Don’t Be Scared! He Always Be there
(A Success Story Making A Trip with Native Speaker)
By
Sriyono (ASEC Branch EGG CEO)
Are you feeling worry? Confuse? Or “GALAU”? Come on! You’re young people, mate. You have to be strong. Talk about something confusing, I’ll share my story about that for recently. Three weeks ago I joined ASEC Real Discussion in Balairung UGM. I met with friend from Afghanistan. Actually when I met him I felt hmm “just so so!”. That was my impression for the first time and after that we introduced each other. The discussion had finished, so we had to pray Maghrib because the time was 5: 46 pm. We prayed together. A week later we met again for discussing about preparing to go to Dieng because ASEC has programme named ASEC GOES to DIENG. We discussed like usual until Maghrib time, then go back. On that day we walked together to go parking area. We talked hmm yeah about our activity. We didn’t realize say with German words. ”Wow can you speak German?”, I asked him. He answered, ”Yeah a little bit.” With looked blank I said, “Das ist so phantastisch”. We talked with some German vocabularies. He asked about my hometown, I explained a little bit about the place and ASEC Branch EGG (ASEC branch English Grows to Global is branch from ASEC which settle in Salatiga) and he would come in my hometown. Nice! I’ve a plan, he wanna come in my town, maybe I can ask him to come in ASEC branch EGG too to be speaker on ASEC Branch EGG Real Discussion. On 2nd June I came back to my hometown, like usual met with my family and friends who live in Salatiga. On Saturday night, I went to cafe with my friend. We talked about our bustle and never forget talked about future, cause we’re futuristic. I asked my friend, “Do you have suggestion when the good time to ask my Afghanistan friend come in here? .” My friend said, ”Just ask him come in here on Saturday, we can make discussion on Sunday and ask him to sleep in my home. Done!” . “Nice! “ I scream on my mind. And actually I’ve made appointment with him on Saturday. Okay. It will be easy.
A week passed , we went to Dieng with good places, good weathers, good friends and good conditions. After came back from Dieng I needed 2 days for recovery because in Dieng we have some great deal programmes. Oh yeah I almost forget, when the first knew him (my friend from Afghanistan) that I felt just so so! But after from Dieng I’ll say nice! He is kind, friendly and has a good iman. Come back again. I was in Jogjakarta and still tired. I tried to send message to my friend in Salatiga. He didn’t answer, another day didn’t answer too. Okay well. I sent message on night until 3 times he didn’t answer. Usually when we make real discussion we must be make certificate for speaker and poster to be published. Actually I’ve spreaded to some friends via SMS and chat on Facebook and they answered they would come. I sent message to my friend again, again and again. But there was no answer. We haven’t made anything. I started to be worried about that. Until on Friday I sent message but there was still no answer. On Friday night I tried calling him. But there was no answer. I thought over what should I do. If I would ask him to came in my home that were impossible. Cause we don’t have guest room for sleeping. And sometime when I came back in my home i sleep in front of tv. Cause there are plenty peoples but limited rooms. In my minds I’ve made an appointment so I had to be responsible.
On the Saturday morning I called my Afghanistan friend again but still didn’t answer. I opened my Facebook at 6:00 a.m. I saw my old brother. Oh yeah he has big house and plenty rooms. I sent message, ”Hi brother how are you?” he hasn’t answered. I didn’t realize I saw the date. The date is 15th June. Wow. I saw on my event notification. It was his birthday on that day. Oh nice! So I typed happy birthday on his wall. And directly called him. He answer. “Hello Assalamu’alaikum what’s going on?” I answered, ”Happy birthday”. He said, ”Thank you!” and then I told to him and asked about his room. Before he answered, I ran out of credit. Ok I just think,”Insha Allah, He always be there. I believe I’ll find the way”. And 15 minutes later my old brother called me and said. ”I’m so sorry i can’t provide the room. I’m not at home, and my wife in is home alone. I will not accept guy sleep in my home when I am not at home”. Oh nice! I realized about that. Actually I’ve thought over about that. I just calm down and smile. “ALL IS WELL. He Always be there”
We’ve an appointment at 08:00 a.m I came in Nesar’s dormitory and came to Salatiga at 8:30. On the way we just talked. And I felt calm down. I rode my motorcycle slowly. And arrived in Ketep Pass about 10:30 a.m. Do you know why I rode slowly? I rode slowly just hope my friend answered my message. But still nothing. I made my face and behaviour look like normal but if you were know my mind you would feel yeah.. on the motorcycle I just say come on! Come on! Come on! Answer my message mate!.
I started enjoy the moment, receive anything that will happen. In there I’ve many experiences too. When we would enter to the Ketep, there was security who talked to me. “Hey is he foreigner? You’ve to buy ticket in there!” said the security. I came to ticket window and there was woman who said, “Is he foreigner who takes vacation in here? so if he is tourist he has to buy another ticket.” I answered, “No. He has been studying in Yogyakarta.” So we got local ticket, just IDR 17.000,- for 2 tickets and pay parking. Oh nice! We enjoyed the venue. Looked the scenery. And the bad thing we ddn’t bring any digital camera. So we just used cellphone for taking a picture. When we were in there, there were many high school students who visited that place. They were from Semarang. Like usual Indonesian peoples. When we were chatting there was man who said, “ Hi, Sir. Can we take a picture with you.” I just laughed in my deep heart. Why Indonesian people like to took a picture with foreigner, with bule (white skin foreigner). Actually I knew that there are many people who would ask him to took a picture but they were shy. I just laughed in my deep heart cause I also did that in long time ago.
After we were feeling satisfy in Ketep Pass, we decided to do our trip. I still rode slowly. We just talked a bit and he often said your country is nice! your country is so beautiful! Indonesia is beautiful country. He said he has ever came in many cities and provinces in Indonesia. He shared his experience when he came to Suramadu bridge. Wow nice! Actually I seldom go to another province. I just go when I have something important in another province. I remembered, we would pass little bridge in that journey. So I asked him to go there we broke in there. There were Indonesian peoples again that did like usual. Take a picture! Because we had no picture together yet. We asked the people who ask Nesar to take a picture to take both of us. Until now I still don’t know why Indonesian people like and be proud when they have pictures together with bule. Nesar shared too when he arrived in Indonesia. He took vacation to come in tourism places. Such as: Malioboro, Parangtritis Beach, Surabaya etc. There were many people who asked him to take a picture. He told to me about funnies experience. He has friend from Afghanistan too that stayed in Indonesia. They went together in tourism place. There was people who asked him took a picture, “ Hey sir. May I take a picture with you?” and the bad thing why just him. Not with his friend. After that he realized that his friend looks like javanese. The conclusion is Indonesian people like took a pictures with bule.
A half hours we were in there. We continued to go and still slowly. As far as eyes to see we saw big letters above and looked like in America. But in America they typed “CALIFORNIA” in here “NEW SELO”. We decided to come closer. We need an effort to go up. The way was so dangerous. We almost arrived to the place. But my motorcycle was not strong enough so he had to got off from my motorcycle. We looked the scenery above and just thankful toward God. And praised toward Him. We could look valley between Merapi Mount and Merbabu Mount. The weather was so cloudy consequently the temperature was cold. We tried to climb to the land which higher. I just laughed and sad actually because there were many couples who were in the each corner of farm. And I thought was the coldness so suitable for them. And my mind always said. “If there is male and female together in quite place beside both is evil” but we didn’t care about them, we enjoyed the panorama. Took a picture and made a video. And talked a bit.
We went down and drank a cup coffee to heat our body. Actually I was surprised with villager who sold the food. “Come in here sir! Drink a coffee” said the old man. Wow nice! He said fast and fluently. We talked with English and the old man know what we were talking about. I tried to talked with him in polite javanese language, he answered with polite language too. When he tried speak Indonesian. I’m surprised too that was not javanese people accent. I asked, “Hi sir! Where are you from?” he was honest that he was not javanese but Bugis-nese (from Sulawesi) . Oh yeah that was so nice!
We continued to go. The time was 12:30 so we decided to pray Dhuhur before. On that mosque I tried calling my friend again but still nothing. We prayed and continue again. On the way he asked that how long we will have arrived. I answered for 1 hour. Actually we could spend 30 minutes. But I tried to drive slowly. Hope my friend answered. We arrived in my friend home. But I saw his house door didn’t open and I saw his brother. His brother come to me. Actually we still on the motorcycle. He how are you? Say hallo from him. And shake hand each other. “Hey! Where is you brother”, I asked to him. “ I don’t know mas” he answer. He tried to call him and the good thing he answered. He told that he were in somewhere. After that I just said okay! We’d continue. I thought over how to solved this problem. Finally I found good idea. Hotel! Yeah we can stay in hotel. I drove my motorcycle again. He asked that when would we arrived. I answered wait for a moment we can break in the temple, 1 km from the place that I talked to him. I would talk something to him when we were in the temple.
In the temple we got around and took some pictures. I talked to Nesar about the problem. He got it and received it. Nice! So we would stay in hotel. I searched on the internet. Oh damn it! my cellphone almost low battery! So I searched faster. I found list of hotel in Salatiga and I remembered the address and we left from temple. Actually we could go to Salatiga town for 30 minutes but the way was so crowded. I passed the alternative way. We passed on garden street. And the bad thing on the way there was car which broken. So we’ve to wait about 7 minutes. Arrived in Salatiga we found a mosque for pray Ashar. He waited on mosque I’d found the hotel. I figured out the hotel. But didn’t see. After 15 minutes I found the hotel. I choosed a hotel. I came on that mosque again and picked up him to hotel. Yeah we stayed for a moment. And waited for pray Maghrib. When Maghrib came we prayed on mosque. Good mosque and luxury actually. The mosque closed by UKSW(Univeristas Kristen Satya Wacana) buildings.
After Maghrib, we spent our times to saw Salatiga town. We looked for food for dinner, Nesar said that he liked Mie Ayam. We found the food near with Sahit Hotel actually stalls suburb cause he told to me he’s been studying Indonesian culture and Bahasa Indonesia. The bad thing the taste of that mie ayam is standard. We were not lucky. We ate up the food early. In there we also meet with beggar. She asked a money. But after she was given, she asked again, she told she hasn’t eaten.
After leaving from that beggar, he looked something that made him interesting. KFC(Kentucky Fried Chicken) he bought a bit and ate on town square, called “Lapangan Pancasila” we walked around the town square to find chair for sitting. I realized that the day was Saturday night. So there were many youth people who go out with their couple. They were not shy making out on public. Even though there was mosque beside “Lapangan Pancasila”. After we’re saturate we went to mosque beside the town square for pray Isa’. Actually he shocked too with the mosque. Beautiful mosque and luxury. This mosque is STAIN University mosque but I didn’t remember the name. We prayed and then he asked me to took a picture. Then we went to hotel for sleeping. But I was still thinking about tomorrow. Cause I’ve shared toward some friends.
When Subuh we woke up and prepared to go to mosque. But the bad thing the portal of hotel was closed. So we’ve to come back to room and prayed in there. We continue sleep again until 07:30 A.M. I took a bath and after I finished I asked him to took a bath too. Cause I’ll show him something about Indonesian cultures. We came to place called JB (Jalan Baru). In there I told about Indonesian culture. The name is Pasar Tumpah. He also told to me that in his country also there is something like this but on Friday. Called Jumu’ah Shop. We came back and had breakfast. I asked him to had breakfast in Soto Semarang. He told to me that he has never tried Soto.
We came back in hotel again I tried to send message with ASEC Branch EGG structure. But she answered she couldn’t come she was asked by her mother to kept her home. Nice! I directly told to my friend that we canceled our discussion. But I’ve friend, another EGG member who would come. She wanna come. She was Dennis. So I respected to her and waited her. We would meet in Lapangan Pancasila too. On 10.15 a.m she came earlier. She waited us. We packed our stuff and check out. And came in Lapangan Pancasila. We met in there and drank ice. And talked a bit. After that we went around Lapangan Pancasila again and talked a bit. But I’ve some trouble with my stomach. So I came in mosque toilet. I was in there for long. I finished ,but the time to pray Dhuhur came. So they came to mosque too for pray Dhuhur. We pray Dhuhur on STAIN university mosque again. We had to break for a moment because that was raining. We talked why we don’t see around this university.
Dennis asked us to came in her art base camp. We agreed. There was something interesting in here. Dennis liked art and my friend from art department too. So they are fit. We didn’t realize that we talked about art in there. And my friend showed and explain about his ability. He showed his pictures and sketch on his computer. We heard that he talked and saw his pictures with people in that base camp. Nice topic and nice talks!
The rain has stopped so we’d continue to Jogjakarta. Before we went back, we had lunch in Masakan Padang. We dismissed after had lunch. Actually we’d come back to Jogjakarta beside another Merbabu Mount but we’re tired so just went back through Klaten.
We had a break for a moment and prayed ashar after Klaten town. We met with old man that asked my friend,”Turkish?” my friend answered that he was from Afghanistan. The old man ever came in Saudi Arabia and worked in there. So he’s surprised met with middle east people. We went to Jogjakarta and after arrived I broke for a moment in his dormitory. And at 17:46 I went to my dormitory. And I felt NICE!
Until I finished to wrote this I still don’t know my friend. I just hope he was ok! Wish he is being guided by Him. Amen!
From this experience I got many lesson learned that couldn’t explained all in here. But one statement. “Don’t be scared! He [God] is always be there.”
