18 November 2010 I got a lot of things to write. Every minute I experienced here was like a new adventure out of nowhere.  Probably, the things are just common for some people or even a lot of people. I don’t care.  All I know is that this is a very brand new stuff in my life. The only problem is that I got very less time to write. Not that I was busy doing something worthy for education and humanity as like the great vision of this program. I really hope I could even just talk to the villagers. I spent most of my time to blend with the people, where it had not worked so far. My time in the evening was taken to sit in front of the TV, beared myself to watch that oh-so-illogical-exageratting -and-junk-sinetron as usually neighbours come and watch it together. At about 9-10 p.m I usually asked for a permission to go to my room. Sure, they thought I am going to sleep as there is no electricity in my room. I finally did anyway, after I turned on my cute-white-laptop and were about to write. My mind work good but my body fight against it, and the second used to win the battle. So, well, in this precious moment where only 3 person come and watch TV that I can go to my space alone and open this PC, let me just sum up some of the stories. Idul Adha celebration This year, Idul Adha was celebrated on November 17th 2010. This is supposed to be a big day for the Moslem. That is what I see in the newspaper, in TV news, and in my previous world with Moslem friends. This is the day where I had planned to meet a lot of people, chit chat and make them know me. Unfortunately, the celebration belongs to the city. Here, in my village, nothing really special happens except the Ied prayer in the morning, where not all of the villagers did. I did not hear takbiran along the night as in the city, or the crowd of slashing qurban. People said in the main road people gather and did those things. What a different civilization it was in just a kilometre away. After the prayer in the mosque near my house, things happen like everyday, except the food. My mom cooked a lot of food, such as nasi kuning, ketupat, gogos (made of sticky rice and coconut milk, covered with banana leaves and then burned), eggs (finally I meet one here), chicken, laksa (rice noodle cooked with vegetables), fried crushed fishes, etc. My father is a headmaster of the elementary school where I teach so the pupils come to the house and eat. That is all the difference. I chose to go to my neighbour house named Ila, a 3rd grade senior high school student. Well, not that I actually chose the plan. Mom chose it for me and ask Ila to take me anywhere she like. Ila then kindly took me to the her cousins house, her neighbour house, and finally back to her house, where in each house I got to ate a lot of food. In her house, I met Pak Alimuddin, Ila’s big brother, and his wife, Bu Dahlia, who is also a teacher in SDN 19 where Sakti teach. We have a really good talk there. They can speak a much better Indonesian, and they did speak, unlike many of the shy people here. We talk about education, people, local corruption, and most important thing : Mandar language! Yeay. I learn everyday words such as the body, fruits, plants, animals. I got smarter that day. After about two and a half hour, I went back home and check my cellphone. Ms. Anti, the 2nd grade teacher texted me and asked me to come to her house in Palipi, beside the main road. She took me out with her scooter and we go to her house, her sister house, and her brother house. Well, 3 house in a row, literally. There, I ate another foods in each house. Ketupat, buras, opor telur, ayam bakar, and Mandar soto. I had a very good time there. Pak Taju, Ms. Anti’s brother, and his wife, Bu Marwah, are special for me. They talked enthusiastically in a fully spirit. We laugh much, and I learn another Mandar words. They recharged my mental battery as the support me with their acceptance. If only they were in my village, things will be much easier as they can be a great help upon the program. I went back at about 9 p.m, kindly taken home by Pak Taju with his beloved 16 years strong Vespa. Eat again? Yes, My mom and dad asked me to. Since they are my parents and I should better be honest, I asked them to allow me not to eat. This is the first time in Majene where my stomach cannot bear anymore food. Really.. What a full eat day! Yet, a one memorable day instead. Second day of Idul Adha holiday Something is bothering me. I am sad because I woke up late. Well, today is a holiday and it is actually okay for me to wake up late. It is just, something is missing. When I fully awaken, I realized that I miss the wake-up call from the cock which is supposed to be beside my room. Along my first week, it had been a loyal friend to wake me up during the dusk. Now, it has been gone. Well, not really gone as I can still see it in piece, placed on my table, covered with seasons. It was killed yesterday, and cooked. Siigh.. I stared at the chicken. How will I wake up without you? I am then stop thinking and eat the it. Hm.. it’s yummy. Thank you for sacrifying yourself for me. I will remember you, Cock! Invitation from the Head of Education in Majene What a day! After a week,I finally meet the complete ‘MAJENES’(the name of young teachers of GIM placed in Majene). It feels like I had not meet them forever. Feels like we have been here in Majene for a long time and is about to finish the program. Mouths cannot stop talking. So many unique, and some extreme, experiences had been colouring our lifes within this one week. I found out that there is no electricity at all in Agung’s house, solar system in BK’s house but does not have enough energy to charge the cellphone, diesel genset in some houses from 6 to 10 p.m, and full electricity and washing machine and bathroom in Nisa’s room. I found out that Agung almost sank in a river yesterday, and that the river flows from Ujan’s villages where they use the river for wash and bath as well as pee and pup. Figuring that elementary school kids in Arrum’s villages dance dangdut erotically in one event, Wiwin used to eat half expired tempeh and gray rice in her underdeveloped village, and Tika lived in a traditional wood house of Mandar. A really cool things happen as well. Kids in Soleh’s villages bring money together to buy gasoline for the diesel genset so they can study in Soleh’s courses. What a spirit! One person asked Ujan to named her coming baby and one teacher ask Sakti’s permission to give her yet to come baby name “Saktia”. Is not that cool? So much stories were told and the eaten food as well. We got a drastically decreasing attitude in consuming foods. We eat like crazy! Good thing that the rental car came and picked us up, so that we stop eating. Sad to separate again and live the life alone, but then, we were glad to have each other. And it is great to have a moment to wait happily each month. The moment to meet our brother and sister and share the togetherness. What a holiday, right?! Let’s now get start for tomorrow! Jiayou!!