Mistaken Identity

One lovely early Saturday evening. Waiting at terminal 3 in CGK. Butterflies in my stomach. Can't wait to see my brothers and sisters.  "Mau kemana Ci?" a middle age woman asked me as she sat next to me. My complexion is dark. And my eyes are big. Wait! Maybe she meant ma' Cik? :-)

Bookworm

One fine Wednesday morning at HKT. Flight status: delayed. Looked like I have to learn unlearning being impatient. My hand instantly wanted to get my mobile and started mindlessly looking at social media. My eyes refused to cooperate and started looking around and observing what people do when they wait. Most were busy with their phones except this one man sitting right in front of me. He was reading a book. My mind told me to write and draw this for my blog. Good things come to those who wait. 

Oceangirl

Oceanman Krabi, Thailand 2019. One fine evening. I was walking along the beach on the way to the event's welcome dinner when I met a young girl. A 14 years old Canadian. She competed in the same category as me: half Oceanman distance, a 5 km open water swim race! Yes, that was quite an impressive stats for a young athlete but what impress me the most was the fact that she was picking up trash along the beach on her way to the venue! Oh, and did I mention that she ranked third in her age group?

Blessed

One fine sunny Wednesday morning. On my way to meet my friend somewhere in Jakarta Barat. Ms. Google Map said, "Your destination might not be opened when you arrive." True enough I arrived 15 minutes early and found a TUTUP/CLOSED sign was on the door. So I thought okay I'll just wait in my car but before I even finished my thought a guy flipped the sign. So I went in and they let me wait inside. While I wait for my friend to arrive the same guy went outside and put a cardboard on my car's front window to keep it from the sun's heat. They don't name their cafe Blessed Brothers for nothing. 

Butt Head

One fine evening in a small gym in my place. I was brisk walking on a treadmill while listening to a Joyce Meyer podcast when a Japanese lady waving both hands at me. I took off my head set and she said, "I'm sorry I didn't say hi. I didn't recognise you at first but when I noticed your butt and I remember you. Last time we met in the pool and talked about TI swimming." I laughed my butt off. First time someone recognise my behind. 

Volutionful

Love is full of wilful acts of choosing to act in the best interest of another. I intentionally, deliberately choose to love you.

Instant Impression

One fine Friday morning in a public swimming pool. Beautiful toned body. Tiny waist. Awesome tattoo. Mysterious frown. Poised meditating posture. Then he stood up and took a few steps back to a small food stall behind him and got an instant cup noodle. Totally ruin my first impression. 

Thinking Out Loud

Hello. I am sorry for neglecting you for almost two years. I've been busy with me, myself & I. I took the journey to bottom of myself and guess what? I looked around and I get depressed. I look within and I get stress. I look up and I get rest. All is well. I am fully known and loved. I am sinking in an ocean of grace. 

Keladiator

When I was in Eragayam I longed for bread and fresh salad. "I'm going to eat nothing but bread and salad when I go home for holiday!" So I thought. After two weeks of bread and salad I'm craving for ubi, keladi and the likes. Eragayam what have you done to me? :-)

Banana Run

Di Eragayam pasar hanya ada hari Selasa, Kamis dan Sabtu. Tidak setiap kali lari hari Sabtu lewat pasar dekat puskesmas lihat mama-mama jual pisang. Langsung mampir. Untung kali ini bawa uang. Cukup untuk membeli sesisir pisang. Walaupun harus pulang lari naik turun tanjakan pegunungan Papua sambil menggendong pisang. Mama yang jual pisang hanya punya plastik hitam dan saya tidak bawa tas pakai-ulang. I'm going banana over banana! :-)

Torches Of Joy

"The holy spirit is like a dog", a Dani missionary said with gusto. John listen as the analogy developed. "When the Dani people go into the forest to hunt for possum and other animals, they take their dogs along. Without a dog it would be hopeless to spot the animals, but the dog smells them out and gives the hunter a chance to shoot them. That's the way the Holy Spirit convicts the Christian of sin and gives him a chance to put it out of his life," the Dani explained. John Dekker with Lois Neely

Pendidikan Babi

Di Subrayon 5, Eragayam, Papua, harga yang harus dibayar untuk lulus UAN adalah 1 ekor babi untuk setiap siswa. Dinas Pendidikan, guru dan orang tua berkonspirasi demi selembar ijazah. UAN yang harusnya memetakan kemampuan siswa disalahgunakan untuk kepentingan pribadi. Dan anak kelas 4 SD pun bisa ikut UAN SD. Lalu kalau anak jadi malas kerja, tidak mau usaha untuk memberikan hasil yang terbaik, tidak jujur dan menghalalkan segala cara untuk mencari keuntungan sendiri, itu salah siapa? Action speaks louder than words.

Theory of Relativity

Waktu beberapa minggu yang lalu saya lari ke kali Muli semua orang yang saya sapa dan bertanya, "Kali Muli masih jauh kah?" menjawab, "Ah sudah dekat, di bawah saja itu!" Untuk orang Eragayam jalan kaki 5 kilo naik turun tanjakan pegunungan itu dekat saja. 

Bapa

Sabtu siang yang mendung. Lagi lari di tengah hutan dan jalan setapak yang sempit dan sepi menuju kali Muli bertemu seorang bapa (baca: laki-laki) yang membawa parang dan senapan laras panjang. Hampir enam bulan tinggal di Eragayam melihat laki-laki kecil, muda dan tua membawa parang sudah biasa. Tapi ini senapan. Sedikit was was. Langsung memperkenalkan diri, "Saya ibu guru Ob Anggen, sekolah bahasa Inggris," berharap titel guru bisa menyelamatkan hidup saya. Bapa heran bukan main saya lari seorang diri dari sekolah sampai kali Muli hanya karena ingin melihat kali Muli saja. Jarak dari sekolah ke kali Mui kurang lebih 7km. Rasanya dia tidak percaya karena ia tidak juga beranjak pergi malah mengikuti saya. "Jangan turun, air deras, tidak bisa menyeberang," katanya berulang-ulang. Ketika saya tidak mengindahkan nasihatnya ia bertanya, "Bu guru mau kemana? Bapa (baca:suami) ada pukul kah?" tanyanya kuatir. Saya hampir tersedak menahan tawa. Apparently wanita lari sendirian ke kali Muli di Eragayam berarti ada masalah dirumah. Bapa itu menunggu saya mengambil foto kali Muli. Dengan sabar ia menjawab pertanyaan saya karena saya heran melihat lebar kali yang begitu besar tapi aliran airnya hanya kira-kira 1/7 bagian saja, sisanya kering penuh batu dan pasir. Apa lagi waktu diceritakan bahwa aliran sungai bisa berpindah-pindah. Sebenarnya masih ingin berlama-lama disitu sambil menghayal betapa kerennya foto di bagian kali yang kering. Tapi Bapa itu tidak mau meninggalkan saya. Mungkin dia kuatir saya akan mengahiri hidup saya di kali Muli karena dipukuli suami di rumah. LOL. Ahirnya pulang ditemani bapa yang baik hati sampai di pertigaan puskesamas. Sepanjang jalan ia bercerita banyak tentang hutan Papua dan kekayaannya. I love Eragayam!

Papaya Run

Sabtu pagi yang biru. Lari melewati pasar dekat puskesmas melihat pepaya yang jarang ada langsung menghampiri. Terahir niat beli pepaya di pasar Potikele, Wamena langsung lenyap ketika diberi tau harganya yang fantastis: Rp 60.000! Menyesal lari tidak bawa uang karena harga pepaya di Eragayam ternyata Rp 10.000. Hanya bisa meneguk air liur sambil  berkata, "Sabtu depan bawa pepaya lagi ya mama? Hari ini saya tidak bawa uang." Tidak lama seorang mama melambai tangannya menyuruh saya mendekat. Eh! Saya diberi uang Rp 10.000! "Saya Joy dan Joni mama, murid bu guru kelas 3 & 2. I'm so touched by her generosity! Sudah pernah lari sambil gendong pepaya naik turun tanjakan di pegunungan Papua? Kaki sangat cape tapi hati senang bukan kepalang!

Elida

She is fascinated by my rambut lurus. I am captivated by her beautiful thick eye lashes. She kept saying, "Ka Tina rambut eeee, bahaya sudah!" I kept imagining what I look like with her gorgeous eye lashes and her smooth glowing brown skin. The grass is always greener on the other side. 

Buah Yang Baik

Anyone who knows me well will tell  you that I don't like uniform. Untuk pertama kalinya saya merasa bangga, senang hati dan suka cita menggunakan seragam kebesaran (literally and figuratively). I am officially Ob Anggen team. Woohoo!

Less is More

Bahagia itu sebulan sekali makan donat coklat di Wamena. Setelah kurang lebih sebulan menu sehari-hari adalah nasi dan sayur daun labu ala Eragayam. I'm almost vegetarian not by choice but by circumstances. When you have less you start to appreciate things even more. I never thought a piece of donut can make me smile! Bahagia itu sederhana. 

Zero Carbon Footprint

Where in the world you can do the following things on your 15 minutes break from work: go home, wash your laundry by hand, hang them to dry and still have time to make a nice cup of tea and make it back to work on time. Only in Eragayam. Life is good.

Outfit Of The Day

Gooooood morning Eragayam! It’s 6 am now and it’s chilly and windy today! Don’t get disheartened, lighten up and chin up! Yes it’s freezing in the morning. But a warmer day with temperature in the 18s is expected today. But don’t dry your laundry yet because heavy rain is expected in the afternoon. With more cold wind and some heavy fog it will be another lovely day in Eragayam. Dress appropriately. Have a good one!