Where Little Things Count

Canberra... what a city

I don't really know how I'm going to write about Canberra. I've been here for almost two months. I came to know where to find red hot chilli pepper, where to buy the cheapest groceries, when to throw organic waste, that thou shall not predict the weather and so on and on. Nevertheless, this city somehow remains in a distance from me.

Obviously, Canberra is small city with road that goes round and round in circle (well, people say you can't help it, this city is designed for politicians :p). Not much to do here, compare to, well basically almost all cities in Australia. There are not so many shopping centre which is somehow good. The night clubs are full of drunken teenagers leaving sunday mornings colored with some cheap alcohol bottles. We have only bus as inner public transportation which happily run for like once in an hour from 9-4 on weekend. And don't get lost in working hours here especially in the housing areas, there is no human being to ask for direction.

I live in a small house, near the bus stop (which is very important point of taking this house), near the city (so I don't have to worry about getting home late, again, on the weekdays), near the ANU (but still, having Crawford as my campus, I must walk for about 25 minutes from bus interchange). But for me the best thing of my current home is the bicycle path. It is away from the road, along the creek, among the green grass, and trees, simply beautiful. The thing is it becomes very dark to cycle after 7 pm and you don't want to bump into a possum, right?

However, well a big HOWEVER, this city is somehow fascinating and interesting. Start using your intuition, and then you'll notice many wonderful things lie beneath its solemn and still existence. It is the city, where you must sensitize your senses to enjoy its beauty.

Recently, I was trying to find some art workshop or classes (to make me have a good 'couture' feeling :p ). I could not find it anywhere even by typing keywords like workshop in google. But gradually, I came to understand that I need a new strategy to unfold the mystery of Canberra. So I started looking all over again by first searching for local community centre, museums and galleries, or even local festivals. Then, from that enquiries, I continued to seek small classes they provide. And I found them. They do exist. Eureka!!!!

The other day, I went to Cockington Garden in Gold Creek Village. It's sort of a garden where many of miniatures of houses and buildings around the world are exhibited. It is fairly interesting, but even more so in spring, I think. However, what struck me the most is their tagline, 'where little things count'. These words sound even more true, when my friends and I explored the neighborhoods. The village's full of small shops with so many little, tiny, sweet, and delicate stuffs mainly made by Canberran artists. You cannot spend just a day to really savvy all those tiny lovely goods they made.

A day there made me realize that sometimes to connect with this city, I have to stop a while, be still, open my eyes, unfold my hands, breath slowly, immersed myself into the surroundings, and let it reveals its beauty.

I believe Canberra has many things to offer to people come by, if only they stop looking with their own direction. It's a long way to really justify my thesis and I only have two years to test myself. But, I think I've made a good start to take a glimpse of it.

"Like the first dewfall, on the first grass" Cat Stevens, Morning Has Broken

"I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop I love so much"

Landon Pigg, Falling in Love in A Coffee Shop

"Stand by your man, cause after all he's just a man" Tammy Wynette, Stand By Your Man

"On my way home I can remember every new day" Enya, On My Way Home

"The long day is over...." Norah Jones, The Long Day Is Over

A Family Can Be Found Anywhere

A family can be found anywhere

A home can be build anywhere. One can build it inside a small classroom or a confined computer room. You can build it in a noisy and hot food court or maybe a cozy study room

It can be inside a tall and proud cobble stone building

A family can be of anyone

It can mean 4 brothers and 8 sisters, and 1 big uncle :)

A brother can be anyone

For me

He can be a vulcanologist turned to seismologist who taught you to appreciate every single moment. He can be the guy who always sit by the door and drink any kind of Ultra Milk. He can be bald, and skinny, and a fan of Slipknot. He can be the one who promised to biketracking with you. Well, who knows when you will meet him :)

He, of course, can be funny and talkative and silly and helpful at the same time. He can be a person who likes to have Indomie for breakfast. He can be a very good leader, who handle most of the managements from working with your visas and karaoke. So if one day you met him, please remember that he didn't like to wear any watch or accessories.

Sometimes, he can be the boy who surprised you with his singing talent!! You'll never think that any MOFA's employee can sing a good dangdut. That man can be your brother too. You have to be careful because he can be so humble and at the same time, proud of his photocopying capability!! If you find a government man who showed good sport to every condemnation, then you've found him.

He can be an architect-wanna-be who tried to savvy that damn Freudian Psychoanalysis. He can be very open and a good listener at the same time with Singlish accent and Sundanese here and there. He can be the person you can always talk to, from how to save your relationship to tricks on crossing the street. Maybe you'll find him telling dirty jokes, if you're lucky.

A sister can be anyone

For me,

She can be a modest pianist, arranger, knitter, and singer. She can be someone whom you have so many things in common with, from idolizing Satoshi Tsumabuki to adoring Try Tone, from not wanting to do master in Japan to sea food and nasi goreng teri medan lover. She can be, like you, an IR apostate and hopefully find rest not so far from sociology :)

She can be a too-good-looking-to-be-a-lecturer lady who tried to prove that her daughter diet is anything but worse than those fat chubby kids. If you find a woman who told you that the best job she ever had is flight attendant then you know you've found this wonderful sister.

For sure, she can be a real good civil servant who deals with biofuel, God hears her!!! She can be the person you met in Karaoke always with good marks and up to date songs (who the hell is Taylor Swift???!!!). You can always tell her, when you see a woman so passionate and so lively when arguing something really matter to her. That's her!!!

She might be a little bit silent and calm but be patient and you'll hear extraordinary comments coming from her mouth. She can be the person who always have this take-it-easy-lah style, no need to rush, never hustle. Then when you see her, presenting her thoughts, you will understand that this kind of sister is not easy to find.

She can always be a lot older than you but with an evergreen smile. She can be the person who you will always nod everytime she asks you something. You'll go miles for her errands, in return for delicious dinner :p. A woman who always win debate on population and vocabulary game, that sounds like her.

Oh yes she can be a person who sometimes you wonder how come she knows so many things. She can be a woman who will give you a positive critics, appreciation, and little compliments now and then, never with any hesitation. If you wonder where all the candies gone, then surely she's around you.

She can be what you called breeze and calm wind. A little bit shy and coy, one you can never think to have two kids and your question will be,'How come you stay slim?' That very fine lady will answer you nothing but her beautiful smile will keep you quiet. Ah, if you meet her, please on behalf of me, ask her to dance.

She can be a girl you envy for having a good english and unique eyes. However, you can do nothing but to love her, since she is a big fan of Alanis, like you!! She can be that very person who shocked you with her laughing, like every little joke is so hilarious. So when you find someone giggle with you at the same time, you know whom you've met.

A big uncle can be anyone

For me,

He can be a sarcastic teacher who gets less and less hair everyday. He can be so expressive to the point he will run amock out of class but like to avoid emotional situations. He can be the one who desperately taught you to well pronounce participatory and got mad every time you say 'mention about and discuss about'. He can be the teacher who told you that you are the brightest ones, that you shouldn't underestimate yourselves, that you shouldn't expect that every western people is as smart as him. He can be the teacher who left you with so many silly quotations that you'll remember by heart. If you heard a bald man said amusingly,'KAMU LAGI!!!!' then you know it's him.

and me,

well, like my friend once said, a family is shawl and I'm just a thread.

A family can be found anywhere

and you will amaze how simple it is

For me,

there were unfolding arms

mine and theirs

They opened their hearts

I opened mine

and that's all the difference there was.

No Worries, Mate!!

And so it is,
It's gonna be that smallest continent where a bulk of young Indonesians were sent to study and hopefully back for good. It's Aussie, mate!!!

It was kind of surprise. I was in Jakarta, escaped from all the hastiness of life. Ah no, my boyfriend was going for some interview for India scholarship. Intimidated by the rustic and cruel image of our capital city, he asked me to accompany him. Seeing the chance to escape a while from my mundane life, I agreed (he paid half for my travel cost, I have to say, not to make me sounds cheap :p).

After the interview, we went to meet his friend and his friend's friends, had some dinner which was amazingly expensive, thank God I didn't have to pay for it :p (again, not that I'm cheap, I just have had better). By that time, one of their friend whom I also knew, said that she had been accepted as an awardee for ADS -which she already knew from before the interview phase she wouldn't take it- For this matter, I think I will write other post.

Anyway, I was asked then. I was surprised since I thought that the result would be announced no earlier than March. Fraud, that was my first thought. But that was it, the result had been announced. I wasn't happy with the prospect to be an awardee of ADS. I didn't know why possibly because I was still fascinated by Europe particularly studying in Erasmus University, Netherlands or maybe I haven't prepared myself to re-separate again, for another long distance relationship. I was accepted, for good or for bad, at least for that time.

Somehow, as I recall my memories back before the announcement, I remembered what my heart felt when I watched the movie Australia. Even today, every time I watched the trailer, listen to the OST especially By The Boab Tree, my heart melt, and my body shiver. Yeah, Hugh Jackman plays the protagonist there and I have to admit his charm contribute largely to make me mesmerized.

When I first watched the movie, I felt drown to the dessert, savanna, the bush, and the boab tree. The boab tree particularly is one of the reminiscence from The Little Prince novel. I long to see the tree and touch it. Though I tried to deny it, another voice told me,"you'll be in Australia'. And it came to reality.

Now, I'm quite overwhelmed by all the preparations, and stuffed by the sentimental feeling of goodbye. Oh no, I'm starting to cry :(

But like Australian's popular saying, no worries, mate.. no worries...

Hope for The Flowers

(This) Next Year, Baby

du du du du

Here some of my 2010 resolutions

HUH!!!! Who are you kidding, Junkie? You are not even in the same constellation with the planet of commitment, strong will satellite, and the orbit of resolution.

1. I will not pay any fine or sanction.

Lame..? Yes, indeed. I ain't gonna save the world by being the most punctual subscriber. But who care, all resolutions in the first place must be selfish. I'm gonna save my pocket from burning to nothing

2. I will involve in a good part time

Means some well paid-lots-of-fun-carefree-flexible-good-for-CV- work (haha)

3. I will be a devoted prayer

Practically increasing my quick and routine prayer of 3 minutes to well, 30 minutes. Oh wait it, that's intimidating, say just 15 minutes (Oh God, what will we chat about? My life? You're going to get sleepy, it's totally mundane)

4. I will travel somewhere in Indonesia

Not my hometown, not around Jogja, not getting lost in Jakarta especially the jungle of Glodok. Somewhere remote, exotic, wild, inspiring, bla bla bla bla, and CHEAP

5. I will finish my story (any of them)

What were them? The fisherman and the kidney girl? No... I think it was the genie and the camel? No.. no... no... one of them is kind of fishy, involving some Koi or Goldfish. Oh well, there are still 360 days to remember those unaccompanied minors.

6. I will gain 5 kgs

HAHAHAHAHA. That's exactly why I am the worst person ever making resolution !!! Impractical, impossible, lack of feasibility, wishful, you mention it!!!

7. I will make more resolutions next year

and this year resolutions will be at top list of my next year resolutions with a very high probability.

Hey, I already told you I'm a masochistic skeptic right?

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERY ONE!!! HOPE You were not drunk when writing this year resolutions :)