I actually was busy with a bunch of tasks on writing articles when my son and daughters asked me to accompany them watching movie Kung Fu Panda. I was on the middle of writing when all ideas to write has just been flowing smoothly into the order of sentences that it felt like hard to interrupt. I prefer to complete all the stuff before going for Kung Fu Panda movie because I didn’t want my mind to be hassled by uncompleted work while I was supposed to enjoy the movie.
However, it has been two weeks since my daughters arrived in Medan to spend their holidays, and I haven’t had enough time to spend on outings with them. They will be going back to Bandung in three weeks. So I decided to leave that uncompleted writings for a while.
The movie title doesn’t sound interesting to me, and I imagined this movie as cartoon movie about Panda with its common Kung Fu story, something to do with a warrior and the like. I did not expect too much other than amazing Dreamworks animation movie, bright colors and off course a few laughs and smile. I was thinking about watching the audio technology, scene art and animation techniques developed in this Dreamworks animation movie rather than paying attention to the story; while my daughter was in the line to buy tickets when it was announced that the tickets were all sold out, so we have to buy for the next scheduled show tickets and have to wait for another 2 hours. The theaters were full.
The story is about a big and fat panda called Po, whose father is a noodle maker who wants Po to take over his business one day. In another place the Valley of Peace, the tortoise warrior called master Oogway has a feeling that a former student of his own protégé Shi Fu, who is an evil leopard Tai Lung will escape from prison and return to attack the Valley of Peace. Oogway needs to choose the mighty Dragon Warrior who can defeat Tai Lung. Everyone in the Valley assumes that the Dragon Warrior chosen will be one of the Furious Five : Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, or Crane, a skilled martial artists trained by Shi Fu. No one expected that the Dragon Warrior chosen is Po, a fat panda with no Kung Fu skills at all. The way how Po was chosen is interesting; and this is when the main part of the story begins.
The tale of how Po was eventually chosen as a Dragon Warrior, humiliated by the Furious Five, trained by Shi Fu until finally defeated Tai Lung is full of fights and lessons. A lot of moral message is put in during the process of humiliate Po to become an honored Po. The film also had an authentic Chinese and Kung Fu feel, enriched with parody and comedy and, adorned with wise words from traditional Chinese philosophy. At last I did not pay too much attention on the audio, scene art and animation techniques, but more on the tale and the wise words appear in an appropriate moment of the course to becoming a factual warrior. I was impressed with the nice quotes in the story which are presented in a pleasant way, so memorable and also inspires lessons in life. The meaning behind the story is so great. A good message for kids in believing oneself; and a reminder that even one might not be the best among one’s peer, as long as he or she wants to learn, he or she can achieve to be the best. My favorite quote in that movie is “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mistery, today is a gift. That is why it is called the present”.
Very nice story, great animation techniques and scenery. I really enjoyed the movie after all.
25 June, 2008
Kung Fu Panda
19 June, 2008
Bear in Mind on My Daddy's Birthday
“Daddy, you know how much I love you ……….. “
That song of Ricardo, besides a song entitled “Ayah” by Koes Bersaudara, and the song of the same title “Ayah” by Ebiet GAD have always been turned on whenever I think about my dad, especially today on my dad’s birthday. These songs always remind me of my childhood when my dad took an important role in making me self reliant. All those moments flashed back in my mind, the way my dad had always taken care each of his child.
When I was about 4 years old, daddy took me to Kinder Garten at Jl. Kartini – Bandung. He took and picked me up everyday by himself. The next year he wanted to send me to private school SD Paulus I/II Jl. Dr. Rajiman following my brother who had already studied there for a year. I was not accepted by the school because I was too young to attend the Primary School. So my dad sent me to public school at SDN Pasirkaliki. After I successfully passed my first year, I was accepted to attend the second year at SD Paulus I/II which daddy viewed as the best private primary school in Bandung at that time.
Every morning after breakfast, daddy gave each of us vitamin C, vitamin B Complex and Calcium tablets, while every night after dinner each child was given a soft gel of cod fish liver oil. Sometimes on Saturday night, my parents would take us outing for dinner at noodle restaurant at Jl. Kejaksaan. On Sunday morning before going to Sunday school, daddy used to train us riding bicycle around Jl. Ganesha. He wants his children to love reading, so we subscribed a popular children magazine at that time : Si Kuncung. He took us to either Panti Budaya or Panti Karya theatre to watch a series of movie entitled Heintje. Even once when we were going to the theatre and my dad’s old car was down, we did not postpone going to the theatre but kept going to the theatre by becak. Daddy also used to take us to Bandung Fair at the town hall, to watch circus show at Gelora – Jl. Banda, and to go swimming at Karang Setra.
Finished from Primary School, daddy applied me and my brother to SMP Taruna Dharma (Yayasan Taruna Bakti) – Jl. Riau. That was the first time for me to follow admission tests. After completing Junior High School, I went to SMA Negeri III – Jl. Belitung Bandung. Our house is located in Jl. Lombok, which is not far from the school, so we could get to school by foot. We all attended the schools at Jl. Belitung, five of us went to SMA Negeri III, one of my younger sister went to SMA Negeri V, and my older brother went to SMA Negeri IX. All is located in the same building at Jl. Belitung that we spent nothing for transportation to get to school.
My daddy used to be very strict and self discipline. Early in the every morning he always drink a glass of plain water followed by praying and then doing light exercise. Although we had a house helper, each child had a turn to do part of the house works such as washing dishes, watering plants, washing the car, sweeping the house floor, cleaning the front yard etc. Daddy typed the time table of each job and the name of child who has a turn, on a piece of paper and attached it on the wall.
Daddy himself also trained each of us to ride motorcycle and to drive car when he thought we are mature enough to be trained for. Early in the morning he would wake us up and trained us driving car and riding motorcycle surround Jl. Bangka, Jl. Menado, Jl. Aceh and Jl. Belitung. I remember how at the first time I was not brave enough to drive his big old sedan Opel Capitan as well as to ride his big old motorcycle Vespa, but daddy was brave enough in encouraging me to drive a car when there is traffic jam. He even trusted my brother at his 18 years old to drive a car to Jogyakarta when we all went there on vacation.
Although to me he sometimes overprotected us, but in general he is successful in raising up each his child to become self reliant. Sometimes I ask myself whether in return I have done enough to make him content in his elderly. Now, although his sons and daughters live spread apart in Jakarta, Cilacap, Medan, Kuala Lumpur, Tuban and Surabaya, daddy is always be the first person who rings up to greet happy birthday on each one’s birthday, very early in the morning. He sends us email and sometimes chatting through internet. In every opportunity he reminds us to always be humble and be grateful.
My daddy now is not as strong as he used to be, but he is still eager to do his daily activities as usual. This morning I heard him cheerfully answered our birthday greeting on the phone, unlike his weaker voice I'd used to hear when he talked on the phone lately. I am so glad to hear him talked cheerfully, and I kept turning on the song “I love you daddy” along the day.
“ Daddy.......
sometimes I might do wrong
but I never stop trying
to be your number one
…………………………………….
I love you daddy,
You are my hero...............
..............................................
You are my superstar……….”Happy 81st Birthday, my dear daddy. I wish you all the best.
Live in Harmony - Let's Learn from Nature
Labels: societyOver the years, scientists and researchers have been striving to find the connection between triggers of violence and societal violence. The argument between researchers, who say that human behaviour is acquired from our social environment is not about the facts of how humans do behave. Aggressive behaviour, greediness and anarchism are features of life today. The question is not whether they exist or not but what causes them.
In developing country, particularly a country with many citizens lacking of education and knowledge, violence appear very often as a solution to their problem. Violence is frequently used in expressing their unsatisfactory feelings over problems they might have. Not only poverty and economic burden, but diversity, has been one of the triggers that could make people attack others of different believe, color or gender. Anarchism, violence and rumors of violence continue to spread - feared yet also expected in daily life. With all the chaos in our societies, have we never took a step back and wonder why we, humans, have the tendency to attack each other and make others suffer? Isn’t it an irony how the creatures in nature are able to maintain balance and harmony while we humans – civilized creatures –, seem to always have difficulty living in harmony?
In the face of this, what are we as educated people called to be and do? What resources of our knowledge can we bring to bear on this apparently intractable predicament? What shall we do as we seek together to build understanding in our communities? There are many that we can do. One of them is to aware people about diversity as one of nature’s facts that God creates. We can start with our family, neighborhood and our communities at any opportunity of sharing or discussion.
There are many that we can learn from nature characteristics and behavior. Some of them are the facts that : Everything in the community is connected, all things work together ; All the parts work together to make a balanced system. If one part is removed, then the system will lose its balance ; A healthy system has lots of species diversity. The more the merrier. By maintaining diversity, we help keep our community a healthy relationship, live in harmony ; The world has lots of different living organisms that interact with each other. Each person has a position or activity that particularly suits somebody's talents and personality or that somebody can make his or her -own. Each of us have the role we play in the community ; Environments support a diversity of living organisms that all share limited resources.
Let’s view diversity as positive values. Each of us work together to make a balanced community!
25 May, 2008
Ta Prohm
Ever saw a huge root of centuries old trees coiling and implanted on temples of the 12th century? There are many we can see at Ta Prohm temples, within the area of Angkor Archaeological Park - Northwestern Cambodia. These temples are considered the most beautiful by many visitors because of its extraordinary relationship with the surrounding jungle. Many archaeologists and groups of high school students from other countries come for doing survey and research. Ta Prohm is a very large Buddhist temple built by Jayavarman VII and once tended by 18 high priests and more than 2,500 lesser priests.
According to the history, it housed more than 12,000 people within its enclosures.
Approaching main gateway to the complex of Ta Prohm, the panorama gives the impression that these temples have been abandoned for years; in fact it’s been for centuries. We can see great blocks that fell centuries ago lie on the jungle floor covered in ferns and bushes. The main gateway is scary enough to pass through because the block stones roof are not well attached one another as if it could be broken or cracked apart and fall down anytime.
The main gateway
Winda,Laura,Esther,Risma,Elly --- Marida,Erna (sitting)
The temples were built by Khmers with the strong influence of Hinduism can be seen from their beautiful art of carvings portrayed on the walls of temples. The subject of these carvings are Hindu gods and stories from the great Hindu epics, particularly the Mahabrata and the Ramayana. Some carvings and statues remain as sharply carved.
The buildings walls are mostly cracked and bushed. It seems that the jungle slowly overtook the buildings, cracking and squeezing walls and splitting up stones apart.
Another interesting view at Ta Prohm is a strange harmony of stone and vegetation. We can see many temples with endless tree roots coiling and implanted on their spreading skirts. The canopy of trees which overhang the whole site obstruct the sunlight. There are insects, birds, bats and frogs everywhere, living in the ruins. It seems that the slow encroachment of the jungle continues to take place; these temples one day may disappear forever into the soil of the jungle.
It seems like restoration on this temples has not been started yet. Are these left so to maintain their uniqueness or to keep their originality; or to see how these original temples of the 12th century disappear naturally; or left so for archaeological study and research, or for other purposes? I guess it is being planned or being prepared. The restoration works must be very well planned, because it's a big and hard work to get all the temples restored whilst on the other hand their originality must be conserved.
Taking young children to take a walk surrounding the complex of Ta Prohm is not recommended. The passageways are bumpy, some are covered by fallen blocks and stones which takes extra energy to walk on. However, there is lots of fun to travel around and see great temples of 12th century surrounded by jungle.
Khmer Temples of d'Angkor
Labels: treasured journeyThere is no direct flight from Medan to Siem Reap, so I took a flight to Kuala Lumpur and stayed there overnight because a flight to Siem Reap is at 7 a.m the next morning. It takes 2 hours flight from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap. Although Cambodia is a member of ASEAN, upon arrival I have to complete form and apply for Visa on Arrival. Visa fee is USD20 per person for single entry, valid for 30 days.
Entering area of Angkor Temples, one of the most famous World Heritage Sites where exists Angkor Archaeological Park, visitor have to buy entrance ticket or admission pass from the official counters of Aspara Authority. Passes are sold in one-day ($20), three-day ($40) and seven-day ($60) blocks that must be used on consecutive days. Visiting hour is 5.30 A.M to 5.30 P.M. While paying for the ticket , the teller shoots our face with pen size stand camera, and in seconds our photograph is printed on “non transferable entrance ticket”. We have to always carry the ticket. It will be checked upon each park entry and at major temples. There is a significant fine for not possessing a valid ticket inside the park.
The majority of Khmer temples are located in the Angkor Archaeological Park as well known as City of Angkor, a very large site with Tonle Sap Lake surrounded by temples in a range of different art and architecture style. It was a capital of Cambodia in the late ninth century, when Yasovarman I moved the capital to the immediate vicinity of Siem Reap. The temple ruins of Angkor contained within the Angkor Archaeological Park represent the remnants of the millennium-old Angkorian-era capitals of the ancient Khmer Empire.
Both sides of bridge are railed with statues
Tonle Sap lake behind the rail
A series of statues act as a fence
One of the gateways into Angkor Thom
Motorbikes to hire ; called 'moto taxi'
One of around more than 100 large temples in Angkor'
Some of the statues and temples' wall are broken. According to the local people, it is caused by continuing rebel insurgency around the Angkor Region. This has caused some of the temples are closed to tourists. The major temples open to tourist are Khmer temples of Angkor Thom, Baphoun, Phnom Bakheng, Banteay Srei, Roluos Group, Grand and Small Circuits. Today, a great restoration work has been done on many of the temples. There are other temples located in the area, some up to 20 miles away from Siem Reap. Khmer temples can also be found in many other parts of Cambodia.
Visited on 12 April 2008 with group members from Pnom Penh (Normaline, Gindo), Jakarta (Laura, Priscilla, Winda, Katrina), Medan (Esther), Kuala Lumpur (Erna), Tuban (Marida, Benmarel, Benaya), Surabaya (Elly).
26 March, 2008
Unanswered Questions about Street Teenagers
I am one of those who believe that being in unlucky situation, such as suffering from poverty, bad breaks, starving, being hurt, etc., is a starting line to run or walk through the path of life in order to reach the finish line. The path where one must pass through to get to the finish line is full of hope. We can pass through the path any way we like, we can either walk or run, in any speed we set, in a moody or stable way, in a consistent or inconsistent way. It is the process to get away from that unlucky situation and to get forward to reach the finish line, where things are hopefully better; a place where one can start smiling after leaving all the unlucky situation far behind. Although one’s path may not be the same as others’ as there are many directions to choose, but all will end up at a finish line. Everyone has a chance to achieve a better ending line, at least there is always a way. The point is we must finish what we start.
This morning I somewhat doubted the above testimony I had always believed when I saw street teenagers who were supposed to be in school hanging around the street. Some of them imitate the latest popular teenage style like setting and coloring their hair as Mohawk, and wearing harajuku style outfit. Others like breathing up smell of a glue just like tranquilizer which, according to them, can make them feel relaxed and not hungry. Their actions sometime make me looking at them with suspicion and fear that I would simply like to see them disappear. I don’t know whether they are really street teenagers as referring them to teenagers for whom the street has become their real home, or could it simply because they are really homeless or without families, or they might have come from families who live in a situation where there is no protection, no supervision, nor direction from responsible adults, or they are just being neglected by their parents. Surprisingly, the fact is, not all the street teenagers come from the poor. There must be reasons why they choose to live as street teenagers. I wondered what these teenagers will turn out to be in the future.
I started to blame them for not being on the right path, at least, why they are not going to school. I blamed them as lazy teenagers who prefer hanging on the street rather than going to school or doing something worthy. I blamed their parents for having no control nor care about where their children are supposed to be during school time. Because it is normal that teenagers have a natural burning desire to learn, to be recognized as somebody and to excel; and parents are needed and are the most responsible persons to put their children on the right track. The existence of the path is not enough. It’s not simply a matter of passing through the path, but there is motivation that plays an important role in choosing the path, its direction and the goal or the finish line. These teenagers must have a dream that motivate them, but they need parents to help them going on the right path and choosing the right direction to go. If only their parents play their role, hopefully tomorrow I will not see them hanging on the street any longer.
Within seconds questions popped in my mind: What if there are reasons their parents do not care about them? What if some of these teenagers have no parents to live with? What if there is no one to take a parent’s role, at least to help them getting on the right path? Is this a kind of destiny? The questions broadened into more complicated ones, and remained unanswered. I know for sure that tomorrow I will find the same view, unless they are restrained by police which of course will not solve the problem of how to get these abandoned teenagers on the right path to reach their finish lines.
11 March, 2008
Krisis listrik, tarif naik
Untuk kesekian kalinya (ribuan kali , sekian tahun kali 365 hr kali 2-3 x sehari) listrik padam lagi, sehari bisa dua kali selama @ 4jam paling cepat. Matinya mendadak, lagi! Istilah orang Medan “suka2 kau PLN”. Otomatis semua kegiatan terkena dampaknya. Lagi kerja di USU tiba2 listrik mati, ruangan yang biasa pake AC jadi gelap, sumpek. Kebetulan ruanganku di sebelah dalam koridor, jadi gak langsung kena sinar matahari.
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05 March, 2008
Apatisme mahasiswa pasca reformasi
Ukuran prestasi mahasiswa secara formal tentunya dilihat dari Indeks Prestasi Kumulatif.
NIlai-nilai yang diperoleh dari evaluasi pada setiap mata kuliah yang diikuti selama kuliah menggambarkan prestasi mahasiswa, terlepas dari variasi mutu pelajaran yang didapatkan di bangku perguruan tinggi. Setidaknya, dalam melamar pekerjaan, Indeks Prestasi Kumulatif merupakan salah satu persyaratan untuk minimal lolos seleksi awal. Akan hal kepemimpinan, dapat terbentuk pada diri seseorang, antara lain melalui keikutsertaan dalam suatu pengolahan perkuliahan (SAL / student active learning). Masalahnya sekarang adalah, mahasiswa beranggapan bahwa prestasi dan kemimpinan yang dimiliki tidak lagi menjamin akan mudah mendapatkan pekerjaan setelah tamat kuliah.
Sikap dan pandangan ini sangat mempengaruhi perilaku dan budaya belajar mahasiswa. Dibandingkan dengan masa kuliah saya dulu, budaya belajar mahasiswa sekarang jauh berbeda. Sekarang mahasiswa cenderung mau serba instant. Kuliah dianggap sebagai suatu kegiatan formalitas saja.Tidak jarang terlihat mahasiswa menghabiskan lebih banyak waktunya untuk kegiatan2 semacam ormas, organisasi kepemudaan diluar kampus, aktif dalam berdemonstrasi …bahkan menjadi pemain bayaran….
Kegiatan seminar atau membuat karya ilmiah semakin kurang diminati siswa. Seolah tidak ada lagi hal yang dapat memotivasi siswa untuk berprestasi.
Jika diamati, fenomena ini semakin menjadi-jadi setelah reformasi. Pasca reformasi, siapapun dapat menjadi pejabat. Tanpa harus melalui perjuangan panjang melewati suatu jenjang pendidikan tertentu, siapapun dapat duduk menjadi anggota partai politik, … yang penting ada koneksi. Pengaruh koneksi orang kuat, atau petinggi negara jelas semakin terlihat peranannya dalam penerimaan pegawai. Tidak perlu prestasi dan embel2 lainnya seperti kepribadian menarik, kemandirian, jiwa pemimpin, dsb, asal punya koneksi orang kuat maka peluang kerja sudah didepan mata. Krisis keteladanan, kira2 begitu yang saya tangkap dari pembicaraan dengan mahasiswa. Mau jadi wirausahawan, mencari proyek juga sulit kalau tidak ada “orang dalam” di departemen/lembaga/ institusi. Mau masuk ke swasta kita bersaing dengan ribuan pelamar kerja yang sebagian merupakan titipan orang tertentu .
Bagaimana caranya menumbuhkan kembali rasa percaya diri dan optimisme mahasiswa?
Saya hanya dapat memberikan pandangan kepada mereka bahwa motivasi harus diubah, jangan lagi kuliah untuk mendapatkan predikat sarjana sebagai modal kerja. Mahasiswa harus sadar bahwa kegiatan akademik baik kurikuler maupun non kurikuler adalah suatu proses untuk membina kepribadian, pola pikir untuk meningkatkan kualitas hidup. Kegiatan perkuliahan adalah proses pembentukan pola pikir mahasiswa agar berpikir analitis, kritis dan kreatif hingga mampu menciptakan lapangan kerja. Kegiatan non kurikuler dimaksudkan agar siswa mempunyai kesempatan untuk berorganisasi dan mengembangkan bakatnya di lingkungan kampus. Dengan aktifitas dalam suatu organisasi tertentu, diharapkan mahasiswa belajar mengelola suatu institusi kecil, mengemukakan pendapat, mendengar dan belajar menghargai pendapat orang lain. Mahasiswa dapat mengembangkan kreatifitas dan menuangkan ide2 serta pemikirannya, tukar pengalaman, pengamatan dan pendapat melalui kegiatan non kurikuler.
Dengan demikian, tujuan masuk Perguruan Tinggi bukan sekedar untuk “menuntut ilmu” agar menjadi sarjana dan ijasah sarjananya digunakan untuk melamar pekerjaan saja. Justru pengetahuan dan pengalaman di kampus merupakan modal menciptakan lapangan kerja. Pandangan itu harus diubah agar tidak menimbulkan apatisme ketika ijasah “sarjana” tidak laku melamar pekerjaan apabila tidak ada “koneksi”. Jadilah pencipta lapangan kerja, hindarkan menjadi pemburu lapangan kerja.
Targetnya adalah, mahasiswa setelah tamat dari perguruan tinggi, menjadi seorang yang punya kepribadian yang baik, pola pikir yang analitis, kemandirian, wawasan dan cara pandang yang luas serta punya pengalaman mengelola suatu organisasi (baca : perusahaan). Ini merupakan modal untuk meningkatkan kualitas hidup sendiri dan menjadi sumber kebahagiaan bagi orang yang tidak mampu mengembangkan diri sendiri. Berarti, siap membuka lapangan kerja bagi orang yang bukan sarjana. Dengan demikian lulusan perguruan tinggi bisa menjadi seorang entrepreneur yang tidak perlu risau dengan urusan melamar pekerjaan ke perusahaan orang lain, namun siap menampung orang lain.
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