Reply to my (yet favorite) boss

JAM - 21.8.2012 working at MiMi project:

"It's really good to hear from you Artha san. 

Sorry I was negligent informing you but It's been crazy with moving, not to mention a family reunion in Greece and a trip to the US that I just got back from. etc, etc, etc..."

My reply:

the story goes,

where I work,

no change at breakfast...

always count my daytime...

jogging after-work...

become co-designer of my avatar...

my night or weekend pass-timer...          

by now you must remember me, this is me and my dream. (life continues indeed)

and this is my sister's wedding as you've been informed!

How lucky you're, boss!

Jepang tidak selebar Yokohama

Merdeka!! - notes from Japan

Gak terasa sejak "ditempatkan" di proyek ini waktu berjalan sudah lewat 1 tahun 1 bulan. Banyak tempat sudah disinggahi, walau yg favorit ya tetap saja ke Luwuk alias di project site. Beberapa negara sudah disinggahi, walau yg favorit ya tetap saja ke USA,  dan "untung"nya beli main heat exchangernya di PA jadi ya ngunjungin New York lagi deh. Tentu suasana hati berbeda saat 2001 meninggalkan NY, dan setelah 10 tahun berlalu mendapatinya "ternyata" benar2 a new NY, a better one.

Yang paling berasa adalah sering ke Jepang! Ada cerita panjang soal Jepang, dan itu melibatkan haru biru, "agak dramatis" kalo buat yg belum pernah mendengarkan ceritanya, "seperti sinetron" buat yg tidak kenal gw sejak kecil. Tapi, buat yg mengenal gw sejak kecil, artinya kedua orang tua dan saudara2 kandung gw khususnya, perjalanan hidup gw itu ajaib, akhirnya ke Jepang juga seberapa pun menolak ke Jepang. Haha

Cerita yang sama juga dipahami dan dimengerti oleh beberapa teman kecil gw, khususnya BFF yang dari SMA yang benar2 paham "arti Jepang" dalam hidup gw, bref. Tapi, bener2 gw gak bisa menolak lagi sekarang. Pembuktian demi pembuktian sudah dibukakanNya. Titik.

Menjelang peringatan kemerdekaan Indonesia, tentu memori cerita Ompung tentang Jepang, juga memori masa kecil yg sangat menginginkan jadi dokter dan gagal (gara2 Jepang hehe), dan suasana di proyek yg selalu ada saja yg mengingatkan bahwa sebagian besar bangsaku belum memerdekakan dirinya. Bagaimana mungkin merasakan kemerdekaan kalau mereka sendiri belum bisa memerdekakan dirinya. Itu terus yg gw selalu mempertanyakan diri gw, betulkah aku sudah merdeka? Jawabannya, ya dan tidak. Ya kalau persoalan hidup, tapi tidak kalau persoalan hidup sehari2. Adapun tidak, karena gw belum memerdekakan diri dari tanggung jawab, selaluuuu merasa tanggung jawab, itu yg suka merangkeng gw.

Dalam kemerdekaan ada tanggung jawab, yaitu mempertahankannya!

Great talents comes great responsibility, freedom gift comes freedom choice: continued to have a freedom or surrender (or "personally" dead) !

17.8.2012 - Merdeka!!!

Culinary Freak

Tradisi ramadhan buat gw adalah buka puasa bersama dan "berburu" tajil enak. Di iNdonesia, itu gampang! Di yokohama, challenging. Bukber kedua kalinya di kota ini, di 2 ramadhan yg berbeda eh restorannya sama, itu lagi itu lagi. Restonya menyediakan makanan Indonesia, walaupun yg punyanya orang Jepang. Yang kerjanya juga banyak orang Indonesia yg sudah mix, alias marriednya dengan Jepang2. Resto ini laku banget dan recommended banget bagi teman2 Indonesia di Yok,  rasany pas2an banget, ya klaim halal-nya yg membuatnya "dipercaya" hehe. Who knows though!

Adalah Rara yg mau farewell dan pulang ke indonesia for good. Ya berhubung acara bukber nya di resto yg sama lagi itu, akhirnya gw bilang sama sekretaris kantor disini, "apa gak ada resto middle east, arabian food, lebanese, atau Maghreb food gitu"... pfuih, untung dia tahu. Konon tahunya juga karena di gedung yg sama ada project middle east dan orang2 yg bekerja di proyek itu sering memesan makanan dari resto ini. Waktu baca nama restonya, berhubung yg nulisnya orang Jepang, "Alain", agak aneh. Trus itu sekretaris nambahin, iya yang punyanya bilang begitu dan dia bisa bahasa jepang, arabic, english dan french, jadi ga usah khawatir katanya. 

Jadi senyum mengingat sekretaris ini, rumahnya juga gak jauh dari kantor, kemarin nanya restoran italia yg enak (karena gw dah asli bosan makanan sekitar kantor), dia juga yg memberi tahu resto italia yg kebetulan di jalan pulangnya, yg dia belum pernah mampir! akhirnya dia ikut gw makan, dan itu resto italia yg paling enak "wine by bottle" nya di Jepang, hihihi... 

Culinary trip disini memang challenging dari bahasanya, termasuk bahasa international kayak english aja disini gak mudah. Beberapa resto malah gak ada menu dalam english, jadi untung juga udah mulai bisa ngomong Jepang "standard" lagi, jd mulai bisa komunikasi dengan penjaja warung, menjelaskan maunya gw apa dan juga bisa nanya rekomendasi restoran.

Kembali ke "alaindining" itu, akhirnya tadi malam gw mengajak MsRara dkk bukber kesana. Berbekal peta dari internet, eh ternyata gak jauh dari kantor, dan gak jauh dari "peradaban" di center yokohama. Taelah, jadi bingung juga kog ya orang2 Indonesia di kantor gw ga pernah interested to look for this resto *bingung.com*. Mengenai namanya yg keprancis2an ya terjawab sudah, nama restonya itu ternyata "Al Ain", hehe, ownernya orang Libanon yg notabene emang pastinya fasih french dan beliau sudah 21 th di Jepang karena nikah sama orang Jepang.  Terjawab sudah darimana beliau itu belajar bahasa segitu fasehnya. Pelayanannya orang Tunisia dan keduanya faseh bahasa Jepang. Kami memilih menu "standard" gw di Alibaba Jakarta: kapsa, samosa dan lamb chop... ini lc yg paling enak selama gw di Jepang! (ya iyalah...)

*enak, shukkkkhran Allah buat nikmatnya*

Out of Imagination

"In life, one has to have a dream, do what necessary to pursue the dream... If along the way you know you won't be able to reach the dream, then change it. Do not let the circumstances beat you, that's all winner do." - CNN.

Above quotation Ive just heard in an emission talking about summer Olympics in London that near to end. Believe it or not, next summer Olympics will be in Rio de Janeiro! I'm expecting to see a colorful closing ceremony where will be a special concert and sure Brazil will use its moment to do "pre-carnaval"... worth watching!

This morning I went to my first Sunday sermon at Yokohama Baptist International Church. Visiting Pastor is a Japanese, and the translator is a doctor who has very weak voice so I had struggle to concentrate listening his English. Having that experience remind me of the same kind in Indonesia and how lucky expatriates to have many translators Indonesians performing better job. 

He conveyed the Message of the calling and how God way is not man's way, it is out of imaginable. His order is simple, for us to believe His words. There are events that we only see the outcome (only harvesting) but God has out the seed indeed before us. Nevertheless, in most cases (if not all) we don't even see any symptoms. For whom with pure heart just obey what he needs to do according to His "order", it pays out of imagination joy. 

I had to make testimony of that!

Back in 1986, my parents (and QQ) were in Osaka for World Expo, and I remembered Dad told me that both had prayed that one of their daughter, pointed to me who at that time had to do my final exam and forget my dream to follow visit them to Japan. And here I am in 2012, "already" an engineer and is working in a "world-class" project in Japan, truly out of imagination!

Rewinding back how I came into this project, also out of imagination. Ive been told in June and started in DSLNG by the next month. It was not a project that I chose neither what I dreamt of, but it was a dream of my parents. What else should I dream but giving it out to them. So as last year when I first time came to Japan, suddenly some puzzles in my life start to be explainable and question remains, "How could the world been in a mega coalition to make my kind of "story" a reality?! 

There were (many) times I kept begging to God that I want to have my own life but too many being asked from me. Since I was kid God has put me in some challenges and that I felt too much for my age. But (started that one night starring at "Yokohama wheel") I know that I put my bet in the right hands and asked Him no more. After all, the rewards He gives much more that I ever imagine. Though tears remain, a doze of frustration and confusion also experienced, but the assurance of peace in mind and unspeakable joy that I have been enjoying for last two years are live, despite how hard my days to some viewer. Truly out of imagination. 

I understand my responsibility now is not easy (is never been easy life, huh?!), but quoted the powerful prayer that once God had answered Salomon provide me assurance to believe no need to change my dream neither to surrender or to be beaten by the circumstances. God has showed me "Providentia", so why not keeping up in the challenge track; wounds, tears and scars are nothing by keeping my focus n Him who's waiting at the finish line. All I always want, is getting a gold medal. 

After the sermon, I met three Indonesians! in such a small church in Yokohama. One lady works in the same project with me (on Japan side) and met her once only last week without conversation she just asked my signature for MOM. Never thought meeting her in church). We had fruitful conversation, and I'd love meeting them again next sermons that I promise will visiting the church at my Sunday times in Yokohama. I went together with her to Yokohama station for lunch and after we broke up I continued past time by shopping o-miyage (oleh2). I felt so rich doing shopping in Japan! Though my money was not always "my money" in the past but here it is Your promise indeed true again, that Your money is unlimited for me to use but with one condition that is at Your times and not mine hehe... Love You, and help me to love You more. 

"Prayer of Salomon: "I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. SO give your servant a discerning heart... For who is able to govern this family and the great people of yours?"

12.8.2012 @Royal Park Hotel Yokohama - awaiting the closing London Olympics ceremony.

Eben Ezer

Dalam usaha gw menikmati assignment di Jepang, gw "akhirnya" kembali belajar bahasa Jepang. Tanpa mengerti bahasanya ternyata ya susah untuk berkomunikasi disini, even urusan makanan hahaha (karna jarang ada menu dalam bahasa Inggris). Weekend kemarin dimulailah perjuangan itu, dab ternyata mulainya aja yang susah karena setelahnya gw sangat menikmati waktu2 belajar bahasa Jepang juga mempraktekkan bahasa yang dulu pernah sangat gw suka. Sensei Hanna, konnichiwa. (Sensei waktu SMA, tidak pernah ketemu lagi. Semoga beliau sehat selalu beliau membuat gw suka bahasa Jepang dulu....)

Weekend kemarin juga kembali diingatkan bahwa apapun bisa terjadi dalam hidup gw, namun tetap harus belajar setia pada ajaran2 Tuhan. Itu kunci berkat Daud, tetap setia dalam menjalani berkat (dg menikmatinya!) namun tetap juga setia dalam menjalani penghukuman Tuhan. Apapun yg gw harus jalanin, ya jalanin aja, sepenuh hati bertanggung jawab mengerjakan project ini. Memang seringan tidak mudah tapi EBEN EZER, sampai disini Tuhan telah menolong. 

Dengan meletakkan batu di atas mezbah Eben Ezerku, dengan itu aku menaruh percaya bahwa Tuhan yg telah menolong sampai disini adalah yang sama yg akan menolong besok, lusa dan sampai selama2nya. Gw senang dan mau melakukan proyek ini sepenuh hati. Sekedar kudu belajar bahasa Jepang lagi, ya kenapa tidaaaaaak.

Dia memang bisa dipercaya. Sehari setelah meletakkan batu Eben Ezer, kembali Tuhan mengabulkan doa Dede keterima PTT! sesuai dengan apa yg dimintanya. Gw selalu ingat komentar Dede waktu BBM ngasih tahu ia melamar untuk bisa PTT ke desa terpencil di Ambon sana, "Kak, aku tahu ini pasti menyenangkan hati kakak. Aku mau PTT ke desa terpencil, aku mau bisa merasakan yg kk ceritain sekaligus aku mau bisa sekolah lagi dengan hasil keringatku sendiri. Doain ya kak, pengumumannya tanggal 8 nanti..." Jawab gw, "Pastinya De..."

Langsung satu batu lagi disusun di atas mezbah Eben Ezerku, sambil berucap "Aaaah bener2 kutahu yang kupercaya, Trimakasih for loving me that much. I feel so loved and love to love You more. Please take care my little brother, even before I trust You will.

8.8.2012 @Yokohama

Korean waves

I never been to Korea, though had been offered "invitation" to come but not my type to go for "touristic" trip paid by company, hehe. I keep believing when the time right then I will go there, for sightseeing or for other purpose. I leave the options open.

I do like Korean food, the ginseng chicken soup, the Kimchi fresh and spicy hot, and that Bulgogi BBQ that John who first introduced that to me, hmmm yummy. I also fond of Korean drama during full house fever! And I even still keep Korean "type" dress as souvenirs from StBarbe party in Balikpapan couple years ago. 

Only recently I understand (and enjoy) the way Korean eat Korean food. They're food addict as me, but stick to tradition! The way their eat tradition almost the same as other rules of tradition,  "religiously" have to be followed. Food selection for Korean "native/oldies" has to stick to "religiously" tradition like how kimchi serves, soup at lunchs and BBQ at dinners. I had been told the way Korean way of eating BBQ: put the meat in one piece of leaves (salada or wijen leave), plus garlic is a must, then plus kimchi or other stuff at your choice or just put sambal or beanpaste (tauco), then flip the leaves to put those extra inside the leaves "box" then just eat it like eating sandwich/burger when coming to the mouth.

To make a story short, had a very delicious dinner at Korean resto in Yokohama tonight.... have to put extra miles on my run tomorrow... 

2012 London calling

2012 London calling make me back to write (and jog).

I'm an Olympicaholic during the games ongoing; with enthusiasm I watch the openings and some games of my interest, follow Olympic TV programs like interviews & reviews, last not to miss the closing and final medals tally. This afternoon, the tally recorded China at 2nd rank and South Korea at 3rd! Bref, Asian moves the world...

My favorite Olympic events are when the world records are broken, and all those record-makers provides powerful inspiration. Yup, I agree that most (if not all) Olympians indeed offer reassurance.

That reassurance as for me at most is able to put my jogging shoes and refuel me to run again and again and again.... wish Olympic starts every year so I wont miss any year to have my "months of regular weekend jogging". Ooops!

This season is interesting because I jog through the traffic roads, crossing city's landmarks and statues without disturbing pollutants, thansk to Indonesian gas that fueling clean air in Yokohama, Japan. Wishing one day, I have chance to witness Olympic starts at my home country, big hope it's not a wishful thingking.