A Decade in the Knot

January 11th, 2005 - January 11th, 2015

A decade in the knot. Today is our 10th years wedding anniversary. We have had many mountains and temptations in our way, and truly, there have been some painful hours and days. But today, we are still standing, stronger than before. We lean on each other's strength. We forgive each other's weaknesses. All in the name of LOVE and RESPECT, and by the blessings of our Father God. 

Excited for the International Disability Day

When I feel useless and exhausted, God reminds me that I am precious. Grateful I am to received this invitation that specially addressed to me with a message written on the email that the Australian Government thru the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) acknowledges and appreciates my contribution on Disability Inclusive Development given to CBM International and to their projects in Uganda and Kenya. 

Every 3rd of December celebrates as the International Disability Day. DFAT invites me to attend to this year Breakfast Gathering that will be present Ms. Stella Young, a top notch disability advocate, journalist and comedian. I have been admiring Stella Young for her works on disability, and once I make a wish that while living in Australia, I keen to meet with her and Julia Gillard. Both are two inspiring women for me! So now soon, I will meet one of them! So WOW!!! How can I thank HIM! And especially for HE never get tired to remind me again and again...never get tired with life, no matter how difficult it might be. 

(Late Spring, 2014)

Learning Gamelan with Melbourne Community Gamelan

This video was taken by my hubby. Just a short one to captured the moment with I and the Melbourne Community Gamelan were having our performance at the Preston Library, Melbourne, on Wednesday evening, 28 May 2014. 

I adore Helen Pausacker, as the female dalang. She is so good and very creative and funny! For the first time I can enjoy watching shadow puppet stories and performance. Not because I am the one playing the background gamelan music, but perhaps because the story was in English, and not in Javanese as it used to be :))

More on the performance can be seen at the Indonesian Online Media in Melbourne here.

I Discover Gamelan in Melbourne

(Melbourne Community Gamelan at the Final Gong Gamelan Concert, 26 May 2014)

(The Shadow Puppet & Gamelan Performance at the University of Melbourne) 

In mid February this year, I was invited by an Australian friend to join her musical group here in Melbourne. At the beginning I was not sure as the group is specialized on javanese traditional music: Gamelan. What do I know about Gamelan or Javanese culture? I can't even count one to five in Javanese language. I don't even remember when was the last time I watch or see Gamelan and this including shadow puppet performance? Well, I must see it thru several wedding events that I attend when I was in Indonesia. But I honestly never really pay attention and have an interest on it! Seriously! I know! I am so bad! Shameful, I should as Indonesian whom marry a half Javanese man hehehe

(Helen Pausacker, as the only Female Dalang in Australia)

Anyway, this friend then told me that most of the group are Australians and they need some more Indonesians. I was curious and a bit shocking. Hey! Why these Aussie wanna learn Gamelan??? Well, as a courtesy to the invitation, I then decided to come to their rehearsal located at the surrounding of my uni, the University of Melbourne in Parkville. And I feel more ashamed to myself as I noticed most of the group members have learned Gamelan for years! Some of them told me that they have playing Gamelan for more than 20 years! They can even speak Javanese with the accent, so much better than my husband! Don't ask me how good they are in playing those traditional instruments! So yes, I finally join the group and every Monday evening we have our rehearsal together! I have to be honest at the first few weeks, I feel so frustrated with this Gamelan stuff. I am playing Saron Slendro and Saron Pelog. It's quite hard and confusing at the beginning. I also feel bit uncomfortable knowing that I am the newest and perhaps the most stupid one in playing this instrument. There are some other Indonesians among the group, but they are all Javanese and have been well exposed and familiar with Gamelan or stories of puppet. Unlikely me....poor this half Batak and Palembang girl who grew up in Papua! More, I also feel bit unhappy and disturbed with the attitude of one old member who always seems happy to criticized the way I play and when I made mistakes! This girl (once told me that she is not Indonesian, but speak with so Javanese accent and I am pretty sure that her name is so Indonesian than my name!) is somehow so unfriendly with me since the very beginning I join the group. Many times she spoke with her harsh and loud tone to me, in front of the whole group! Oooh I should enjoy the course, not feeling depressed and stupid! Anyway, it's not me if not willing to fight with the situation and challenge myself. I keen to learn Gamelan and I enjoy the music anyway, so why bother with one snobbish chick and unfriendly people within the group, anyway? hehehe 

Anyway, just three months after I join the group, for the first time in together with the group, Melbourne Community Gamelan (MCG), I have my first gamelan's concert performance. Not bad, huh? :) First it was on Monday, 26 May 2014 at the Final Gong End of Semester Gamelan Concert and on the following Wednesday, 28 May 2014 at the Preston Library. Both in Melbourne, of course. With the shadow puppet performance play by the only female Australian dalang, Helen Pausacker, we play the story of Srikandhi Maguru Manah (Srikhandi Learns Archery). Within an hour, we play non stop about 12 songs. I may not as good as the other members, but I am proud that I can finally play something so Indonesians in Australia :)) And happy to see the excitement and applause from the audiences, mostly are Australians.

Lesson learned: you are not learning, if you don't feel the pain! And wherever you go, you will always find a snobbish Indonesian, whom sometimes talk and act more "western" than the westerns! Just enjoy their performance too :)) 

Autumn in Love

As I live now in Australia and experiencing four different seasons in a year, I feel that Autumn is my most favorite season. Seeing the changing color of the leaves, they fragility when they fell down to the earth...yes, it's sad and so melancholy too, still it's something beautiful, freely given by the nature. 

As quoted from Ernest Hemingway: 

"You are expected to be sad in the Autumn. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees, and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the Spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the Spring, it was a though a young person died for no reason..." 

Ohh! Autumn! Please don't go away too fast from my sight. 

As Much as I Love the Ocean

How long will I love you?

As long as the stars are above you
And longer, if I can.

How long will I need you?

As long as the seasons need to

Follow their plan.

How long will I be with you?

As long as the sea is bound to
Wash upon the sand.

How long will I want you?

As long as you want me to

And longer by far.

How long will I hold you?

As long as your father told you,

As long as you can.

How long will I give to you?

As long as I live through you

However long you say.

How long will I love you?

As long as stars are above you

And longer, if I may.

We're all traveling through time together

Every day of our lives.

All we can do is do our best

To relish this remarkable ride.

[Always in love with you, Melbourne, May 13th 2014] 

I Wish Simplicity

Two strangers met and chat on a fine afternoon. They shared the chair here at this park. They shared the view of a beautiful and peaceful Yarra River during this chilly Autumn. They too shared the story of their life. 

They, then, said goodbye to each other. No one asking for another meeting, or demand for a commitment to be more than just a stranger. Perhaps, that's how life should be. That's how life goes on. Should be that simple. 

But I know, that's a wish only. My wish.  

(Melbourne in Autumn). 

Be Abled for Disabled

This afternoon I was joining a training facilitated by Vision Australia, an Australian-based NGO work for people with disability (the blind and low vision). I learned how to be a carer and an instructor to guide and train people in needs to walk with cane and help their mobility. Some techniques and tricks how to use the cane were shared, including how to detect our surrounding with "the echo location". We walked together from the busiest train station in Melbourne, the Flinders Street Station, to along the Yarra river at the Federation Square area. It was fun as we tried to walk on the parks cover with sand,  grass, and at the pavement, climbing the wooden bridge and roof top of a car park. It was more fun as this is my first time encountered and walked together with quite large number of blind people and low vision impairment. They are also very nice, friendly and fun people to be with! 

However as I am still very inexperience walking with people using cane and in large number, I accidentally stumble by the cane from one who walked behind me. I fell and hurt both of my left and right knees and hands. I was more shocked than feeling pain when it happened. But I impressed of how those disabled taking care of me, than I take care of them. Oh. How blessed I am to met them! 

Today I learned that it is totally not easy being a blind or having low vision impairment. It is definitely not easy to walk, especially in the crowd with this condition and limitation. Two things that most people are afraid of in their life: become blind and have cancer. But they taught me some lesson today. To be grateful and never gave up for whatever condition we have. Therefore, may we always be grateful if we still have a good vision and have no disability. But part of being grateful is to be helpful for people with disability. With our own way and resources, we can contribute to create a safe and friendly environment for them, and for the aged people as well. 

One of thing that I observe while living here in Australia, almost everyday I see a lot of people with different type of disability walking independently, alone and without carer or companion. I see them everywhere. At the public transport, train station, shopping malls, parks, beach, street and at the cafe whenever they stop to buy coffee just like me. I made friends with some of them. They are all very active and expert on their fields. Some of them are brilliant postgraduate students. Some of them are lecturers, managers, and even police officer. Some of them use wheelchair to commute. While for the blind and have low vision they walk with cane. They can commute easily as the environment, such as public facility (train, tram and bus stations) and buildings are relatively friendly for them, and people here are very supportive. "Give a way" culture is so strong here, not just for pedestrians whom prioritized here, but especially for the disabled.

I dream that similar condition and awareness could also be seen in Indonesia. Similar trainings as I had today could also be given for people in needs, but also for the abled, to let them aware and could participate to help the disabled in their family and community. To let more people be abled for the disabled. Indonesia is also known for having a large population with disability and very poor social awareness and environmental support. How do we, Indonesians, treat people with disability? Majority of us, if not discriminate them, we neglect them. Even our policy excluded their voice, rights and needs. But like what I learned today, with cane and training how to use it, help them to have a better quality of life. Cane helps them navigate and enjoy their surrounding. Cane gives them independence, and to be "seen" within community. Cane makes them able to live their daily life with dignity. 

Today, I fell and injured quite painfully. But today I am happy and feeling blessed, as I learned new things to see the world and to be part of society. 

Caring society, we can make. And this is my dream, for Indonesia. A safe and friendly environment for all ages. I dream for social inclusion for all, but especially for the disabled and vulnerable groups within our society. 

Capturing Sunset

[Photo courtesy by Gindo Sianturi]

What is in your mind when you see the beauty of Sunset? What you usually do when you see it, just stop for a minute to see it, taking photo and go? Will you wait for that moment and let your self amazed with the wonder of the nature? Or you may just ignored the scene, as it becomes your daily view and nothing seen more spectacular by your eyes?

I notice that every of us have different attitudes towards Sunset. I myself never get bored to praise the view, and every time I see Sunset I feel like that's my first time seeing it. Never get boring to enjoy it. Never get boring to take photos of it. Never get boring to even make video of it. As if, I am so afraid that there will be no Sunset can be seen during our lifetime! 

On last Summer, I enjoyed the season by visiting many different beaches surrounding Melbourne. Stayed there till the sun went down. In one of the moment at the Saint Kilda beach, I took a video of Sunset and how different people react towards this  natural beauty. Some couples (just like us) purposely came to see and enjoy the scene. Some just stopped a while to take photo. Whereas the others just walked away and don't even bother to look on it.

Here it is my (ethnographic) video showing the view and what people do when they see Sunset. How I wish that each of us could appreciate Sunset (and the Sunrise, and the Moonlight) as everyday miracles God gave us freely to our lives.

Love in Differences

(Photo taken from article published at the Joy Magazine, August 2012 edition)

What I learned about Islam and Muslim, I have learned it from you. What I know about marriage, it's about you and I. We are not a perfect couple. There are so many upside down stories for these last nine years of our marriage. But through our imperfection, we continue learning to enjoy our differences. 

Melbourne Graffiti

Other than known as the most multiculturalism city in Australia, Melbourne is also famous for its street art. It even considered as one of the world's great street art capitals for its unique expressions of art, specially on approved outdoor locations. 

I've seen some of it, but the best that I can recommend you, my readers, are those in Hosier and Rutledge Lane, just at the opposite of Federation Square; Centre Place in between Collins Street and Flinders Lane; somewhere off the Little Bourke Street (Caledonian Lane and Union Lane); and nearby my favorite area in CBD where I used to have my coffee in the Degrave Street, close to Flinder Station or City Library of Melbourne. 

Of course there are some restriction, but the City of Melbourne recognizes the contribution of this street art to a vibrant urban culture. Today, this street art has become an attraction for local and overseas tourist visiting the city and its creative ambience. 

Here are some photos that I captured on those art graffiti. The last photo is actually the main entrance to an office building. I've had a chance to sneak a peek of the inside, it's beautiful office and very creative design, indeed! 

Eleventh January By the Beach

This year we start a new tradition in celebrating our birthday and anniversary. Prior to this 2014, we  celebrate the Eleventh January, my birthday and our wedding anniversary, with dinner and some party with friends and families. But this year, we just had it with the two of us! I guess the more older you are,  crowd is not longer important, but the quality and essences of the togetherness. 

So on January 11th this year, we took a tram and followed by a-50-minute train to the Black Rock beach in Sandringham. We explored the little beach town by walk, then took a bus to another nearby beach, and have our picnic in there! Facing the beautiful ocean. Had our lunch pack, cracked a bottle of wine, and have little nap time, and celebrate my birthday and nine years of our togetherness. I always love crowd and surround by friends and families, but sometimes just enjoy the moment in silence, is much more beautiful too! 

Happy nine years anniversary, love. I everyday grateful that I have you besides me and shares this life together. May God bless us and this marriage. Always. 

Damn! I Love Melbourne!

Living a year already here in Melbourne, Australia. It seems only yesterday we arrived in this beautiful city and start our new phase of life as international students. Another year to go. And I just realized I don't write a lots here, despite I actually do have more time to write. It just everyday when I wake up, I feel like don't like to loose time to explore and knowing more about this city. Oh! I guess this city is just to easy to be loved. 

Everything looks so beautiful and we can just have an easy and more quality of life here. We don't have to drive and stuck on heavy traffic everyday. We don't have to get stressed with bad transportation system and the air nor voice pollution. Definitely no yearly flooding which makes people crazy and stuck, like poor Jakartan! Even public transport schedules, such as departing and arriving time of train, trams and bus (including other information such as location and the number of the vehicles) are all easy to be access via online or through the application at our mobile phone. Not just put it in there, but it all almost always operate on time and we hardly experienced any delay! Well! There was one situation from my last journey by train from Canberra to Sydney. The train driver announced and apology for we will have a-5 minutes (!!!) delay than the scheduled time! I was smiled and almost laugh! So many times when I had to travel via various mode of transportation in my motherland, and I have to experienced delay for hours, never I heard the management of the company or the driver say something nice like this! It just an apology, but makes us feel appreciated! 

Back about this city, I believe one of the most thing I love about Melbourne, also known as the "Australia's most European city", other than the beautiful surrounding with lots of green parks and old architectures (I always always falling in love with old heritage buildings style!), I impressed with the diversity of the people coming from almost all over the places around the globe. Melbourne is so proud as one of the world's most multicultural nations, and as a home to people from all corners of the globe. I live in Carlton area which is a walking distance away from the Lygoon Street, known as Italian precinct or "Little Italy", the first place where Melbourne famous cafe and coffee cultures was born. Everyday when I walk (and I walk most of the time! :)) and crossing the street, I can hear people talking in different languages, from English, Italian, Germany, French, Japanese, Malay, Bahasa, Chinese, even to the language that I never heard before! A few minutes walk and just a-two-stop tram away, you can find China Town in surrounding the CBD area. You can also easily find the Middle Eastern area in Sydney Road, which is less than 15 minutes tram away from my place! Jewish community area is in another 30 minutes tram away! Aren't that awesome? 

(photo I captured during last Australia Day, Jan 26th 2014)

In this city, I also start expand my networks and friendship with friends from all around the world. It just beautiful to have many new good friends and learn more about their cultures! During last Sunday celebration of Australia Day, I witnessed the long parade which representing the diverse communities and cultures mingled and live together in this city. It just amazing to see all the diversity offer by this city, from the variety of foods, street performances, exhibitions, music, movies to the parade, like what I seen last Sunday. It all portrait about: YOURS, MINE and OURS. Yes! Differences are just too beautiful!

(While Ahmadiyyah Muslims can enjoy their freedom living in Australia, their fellow brothers and sisters in Indonesia haunt to death by the radical Muslims in the country, and minor protection to their rights from the Government!) 

After all, one says that "Journeys of a lifetime explores how no matter who we are or where we have come from, that we have all had a journey". And about myself, where tolerance and pluralism alive, I know I can survive and I can live well!

Seeing photos that I upload on my social media, my friends and families in Indonesia comment that I seems enjoy my new life a lot here. I used to response back "What can we not love about Melbourne?".

As I write earlier, this city is just so easy to be loved. Almost all the international students that I met, they just easily falling in love with this city, even to the day that they just landed to this city! Hah!

We then say, "Damn! I love Melbourne". :)) 

I Captured Spring

In my motherland, we don't have the four seasons. So last Spring 2013 here in Melbourne was my first Spring experience. Now I know why people talk about the beauty of the Spring.  Everything looks beautiful. Colorful. Glooming. After cold Winter days, I started seeing people smiling. Just like a new couple had their first loved, Spring is all about LOVE. 

Here some photos that I captured on last Spring. How blessed I am to witness this beauty. All were taken in my surrounding neighborhood. I dreamt to see Spring. I see Spring. 

It's 2014

(St. Kilda beach on my birthday, January 11th, 2014). 

It's 2014. The new year. The new look of me, I believe. A one year older, more mature (I hope so!), more experienced, with the new way of thinking and perspective in seeing and analyzing things. Hopefully I will also be more often writing and updating my blog home here :)

A year now living in Melbourne, Australia. Grateful always for the opportunity given by God to me. All that I hope and wish for, I'll learn more and more. And a door of opportunity to given back of what I learned to the people and the nation in my motherland. May God be with me. All the time.

Like A Rainbow

I am not a kind of black and white person. If you visit my house and come over to my closet, you will find colorful things to wear that I have. Yes. I like color. I love color. I remember when I was kid till at my late teenager, I have a yellow bedroom. All in yellow and blue design. I like red. I love purple. And I lately passionate with green and orange.

I am a colorful person. Just like my mood. Just like my live and life. My life is not only black and white. It just like a rainbow hanging up there. Sometimes I feel blue. Sometimes there are dark chapter. I can also be an angel and have my white clean color :D and in another day, I am just as red as blood. But mostly I kind of a cheerful yellow person :D

So what color are you???

I Cooked

Yes! I cooked! :)) After so many years I've put it pending and always keep it on so many new-year resolution list, I finally entering the kitchen world. Well, of course as a new beginner being in the kitchen, I am still clumsy. I still find it hard and sometimes complaint to my hubby that I need to sacrifice my time :p. I also still feel upset when I know the taste of the food that I made are weird or tasteless. But I also feel happy when my hubby appraises my food (of course I checked his expression to make sure that he isn't just try to makes me happy!).  

After more than four months leaving in Melbourne, I now can say that one of my "most significant change" is I am now cooking. It's like another dream come true .... hehehe Another changes is I start watching youtube for cooking guidance and recipes! Aha! I also become appreciating and admiring the work of a mother at home and our previous personal home assistant. Now every morning when I wake up, I am start thinking, "what to cook today?" :D and heyyyy...this is not easy! I understand now that cooking needs strategy. It also needs arts. Moreover, it needs patience! 

I am not dreaming myself to be like a truly chef, but at least I can learn a new skill and enjoying the process of cooking, while other (hopefully) can also enjoy my food. 

Independently Dependent

About a week ago, I accidentally pouring boiling water from the pot onto my hand. Burn hurts! Really hurts and painful! For few days my left hand must be covered with bandage and I can not use it. I can't even do simple daily routine like putting toothpaste, button and unbutton my pants and cloths, and I can't do my paper, typing as smoothly as when I use my two hands. I feel like a handicap. I feel weak. I feel so bad that I have to rely to my husband to help me doing things that I used to do it by myself. I feel bad that I have to depend on others. Sounds very arrogant? Yes, I think so! 

Thank God that I am now getting recover. Nothing serious, only one finger need further bandaging. I just need to deal with a bit of trauma feeling when I work in the kitchen now. Well, I am just a new beginner on this kitchen's world. I still very clumsy and silly. But hope that I am getting much expert on cooking and in the kitchen soon! Who knows! :) 

So what are the lesson learned? For sure, the incident made me realized how good to be "a normal", can do various things that we sometimes just do it without being grateful, and may never appreciate ordinary things as we should have. I also further think about the disabled people, and I started admiring them. For not only they teach us how to appreciate life and "live life to the fullest" with whatever limitations we may have, but also they brave enough to admit and to ask other's help for things that they can't do. It need courages to do this, to admit that we have limitation and to admit that we need others. To depend to other people in certain areas and to some degree. We are not the wonder woman. We are not the superman. To ask someone's help without feeling hurt on your ego. To brave enough to say "Hi there, I need your help". I just feel so ashamed with myself! 

Everything happens for a reason! I take this incident as another process of my self and soul's journey. Another good lesson in my life. This incident also made me feel that I should be able to do more for those disabled people. Voicing their right more. What I suffer are nothing than those with handicaps. I may not know yet what I can do at this very moment, but I wish you and me, we can showing more respect and be more friendly with them and together we can make an easier place and playground for them. May God bless me on this and show me the way. 

New Path of Life

Here I am with my new path of life. A new city and a new country to live. A new identity as a full-time student that I've been praying for. Another dream come true, and I must fill it now with thanks and gratitude. 

Today is my first month living here in lovely Melbourne. I was on the train this morning, when I suddenly though what would I miss most from Jakarta. Of course a lot, from food, weather, friends, previous work, my Pine Eleventh home, but mostly my siblings and the fact that I can't go diving as often as I used to be :( However, life is also beautiful in this down-under land. Many new things to see. Many new places to explore. Many new friends and people that I hope I will have good relationship and friendship with them. Mostly, I am eager to learn about new knowledge and skills, explore as much as I can from my current academic life. Wish and bless me, please...

So this is my new post for this 2013. There will many stories. There will be many thought I am hoping to document in here. I hope so :)

I See Komodo Dragons!

....and finally here are the famous Komodo Dragon!

These photos taken during our last day dive. After completed our second dive, we were heading to Rinca Island. It's about an hour away by from Labuan Bajo by our diving boat. The island, is also known as Rincah or Rindja, is a small island near Komodo island in East Nusa Tenggara. The island's area is about 198 square kilometers or 76 sq mi. Being less known and less visited than Komodo, this island is an excellent place to see the Komodo dragon in its natural environment with fewer people to disturb them. 

Komodo dragon, one of the oldest living lizard and direct ancestors of the Komodo lived 50 millions years ago. She runs up to 18m/h, swim up to 500m, and she can detect scents up to 5km away. Carnivorous and strictly eat meat in any form! She lives with about 60 types bacteria in her saliva and cause septicemia! 

She is cool. She is calm. She is dangerous!