Happy Three Months

Happy three months! :)

By today, I've officially lived this town for three months and I feel that Burwood's (the suburb of Melbourne where I live) breeze is truly enjoyable. I remember the first time I came here, it was March 4th, 2010, and at that time, I felt this place was very strange. I was not able to move my body and mind freely, although I still tried to enjoy every step that I should go through. Anyway, by passing these three wonderful months, now I've experienced a great time here. I can sense my big smiles came up and some delightful laugh stick around here.

Everything has been all right.

Three months, are not enough for me to see, feel, learn and try to love this new environs, not just about this new place, but the atmosphere, the culture, the language and the people as well. These three months are the new beginning of my upcoming life. Fortunately, after three months, now I can smile brightly and be optimistic to face the future by this sort of smile. :)

Like a girl who tries to approach a boy, this is how I've tried to move toward this new way of life. I'm still on my way to love every new thing and attempt to grow and learn by it.

I know that everything does not carry out as simple as we can say, still, I believe that when we start something with "enjoyable" sights, hopefully everything will be felt good though it seems worse than we thought before.

Many things are learned, some weird feelings were passed, now it's time for the sunshine to fully brighten up my onward days.

Go, see and learn.

Kacamata gitta is fully optimistic.

Smiling by everyone's smile

Oh! It is May already. Surprisingly, it is almost the end of May. I have passed 11 weeks and 5 days in this quite place. :) Time flies. Many things happened and the most interesting is meeting different people from different cultures.

Indeed, meeting many people, talk to them and share our different cultures is amazing. Though there was some people annoying, :p but I love watching them and learn something from it. Otherwise, all of them, as a new sight for me, I can say that they do colouring my days.

Let me introduce them. My housemates, they came from Thailand, USA, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and one Indonesian, my beloved sister. My first classmates are Vietnamesse, Thai, Colombian, Sri Lankan, Arabian and most of them are Chinese. Moreover, my second classmates are similar as the first but one Taiwanese. Oh, my teachers, they are Australian, Mauritian and Irish.

It is only a few weeks I have been here and met them but more or less I can start learning about the real cross culture. Hopefully. :p I start learning how to understand and tolerate to their customs and importantly building good communication among us, improving our English as well.

Everyday, I meet everyone, say Hi to them, give a smile, have some talks, get into laughter, though miscommunication happens sometimes but overall, it is enjoyable.

Hmm.. Seems like I have enjoyed every moment in here, doesn't it? Yes, exactly. Although this is my start to build something, and I am still trying to adjust to it, but everything should be all right. I believe that everything is good and created to be good as long as we see anything by its goodness.

Kacamata gitta feels their smiles are colouring her days.

Why should I find any problem?

I am now going crazy in finding one problem to finish my task. Fiuh. Yes, it is true that it could improve my way of thinking but now I feel like too much thinking and have nowhere to go.

Problem, in reality, it happens though we are not looking for it. We sometimes try hard to throw away them. In contrast, now I am trying hard to search for 'just' one problem. Just one problem, actually, to become a topic of the task. But, I have no idea either it is too difficult to find or in fact, my intelligence is on a low level.

Hey, I have to submit my topic by tomorrow and at this time, I have not decided anything yet.

I am sleepy now. No idea.

Kacamata gitta has no idea.

Be Lighted On My First Holy Saturday Easter Vigil

Yep. This is my first time i attended The Holy Saturday Easter Vigil Mass in Melbourne instead of Misa Malam Paskah in Indonesia. :D And sure, it is my first blog which written in English, as an alternative to practice my writing. Haha!

Today, i sat in The Holy Saturday Easter Vigil. It was a pleasant Mass i've ever been. Firstly, i love this church named St. Scholastica's Parish, it is pretty close to my place. I have to walk for about 10 minutes and catch a tram to get in there. Still, it is a lovely church; small, simple but homey, i think everyone here even though the newcomer feels like yes, i am a part of this church and we are all family.

Be lighted. That was the opening of The Holy Saturday Mass. Before the Mass started, all the lamps were off and suddenly a light came from behind. Then, i had my taper on, and everyone did, either. This part was so delightful, especially when one of the soloist sang a song which made me lost for words. The Renewal of Baptism also made me re-think about myself as the priest said "i am one of His child". I wondered. Have i done this? Have i done that? However, God always gives His mercy upon us. His love would never ends.

A few days ago, i was thinking and felt more likely i'm missing my church. But today, i can feel that God is here, indeed, God always be here. No matter where/what your church is, even if we have none. He will always besides us.

Now, here, i've found my new place, and have to live this new life. It will be strange at first and by the time, i can get used to it and live the better life. Definitely it happens only by His grace.

"Walk in the light of The Lord. Walk in the light of The Lord". That was some words of today's Mass closing song. And it does remain on my mind, for now, yet should be until forever. :)

Kacamata gitta has just realized the light of The Lord. Thanks be to God. Alleluia.

Langkah Awal : Mewarnai

Kira-kira udah seminggu lebih saya berada di kota baru ini. Sekarang, saatnya melangkah untuk mulai mewarnai ruang-ruang kosong yang masih belum berwarna.

Mungkin begini langkah mewarnai :

Mencari pensil warna terbaik untuk mewarnai, memilih warna-warna menarik, dimulai dengan warna-warna cerah, dipadukan dengan warna gelap yang menambah kontras keindahan. Sulit menghapus apa yang sudah diwarnai, maka dimulailah berkreasi dengan menambah paduan warna lain untuk menutup ketidakcocokkan warna, lalu menyempurnakannya. Warnai sesuka hati, tetapi masih menggunakan pikiran dan juga perasaan. Setelah lembaran yang harus diwarnai telah penuh warna, lihat dari jauh hasil karyanya. Akan ada dua kemungkinan; puas atau tidak dengan hasilnya. Tergantung dari mana memandangnya.

Lembar kosong tanpa warna; kehidupan yang harus diisi olehku.

Pensil warna dan pilihan warnanya; saranaku untuk menjalani hidup ini, segala bentuk, cara, perilaku, manusia, dsb.

Warna cerah; kehidupan manisku.

Warna gelap; kehidupan pahitku.

Mewarnai; menjalani kehidupan ini.

Berkreasi, memadupadankan; caraku membenahi masalah, memperbaiki kesalahan.

Melihat hasil dari jauh; bersyukur.

Semua ini adalah bagian kita : mewarnai lembar kosong yang kita punya.

Sulit? Kurang petunjuk? Tentu saja tanpa bertanya siapa-siapa, dan bekerja sesuka hati.

Tanyakan pada-Nya, minta petunjuk-Nya. Lakukan terbaik bagian kita, dan Dia menyempurnakannya.

Kacamata gitta memulai langkah awalnya untuk mewarnai. Langkah di atas bukan langkah sempurna, tanpa melalui Petunjuk yang tepat.

Culture Shock?

Tertanggal 3 Maret 2010, saya meluncur ke sebuah benua asing bukan Asia. Tiba dengan selamat sentausa, menginjakkan kaki untuk pertama kalinya di sebuah kota bernama Melbourne. Begitu melewati pintu bertuliskan "Exit" dari Bandara Internasional Melbourne, satu kalimat yang keluar dari mulut saya "Tes, emang sepi banget ya ni kota." :D

Berangkat bersama dua Mama dan satu sahabat, Theresa Irene. Mama-mama kami turut mengantar, tak mau anak-anaknya "terlantar".

Sekarang, sudah seminggu berada di kota baru bagi saya ini. Masih belum bisa merasakan nikmatnya. Masih merasa asing dan bingung. Belum banyak mengenal orang-orang sekitar. Rasanya muka saya masih terlihat "cengo"di sini. Masih kaget. Mungkin ini yang kata orang "culture-shock"? Mungkin.

Belum ada pengalaman menarik sampai hari ini.

Belum ada kesan menarik sampai hari ini.

Semua masih dalam PROSES belajar, melihat dan merasa. Belajar rute bus, kereta, tram, melihat dan merasakan suasana kota ini. Saya masih beradaptasi. Dan masih sulit ternyata. :(

Semua pasti akan menjadi jauh lebih baik pada akhirnya. Amin!

Kacamata gitta masih linglung.

Tawa Si Mba'

"Mba.. bukain pintu"

"Mba.. tolong ambilin air dong.."

"Mba, beresin meja.."

"Mba bikinin indomie"

Kalimat-kalimat di atas terasa begitu mudahnya keluar dari mulut gue buat minta tolong sama Mba' di rumah. Pembantu rumah tangga, salah satu kebutuhan untuk jaman sekarang. Rasanya ga bisa ngerjain apa-apa tanpa si Mba, rasanya kurang waktu, jadi ribet, jadi capek kalo ga ada si Mba.

"Duhh tidur mulu nih Mba gue"

"Berisik banget sih nih Pembantu" (mulai kasar)

"Dodol banget Mba guee!!"

"Aduhhh harusnya bukan di situ tempatnya, Mbaaa"

Kira-kira begitulah kalimat-kalimat kalo kesel sama si Mba. Begitu mudahnya keluar dari mulut kalo si Mba salah ngerjain hal yang seharusnya dia kerjakan. Mungkin pernah beberapa kali gue mengeluarkan kata-kata seperti itu. *Maafkan aku, Mba.. :)*

Hari ini, gue bisa melihat ketulusan dari senyum dan tawa Mba gue ketika dia dapet sesuatu. Sesuatu yang tidak besar. Kalau dilihat dari harganya, itu mungkin cuma Rp 35.000,00. Tapi kepuasannya melebihi satu cup Sour Sally.

Jadi ceritanya, tadi nyokap gue menyuruh gue membelikan kaos kembaran buat Mba-Mba di rumah. Nah, terbeli lah sepasang pakaian, atasan dan bawahannya dengan harga total Rp 35.000,00/pasang. Kalau kita lihat, mungkin kita bilang "ih baju mba-mba" atau apa lah. Tapi itu semua benar-benar berarti buat mereka.

Ketika gue melihat kesenangan mereka mendapatkan "hadiah" ini, gue jadi merasa sangat sangat senang bisa menyenangkan mereka. Walaupun belinya ga pake duit gue, tapi gue jadi sangat sangat merasa kalau tawa dan kesenangan mereka ga bisa dinilai dengan uang. Ketulusan mereka untuk melayani, untuk mencoba menyenangkan "majikan"nya, semuanya itu bisa terlihat dari reaksi mereka ketika menerima "hadiah" itu.

Banyak hal yang gue rasa dan pelajari dari situasi menyenangkan ini, terutama dari sifat dan sikap si Mba. Pertama, mendapatkan kesenangan yang memuaskan ga bisa dinilai dengan mata uang. Melihat tawa dan senyuman dari si Mba yang gratis ini bisa memberikan ekstra semangat dan kesenangan lebih. Kedua, pekerjaan yang dilakukan dengan tulus, walaupun banyak salah, kena omel, dsb, akan tetap jadi pekerjaan yang menyenangkan. Hal ini bisa dipelajari dari si Mba yang walaupun kadang kena omel tapi dia tetep menyelesaikan pekerjaannya. Ketiga, sikap melayani dari si Mba yang tak kunjung lelah. Dengan rutinitas pekerjaan yang mungkin kita lihat "begitu-begitu saja" tapi mereka bertahan. Ya, mungkin orang bilang nasib, karena ga sekolah, atau apa lah, tapi kerendahan hati untuk setia sama majikannya, itu yang sangat mengagumkan.

Menghargai setiap pekerjaan, menghargai segala bentuk hal, entah yang berupa materi ataupun tidak, menghargai setiap orang. Sikap menghargai, itu yang bisa gue ambil dari tawa si Mba hari ini.

Kacamata gitta senang melihat tawa si Mba.