(trying to) enjoy jakarta

i used to run or bike at least 5k everyday, usually morning bike to work and day run while picking up my son from his school. my city, raleigh, was runners and bikers friendly with integrated parks and greenway system.

Returning to Indonesia, I can't compare the well established system I experienced in the USA with the one we're trying to build here.

I am happy enough to live next to Taman Gas and Taman Honda at Tebet area in the south Jakarta. Nothing fancy in these two parks. Both of these parks are equipped with jogging tracks, small playground, public toilet that sometimes has no water in it (and this is a serious matter), and very limited parking space. I don't mean to whine about this situation. Really, i'm happy enough to see greens in Jakarta, i can walk from where i live to reach the park, and to be able to breath fresh air in Jakarta? I really cannot complain.

However, if i could add something to the park, maybe i would add appropriate rest room (dry, clean, has water in it), grow more grass and fix the drainage system so the park doesn't feel like wet and soggy all the time.

Back in the usa, i rode  bike to work (except when it's snowing and freezing and black ice), the idea was simple: I wanted to exercise without having to cough more dollar bills just to get in shape. Somehow here i still cannot find a perfect place to bike. I don't dare to bike on the Jakarta road because I can't stand the pollution and the traffic is horrid.

Talking about the traffic. Jakarta traffic is something you need to deal with when you live here. So horrible that even the government keeps testing the water to get the right solution for this problem. Jakarta is establishing an integrated MRT system by now, construction is everywhere and the traffic has become crazier. I hope when the MRT is done, it will be a great solution for this traffic. This traffic is also one of the reason why i do not have any cars here!

I do not have any cars in Indonesia. I did not have any TVs back there in the USA. 😎
Yes. We are anything but ordinary 😜

Since the MRT completion might still need to wait until 2018, for now the available public mass transportation are commuter-line train, and transjakarta busway. I happen to learn to love them. I think this is a big step for mass transport in Jakarta, I don't need to bring cash, all i need is a card that I can refill the credit amount in it and i can use it in any transjakarta stations, train stations and some merchants. Pretty cool, considering it was not like this 3 years ago when i letf Jakarta. The best part: they're cheap!!! To hop on a transjakarta bus you will be charged 3,500 rupiah, and for the commuter-line train is 2,000 rupiah. Even tuk-tuk in Thailand is not as cheap as this!!!

With 3,500 rupiah charged on my card, i can go from my place (the closest station from my place is the BUMD cawang, i can go almost anywhere in Jakarta. Few days ago i went to senayan to kuningan, to Universitas Indonesia, and many more places. That was awesome!

Next i will try to go to some museums, to the beach, bookshops and library by transjakarta. It's different everytime you come places, new experience and new things to learn, even in your own old city.

yesterday at the park when you wish you could curse like Ari Gold

so i went to kebun raya bogor. took the morning KRL train from stasiun cawang to bogor and got in the angkot for 5 minutes ride to the main gate of kebun raya bogor.

we were about to attend an event from my husband office. a family gathering and team building kind of thing. 

Arriving there we had no idea on which part of the park the event was being held. so we looked at the map and match the address and took some walk around the park following the direction.

we loved the walk for sure. it's been a while we didn't get any fresh air like this. At the park, there were many events, most of it were Acara Silaturahmi (related to idul fitri, offices usually gathered their employee together to meet and celebrate), and some study trip (or somewhat like that) from some schools. The events mostly took place in the field. The host built a stage with complete sound system, keyboard player, a tent to keep the stage safe and sound under the shade, and mini snack corner, and an MC.

There i saw (and heard) the MCs talking about games and whatever things that was (i believe) not even related to the event itself, live music, some kids lining up and sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce nicely on the ground. 

Curious. Tried to overheard what they  were doing (talking on the stage and singing and performing..). Here's what i heard and saw..

Pack of elementary school's student (like maybe around 200 kids or more) sitting on the ground in front of the stage where their (i assumed) teachers were singing dangdut song 'Apakah kau gadis atau sudah janda' (Titled: are you a girl/virgin or a widow?). And they (who were singin on the stage) pointed the microphone  to the children and asked them 'what do you think? am i a girl/virgin or a widow?' AND the pack answer uniformly JANDAAAA.

i was like NooooooWaaaayyy!!! WTF!!! 

(with my 5yo walking with me i could only curse out loud in my heart) 

Early Reader, Yeay or Nay?

When i posted a video of my son reading when he was only 3 years old (he's 4 now). Some of my friends kindly shared me some articles or blogs about the disadvantages of kids reading early. Some of the articles said the reading kids might causes boredom whenever it's time for school, it's simply because they already know things. At that time i think, should i stop him from reading? And i thank God never did that. My son always says "I love toys and books. But whenever i feel sad or mad, books can calm me down. I just read a book and i'll be fine."

Now that i'm a teacher. This year i have a kid in my classroom that is also reading (nope, he's not my son. My son is going to different school). He reads fluently and he can do tasks faster than anyone else in the class. When i look at him i see a child that knows things earlier than his friends, and he's doing just fine with that, because he just love it that way. And trust me, there are soo many things to learn other than reading here at preschool. At this age they come to learn how to respect personal space, they learn about their feelings and others and how to deal with it, they learn how to make friends, how to be a good friend, how to become part of a group of friends with common interests, and how to be just fine by their own. They also have to learn how to deal with rejection and failure, and how to get up and move on. They feel their body move in musics, they explore their artsy side, they learn about the trees, animals etc. So i personally think school should never be boring for preschoolers, whether they are reading or not (yet).

Why do i write this post? Because i feel the urge to say something about those articles that said mean things about early reading. My son, my student, and maybe some other early readers out there, they are just kids like yours. Maybe your kids like swimming, or dancing, or music, or math, or painting, or playing games on ipad, or watching TV, or martial art and they probably really really good at it. Why bother saying those in articles without considering what if this kids really like it?

These kids, the early reader, they simply just like the ABCs and fell into reading. I do not have any research regarding this, about how to make a child read so early. But mine, he was starting pointing at letters at 1 year old. We used to have ABCs poster to decorate his room and he loved staring at it and sang ABCD song. He knew letter and the sound at two, and started reading at three. As parent i helped him to learn, but i did not push him to learn. Whenever he found some letters (on a grocery commercial papers, or banner on the streets) he would ask and try to sound it. No hard time. 

I know some parents can be pushy about what their kids would do in daily basis, what they achieve, which school they go, what kind of courses they would take. But i believe, if you find out that your child is really good at one or something, you would help them to reach their best potential.  And i believe if your child does not like it, (i hope) you will not push them to do it. As Dr Seuss said: a person is a person no matter how small. I say, respect what they're capable (and incapable) of and encourage them at all time.

But of course it's just my two cents.

Quote

A little worried when i drove my son to school this morning. This year he got a full scholarship from NC Smart Start and got a new school.

Yes, he's only 4 years old. A fluently reading 4 years old, that seemed to be not liking his new school. BUT, that's was only mommy's thought. This morning, in front of the classroom, i signed him in, and the two teachers Ms.Jd and Ms Jn came to me and asking me for a permission.

I said, "may i know what for?'
They said to use Mikail's quote at school.
And my face was like ????
And they told me last week they got no chance to ask me if it's alright fo them to put-up-on the wall what Mikail's said in the classroom to one of his friends that was struggling with the craft.
He said "You don't have to do it perfectly, you just need to try harder."

new chapter: a teacher

okay, i am not a productive blogger indeed. Two posts in a year was not something to proud of. But, here i go again.. This time i just want to thank Allah for everything i've been doing so far in the USA. I have the best job ever in the world and working with incredibly dedicated people.

Working as a teacher in a preschool has been the best thing i probably ever done in my life. Everything about it feels just right. On the first day i work i just knew this was actually what i wanted. 

Proud Mommy

I was about to write about the next chapter of my life in the US. It was about transportation here in Raleigh, where to shop, how to get here, education, cheap stuff (or sometimes free stuffs) to fil in your humble apartment, where to hang out, and my favorite places.. But lets skip this all, i gotta write one of the most important event in my life..

So my son was getting to preK. We (my husband and I) enrolled him to Al-Iman School. This was great, to find an islamic school here in the USA!! This is what pluralism, respect, and true American pride all about. Not only school, we have this big Masjid located in the next building that as well known as Islamic Center. I posted on my FB that I had a great first American Ramadhan here. 

So back to the school. First day, he was very excited. He got his backpack ready, lunch box, snacks, pillow and blanket for nap time. All perfect. Then when we arrived at school he started to worry and asked me to stay. So then i stayed at school, the whole day, until the dismissal time.

2nd day, still excited. But when i said Good Bye. He cried out loud, holding my hand so tight.. 

I remembered, on the day my son was interviewed by the school before he accepted here. The teacher asked me few questions such as.. Is he potty trained? Eating difficulties? etc..

I said my son is potty trained since 1.5 years old, just give him the flushable wipes and he knows what to do. He can eat by himself as long as the food is not complicated, finger food like finger cuts veggies, noodle and sushi are his favorite. I did not mentioned that noodle specifically referred to Indomie ;p

He can do the alphabet, build some simple words from the same family sounds, he can read level 1 with help, and recites around 8 short surah from al-quran. I was soooooo proud of him, can't stop talking about how good he is.. Then the teacher said, what is your expectation after he attends this school..

I expect him to be more confident and comfort about himself.. Then the teacher said, he's only three, we can work on that.. I said, he is very attached to me, he will start to panic if he couldn't find me around. He trusts nobody but me. He's a mommy's boy, always mommy's boy, and somehow i always, always around him. Then i started asking her to be gentle on him, easy on him, be merciful, and this..and that.. and whatever i blabbered about lots of things that intentionally to let her know my message was actually: 'please you gotta look after my son perfectly, teach him something new in the way i love him, can you? i can trust you right?' 

I was a freaking mom.

The teacher then said, "Ma-am, it's alright, you eventually gotta let him go. I think he is ready. Are you ready?"

I just realized that i was NOT ready. That day, 2nd day of the school, when my son started to cry again, i felt fail, devastated, defeated. I felt my decision was all wrong.. And the drama last for the whole week.. I felt high and dry, dunno how long this will last.. Some friends and neighbors giving me support, I truly thankful for their support, even a girl told my son that she had the same situation that she missed her mom on her first days at preK, she shared her experiences and how she deal with it. I did not know if my son understand her sharing.. Until today.

This morning my son woke up and cried. "I don't wanna go to school..."

I bathed him, prepared breakfast for him, and he ate all the cereals in the bowl. He said "I will cry.. Are you gonna stay?" I said i cannot stay, and he knows that. He started to cry again.

Arriving at school, he met his teacher, still crying, and then he wiped his tears and back to me he said

'You will come back. Good bye, Mom..' and off he went playing with other kids..

I was and am a proud mom, and always. 

For some people this story probably just nothing, but to me this was a history..

My New Life in the USA..

I couldn't even remember when did the last time i wrote on my blog.. Now i'm here starting my life in the US. This is my 8th months and doing pretty well..


First months..
was suck.. i didn't have friends. Yeah, i met few Indonesian here, but new people not always turned to be your friend. But i had to admit they all very kind, compared to people in my beautiful Jekardah? In fact, one of the students helping my husband to picked me up at the airport on my arrival. Oh yes, i should tell you that i was traveling with my almost 3 years old son. Yes, without husband. Yes, my husband arrived 6 months earlier in the US, and it's gonna take another chapter on how i was struggling on that whole 6 months before my departure.. So with my son, i traveled 36 hours from Jakarta to Raleigh. I had two stop-over in Doha, and London. Four GIGANTIC luggages, one small cabin luggage, one backpack, one stroller that i couldn't find at each transit city while i desperately needed it. So when i arrived in the US, i got to push all the stuffs with my feet, pushing the stroller, and pulling a small luggage. And, alhamdulillah, the officer at the immigration let me go through without even opening any of my luggages. THANK YOU Sir!! God Bless You!

Officer: Seriously?
Me: Yea, I know..
Officer: You travel alone?
Me: Technically with this little Man (sitting on the stroller)
Officer: From London all alone? Me: From Jakarta to Doha to London to Raleigh..
Officer: Just gimme your custom card, anything to declare?
Me: Nope
Officer: Just Go
Me: Really? Thank You! God Bless

And there at the arrival lobby, oooh hi my dear husband with his friend!!! Another help from the God. If there was only my husband came to picked me up, the luggages will never fit in our car's trunk!

The next weeks was series of a jet leg, a driver license study, a driver license test, a failed, another test, finally pass the test(a friend said to me, if you drive in Jakarta, you can drive anywhere in the world hahaha! kinda true), i was also getting a work permit, apply to anything that US gov offers for resident, and facing the truth that my body is not being designed for four weathers, especially the frozen one.. My face cracking, my skin was dry, some bleed here and there.. the only survival kit i had was, Johnson and Johnson baby cream that i brought all the way flying from Jakarta, and didn't work as i expected because it was not -definitely not- a cream for me nor for the freezing weather.. Don't blame the cream nor the brand, blame my idiocy.. The cream felt burning my skin when i applied it on my freezing skin. Lesson: next time don't use your son's cream for your face, because they don't manufactured for that purpose, ok? noted.

But there was also good parts. I found that the city is unlike Jakarta at all. Not so many shopping malls (in fact there's only one nearby, in which takes fifteen minutes of American driving to get there), no traffics, i can only find tall buildings around downtown, point of interest was mostly parks, lakes, and museums. So yeah, this was (and is ) definitely not Jakarta. I found a good Public Library where my son can join the story time everyday, and borrow as much books as he wants everyday. I found my favorite lake, a Big Masjid for me to keep in touch the Lord, a Farmers Market where i can find good vegetables, green ways, halal meat shop and some dollar stores. I thought "I'll live" and yes i survive.

Apartment: You cannot choose your neighbor..
Lucky to find apartment after long sleepless search in Jakarta. I had to make phone calls to some properties in the US to confirm if they actually has the available one. But, neighbor was not in the agreement.

What's with the neighbor? So in a building there always be 8 units, 4 in down floor and 4 in the upper floor. I was lucky to get a very kind Indonesian family in my building, and another two families in separate buildings, they're the best neighbor ever!! They cook super delicious food and i always get the tester hahaha!! Thank you!

But i always have this strange habit from my upper neighbor.. Only the upper neighbor, yes, the one that exactly above mine. First time i moved in, my neighbor was two students that kept watching drama serial in Dolby Stereo System, my apartment shakes whenever they turned on their TV. Luckily (or not so lucky) the double trouble moved out. But another fellas coming in. She's a chinese mother with her son and naynay (grandma). She is an incredibly smart person, she's a Phd in her country and doing some history research stuffs in NC state. Her son, he doesn't speak English, not even a word. And naynay, she keeps thinking that i can actually understand what she says-until now. Well, i am a half chinese in my blood, my Dad's chinese, but the only words i know was xiexie, and ni hao..

So the next thing happened was, i was excited that she and her family moved in. I thought that my son will make new friend, and he did. So the kid next-door started to play in my place, once a week, twice a week, and everyday. I didn't mind, my son always want a brother or sister while i couldn't even think about having another children, not for now, so this was perfect. Until. He's not only coming everyday, but every time. Anytime i arrived from anywhere, like for example i just got back from Walmart, Naynay will noticed and marched down the stairs and put the kid - through my big window- in my apartment. Funniest part, she left the kid with me and back upstair.

I was exhausted, i didn't even have a time cleaning up my apartment, or to get the stuffs from grocery arranged in the kitchen properly anymore. Nobody asking me if i'm ok he's playing in my place. Everyday, 8-9 am, they slide my window and put him in, just great. My friends said, i should talk to them and tell my objection. So i did. One day, this kid pee on my carpet. and i have to carry the carpet out the apartment to the top of my car and asked my husband to wash it. I get the mother and tell her about my situation. The conversation more or less just like this..

Me: Your son pee on my carpet
Her: Really? (and she looked at her son's pants), ah i'm sorry
Me: That's alright. Is he potty trained? i mean he's not wearing any diapers.
Her: No. Oh look at that, daddy is washing the carpet so funny.
Me: (Took a deep breathe and tried to understand 'funny' as cute)You should train him, he might not be able go to school if he's not potty trained.
Her: I don't know, he's afraid of the toilet...
Me: Ok, here's the thing, please let me know first before he's going to play here. He's very welcome here, but sometime i just got something else to do and not be able to keep an eye on both kiddos..
Her: Ok
Me: and please teach him to say 'pee' or 'bathroom' whenever he feels like going to.. id be happy to help him
Her: I don't know..
Me: (awkward face and speechless and feeling bad for saying those things..)

So the next few days nobody came to my place. One day after all the awkward moments, Naynay came with a huge plate of homemade noodle. She spoke something in her language, i nod and nod and nod, and took the noodle, she looked happy after that. So the lesson from the incident and all the craziness was cultural lags could make a very bad communication. I remembered say 'It's ok he can play here' and that was me was sending a wrong message to my neighbor, and they received it very well.

Later days i understood that they did not mean to sneak and put the kid like everyday in my place in a very early morning. Maybe, they thought, because i like kids and i'm a typical of a 'yes-go-ahead-person' (because that's just Indonesian sounds like) so they thought it was all completely fine to open somebody's window in the morning and put your kid in. It was all my fault at the first place. Now, me and the upper neighbor get along very well, the kids play together, we share food, we talk and share some information, this is just great, a happy ending ;)

I gotta get my dinner. This is a good start after a long break, i will write again. maybe once a week. let's see..

Quit

Do you ever hear somebody said 'once quitter will always be quitter' anyone? I did, not exactly the right sentence but it could be something sounded like that. So what if someone decided to be a quitter? To me, even to quit is a decision indeed. What if you just got no better choice and have to quit? What if staying is so and too miserable so you encourage yourself to quit? What if you stand in the wrong place and need to quit?

Exhausted

I just hit a car. Nobody gets injured, but yes i have to pay for the repair. I thank God the owner of the car that i hit didn't sue me (fiuuuhh..long deep breath). So, i took a one day leave to fix the name change on Electricity Account. Me and my husband just bought a new house, and the electricity bill still named the previous owner. So, the process took a little while, but you know what? I have to give a standing applause for PLN (the national electricity company) for their services that was free of any charges, how awesome that was! I have to admit i had a bad thinking about PLN. I was thinking about briebery 'money politics' and a long bureaucracy. But in fact i was wrong! I came to the office and a security led me to a machine that gave me a queing number, i wait for a while until my number shown on the display. The process was quite okay, take a reasonable time, the best part is that they didn't charge me for anything! I hope this is a good sign for my country and the government, the public service is getting better and the public officers are dedicated. One issue i have to raise after my visit to PLN, they only allow me to raise one subject. On that day i can only submit an electicity account name change, when i request another service (i was about to change my electricity meter machine, it was old and rusty, and almost broken)the officer told me that one name/account could only raise one service request every month. This means that i have to go back next month to ask for the new meter machine. So i was just hoping that someone with position in PLN would read my blog and reconsider this policy. Returning from the PLN office, i went to my apartment, i was about to check the furniture installation and found that my kitchen set was have all right doors (no left door). Another deep breath, i drove to the furniture store and ask for the appropriate part. I hadn't even got my lunch! i got really exhausted, drove my car and hit the car in front of me. What a bad day..!

tinny bites

so this hobby brought me some extra income!! that's just great, you know, doing things that you like and get some cash from it, magic uh?

cookie probably one of my expertises. so i tried to make some sample of my cookies and let my friends try it. Yep, they like it so much and starting to order. one jar, two jars, four, twelve, thirty something jars!!!!! and the nightmare began. The fun part was no longer fun when you got exhausted.. But still, after all the hard work, cramping hands, non-stop baking, and crazy cleaning up the kitchen, i can smile ;)

i even have a label now,i designed the name and logo myself and i think it's not bad for a non-designer product :p
my jars named Tinny Bites and here they are