KPOP and I

Korean Wave had entered my country, Indonesia, since year 2000. At that time, Indonesian were still not interested with Korean Pop or dramas. Not until 가을동화 [Ga Eul Dong Hwa] or Autumn in My Heart, or also widely known as Endless Love become a headline. People started to watch more Korean dramas, such as 겨울연가 [Gyeo Ul Yeon Ga] or Winter Sonata. If I'm about to list out the dramas, I could only list up the most popular ones, like Full House, 궁 [Goong] or Princess Hours, 대장금 [Dae Jang Geum] or Jewel in the Palace, 동이 [Dong Yi], and of course I should and must mention 꽃보다 남자 [Kkot Bo Da Nam Ja] or Boys Over Flowers which was the started of it all.

But when did Korean Wave started getting its well-deserved attention in this country?

Super Junior would be the first group mentioned if you ask 'Kpoppers' back then in mid 2000s, and even though there are so many groups known by now, Super Junior is still one of the popular one.

But I'm here talking about my Kpop life, so when did I started 'stanning' KPOP? I'll say, 2002 or so, and it wasn't cause by any Korean drama, in fact it was because a Taiwanese drama MVP 情人 [MVP Qíng Rén] or MVP Lover. The drama used some Korean song for its soundtrack, and that was the beginning. I started stanning BoA after I listened to No.1 and Waiting, and then Shinhwa for their Perfect Man and Shout, Fly to the Sky for their Sea of Love.

 

I got to know WAX after her songs 사랑하고 싶어 (I Want to Love) and 날 떠난 이유 (Reason Why I Left You) were used in At the Dolphin Bay drama. Also, Baby VOX, ever since I heard Coincidence.

That's how I became a Kpopper. The name 'Kpopper' itself is barely used now, usually people will call themselves as Korean Lovers.

I became a Cassiopeia (fan of 동방신기 [Dong Bang Shin Ki] or well known as TVXQ) in 2007, and that's when I started to learn about antis and about how toxic and dangerous they are. Then there were fan-wars between Cassiopeia and VIP (Bigbang fans). Even after Bigbang and TVXQ made a collaboration stage for SBS Gayo Daejeon, the fan-wars still happen here and there.

But the worst antis was Girls Generation's antis. The black ocean in 2008 was the worst and it should never happen to any performance.

And I was also a S♥NE (read: 소원 [So Won], means: Wish], that moment was really sad. I was mad.

Anyway.

There was this thing that we called as 'Gathering', it's an event where Kpoppers meet and shares our interest with each other, it was a thing until early 2010 before Korean Concerts started entering our country's venue. Of course, Rain was the first singer to held a concert in Indonesia, it was on 2009, but after 2010, there were a lot of concerts.

Not only concert, the thing we called 'antis' also started happening. They were already existed since 2000s, but back in that era, there were only antis of certain group, in this topic I meant antis of Kpopper. Ever since the Korean wave hit big in Indonesia, everything is Korean involved, even the towel in the market would be labeled as 'Korean towel'. I'm not surprised if people in general would feel irritated by that, even I felt irritated.

Back to my fangirling life. Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu decided to leave TVXQ in 2009, and I was sad, I chose to leave the fandom than to be torn inside being a Cassiopeia at that time. I've been to several Cassiopeia's gatherings, and I like being in that circle, but since JYJ is leaving, there was chaos.

I focused on Bigbang, 2NE1, and Girls Generation since then. But in 2011, I found the perfect fandom to join, and that is A+ (fan of MBLAQ), and all of it because I watched Sesame Player. 

A+ is a peaceful fandom that will only care of MBLAQ, the fandom name itself came from the fact that all MBLAQ members' blood type are A. 

But my bias, Lee Joon, along with Thunder, left the group after their contract expired in 2014 (just two years after that unforgettable concert). That broke my heart, to the extent that I don't want to listen to Kpop anymore.

But in 2015, I finally find my last group I'll ever stan. EXO.

I know I was late like for 3 years long, but it's better than never.

I happen to stan EXO at the right time. EXO was there when I was alone, their songs kept my spirit when I was down, and when I was at the darkest side of my life, I have EXO to make me smile. This time, it's not just a fangirling thing, but I admire them as an adult. Some might say they grew up stanning EXO, but I am thankful that at least, in my life, I stan the right one.

I don't and won't regret stanning EXO whatever happen. 

The Second Home Essay

Satu lagi hal penting yang menjadi bagian dari diri saya saat masih berjuang menjadi mahasiswa baru di Universitas Sam Ratulangi Manado. Di sini saya akan membagi tulisan saya yang memenangkan saya hadiah sebesar IDR 800.000 dalam rangka pemilihan mahasiswa baru terbaik di tahun 2007. Selamat membaca, semoga menginspirasi.

The Second Home
ditulis oleh Theresa T (NIM: 070212087)
Jurusan Arsitektur - Kelompok Kalkulus IV

“Kampusku adalah rumahku”, sebuah kalimat yang sangat sederhana namun juga memiliki makna yang sangat mendalam. Memang benar jika para mahasiswa dan mahasiswi menyebut kampus sebagai rumah kedua mereka. Kampus sebagai rumah dimana para penghuninya memiliki keluarga dan sahabat yang senantiasa saling tolong-menolong dan saling menghargai satu sama lain.

Sebagai seorang individu, saya memiliki tujuan yang sama dengan rekan-rekan mahasiswa yang lain saat memilih kampus dan jurusan yang tepat untuk kami, yakni menggapai cita-cita dan harapan, dan untuk menggapai semua itu kampus adalah tempat yang tepat untuk kami.

Kampus merupakan tempat untuk mengemban ilmu dan untuk mendapatkan keluarga yang baru, selayaknya berada di rumah sendiri. Sebagai mahasiswa, saya memiliki para dosen yang bertindak langsung sebagai orang tua dan sahabat saya, tanpa mengesampingkan tugas mereka sebagai pengajar. Saya juga memiliki rekan-rekan mahasiswa dan para senior yang bertindak sebagai saudara bagi saya, yang tak lebih dan tak kurang, menjadi kakak dan adik bagi saya.

Ada sebuah perumpamaan yang sangat saya sukai, yang saya dengan dalam sebuah tayangan televisi. Perumpamaan ini tentang seorang ibu. Seorang ibu diibaratkan seperti seorang pelayan dan sekaligus guru, seperti seorang dokter dan seorang sahabat. Begitupun saya memandang peran kampus dalam hidup saya. Saya diberikan ilmu oleh para dosen, diberikan teladan oleh para senior, dengan begitu saya belajar untuk membagikan ilmu yang saya miliki kepada orang lain, dan memberikan teladan yang layak dan patut dicontoh. Setiap kali ada kesalahan, saya akan diberikanteguran dan diajari untuk menjadi benar, dengan begitu saya tidak akan terus-menerus terpuruk dalam kesalahan dan akan bangkit demi memperbaiki apa yang menjadi kekurangan saya. Sebagai sahabat bagi satu sama lain dengan mahasiswa lainnya, saya bersedia untuk selalu saling berbagi dalam suka maupun duka. Saling mendorong semangat dan tekad. Seperti yang dimaksudkan dalam semboyan “sitou timou tumou tou” yang memiliki arti bahwa "Manusia baru dapat disebut sebagai manusia, jika sudah dapat memanusiakan manusia".

Hal-hal yang telah saya sebutkan dan jelaskan tadi merupakan sebuah awal dalam mencapai suatu kepuasan intelektual demi mendapatkan karir yang sukses di masa depan. Dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat, terutama sebagai seorang mahasiswa, bukan hanya tujuan individual yang harus saya penuhi tapi juga tujuan kolektif. Dengan begitu, saya baru bisa menjadi orang yang sukses.

Masa-masa selama proses mencapai tujuan kolektif tersebut, tempat yang akan paling mempengaruhi saya tentunya adalah kampus. Tempat yang menjadi pusat kegiatan seluruh mahasiswa. Tempat dilaksanakannya seluruh kegiatan-kegiatan kampus. Mulai dari kegiatan belajar dan mengajar, kegiatan organisasi, kegiatan kerohanian, dan kegiatan-kegiatan bermanfaat lainnya.

Dengan dilaksanakannya seluruh kegiatan-kegiatan di kampus tersebut, maka secara tidak langsung waktu yang dihabiskan oleh para mahasiswa lebih banyak di kampus dibandingkan di rumah masing-masing. Kegiatan yang terus ada dari pagi sampai sore dan tugas-tugas perkuliahan yang menyita sebagian besar waktu tanpa batas membuat kampus menjadi tempat multi-fungsi, sebagai tempat belajar, tempat berorganisasi, berkreasi, bersosialisasi, dan beristirahat.

Banyak mahasiswa yang secara sadar melakukan aktivitas dan rutinitasnya di kampus. Namun , tidak banyak yang menyadari bahwa apa yang mereka lakukan itu adalah sebuah kebutuhan dan bukanlah sebuah kewajiban atau keharusan belaka. Kuliah merupakan suatu tindakan yang secara perlahan-lahan tumbuh menjadi sebuah kebiasaan yang sukar dihilangkan.

Mungkin pada awalnya, mahasiswa baru merasa lelah dengan rutinitas yang menumpuk. Kesulitan beradaptasi dengan lingkungan sekitar yang masih terasa asing. Seperti menempati sebuah rumah baru, seseorang memerlukan waktu yang tidak singkat untuk menyesuaikan dirinya dengan lingkungan dan keadaan yang belum pernah dirasakannya sebelumnya. Namun, seiring berjalannya waktu, seseorang itu akan merasa nyaman dan terbiasa. Hal inilah yang saya alami sebagai mahasiswa baru, tapi keyakinan saya untuk bisa menjadi ‘tuan rumah’ yang baik membuat saya semangat untuk melewati hari-hari pertama saya yang masih canggung.

Setelah menempati ‘rumah’ ini cukup lama, pada akhirnya akan muncul juga rasa bosan. Bosan dengan rutinitas yang setiap harinya sama dan melelahkan, maka itu harus diadakan sebuah renovasi yang bisa memberikan suasana baru yang lebih segar dan menyenangkan, karena dengan begitulah kita bisa bertahan, dan saya sadar akan hal itu, hal yang pasti akan saya alami dan lewati, nanti.

Menyadari akan hal-hal tersebut membuat saya selalu memikirkan apa yang akan terjadi kedepan. Apakah saya pada akhirnya akan menyerah? Ataukan saya akan masa bodoh dengan nasib saya sendiri? Atau mungkin, saya akan berhasil melewati masa-masa itu dengan kepala terangkat.

Tapi, semua itu kembali pada diri saya sendiri dan lingkungan saya. Kampus saya dan rumah saya, atau keduanya. Kampusku adalah rumahku, siapa yang akan berpendapat lain? Memang benar merupakan rumah bagi mahasiswa. Bahkan, mulai hari ini, hari pertama saya memulai perjuangan saya menggapai cita-cita saya, menjadi mahasiswa di Universitas Sam Ratulangi, saya sudah menyadari bahwa kelak, akan tiba saat dimana kampus ini akan menjadi sebuah tempat yang sangat saya rindukan.

Kampus ini tak akan saya lupakan, meskipun kelak saya akan menempati ‘rumah’ yang baru, namun kenangan dan perjuangan yang ada dan akan terus ada itu, tak akan pernah tergantikan.

Viva Teknik

That Time When I Was Really Lucky

I've posted this on my previous blog that I couldn't open again because it was registered with a yahoo mail account and now blogger only use google account so I must verify the ID and password using my phone number which I don't use anymore.... let's just move on with that blog, but I'd like to rewrite this here. This is about that time when I was a fan of MBLAQ and I got two free tickets to their concert when I was broke. Like, it doesn't happen all the time, but yeah, a simple competition won me a golden time (not to mention I got the gold seats too).

 

The competition was held by Korean Culture and Information Service on HiSeoul facebook page on July 2012. They were giving free tickets for 15 best entry on 'Write Your MV Concept for MBLAQ Non-MV Song' (I made up that title but that's what it was all about).

I made a futuristic time travel to Joseon era theme for MBLAQ - RUN, and it was actually used for their SBS Gayo Daejun performance at the end of the year (or at least that's what I think happened). I mean, they usually used ninja concept when performing this song, but at this performance they combined futuristic concept with traditional joseon type scenes at the background, so just let me have my own happy imagination. But it did won me something unforgettable anyway. Here if you want to read the MV script i wrote, to read it comfortably, just copy and paste it on MS Word first, you've been warned.

I had to use fan video because the SBS' ones can't be played here.

The BLAQ% Concert was held in June 30, 2012, in Mata Elang International Stadium, Ancol, North Jakarta.

I can still remember the feeling in my heart when I entered the venue, the first song I heard playing on the speakers while the audiences, the fans, were still entering the venue and taking seats, was MBLAQ - One. I was so excited when I arrived at the Gold section's front row where two seats were booked for me, and my cousin who's also a fan that I took along with me because I had two free tickets. Here to get a view of how the venue was.

I couldn't sit calmly on my seat because I can't  help but being so hyper about the event that was about to start in minutes (it was delayed for 15 minutes), and then the fans started chanting "MBLAQ! MBLAQ! MBLAQ! MBLAQ! MBLAQ!" until the lights dimmed and we all just screamed our heart out.

The concert started with a VCR of MBLAQ fighting in the rain with other dudes, then the members' names displayed one by one. Only a second after, the ninja dancers jumped into the stage and starts their performance, followed by MBLAQ coming up slowly from under the stage.

MBLAQ - Run was the first song they performed. What a coincidence.

There will be no fan video made by me or my cousin uploaded anywhere because they were full of our dirty talks and unearthly screaming. But we got some pictures of them, I'll share some of them.

Disclaimer, these pics was uploaded on my old blog too, that watermark is mine. 

After waving goodbye and left the venue, we walked with our new friends who also won the free tickets like me, we met when we were claiming our tickets. She was also the lucky one who won the lottery to get the only platinum seat and backstage pass. Yes, out of 15 winners, one would get that by taking numbers when claiming tickets.

She took this pic and shared with us.

Anyway, the concert was a success one despite of not being sold out, but all the fans were happy, the boys also did their best, I lost my voice, and my cousin almost fought with a security for the bouquet of flower Seungho was holding when he performed. That flower wasn't given away but it was above a cabinet in the waiting room to the backstage where we were waiting for our friend meeting MBLAQ inside their room, my cousin wanted it as Seungho was her bias, but the security took it away. 😂

This cousin of mine, she's a fighter. I must tell you, she did jumped off the fence between gold section and ran to the front row of the platinum section, so that she could took clear pictures of the boys (the five pictures before the one above was taken by her), she was caught by a security member at that section but instead of backing away, she told the security to back off, and the security did. I didn't go with her because I'm too timid to jump off the fence.

That night was an unforgettable event for me.

[Lyric] Triplane - Dear Friends (OST. One Piece)

Back with another favorite song of mine, the song that was played at the saddest moment of One Piece anime, the song with deep meaning, and always urge me to shed a tear. Oh I miss my friends.

Kanji

毎日陽が沈むまで 泥まみれになりながら
無邪気に過ごした日々も捨て難いけれど
夢見る僕が居てもそれはそれで僕だから
ジグソーパズルみたいにはまってなくて良い

誰かの "Yes" が君にとって "No" であるのと同じように
いつだって自由なはずだから
明日 風が通り抜けた時にパズルが欠けていたとしても
誰もそれを責めたりしないよ

あの日夢見た僕らは 間違いじゃないと信じて
荒くうねる海原を渡って行ける

君の胸の痛みだって 僕らは知っているから

もしも君がこの船を下りて違う世界に居たとしても
最後にはきっと笑えるよ

今でも僕らは夢を見ているよ
託されたその想いも乗せて

荒れたこの海原を痛みと戦って今日も行く
約束が嘘にならないように
そしていつか
僕らの船を下りた違う世界に居る君に
完成したパズルを届けよう

 

 

Romaji

Mainichi hi ga shizumu made
Nazuma mire ni nari nagara
Mujaki ni sugoshita hibi mo sute gatai keredo
Yumemiru boku ga ite mo sore wa sore de boku dakara
JIGUSOO PAZURU mitai ni wa
Matte nakute ii

Dareka no “Yes” ga kimi ni totte
“No” dearu no to onaji you ni
Itsudatte jiyuu na hazu dakara
Ashita kaze ga toori nuketa toki ni
PAZURU ga kakete ita toshitemo
Daremo sore wo semetari shinai yo

Ano hi yumemita bokura wa
Machigai ja nai to shinjite
Araku uneru unabara wo watatte ikeru
Kimi no mune no itami datte
Bokura wa shitte iru kara
Moshimo kimi ga kono fune wo kudarite
Chigau sekai ni ita toshite mo Saigo ni wa kitto waraeru yo

Ima demo bokura wa yume wo mite iru yo
Takusareta sono omoi mo nosete

Areta kono unabara wo itami to tatakatte kyou mo yuku
Yakusoku ga uso ni nara nai you ni
Soshite itsuka
Bokura no fune wo kudarita chigau sekai ni iru kimi ni
 Kanseishita PAZURU wo todoke you

 

 

translation [english]

Until each and every day sinks, while being covered in mud
It's hard to give up those days that I innocently went through
Because even for a dreamer like me, that's that, after all... here I am.
You may not wait, like the 'jigsaw puzzle'.

Someone's "YES" would be the same as "NO" for you
Because you always have to be free.
When tomorrow's wind has cut through And left the puzzle with missing pieces,
Even then, no one's going to blame it (the wind).

That day, dreamers like ourselves believe that we're not wrong.
Be able to traverse the raging ocean.
Cause we know the pain in your heart as well.
Even if you get off this ship, and live in a different world
In the end, you will surely smile

We still have the dream
Taking with us this feeling that we were entrusted with.

I'll go fight with the stormy ocean and the pain today
So that our promise won't turn into a lie.
And someday,
For you who left our ship and now lives in a different world
We'll send the completed puzzle

Real Horror Stories of My Own Experiences (Episode 1)

The Beginning

This probably wasn't the first experience, but this is the furthest back I could remember. It was when our family just moved to Bogor, West Java, in 1995. I was only 6 years old, I shared bedroom with my 9 years old brother. The house we moved in to was rented for a small company before we take it over, the building belonged to my father's brother in law, it only have one level but was really big.

My brother and I used bedroom 2, only across our parents' bedroom. It was late at night, we were just trying to sleep, then I heard a female's voice calling softly but clearly, from the window, calling my brother's name, in repeating manner. I cried and peeking on my brother on his bed at the other side of the room, he was staring at me in horror. He suddenly got up and pulled me off the bed and we ran to our parent's room. When we cried and told them about what we heard, our mom said it was actually her and she was calling us to sleep with them. Well, it was a lie, we would know if it was her, we know our own mother's voice, but we got through the night by pretending that nothing happened. The truth was told to us when we moved back to Manado, North Sulawesi, in 1997. 

It is not a surprise for the place to be haunted, it was abandoned for some years before a company rented it, then it was left empty for about 5 months before we moved in. 

Not only that, across the street was a traditional market that only active in the morning, and there was also train rail there. Place like that here in the land of Java, means places for the ghosts.

We once hired a worker to help out mom cleaning up our house, she refused using the guest room at the very back of the building and prefer to sleep at the TV room using a type of futon. One night, she said she saw a middle-aged couple standing side by side on the opened front door, they were standing there for about an hour, she watched them in silence and just pretended to sleep, she thought it was mom and dad, so she won't disturb them. She was surprised and confused when she heard dad coughing from the bedroom, when she look back at the couple they were gone, she got up immediately, say a prayer from the door before locking it twice, and then went back to sleep. She couldn't sleep actually, she waits till morning and then tell my mom and dad, when my brother and I back from school, she had already left, resigned.

My aunt once came from Manado and stayed with us in this house for about a month, she used the guest room at the very back of the building, she said she saw some ghost appearances, but she wasn't really care. She's not scared at all, she used at haunted apartments before so ghost don't scare her anymore.

One of my uncles once stayed over and sleep at the TV area, he saw a man walking back and forth from the living room to the kitchen all night making him unable to sleep.

The house is now sold to other people and the building has been demolished.That house back then in Bogor was really haunted, a lot of things happened there when we lived there. But nothing was really serious, i think we were just living alongside with another beings there. But it was all just the beginning.

Where I Went

image creator Pink Pueblo (istockimage)

School is the place where we actually really enjoy our life, and by school i mean, elementary school, junior high school, senior high school. Of course we also burdened with home works and quizzes, the finals and other tiring activities, but if we think about it again, those experiences are the best experiences we had that will never happen again once we graduated and become adult.

Here i want to reminisce of all the schools i went to in the past, and if i could go back again to that time, i wouldn't mind.

elementary school (1994 - 2000)

I went to two different school in this period of time, first one was a year in Bogor, West Java, and the second one is in North Sulawesi where i graduated at. 

Budi Mulia bogor - screenshot from google streetview

The school itself located behind that main building. I decided to use the google maps version because it still looks exactly the same with the time when i went to this school. My brother and I went to this school for a year when our dad was working in the city, after that we all moved to Manado and continue our education there.

St. Antonius airmadidi - screenshot from google streetview

I couldn't find the old picture of this school, it was totally different than this google maps version. Back then, it was still the typical little town school with soiled yard, wooden building, no security post, there was even a huge tub to keep rain water. It was a traditional old building but full of memories. I remember the church in the middle was on a higher ground, not they made the ground leveled with the old church building and build a brand new building for the church. Too many changes. I feel like this wasn't the place where i spent 5 years of my childhood.

junior high school (2000 - 2003)

I was determined to go to a boarding school once i graduated elementary, it was a prestigious school. 

smp stella maris tomohon - screenshot from google

Here is the exact mapping for the school and its dormitories. 

school, dorm, monastery - google satellite view

I lived in St. Walterus Dorm for half a year, but i couldn't stay there longer. Too strict, i can't adapt with all the rules, especially because i can't even listen to music except on weekend with the maid radio at the lobby shared with all the other girls, i can't even bring any books other than school's printed one, i grew up reading various books while listening to music. My records at school was too low because of the stress, i can't concentrate while studying, i almost leave the school and move to another, but then my mom decided to get me a different dorm nearby which much more free and i can bring my 'music and books' and extra pillows.

tania's dorm - screenshot from google streetview

It is a lot different now, back when i stayed there, the main building was the one on the right. The upper level was the girls dorm, the lower one was the owner's place, and the boys dorm located at the back side of the building. It was fun living there, especially when you became the smartest student in the house, yes, that's me.

 high school (2003 - 2006)

Don bosco lembean - image taken from school's twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best time of our life is high school, well, not to everyone, but to most of us. This is the place where we learn complicated subjects, learn friendship, learn love, and take everything into our memories for life. Sometimes i wish i could go back to that time where I can hang out with my best friends, complaining about having to go to school when it's raining, or having to stay at school for extra activities, but it was all fun, i want to experience again even only in dreams. 

But yeah, life is not a fantasy drama, time doesn't roll back into the past and suddenly you can change the whole thing by re-living your life again. For all of you that miss school too, i'm with you. For all of you that is still in school, enjoy it to your heart extent.

Trip to Manado After 6 Years Away

A week before semester finals, I took a flight to Manado to escort my grandma home. She came to Jakarta with my uncle and lived with us about 3 months, when it's time for her to go back home, I volunteered to go with her. I just missed my hometown so much.

We took an evening flight, the plan took off at 6 PM from Jakarta Airport (CGK) and arrived about 9 PM at Manado Airport (MDC). 

Waiting for our baggage about half an hour and took a taxi to grandma's home, we arrived home exactly at 10 PM.

There was a funny story about that too. It's been 6 years since the last time I was there, and the town has been into so many changes, when the taxi entered Airmadidi, I was lost, it's quite hard to recognize some of the places and buildings, especially because there was power outage happened. It was too dark, I let the taxi passed the supposed road we should take, but I know more shortcuts, then we passed another road, that's when I told the driver to slow down, and we get the other shortcuts.

Arrived at grandma's home another problem occurred, after paying the taxi and set off all the baggage, it's time to look for the key. So, when grandma was in Jakarta, the key was kept by my aunt, but she doesn't live here, knowing that we will arrived late, she left the key at a hidden place. The thing is, there is no light, I only use my phone while calling her to ask for the key's location. After a while we finally get inside the house, next task is looking for some candles. 

There is no photo at all because it was really hectic. I had to fill the tub in the bathroom, re-heating the food we brought from Jakarta, reheating the rice my aunt cook this morning and left it inside the fridge, boil some water for drink (my grandma only drink hot drinks, no power to get it from the dispenser), everything had to be done with not enough lights.

After everything, we took a shower and getting ready to rest. I shared room with my grandma in my old bedroom, that's the only bedroom ready for us to sleep that night. The power came back in the middle of the night, but we were too tired to do anything.

The next morning, I woke up to this.

My grandma has already cleaned up the front yard and burned the dried leaves, this is the scene where I don't see often in Jakarta. That tree is an old rambutan tree, my grandpa planted it when I was still toddler. 

I used to play on that tree with my friend when we were still a child. I was lucky, I get to eat some this time I came back here.

Breakfast coming up next after eating so much rambutans.

One of our neighbor was walking towards the market which is only 5 minutes away from home, as she was walking my grandma asked if she could buy breakfast for us and gave an amount of money to her. As a good neighbor she gladly accepted the simple task.

The breakfast was the specialty of our hometown, the original Tinu'tu'an, which is infamously known as Bubur Manado.

This is my favorite dish, eat it with pisang goreng (deepfried banana) and dabu-dabu terasi, perfect. Lekker!

After the breakfast, I continue my activity with cleaning up around the house, then cook the rice, our meals will be delivered by catering  service. All the cleaning made me so tired, we spent the afternoon by taking a long nap.

In the evening I spent my time looking around the back yard, the place where I used to play at when I was a child.

 

 

I missed those time where I still have a lot of time playing around this back yard. The big tree at the corner left of the back yard is a durian tree, the one on the right is a small rambutan tree, and the small one in the front is a lime tree.

It used to be a garage where grandpa's old stuff was kept at, but most of it has been sold or thrown away. I used to play in there when it was still a garage. 

 

The next day is another cleaning up day, and I was caught in reminiscing moment. Old photo albums. I love it.

 I was looking through old pictures while listening to the radio played with my old stereo.

My dad bought this for me when I ranked first in my class on the second year in Junior High School.

I also found the bag rack I made when I just graduated high school, back then I was really into sewing when I was not in college.

Of course I'm taking it with me back to Jakarta.

That night I went to my aunt's house with grandma to sleepover there. My aunt's house had so many changes too, we were talking till late, and I was the last one to go to bed. 

The next day, my grandma went back home first because my aunt and I will go visit my grandpa's grave.

 

This is my aunt's neighborhood. Going to the right way is entering her complex, but I don't want to take a picture of the people on the street without their consent.

 

Now we're entering the graveyard. It's kind of abandoned because most of the family of those buried here were away or probably were just too lazy to come clean up their family's grave.

My aunt is leading me in because she used to come here to clean up grandpa's grave so she knows the way to get there. I remember where is the exact location but the way is full of bushes and too hard to get through it.

 

My grandpa's resting place.

 

The one on the far side isn't our family, but we usually clean it too when we were cleaning up grandpa's.

We were burning grass and leaves, and some trash (I can't believe people still leaving trash in the graveyard), when the sky got dark.

Then I realized, the news told us there will be total solar eclipse (March 9th).

 

I can't get the total solar eclipse picture because it would break my lenses, we decided to say a prayer for grandpa and started tidying up to leave. 

We walked to grandma's house which took about 20 minutes. Passed the Police Station, Town Hall, and through some neighborhoods.

 

I could only take a picture of the Police Station. The mountain behind is the Mount Klabat.

 

 

Above is my grandma's neighborhood. 

I spent the rest of the days cleaning up my room, organizing the inside of my cupboard, organizing my book collection, cleaning up my grandma's bedroom so she could use it after I go back to Jakarta.

My grandma made some dried pork cuts for me to bring back to Jakarta. It's my and my mom's favorite, we can just fried it, squeezed some lemon, and eat it with rice. 

 

She also bought some of my favorite sweet snacks from market.

 

Actually I love the rose flavor but the aunt my grandma told to go buy it at the market bought the chocolate ones. But it doesn't matter, I like it.

 

The last morning before I went back to Jakarta, I enjoy the sun from the porch. That was the time when I tried hard not cry. I forced my self hard to keep smiling and tell jokes.

 

Leaving grandma behind is always hard, but she actually don't mind living alone in her beloved home. I just always pray she will be healthy and safe.

My uncle came to visit grandma and then he drove me to the airport. My flight is on 12 PM, but I had to check in at least an house before, so we left grandma's house at 10:30 AM.

 

Arrived here at night, leaving it at day. Sam Ratulangi Airport.

 

I can still enjoy the view of Mount Klabat from the lounge while waiting for my flight.

 

I already miss you my beloved hometown.