you've got letters!

when was the last time did you send or get a letter? a long time a go, i guess. i miss to get one too even it's just a greeting card! too desperado, huh?

Indonesia government tries to relive the great legend of letters, to show how important it was in connecting people in old days and to remind how it is still relevant today.

my students had a chance to write a cny greeting card to their parents. they were all excited because they had not done it before. they know what postman and post office are, but they haven't seen one face to face, or have a conversation with one. they pass post offices many times, but i don't think they do realize that it was post office. sadly the postman didn't have time to come, instead a admin staff lady came to explain the procedure of sending letters.

i fully support this program although i will still use emails, blogs, texts or whatever modern way of communication. but i will creatively find a way to write letters, i promise :)

Keeping the Tradition

it's been almost two weeks since the awaiting Chinese New Year. now the spirit has lowered down. no more red stuffs. no more buying cookies. no more preparing the great dinner. no more cleaning the whole house. the spirit speedily fades away.

as i looked back when i was young, a month before the celebration i would be busy choosing fancy red clothes. i must wear new attires: new clothes, new shoes, new bag, new hair accessories, and most importantly new underwear! i happily followed my mom cramped among people to get the things to "chinesen" (chinese+en= make sb to become Chinese) my look!

this year i didn't get the feeling of busting malls or markets to buy new clothes for the celebration. my mom indeed kept pushing and reminding that i hadn't bought any clothes yet. i told her that i still had a couple of clothes that i hadn't worn before, so i guessed i could wear them then. then she asked what color of clothes i had. i said "white". she was shocked and told me that it's not a good idea to wear white on cny day. she pushed me to go markets and malls to buy one (only one, at least) new clothes. so i agreed. after bumping many markets and malls, i wasn't satisfied with the clothes (yes, i have a weird taste of clothes). she finally gave up. i could wear my not-fresh-from-the-store-but-it's-still-new clothes.

i totally understand how my mom insisted me to buy new clothes. it's to keep and pass on the tradition to me. if she didn't or i didn't pass the tradition, the tradition itself may die and forgotten. younger generations may not know about it. however, one should not push the tradition to hard, otherwise it'll become annoying, hated, illogical and forgotten eventually. one should have respect on the meaning of the tradition at the first place. older generations may loosen up or adjust the strict and stiff tradition; younger generations may respect the history of the tradition.

in the end, i just wanna wish you happy Chinese New Year (isn't it a little bit too late? but we are still in the period of it, rite?).

A temple around my neighborhood had a wishing tree. hundreds people wrote and put up their wishing cards on the tree.

"i want to get the first rank, so my mom will give a present"

1. buy a two-story house 2. my fish grow in number 3. good health 4. get a car 5. own gold bullion
it seems greedy, but in the end, God wants us to be specific!

to get good health and life. to have the most beautiful mate.

Yenty persuaded god of fortune to share a pinch of his fortune

photograph of the month: january 2011

i make a new resolution in the beginning of the year that i will be more diligent in taking pictures and updating my blog, which leads me to make photograph of the month. taking (hopefully) many pictures daily and pick one (many) best and upload it.

i know it's way too late for january. not a good start, i guess. i apologize. nevertheless i present you an introductory picture of the year 2011. hopefully i'll enjoy more moments of taking pictures and you enjoy more moments of looking at the pictures and giving comments/ positive feedbacks.

PS: hopefully i'll be on time for the following months.

4 funeral ceremonies, 3 bike accidents (28 Dec 2010)

Today, we will go to the famous Teluk Dalam. It's a long and dangerous drive to reach there. I suggest if anyone wants to go there, one should bring an expert driver unless one feds up with this world already. We ourselves got the bestest driver in the world (truly personal opinion). Not only is he an expert, he is also the best informant. Along the way to Teluk Dalam, whenever we bump a friend of him (basically all of the people are his friends), he will willingly share some information about the person. It amazes us because some information might be personal to the person.

Another experience that truly surprises us is how many funeral ceremonies and bike accidents that we bump into. We learned that Nias people love boars as we can see along the drive. Yenty, specifically, is very excited at how many boars she can see. Despite the pitiness and excitements toward the boars, we love to test one, but we don't have the chance.

When we arrive we visited the traditional houses and the famous stone. Taking some pictures and learning a bit of their culture make our long trip paid off.
Heading to beaches, finally! But we are quite disappointed to see how wasted the beautiful beach is. It has beautiful waves, I'm so sure people will come for surfing IF they provide good accommodations, transportations, facilities and service. We won't waste the time there with complaints, though. Got some beautiful pictures there.

Crabs' finger feet... :)

Talking about accidents, we too experience one. During our late drive back to the city and glorious chat between the driver (Ko Joni, have I mention?) and Alvin, one motorbike from back tries to cut our lane, unfortunately there is a fast motorbike coming towards us from another lane. When three of us reach the same spot, the biker who tries to cut us loses his balance and is thrown in front of us. He is under our van for seconds until Ko Joni presses the brake. We can see the fire sparkles when the biker is under us. Luckily he can go out and stand up when people from nowhere come to see the incident. We are scared to be beaten up by them. Smartly Ko Joni explains shortly, goes back to van and drives away. If he doesn't do it, I don't think I will have this chance to write about the accident. What an experience huh?

Nias (27 Dec 2010)

Again, it's an emergency plan! I don't know whether it's plan D or plan E. But we got call from Pak Munte saying that there is a jet boat from Sibolga to G. Sitoli at 10. So we rush packing and get ready to the port. So, there you go, another plan!

We meet many people in the boat. There's a family (Australian dad and Chinese Indo mom) with three different outlook children (the eldest with mixed Western and Eastern look, the second with so Western look, the last with so totally Eastern look). I am just amazed by it. Many Pekanbaru people travel to Nias too. It's a 4-hour boat trip!

Arriving at G. Sitoli, we are picked up by Riang and sent to Hotel National. It is the first and the oldest stay in Nias. Old doesn't mean rusty, they definitely offer warm hospitality.

The first sunrise we catch in Nias

2 days down 4 days more to go! Ganbatte!

From Medan to Sibolga with a Puke (26 Dec 2010)

It's happening! It really is. We are at Sibolga now! After many nights crying and begging to not join the trip, apparently it's worth it!

It's the most insane-10-hour drive I've ever been! From Medan-Perbaungan-Tebing Tinggi-Siantar-Parapat-Porsea-Laguboti-Balige-SiborongBorong-Tiga Balata-Tarutung-Sibolga! And our stay is close to Padang Sidempuan. Isn't it just plainly crazy, or what?!? This is the longest road trip in my life! Thanks God I've made it! :)

Hereby I state that I've tasted the dreadful infamous road from Tarutung to Sibolga! It is indeed a killer! With heavy rain at night, it surely is the craziest road trip ever!

Pandan Carita Hotel "Hotel Sweet Hotel" - literally...

1 day down 5 days more to go! Jia you!

Some Left Behind from 2010

I know it's old, but it's my blog means I am free to put whatever I want, rite? :)