Praying

The condition is always very very encouraging for praying. I am talking about everywhere you go, there is a place for ablution and prayer. even in that place where we went for the others to have lunch on our first day, which is, in my opnion is in a middle of nowhere.

Maybe we have been frequenting high class restaurant for dinner (we ate at a manor once), but in every restaurant that we have been to, there is praying area, and there is a place for ablution. I am used to pray with what I am wearing, a result of having lived as a Muslim in Europe. I am Asian (or Malaysian to be exact), and we always wear telekung/mukerna over our fully clothed body and there is no other way of dressing for praying. It is a cultural norm rather than obligation in the practise. But the Indonesian students with us always have this pouch containing mukerna and there is always one at the praying area if you want to wear it. It is quite admirable to see them girls in knee length skirt stepping into the praying area. Because the basic pillar in Islam after the declaration of syahadah, is praying the obligatory prayers 5 times a day (terms and conditions applied) and yet I know a lot of people who identify themselves Muslim don't even care about it.

It feels like I have come home hearing the azan (or song according to my fellow participant) vibrating through the air. and the Muslim student life that I think I won't be able to experience, I experienced it there in the compound of UGM Fakultas Kedokteran. To answer promptly to the call of prayer, to be among the people who make their way to the masjid within the compound and to pray together. I am ever so lucky to be given the chance. and yes, during the programme, whenever it is possible, we pray jamaah (praying together. 70 folds brownie points compared to praying alone. correct me if I am wrong) 

I really admire them Indonesian students. They are always telling us before going to pray. and even the non Muslim one seems to know as much about the prayer time as much as I do. Sheryl even came with me to find the washroom and even waited for me and Fira to finish praying. 

The Evening I Canting-ed My Favourite Skirt

We walked out of the bus onto the roadside. Jogjakarta roadside, not the European roadside. there is difference between the 2. a huge one.

and then down the stairs to these

Notice those mobiles?they are woven from coconut leaves.

I assure you, seeing this in person makes me wonder if I will find bunian(sorta like elf) among the chairs and greens

there goes. not a bunian. but an old man, reminding me of my beloved ones that have passed on.

 The lady of that place ushered us in

and we all seated to these

Photo from my collection

and hear about batik from her. and yes, Java batik is really different from ours (in term of patterns used)

I sat down facing this while the others finish their meal

and then the others joined me

and then we went so focused

and then the I cantinged my skirt. my first and most loved skirt. thus the reason I am holding the cloth like that. the damage however is already done. cryariveroftears.

I was so sad but the lady of the house prepared a warm, sweet bubur for iftar and I ate their homemade coconut icecream. which is why I am not in this picture



Dislaimer : all photos are by Vini Chumaira unless stated otherwise

wHATSUP?!

The Indonesian Number
I thought I need Indonesian number.
Well I don't need it at all during the programme.
We are doing almost everything together and there will always be an Indonesian student with you (well, almost everytime)

Just in case you need the simcard and your phone use micro or nano simcard, pester the Indonesian students about it.
There is no way you will get them from roadside stall, they are only available in the malls (hopefully).
and yes, I thought I needed the simcard rather badly, but after 3 days of waiting and no microsimcard coming my way, I just dropped the idea.

The Tissue
I am sure everyone know about boxed tissue. Now take ALL those plys and wrapped them into plastic. Yes, in Jogja, that kind of packaging is on the shelf. Thanks Allah for that kind of packaging. I use loads of tissue to wipe off my sweaty face and for the toilet (they rarely have toilet paper).
And I found out there is also underarm wipe but not found in Jogja. So cool la my fellow Asian.hahaha

Jogjakarta and Jakarta
they are 2 different cities 10 hours apart by land. don't be confused when u book your flight ticket.

The Tale of Sohoor

Sohoor or sahur or soq is the predawn meal during Ramadhan.
During Gamacoaster, I had most of it with Hadeer.

Tale 1
I had the room all to myself. Rika will come on the third day.
Hadeer said to go down with her at 3am.
Too early. I want to go at 4am. So we will go separately.
We didn't go separately. Well, it was I who did not go at all. I didn't hear my alarm goes off. and to think that I had Imperial March as my alarm.

Tale 2
Rika is my roommate. She is Japanese. But she is the one who heard my Imperial March alarm goes off at the wee hour of morning and woke me up for sohoor. Every single morning at the hotel.  Well, almost. Hahaha. And yes, I woke up at 3 to have sohoor with Hadeer. and I always finishes my meal at 4am.

Tale 3
We were camping at the youth center. It was after the simulation. The mood, shall I say, is rather cloudy. My fellow participants went back to sleep. Hadeer was excused from fasting and I didn't know if they prepare something for me for sohoor and I have a measly amount of 1000 rupiah/RM0.30 , the last note that I have with me, enough to buy a milkshake. And kind Timothy gave me 10 000 rupiahs, so nice of him. sobs. It was half past 2 am. and someway, somehow, there I was with my sahoor box. It has been a long time since I feel so lonely. I went to the warung, sat next to the only guy from the organizing team that was around and whose name I dont even know and never even spoke to and quietly finishing my meal with a cup of thankfully hot milo that he helped me order. It was cold and dewy. There was me, the guy, the pak cik warung in his sweater waiting for his food to cook so that he can eat with his wife and urm, the neverending echoes of "sahuuuuuurrrrr!!! sahuuuuuuurrrrr!!!" that breaks the silence of the setting.

Jogjakarta Airpot

Airport in Indonesian is bandara.

Flying in.
Lots of people in a small space.
Fill in the arrival form.
Picked my luggage across 20 people within 2.5m space.
Clear immigration. They will give you part of the form.
Keep it. Keep it until you fly out.

Flying out

Have to pay some tax. It was 100k rupiahs.
find the counter.