Monday, September 26, 2011

Kids are amazing!

Miri
Bismillahirrahmanirrahiim,
Everyone must have for sure a period in his life which he or she felt so much joyous, no burdens, no targets, no works. Everything is all about fun, playing at parks and laughing! Yes it’s when we were all kids. The kids that I mean here can be called as people whose ages range from 3-12 years old.

Within that period of time, we grew bit by bit to be the ones who are like now. Our parents, neighbors, schools, friends are all influential to ourselves. We now are what we have been nurtured by them since we were little.

 

The picture above is a 6-year old girl poses for a picture after Eid Al Fitr Prayers in Bucharest, Romania. It’s pretty much tranquilizing seeing the innocent smile of a kid. Miri, on the picture, expresses the real smile in which we adult persons rare to have it. I acknowledge that we tend to smile with some sort of meaning – to get someone’s attention or praise. Well, I just think that the older we become, the harder we feel to live as what we are supposed to be. Lots of artificial things we make in our daily life, moreover before the public. But they, kids, they can never lie to us. Or at least we will know if they really make an untrue expression.

 

Being someone living with kids is really something. It was one of my greatest experiences to be a teacher at primary school teaching kids about sciences, languages, arts, quran reading and so forth. The school I’ve been to is Sekolah Bintang Madani. It is located at Jl. Terusan Pesantren 102 Arcamanik Bandung.

The school let me immerse with supper cool and exceptional children. As a teaching assistant, I taught kids at 2nd grade then latter become the homeroom teacher form 3 graders for just few weeks. As I am now taking college (again), I left those cute kids, longing for them!

 

To be honest, we have to be jealous to the kids. Why? To answer this, I had a very good parable or something. Picture this, the big calamity strikes our town, let's say a big meteor hits the city. All citizen pass away.  You, me and everyone dies. And so the kids. To my understanding, God in hereafter will ask every single of us and kids are exception! They will directly go to heaven! Hm…this what makes me so jealous ladies and gentlemen.

 

Well, I’ve got others snapshots of kids whom I taught at school! Here they are:

07062011(017) 18072011(018) Sava Widuri

 

Here are some more:

 

Hm…you will never be able to be as happy as them now! Kidding. I just I thank God a lot for letting me be the one who is able to be with them. I am felling so lucky!

 

Kids cannot make any lie, unless you teach them!

Kids cannot hurt you, unless you hurt them first!

Kids cannot be really mad at you, even if you mad at them!

Kids won’t be ignorant, if you teach them the truth!

The most important one, kids cannot make any mistake and sin, in which we do!

Kids are amazing!!!

Alhamdulillah

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Lebaran 2011



In the name of Allah the most gracious the most beneficent,
Lebaran is a term used by Indonesian Muslims referring to the Eid Ul Fitr. It is one of the holy days commemorated by Muslims whole over the world. The commemoration is basically based on Islamic calendar or the moon calendar (Hijra). It falls every 1st of Syawal (10 month in Islamic calendar). Mind you, this year's lebaran celebrated on different days (based on Gregorian calendar).

Yes, it might just happen here in Indonesia – the largest Muslim country. Some of Muslims had 1st Syawal on Augsut 30th but some, the majority had it on 31st of August. It somehow shows us that Islam in Indonesia is the largest and there are always possibilities for difference view, difference interpretation of something and of course difference understanding or thought. This is a blessing from Allah for us
As long as I know, this kind of difference happens several times in my life. This year, the difference is actually little bit more controversial because since long time ago the government had actually stated the day - it was on 30th of August. But then the government, by the ministry of Religion made a change of the Lebaran after considered some suggestions from several sides such as Astronomers from Boscha Observatory, scientists from LIPI, Islamic organizations (NU, Muhammadiyah, Persis etc). The government's decision finally became 31st of August and this has become a nation-wide stipulation. And yet, government tolerated and protected those who celebrated Eid on 30th of August. There are Muhammadiyah, FPI and some other minority organizations celebrated on that day. I did celebrate Eid on 31st of August since I personally believed in the rule of my government. I believe that I have to follow what Government stipulated because it is what I know from the teaching of my prophet. Following that is supposed to be a part of my worship.
This different might or might not be needed to be eradicated. Well, to me, it might be nicer if we all Muslims in Indonesia have the precise day of Eid. For we will have merrier celebration as more people gather on the same day- having a day of victory. But rejoicing is not the main reason of Eid. This day is actually a milestone to actually apply the result of a-month-training in Ramadan. There is no need to have euphoria by setting fireworks or eating all delicacies served on the day. This what actually happens in the village of mine - Cisewu. We learned how to control ourselves during Ramadan, so when we eat lots of things after Ramadan, it is kind of losing the control and we gain nothing from that training.
Lebaran is indeed fascinating as we are able to gather with family. The difference of celebration can never make someone hate over another or thought someone is better than others. We'd better see this tiny dissimilarity as form of blessing from Allah for us, Indonesian Muslims. There are approximately 200 Muslims living here, so it is undeniable that we have difference day of celebration. All we need to do next is to really apply the result of Ramadan and keep respecting others, both Muslims and non Muslims.
At last, I would like to say merry Eid Ul Fitr to all friends and families whole over the earth. I so much apologize I made to every single of you. We know that none of us is perfect, so let us just ask for forgiveness to each other, right?
Thank you all very much,
Warm regards – Egi Arvian


The Economy Generator


Everyone buys!
This is almost quite certain of everybody's doing along the year, moreover in the month of Ramadan. Well here is actually my note of experience getting along with mom to visit a place called market, a traditional market to be sure. The name of the market is just simple, “Pasar Cibengang” This is a weekly market located around 10 km from the house of mine – Cisewu.



Transported by motorbike, I, my sister and mom bought some goods for welcoming the Eid ul Fitr day.
Well, what a weird thing for most of you living in a big city is that the market here operates only one day within a week. That means we cannot buy or sell goods in a daily-based. But wait, we may do this if only we visit different market in the neighboring villages. To make it clear, here is the schedule of market opens in the sub district of Cisewu (Garut is its regency).

Sunday : Pasar Cibengang (10 km from my house)
Monday : Pasar Sukajaya (15 km from my house)
Tuesday : Pasar Mancagahar (13 km from my house)
Wednesday : Pasar Cisewu (200 m from my house)
Thursday : Pasar Cikarang (170 km from my house)
Friday : None
Saturday : Pasar Pasir Huit (9 km from my house)

A question might appear, why does the market only serve on certain day in a week? Why cannot the sellers sell their goods everyday?
Well, to my simple mind it is because of some factors as follows:
The people living in this countryside is few compared to the people living in a city. Pasar Caringin, Pasar Ciroyom or even Pasar Gerlong in Bandung cannot be compared because there are always people near those places. That means even if the market in Cisewu operates everyday, there is no guarantee that the sellers will have buyers or the goods can be sold.
My mon told me that the goods here in the capital of Cisewu sub-district are pretty much sold to outside the area. Bandung and Pangalengan are the two major cities where most goods from here are sold. The farmers or the sellers in Cisewu tend to sell more product there instead of here, the reason is simple, profit. In a short, there are no enough suppliers of goods needed here. As an example, fruits and vegetables are mostly 'imported' from outside the town.


The government seems never plans to make regulation to fully support us to have a daily-open market. In my opinion it will be just good if market opens everyday, though of course there will be many adjustments needed.
A traditional market is somehow an economy generator that will make the village live. Buying and selling are needed in economy as in that transaction there is activity of exchanging thing and money. The more transaction made in a town, the more money spread. This means the economy will always grows. As result, the income of people increases. If the income increases, the prosperity of people is supposed to increase, too. This is the main goal of every economy transaction.
Thing that can be done by us and government is to facilitate people both by making regulation and building some infrastructures. The appreciation to the local farmers and local products has to be given by making lowest standard of price so that they will decrease the goods sold outside the town. But this decision has to be followed by making infrastructure such as good ways and nice markets. The ways or road from quite remote areas such as Cikarang village is highly needed so that the goods will not be halted.

A traditional market maybe just a market. But to me, a market for Cisewuan is a place where they have a busy-ness and quite hectic thing in which they have quite seldom. I think the people here and in every small village need that thing in their lives. I myself saw a very touching moment when a mom accompanied her son shopping at Pasar Cibengang. They looked happy and got some sort of excitement in their shopping. People in big city may get lots of satisfaction by buying luxurious things at a mall or wherever. It will somewhat add their prestige, right? But for people living in a Cisewu, buying tofu, sandals, and new clothers for Eid Ul Fitr at traditional market has somehow imaginable gladness. Getting crowed, making bargain, asking neighbors and buying at a market are entertainment they for sure need to make their lives more meaningful. Doing them is part of their lives and I really want to color their lives by making something to improve the market and the village as well.