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. Your past is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your bitterness. For your own sake, learn from it and let it go. The Bible says “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do” – Job 5 : 2 (TEV)

So.. just press “Move on” button. Learn from it and let it go. Your life is much more beautiful than your bitterness. People will come and go, just let them give color to your life, not control to your life 

My journey at East Flores Dec 2005 - Nov 2007 Part 1: the Beginning

Lately, I've been thinking of the precious time I had when I was working with Wahana Visi Indonesia in East Flores during 2005 - 2007.

Only 2 years (really short time) but with a huge experience for myself that help me to understand more about life and all its beauty..

That's why now I share to you all these stories, good times, and sometimes probably bad times, based on my personal experience and the beauty of children and comminities there who I miss the most

Hope through this journey, you can feel what I feel and learn that simple things in your life will enrich your life forever...

So we will start at the decision I made and the fear I had as consequency of the decision

I was learning in college about Environmental Engineering and after graduating, I never worked in that area.

Then while I was working already in Wahana Visi Indonesia, I heard this opening of water project team leader in East Flores.

While thinking to apply, I could say I brought some fears with me. 

First, I had never went away from home all my home. I lived in Jakarta, Indonesia my whole life. The farthest place I have ever been was only Bandung, back in my childhood, it was only 4 hours by cars and the longest time I have to spend there was only 2 weeks max.

So I didn't know how I would have to live outside my home...

Second, I would go to a place where I didn't know anyone before. I only knew it was the place where Wahana Visi Indonesia worked and they had a special program to help communities get clean water, but that's it.. I didn't know how I will work there, what to expect, who will be my partner in work, will we get along at work?.. It's clearly totally blank for me..

But I said to myself, "This is what I dream when I apply to Wahana Visi Indonesia at a very first place. If God provided me with this opportunity, why should I be afraid? just go and see what happen"

So I apply that position and God grant my wish :)

Let me tell you first about where is East Flores and how to go there

From Jakarta where I live in, we have to take the plane for 2 hours to Bali, and from Bali there's a connecting flight for another 2 hours to Maumere.

Maumere is in Sikka district, the middle of Flores Island. From there, it's still 4 hours by car to Larantuka, the capital of  where I will stay for work and it is such a winding road. If you're not strong enough, you will get carsick. and usually that will happen the first time you go by road to East Flores from Maumere...

So this is when my journey started...
In December 1, 2005 I flied to Maumere and got picked up with the people from East Flores ADP. Thank goodness, the driver back then (Om Toni) was a very good driver and understood the first time traveller like me need smooth driving and good music so I could relax and arrive there with good condition :)

And I remember, he gave me Manado music by Tantowi Yahya, which later on I became interested to learn Manado language (at least from the song)

Here are some pictures I took at first time I arrive in Larantuka on the way to the office
This is the uniqueness of the city... one side is the sea

The seaside 

Another seaside from the city that is close to Adonara Island

Another side of the city is mountain 'Ile Mandiri'. People said during rainy season, just be careful of the flood coming from the mountain, because it will bring big rocks in the flood...

Me and Mount Ile Mandiri

In short stories, that whole month is my orientation month there. Getting to know where the office, who the staffs were, including the field officer who will help me with this water project, the progress of the water piping installation (yes, they have started the project before I was accepting this role) but still I was feeling lonely since it was December where everyone was also busy preparing Christmas and I cannot go home because it was my first month there.... probably the most lonely time I had was in the end of December where the office closed from Christmas to New Year and I just stuck in Larantuka because I feel like I cannot go anywhere by myself because I didn't know anything anyone there..

And the worst thing happened next is the rainy season. It was so different from Jakarta...

The rainy season there was really heavy and scary for me... it hit really bad at the roof so everyday I just got scared because of the rain

Others have told me to listen carefully during the heavy rain.

Because Larantuka is located between mountain and sea, the rain would probably cause flood and not just regular flood. The flood was coming from the mountain and it probably brought rocks (big and small) to the cities.. So they warned me, if I heard sirene or information about the coming of the flood, I had to follow with other people to the rescue place. So if it rained, don't sleep too soundly.. 

That's the best warning you had when you were in new place hahahahhaha

so I remember my heart was pounding so badly when I heard the rain started so heavy at night

and every night, the same situation happened hahahah.. what an unique experience I had in my early time there... really not good impression :)

So after first month, hmm I just wish with the coming of new year, things will go smoothly 

And then... the next journey began..... :)

It’s been 6 years…..(My Mom's Legacy)

Today is exactly the day 6 years ago my mother passed away.

From the day she died until now, I think I never wrote anything about her.

But in the remembrance of her in this 6^th year, I feel that I have to write something…

It’s not a sentimental story, but just an honest story about my mother’s legacy in me

I believe what I have become now is because of her big influence and teaching in my life.

If I can stand on my own feet and independent, it is part of her legacy in my life.

I remember since I was a little girl, my mother, who was a volunteer in our church, bring me everywhere to join her in all her activities. I remember that my priest called me “Little image of her” because he saw the resemblance of her in me, especially the cheerful and talkative (yes, that is who I am since the very beginning.. until now I guess…)

I remember I was asked to join fashion show competition in wearing national/ traditional clothes in the church. My mother prepared me to wear an uniform… and they gave a time to practice so I know the way and how to do it. I remember that time I’m still in kindergarden. When I reached the stage, I don’t want to move unless my mother will walk through me all the way (yes, I am scary at that time)… since this is a competition, no way my mom could walk me all along the way… I would have to walk by myself… so the practice session is a failure.. no matter my mom tried to persuade me, I stop walking after I reached the stage…

And the time of competition come…. I think my mom tried to find a way to make me walk the stage without her companion.. so I remember she said like this to me “I’m sorry. I cannot watch you walk the stage, because I have something to do. Just remember what we have practiced before at home.. do as it is…” and yes.. I’m hard to say no and whinning because my mother wouldn’t allowed that.. so I listened and tried my best to walk alone there and just tried to finish my part there… after that it will be over… What I didn’t know was that my mom never leave the place and her word was only to make me brave enough to walk alone.. She got me but her action made me win the first prize J

Another thing that she loved to do to me was asking me to the market. First, she just showed me around the market, this shop to buy what, this shop to buy other, etc, etc, etc. and she always introduced me to the owner of the shop and asked me to remember his/her name, so next time she asked me to go by myself I won’t get lost…  at the very beginning, I often asked… why me? My mother just simply answered…”Trust me, it’s for your own good” But later on, I found out, I love being in the market because I find my playground in the market hehehehe (yup it’s me) I can sit and talk with the owner just to feed up my curiosity on anything… and later I realized, that order made me to go shopping or travel by myself or even later on surviving on the work place outside Java… J

I also remember how people talked about how my mother is full of compassion on helping people. And sometimes I also joined her or she shared about someone who needs help. She has a really big heart to care for others when they are suffer, and I remember 2 days before she was gone, she joined also the church teams for visiting people in sickness and she told them that it is probably her last visit with the team. I’m glad her compassion influenced me to help them whenever I can although not really as much as hers..

But on recent days, what I remember now is how my mom took care of her father in Bandung when she had the chance to visit him there. And I’m lucky that almost in every school holiday (the long one), I had the chance to stay there at least 2 weeks and without I realize probably I watched just in general back then how she took care of her father patiently and somehow it stuck in my mind, like she’s telling me that when your parents need help, you should be there and help whenever you can…

Although I know, I’m way too far from my mother’s patience on taking care of her father, I think my decision on quit my job and took care of my father also was influenced by the example my mother has given. Although so many times, I question my decision and sometimes doubt whether this is the best decision I ever made, but at the end her example made me realize probably this is the best thing I should have done right now.. and just give my every worries to God to be settled..

Just a simple things and thought she taught me all my life on how to be responsible for my life and I’m proud to say that I can be who I am right now because of all the influences she has put in my life, and I can’t stop telling more and more stories about her

Although it’s been 6 years since she was gone, I feel that she is always stay with me.. her legacy will always in my heart and in my action so she can still be proud of me like I love her and very proud of her...I love you Mom…

August 3, 2007 - 2013

Trip to Cirebon - day 1

Hallo lagi dengan Saya.
Kali ini saya mau sharing tentang trip yang saya lakukan ke Cirebon
Tidak seperti trip2 yang saya lakukan sebelumnya, saya tidak melakukan riset apapun untuk perjalanan ini.
Just let it flow aja.... titip teman beli tiket kereta... lalu menunggu sampai harinya datang :)
Cukup bagus sistem pemesanan tiket kereta api sekarang loh.. Bisa melalui website, tiket disecure atas nama kita dengan nomor KTP.. dan harga tiket total kemarin : Cirebon Express  seharga Rp 285.000

Tips pemesanan:
Jika melalui website, tiket hanya bisa dipesan per way dan setiap transaksi dikenai biaya Rp 15.000
jadi lebih baik, kalo pergi beramai2 pesan tiketnya bersama2 supaya berbagi biaya administrasi itu :)

Kembali soal trip, tibalah saatnya trip kami, tgl 27 - 28 April 2013
Kami akan berangkat dengan naik kereta api dari Gambir jam 09.45
Grup kami sudah janjian untuk tiba minimal jam 09.15 karena sekarang ada pemeriksaan KTP seperti mau check in pesawat...
Satu persatu dari grup datang dan akhirnya jam 09.20 kami masuk ke dalam
Saat kami ke atas tempat tunggu kereta, kereta sudah menanti kami.Dengan bersemangat, kami memasuki gerbong yang kami akan tumpangi, Eksekutif 1
Ternyata di gerbong kami pun sudah ramai, sepertinya ada rombongan Ibu2 yang mau trip bareng ke Cirebon. lumayan banyak mungkin sekitar 20 orang...
dipikir2 seru juga yah kalo bisa book 1 gerbong isinya temen2 semua... hihihihihi

Dari jadwal yang ada, keberangkatan kami tertunda sekitar 15 menit. Jujur sih, saya kurang memperhatikan karena saya masih sangat excited dengan naik kereta kali ini... Sudah lama sekali saya tidak naik kereta dan dengan trip kali ini, saya merasa travel to old time waktu kereta Parahyangan Express masih ada dan setia mengantar ke Bandung.

Oh iya, untuk teman2 yang gadget or BB nya cpt drop baterenya or sekedar untuk cas, sudah ada colokan loh di setiap sisi kursi dekat jendela. Ada dua colokan, sayangnya saya tidak foto colokan itu, tapi dijamin berguna dan mengandung listrik hihihi..

Namun ada yang saya sesali saat duduk di kereta itu. dan ini bukti fotonya

Kenapa ya ada orang-orang yang tega lempar batu ke kereta api yang sedang lewat. What is the fun of doing that? Apa mereka mau berada di posisi itu? posisi orang yang duduk di kereta?

Please, STOP IT..... Gimana yah caranya supaya kegiatan ini dapat dihentikan...

saat perjalanan pulang pun, kereta kami mengalami peristiwa yang sama, dilempar batu..Beruntung sekali tidak ada kaca yang pecah..

Anyway, gambar ini tidak boleh merusak semangat jalan2 heheheh... yang bisa kita lakukan adalah sebarkan dan ajak orang untuk berubah...

Sudah melewati bekasi, mulailah saya melihat view yang indah... hijau hijau...... sawah membentang...

Jadi pengen nyanyi lagu anak2 dahulu

"Alam terhampar di bumiku ini, alangkah indah berseri"

Gunung yang hijau sawah yang membentang

semua berpadu serasi

Tuhan, Tuhan pemurah

sadarkanku padaMu

Betapa agung limpah anugrahMu

Bagi bumiku tercinta....."

*Maaf kalo ada salah2 kata, berdasarkan ingatan dahulu kala hihih*

Perjalanan kereta sekitar hampir 3 jam dan sekitar jam 1 kami sampai di Cirebon...
Dengan semangat 45 dan perut yang lapar, kami membahas makanan apa yang kami mau makan...
sepanjang jalan stasiun ternyata banyak sekali makanan seperti Empal Gentong, Empal Asem,  tapi menurut website yang kami lihat, tidak ada penjual makanan yang berlokasi dekat stasiun. jadi kami memutuskan untuk mencari hotel..

Penginapan ternyata banyak loh di jalan Siliwangi, deket jalan Stasiun besar.. jadi tinggal bertanya2 saja.
setelah sempat kebingungan harus belok kanan atau kiri, ada rekomendasi dari bapak2 deket situ untuk nginep di Hotel Cordova. Kami nekad saja mengikuti rekomendasi itu karena kami sudah pegal bawa2 backpack :)
sampai di resepsionis, kami mau lihat kamar dahulu sebelum memutuskan untuk menginap di situ.
Ternyata on weekend tuh diskon 20%, ada beberapa jenis kamar.. dan karena kami berlima perempuan semua, kami ditawarkan di 2 kamar deluxe...
Saya ingat kejadian dulu pas saya di Jogja.. Kamar suitenya mampu menampung 6 orang karena ada 2 kamar.... Pas liat daftar kamarnya, eh ada kamar suite juga
Langsung saya minta lihat kamar suite, dan betul spt dugaan saya... King size bed dan sofa bed.. mestinya cukup kan ya buat 5 org..
Orgnya kaget karena kami cuma mau 1 kamar, dia bilang tidak bisa dimuati ber 5.. terus kami bilang.. kalo tambah extra bed boleh ga.... setelah ragu2 menjawab akhirnya dia bilang boleh kalo nambah 1 extra bed...
Yippii... we can save money there..

Total biaya kamar hanya Rp 308.000 (dibagi 5 jadinya 62rb.. lumayan banget kan....)

setelah beberes dikit, kami langsung melanjutkan sambil bertanya2 kami harus kemana aja dan naik angkot apa... karena travel ini kami tidak sewa mobil... dan ternyata ini keputusan yang tepat...

Karena kami lapar beraattttt, kami bergegas naik angkot no. 5 menuju Nasi jamblang Mang Dul atau Empal Gentong Mang Darma.
Setelah bertanya2 dengan supirnya, kami diantar ke Nasi Jamblang Mang Dul dan ternyata sudah tutup (setelah besok harinya baru kami sadar bahwa yang ditunjukin sama angkot pertama itu salah, jadi waktu itu sudah tutup atau belum... tidak jelas deh..)
Ya sud, kami lanjut ke option ke dua, Empal Gentong Mang Darma. Lokasinya pas di seberang mall yang cukup besar di Cirebon.. (tp lupa namanya..)
sebenarnya kami ga yakin sih ini betul empal gentong Mang Darma ato Francisenya aja... tapi ya sudah kami makan saja di situ... ternyata biasa aja rasanya... ga nemu yg spektakular gitu hihihi

Selain empal gentong, kita juga pesen bandeng goreng tepung sama sate.... bandengnya oke banget, sate sih sama aja sama sate di Jakarta. Tapi paling tidak makanan ini sudah membuat kita kenyang dan siap melanjutkan petualangan berikutnya...

Setelah diskusi apa acara selanjutnya, kami bersama memutuskan kita akan ke Trusmi, dan ternyata tidak sulit mencapai pusat batik itu. Tinggal sekali naik angkot, turun di ujung gang, masuk dari pasar trus masuk ke dalam... semuanya udah showroom batik... jadi tinggal longok aja deh tiap showroomnya mencari batik khas cirebon...
berhubung teman2  perjalanan saya memang suka mencari batik2 ini... jadi seru pas kita mampir ke sebuah showroom batik, tidak besar sih showroomnya, tapi cozy banget.
terus uniknya lagi.... hampir semua showroom yg rumahan itu mengharuskan kita melepas sendal di luar rumah. jadi kaya bertamu ke rumah seseorang....
terus di dalam itu disediakan sebuat karpet yang enak utk kita duduk santai dan memilih kain batik yang kita ingini...

Lumayan lah.... harganya juga tidak terlalu mahal dari Rp 40.000 - ratusan ribu tergantung dari pembuatan batik tersebut, ada yang cetak sampai batik tulis....Kebetulan saking semangatnya hasil pengumpulan sambil duduk2 santai tidak sempat di foto karena kita sudah posisi pewe.....

Kami berkeliling di sana sampai jam 6 malam, setelah itu kami pengen mencari mie koclok khas Cirebon
katanya sih beda dengan mie kocok bandung yang terkenal itu... mie koclok Cirebon itu memakai santan dengan ciri khas tersendiri...
eh ternyata di Trusmi itu ada yang jual mie koclok di pinggir jalan, sebenarnya kami agak ragu..gimana yah rasanya.... tapi setelah kami coba... semua dari kami puas dengan rasa dari mie koclok ini... sluurrpppppppp

Tercapailah tujuan kuliner kami berikutnya setelah empal gentong, tahu gejrot dan mie kocok.
Tujuan berikutnya adalah ke toko kue "Ruby". Uniknya dengan angkot di Cirebon, apalagi kalau kita pergi berlima, kita tinggal bilang ke supirnya tujuan kita ke mana, dan boleh ga kalo carter, yaaa paling tinggal dilebihin aja deh bayar angkotnya.
Itu yang kita lakukan ke toko kue "Ruby". Angkot dicarter deh... Setelah shopping di sana (sempet bingung juga apa khasnya yah beli roti di situ?), kita lanjut cari makan malam kuliner cirebon...
ternyata deket toko kue "Ruby" ada juga warung terkenal untuk bubur sop ayam

Inti makanan ini adalah bubur ditambah dengan sup ayam (sebenarnya agak mirip dengan nasi soto ayam, hanya saja nasi diganti bubur)
sangat mengenyangkan...... 1 mangkok Rp 8000 saja...
Waaa murah2 sekali kuliner di cirebon.. muantap pisan untuk menutup hari ini.....

Saatnya kembali ke hotel dan menutup petualangan yang seru ini...
Istirahat dan siap kembali dengan petualangan besok yang lebih padat dan seru hihihih

Buah Lontar

Seperti inilah bentuknya buah lontar. Pasti banyak teman2 yang suka dengan buah lontar ini kan? Rasanya menyegarkan, seperti makan es kelapa muda. Menyegarkan.
Tapi yang saya mau ceritakan adalah soal kekangkaan buah ini menurut penjualnya.
Jadi pas kemarin bersama teman membeli buah ini, kami sempatlah bertanya2
Unik sekali cerita penjual buah lontar ini. Sayang kemarin saya belum sempat mendokumentasikan. Lain kali akan saya lakukan.
Bapak ini bilang kalau menjadi penjual buah lontar tidak perlu otak, hanya perlu kesabaran. Butuh waktu berbulan2 untuk dapat mengetahui posisi buah lontar ini dengan tepat dan tidak menjadi pecah. Coba aja suatu kali temen2 liat pas tukang buah lontar mengambil buahnya. Pasti seneng banget liatinnya......
Dan menurut penjualnya buah ini dah semakin langka. Dalam seminggu dia hanya bisa berjualan 2 kali. Itupun tunggu pengiriman...
Langsung terpikir..... Ada ga ya cara untuk melestarikan tanaman ini supaya jangan sampai punah, krn menanam pohon ini butuh 9 tahun loh. Tapi jika memang bisa dilestarikan kenapa tidak. Mungkin ada teman2 yang punya ide gimana yah kita lestarikan buah ini.
Yuk, kasih kommentnya........
Btw, td saya potong2 buah ini n campur sama jeruk perassss. ?. Wuuiiiiiiiii segarnyaaaaaaa... Rugi besar deh kalo sampai punah........

Count Your Blessing

Tidak pernah menyangka 3 kata di atas bisa menohok saya dengan dalam hari ini, padahal dengan seringnya 3 kata ini sering saya dengar n bahkan nyanyikan.

Hari ini saya surprise bgt mendapat kado ulang tahun dari salah seorang teman baik saya yaitu sebuah buku. Sudah jarang sekali saya dapat kado apalagi kado buku hehehehe. namun yg membuat saya surprise adalah judul buku tersebut. Chicken soup of the soul: Count your blessing, dlm bhs indonesianya : mensyukuri nikmat 

Ini gambar cover bukunya 

Setelah satu tahun saya banting stir untuk berhenti kerja n membantu usaha keluarga, sering saya berpikir apakah betul ini jalan yang seharusnya saya tempuh atau ada keputusan yang terlalu cepat saya ambil. apakah keputusan ini tepat? atau sebenarnya adakah solusi lain selain melakukan ini. terutama setelah setahun dan saya masih diombang-ambing perasaan ragu apa seharusnya saya melanjukan melakukan ini atau kembali pada pekerjaan yang saya kira adalah passion saya.

Membaca 3 kata dari judul buku ini, saya menjadi tersentak. Iya ya... saya sebenarnya sudah mensyukuri nikmat yang telah Tuhan berikan belum? apa saya mengeluh terus tidak puas karena tidak bisa melakukan yang saya mau, terpaksa untuk mengambil keputusan ini dan 1001 macam alasan lainnya yang membuat saya makin bersungut2 menghadapi siuasi yang saya jalani dan melupakan arti menghitung berkat Tuhan yang pasti melimpah setiap hari.

Terima kasih Tuhan, Kau ingatkan aku untuk 'Count Your Blessing' dalam setiap situasi dan terima kasih sahabatku telah memilihkan sebuah buku yang memberi semangat ntuk menjalani situasi sesulit apapun dalam hidup ini dengan bersyukur. Tuhan tidak pernah terlelap dan tidak pernah tertidur. Hitunglah berkat-Nya, dan pasti kau akan sanggup menjalani hidup ini.  Saya akan belajar dari kisah orang2 di dalam buku ini bagaimana mereka hidup bersyukur. Will update you soon about the content of the book. God bless