My Happiest Experience

I had a happiest experience when I was in Timor Leste in 2007/2008. It was the time when I had my Orientation Year as a young Friar. I worked in our dormitory there. I had to take care and control the students of Junior High School, those who lived in the dormitory. Every morning I had to wake up earlier and then woke them up.

It was challenging. It needed much patience and more sacrifices to face the student, because they were very naughty. They tempted my patience very often. But I tried to assure myself to be patient as possible as I could. Some teachers had ever suggested me that it was better for me to slap the students that made any troubles. But, I did not like slapping the student. That was not my habit. Although almost everyday I had to face the stubborn boys, I reassured myself to be patient.

My patience however had limitation. One day, I really could not stand to be patient anymore. I could hardly control myself. I was very angry because the students broke their promise to attend a meeting on time. The problem was that the meeting would be held in our dormitory. At the time, all of our guests had come, but the students – as the hosts – had not prepared their selves yet. I asked them to be hurry up. But they ran around the building to avoid me. I was very disappointed, especially because of a boy who did not care me. He was washing when I asked him to leave his laundries and attend the meeting. But, he even did not pay attention to my voice. I got impatient moreover because the guests saw the ‘dramatic’ moment. I was really embarrassed. I decided to slap the boy. I thought that it was my first day of my life there to slap them. I felt normal doing that. Yes, I was angry. Then I clenched my fist intending to slap and punch the boy. I wanted to show that I could do it, so the other students would see. I wanted to make them afraid of me.

At the time I went down to the water, I thought why I could not be patient if I could. I imagined my self as a patient person. I asked my self what would be changed if I became a rough brother. I looked at my trembling hands. They were the hands of blessing, not of slapping. I realized that my hands were created in love. So, why then I created an aversion by the hands. I tried with all my strength to deny my anger. I shook out all my anger from my heart. I extended my hands to him and I embraced the boy saying that I loved him. “I have left my own interest and my relatives to serve you. Do you not see my sacrifices?” I told it honestly. I forgave the boy before he apologized. I was really able to make my self totally patient at the moment. I was very happy.

My patience and forgiveness changed the boy and me myself. The boy became speechless. He cried directly. He ran out from the water and went to the meeting room. He sat in the front row and listened to the speaker seriously. He became very proactive. He even asked some critical questions to the discussants. I just felt very happy at the time. I believed that I really changed him. Furthermore, I could change my weakness to be strength. Thanks God, I was success in the battle of my self. It changed my perception too. I never forget the happiest experience. Now I know that the power of forgiveness always makes us happy, happy and happy.

P.S. So, friends, I am not sharing my grandeur. I am sharing the potency we have in every of us. Be the winner of good manner. We are able to do it. :)

My Beautiful "Jungle"

It might be very important to know my "jungle." It is one of the most favourable places I've ever had. You may not believe in it, but the nature law will prove that you are on the way to be interested in it. Due to I am an attractive student, you may have asked where do I live in. I do, on one side, understand why you are opening my blog right now, and indeed you need to know my "jungle." On the other side, I would like to describe it to you in detail.

I live in a monastery. It is my home in which I not only put my head on but also my heart. It is St. Bonaventura Monastery, toward the east of our campus. You can find it in Legi Street 142, in Papringan Yogyakarta. It takes us about 10 minutes to go there on foot. It is surrounded by two streets: Legi Street on the the east and south side, Lampar Street on the west and north side. It has wall around it, where the gate is faced to the east. You wil see a letter is written in front of the small gate: "Biara St. Bonaventura, Jl. Lagi 142, Papringan-Yogyakarta." So, it's very easy to find it if you have arrived in Papringan. Then, you just find Legi Street and Lampar Street. Th e beautiful complex is inside the wall, between the streets.

It is a quite large place. It is about 1,5 hectare which consits of some simple and confortable buildings, a volleyball court and a large garden. The buildings are separated into units. One in the southest is an unit for the theologians' rooms. The educators' rooms are in the unit between the theologians' unit and the postulants' unit. The biggest building in the northest is a capel and a hall. We pray together in that capel and do our indoor activities in the hall. The kitchen and the dining room are behind the educators' unit. Across a small yard near the kitchen you can find a garage. The other building in the corner of the wall is a pavillium, which consits of a library and some guest-rooms.

The more typicall characteristic is the large garden that consists of a lot of plants, flowers, and trees. It looks like a small forest in the middle of Papringan. There are many kinds of trees, such as some kinds mangoes, jack fruit, avocadoes, bananas rambutans (nephelium), varieties of rose apples, guavas, bamboos, bread fruit (sukun), sapodilla, papayas, malinjo (gnetum gnenum), a grape tree, casuarinas, mahoganies, tamarinds, evergreens, mulberries, and the othe kinds of plants. We let all those plants grow and live as wel as possible, because one of our spiritualities is to be care to the ecology and make the environment green and fresh. Yes, indeed, it makes the weather fresh. I may say that it is the lung of Papringan. It is very different from the environment outside the comlplex of the monatery. Every tree has a certain time to blossom. Their fragrances spread through the air, just like the parfume which wakes our vitalities everytime. I bet you cannot stand to breathe the fresh aromatic air while some kinds of birds are singing on the trees. There are some kinds of birds living in our monastery. Some people have ever tried to catch them, but we did not allow them.

Beside having those natural "friends" we have some cocks and hens, five ducks and three dogs. They always play and run after each other under the trees. The cocks never fail to crow in every morning. Whereas the dogs bark everytime they see any stranger coming into the monastery. They tell us everything is happening outside. People say that our monastery is quiet. But actually it is not. The frogs, insects and worms contribute their vioces to sing in the nights. The more trees, the more "brothers and sisters" live in it.

As it is a monastery, we - who live in it - all are friars. There are 20 professed friars, 10 candidates, 4 priests and one older brother. Most uf us are students of university. The others are educators. We live as one big family. We experience St. Francis Assisi's spiritualityto the full: poverty, fraternity in justice, peace and the integrity of creatures. We have a lot of activities those we shpuld do together such as praying, heaving meals, doing sports, practising choirs, working, discussing, meeting and recreation. We are demanded to be humble to one another and serve each other. This we live the fraternity. St. Francis tought us to live in harmony with the nature too. We are suggested to consider all thigs as brothers and sisters. That's why we let a lot of creatures live and grow. You may be surprised finding some plants growing everywhere and spiders webs are hanging everywhere. It is shabby, isn't it? But, mostly we let the nature moves as well as possible in harmony. My "jungle" lives and enjoys every life of every goodness.

I love living this kind of spirituality. If you want to know more, just come and see. After all, for Catholic boys, would you like to join us too?

My Favorite Lecturer

Lecturers have a great part in the whole of the education and the successes of their students. Lecturer’s creativities make the students feel interested in the subject they handle. If the students have the pleasure, they will be motivated to pay more attention and study much more as well. That’s why the lecturer are demanded to be creative in providing the material of the subjects they handle. Furthermore, their personalities are also influencing the students’ interest. A lecturer is to be a favorable person. They are the leaders and guides to where the students finding the knowledge.

Most of my lecturers are favorable upon me. They all are still young and conscious. One of them is about in the beginning of her thirties. She is of average built. She is of medium height. She has a rounded face with medium-length straight black hair. It is fringed tidily around her rounded head. She has almond eyes and the thin eyebrows over each of them. She has full lips and a broad nose. She is nice and friendly. She has bright brown complexion. She always wears a blouse and well-pressed tissue trousers. She is a colorful lecturer and also supportive. She always gives the students motivation. She always attaches some inspiring story on her handouts or on the test papers. She prepares some songs that can be sung together before or after the class.

She is funny as well. She knows how to make the students not easily get boring. She tells the students some jokes. Sometimes she translates Javanese jokes into English, because she is very Javanese too. It makes the jokes be funnier, as funnier as her expressions. Nevertheless, she doesn’t only tell the jokes, but also she always gives some advices through the jokes. So, those are not merely jokes. She motivates the students not according to the strange values but according to our local philosophy of life. I like it. She teaches the students how to respect our own wisdoms.

There are a lot of people who realize which is true and which is wrong. There are a lot of people try to change this world to be better. But, sometimes they do not know how to apply it. Even they fall into mistakes. My lecturer tries her best to apply it when ever it is possible, even through some jokes. She makes this life be beautiful and interesting to learn. You, my friends, what will you do to make a better space and a better world? Learn more from my favorite lecturer above. But, before you learn from her, be sure that you know her exactly. Could you please guess who is she?***

How to Make Moké

Moké is the most popular alcoholic drink in Flores. Moké usually served especially on great days. But, in some places in East Flores, moké has been an alternative drink besides water. It is caused of the lack of water there. That’s why processing moké is a common in some places in Flores. It is made from palm’s sap which is well-known as nira. Nira is collected from some trees until it is enough to be processed

Firstly, nira is boiled in a big clayed caldron. The caldron has a small mouth which is directly connected to a vertical bamboo. The bamboo is also connected to two others bamboo; which another is positioned horizontally and the other is tilted. When the nira is boiled, its vapour will be channelled through the bamboos. As the vapour is passing through inside the bamboos, it is condensed into liquid, because it lost its heat. Then, inside the tilted bamboo, the condensed vapour is flowed into a container. After that, a kind of seasoning spice can be mixed up in it so it will be more alcoholic and tasteful. Finally, the moke is ready to be served.

Moké has some classes according to its quality. The first class is the first quality, which is more alcoholic. This kind of moké is the first produce from new fresh nira. The second class is medium, which is produced from the nira that have only been boiled once. And, the third class is lesser alcoholic. It is from the nira that has ever been boiled twice; and usually it is mixed with a little water. All of these kinds are processed within the same way. It's simple, isn't it?

My Purple "Friend"

I have a beautiful bicycle. It is my favorite thing. Its label is AKLEY.I do not know where it is made in. It has purple color, with its black fenders and handlebars. The shifters are attached on the handlebars. It has high seat post. Although I am quite short, I feel comfortable sitting on the high and soft saddle. It doesn't have carrier. That makes it more beautiful with the high saddle post. Riding The Purple is comfortable, because it has very nice speed. It doesn't need much energy for riding it.However, The Purple has good brakes. Their frictions have nice voices when I press them. I like the frictions. Although it is quite old, it still seems beautiful.

The Purple had rendered some of my brothers many services. There were some brothers who used it before. One of my brother studied in Campus III, Paingan. He had to ride everyday from Papringan to Paingan. It's quite far, isn't it? So, The Purpel was almost used everyday. It had ever broken, but my brother fixed it again. It was used not only to campus, but also to some ether places where ever my brother wanted. It accompanied the brother until he graduated from the University. The Purple had much contribution for his success.

Now, I am using it as an inheritance and a friend. I am proud of using it. I ride it almost everyday too. It "accompanies" me where ever I go. If I go to church on Sunday or to bookstore or shops, I go by it. I come to our campus and library by the beautiful purple. That's why I always take care of it. I believe that it will "accompany" me until I get success from PBI. I treat it as a valuable inheritance and friend. Maybe some people say that it is quite ugly, but I don't care. It is a valuable inheritance and friend.

Actually, It is more than an inheritance and friend. Riding bicycle makes me healthier. I don't have to go to any fitness center to do sports. Even, I don't have to invest a special time to move for a little sweat. I ride it and my muscles move. Whereas, It doesn't have pollution. So I don't interfere in accelerating global warming. Maybe that is my small contribution to slow the global danger down. The Purple doesn't need gasoline. Using the bicycle is cheap, without neglecting its helpful function. I do realize those advantages. My Purple friend gives me more. It is a real friend.
Do you have a favorite thing as well as a friend?

Sundak Beach

Sundak beach is one of the beautiful beaches in the south coasts of Yogyakarta. It is located in the east of the beaches. It has a beautiful scenery, with its white sand. As the same with Baron beach, it is located between two cliffs. But, Sundak beach is more beautiful than Baron beach. On the top of the cliffs, there are some villas and huts. We can see the beauty of the wavy sea from the top. We can enjoy how beautiful the waves crash and break on the rocks. The white waves rolling on the white sand, making it seems more interesting.It is a really beautiful beach.

Sundak beach has gentle-breezy-wind. It blows between the cliffs. That's why the wave is not so high (it is not like in Parang Tritis beach). But the movement of the wind makes waves and produces typical sounds. Moreover, when the waves break on the rock, it has amazing sounds. It is just like the rhythm of the wind blowing one's hair. We can feel how comfortable the gentle wind.

It's a New Journey

Where ever I come from and where ever I go, it's a New Journey. What I mean is about every little moment I have when I change my life to be better and better. My long Journey is built up by a lot of little journey. Those are the way I can walk through ang reach my dreams.
Every moment is the moment to choose; whereas every step is the choice I have to do.
I myself lead me where ever I go (of course in acoordance with God's guidance). I want to be useful for a lot of people: to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
May the Lord give you all Peace and Blessing.