Happy Birthday, Papa

Hari Senin kemarin papa ulang tahun.  

Papa had his birthday last Monday.

Saya hampir lupa ngucapin selamat ulang tahun. Soalnya saya memang tipe orang yang lupaan sama ulang tahun. Jangankan ulang tahun orang lain, ulang tahun sendiri aja saya sering lupa.

I almost forgot to tell him happy birthday. I'm not the birthday type of person. I even forgot my own birthday.

Padahal sejak seminggu sebelumnya kami berdua sudah bikin rencana mengenai apa yang akan kami lakukan untuk mensyukuri hari ulang tahunnya.

We have made plan about the things we would do as our gratification for his birthday since last week.

Untung pagi itu roh mama mengingatkan saya kalau hari itu adalah hari ulang tahun papa.

Good thing that morning mama's spirit remind me it's papa's birthday.

* * * * *

73 tahun

73 years old

Perjalanan yang panjang.

It's a long journey.

Dari mulai kanak-kanak yang badung, remaja tukang keluyuran dan tukang berantem, pemuda pendiam yang mulai bekerja, seorang suami dan seorang ayah.

A brat child, adventurous teenager who got himself into many fights, a quiet young man at work, a husband and a father.

Melewati masa bahagia kanak-kanak, lalu kesengsaraan jaman peralihan dari masa penjajahan ke masa merdeka, keprihatinan ketika keluarganya terpecah, hidup mulai membaik setelah punya pekerjaan dan akhirnya berkeluarga.

Had a happy childhood, to have endured difficult time when the country was in transition from being occupied to be liberated, tough period of time when his family was broken, life got better after he got a job and finally settled down.

Masa-masa bahagia dan juga penuh kesedihan sebagai seorang ayah dari tiga putri yang harus kehilangan dua putri termuda.

The happy and sad times being a father of three daughters who had to lose two of the youngest daughters.

Sakit, tidak bekerja, masuk seminari dan terlibat dalam pelayanan sebagai pendeta muda.

Papa with his former mentor Rev. Jacob Nahuway (right), founder of GBI Mawar Saron church

Fallen ill, enrolled in a seminary and involved in ministry as a junior priest.

Pindah dari Jakarta ke Bogor.

1998, the new house in Bogor

Moved from Jakarta to Bogor.

Sekali lagi mengalami pasang surut kehidupan di kota yang baru.

Proud parents in my former office

Growing old with mama

Once again had life's ups and down in the new town. 

Maut tidak akan bisa memisahkan kita.

31 December 2016

Death can never set us apart.

* * * * *

Happy Birthday, papa

Papa pengen masak buat merayakan ulang tahunnya. Karena saya liburnya hari Selasa maka baru pada hari itu kami bisa pergi belanja ke Pasar Bogor. Karena hari itu hari libur Nyepi, saya bebas dari tugas mengajar les dan kami pun bisa keluyuran belanja, cuci mata dan icip sana, icip sini.

Papa wanted to cook some meals for his birthday. Since my day off is on Tuesday we went groceries shopping to Bogor Market on that day. Good thing it was also a public holiday so I was free of tutoring and thus we could go shopping, window shopping and got a little culinary tasting.

Kami belanja ini karena mau bikin masakan sedikit istimewa buat ngerayain ulang tahunnya si papa.

We went grocery shopping because we wanted to make special dishes for papa's birthday.

Dan juga buat dibagikan ke murid-murid les saya☺

And some are for my tutoring students ☺

He is My Papa

Katanya hubungan seorang ayah dengan anak perempuannya akan mempengaruhi banyak hal dalam pribadi dan hidup si anak.

It is said the relationship between a father with his daughter will bring many affect in the daughter's personality and live.

Saya tidak akan cuap-cuap mengenai hal ini ditinjau dari ilmu psikologi atau menurut pendapat para ahli, saya hanya akan menceritakan tentang ayah saya dan apa arti dirinya buat saya.

I am not going to lecture you about this using psychology theory or using experts' opionion, I am just going to tell you about my father and how he meant to me.

* * * * *

Saya ingin berkeluarga

I want to have my own family

Ayah saya menjalani masa kanak-kanak yang terhitung bahagia bersama orang tua, kakak dan empat orang adik.

My father had a considerably happy childhood with his parents, a brother and four younger siblings.

Dunianya berubah total ketika orang tuanya berpisah.

His world totally changed when his parents splitted.

Pengalaman itu demikian membekasnya hingga membuat ayah saya ogah berkeluarga. Pacarnya banyak tapi tidak seorang pun dari perempuan yang pernah dipacarinya bisa menyeretnya sampai ke pelaminan.

That experienced deeply affected him that he didn't want to get settled. He had many girlfriends but none of them ever succeed to get him to the altar.

Lalu bertemulah dia dengan almarhum ibu saya. Ayah saya yang pernah bersumpah tidak mau menikah itu berubah pikiran. Dia ingin menikah. Dia ingin berkeluarga.

So he then met my late mother. My father who once vowed he would never get married changed his mind. He wanted to settle down. He wanted to have his own family.

* * * * *

Kamu anakku

You are my child

Saya adalah anak pertamanya.

I am his first child.

Bahagianya luar biasa ketika saya lahir. Ayah saya yang terlahir sebagai seorang family man segera menjadi terampil mengurusi saya. 

He was so happy when I was born. My father who has this instinct of becoming a family man soon became handy in taking care of me.

Demen anak itu beda sama punya anak.

Having a fond for children is not the same with having children.

Demen sama anak cuma ibarat ngupas kulit aja. Demen sama anak berarti hanya punya waktu interaksi yang singkat dengan anak. Demen sama anak bukan berarti mau dan siap menghadapi anak itu ketika dia sedang uring-uringan, sakit, marah atau menjadi seseorang yang jauh dari harapan, keinginan serta rencana ideal kita.

Having a fond for children is like peeling a skin. It means to have limited interaction time with a child. It doesn't mean willing and ready to deal with the child when he/she is having tantrum, get ill, get upset or become a person who doesn't fit our ideal hope, wish and plan.

Ada banyak lelaki mengatakan ingin punya anak. Dia membuahi perempuan hingga perempuan itu mengandung lalu melahirkan anak. Senanglah lelaki itu. Sekarang dia punya anak, punya keturunan. Tapi ya sudah, segitu aja. Anak itu urusan si perempuan yang harus mengurus, membesarkan, mendidik dan membimbingnya. Kalau anak itu bertingkah, itu salah si perempuan. Kalau si anak gagal menjadi seperti yang diharapkan, diinginkan dan direncanakan oleh lelaki itu maka semua adalah tanggung jawab si perempuan. 

There are many men said they wanted to have children. A man planted his seed on a woman, made her pregnant and bore him a child. The man is happy. He now has a child, an offspring. But that's it. The child is the woman's business to take care, raise, educate and guide him/her. If the child makes trouble, it is the woman's fault. If the child fails to become as hoped, expected and planned by the man then it is the woman's responsibility.

Saya kenal seorang lelaki yang memperlakukan istrinya seperti keset and sand sack. Sekian tahun diperlakukan demikian akhirnya tidak tahan juga perempuan itu. Pada suatu hari dia minggat dengan membawa anak-anak mereka. Perempuan itu kemudian bertemu dengan lelaki lain yang mau menerima dan menyayanginya serta anak-anaknya. Bersama-sama mereka membangun keluarga yang baru.

I knew a man who treated his wife like a doormat and sand sack. After years being treated like that the woman couldn't stand it anymore. One day she took off, she brought their children with her. The woman later met another man who willing to accept and love her and her children. Together they raised a new family.

Waktu terus berjalan dan lelaki yang memperlakukannya bagai keset dan sand sack itu kemudian kehilangan hartanya. Hilanglah kebanggaan dan kegagahannya. Dia mencoba menghubungi dan menemui anak-anaknya tapi mereka tidak mau menemuinya. 

Time flew and the man who treated her like doormat and sand sack lost his money. Along with it, his pride and throne. He tried to contact and meet his children but they refused to see him.

Lelaki bangsat ini mencaci maki mantan istrinya. Mengata-ngatainya sebagai perempuan jalang yang membuat anak-anak mereka tidak mau mengenalnya lagi. Lelaki ini bahkan ikut memaki anak-anaknya, menyebut mereka anak-anak durhaka. 

This asshole cursed his ex-wife. Calling her a bitch that made their children don't want to know him anymore. He even scolded his children, calling them ungrateful children.

Padahal dia-lah yang jahanam. Butakah dia sampai tidak bisa melihat bahwa semua ini adalah hasil perbuatannya sendiri. Apa dia pikir dia bisa memperlakukan manusia disekitarnya semaunya dan kemudian menuntut mereka harus tetap baik, tunduk, hormat dan menyayanginya?

The jerk is he himself. Is he so blind that he can't see that everything is the result of his own doing? Does he think he can treat people around him as he pleases and then demand them to remain kind, obey, respect and love him?

Siapa saja bisa memiliki anak. 

Anyone can have children.

Tapi memiliki anak lebih dari sekedar mengatakan 'aku punya anak', lebih dari membanggakan diri bahwa 'aku punya keturunan' dan jelas lebih dalam dari pernyataan 'aku suka anak'. 

Having a child means more than saying 'I have a child', more than prided one self that 'I have an offspring' and definitely more deeper than making a 'I love children' statement.

Memiliki anak berarti hidupnya adalah hidupmu, nyawanya adalah nyawamu, jatuh bangunnya adalah jatuh bangunmu, kebahagiaan dan kesedihannya adalah kebahagiaan dan kesedihanmu.

Having a child means the child's life is your life, his/her soul is your soul, his/her failure and success are your failure and success, his/her happiness and sadness are your happiness and sadness.

Anak adalah milik dan tanggung jawabmu dan pasanganmu.

A child is your and your partner's ownership and responsibility.

* * * * *

Saya adalah anak ayah saya

I am my father's child

Sewaktu saya masih dalam kandungan almarhum ibu saya, beredarlah isu bahwa saya bukan anak ayah saya.

When I was in my mother's womb, there was a rumor saying I was not my father's child.

Lalu lahirlah saya dan saya bagaikan kembaran ayah saya dari rambut sampai ke jari-jari kaki.

So I was born and I am my father's twin from head to toe.

Bukan cuma fisik saja yang mirip. Sifat, kepribadian, minat dan hobi pun banyak yang mirip.

Comic lover. Dislikes manga. So do I

Likes reading. So do I

It is not just physical. Characters, personality, interest and even hobbies have many similarities.

Kesamaan-kesamaan itulah yang bikin kami bisa lebih bisa saling mengerti, menerima dan kompak.

We both love cooking

Those similarities are what make us understand each other better, can take one another and getting along well.

Fond of traveling

So do I

* * * * *

Jadilah seorang papa

Be a papa

Ada banyak ayah di dunia ini tapi sedikit papa.

There are many fathers in this world but only few papa.

Ini bukan tentang panggilan kepada laki-laki yang telah memiliki anak.

This is not about how we called a man with child.

Setiap laki-laki bisa menjadi ayah tapi sedikit yang bisa menjadi papa.

Every man can be a father but few can be a papa.

School's Outing Day: Ancol

Jalan-jalan!! Ke Ancol!

Going on a trip!! To Ancol!

Setiap bulan Maret sekolah mengadakan jalan-jalan dan tahun ini pilihannya ke Ancol.

Every March school held outing day and this year Ancol was picked as the destination.

Tahun 2008 terakhir kali saya ke Ancol dengan rombongan sekolah jadi tahun ini saya kepingin dan memutuskan harus ikut.

The last time I went to Ancol with on school's outing day was in 2008 so this year I wanted and decided I must came along.

* * * * *

Selasa, 14 Maret 2017

Tuesday, 14 March 2017

Saya sudah bangun dari jam 4 pagi. Berangkat dari Kecamatan Ciomas disepakati jam 6.30. Saya keluar rumah jam 6. Saya sampai di sana jam 6.35.

I got up at 4 am. It was agreed to leave from Ciomas Subdistrict office at 6.30 am. I left at 6 am. I got there at 6.35 am.

Semua sudah blingsatan kayak ayam mau betelor.. hehe..

Everyone was nervous like a hen that would soon lay her eggs.. lol..

Keke! Elu telat!

Keke! You're late!

Iya, tau, tau... Soriiiiii... soalnya kagak ada angkot. Kalau tahu angkot bakal jadi langka mending tadi dari rumah naik ojeg online. Ya, ga duga. Saya enggan naik ojeg karena jaraknya cuma seketek. Nanggung. Mau dibilang jauh, kagak. Dibilang dekat, ya jauh. Milih naik angkot.. eh, angkotnya pada ngilang.

Yes, yes, I know.. So very sorry... there was no angkot. If only I knew it would be hard to find angkot I'd take online ride. Well, I didn't know it would turn out like this. I didn't want to take online ride because the place is not too far but it is not too close either so I thought I'd take angkot. Heck, there was no angkot this morning.

* * * * *

Yuk cabut!

Come on let's go!

Jam 6.45 dua bis kami meninggalkan halaman Kecamatan Ciomas.

Our two busses left Ciomas Subdistrict office front yard at 6.45 am.

Kok semua guru ada di sini sih? Emak-emak di bis yang saya tumpangi bertanya-tanya. Yang perlu dijagain kan anak-anaknya bukan emak-emaknya.

Howcome the teachers are in this bus? The mothers in my bus wondered. The children are the ones needed looking after not the mothers.

Wah, meneketehe (mana saya tahu).. sejak saya mendarat di Kecamatan Ciomas, titah sudah diberikan bahwa saya naik di bis ini. Saya pikir cuma saya tapi ternyata wali kelas TK B dan karyawan sekolah juga.

How am I suppose to know.. eversince I landed on Ciomas Subdistrict office the order has been given that I should be on this bus. I thought it was just me but the B class teacher and the school's staff were there too.

Yang ada di bis yang ditumpangi anak-anak cuma ada kepsek dan beberapa ibu dari murid kelas Playgroup.

Headmaster and few Playgroup mothers were on the bus where the children were in.

Saya cuma guru honorer yang seminggu sekali datang untuk mengajar bahasa Inggris jadi saya sama sekali tidak tahu apa sebelumnya memang sudah diputuskan demikian. Dasar pertimbangannya apa, yah, saya sama bingungnya dengan emak-emak itu.  

I am just a teacher who comes once a week to teach English so I had no idea if it has been decided this way before the D-day. The consideration behind the decision? I was just as perplexed as those mothers.

* * * * *

Ada yang buang air besar di celana

Somebody pooped on the pants

Kami belum lama masuk tol sewaktu menerima pesan whatsapp dari seorang ibu yang berada di bis yang ditumpangi oleh anak-anak.

We just got into the toll road when a whatsapp message from a mother came. She was in the bus with the children.

Seorang anak jadi tersangka.

A kid became a suspect.

Anaknya ngambek. Ga terima dituduh begitu.

The kid was upset. Didn't accept the accusation.

Kita berhenti di rest area dulu.

We made a stop at rest area.

Berhubung jari kelingking kanan lagi luka, saya ogah turun dari bis karena kaki jadi kurang enak buat diajak jalan. Saya tidak mau pakai sandal karena takut terinjak. Pakai sepatu aman tapi jadi terasa agak sakit karena si kelingking agak terjepit di dalam sepatu. (Kenapa jari kelingking itu luka? Baca postingan saya sebelumnya 'Hello, Tiny Room').

Since my right pinkie on my right foot was ... I stayed on the bus because the pinkie made it felt uncomfortable to walk. I didn't want to wear sandal for fearing someone might accidentally stepped on it. Wearing shoes made it safe but also hurt a bit because it made the wounded pinkie pressed on it. (What made it hurt? Read my previous post 'Hello, Tiny Room').

"So, siapa pelakunya?" tanya saya pada Evelyn. (Tahun 2010 kami berdua mengajar TK A).

"So, who was the culprit?" I asked Evelyn. (We both incharged in A class in 2010).

"Ga ada" jawabnya "Cuma kentut".

"Nobody" she answered "It was just a fart".

Kentut? Segimana dahsyatnya itu kentut sampai efeknya seheboh tadi? Wkwkwk..

Fart? It must be one hell of a fart considering the chaos it created earlier. Lol..

"Siapa yang kentut?" tanya saya. Penasaran.

"Who farted?" I asked. Curious.

"Ga tau siapa" Evelyn terpingkal-pingkal "Satu bis bau kentut. Dalam pengalaman aku jalan-jalan, baru kali ini ngalamin dua bis sampai harus berhenti gara-gara ada yang kentut".

"Nobody knows who it was" Evelyn laughed it out loud "One bus smelled because of that. In my experience going on trip, this is the first time I experienced two bus had to make a stop because someone farted".

Hahaha.. saya spontan ngakak. 

Hahaha.. I spontaneously laughed it out loud.

Untung saya ga ada di bis itu. *Terima kasih, Tuhan*..

How lucky I was not to be on board of that bus. *Thank you, God*..

* * * * *

Nikita

Dari sejak saya sampai di Kecamatan Ciomas mata saya sudah mencari-cari Nikita tapi karena saya terlambat dan kami langsung berangkat tidak lama setelah saya sampai di sana, saya tidak berhasil menemukannya.

From the time I got at Ciomas Subdistrict office I have looked around to find Nikita but because I got there late and we left shortly after I got there, I didn't find her.

Begitu sampai di Ancol sekitar jam 8.30 saya masih tidak berhasil menemukannya. Ada begitu banyak anak kemudian kami berbaur dengan pengunjung yang tumpek blek di sana membuat saya benar-benar kehilangan jejak.

Once we got in Ancol at around 8.30 am I still haven't found her. There were so many kids and later we were in crowds of people that completely made me lost track of her.

Kenapa saya cari-cari dia? Karena emaknya nitipin anak itu ke saya.

Why did I look for her? Because her mother asked me to look after her.

Nikita menjadi satu-satunya anak yang tidak disertai oleh orang tua atau pendamping lainnya jadi dia total diserahkan dalam pengawasan guru.

Nikita was the only kid who was not accompanied by her parent or any escort so she totally entrusted to the teachers.

Saya baru melihat Nikita setelah saya melewati pintu masuk utama.

I saw her after I passed the main entrance.

Leganya saya. Kepsek, guru-guru dan karyawan sekolah juga lega karena mereka harus mengawasi begitu banyak anak dan dengan adanya saya maka tanggung jawab untuk mengawal Nikita dapat dialihkan ke saya.

I was so relieved. The headmaster, teachers and school's staff were relieved too because they had to watch on so many kids and my presence there meant the responsibility to escort her could be shifted to me.

Saya juga tidak keberatan. Bukan karena emaknya memang nitipin anak itu ke saya tapi karena anak itu nyenengin, mandiri, tidak cengeng, tidak manja, easy going. 

I didn't mind either. Not just because her mother asked me to escort her but because the kid is cool, independent, tough, unspoiled, easy going.

Saya pikir untuk seorang anak umur 5 tahun dia terhitung luar biasa berani pergi tanpa orang tua. Sewaktu saya seusianya saya masih amat sangat berada di bawah ketek orang tua. Jangankan ke Ancol, pergi ke warung yang jaraknya cuma seratus meter dari rumah aja harus ditemenin. 

I think she is pretty outstanding for a 5 year old to have the nerve to go on a trip without parents escort. When I was her age I was very much under my parents wings. Let alone going to Ancol, I couldn't even go to a stall that was about one hundred meter away from home without anyone coming along with me.

Dalam pengalaman saya sebagai guru TK pun jarang saya temui orang tua yang berani melepas anaknya pergi jauh tanpa dikawal dan anaknya juga berani pergi tanpa dikawal orang tua. Jadi saya kagum pada anak ini.

In my own experience as kindergarten teacher I rarely met parents who could let their child go in a trip without their escort and the kid dared to go on his/her own. So I admire this kid.

* * * * *

Under Water Show

Baru kali itu saya nonton pertunjukan langsung balet di dalam air. Biasanya cuma nonton di tv.

That was the first time I saw under water ballet. Before that I only saw it on tv.

Cukup mengagumkan.

Pretty impressive.

Sayangnya pengunjung berjejal sehingga menonton jadi kurang nyaman. Kaki saya saja sampai semutan karena posisi duduk tidak benar.

Unfortunately there were too many people crowding the room so it was a bit uncomfortable. My foot was numb for sitting in bad position.

Photo courtesy to Yohana

Saya juga takut ketika berjejalan saat masuk dan keluar pegangan tangan saya dan Nikita terlepas. Aduh mak, begitu banyak orang di sana. Jadi kami berpegangan tangan erat-erat. Untung juga ada Yohana. Kami berdua menempatkan anaknya dan Nikita di antara kami supaya jangan ada yang terpisah.

I was also afraid to lose Nikita. There were so many people in there. We held hands tightly. Good thing there was Yohana. We both put her daughter and Nikita in between us so none would be separated from us.

* * * * *

Teater 4D & Pertunjukan Bajak Laut

4D Theater & Pirate Show

Adalah dua dari empat pertunjukan yang terpaksa kami lewatkan. Yang pertama karena antreannya lama jadi kami tinggalin buat nonton pertunjukan yang lain dan yang kedua karena kami tidak tahu kalau kami diberi waktu sampai jam 4 sore berada di dalam arena tempat pertunjukan-pertunjukan itu diadakan.

Photo courtesy to Lastri Arita

Were two of four shows that we had to miss. The first because we were in line for a long time that we decided to skip it to see other show and the second show because we didn't know we were given until 4 pm to be on the compound.

Tidak ada info.

There was no information.

Kalau seandainya saya tahu kami punya waktu sampai jam 4 sore, saya dan Nikita pasti masih ngubek-ngubek di dalam sana dan tidak terburu-buru keluar karena takut kami lupa waktu sementara yang lain sudah ngumpul di bis.

If only I knew we had the time until 4 pm Nikita and I would definitely still went around the amusement park and not rushedly left it for fearing we had lost track of time while others have gathered in the bus.

Untunglah Nikita tidak cerewet tapi sebetulnya saya menyesal karena tidak bisa membawanya menonton semua pertunjukan itu. Kalau saya sendiri sih tidak terlalu mewajibkan diri untuk menonton seluruh pertunjukan yang ada di sana tapi buat anak-anak kan beda. 

Good thing Nikita was not noisy about it but I felt sorry for not taking her to see all the shows. If it were me, I didn't need to see the whole shows but it would be different for kids.

Nikita sendiri sore itu kelihatannya lebih kepingin pergi ke pantai dari pada menonton pertunjukan-pertunjukan yang ada di sana. Mungkin dia lebih suka pantai, mungkin dia juga capek diajak mutar-mutar atau dia malas harus berdesak-desakan mengantri seperti yang terjadi pada dua pertunjukan yang kami lihat.

That afternoon Nikita herself seemed more eager to go to the beach than to see those shows. Maybe she likes the beach better, maybe she was tired to walk around or she just didn't have the mood to be in the crowd while we were in line just like in the two shows we went to.

* * * * *

Pertunjukan Lumba-Lumba

Dolphin Show

Tobat deh saya nonton pertunjukan ini. Mana udaranya pengap. Manusianya begitu banyak. Harus naik tangga pula. 

I just had it with this show. The air was suffocating. There were so many people. Plus we had to climb the stair too.

Aduh, bener-bener perjuangan cuma buat lihat empat lumba-lumba berenang dan lompat-lompat selama kira-kira lima belas menit.

Man, it was really one hell of a struggle just to see four dolphins swam and jumped for about fifteen minutes.

Yang kepikiran sama saya selama lima belas menit itu adalah.. duh, kalau aja gue bisa ngerendem badan di kolam renang. Badan saya ngebul banget rasanya. Kepanasan habis-habisan. Saya dan Nikita sudah menghabiskan air di botol minum masing-masing. Saya membeli dua gelas es jeruk untuk kami berdua dan itu pun sudah kami habiskan tapi hausnya tidak hilang-hilang! 

What I thought in those fifteen minutes was.. man, if I could soak my body in a swimming pool. I was so hot as if I were in a sauna. Nikita and I have drank all the water in our water bottles. I bought two glasses of iced orange syrup and we had drank them all but we were still thirsty!

Udaranya sih tidak panas terik tapi gerahnya minta ampun. Duh, Jakarta cuacanya beda banget sama Bogor. Sepanas-panasnya Bogor, anginnya masih terasa angin gunung yang sejuk. Cuaca di Jakarta kayak berada di dalam oven.

It was not sunny but it was so damn hot. Man, Jakarta is so different with Bogor. Even in the hottest day in Bogor, there is still cool wind from the mountain. Jakarta's weather felt like being inside of an oven.

* * * * *

Pantai!

The Beach!

Akhirnya..

At last..

Sayang kelingking kaki kanan luka jadi saya tidak bisa ikut masuk ke air padahal kepingin banget.

Too bad the wound in my right foot's pinkie prevented me to get into the water, man, I really wanted to get into the water.

Setelah beberapa saat memperhatikan Nikita bermain di pantai bersama teman-temannya, tiga guru dan karyawan sekolah, saya pikir cukup amanlah meninggalkan dia. 

After few minutes watching Nikita played in the beach with her friends, three teachers and a school's staff, I thought it was quite safe to leave her.

Saya pingin pergi ke jembatan untuk foto-foto.

Photo courtesy to Agustini Evelyn

I wanted to go to the bridge to take photos.

* * * * *

Naik Perahu

Boat Ride

Orang dewasa Rp.10.000,-. Anak-anak Rp.5.000,-

It cost Rp.10.000 for an adult and Rp.5.000 for a child.

Asyik! Mau!

Yes! Count me in!

Ah, sedap.. asyiknya sore-sore dibawa keliling naik perahu. Enaknya kena angin. Gerahnya langsung hilang deh.

Photo courtesy to Lastri Arita

Awesome.. so nice to sail around on a boat. The wind was so cool. I didn't feel hot anymore.

* * * * *

Jalan-jalan sama emak-emak yang kagak ada matinye

Went on a trip with energetic moms

Bener-bener seru jalan sama serombongan emak-emak yang selalu rame, narsis dan heboh abis.

Photo courtesy to Santi Yrawati

Photo courtesy to Agustini Evelyn

It was really fun to go on a trip with a bunch of moms who are always fun loving, narcissist and full of acts.

Setelah kenyang menghadapi orang-orang di kantor dengan segala ulahnya yang seringkali tidak masuk akal, bersama emak-emak ini bikin otak saya kembali jadi waras.

After had it with the people at work with their many kinds of erratic behavior, being with these moms made me got my sanity back.

* * * * *

Matahari Terbenam

Sunset

Sayang saya tidak bawa Nikon saya tidak mengira bakal masih berada di pantai sampai matahari terbenam.

Too bad I didn't bring my Nikon because I didn't know we would be in the beach until sun set.

* * * * *

Bis ninggalin kita!

The busses left without us!

Saya dan Nikita sama-sama kebelet pipis dan mengingat perjalanan pulang yang lama memang sebaiknya kami pipis dulu.

Nikita and I were both needed to pee and since it was a long way to go back home it definitely a must to pee first.

Sebelum pergi ke toilet, saya bilang ke seorang guru dan karyawan sekolah.

Before we went to the toilet, I told a fellow teacher and the school's staff.

Jarak saya dan Nikita dengan bis-bis itu tinggal beberapa meter sewaktu kami berdua melihat bis-bis itu berjalan pergi. Lho??

Nikita and I were only few meters away from those busses when we saw they left. Whatta??

Saya menelpon Yohana. Tidak di angkat. Saya telpon guru lain (yang saya beritahu bahwa kami berdua pergi pipis dulu) dan untungnya dia mengangkat telponnya.

Photo courtesy to Yohana

I called Yohana. She didn't pick it up. Called other teacher (whom I told that we both went to the toilet to pee) and luckily she picked it up.

Karena mereka sudah berada agak jauh, saya dan Nikita menyusul dengan naik ojeg.

Since they were already far from us, Nikita and I had to pay for somebody to drive us on his motorcycle to where the bus waited for us.

Saya tidak mengomel. Saya hanya bertanya apa tidak ada yang merasa kehilangan kami berdua?

I didn't grumble. I just asked if there was anyone noticed our absence?

Yang terjadi adalah begini; ketika mereka tidak melihat kami ada di dalam bis itu, mereka mengira kami ada di bis yang satunya lagi. Nah, bis yang lain mengira kami ada di bis itu.

Here is what happened; when they didn't see us in there, they assumed we were in another bus. Now, the other bus assumed we were in that bus.

Dan tidak ada yang mengecek apakah memang saya dan Nikita ada di bis yang lain.

And nobody checked if Nikita and I were on the other bus.

Ceroboh.

Reckless.

Mungkin semua sudah kecapekan sampai tidak terpikir untuk mengecek tapi toh seharusnya tetap di cek dan ricek.

Maybe everyone was tired until no one thought to do the checking but it a check and rechecked should be made.

Jadi ambil pelajaran dari pengalaman saya ini. Kalau pergi dalam rombongan besar, pergi dan pulang setiap orang yang ada dalam rombongan harus di cek dan ricek apakah sudah ada di dalam mobil atau bis.

So take my experience as a lesson. If you go in a group that contains many people, do make checking and rechecking to make sure everyone has got into the car or the bus before you leave.

* * * * *

Capek tapi bahagia

Tired but happy

Saya sampai rumah jam 9 malam. Mama Nikita sudah menunggu kami di Kecamatan Ciomas. Dia mengantarkan saya ke rumah naik motor. Brr, dinginnya Bogor. Mana gerimis pula.

I got home at 9 pm. Nikita's mom waited for us in Ciomas Municipal office. She drove me home on her motorcycle. Brr, Bogor was so freezing. It was drizzling too.   

Besoknya saya merasa seperti setengah tidur.

The next day I felt like half asleep.

Sekolah diliburkan sehari tapi kantor saya kan enggak.

School gave one day off but not my office.

"Saya capek banget" kata saya waktu saya ketemu Andre akhir minggu itu. 

"I was so tired" I told Andre when we met that weekend.

"Tapi matamu bersinar sewaktu kamu menceritakan pengalamanmu jalan-jalan ke Ancol" dia tersenyum "Sinar yang sekian bulan ini hilang dari dirimu".

Photo courtesy to Santi Yrawati

"But your eyes shone when you told me about your trip to Ancol" he smiled "That shine was gone from you for months".

Dia meraih saya dalam pelukannya dan mencium saya "Saya gembira melihat kamu kembali ceria seperti ini. Sudah lama sekali saya tidak melihat kamu sebahagia ini". 

He embraced me in his arms and kissed me "I am happy to see you are cheerful like this. It's a been a while since I saw you this happy".