* : January 2013

Letter to a Little Brother

Hey, little monster.

It's been a while since the last time I saw you laughing. You hate it when I say goodbye to you before my departure to somewhere. You know, I hate it, too.

But you are the true lover of me that you always wait for me to come home, even until your very last moment, you were there.

I was standing beside Mahakam, just two days before that day. I didn't say anything my mind was somewhere else. My eyes were staring blankly at the sea. They said that the worst side of the sea was how it separates the land, make a lot of people feel lonely and lonelier. You know, that was the time when I hate myself for being away from you, from home.

But, thank God. I was there holding your hand at your very last time. You smiled, I smiled.

Little monster, the memory of you is something I'll long remember in to my toothless age. I'll tell my future children how happy and remarkable my childhood was with you in it, tell them that they have a very tough uncle of all time. People say that I am the strongest woman they've ever met, they should know that you are the source of my strength.

So, little monster. You've been traveled far. Now you've found the light, come back home, come back to the place where you belong.

I still have to continue my journey here, reaching my dreams and your dreams, too. And of course traveling more miles to find the light just like you.

I'll see you when it's my time.

Love,

Sister

Tentang Bekerja

Saya ingat benar 2,5 tahun lalu, dengan masih canggung memakai coverall, helm, dan boots, menaiki 4WD sambil diperhatikan dari atas ke bawah oleh orang-orang yang 'merindukan' kehadiran perempuan di dunia kerja mereka, di sebuah kilang minyak.

Selepas dari itu, saya tidak ingat benar apa yang membuat saya pada akhirnya sampai di sini.

By the time I wrote this, saya sedang ada di kamar, ribuan kilometer jauhnya dari Jakarta. Ke sini perlu waktu tempuh 6 jam perjalanan darat dari airport besar atau menyambung dengan connecting flight yang jika cuaca buruk, maka yang bisa dilakukan cuma ikhlas.

Saya beruntung pekerjaan saya tidak selalu office based, saya bisa mati bosan kalo harus begitu. Juga beruntung saya tidak harus kerja roster sepanjang waktu. Semuanya cukup imbang buat saya. Kalau saya ditanya apakah saya bahagia dengan pekerjaan ini? Ya. Apakah saya selalu merasa bahagia dengan pekerjaan ini? Tidak.

Saya percaya jika menyangkut tanggung jawab, semua tidak akan selalu mudah dan bahagia. Kalau saya selalu merasa bahagia, maka saya akan terlalu merasa nyaman, dan jika terlalu merasa nyaman, maka tidak akan ada perkembangan pada diri saya nantinya. Tidak akan pernah ada perkembangan dalam zona nyaman dan berada di zona tidak nyaman bukan berarti tidak bisa bahagia. Karena bahagia itu diciptakan, bukan dicari.

Ini klise, tapi, keluarlah dari zona nyaman dan jadilah kebahagiaan.

Salam,

PS. As time goes by, saya sudah nggak canggung lagi naik 4WD dan jadi pusat perhatian selapangan :p

Yogyakarta

Surprisingly, Yogyakarta was the place where I opened my eyes for the first time in 2013. The first destination before going back to Borneo later. I don't know that much about this city, but everybody knows the beauty inside it. A quiet charm, immortal history.

Please remind me to return.

Di Hyang // Dieng (Abode of The Gods)

There was no definite reason of why I came here. The thought of standing 2000 meters above sea level in the highest village in Java was enough. So that day, I and some of my college friends took our working day off. Its kinda difficult for us to make our trip together since all of us are busy with our daily activities. We trapped in the office, meetings, business, work our asses off on site, etc, etc. So I decided to take a little trip, in a narrow time and Dieng is just the right option.

We rode our way to Wonosobo, the nearest town from Dieng. It takes 12 hours driving (we got almost 14 hours due to the long weekend's traffic jam, unfortunately) from Jakarta to Wonosobo through the track of North Java Sea. We reached Wonosobo the next morning. Quiet and clean town, that was the first thing that came out from my mind. A cold breeze greeted us as we entered Dieng. My eyes jerked up as the view of misty hills appeared in my sight. You know that I have a crush with mountains since I don't know when. My eyes were really pampered.

As I know, Dieng is a plateau formed by a geological activity. It made a caldera caused by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. This place reminds me of my visit to Mt.Batur (Bali) and Mt.Bromo (East Java) few years ago. A terrific geological activity has made a very beautiful landscape for those places.

There were many spots we visited during our time in Dieng. Dieng is also a location for Hindu Temples (known as the oldest Hindu temples in Java, correct me if wrong). To be honest, I was not too impressed with the temples. It's good but not stunning. Its beautiful landscape that chiefly attracts me. Imagine the lakes, craters, farm fields, hills, mountains, all in one. A soothing escape from urban life where you can breathe as deep as you want.

The best part of my trip there was the time when we watched a golden sunrise at the top of Bukit Sikunir. Thank God the weather was good so we can see the sun clearly by the side of Mt. Sindoro and Mt.Merapi as background. A tinge of gold appeared from the dark in the huge sky, surrounded by the clouds. It was splendid I must say, being at the highest village in Java, I felt literally closer to the clouds. The view was just...breathtaking. That was not my first time seeing sunrise from the height, but I must say this one is my favorite of all (I have posted some pictures in the previous posts in this blog, see here and here ).

Once I got a proper signal after witnessing the incredible sunrise there, I wrote a line on my twitter account:

I am sure that Indonesia is one of the most beautiful countries to catch the sunrise (and sunset too).

Catching the sunrise and watching it from the height should be included in everyone's bucket list, wherever the place, I think. Feel the closest moment you have ever been to the top of the world.

Shortly, it was all worth the hassle. I have just dropped my heart in that place.