Tales of a Tante, Pahlawan and Puteri

Inside Indonesia

2007-10-28T03:52:00.001-07:00

If you want 'a deeper image of Indonesia than that painted by mainstream media', you should check out Inside Indonesia (www.insideindonesia.org). Now in the electronic format and currently in its 90th edition, it offers a closer look in Indonesia besides Garuda, tsunamis and Bali or terrorist haven (yes, I am oversimplfying but you get the drift.)

A good read and well researched by contributors who know their stuff and reporting from the ground, you will get articles which are left out by the mainstream media such as the peace process in Aceh which is not often internationally covered. And with articles titled 'M16 for punks' (no, it is not about terrorists), it is certainly a good teaser to read on.

www.insideindonesia.org

There's always a first time for everything

2007-10-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

Place: Ring Road Utara, Yogyakarta
Date: 27 October 2007
Time: 1845
Damage: Engine transmission and connector
People involved: Henry, Tudi, Fendy, Henry's friend and me

And yes, we still had the mood to pose for pictures

Lessons learnt:

1. Don't brake and try to change gear at the same time.
That WILL damage the engine transmission.

The remains of engine oil

2. 'Connections' are still important in Indonesia.
Apparently, someone had connections with the police department and evertything was 'settled'.

3. Men and soccer cannot be separated.
The accident did not deter us from continuing to play another hour of futsal after that.

4. Tow service in Indonesia takes a super long time.
Henry and the rest spent close to 2 hours calling for a tow service after dark.

Stranded at the roadside with Henry (extreme right) on the phone

5. Suzuki makes good car bodies but poor engine shock mechanisms.

Suzuki can really absorb the shock of the crash

The only visible damage: the number plate

Fasting Month

2007-10-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

I know it is kind of late to put up this blog (since Hari Raya is over), but I just need to share with you our experience in the fasting month.

Knowing our friends had to puasa, Putri and I really tried our best not to eat our lunch at the center (though our friends definitely permitted us to do so). Even if we do bring food, we try to bring food like bread or buns which does not have a strong smell. Well, it is definitely not wrong to bring food like instant noodle (and let the world know you are eating), but we try not to do that.

Anyway, one day, Putri and I really thought maybe we should really fast like our Muslim friends: Just experience one day without food (but we cannot live without water la), and experience that kind of hunger which our Muslim’s friends are going through. So of cos, we did!!! AND AT 5.30PM (buka puasa)...I was so hungry..I could almost eat a cow LAH! We were invited to join them for dinner at Amplas.. and we really enjoyed it that night.
Icha, if you are reading this blog, thanks a lot for organizing the dinner.
As for the rest, we really enjoyed the dinner that night, thanks for the invitation

Clockwise direction: Puri, Winna, Pitra, Icha, Nicola and Sirgit

Above: Puri, Myself and Pitra

Bandung

2007-10-21T00:13:00.000-07:00

BANDUNG

To me, Bandung is like Singapore – it is developed, it is clean and it has a lot of shopping areas like Singapore. Together with Putri and her parents, we went to nice cafes, nice restaurants and we really shopped till we dropped (well, we deserved to shop and shop and shop, because we saved our money for this trip and we ensure we don’t go over our limits with money…so mummy and daddy, if you are reading this, yes, your daughter is sensible and mature enough to watch her spending.. haha)

It is a pity that we did not take photos of some of these really nice places, but don’t worry, I kept the name cards, so for people who are going to Bandung, you should really visit some of these places.

Actually, Bandung is really like a 2nd Singapore. I am sure if I have stayed in Bandung, I will not have missed Singapore that much. You remembered I mentioned some time before that I really miss eating Kaya toast with my parents??? GUESS WHAT?! That is a YA KUN KAYA TOAST in Bandung! And of cos, we have our BREAD TALK!! Is so much like Singapore! Going to Paris van Java, is like going to Clarke Quay, and some of the shopping malls in Bandung looks like CK TANG. OMG, there is a SOGO here and I bought 3 POLO RALPH shirts for S$50.

Pak Aris told us that it is a must eat at THE VALLEY, so how could we miss it??!!! It is FANTASTIC place; well the food is average but the ambience is TERRIFIC and the price is reasonable. I really fall in love with the place and the cakes look so beautiful, yet, I didn’t have time to try the cakes then. I will definitely be going back again in future, so I could stay either in the resort or just go there for lunch/dinner.

Another tea and coffee place which all you MUST go is the DAKKEN Coffee & Steak. It is by far the best café I have gone to in my 3.5 mths here. The café is in a colonial style mansion. It may not appear to you from the outside, but the interior inside is beautiful!! For ladies who love to take afternoon tea, try to drop by at Jalan L.L.R.E. Martadinata No.67, Bandung 40114, Tel: 22-420 9507 (is at Jalan Riau). Believe me, you will love it!

Priyayi and pembantu

2007-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

In the course of my readings on recurring migration by Indonesian women seeking work overseas as foreign domestic helpers, I came across this article 'Learning the ways of the priyayi' by Rebecca Elmhirst which argues for the continued (and growing) importance of domestic service within the country. Her opening statement that 'Paid domestic work is a fact of life throughout Indonesia' is one that sets the tone for this article.

During my visit to Pitra's grandmother house for Hari Raya Puasa, our conversations somehow turned towards mudik, pembantu (literally translated as helpers) and priyayi (Javanese term for elite) families when I discovered that his family was entrenched in the higher echelons of Indonesian society. Inevitably, I was drawn to ask if his family employed pembantu, of which a positive response was elicited. What intrigued me was the complex relationship between the priyayi and pembantu based on patronage and obligation, supported by family ties and constantly interacting with modernity. In turn, questions were formed as I ponder the changing dynamics of this relationship which straddles between the (seemingly static) values and traditions within Javanese society and the ambiguous role of women (both priyayi and pembantu) within the Indonesian society between the New Order's idealized motherly figure and the feminization of the general workforce.

In today's context, how important and applicable is the concept of patronage and obligation in the employer and servant relationship?

How important are family ties for the pembantu to sustain employment for herself and other dependents in the long run?

Does the pembantu sees this process as an exercise in social and economic mobility given their economic standing and social backgrounds?

How do both parties exercise power or resistance (typical Foucault-ian) in their interactions with each other?

These are some questions I would really wish to answer. Now is probably not the best time even though these thoughts are probably better framed than those I have on the essay on recurring migration. If you have any insights or personal experiences on the issue, a comment would be greatly appreciated.

Borobudur in words and pictures (that really, don't do it justice!)

2007-10-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

Many visitors to Yogya often opt for the infamous ‘one-day city tours’ inclusive of a sunrise morning at Borobudur (which is not much of a sunrise considering the gates open at 6 am but the sun comes up much earlier here in lovely Indonesia… much to my dismay), and then the Kraton. Yogya however, has much more to offer than the Kraton and Borobudur so if you’re thinking of visiting this city, do spend more than a day here. Soak up the sights and sounds of Yogya and I promise, you won’t regret it. I’ve spent 3 months here and still, I feel like there is so much left to see, do and discover… I wish I could spend more time in Indonesia but it’s too bad, reality beckons. Anyway, this is exactly what I told my parents to do when they visited me last week (I am only still 21!!) and so, we decided to take a full-day trip to Borobudur and the smaller adjacent temples, Candi Pawon and Mendut.

Borobudur is an amazing sight. We opted for a tour guide, which cost a very worthwhile 50 000 rupiah. Though he stopped only to explain certain bas-reliefs (I think everyone comes away with the same story), he was helpful in that he explained the reason for some of the discoloured yellow stones on the temple (the Dutch thought they’d paint it to up the oomph factor I think), the holes in some of the stones (made after the second restoration so the restorers would know the exact location the stones came from), and of course the story of the Buddha from birth, his early life as a prince, his decision to leave his kingdom and his search for enlightenment. I’m simplifying things I know, but for the purpose of this blog entry, the story of Borobudur: desire at the first level, subsequent suffering and pulling away from temptation and finally, reaching a state of absolute peace or nothingness, will appeal to anyone regardless of race or religion. In fact, it’s a story we as young people are all too familiar with and my parents, as older people, are all too happy to remind me of. Borobudur is truly a spectacular sight and you have to see it with your own eyes to truly appreciate its beauty. For the moment though, here are some pictures for you to enjoy.

Walking up the steps to Borobudur
Bas-relief depicting one of life's greatest desires: Gossip!! A view from the middle section of the temple, of the top of Borobudur

sTuDeNt GuIdEbOoK

2007-10-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

sTuDeNt GuIdEbOoK

Hey everyone out there! Afraid that you cannot print out all the information from our interesting blog??? Don’t worry, for the next batch of students who are traveling to Yogyakarta, Putri and I will be preparing a STUDENT GUIDEBOOK for all!!

Since we reached Yogyakarta, I have been collecting all the name cards from restaurants, from oleh-oleh shops and from beauty salons etc. Each time we patron the stall, we will assess if the shop is worth going all not and then we will list them as ‘TOP 10 MUST GO’ and ‘TOP 10 DON’T GO ALSO CAN LAH!’

Need BEAUTY TIPS??? What JAMU or Mask to use??? What do you need to PREPARE before coming here?? Don’t worry; we will try our best to answer your questions!

Well, GENTLEMEN out there may have a different TASTE (usually they are the opposite of us when comes to enjoying good ambience and good food) (“,) but for YOUNG LADIES especially those who LOVE TO PAMPER themselves, YOU should read our interesting STUDENT GUIDEBOOK!!!

Book NOT ENOUGH??? Don’t worry, WE HAVE VIDEO! Just to let you have a feel how your trip will be like…

WHATS MORE!!! It is FREE!!!!

* For students who are thinking of going to Yogyakarta, maybe you could drop Putri and I your questions (just drop them at the ‘comment’) and we could answer them as soon as we can.

We will try to make the student guide book as RELEVANT as we possibly could, JUST LET US KNOW what you need!!!

Bandung in photos

2007-10-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

Bandung Institute of Technology

The student centre at ITB

Venturing into the traditional market

Jalan Braga reminds me of old Paris sans the traffic

Of Volkswagen and Art Deco architecture

Savoy in the heart of Bandung

Jalan Asia Africa, named after the conference of the same name

Asia - Africa Conference, April 1955

The same conference hall used in 1955 and 2005

Gedung Sate, the Governor's office for West Java

Bandung in the manicured gardens

The crest for West Java

Group photo with the cultural performers heading to Osaka

Angkutan, the cheapest but not efficient way around Bandung

Dennis, Mira, Yunita and me

Sista, Yunita, me and Septy

Display console on Sky 90.5 FM where Yunita is presenting

All ready to head back to Yogya

What are they doing to me ? Poking my feet

Ricefields in Central Java

Travelling through the mountain range of Central Java

Almost back to Yogyakarta

Tugu railway station

I saw the clouds in Dieng

2007-10-18T03:40:00.000-07:00

Through my time in Yogyakarta, Dieng is one of the places that people mention. Sure, it is not in the same breath of Borobudur or Prambanan but it has its unique mountain charm which eludes most travellers given the long journey needed and off the usual tourist track. Even though there is no pictures on postcards for motivation, the thought of 2000 metres above sea level and being surrounded by series of mountains in the heart of Central Java was enough. If one would have seen Dennis (my neighbour at MMUGM) and myself on his motorcycle with a 70 litres backpack on my back, we would have been easily mistaken as Lonely Planet style travellers. The truth is not far from that.

Postcard or reality ?

Overloading is not an issue.

From Yogyakarta, we rode our way to Magelang, a town north of Yogyakarta. We should have anticipated the lebaran traffic that was leading to Semarang, one of the major cities on the Northern coast of Java. After a brief stop over at Magelang, we headed for Temanggung, one of the smaller towns, and eventually to Wonosobo, the main gateway to Dieng. By that time, we were starting to freeze our asses off since Wonosobo is 900 metres above sea level.

Entering Wonosobo.

The afternoon mist rolling in

The journey from Wonosobo to Dieng was something that could be taken out of Lonely Planet. Imagine running low on bensin, two tired travellers wearing bermudas and t-shirts, trying to get to the top of Dieng by overworking the engine and trying not to fall off the incredibly steep incline. Yes, the 26 km journey seemed to take forever after series of circling roads and incredible scenery. After 7 hours and about 200km, the sign of Dieng greeted us.

Friendly villagers on the way to Dieng

The thought of seeing a small mountain town with its quiet charms was quickly replaced by the bustling traffic at the entrance of the village with its only T junction with buses plying along the side of the main road, touting for passengers to Wonosobo and neighbouring towns. Bypassing Losmen Bu Djono, which we would return for meals, we headed to the most 'upmarket' hotel in Dieng, Hotel Gunung Mas. To our dismay (or relief), we suffered a flat tire just when we entered into Dieng which was pointed out to us by a ojek driver. Perhaps, we were just lucky it did not happen halfway up to Dieng.

The reasons why we came to Dieng

I was rather prepared for the rooms at Gunung Mas (Tel No. 02863342017 and ask for Pak. Rohmat) after experiencing less than ideal rooms in Bandung and Solo. We opted for a room without hot water for 100,000 Rp. per night after being informed that the rooms with hot water were fully occupied by families from Jakarta. Determined not to waste time, we headed to the main temples (Arjuna Complex) located in front of the hotel. Not very stunning although some have been partially restored with families gathering to take pictures at the foot of the temples. Having said that, the temples are not considered the main attraction of Dieng but its beautiful landscape and its natural attractions of lakes, craters and hot springs.

Picure of a picture

One of the temples at Arjuna Complex

More temples

Hot springs tapped for geothermal energy

Swiss Rosti at Losmen Bu Djono was not what we expected how the Swiss serves it but excellent nevertheless. Home grown fried potatoes, vegetables and eggs was the Indonesian interpretation. In fact, potatoes and cabbages are the main agricultural produce of Dieng. As explained by the locals, it appears that potatoes are the most suitable for the soil in the mountainous region. Indonesian potatoes ? That is something new to me. At 20,000 Rp. (expensive by local standards), it certainly filled my stomach. On the way back, the occasional 'Hello Mister' to Dennis and the prayers from nearby mosques was prelude to a long night ahead.

Potatoes ready for export

And yes, we were woken up by the morning prayers at 0430 on both nights from the nearby mosques. In fact, I counted that there were 10 mosques within this mountain town with villages having its individual mosque. Reading from Lonely Planet that the Dieng area sends a considerate number pilgrims for Mecca each year, I wonder if there was a connection to the Middle Eastern architecture of the mosques. Starting the day by paying 40,000 Rp. for an (almost) all access pass to the major attractions on Dieng, we started from Telaga Warna and the nearby Telaga Pengilon also known as the Coloured Lakes. Sembungan, possibly the highest village in Java, was the next stop with Gunung Sikunir was the main focus where I felt literally the closest I had ever been to the top of the world. The view from Sembungan was just incredible.

Telaga Warna

On top of the world (almost)

Incredible view, right ?

Kawah Skidang, a volcanic crater with bubbling mud was the last stop before lunch back at Losmen Bu Djono again. Well, it would be unjust to these main attractions sum up what Dieng has to offer but the surrounding scenery really offers so much more. It feels as like you have escaped from the stress and pollution of urban life to paradise central where nature surrounds you. The sites, west to Dieng, are a little far off the track. Telaga Merada was just forgettable with the local guide trying to pull off a fast one on us by charging for parking charges which did not exist.

The life of a farmer

Kawah Skidang

On the last day (Wednesday), we made our way to Kawah Sileri (not covered in the all access pass, 3000 Rp. per person) and attempted to find the waterfalls which was not mentioned in the guide by on the painted maps of the various hotels / home stays. After our legs, clad in slippers (the most unsuitable footwear for trekking) suffered an hour of uneven stone paths and taking the detour, a local offered to take us to the waterfall.

Sunrise at Dieng

When Indonesians say 'lewat' and point in the general direction , take it with a pinch of salt. Walking along the terraced potato fields and off the main track down the mountain where one wrong step sends you falling to your death, it would not be exaggerating that we were risking our lives to see the waterfalls but the view was worth the retirement of my slippers and the numerous panic attacks on the way down.

Is this picture worth all the risk ?

To cap off the trip, our impromptu guide invited us to his home in the village to 'istirahat dan santai' (rest and relax) where hot teh manis (really sweet) was constantly refilled by his mother. It really reflects the warmth and hospitality of Indonesians shown to visitors, be it in governor office of West Java in Bandung or a mountain village in Dieng.

The kitchen in the home of our guide

A note of caution: Walking to the various attractions are not advisable even if Lonely Planet claims the distance to be walk able. The best option is to ride a motorbike and enjoy helmet less rides through the empty roads and enjoy your surroundings.

Returning to Gunung Mas, it was time to bid farewell to Dieng. The ride down Dieng to Wonosobo was rather uneventful except of taking a wrong detour heading towards Purwokerto (towards West Java) instead of Purworejo. From the latter, it was route one through the Kledung Pass which offers an excellent view of the lush jungles of Central Java. Taking a rest stop on a bench somewhere along the Pass beside some locals repairing a motorbike is nothing short of Lonely Planet.

The view of Central Java from Kledung Pass

From Purworejo, following the western train route, the next stop was Wates and finally, Yogyakarta. Short of dangerous is probably the best expression to describe the last portion of the journey. After 5 hours on the road and 30 minutes of rest, Wisma MMUGM finally appeared in sight. Even though it was a short and cheap (400,000 Rp. all expenses inclusive for twin sharing) road trip with war scars to show for, it was all worth it.

Cost of the trip: 400, 000 Rp.
Cost of flat tire: 35, 000 Rp.
The experience of the road trip: Priceless

Eating out in Yogyakarta

2007-10-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

Finding food in Yogyakarta is not an issue with warungs, eateries and restaurants at every nook and corner of the city but a serious one during the Hari Raya Puasa with all the eating establishments closed for the holidays, save the MacDonald's and KFC.

Given the numerous warungs in the city, it is almost impossible to do a comprehensive review. Needless to say, it is the cheapest option but not the safest in food hygiene. However, the sight of a gas stove likely indicates it is aman (safe). Expect to pay no more than 10,000 Rp. for meal with drink. The alternative would be proper eating establishments or the 'upmarket warungs', either serving a specialized menu (local or Western cuisine) or a variety of choices. 20,000 Rp. should be enough.

For the main ‘course’, we are talking about the upmarket restaurants and dining places. Compared to other Indonesian cities, Yogyakarta falls behind in the quantity and quality of its upmarket experience but it makes up through its reasonable prices and its dining environment which makes little attempt to be what is not.

Gadjah Wong

Located along Jalan Gejayan, Gadjah Wong is nicely nestled away from the main road as if entering a tranquil environment. One of the most expensive restaurants in the city means that, more often than not, you will probably be one of the few diners. Consisting of three dining atmospheres (Javanese, country music or jazz), it offers at least three excuses to return other than the excellent mains which start from 30, 000 Rp. onwards.

Parsley

Located along Jalan Kaliurang is Parsley bakery, café and restaurant under one roof. The selection of breads and pastries available at the bakery evokes memories of the neighbourhood bakeries in Singapore. Not a promising start. The cafe area is pretty cozy but with only 2 sofas, it is not exactly the place to hang out for the afternoon. They could do better with other couches. The restaurant serves the usual (local and Western mains) with mains starting from 20,000 Rp onwards which does not reflect the quality of the food served. Having eaten there a couple of times, the service and food is consistently below average. The concept of al fresco dining at night makes little sense when there is poor ventilation (read: no air conditioning) and its location along the busy Jalan Kaliurang defeats the original purpose.

Joglo Resto

Joglo Resto, located along Jalan Colombo and near the main entrance of UNY, is best described as a collection of warung food in a restaurant setting. From bawal bakar to tempe goreng to cream of chicken soup (stay away from that), you name it and they have it. The only difficult part is to comb through the myriad of consolidated menus from various stores and actually choosing what to eat. All you need to do is to write what you want (typical Indonesian style) and that's it. A typical meal should cost around 20, 000 Rp. inclusive of mains and drinks. Bills are settled at the entrance of the restaurant warung style.

Cozy Easy Dining

A chain of restaurants (Jalan Gejayan and Jalan Lasada Adisucipto) with its classy interior, there is a regret of not visiting it much earlier. Prompt service with a wide range of mains with reasonable pricing starting from 15,000 Rp. onwards and the promise of live music on weekends, Cozy Easy Dining really lives up to its name. However, the gig screen seems to distract the overall presentation. No complaints if they screen live football games. Frequently patronized by the younger local crowd, it deserves repeated visits.

Hanis Bakery

Another highly recommended eating establishment located along Jalan Palagan Tentara Pelajar. Opened by a Belgian who married an Indonesian (at time of writing, the wife is pregnant), this is the closest you can get to the atmosphere of One Rochester without the yippie crowd. Serving both Western and Javanese mains (think Gadjah Wong) starting from 25,000 Rp., the quality is close to you might find it in some fancy restaurants in Singapore. Try to buy some European bread while dining there. A jazz band plays on Fridays and Saturday evenings.

Sapi Bali

Another restaurant located near the Hyatt along Jalan Palagan Tentara Pelajar, Sapi Bali serves one of the better iga bakar (BBQ ribs, I think) in Yogyakarta. The most expensive mains (Iga Bakar) tops at 27,000 Rp which is enough for one very hungry guy. The ribs are nicely barbequed over a nice fire such that the skin is crispy while the inside is tender and soft to the bite. One of my eating companions remarked that given the name of the restaurant and the dominance of Hinduism in Balinese society, iga bakar is one big contradiction but one is not complaining when the food is so delicious.

In terms of hanging out places, Yogya seems to need to pull up its socks.

Via Via Cafe

Located in the Prawirotaman area (associated with the backpackers), this cafe is one of the more stylish cafes / chill out places with its two storey layout. The second floor is well much better than the first especially when the jazz band belts out jazz standards on Fridays from 2000 onwards. Exhibitions by local artists are reqularly held at Via Via which pushes its arty quotient up another notch. Via Via tends to fill up quite fast so reservations are recommended if going in a big group.

Kinoki

Tucked away from the busy street of Jalan Suroto is Kinoki. Located directly opposite the Gramedia building along Jalan General Sudirman, it prides itself as a nice chill out place in the evening with daily movie screenings ranging from Hitchcock to Indonesian indie films. Food is reasonably priced with mains starting from 12,000 Rp. onwards but be prepared to wait for your food. It does sell some nice T - shirts (better than those sold in the distros) and some nice DVDs. A place for the arty farty or just to chill out without having to travel too far out.

Bintang Bar

Featured on Lonely Planet and patronized by its readers, the bar is located along Jalan Sosrowijayan, a stone throw away from the busiest street in Yogyakarta, Jalan Malioboro. Bustling with bules (the local term for foreigners) and Indonesian SPG (Sarong Party Girls), the place is filled with expats and backpackers. Live band plays on Friday evenings starting from 2100 onwards and the atmosphere picks up closer to 2300. Happy hours end at 2000 daily.

- To be updated -

Looking at Idul Fitri

2007-10-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

'Mudik' or the act of returning to one's hometown for Idul Fitri is probably one of the most important events for Indonesians as many empty out the major cities and sometimes out of Java (the world's most populated island) to their families in other parts of Indonesia. In fact, it takes place for more than a week as millions of people travel across Indonesia using various modes of transport (ferry, buses, cars, planes, motorcycles)

For some, going home means stuck in the traffic jam for more than 24 hours (especially on the highway linking Jakarta to Central Java), squeezing for a seat at the bus terminal or the mad scramble and crazy prices of air tickets during the festive period. For others on the motorcycles, the journey home may be a perilous one. Fatigue and the blatant disregard for traffic rules and impatience in overtaking are but some of the causes of road accidents during this period. (Yes, the road conditions here are really TERRIBLE.) Most of the times, it may be the motorcyclists at fault for doing 'stupid' and dangerous things, like to overtake from the left or overtaking on a single carriageway filled with speeding vehicles on both sides. Yet, drivers cannot be exempted from the blame when they speed and weave through the traffic, as if they own the road, protected by their 'tin can'.

For the 15,000 odd policemen, it means forgoing their holidays as their temporary homes can be found in tents located along major intersections. For some Indonesian 'traffic advisors', they reach areas where the police cannot reach, like some of the some junctions connecting smaller towns. But often for a small 'donation' where the only words uttered are 'terus, terus'.

At the same time, Idul Fitri means cash registers ringing for some. For hotels across Indonesia, the massive exodus of Indonesians means that some hotels are packed with families visiting their hometowns or trying to avoid housework as many domestic helpers return to their hometowns during this period. The sign 'Penuh' or full room occupancy is often a common sight during this period. MPVs and saloon cars with license plates from all across Indonesia (AB - Yogya, B - Jakarta, BK - Bali and etc.) and children running around the place are just scenes not so different between Hotel Gunung Mas and Wisma MMUGM.

For the bule (Indonesian term for foreigner), this festive period is probably not festive for them at all. With most of the drinking holes closed for the weekend and clubs not yet open, it seems that the best option is the friendly Circle K for a good old Bintang.

For me, i only write what i see.

Rasa Sayang

2007-10-11T19:00:00.001-07:00

Apparently, the Malaysian Tourism Board is using the song 'Rasa Sayang' as their theme song for Malaysia's 50th anniversary celebrations under the 'Rasa Sayang' campaign. It, in turn, has led to an outburst of protest and even online petitions by Indonesian politicans and ordinary citizens. (Yeah, it is being circulated on the Internet) Furthermore, it is claimed that much of Indonesia's cultural heritage is slowly but surely being claimed by other countries (batik, wayang kulit and many others).

However, the issue is whether these cultural forms can be patented to a specific country. More importantly, what is the basis of such claims ? How will Indonesia prove that the origins of these cultural forms ? Not easy to say that 'Rasa Sayang' is 100% Indonesian (or from Maluku). Yet, if viewed in the larger framework of cultural tourism, such an action or the threat of it appears to be more logical especially with the tourist dollar at stake.

At the end of the day, there are probably more similarities than differences between the two countries. And with all the diplomatic disputes (the wife of the RI Ambassdor mistaken as an illegal immigrant) threatening to spill over, this holiday period may be a good time for both sides to take a step back and reflect.

Two months in Yogya

2007-10-01T05:09:00.000-07:00

How time flies
two months in Yogya
that means one and half month left
the bitter sweet feeling
knowing that all good things come to an end
but even better things await back home.

Meeting new people
seeing new things
trying new experiences
stepping out and returning to our comfort zones
learning about ourselves and others
lines drawn across the 'to-do' list
even more to do see and do

Even with the projects looming at the back of my mind
the trip to Bandung is more enticing to me
i tell myself
46 days more (or less)
somehow everything will work out.

'Keep telling yourself that, darling'
Captain Jack Sparrow

Failing to appreciate the beauty of our country as much as we appreciate Indonesia’s

2007-09-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

I always tell my friends that ‘Sincerity’ or being ‘Sincere’ is one of the most important things in life. You will realize that if you are not ‘sincere’ or do not have the ‘passion’; you will only view things at the surface. This is, taking snapshots of your life experience here and there, without really wanting to understand (or do not have the ability to understand) what does this ‘snapshot’ really mean.

After all my theory of ‘sincerity’, I realized I have not known my country well; I have not sincerely find out more information about the life-style of my fellow Singaporeans well, which I am truly upset about and I must thank Puteri for reminding me about this. According to Puteri’s observations, Chinese (being the majority race in Singapore) have not really tried to understand about other races around them. She explained that this is because the majority will not find the need or the urgency to understand how a minority lives. True enough, I do not know a lot about Malay or Indian’s culture; what I know is just a surface (like what is written on text book). What games do they play? What food do they eat? What does Geylang Serai really looks like? Do Malays really have to be Muslim? Do Indians have to be Hindu? It never prompts me to find this information out before.

Now that we are in Indonesia, Chinese becomes a minority, and the reversed cycle happens, and so we, as Chinese, began to know more about the Muslims’ lifestyle. For instance, their fasting month; how long will this last? Where can we find food? What food could they not eat? (e.g. pork) etc. Hence, we as the ‘minority’ becomes aware of the neglected culture we failed to see in our homeland.

We are so excited to find out about the life style of Indonesians. We said: “Wow, this is the traditional game they play here”, “Wow, this is the authentic food that they eat here.” We got so excited because we believe this is TRUE Indonesian’s culture, but I felt very ashamed (and I should really be) when Puteri said that such games and such food exist in Singapore too. The joke about this is, when we find out the games they play here or the food they eat here, we only take a snapshot of it and pretend that we really know the culture here (at least this is how we present it).

How superficial is this! Being so excited about this and that in a new country and NOT realizing that such beauty exists in our own country too. Why is this so? This is because we are not sincere in wanting to know the people around us in Singapore. Now that I am in Indonesia, I really want to know the culture here. However, I think it is a wake up call for me to look into my country and her people too.

Puteri, I give you all the credits to remind me about this….thank you

~ God gives me ears but I hear not, God gives me eyes but I see not ~

SBY and Indonesia

2007-09-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

Continuing from Megawati's announcement to be considered for the 2009 elections, many other Indonesian political figures have come out to throw themselves into the fray. Gus Dur, the former president, has been quoted to have said 'Saya siap maju, kenapa tidak? (I'm ready, why not ?) If he says what he means, then i say that Indonesia will have to see whether this man is 'ready' to lead the country again.

What should Indonesia expects from the president ?

A one man show to combat corruption ?
A one man show to improve the country's economy and competitiveness ?
A one man show to coordinate reconstruction efforts in affected areas ?
I mean the list can go on ...

Let's not kid ourselves that the President is Superman in disguise. He can certainly try to be one but he is only judged by his results. Right now, things are not going his way. The TIME ruling in favour of Suharto has certainly wiped off some gloss on his anti-corruption stand. The earthquakes in Sumatra will certainly test the capability of SBY and his administration through the reconstruction efforts. The DCA with Singapore certainly looks like a dead deal at this moment. My guess is that DPR will drag its feet and continue to capitalize nationalist sentiments to kill the deal permanently. So, one has to feel some sympathy for SBY. Unless things turn around for him, dark clouds will garner, in time to come, around his presidency.

On the other hand, Indonesia should reflect upon the words of John Wayne " I didn’t vote for him but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.” in 1960 when JFK was elected ahead of Richard Nixon, Wayne's preferred choice. I guess those were the words of a true patriot. Not for self and party but for the nation. For the fourth's largest country in the world on its slow path to democracy, such a message cannot be emphasized enough.

And, SBY would certainly appreciate those 17 words.

50% Indonesian in 3.5 months??? No, But we enjoyed studying here....

2007-09-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

I was under Dr. Jennifer Lindsay last year for her ‘Media in Southeast Asia’ classes. I was really impressed when she told me she translated Indonesian books into English versions. I told her: “Wow, your Indonesian language must be really good, you must have mastered the language!” Dr. Lindsay replied: “No, we can never master a language but we can keep learning and improving our language ability.” Similarly, I was also very impressed with Ibu Wendy’s ability to speak Indonesian language, but she told us “No, not very good, still learning.” I am really impressed with them; not only because they could speak Indonesian language well, but also because they are so humble. We must truly learn from them because it is only by acknowledging our flaws, then we will continue to work hard to improve our language skills...

Am I expecting that I could speak like an Indonesian after 3.5 mths? My reply is no - Not even close to becoming 50% of a true Indonesian who could really speak and understand the language well. You must either be really good or really arrogant to say that because learning a language is really not easy and it can be tiring... However, our Bahasa Indonesia (all 3 of us) has certainly improved because we speak and listen to the language every day, and we read and write more in Bahasa Indonesia too. This semester away is also a good opportunity for us to widen our social group too.

Well, 3.5 mths here may not be long enough to make us half Indonesian, but all SE Asian students should take this opportunity to expose themselves to the new study experience here… That is not a single day that I have regretted studying here because it is very interesting and it gives us a different perspective of Indonesia. I am sure you will agree with me that studying comes alive when you are here...JOIN US!

God bless Tante, Puteri and Terence…

On duty

2007-09-18T02:19:00.000-07:00

Are you on duty ?

Congklak, a traditional Indonesian game

2007-09-18T02:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine reading about congklak in the morning and actually seeing
people play a couple of hours later at Jalan Malioboro. Well, I sat with
them for a good 15 minutes and never managed to grasp the game.

http://www.expat.or.id/info/congklak.html
It gives a good overview and rules regarding the game which is way
too complicated for me.

Sellers along the kaki lima taking a break

Congklak - a game of mathematics, skill and strategy

7 seeds in each hole with 7 holes per player

The Contrast between ' Poor' and 'Rich'

2007-09-17T00:28:00.001-07:00

I do not know much about Indonesia’s history and politics, so I am not trying to act like an expert to analyze the situation here. What I am writing here is purely what I see everyday on the street and my feelings.

I have been trying to blog about this for a very long time – about ‘poverty’ in Indonesia. We are staying in Wisma MM Sagan, one of the prime areas in Yogyakarta. Beside our Wisma MM, there is a Sagan Chinese Restaurant, and a Bangawan Solo café. These 2 places served relatively expensive food and drinks, so it is definitely one of the more ‘atas’ place in Yogyakarta. Yet across the road, there is a slum. People are living in houses that are torn and tattered, and their houses are surrounded by tons of rubbish. Whenever Puteri and I walked passed it, we could always hear this ‘chee chee chee’ sound, and I am not sure if it comes from rats or from other insects. It has a foul smell too, and yet, people are living in this area.

In contrast to the slum, my room is air conditioned; it is clean and is relatively comfortable. At times, Puteri and I will drink coffee at Bangawan Solo café and watch TV. By night, you will not be able to see much of the slum due to the poor lightings here, but you know there are people living on the side of the road and in the slum area. We are in a cool area, they are suffering from heat. We sit on comfortable chair; they sit at the side of the road. The contrast is a little uncomfortable for me. Hence, sometimes when I cannot sleep, I will start to wonder ‘what if I am one of them who live on the street? Will I survive?”

Maybe my research work for my ISM topic on rape cases is ‘heavy going’ and emotional. Many victims who were raped come from weak and poor families; they live in the slum and have no money. In addition to the poor condition of living, they have to fear and tolerate the sexual violence that might happen to them everyday. Given such harsh conditions, people continue to strive on. Sometimes, I think they have more courage than I do.

There is no need for you to live near slum near in order for you to know the poverty of this group of Indonesians. Every where on the street and on the busy road, there are beggars as young as 4-6 years old begging for money. You can’t ignore them; they will knock against your taxi door and put their hands forward, hoping to get some money from you. What could you do for them? Most of the time, we could only feel sad for them, and when we are back in Singapore, we will forget about them and live on with our own life.

I must admit that I not only feel sorry for them, but their experiences instill a certain fear in me. I told Puteri that I do not aspire to be a very very rich person, but I am really very afraid to be poor. I don’t think any amount of money is ever enough to help savage the lives of Indonesians who live below poverty line and we must also accept the fact that corruptions has add on more problems to this major issue, but we must always tell ourselves “能救多少是多少”. This is, we must always save as many lives as we could because every life counts.

God bless this group of people who needs help….

Taking buses in Yogyakarta

2007-09-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

Overview

Taking buses around Yogya is one of the cheapest and convenient (but not the fastest) way to get around the city. There are about 17 different routes plying various areas around the city. In addition, there are smaller buses which travel to the outskirts of the city. If you want to take them, it is best to ask specific directions from the locals before the trip as the buses only stop at certain locations.

If you are expecting first world standard, forget it. The buses are at most functional. For those of us who are born in the 1980s, we can probably still recollect the older SBS buses. Yeah, those are the ones you see here after it was phased out from service. The bottom line is, don't expect too much.

Where do i take buses?

- EVERYWHERE. There are no fixed bus stops here. Passengers can board or alight along the designated bus route. Bus conductors will try to 'escort' you up the bus all the time. So, it is important to know the bus route and your destination before boarding the bus. Don't bother asking the bus conductor. He will be more interested to get you on the bus than to ask your question. You are probably better off asking the locals first or be more observant when you are at important landmarks.

How much does it cost to take a bus?

- A single trip costs 2,000 Rp which is payable when you board the bus.You should have exact change or small notes (maximum 10,000 Rp.) as the bus conductor will not have change for your 100,000 Rp.note. Always have the bus fare ready before you board the bus.

How long do I have to wait for the bus?

- There is no definite answer. Buses in Yogya do not operate on German/ Japanese efficiency. If you are in a rush, you are better off taking a taxi. Buses in Yogya may stop for a pit stop for an indeterminate amount of time along the side of the road to wait for passengers. However, this happens more often during peak hours (between 1500 and 1600). In the meantime, you might be entertained by buskers who may be singing the latest Indonesian Top 40 hits that you recognize from frequent airplay.It is an obligation to give them tips but not necessary.

Do I have to afraid of pickpockets?

Taking the bus is relatively safe in Yogya but you still have to take the necessary precautions.
Wallets should always be in the front pockets. If the bus is quite crowded, it is always safer to take the next bus rather than a bad experience.

Important bus services

FROM CESASS

To Maliboro, take No. 2 or 4. It will take you into the heart of Malioboro.
No. 2 will ply along Jln. Mataram which is parallel to Malioboro.
To Am Plaza, walk down towards MMUGM and turn left at the cross junction where you will be on Jln. Kaliurang. Take No. 7 along that street.
To MMUGM Hostel, take No. 5 or 7 from the biology department bus stop.

FROM MMUGM Hostel

To CESASS, take any bus except No. 5 or 7 that turns left into the street leading into UGM
From the same location, No. 7 will head towards Am Plaza.
To Malioboro, take No. 2 along Jln. Cik Ditro near the UGM roundabout.

- This post will be regularly updated -

45 days of Bahasa Indonesia

2007-09-16T01:03:00.001-07:00

It has been 1.5 months here in Yogyakarta. The formal portion of Bahasa lessons will be wrapping up next week. Not sure of the format of the remaining language lessons. If it is what they have been telling us (movies and literature discussions), it is surely going to be a challenging time ahead.

Listening to the dialogue in movies will be an uphill task considering that i had to rely so much on the English subtitles when watching Jakarta Undercover last night (it was rather disappointing. The movie kind of dragged on towards the end.) Reading is less of a learning curve since I understand more of tata tata bahasa with its 'di-, per-an, pe-an, di-kan, me-kan, ter-, ber-', the list never ends. Well, 18 more hours is only 6 hours x 3 weeks. And, it will be the dreaded presentation. I really cannot imagine myself doing a presentation in bahasa in front of native speakers. Then again, it is good exposure for further bahasa modules (I just hope the placement test will serve its purpose since it will decide my Bahasa future in NUS)

Frankly speaking, I really feel the improvement of learning bahasa in THE motherland. After all, I was in BI 1 last semester. And I totally lost interest towards the end because I was just not performing well in class. Rather demoralizing, I must say. However, things are really looking up at this moment. I just took a look at the BI 2 coursepack and I have almost covered all the topics during my daily conversations (how cool is that). I feel as though I am turning half Indonesian such that I will go 'apa, ya' instead of ' hmmm'. It just rolls off the tongue.

If the future Semeter Away people happen to reading this, there is nothing like learning a foreign language by immersing yourself in the culture and country. Yes, the learning curve can be very steep at times (and feeling lost sometimes), I guess it is part and parcel of the learning process. Don't be afraid to make mistakes when communicating. In fact, the people here appreciate the fact that you are trying to converse with them. Sooner or later, you will feel so at ease with Bahasa that it might just feel like your first language.

Suharto wins... again

2007-09-14T03:04:00.000-07:00

Former President Suharto has just won a RP 1 trillion (that’s with a ‘T’… US$106 million!) suit against TIME magazine for defaming his good name :)

TIME ran a cover story back in 1999 exposing Suharto Inc. and in it, alleged that the former dictator and his (extremely fortunate!) children amassed more than US$73 billion in his years in office, lost most of it during 97’s financial crisis, but was still comfortably sitting on ohh just about, US$15 billion in 1999.

Now there’s no way that can be true…

That’s apparently what the Indonesian Supreme Court thought and so, here we are, almost ten years after Reformasi, and still the man many believe to be the most corrupt politician of the twentieth century walks away smiling.

You know what’s interesting though? Suharto had earlier filed lawsuits with the Central District Jakarta Court and then the Jakarta High Court. Both courts ruled in TIME’s favour. When the case reached the Supreme Court however, which was presided over by a panel of three judges, (one of whom, Jakarta Post reports, is a retired general who rose in the military ranks during Suharto’s administration) it overturned the decision and ordered the mag to pay up.

It kinda sucks for TIME but I’m sure they can afford it. It is quite funny though, that they’re gonna have to take out full page public apologies in the press to the former Prez.

So yes, poor TIME. But poorer still, is press freedom in the infant democracy that is Indonesia. I know it sounds like the pot calling the kettle black but trust this Singaporean, it takes one to know one.

Wishing you were here (to someone)

2007-09-12T22:32:00.001-07:00

12 September 2007
Parangtritis Beach

Yep, as part of our language lessons, we went to this famed beach in
Yogyakatra. It's so cool right ? But the journey was not. One hour by
public bus but that was the cheapest way to get there. Poor students.
Nothing much to do at the beach but to enjoy the sea breeze and
freezing water and to think of what we are missing out in Bali.

The pictures speak for themselves.

Scenes from a postcard

Yes, we were in Paris.

No swimming !

Menjadi Presiden muda, jadi pemimpin sangat sulit

2007-09-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

Kompas 12 September 2007

Jadi Presiden gampang. yang sulit jadi pemimpin.
(Becoming President is easy, becoming a leader is difficult)

Jadi rakyat juga sulit kok bu ....
(Dear madam, being in the (Indonesian) society is also difficult for us)

Malah sering dibikin sulit
(and, it is always being made more complicated)

This comic strip was published the day after Megawati announced
her candidancy for the 2009 election. The people have spoken. Looks
like the politicans have a lot more work ahead of them.

Any Pre-orders for my Video???

2007-09-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Actually I am hoping to upload videos of some interesting people we met during our interactive classes at Jalan Marlioboro and at the beach. However, despite repeated attempts, they just cannot be uploaded.

I took more videos than photos because Putria nd Phalawan took a lot of photos and I thought maybe I could take video instead so that we could show all our friends when we are back in Singapore. I will compile all the videos into a CD and give it to Putri and Phalawan. All these videos will become part of our beautiful memories in Yogyakarta. Hmm…Let me see what I have recorded so far….

1. Life is not complete without shopping (Dr. Goh’s shopping experience in Yogyakarta)
Starring: Dr. Goh
Director: Winna
What can you expect from this video: We could see Dr. Goh and her batik shirt she bought in the traditional market

2. Bahasa Indonesia Classes
Starring: Terence, Winna, Ibu Novi and Mbak Santi
Director: Nicola
What can you expect from this video: Our language classes LOH and our serious ‘mugging’ faces…haha

3. Kunir Assem
Starring: Winna
Director: Nicola
What can you expect from this video: The most horrible beverage we have ever tried so far…but it is good for our skin

4. Our first look at Prambanan
Starring: Prambanan and invisible Nicola
Director: Winna
What can you expect from this video: The magnificent Prambanan…(although it is not well recorded

5. Anak Anak Indonesia (The Live Show at Prambanan)
Starring: Nil
Director: Winna
What can you expect from this video: We were so excited to catch a ‘Live’ show at Prambanan, so I captured one scene of the show.

6. Train
Starring: Nil
Director: Winna
What can you expect from this video: We saw a train passing by the railway station near Jln Marlioboro…isn’t that wonderful?

7. Andong Festival 1 & 2
Starring: Nil
Director: Winna
What can you expect from this video: Beautifully dressed up horses and the anticipating crowds…, it is an annual event.

6. Sepatu Nicola Hilang ( Nicola’s shoes are missing)
Starring: Nicola, Terence, Mbak Uva, Mbak Santi and Winna
Director: Winna
What can you expect from this video: It is by far the best video I have ever recorded. We hid Putri’s footwear and she was desperately searching for it and the beach. Ending? She found it of course…but was really funny…it is a MUST watch…(the photo above is taken at the beach)

Any pre-order for my video collection? Just drop me a note….and I will reserve a copy for u…haha...

God bless this Director, Actress cum Video seller

Megawati to run in 2009 presidential election

2007-09-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

The first salvo has been fired for the 2009 presidential election with Megawati declaring another shot for the presidency. It seems that the 'silent president' wants the post so badly. After all, her presidential term was never ratified by the nation. Well, Indonesia has rejected her the first time round in favour of SBY. Maybe we will see a rematch between the two.

It is really interesting that she would declare her intention so early with two years to go. Perhaps, with the verdict on SBY's presidency still unclear, this could prove to be a masterstroke by distracting SBY from his presidency to his future in Indonesian politics.

On the side note, the Jakarta Post reported that Jusuf Kalla, Vice President and the Golkar Party chairman, congratulated her on the campaign bid. Will we see the PDI-P and Golkar forming a coalition in 2009 after the failure in 2004 ? Will Jusuf Kalla himself launch his own presidential bid ? What about the perennial dark horses (Amien Rais and the rest) ? What about SBY himself ?

So many unknowns right now, but all will be clear as we head into 2008.
Let's hope the 2009 presidential election will shape up to its potential.
Let the show begin.

SBY - The incumbent who has yet to make his mark on his presidency

Megawati - former president looking for another shot at presidency

Jusuf Kalla - Vice President waiting for his turn in the highest office

Interactive Class

2007-09-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
I will upload more photos which were taken during the Interactive class…and I will be having similar type of class tomorrow...hehe

The Ice Chendol Seller...

At the Tourism Information Centre at Jalan Marliboro

The Batik Making Demonstration

The Museum

You know what??? I will upload these photos first before the internet gets disconnected.....it is hard to get these uploaded k....haha

To be continued....

Lumpia, even food can be localized

2007-09-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

Lumpia is the Indonesian version of popiah except that it is deep fried.
Yet another example of localization.
Indonesians see the Chinese popiah.
They like to fry their stuff.
Presto, a localized snack.

So, this is how to make a lumpia:

Start off with popiah skin.
mix of bean sprouts, carrots, cabbage cooked in a broth

Fold the skin and the ingredients into a popiah.
Put a small piece of popiah skin in the middle to make sure that the
ingredients do not burst out during the frying process.
(and, add a toss at the end if you can. That was what the hawker did.
He was just showing off to me.)

The main ingredients are bean sprouts, carrots and cabbage cooked in
stir fried and stewed. Chicken is optional.

Waiting to enter into the frying wok.

All ready to go into hungry stomaches.

Finally, the lumpia meets its fate.

This price list is only a guide:
Basic (only vegetable) - 1000 Rp.
Special (additional chicken) - 1500 Rp.
Deluxe (w white garlic) - 1700 Rp.

Ilusi - Ilusi Nasionalisme

2007-09-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

Title: Illusions of Nationalism
Date: 9 September 2007
Place: Jogja Gallery (near Alun-Alun Utara, at the end of Jln. Maliboro)

This art exhibition about Raden Saleh, arguably the most famous and important in Indonesian art history, was held from 18 August to 9 September. It was to commemorate his 200th birthday, hence the title for the exhibition.

Raden Saleh was considered the first 'modern' Indonesian painter as he was schooled in the western styles and techniques. And yes, some of his paintings were shown us during our SE 1101 course by Jan Mrazek. (Yes, more publicity for SEASP) and its relation to nationalism. Quite aptly, this exhibition attempts to explore nationalism and Raden Saleh as the two main overarching themes. Being someone who is not really artistically inclined, I must say I am not the best person to comment on the artistic aspect. However, I was really blown away by the message that each painter tries to express through their paintings, be it through abstractly, satire or even extrapolating ideas and concepts. Each painting expresses a different understanding of Indonesia as seen through their eyes.

As the foreword by the curator interprets the role of the painters to be ‘in charge to document the nation – state feelings, regardless what happens inside themselves … to present them in interesting aesthetic attraction’, it really captures the essence of the exhibition. From the parody of the Last Supper by Bambang Puranto to re-interpreting Saleh’s “The Capture of Prince Diponegoro” in the modern Indonesian political context, art and politics becomes one entity. In all, the exhibition clearly shows the fluidity and illusiveness of nationalism, as expressed through the title, and brings to the mind Benedict Anderson’s conceptualization of ‘imagined communities’.

Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures of the paintings.
If you are interested, let me know and I can show you the catalogue.

More on Raden Saleh and his paintings:

The Arrest of Prince Diponegoro

Raden Saleh's version

In the painting, Raden Saleh deliberately distorted the heads of the Dutchmen much to be much bigger in a reference to their pomposity and pride and contrast to the balanced proportion of the Indonesians. What a subtle way to show resistance and nationalism. In addition, Raden Saleh also positioned himself in the painting in the crowd as the Javanese man with his face in his hands standing behind Diponegoro and the second self portrait is the bowing man under the ladder.

The Dutch version, painter uncredited.

Note how the Dutch flag is high and flying in this version and the position of Diponegoro in relation to his captor. The difference in height between the two and facing away from his captor, as if he was ashamed of confronting his nemesis and accepting his fate, attempts to re-emphasize the superiority of the Dutch during the colonial period. Hence, Raden Saleh's version was somewhat of an act of resistance against Dutch colonialism. While he was never actively involved in overthrowing the Dutch, he fought and expressed nationalism through his painting.

His brush was to guns as his paint was to bullets.

Nor the fight makes us artists
but because we are artists
we become fighters.
- Albert Camus, 1940 -

Pictures - In and Around Malioboro

2007-09-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures (to add on to Tante's previous entry) of our interactive class outing to Jalan Malioboro last Monday. The Kraton is really nice. Too bad the Sultan's wasn't in, I really wanted to say hi to him! This Wednesday, we are off to Parangtritis Beach (the beach you only look at and not swim in :) , with the Bahasa teachers. I'm pretty lucky coz i don't take Bahasa classes (not that I shouldn't, my language capabilities are still terrible) but they let me tag along anyways!
The 100 year old caretaker of the Kraton Museum which houses the royal families' horse carriages. He's holding up a picture of himself as a palace guard, taken in 1937, when he was 30. And he was really cute coz he kept repeating that he was born on 15 January 1907 and that he's 100 years and 7 months old. And the three of us we're quite fascinated, we're not even a quarter of that yet!

Us at the music hall of the Kraton. We thought it was about time we upload more photos of ourselves :) But no promises coz I am soooooo not a photo person!

I took this picture the next day while I was becak-riding with Puri. The tukang becak stopped the becak and pointed out that there was a gajah (elephant). And I seriously thought he meant like a toy elephant or an elephant-shaped kids' car or train or something (we were at a children's carnival which is held daily at the Kraton square). And no, it's not funny that I didn't see the elephant (and yes, I do know that it's the largest mammal on land) But i really didn't until it turned the corner and was walked directly towards me and then yea I realised ohh rite gajah!

Anyway I was too scared to get a photo of it's front (I thought the flash might send it into a blind rage) so I got it's behind for your viewing pleasure :) But ya, quite close right? Which is pretty cool for me coz when I was young, my dad let me ride one at the zoo and it suddenly raised its trunk and roared or blew or trumpeted, whatever sound it is elephants make, and it scared the living daylights out of me. But still, I'd take an elephant over a kangaroo any day.

Hope you enjoy the photos.. Will upload shots of our day at Parangtritis soon!

Interactive Class

2007-09-07T19:12:00.002-07:00

Hi all,
It is time for me to write again. Last Monday, we had our Bahasa Indonesia class, but the class was not conducted at a class room but at Jalan Marlioboro. We went to visit the Train Station, Train Museum, Keraton and Taman Sari. Our language teachers insisted that we speak and listen to the tour guides in Bahasa Indonesia.

Pictures say a thousand words….so I think I will not bore people with my long boring writings…but let you enjoy the photos that were taken there

This ‘Interact class’ was a little tiring because we walked a very long distance from 9am to 3pm….BUT, we really enjoyed our trip and we met alot of very interesting people; An old man who is already 100 years old (and he is very happy to tell us his age), a keraton guard who used his 'inner energy' to make his keris stand.. etc..haha.

Unfortunately, due to the size of the video, I could not put up them up on this blog, but nevertheless, we really hope you will enjoy reading our blog. Perhaps, we could show you more photos and videos we are back in Singapore...

The entrance of train station

Our language teachers, Putri and Phalawan

To be continued.....

down but (hopefully) not out

2007-09-05T02:43:00.000-07:00

Fever
Flu
Cough
Sore throat
Food poisoning

Can it get any worse ?
I hope not.

Koruptor Buronan

2007-09-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

Wanted for corruption in Indonesia.

Are you one of them ?
I hope not.
Then again, they are not likely to be in Indonesia.
Maybe Singapore ?

One for the architecture

2007-09-03T22:51:00.001-07:00

Fans of architecture and urban planning, this should interest you.

A Dutch colonial building withstanding the test of time.
Spaces between the buildings speaks of the absence of urban planning
yet it exudes an unique character which is replicated across the region.

I think this combination of modernity and the nostalgic past makes
places like Yogya and the rest of Southeast Asia special. The ability to
establish "chaotic order" is something that we should appreciate
especially when order and planning is de rigeur in Singapore.

Reverse Psychology

2007-09-03T22:30:00.000-07:00

Found in a shop selling over priced batiks to unsuspecting tourists.

Imagine the irony when they try to pull off a batik scam.

What you do not see in Singapore

2007-08-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

This scene was played out in front of the Governor Office along Jalan Maliboro (one of the busiest streets in Yogyakarta). Apparently, some students were protesting against global capitalism and its agents (Carrefour, they opened a hypermarket in Yogya) and the damage done to the local communities (small time shops and all). Incredibly, they managed to stop traffic for a good 15 minutes and after the protest, they continued their parade down the street and all went to normal on the bustling street.

On my way home, I saw the student protestors heading home on their truck, slumped against the amplifiers and looking really tired. No one would have thought that just three hours earlier, they were involved in a student protest, more like they were finished with 'Battle of the Bands'. If not for the placard they raised at me which translated to 'Down with Globalization'.

This is probably something I will never see in Singapore. There is no need to get approval from the authorities, just notify the authorities and you are all set to go. And the fact that the protest was initiated by the students speaks volumes of student activism in Indonesia. Historically speaking, Indonesian students have been traditionally involved in politics, be it pre or post independence.

But I am not sure whether they are really serious about what they do or a mere publicity stunt. And the irony is that as much as they are protesting against the evils of globalization, they would probably have shopped at Carrefour in their lives. The communities would be much better off if the students were to find ways to cope with the pitfalls of globalization rather than stage a protest which is forgotten half an hour after it is held.

So, what have they achieved ?
At least, they did something.
That is something I cannot say for myself.

Some pictures of the protest:

Let's get ready to rock and roll ...

The students in front of the governor office

Life goes on after the student protest

Happy One Month!

2007-08-28T23:06:00.000-07:00

Today marks the end of our first month in Yogya - we've survived... actually, I think we've THRIVED!

Honestly lah, I thought I would die within the first two days of being here. Like just collapse. And die. But I haven't and the city is actually growing on us quite a bit. We've formed new routines, encountered new situations, experienced new (and very pedas!) food, and met lots of interesting people and places in the process..

Maybe it's idealism talking but then experiences like this really are what you make of it. You can choose to whine about your crappy day or you can be thankful that you have this experience in the first place (Tante has made me much more religious :) coz sometimes, when we talk to some of our Indonesian friends here they always ask us about Singapore and what it's like and i guess when you put yourself in their shoes, you realise yea, maybe I should be happy that I got to spend a semester away, immersing myself in another culture. Some of us don't have the means to do what we're doing right now.

And so we may have bad days, and because I'm such a pessimist, I'm sure those days will come :) But for these remaining 2 and a half months, I'm hoping we see the glass half full and remember that you can't do-over these 3 months that you spend in Indonesia. So we must try to live in, and enjoy, the moment. When we look back on it once we're home (eating kaya toast and tim sum!), we wanna remember the great experiences we've had, laugh at the unfortunate ones and feel that in the end, the good outweighed the bad, and that made the trip worthwhile.

Retiring in Yogya

2007-08-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

The lunchtime topic at CESASS (our internship place) has been centered
on retirement and the incredibly high standards of living in Singapore.
The beachfront living of Bali and the slow pace of life outside Singapore
seems to be attracting us more and more.

Well, we (rather I) have decided to take concrete steps to achieve that dream.

Bale Agung Residences

Located north of Yogya, the residences is situated at the edge of
the city proper bounded by the Utara Ring Road. 15 minutes away
from Jln. Maliboro and major shopping centres such as Am Plaza,
it is the ideal location for the ulimate suburban living.

Choose from three different designs for your home:

Bale Amartya (Semi Detached)
Bale Astaka (Semi Detached)
Bale Padantya (Terrace)

With only 60 houses built, one can almost guarantee exclusivity
with tennis courts, swimming pool, clubhouse and 24 hour security.

And the best thing is ..................

Prices start from 1.2 billion IDR (approx s$220, 000)
That's the price of a 3 room HDB flat in Sengkang.
And a motorbike is about 11 million IDR (approx s$2000)

Then again, the average income here is 40 million Rp. per year (approx
S$6000) for a hardworking civil servant. (Think an university lecturer
who has to teach more than 4 modules per semester to support his family)

And, as much as we whine and rant about Singapore and its standard
of living, how many of us would realistically want to pack our bags and
call it quits ? Our families and friends are probably one major factor into
consideration. And where will we go ? Upwards (Australia) or downwards
(Indonesia). Well, maybe retirement out of Singapore may be a better option.

Enough of day dreaming. Back to reality.

Missing Home....

2007-08-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

I called my parents last Sunday and the first thing they asked me was “How is life there?”, “Is everything ok?” I replied, “Yap, I am fine here, just that I miss eating Kaya toast and Tim Sum in Singapore” (which is a weekly routine for my family every Sunday).

Well, I am only here for 3 weeks and I am already missing the food in Singapore and the loneliness of facing the 4 walls of my rooms sometimes. Then I realized this is what you mean by ‘Home sick’. Haha.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy in Indonesia. In fact, being in Indonesia gives me another form of enjoyment and happiness. For one, I really pamper myself a lot here (Putri and I are so ready to treat ourselves to good food, good massage, good hair treatment, good movies and so so so ready to take cab..haha..i mean we really live like a real Tai Tai LAH). For another, this is the first time I actually visited places which I studied under Prof Miksic (though I can’t deny that 90% of the information has already been deleted from my memory). Seriously, if you don’t see Prambanan temple by yourself, you will NEVER EVER know how majestic it actually looks.. it is really breath taking LAH. Certain ‘beauty’ in Indonesia can never be found in Singapore so I should really enjoy myself here.

Yet, home is afterall home; you will miss your mum’s home cooked food, you will miss the comfort-ness in Singapore and I think you may also miss the fact that Singapore is small and so it is very easy to travel from one place to another. I kind of miss the Singapore-ness now.

I think I am missing Singapore now because I am not in Singapore. I am sure when I return to Singapore, I will miss Yogyakarta too. I told Putri last Sunday when we were in church (I am a half catholic now because I accompany Nicola to church every Sunday..haha) that we will definitely have a very strange feeling on the very last week of our trip, when we know that this is the last time we are going to this church. Probably we will cry at a near by Padang place and suddenly we will miss eating Indonesian food… I will probably miss my daily beauty skin routine (Kunir Assem beverage) in Putri’s room…

Til that day comes, I just hope that 3 of us could really enjoy ourselves here…. (But I don’t think we need any reminder that we must enjoy ourselves.. it is our top priority here, and is probably in my blood..haha)

God created me to enjoy life….so I m sure he will bless me….

Tante

Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan

2007-08-19T00:33:00.001-07:00

Prambanan at sunset

Scenes from the Ramayana Ballet
Palace on Fire
"Ballet Ramayana adalah satu penjobaan (I think) (good effort) untuk
membawa seni-pentas Indonesia ketaraf yang lebih tinggi -
Soekarno 25/8 1961"

We went to Prambanan temple yesterday evening (which we thought was an hour away but before we knew it we were there! Only took 30 minutes) to watch the full Ramayana ballet. Surprisingly, we could follow the story.. or at least the gist of it.. But the highlight was definitely when Hanuman set the palace on fire. Super cool!

The costumes and dancing were so beautiful. And I think I may have finally learnt to appreciate the gamelan :) The showstopper however, was definitely the backdrop... The majestic Prambanan temple is absolutely breathtaking. Pictures don't do it justice. Another reason why you should sign up for this semester away program.. Come see for yourself!

BERSAMA BINTANG

2007-08-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

I love this song, and the name of this beautiful song is ‘Bersama Bintang’. I must thank Putri for asking that young boy the title of this song. To everyone else out there, I must tell you that this is a very very very very nice song. Putri and I are in love with this song. TRUST US, try to listen to it if you have the chance.

I love this song so much. I searched the MTV through You Tube and insisted Putri to come over to my room to watch it (oh my, I just stormed into her room with my Tante Pyjamas and dragged her out of her room when she was in her Batik pyjamas. We are just hoping nobody saw us in that outfit). I know my Bahasa Indonesia is not very good but I listened to it very carefully and try to understand the content of the song. Putri and I repeated the MTV countless times and we understand roughly what the song is all about.

Well, actually if you watch the MTV, you will realize that you do not need much of intelligence (or language skills) to understand the content of this song. My friend in Australia knows what the song is all about because the MTV explains all. I am not telling you the content; you must watch it yourself and FEEL it yourself (just remember to bring some tissues along with you).

I could tell you the chorus though, it goes this way:

“Tidurlah selamat malam, lupakan sajalah aku...
mimpilah dalam tidurmu BERSAMA BINTANG..”

Ok..I will go and watch the MTV again....Selamat malam (Tante humming… “Tidurlah selamat malam, lupakan sajalah aku...mimpilah dalam tidurmu BERSAMA BINTANG..”)

You can try to watch it at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KohJ_tcA2Mo

* It is actually quite useful to learn Bahasa Indonesia through songs you love...I hope I will get to listen to more good songs in Indonesia”

God bless Tante!

The KERIS

2007-08-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

Dear all, Sorry I have not be writing a lot, so I shall write more today. I am feeling really cold in my room now; my air con blows directly at me and so I have to wrap myself with my bath towel and my blanket. What shall I write today? Actually I have a lot to say, but for today, I shall talk about my conversation with Mas Aris about Keris.

Well, for all Southeast Asian majors, I am sure you all know what Keris is. If you do not know, you will soon get to find out a lot about Keris from our SE Asia lecturers. Anyway, I had a conversation with Mas Aris yesterday regarding the process of making a magical Keris, and he told me that there are 2 ways of making it. The first one goes this way:-

Material: Iron and Earth Metal; mix them together and create a thin layer of metal

Mantra: For each thin layer of metal, the person who makes the keris will have to engrave the Arabic or Indic mantra on it. A keris will have 7 think layers of metal, and each layer has a different mantra

Twist it and Hit it: Put all the 7 layers of metal together, twist it and hammer it under fire

End result: A MAGICAL KERIS

But the 2nd way of making the Keris is more interesting and I am really hoping Mas Aris will be able to arrange for me to witness the ritual. The 2nd way goes this way:

Material and people: A table with a white sheet over it and 7 kinds of different flowers. There will be 7 people sitting around the table and they will all chant during the ritual.

Magic: The Keris will just appear from the white sheet on the table. NOBODY makes it, it just ‘arrive’. Mas Aris said it is not always the Keris which ‘arrive’; there will be other jimat that will appear too; It all depends on your luck.

Is it true?: I don’t believe it too, but Mas Aris insisted it is not a trick, it just appear right in front of your eye. He witnessed it once, and he believes Keris has a magical power.

Oh my god, don’t you think it will be nice and interesting to witness this process? How is this possible? But Pitra (a research assistant in UGM) said anything could happen in Java and sometimes they are just beyond our imagination, so I guess we just have to believe it and admire the beauty of Java and their mystical belief. Afterall, Keris has a long long history in Indonesia and other parts of SE Asia, so it will be nice to immerse yourself with the culture and you never know, it might really be true that Keris is not just a normal blade (“Bukan Blade Biasa”). I know Phalawan might beg to differ because he is skeptical about it and he is not interested to witness the process of Keris making (But I am like dying to see it, and I pray to god to give me the chance to witness it before I return to Singapore). Well, I guess living in the secular society makes people more skeptical about Mystical items and rituals but we are not here to judge if they are true or false, right or wrong, rather, we are here merely to know more about Java and her mystical side. Don't judge...just observe and admire.

God bless this sotong Tante and please grant her wish to let her see the making of keris.

Demanding to be heard

2007-08-17T00:57:00.000-07:00

I made a trip down to the Institute for Research and Empowerment (IRE), a local NGO in Yogya yesterday as part of Pak Aris’ research project. It’s amazing to see true civil society at work here. Something you don’t see too often in Singapore where I feel, civil society isn’t as much a society as it is a few individuals virtuously voicing their opinions to a people either too busy or tired to care.

Here in Yogya, when they say civic engagement, they truly mean it. IRE is concerned with advocacy issues at the local and district levels and the books they publish, along with INSIST (another NGO), are very enlightening reads. It’s an open forum when it comes to discussing issues of political legitimacy, corruption of leadership and effectiveness of governance. As Pitra mentioned, it’s been free for all after the New Order. Censorship no longer exists and everyone, from Islamic hardliners demanding the imposition of syariah law (as in Aceh) to advocacy NGOs pressing for democratic change, are now jostling for their voices to be heard. Decentralisation of government has also resulted in its concomitant weakening and so the issue that arises in Indonesia today is whose voice is louder and is most worthy to be listened to?

A world of difference in comparison to the centralized authority that is Singapore’s PAP. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course.

Top Java

2007-08-17T00:53:00.002-07:00

Top Java is located about 400 metres from the left of Wisma MMUGM.
It is tucked at the beginning of a small road along the main street (Jalan
Colombo). After passing the UNY campus, it is about 100 metres down
the road. In the day, you will see pasar malam opposite Top Java.

It serves value for money nasi padang where you literally choose how
much you want to eat cos the servers will give you a plate and the rest is
up to you. The eatery serves almost anything from sate to katsu ayam so
you will be spoilt for choice.

However, if you were to frequent the eatery at odd timings, you may find
the dishes slightly cold butthe rice is almost always served hot or warm.

An average meal will cost less than 10, 000 Rupiah inclusive of a drink.
My favourite is Es Lemon Tea kurang manis cos they will add a lot of
sugar if you do not insist on telling them specific instructions.

Its opening hours are from 0700 to 2100 everyday.

Rating: 4/5

The entrance of Top Java

The super super pedas sambal.

Rather no frills atmosphere, typical of Indonesian warungs

Independent Day in Indonesia

2007-08-17T00:23:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 62 years of Indonesia's independence and 10 years
after the Asian Economic Crisis (1997). For me, this is the first time
I am celebrating another country's birthday. Coming from Singapore,
where the state is actively trying to build on its success (or failure) of
its nation building project through national rituals (courtesy of Pak Aris),
the subtle nature of the occasion at the national level has surprised me.

Having read all the materials after Indonesia and its armed struggle for
independence, all that remains is the flag raising ceremony in Jakarta.
A conversation with Pitra slowly turned into a interesting insight into
Indonesian society, one that is very often misunderstood by outsiders.
He mentioned to me that the New Order re-defined the concept of
nationalism from one that expressed the love of the country and the
willingness to die for the national cause in the Sukarno's era to one that
stressed on economic contribution and progress for the nation.

Such a systemic shift can be readily seen in the mindsets of the younger
Indonesians today whose concept of nationalism is equaled to the pursuit
of material success of jobs and success. Nationalism in Indonesia has
been reduced to a gigantic wayang show with empty seats just like the
empty roads of Yogyakarta outside the hostel.

Osama and 'Islam Bukan Teroris'

2007-08-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

Spotted on a bakso mee seller.

Osama and the slogan which proclaims that Islam is not terrorism.
Go figure what the message that it tries to bring forth.

Even in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim
population, the struggle between moderate and radical Islam is still an
issue across the strata of society. On 13 August, it was reported that
Hizbut Tahrir, an Islamic group inIndoneisa, has blamed democracy
for the country's woes. Questioning secular policies and referring as
being against sharia (Islamic Law), the group insisted that " the
establishment of an Islamic caliphate would help solve this
country's problems and increase development".

http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20070813.A04

This has made me wonder if Indonesia will succumb to the pressures of
these Islamic groups over time for the establishment of Islamic law
within the country. If these groups are to use political parties and
mechanisms to garner support in a democratic way through electoral
means, fine and well. What is important is for the Indonesian people
to decide for themselves what they want but they will have to be
responsible for the outcome.

Open your eyes and ears

2007-08-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

I think that the advantage of being in a foreign country is that we
are able to see things from a different perspective from the locals
who might find the everyday life to be rountine and 'normal'

For the locals, to see a busker going on the bus every morning seem
to be nothing out of the ordinary. For me, it is a whole new experience
to see that such actions provide the Indonesian people a way out
of poverty by engaging themselves in the informal economy through
a mixture of begging and busking as it is an unspoken obligation to
give some coins after their 'performance'.

A simple bus ride to school may provide the lessons that we might
never find it in our readings and lecture notes. So, for those who are
interested to go on the Sem Away program, approach it with an open
mind and keep your eyes peeled and ears open.

The legal system in Indonesia

2007-08-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

The guiding principle seems to be:
If you want to commit a crime, make sure it is worthy your time in jail.

No point stealing an onion when you can embezzle 1.5 billion rupiah,
when the difference is only 3 months.

The law of economics of scale really works in the indonesian
legal system, except that it does not fall after the optimal level.

No wonder Indonesians are still disillusioned with the legal system.
I certainly do not blame them for such sentiments.
Yet, it is hard to imagine that there might a fundamental reform
to the legal system with all the infighting and jostling of political
interests within the DPR and between the various branches of the
political system.

Interesting fact of the day:
- Indonesia still uses some Dutch legal laws dating back to the
colonial era where the maximum imprisonment sentence is only
20 years. That includes the defamation law which SBY recently used
when he sued former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
Zaenal Ma'arif.

The army and Indonesian elections

2007-08-12T04:50:00.000-07:00

- The dual function still exists albeit in a different form despite
the fact that it is removed from official policy.

- Army candidates do not flaunt their military records during
election campaigns, implying that its reputation remains tainted
in the eyes of the Idnonesian people.

- They run for vice governors rather than the governor position.
That seems to be the case for almost all the combinations in elections,
be it national or local (with the exception of SBY).

- Influence can be exerted in areas where it is of strategic importance
to the army. That means that Yogyakarta will see candidates from
the army contesting the next round of elections in 2009.

Excrepts from the conversation with Pak Aris about Indonesian politics

Republic of whatever

2007-08-12T02:15:00.001-07:00

Something to ponder:

I like this pin. It caught my eye when I saw it in Carrefour.

What does it stand for ?
What message is the designer trying to show ?
What would be the motivation to wear for those who buy it ?
Who buys it in the first place ?

It really intrigues me because this resembles the current state of the
Indonesian nation, one which is caught between the past and the
present and unsure about what the future holds.

What it means to be a TANTE...

2007-08-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

Characteristic of a Tante

1) Always calculating her money to make sure she does not overspend

2) Wear a head band and does her egg white mask...and walked out with her Tante pyjamas

3) Carrying a big bag with plenty of tissues, wet tissues and umbrella whenever she goes out (I am just trying to take care of my Putri and Phalawan..I mean, what if it rains, what if your hands get dirty....)

4) Buying things in bulk...(it is cheaper and more is better than less)

5) Watching Hongkong series (ls a 'must watch' everynight; even when she is packing her room)

6) Locked everything...and check, re-check and re-re-check again and again....

7) Must have afternoon tea and her beautiful cake while chit-chatting with friends (ooh...the Bagawan solo cafe is just next to me)

8) Worrying too much ( "Oh no, I have to cross the road!" " Oh, do you think the food is clean??", " Do you think I have enough toilet papers in hostel?")

You can add on to my list....but I am a near perfect TANTE....

God bless this 'not so old', but 'super blur' Tante....

Dunkin' Donuts

2007-08-06T02:56:00.000-07:00

This is why we are in Indonesia ... (just joking)

This is the real McCoy !

Strawberry, chocolate and bavarian custard

Will we see this in Singapore anytime soon ?

The cantik staff at Dunkin Donuts

Donuts Galore !

Walking here is CHALLENGING

2007-08-05T06:18:00.000-07:00

I am not a person who can cross a busy road even when i am in Singapore...but at least there are traffic lights and pedestrian crossing to help me. In Yogyakarta (Indonesia), I hardly see any traffic lights and there are so many motor bikes and cars here; it is certainly very frightening to cross the road alone. No cars will stop for you, you just have to cross....

Every morning before I go out, I will have a secret prayer that I can cross the road safely. I must hold on to Putri's hand whenever I cross the road. Many times I feel that I will be bang by the vehicles here, but miraculously I survived for almost 4 days. That is totally unbelivable.

When I was young, my parents always asked me to look to my left, and then to my right before crossing the road. Nah, this concept of crossing the road does not work here. The traffic never stops and there are endless cars and motors...so I started to use the concept of 'hearing'; that is, when Phalawan said 'Ok, lets cross the road after the blue car', then I will only cross the road after the blue car, if he said 'stop' then I will stop (which means I usually don't look before crossing, I merely follow his instruction). Hmm..certainly not advisable, but well, I survived.

I think it is both a challenge to walk and drive here. Pedestrians have to force their way across the road, and drivers have to constantly look out for pedestrains. Luckily for us, drivers here usually drive at a relatively slow speed, so they could stop on time for the pedestrians, but it could get a little dangerous at night when the street lights are dim.

I will try to record a video about the road condition here. I am really not lying. Phalawan said that we will be the 'road crossing expert' after we return to Singapore, haha. Well, hopefully it is true; I need this skill very badly in Yogyakarta.

God bless 3 of us!

Cicak!

2007-08-05T00:32:00.000-07:00

There was a huge lizard in my room last night. Wait, huge is an understatement.. It was MASSIVE. In fact, it may have been an iguana. So there I was, armed with Tante’s lavender-scented Baygon spray and wearing a bedroom slipper on one foot and a sneaker on the other (so I could crush the reptile) waiting for it to make its move. And when it finally did, I screamed, called Tante on her handphone and asked her to run to my room immediately. Tante, as her name suggests, arrived of course with her egg white mask and headband! Unfortunately, Pahlawan was off duty – he was watching a movie on his laptop and missed our phone calls.

Thank goodness, Tante decided she’d peel of her eggwhite mask and run to the front office desk so they could help. So a security guard arrives, finds the whole situation extremely funny and asks me for a plastic bag. He bent down behind the mini fridge (that’s where the lizard had made its home) and in no time at all, had caught it in the bag! Such a genius! Tante and I screamed again when he left the room and wanted us to see the evidence (which of course we couldn’t do) but when I asked , “Dapat Pak?”, he said yes.. I hope he wasn’t kidding.

Early morning start today (7.30 am)! We met Pitra and Icha from PSSAT again and they took us and our two new German hostel mates to a street market around the UGM campus (sort of like Singapore’s pasar malam except much bigger and in the day time) where we had breakfast and took in the sights and sounds of a morning in Yogya. A very fun Sunday morning so far.

I just really hope there are no more cicak sightings.

Are you interested to work here ?

2007-08-05T00:11:00.001-07:00

For the uninitated, this is the Centre of Pancasila studies in UGM.

Pancasila is the national ideology of Indonesia.

I wonder it is still operational.

Well, they still have Pancasila lessons for schools despite the fall of the New Order regime. Yet, the term has been associated with the latter for its role in maintaining stability within Indonesia during Suharto's reign. What started out by Sukarno as a tool to unite the country taking pride in the motto 'Unity in Diversity' has degenerated into a term manuiplated by Suharto and is now associated with the infamous New Order.

Questions remains:

In the post New Order era, is Pancasila still relevant to Indonesia admist the wave of democrazation, decentralization and separatism / regional automony sweeping through the country ?

Can it return to its roots in holding the country together in the long run ?

Day 2 in Yogya - We meet our hosts

2007-08-04T23:48:00.000-07:00

Poniman and Ari (staff at PSSAT) arrived early at our hostels on Thursday morning. We realized then how much more we need to improve on our Bahasa. Fact: Indonesians speak really fast. Really fast. We actually had to ask them to slow down a couple of times because we just couldn’t catch what they were saying. But besides the semi-awkward communication, they were really gracious and took us on our first bus ride to PSSAT... an experience in itself. We officially start on the 13th so we have about a week left for R&R (always a good thing!). Pahlawan also took his first ride on a Yogya sepeda (motorbike) and more importantly, in Yogya traffic! It really is amazing how we manage to cross roads.. there is no system. Just look left, look right and RUN!

After lunching at PSSAT we managed to get our bank accounts set up and buy our SIM cards.. two pretty important achievements for only our second day in Yogya. A cab ride later and we were in AmPlaz (naturally Indonesian, it's an abbreviation of Plaza Ambarakmo) where we stocked up on some room supplies (matching bedsheets for me! kitchen towels for tante! pocari sweat for pahlawan! just to name a few) so our hostel rooms feel more like real rooms. We are here for quite a while after all, the Singaporeans in us need to make ourselves comfortable! Pictures of our newly furnished rooms will be posted soon :)

A very fulfilling second day in Yogya.. To new friends and great experiences!

MMUGM

2007-08-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

Review of our hostel (Wisma MMUGM)

Website: housing.mmugm.ac.id

The Good:

- Close proximity to amenities (Galleria Mall, numerous warungs)
- Almost like a 3 star hotel
- 24 hour security
- English and helpful speaking staff
- Air conditioner, fridge and multiple power points within the room

The Bad

- Comparatively more expensive than surrounding hostels
- Expensive breakfast (22,000 Rp/morning) and laundry
- Poor room view (ask Puteri on this)
- Inflexibility of deposit withdrawal
- Weird mattress size (bukan Super Single atau Queen)
- Internet access only available in the main lobby

Some shots of Wisma MMUGM

The only 7 storey building within the immediate area

Welcoming view each and every time

Looks like a hotel lobby ... does it not ?

Verdict:

If money is not of a major consideration for long term stay, Wisma MMUGM is a good but not
excellent choice. Withstanding the additional stuff ( laundry and food), one can get by comfortably with the facilities provided.

Rating: 3.5/5

Quote of the day:
"Everything within the hostel is expensive"
A typical quote by the Tante

Singapore - Jakarta - Yogyakarta

2007-08-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

1 August 2007
1120
GA 0827

It was finally time for us to leave for Yogyakarta, not before we had to fly to Jakarta for transit.
Exiting the Sukarno - Hatta airport was really a culture shock with all the touts clamouring your attention. Especially when we stuck out like a sore thumb (looking really blur).

Lesson 1: Know where to go before the touts get to you

Paying a tip of 10,000 Rp. just for directions and a lift ride seems absurd but that's how things work in Indonesia and probably most of the Southeast Asian cities. Well, for a pampered Singaporean like myself, we would rather pay and be done with it than to rough it out.

They actually have the English translation for Tempo at the airport which could not be found in Yogya. Maybe it is catered specifically to foreigners interested to find out about the political climate and expression in Indonesia.

Lesson 2 : Punctuality is not the strongest suit for Indonesian flights.

Compare the difference:

Boarding time stated on air ticket: 1430 hours
Boarding pass: 1450 hours
Flight information screen: 1535 hours
Waiting area: 1610 hours
Actual taking off : 1635 hours

11 August 2007
GA 0210
1635 hours

Mountains over the clouds

Adisutjipto Airport

Instant Javanese culture on display

Lesson 3: You may take from morning to night to travel from Singapore to Yogyakarta.

That's all folks !

Selamat Datang ke Yogya

2007-08-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

We are not aunties, heroes or princesses in real life.

We are simply students in the NUS SEASP (Southeast Asian Studies Program) doing a semester away from NUS to base ourselves in Yogyakarta with PSSAT (Centre of Southeast Asian Social Study - Gajah Mada University).

This blog simply documents our experiences, reflections and struggles (basically everything under the sun) here in Yogya and other parts of Indonesia. Occasionally, we will write articles on certain topics that fascinates us as students or academic - wannabes.

We certainly welcome you to add constructive comments to the blog.

Selamat Belajar !