Have yourself a stressful little Christmas?

Some may say Christmas in Jakarta
is commercialised... But at least they
have pretty decorations.

"I hate this time of year," says most of the people I meet.

I did most of my Christmas shopping before I left for Jakarta because I knew that this week would be crazy. I've already been to Fountain Gate twice and the atmosphere there is anything but joyful and merry. Christmas can bring out the best in people, but a lot of the time it brings out the worst.

And then it gets me thinking, why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we stress over Christmas when there's supposed to be a deeper meaning? Why do I stress that I haven't got 'enough' for someone, like it becomes a matching game of monetary value. What will we eat? What will I wear? Christmas cards. Christmas letters. Family traditions. I haven't got time. Stress, stress, stress.

Whether you believe that Jesus is the reason for the season or not, I'm sure you agree this isn't the way it's supposed to be, right?

Five years ago tomorrow (i remember dates) I would have come home from Kendari, a city with one Christmas tree. Seafood was cheap and it was idul adha the day we left. Then I came home and everything was ridiculously expensive, people were stressing over gifts, yet 48 hours before I was in such a different world where this spirit of stress didn't exist.

And so it's a bit similar now. Jakarta has more than one Christmas tree, but Christmas is very much still a religious celebration over anything (remembering that although Indonesia is a Muslim nation, it is a religious nation none the less). There's a hint of Christmas everywhere you go. Even in the hot weather the bajaj driver wears a Christmas hat. But the spirit of stress isn't there. The stresses in a third world country are so much deeper, and different, but the way they resiliently cope with their poverty never ceases to amaze me - something I wish Australians could learn from.

So as I max out my credit card, buying crap for the sake of having it, I then ask myself what this really is all about. I would love to lovingly create christmas presents, my pinterest is full of ideas. But having just spent the last month overseas has hindered this process. Plus, the thought in the back of my mind that is all about what you spend.

In amongst all the stress there has to be deeper meaning, right? I want to love Christmas. I want to hold my son tight as I sing 'silent night' on a picnic rug to the light of a candle at carols by candle light.

And, let's face it. Probably the highlight of the day on the 25th will be watching Luke open cool presents, then playing with the paper it was wrapped in. (Oh, and just for the record, Luke hate's Santa.. Well, the Myer Santa anyway...)

Maybe we can learn something about such simple joy. Let's keep it simple this Christmas, shall we?

One year on

A sunset in Bali
- as beautiful as the island and the people that live there

But then something happens. Something that doesn't come within ten solar planets of what I expect. A group of lunatics rip bombs through a nightclub district in Bali on Saturday.

- Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

How funny it is that this is in the chapter of the book I'm reading at the moment there's this - on the 10 year anniversary of the Bali Bombings.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, I love Indonesia. I love it so much that it was only natural that I married a man from Jakarta. 

While Indonesia is so close to my heart, I can't deny the fact that I'm Australian.

2002 was the first time I ever went to Indonesia. I remember Mum booked the flight insisting that I go because "back in my day I never had these kinds of opportunities."

Just prior to going, at 16 years of age, the first of my immediate family to ever go overseas, I was scared. Not of terrorism, but just genuinely afraid of going overseas, getting sick, or anything - I was naturally an anxious person. I was trying so hard for something to 'happen' before I went so that I wouldn't have to.

I got on the plane, and I went. I arrived in Bali and went straight on a plane to Yogyakarta. We had a few days in Bali on the way home. And I fell in love.

My Mum went to Bali a few months later. I was certain I would return to Indonesia some day.

Then a few months later this happened. I was on a church camp and people told me that there had been an earthquake in Bali, knowing that I loved Indonesia. It then turned out that someone must have heard wrong. It was a terrorist attack!

I remember arriving at school the following Monday, feeling a bit devastated, and my wonderful Indonesian teacher debriefing us and explaining what happened.

I didn't get to see the memorial service today, but just watching clips on it now is really moving. A muslim lady is seen holding a flower before putting it in the water, praying for her loved one. While the bombers were Muslim, innocent Muslims also died. I don't think this is a war against Islam or any religion. Or country.

John Howard is adorable. And good on Julia and Mr. Abbot for attending also. But where is Mr. Rudd? And more importantly... WHERE IS MR. YUDUYONO???

While people say that our relationship between Australia and Indonesia has gotten stronger, I think there's definitely still work to be done. Australia could be more welcoming to Indonesians coming to Australia, and the Indonesian president could definitely make more of an effort.

We need to NOT cut Indonesian out of our curriculum. So many schools where I offer my services say, "oh, we're phasing Indonesian out."

Whenever I have taught Indonesian some smart arse has to say "Indonesians are all terrorists." Yeah, because Indonesians didn't die as well? Because my husband and his family and all my Indonesian friends really have alternate motives to plant a bomb in my car. It's just not like that. And we can't wipe out this narrow minded point of view if we just abolish Indonesian from schools - especially since in the past there has genuinely been big successes by having it as part of the learning program. Ok, I'm raving.

Don't worry, Julia. It's the story of my life. When I go to Indonesia nobody makes the effort to meet with me, either.

Why Jakarta has better roads than Melbourne

3 years ago with Sang Kotak

I remember the first time I ever drove in Jakarta. It was a great experience. I loved honking my horn in my husbands Suzuki Karimun, or as I like to call it 'sang kotak' ('the box'). The local school kids were amazed at the sight of a white girl driving in their neighbourhood and began to wave at me. Usually the closest they get to white people is seeing them on the television.

I never feel unsafe in Jakarta. I have more often than not felt unsafe right around my neighbourhood here in Melbourne. 

I believe Jakarta's roads are not only safer, but also, in some ways, much better all around. I'm not talking about the quality of roads - definitely not. We once hit a rock in the middle of a broken road and I had to direct traffic. The fact that I was white did not add to the novelty for all the angry Indonesian commuters.

Here are some reasons why I think Jakarta is not just safer than Melbourne for driving:

Source

1. Jakarta roads are safer because there are no high speed crashes
On a good day, it can take 1 hour to drive a kilometer. Basically, how can you have a high speed crash if you never get the chance to go high speed? The term for this is macet meaning congested. My favorite saying for this is macet total!

2. Trying to park your stretch limo? No worries!
There's an unwritten rule in Jakarta. You just flash your headlights and somebody will come and direct you to park your car. They shout a set of instructions from "terus" (keep going) "kiri" (left) "kanan" (right) "lurus" (straighten up). This service is about rp 15.000 (20 cents) and is available in most shopping centres - big or small.

3. Dehydrated? Not a problem!
On the side of many roads closer to the centre of Jakarta are people selling peanuts, bananas, newspapers and water. And on those days when the traffic just wont move, you can always jump out and there's bound to be a street seller not far away!

4. Roads are so safe, you barely need rules
You don't need a car seat or seatbelts in the back seat. A family of four can ride a motorbike with no helmets.

A banci in Bandung
Photo courtesy my Sister

5. The roads can be entertaining
Often there will be people playing their guitar or performing some kind of act. In Bandung we see lots of she-males. We call them banci.

A boy offering his services

6. The roads create jobs.
People give themselves work by getting in the middle of traffic and starting to direct it. Basically if they let you give way, it means you give them money. I also once saw kids offering to get into cars so that the businessmen could go down the express lane as they needed more than one person in the car. When they make or repair roads, they make them so they aren't good quality, so that when they are continuously unroadworthy (pardon the pun) they can go back and fix them all over again to get more work.

7. Fuel saving traffic lights
I used to wonder why they had traffic lights that counted down - it's so that you can turn off your engine while waiting. Not only does this save fuel, it also helps to cut down emissions. A win win all around!

So where would you rather be?

Luke on a plane

  This week I am blogging from my home town in South Australia. I am using my Mum's laptop, and the backspace key doesn't work.

I recently blogged that I would soon be taking Luke on his first flight. I can now say that I have finally done it.

It wasn't just a new experience for Luke, but als of me. We went on a small little 50-seater plane with propellors. I have never been on one before so I was a little afraid with how I would go. While I was a bit afraid, I was so focussed on Luke the whole time it wasn't so bad.

Actually I liked the flight - it was a short one, from Melbourne to Mildura on Qantas Link. We only got some disgusting muffin and a glass of water, and there was no inflight entertainment.

It had been a big week. We had been in the Melbourne CBD staying at a hotel for a few days. This was big for Luke as it was different surrounds and I find that the more he is out of his house the more he feels out of sorts. We watched the olymics as he woke up for his morning feed and had a nice breakfast at the not so nice motel we were staying, then packed up, got a phonecall from reception because we were late checking out (and then I used poor Luke as an excuse but clearly we were just taking our sweet arse time) and we got Luke in the car. Our flight wasn't until 1:50pm and it was 10:00am so we had a bit of time to kill.

Hendrik suggested we go to Essendon for brunch as it was only 10 minutes away from the airport. Luke had been asleep for barely 5 minutes when we arrived at Essendon and then didn't sleep as we were there. We left there at around 12 and headed for the airport. Again, Luke had just dosed off and we had to get him out of the car again.

Luke got his own boarding pass! Hendrik came with us to the gate and Luke was obviously overtired by this stage and we hadn't even gotten on the plane. With a teary eye Hendrik let us board and we got told off for trying to take a photo of Luke getting on the plane.

The flight attendant welcomed us and gave us an infant seat belt. She came and instructed me how to put it on and then talked really quickly about what to do in an emergancy. So fast that I couldn't really take it in and I began to panic in my heart. 

As I strapped Luke in I could tell he was getting so upset. The plane hadn't even started its engines! I knew what he was thinking: what are you putting this on me for, I just need to sleep, where's Daddy gone? The flight attendant gave us a pillow.

The propellors began to whizz and we began to taxi. I felt my stomach churning. I was so lucky I had my Mum there too because I don't think I could have coped. As we ran down the runway and climbed, my ears hurt. Luke began to scream. I tried to give him is dummy, he wouldn't take it. I tried to feed him, he wouldn't take it. So I just let him scream and buried my head as I could feel the other passengers throwing me a death wish.

After the seatbelt sign went off I 'unplugged' him and threw him over my shoulder (he likes that). He looked out the window with awe and wonder with all of the beautiful clouds flying past. The flight attendant came over and told me not to worry about Luke screaming, and to try and feed him if I could.

I strapped him back in, rested his head on the pillow. He fed until he slept. The flight attendant walked past and gave me an 'OH HOW PRECIOUS IS HE' look. I even shut my eyes and had a snooze.

As we began to descend he woke up and cried. He didn't scream, just gave me that painful, whimpering cry like it was hurting. We came down really quick. Before we knew it we were on the ground and the captain said "Welcome to Mildura". I looked outside and there was a little house - THAT was the terminal. More like, "welcome to the middle of nowhere!"

As the passengers disembarked and walked past me, one commented that he was now conditioned for flying. I think Luke did rather well considering I've been on flights where babies SCREAM the whole way.

As we walked off the tarmac I threw my baby in the air and he gave me a delightful smile. I breathed in the clean, crisp country air that I have been longing for for so long.

We collected our baggage from what resembles the Tiger Airways 'shed' at Tullamarine and walked to our car which was just a few metres away.

Photo from Mildura Airport Website

Really, flying to Mildura is much easier and better than flying to Adelaide. The planes have their own stairs so you don't have to wait for an airbridge. There's only one plane at the whole airport so you have your bags within a matter of minutes. The parking is cheaper and the flight is shorter. There's even no traffic to get to the airport.

We changed Luke's nappy on the back of Mums car as he peed on me. We then took the delightful 3 hour journey back to my home town.

Now I have coped with this journey, I can now look forward to the impending Indonesia-trip which will contain 5 flights in November!

Keep Indonesian Alive!

I didn't just learn Indonesian,
I danced too.

I want to tell you a story. It's usually the story I tell when people ask me, "kok bisa Bahasa Indonesia?"

I grew up in a small town in South Australia. I went to primary school in this town, and then had to make a move over to Victoria to complete high school. I commuted with a time difference, that was fun. Not to mention the time when the Olympics were on, and Victoria started daylight savings a month before South Australia.

In Victoria, I began to study Indonesian. Being a naive country girl, I thought Indonesian was the language of India.

In year 7 I hated Indonesian. In Year 7 I hated the world though. Then in year 8 I grew to like learning another language, and decided to keep it as an elective in year 9, as it was only compulsory until year 8. In year 9 I liked being one of 4 Indonesian students, and although I had only committed to doing Indonesian for one semester, I opted to do it for the full year because of a time table clash.

There were plans for our school to go to Indonesia in 2011, but then September 11 happened and any trips overseas by the Department of Education were cancelled.

I was about to quit in year 10, and then the trip was reconsidered. There were now plans for a trip to Yogyakarta and Bali. I wasn't all too sure that I wanted to go, but then my Mum insisted as I was 1) studying Indonesian and 2) She never had these opportunities when she was at school (my Mum went to my school too!). I then had to go through the process of getting a passport, immunisations and all of that fun and I found myself on a bus to Melbourne with a few different schools. We took a plane from Melbourne to Denpasar, and then Denpasar to Yogyakarta. It was a long day.

Sammy in Yogyakarta

As soon as I got to Yogyakarta I fell in love. Perhaps so much not with the heat, but it was beautiful! I think that what I love most about Indonesia is the people. Furthermore, when you can converse in their native language it makes the friendship even more special.

I was thinking to give up Indonesian in Year 10, but after going to Yogyakarta, and falling in love, I studied it right until Year 12. I was then determined to complete it on a tertiary level.


I had heard great things about the Indonesian program at La Trobe University in Bendigo, and that the program was conducted by a native Indonesian speaker from Yogyakarta.

Sammy in Bali

I was very blessed to get into University in Bendigo. What I studied wasn't important to me, as long as I did Indonesian. Initially I was doing a Bachelor of Arts but at the last minute switched to Education. It seemed Education had more of a direction career wise.

In my third year of uni, I got the chance to go to Kendari, South East Sulawesi with La Trobe. Every time an Indonesian person asks where I have been in Indonesia, and I say Kendari, they have no idea where it is! La Trobe had a lot of students from Kendari studying kemajuan masyarakat (community development). This not only strengthened communities in Indonesia, but made the relationship with Australia and Indonesia stronger.

Sammy in Kendari

And now they want to cut this fabulous program and introduce online learning. How can one learn a language or culture through online means? We will have teachers in schools not being able to pronounce words properly.

Sammy in Bandung

I feel we should have more value for language, especially that of our closest neighbour. In Singapore, it is compulsory to be bilingual. Being bilingual is a great super-power. Not only can you talk behind peoples backs (he he), you can learn more about your mother tongue.

"why do we learn Indonesian at school when the kids can't speak English properly!?"

Believe it or not, but I never 'got' English grammar until I studied Indonesian. The comparison and contrast of the two languages taught me how language works. And the study of Indonesian, be it at school or university is not just a study of language, but also of culture. Indonesia, being so rich and diverse in culture, promotes a wider world view for our children, something that is ever so important in this increasingly multicultural Australia.

Sammy in Jakarta

This is something very close to my heart, so please, wherever you are in the world, it will only take a minute...

CLICK HERE AND SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE INDONESIAN AT LA TROBE UNIVERSITY

And also because my lecturer, Nita, is the loveliest lady in the world and deserves to stay there!

Thank you!!

You've Got Mail!

I've been reminiscing about New Zealand lately. I went there for our honeymoon last April. It is quite honestly one of the most beautiful places on earth. I really hope to go there again when the baby is born, perhaps for Easter 2013. Especially with our high Aussie Dollar at the moment!

I've signed up for Postcrossing, and I'm anxiously awaiting mail and news of my received postcards. I'll blog about this another time, but in the meantime, I would love to show you all of these groovy ideas for postboxes I saw near Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand. I would LOVE to make a postbox out of something groovy like these, but unfortunately I don't think that that's the culture in this end of Melbourne. Enjoy :)

Made out of road signs!

A microwave!

Coffee Machine!

Birdhouse

For the Geek in all of us

For the beer fan - a keg! 

Someone got artsy

A big fish

Esky. Perfect use as it's not hard to keep things cold in this part of NZ.

A truck radiator!

Which one is your favorite?