The Oldest Music Instrument, Ocarina

I have recently been amazed by this small whistle-like instrument. Thanks to my sweet cousin who presented me this sweet Ocarina that she got from a trip to Taiwan.



My Ocarina is made from ceramic, and I can put it around my neck; it comes pretty handy. It sounds like Indonesian bamboo flute, with complete notes from c to b, including c#, d#, f#, etc. Although I have not managed to play those minor notes.

From the manual book I know that Ocarina is as ancient as 4000 years old. Moreover, they said it is originated from China, although another online source tells me it comes from South America.

Ancient Chinese Ocarina is made from stone, wood, bone, shell, and gourd; the design is inspired by humana or animals. I believe mine looks like a turtle, doesn't it?

Historians believe that Ocarina was played at important ceremonies. The myth has it that the "masters" played it to tame wild beast, and musicians won wars simply because the sound made by Ocarina which was able to hypnotize enemies.

Well, I will go back to master my Okay-rina. Thank you for reading ;)

Psychological Closure of Missing Someone

I did a bit of psychological reasearch about the feeling of missing someone. Then I came up with these conclusions:

1) It is a nice feeling. Accept it, don't resist!

2) The reasons of missing could be: you are in love, you enjoyed the golden moments with him or her, or simply you just miss his or her qualities.

3) The feeling of missing someone could appear because your souls are not inline in times. Meaning the person you miss might be actually thinking about you too.

Be thankful for the feeling as it is a beautiful gift you can get as a person. It shows how human you are! However do not put off things you have planned. Just live it and ride your rollercoaster!

DISCOMPOSURE

I miss you with every sorrow and tearflow
realising that you might not miss me back, my dear

Yes we talk and joke as if you were near
but your gaze and touch I forfeit here

Objectively I have myself in control
Subjectively inside I am bumped into uncertain wall
I am haunted by question
which the answer I fear to hear
Trying to put forward all the rationale
yet something opposes it, against me

Too afraid to admit that I need you
Too ignorant to realise that I care
Too fragile to know, I may be in love with you

Jakarta 8th of July, 2013
Midnight

Arriving Spain

13th Febuary 2013, 11:30 am

After approximately 20 hrs of flying, I had my entire body arriving at Barajas Airport Madrid, Spain. Bienvenida, Florence! Welcome! This is the land of my dream I will be staying in for the next 88 days. 

I am certain that this journey will be an important milestone for my career, and more importantly my life. Since several years ago, I have set a new goal to be  hispanic expert. Hopefully my arrival this time, the first arrival and hopefully many more to come, will assist me to build the dream.

And like a quote I found yesterday during my visit to Toledo (an hour south from Madrid): I have decided to do things I like, because it is good for health ;)

Saludos!

Farewell to Comfort Zone

I have been in my comfort zone since September 2012, when I rejoined a latin embassy in Indonesia. As comfort as a kid playing with his dear toy, I do things that I love. Those things are called work.

It was quite a journey to end up here at first. Since my dad had to deal with his health issue, I had been trying to get a job in Singapore, which left me months unemployed. I myself was half-heartedly looking because the lion city doesn't fancy me that much. I offered myself to many companies to do work which mostly I am not very keen on; which most people call work for money. Somewhat apparently it is not "the way" for me.

Out of the blue I contacted the embassy where I had done an internship before, asking whether they have something for me... and they did. What made me jumping around afterward was the fact that they need assistance in cultural section, bullseye! There I was keeping me busy with things I love, culture. Repeat cultura latina (latin culture), which has captivated me for the recent couple years in line with the Spanish language itself. Moreover, I receive enough income as well. Big enough to survive and save some for my future plans.

My zone becomes even more comfortable for the colleagues I have in this small office. We create a very nice working environment, going through day by day with lots of smiles, laughters, and cares for each other, aside from the interesting office talks and music. It didn't take long for us to befriended, also out of the office, although each of us has different character. Pretty interesting too as we tend to mix up languages when conversing, but in the end it is the best way to understand each other. Somehow they glow such positive evergy to each other.

I have been in my comfort zone until....

31st January 2013
is my last day coming to the office before pursuing one of my ultimate dream of going to Spain on the 12th of Febuary.

It is a two-sides coin condition for me. I'm happy that finally I get the opportunity to go to the country which I consider as my second country (after Indonesia). On the other side I am sad to leave the third (Venezuela). Well not pretty much leaving the embassy that concerns me most, but leaving my dear friends does. It makes me think a lot whether I would ever find colleagues like them.

The previous Charge d'affairs who now turns into a friend, spoke to me on her last day working. With teary eyes she expressed it. She said, "When I came to Jakarta, I wanted to leave as soon as I can, but after a while I'd like to stay longer. It is the people who keep me here by heart." I think the same condition is happening to me now. The farewell is even tougher than college graduation. These people in the embassy are my superstars. It is a sure thing that I am going to miss them all soooooo much.

Instead of saying good bye, I'd like to dedicate this Irish blessing quote at my farewell: May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

This is the end of my comfort zone. From here, now am welcoming again uncertainity and surprises. This is the time to farewell the sweet memories and seek for new adventure lining up in the book of destiny.

The superstars:

The Sunshine

The Partner in Crime

The Adorable

The Queen

Eradicating Corruption with Music

I met Mul and Rendi last year in a humble house which serves them as basecamp in Depok, just a little bit South out of Jakarta. It was an interview assignment for the mass media I worked at, to make a profile story of this community, or syndication.

They call themselves SIMPONI (Music Syndicate of Earth Dwellers). Gamulya, or Mul for short, acts as the leader or manager of the music group. Rendi Ahmad who also earned credit in a couple of Indonesian features film is one of the talents. The others are musicians with various music genres, including beatboxers. Together they promoted environmental awareness with music in 82 schools for 82 days. For this they received an appreciation from Indonesia's Record Museum (MURI).

Recently these musicians cum activists have been working on different project: anti-corruption, collaborating with Indonesian Corruption Watch. They grieve for the government of Indonesia, who are comfortable with corruption. "Saweran" or fundraising to construct a new building of Corruption Eradication Commission is one thing. They did what they know best, playing music while moved people come and go to donate.

In the meantime, they heard about international anti-corruption music video competition who had been calling musicians from all around the globe to submit their work. The best three videos will be invited to attend the 15th International Anti-Corruption Conference in Brazil. 

Mul does not bother winning, but he sees the power of social media. By making video the message could be spread out everywhere more attractively. The clip was produced low-budgetly by documentarian Dandhy D Laksono from WatchdoC Indonesia.

The song and music video "Vonis (Verdict)" was launched today, 1st of August, at Newseum Cafe Veteran Street Jakarta. As well there was a short discussion with the video's director and historian Bonny Triyana, who revealed that corruption in Indonesia has actually started ever since the country got its independency.

CDs comprising the song and video were sold for 50 thousand rupiah (five thousand will go to saweran) to fund "Indonesia Without Corruption Tour", a commemoration of the 9th anniversary of anti-corruption day on 9th December 2012. The group aim at 90 campuses in 9 provinces, hopefully not only in Java. Care to support the movement? You can contact @simponii at twitter or send e-mail to simponi10@gmail.com

Dreamy European Life

A Hello from Zurich

Hello virtual world...! It's been a while since my last writing about going to Europe.

In summer time (around May), seems like equator line moves to this northern part of the earth. Did not expect it, but it's true I got as much sun as in Indonesia there. Nevertheless, the wind was much colder and somehow the air was clearer, letting me survive survive the sun without aircon.

I landed my feet in Europe for the first time on the 30th April 2012 in Rome, Italy. Spent two days there, singing in front of the Pope and then at a cultural night of the Indonesian Embassy for The Holy See. Oh by the way... I was with Mia Patria, an ethnic show choir group playing Indonesian music. We were in a cultural mission presenting Indonesia to Europeans (but in Vatican we sang to people from all around the globe).
Highlight of Rome and Vatican: Singing in front of the Pope in Saint Peter Square (of course!)

The Pope and I

Then we moved to South Tyrol part of Italy, Bolzano. I was quite happy seeing Florence (Firenze) from a far on our way there from Rome. We spent a week or so performing in towns nearby, such as Leifers, Oies, San Ulrich, Sarnthein, and Kurtatsch.
Highlight of Bolzano: Ladin Museum, which showed me stories and heritage of the valley's people in Italian Alp.

The Castle (was) Museum (now)

Me and Three Ladin Museum's Staffs (who are Ladins)

Next stop was Aulendorf, a little town close to its bigger and more popular neighbour Ravensburg, South Germany. Okay we actually stayed in Ebersbach with host families. I have posted how wunderbar they were in the previous story. In our day off, which thankfully were their day off too, we went to Bad Salgau and Uberlingen close to Lake Constance or Bodensee. Ebersbach itself is a country with plenty apple trees, colourful flowers, some horses, and a taaaaaaallllllllll love tree (which was decorated with heart shape thing and red and white ribbons). The country also has a minus zero degree freaking cold water lake, where I dipped inside and took one or two rounds walk). The water comes from uderground streams by the way. During our stay there, we also performed in nearby towns of Bad Waldsee, Isney, and Brunner.
Highlight of Aulendorf: singing in front of disabled people in Isney. Was fantastically inspiring and emotionally touching.

Martina, Me, and Sisi, we were in the ice cold water

Love Tree

Our longest stay in Europe was in Switzerland. We stayed mostly in Marienburg Gymnasium in Thal (or Rheineck), but for three days in between we relocated to Menzingen to take a rest in La Salle Haus. Of course we made time to experience Switzerland big cities, Zurich and Luzern. Switzerland is indeed expensive, I think I spent most of my pocket money here. However, I love the country of lakes as it gave us the mood for relaxation even though we hustled around.
Highlight of Switzerland: riding in the back of a wood carrier tractor!

Stein Am Rhein, beautiful little town by the river

The City of Light, Lucerne

The old wood tractor that brought us back. Was so failed to run it

Hey hey hey... We got a bonus! When we were in Switzerland, the leader Mr.Linus surprised us with an extra tour to Lourdes, France. Those were our longest drive from Weinheim, Germany to Lourdes, sixteen hours on street. We stayed for two nights, but only one day available for us to enjoy Lourdes. I felt such a strong spiritual connection there; I even promised myself to learn "Salve Regina" when I get back, a favourite song in town.
Highlight of Lourdes: Above the busy souvenir shops and restaurants downtown, a friend Mega and I enjoyed a tranquil and classy lunch in a restaurant above a river with a fantastic view of a castle.

Me and Mega, unexpected but wonderful lunch date

Indonesian Ladies Posing in Lourdes

We went to Lourdes within our programme in Sulzbach, Germany. The town is located next to old town Weinheim and Hemsbach, approximately an hour driving south from Frankfurt. We stayed again in host families who live in Sulzbach, Hemsbach, or Laudenbach, but we performed also to Frankfurt, Gros-Rohrheim, Cologne, and St.Agustin.
Highlight of Sulzbach: I and another three friends were seconds away for getting ourselves being left by Mannheim train to Sulzbach. Meanwhile we had a concert to catch in the evenig so we had to take that train!

A Stranger (also tourist) Spontaneusly Jumped into the Frame,
When I Was About to Take Pic in Frankfurt

Weinheim Old Town with Mama Katharina

at Frankfurt Airport with Two Bussiest Persons in Sulzbach, Mr. and Mrs. Bauer

Now I am back to Jakarta, awaken from the sweet 46 days dream in Europe. Back to the same old life, with an expectation of putting more quality into life here like what I've experienced in especially Germany and Switzerland: respect time, cherish life (which leave me almost no clue how to reach it, as here in Jakarta equals traffic, crime, pressure, polution) Yes am a bad citizen of Jakarta, aren't I? lol. But please comment if you don't agree and share the thought.

Maybe am just done being a realist city girl for 25 years, instead being a fairytale-country girl sounds perfect for me at the moment. I am longing for it: My Dreamy European Life.