This page is dedicated to everybody who shaped
my life
I'm nothing without you all
======================================================
Once a week, I work as a newspaper boy, fortunately just 4 my neighbourhood, about 9 block of apartments.
You know what, names of the people whom the newspaper should be delivered are sometimes maddafucka funny. Last name like Tevreden
(means satisfied, so you call him Mr. Satisfied), Engel ( Mr Angel, oh God), Martoredjo, Karto, etc (Javanese name
which Javanese themself out there, not widely used), made me smile along the way. Maybe if someone see me smile myself, they
gonna think that I'm crazy.
Amsterdam, November 25th 2004
"Express for yourself, don't be afraid"
===============================================================
I was a bit shocked , 200,000 people rallied in Amsterdam against the government's controversial austerity
and reform measures in the city's biggest demonstration in two decades, they said. Last big demonstration was protest
against nuclear program in 1981, I mean with more than 150,000 people.
Protest banners n funny t-shirt with label like "Netherlands deserve better, No more Harry Potter (prime
minister of the Dutch government, Balkenende, is a bit similar with Harry Potter:), Balkellende (means rubbish
Balkenende) n stuff are really overwhelming.
It's really nice somehow, how the people dare to protest against their government.
"If the government doesn't like their people, just look for other people they like"
Amsterdam, October 2nd 2004
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That was a damn good day, for just 10 euro we got a BBQ in monastery of Tilburg. One coach
of 40 people, n there was a little cute girl of 7 years old named Anna. She came from London with her parents, she sat next
to me, n we played just the whole day, I was simply back to my childhood.
Even when I decided to go to downtown without her, she cried n "ngambek", ok...ok...I got to back
to monastery again, n when I arrived there, just a perfect time....Everything is done n ready to be eaten.........
Tilburg, August 1st 2004
"Children is a wonderful being, honest, without pretending, enjoy the world with happiness."
======================================================
It's so nice to be a part of Indonesia House Amsterdam, a place to be...., coz
I love place where I can learn a lot, or simply I'm the youngest with the least experience, especially in politics. Lately,
we had to form a new composition of our team. 'n I get position which everybody try to hide from, you know what's that......?
Accounting............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But I'll do that with pleasure, coz it's a cool place.....but not only that, to add my headache
hihi...........I am a webmaster of Indonesia House website (part of team again) beside my own site of course.
Amsterdam, July 2004
"Sometimes, you wanna run, but you can only walk, you wanna fly, but you can only run........be
happy to be what you are"
==========================================================
Not as usual, that day I went to work with my bike, oh God .......you're
not gonna see that bike, such a debris....haha.........
You know, I got that bike only for 4 euros......., what can I expect from that
cheap price. And the thing is, as well known throughout the world, Amsterdam is bike city, you see bike everywhere. But
be careful, in a minute you can loose your bike even if you have locked it. Just an opposite direction, I don't even need
to lock my bike, it's so ugly....no one gonna steal it. Thank God haha......
Amsterdam, May 2004
(When the spring controls the sphere, take a deep breath and feel free to lose
your passion)
=================================================================
On the way to the metro station, I took a glance to an exhibition for children,
small zoo was build. What a wonderful creatures, from a really small donkey, duck with crown in his head, tiny turkey, etc,
not to mention all, too many. Crowded with kids from my neighbourhood, this rare occation is a means to bring them in a lovely
world, harmony between human and nature.
(Amsterdam, April 10th 2004)
"Give peace and love, last longer than any other"
======================================================
A small gathering (round about 80 people) held in University
of Amsterdam, figure out whatever good and bad about Indonesian general election. Unfortunately, there's no sign of better
result from this election. It's quite sure that the gigant power of "status quo" will be the winner. And again, the progressive
stream will be the looser. We've got triplefold problems to adress ; bad election system, non educated voters,
'n limited choice of good party.
And those are our homework to do facing this crazy world, otherwise our ship (Our
beloved Indonesia) will be shinking. From my opinion, no choice but revolution.
(Amsterdam, March 31st 2004)
"It's not in our hand to choose in which time we are born, but it's our duty to
do our best in our time"
=======================================================
I feel so sad, coz Mba' Dyan, who I regard her as mother figure
here, is asked to leave Holland, in another words, she can't get residence permit. The day is never like this before, not
only me but I'm by no means sure that this land will missing her. She is 8 months pregnant, and her husband ( Bapak Anto )
is in Jakarta, mmmmmhhhhhh but at least I know one thing certainly, she is brave woman, and can handle whatever problem she
has.
"Good Deeds are eventually Rewarded, though we don't
know when and where"
(Rotterdam,
January 18th 2004)
============================================
Such a damn cold weather in Holland, I'm not used to.... Once,
I came in the metro to get home, there was in the corner one disabled people with the wheelchair, that man wasn't special
but.........the sticker hang on the wheelchair made me feel deep.... "Don't take your organs to the heaven, heaven knows we
need them here." Pretty Good ( Goed Gedaan....:Dutch ) I thought..... Next time I add this word in that sticker : "Don't take
your organs to the hell, hell will burn it..." Cool.......hehehe.....
("How smarter you are, how fooler you feel" )
(Amsterdam, Dec 2003)
============================================================
There was a trip to Christmas Market in Koln Germany with
Kekerabatan Katolik Indonesia (KKI) Amsterdam, nothing to say, but it was good, though very short. Typically European cities,
Koln (or Keulen in Dutch), nothin' special but everything is colossal. A giant Catholic Church ( Dom ) or busy shopping centre,
that's all I saw there. If you come to Koln, don't forget to buy local parfum which is I hate it very much, it 's Eau de Cologne
( baunya ngaco abis kaya minyak Nyong-Nyong).
Koln, December 2003
"Enjoy what you can enjoy, don't be late"
===================================================
I'm just about starting working voluntarily in Humanitas Amsterdam,
an organization which helped "troubled people" to get through their problem. It's such a enjoyable work, and so far I can
learn a lot from what I'm doing. One of the jobs is assisting old people who feel lonely, lonely is a product of individualism
actually, they get no attention from their children or family. Others are special assistance for young couple who have new
baby in their home, psichological help for anybody who lose their beloved, party for children, assistance for asylum seekers,
etc..etc.....
(Amsterdam, September 1st 2003)
'Don't look at who is talking, but look at what is he talkin'
about' ==============================================================================
Friday Praying this week is a bit different than usually, it's so
long that I didn't hear sermon in Javanese. In Amsterdam, there's one small mosque who has Javanese cleric, it's such a good
thing for me, I can speak Javanese any time now either at home or in the mosque.
Based on the fact that Javanese people from Suriname have not owned
their own mosque, let's say sufficiently enough for their community, they start to make a serious plan to build new mosque.
Good Luck........
(Amsterdam, October 2nd 2003)
"What's important now is keep asking and questioning, no matter what
are the answers."
===============================================================
I've just moved to Bijlmer (it's like Bronx of Amsterdam), nothin'
quite different than other part of Amsterdam, except that majority of people live here are black.
Thank God, I found new job in a bank and Schiphol Amsterdam Airport,
more over, not so far from where I live.
Mmhhh, first day at work in a bank, quite different than in a hotel
or restaurant, tight controlled security, a lot of rules, and boring at first sight. But anyway, I gotta work.
I was sleepy, coz I worked earlier in a cafe in the ABN
AMRO headquarter. I got a bit headache, and........
yup, I cut 200 euro bilyet with scissor.....
Oh my God, what could I do...?, nothin', just hoping that
nobody knows.
Thank God again, nobody knew and I'm by no means sure that I could
work again despite that accident.
(Amsterdam, September 4th 2003)
"Sometimes, somethin' a bit irrational happened in our life. But,
whatever it is, I believe that everything in this world have rational explanation."
====================================================================================
Such a beautiful day, uh............sunny, even too hot for some people....
Enjoying my holiday, I took a walk in downtown Amsterdam...., yup
I saw 4 Indonesian men walked in front of me.
"Pak, jalan2 nih..?," I opened conversation with a question.
"Ya, dik, adik sekolah di sini...?," shout one of them.
"Ya..., kuli sekalian kuliah Pak..."
"Wah, hebat juga nih, kondisi susah begini bisa jalan2 ke Eropa...?"
my curiousity growin'
They just smiled, and .......
"Kami mau nyari Rest. Selecta, adik tahu di mana..?,"they asked me.
"Oh, tahu Pak, sebelah sana, biar saya ikut jalan deh...", I offered
more than just an answer, accompanying them to the rest. mentioned.
On the way, conversation just flowing, and coz they're not soo tall,
I kicked sometime their back as a prove of brotherhood.
"Itu Pak, Bapak tinggal nyebrang........", in front of the rest. mentioned
before...
"Oh ya, adik namanya siapa..", a man with glasses shaked my hand and
asking my name.
"Amin Pak, Bapak namanya siapa...?" actually I wasn't so curious about
them.
"Saya Memet, bapak itu Ahmad, .......etc etc..."he answered.
"Ada kartu nama Pak, biar saya bisa main kalau lagi ke Indo..?" I
can't remember name well thus I asked name card.
"Wah, kebetulan lagi gak bawa Dik, tapi kalau mau main, boleh aja,
saya polisi dan bapak2 itu kerja di DPRD.." good job I thought.
"Di DPRD ama Kepolisian jadi apa Pak..?,"
"Saya Kapolres Sukabumi dan Bapak itu Ketua DPRD, yang lainnya anggota
dewan...," mmmmmmhhhhh my God, if I knew from the beginning, I gotta to chat rudely to them, or just make a joke about Indonesian
beaurocracy, how silly in such a situation (in Indonesia), they are travelling europe, I'm pretty sure, they use governmental
budget to travel.
Yeahh......, at least I've kicked their back.....good to repeat again
some times.
(Amsterdam, August 9th, 2003)
"All achievement come from controlled dissatisfaction"
====================================================================================
Some 300,000 people took part in Amsterdam's Gay Pride parade that
wound along the city's canals, a big event like this is too good to be missed.
Under beating sunshine, the 80-boat procession snaked along the city's
picturesque canals, watched by crowds of curious onlookers, and my self of course.
Aboard one float, sponsored by the city's museums, a group paraded in
costumes on loan from the Italian opera, Don Giovanni.
That's Holland, first country to legalize same sex marriage, could be
the most liberal country in the world.
Those gays and lesbians said, it's better to see this world in happiness
and welfare, than just make abundant problem from our different point of view (culture, religion, economic interest, etc),
in this case I agree with them.
NO MORE VIOLENCE, NO MORE WAR, NO MORE CHAUVINISM
WHATEVER, WHENEVER, WHEREVER.......PEACE
(Amsterdam, August 2nd 2003)
"Wise man sees everything from as many as point of view"
