I Remember

I thank God, as He is good to me. All the time.

I remember being a dorky teenager back then I first touched down at Malang, East Java. I have been too long being a mommy-and-daddy girl at Bajawa (a small town in Flores island, East Nusa Tenggara). I guess my parents sent me away for me to see the world. The world of real life.  The world of modernity: rush and harsh.

I remember I cried a whole first month in my dormitory, phoning and begging my mum and dad to go home. I was in culture shock. I was in without-mum-and-dad shock. I felt terribly alone. I knew nobody there. After a whole month crying without any result, I stopped. I apparently was busy with my class. Kolese Santo Yusup Junior High School has famous credit to their strict rules like you can't pass a day without home works. It was suck. But at last I have to thank them for making my loneliness away. And thank my friends too.

I remember I was being laughed a lot by my weird accent, yes Bajawa accent. Hahaha. I remember I was ashamed when people asked me: 'Why do you talk so weird?' 'Where do you come from?'. I somehow felt humiliated. Being a teenager back then was such a survive experience.

Thank God, I had good grade in my class, not flying colors, but it was OK. I can't imagine what people think of me if I was dorky (a girl with weird accent) and dumb.

But now seeing me, where I am today. I am more than grateful. I accept modernity with humbleness. I accept culture-shock as a way to survive. I accept different people without any judgment.

And now I can proudly answer any questions toward where I do come from. You know, now Flores is such a famous island because of Komodo island becomes a candidate of New 7 Wonders of Nature. It's an international credit for Indonesia. And I did vote them (with all my 4 email accounts!) to be one of  New 7 Wonder through the website here.

From dorky to doughty , I thank God :) :) :)