2009/09/01

Home Sweet Home, O My Bitter Homeland

Mudik! Ya, pulang ke negri asal tercinta. Memang sih, bisa pulang juga karena ada urusan dokumen dan tetek bengek lainnya. Tetapi bagaimanapun juga setelah empat tahun merantau ke negara orang tetap saja pulang untuk pertama kalinya mempunyai kesan tersendiri. Ada kesan positif maupun negatif yang kurasakan ketika mencoba mengikuti alur kehidupan kota pinggiran Jakarta, bisa dibilang sebagai upaya adaptasi ulang lingkungan yang pernah kujalani. Tulisan ini tak lebih dari sekedar cara pandangku terhadap perubahan setelah 4 tahun tak pernah berjumpa dengan suasana Indonesia.

Keluarga

Tentu saja tujuan utamaku pulang adalah bertemu dengan keluargaku yang hanya kudengar suaranya saja lewat telepon selama 4 tahun, walaupun alas an pulang secara resmi adalah mengurus dokumen. Ayahku terlihat semakin tua, ibuku juga demikian, kakak tertuaku masih berkerja layaknya pegawai perusahaan swasta Jakarta yang bolak-balik tempat bekerja dan rumah pagi dan petang, adikku yang berstatus mahasiswa tingkat dua tapi lebih keranjingan nge-band dibandingkan belajar hingga membuat orang tuaku geleng-geleng kepala (aku sendiri bingung menghadapinya). Sempat terpikir pulang berkunjung ke Belitung, tapi tak kesampaian. Malah saudara sepupuku datang dari Belitung dan membawa oleh-oleh Mie Bongpin untuk bahan dasar pembuatan Mie Rebus Belitung buatan ibuku yang enaknya ampun-ampunan itu. Selama dirumah, perut dan lidahku benar-benar dimanja oleh masakan ibuku terutama masakan Belitung yang tak pernah kurasakan lagi selama 4 tahun terakhir.


Surat Ijin Mengemudi (SIM)

Salah satu dokumen yang diurus adalah memperpanjang masa pemberlakuan SIM yang telah habis masanya beberapa bulan yang lalu. Aku baru tahu kalau SIM mati kurang dari satu tahun bisa diperpanjang (di Jepang, tenggang waktu hanya 6 bulan saja). Seperti yang telah kutulis mengenai proses memperoleh SIM sebelumnya di kantor urusan SIM Jepang (Menkyou Center), kali ini aku ingin agar data-data diriku dalam SIM Indonesia tertera dengan benar agar tak mendapatkan dampratan lagi dari si polantas Jepang. Nyatanya tetap saja tinggi badanku tak sesuai dengan kenyataan. Kali ini aku komplain pada pak polisi tentang tinggi badanku yang tertera di SIM lebih pendek 5 cm dari tinggi asliku. Pak polisi yang kukomplain malah bilang, "Enggak penting itu, yang penting nama dan alamatku benar!" Malah bapak bertubuh pendek yang menerima SIM sebelumku bilang tingginya di SIM tertera lebih dari semestinya. Kalau misalnya tinggi badan tidak penting, buat apa tertera dengan jelas di SIM? Bukannya sebaiknya dihapus saja dari pada menimbulkan persoalan dikemudian hari (seperti aku misalnya). Karena masih panjang dibelakangku orang mengantri untuk mengambil SIM, terpaksa aku mundur (selain karena komplainku tak direspons). Sekarang aku terpaksa memikirkan strategi baru untuk menjawab pertanyaan yang kira-kira akan dilancarkan oleh polisi Jepang nanti tentang tinggi badan yang berbeda saat mengurus SIM Jepang.


Foto diambil dari lantai 5 Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Pacific Palace, sekitar jalan Sudirman.


Transportasi dan lalu lintas

Masya Allah! Itu yang terlintas dalam pikiranku ketika pertama kali ikutan boncengan dibelakang motor dan melihat cara berkendara sepeda motor orang-orang disekitar. Aku sudah menduga kalau supir angkutan kota (angkot) akan berkelakuan seenaknya, akan tetapi pengendara motor rupanya tak kalah gila-gilaannya. Mereka meluncur mengendarai motor bebeknya bagaikan pilot pesawat zero Jepang pada masa perang pasifik yang tak takut mati melancarkan serangan Kamikaze, bertaruh nyawa demi sampai tujuan lebih dulu dari pengendara lainnya. Benar-benar "mengagumkan" sekaligus membuat hati miris melihat pengendara sepeda motor begitu gagah berani, berani mati, rela bertaruh nyawa demi hal remeh seperti itu. Aku masih takut naik motor sendiri untuk mengarungi rimba jalanan dengan hukum padang pasirnya.

Selain itu juga aku melihat betapa hukum jalanan para pengendara yang berlaku di Jepang dan Indonesia sangat jauh berbeda, terutama yang kucermati adalah penggunaan klakson. Klakson agak jarang digunakan di Jepang, tapi di Indonesia ternyata berkebalikan. Klakson menjadi alat untuk berkomunikasi sesama pengendara bagaikan bebek ber-kwek-kwek satu sama lain. Misalnya saja di tikungan yang arah berlawanannya tak terlihat. Jaman dulu selalu digunakan kaca cembung yang ditempatkan persis di sudut tikungan (sama dengan Jepang hingga sekarang) untuk mencegah kecelakaan. Akan tetapi sekarang kaca cembung malah tak terlihat sama sekali di tikungan, entah memang tak terpasang atau lebih parahnya lagi dicuri oleh maling tak tahu diri yang tak perduli betapa tindakannya bisa merenggut nyawa orang lain. Sebagai gantinya sebelum belok ditikungan, klakson dibunyikan keras-keras supaya pengendara di arah berlawanan sadar ada pengendara lain menuju dirinya sehingga dia lebih berhati-hati. Belum lagi klakson dan kedipan lampu untuk menyatakan "aku mau duluan" yang justru artinya "silahkan duluan" di aturan tak tertulis pengendara Jepang. Kalau pengendara Jepang menyetir di Jakarta, dapat dipastikan dia tidak akan menabrak orang lain, melainkan ditabrak orang.

Paling tidak aku melihat ada sedikit perbaikan manajemen PJKA dalam hal pembelian tiket kereta listrik. Di setiap stasiun kereta terlihat orang antri membeli tiket dan di setiap pintu masuk stasiun terlihat petugas perobek (peremas?) karcis untuk memastikan setiap penumpang membeli karcis naik kereta listrik. Walaupun masih jauh dari sempurna, paling tidak ada usaha untuk "memaksa" penumpang tidak naik gratisan walaupun dengan tiket kereta yang luar biasa murah. Hal lain yang kulihat tak mengalami perubahan berarti adalah gerombolan penumpang atap gerbong kereta. Sekali lagi aku melihat betapa gagah berani dan berani mati bertaruh nyawa demi hal remeh tak mau berdesakan didalam gerbong. Apakah orang Indonesia masih sama gagah berani dan mau bertaruh nyawa demi hal yang lebih positif seperti memberantas korupsi dan ancaman pembesar yang menteror mereka, dengan keberanian yang sama ketika menghadapi masalah lalu lintas?

2009/07/20

Storm at the peak of Mount Fuji

I have posted this stuff in my other blog in Bahasa Indonesia. This posting is just an English version, because I'm just to tired (or lazy) to make a new vision.

This year is my second time to do (富士登山) (Fujitozan - climb mount Fuji) after I did it before at 2005 without any satisfaction, because I couldn't make it to watch sunrise from the peak of mount Fuji. It was cloudy and I found that the peak had shrouded with mist that you would never saw anything beyond 5 meters. So this year, I join my other 3 mates to conquer mount Fuji and fulfill my hope to watch the sunrise from the peak.

Maybe our preparations were not very good, at least I have been checked the weather forecast that during our climb schedule days, the weather will be 曇り時々晴れ (cloudy occasionally clear). I hope that the clear weather will overcome the cloudy. Everything seems to be fine and we were starting to climb about 7 o'clock in afternoon from 五合目 (Gogoume - the fifth station), Fujinomiya. Nothing special happen during our climb until we were arriving at 九合目 (Kyuugoume - the ninth station) when the storm has come. One of my friend feels not so well and decided to quit and wait until the storm over then return to Gogoume. The rest three of us, including me, still curious to conquer the mount even in the rainstorm and keep our trudge continued.


At the peak of mount Fuji. Shrouding by rainstorm

We were reaching the 3776 meters of mountain peak and found that rainstorm was not passing over yet, it was more and more wilder than before and forced us sheltering in a Jinja (Shinto's shrine) with another hikers. After waiting 5 hours and there was no sign that the rainstorm will over yet, we decide to hike down before dusk and dark have shrouding us and make it harder to trek down the mountain.


During hiking down. Storm was not passing over yet

Slowly but sure, we set out from the Jinja and trek down step by step toward Kyuugoume, Hachigoume and finally Nanagoume. From Nanagoume, pouring rain has became drizzled although it still strong wind but our trek was getting easier. At Gogoume, we reunite with our friend that had return earlier and all of us can go home from rainstorm at the peak of mount Fuji safe and sound.

How about watch sunrise from mount Fuji's peak? Just forget it! We didn't find a clear weather, let alone watch the sunrise. Glad to reach my dormitory without any serious injury, only some scratches and contusion on my knee. Well, I think I will hate stairs for three days, at least. :(

NB.
I found this news later and it happened at the same day with our climbing day. I feel very lucky that I am still breathing right now. Thanks God....

2009/07/07

Wish upon a star at Tanabata

笹の葉 さらさら
Sasa no ha sara-sara
軒端にゆれる
Nokiba ni yureru
お星様 キラキラ
Ohoshi-sama kira-kira
金銀砂子
Kingin sunago


The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle,
Shaking away in the eaves.
The stars go twinkle, twinkle;
Gold and silver grains of sand.

(Traditional Tanabata song)


Today is the Tanabata day.
What is Tanabata?
Tanabata, “the night of the seventh”, is a holiday usually celebrated on July 7th every year. It has roots in the Chinese Qi Xi festival, but has a unique character in Japanese culture. It is primarily celebrated at night time when the stars are in view. Many local areas held the festivals in parks around July 7th, and there is often a call for people to turn off their lights in the evening so that the stars, Vega and Altair, will be more easily visible.


The hanging wish papers on the bamboo branch. Hirose-kun took the branch from somewhere.

As many festivals around the world, Tanabata also have several folk tales behind the festival. The most famous folklore originated from Chinese legend about love story between Niulang (Altair) the cow herder and Zhinu (Vega) the beautiful fairy. If you ever heard the legend of Jaka Tarub and Seven Goddess you will find similarities between them including the plot of Niulang steal the fairy’s clothes. You can find their tragic love story in another site if you want. This story give several cultural impact to China and even influence Japan, Korea and Vietnam's culture with their own story version. The Chinese legend was passed to Japan during the feudal period and combined with traditional local customs to become an official event at the Imperial Court. Soon, commoners began observing this festival with different localities developing their own distinctive ways of celebrating. Niulang’s Japanese version was called Hikoboshi (cow herder star) and Zhinu version as Orihime (weaving princess).

The original Tanabata date was based on the Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is about a month behind the Gregorian calendar. As a result, some festivals are held on July 7, some are held on a few days around August 7, while the others are still held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is usually in August in the gregorian calendar.


Hirose-kun hanging the wish paper to the bamboo branch

Recently in Japan, people celebrate Tanabata by writing wishes or sometimes with poems on a small piece of paper and hanging or tied them on bamboo branch with some other decoration. To ensure secrecy, the bamboo is placed into a nearby river or burned after the festival ends. Originally, these wishes were meant to be for increased abilities or talents, but today can be any wish deeply desired.

The Tanabata Festival is celebrated throughout Japan with a variety of carnivals and customs. Many regions hold decoration competitions or parades, and some even have beauty pageants to crown a Miss Tanabata. Special decorations like paper kimono and cranes are hung to ask for specific blessings such as long life or good business. Colorful paper streamers decorate the streets in honor of the strips of cloth used by the weaver of the legend.

We also celebrate Tanabata in our laboratory by write our wish on a small piece of paper and hanging it on a bamboo branch. Takero write a wish if he can take a cute cat as his pet. Dai-chan wish a peace world without violence (hehehe... seriously???), The others wish to get a good job after graduate from university, since the economy crisis hit Japan and make it harder to get. I just wish for good health and wealth in my life, a wish to the supreme God, not to the star.

2009/06/10

Happy Birthday to my Mom

Dedicated for my mother

Haha means mother, a kanji (chinese character) written on pond-side in our campus

It’s not a common thing that your acquaintances have their birthdays in one day. But today 5 of my acquaintances born in the same date according to Gregorian calendar, that is 10th June. One of them is my mother who lives in Indonesia. Another four are my second supervisor Prof. Wakiya, our lab Associate Professor Dr. Sakamoto and two undergraduate students who did their research in our lab. Kisena-chan and Fukamachi-kun.

(from left) The birthday cakes for Prof. Wakiya, Dr. Sakamoto and Kisane-chan


Make a wish (or maybe more)

We made a small celebration party for them with four small and cute birthday cakes which bought collectively by us in this afternoon. During the party, suddenly I remember with my mother in Indonesia. How is she? Is she well being? Is she celebrating her birthday in Indonesia? I rarely call my mother, but this time I will spare my time to call her even just to say congratulation for her 55th anniversary. I love you mom. Happy birthday and wish you well and healthy in there.


Kubo-kun and Imai-kun are cutting the birthday cakes

2009/06/01

The 18th Yamaha’s Hamamatsu Jazz Week and My Musical Taste



Yamaha music has known as one of leading musical instrument manufacturer around the world and as one of the biggest electronic manufacturer in Hamamatsu city, Yamaha hold an anniversary Jazz event in Hamamatsu that named Hamamatsu Jazz Week.

The Jazz performance has carry out in Hamamatsu city for 1 week in several stages including street stage like Zaza city and in front of Hamamatsu station’s north gate (gratis), at restaurant’s stage and Hamamatsu Act City’s concert hall (with ticket). Except Jazz performance, there are also Jazz coach clinic that invite several jazz professional artists. This year, the 18th Hamamatsu Jazz Week was held in 23rd – 31st May, 2009.


I grew up with influence of my father’s musical taste. He also introduced me and my younger brother how to play guitar and keyboard. My father was a small timer musician in our hometown Tanjung Pandan, Belitung by playing bass and mainly keyboard with his band Setia Nada (then later Billitonite 5). During my father's younger day when he was still living in Jogjakarta, he often to listen to Rock musician legend like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc and also Jazz performer like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong until Chick Correa and Al Jarreau. Contradicted to me, cause I spent all my childhood days in a small island. My only musical resources was my parent's cassette collection. That's why I frequently listen to my mother’s Bee Gees and another Indonesian old song cassettes until I have no other cassette choice than my father’s collection.

P-pro band

At the first, I took Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple during my junior high school days and I love it at once. During that day, Guns and Roses and Bon Jovi became my friend’s rock band favorite and also Boys Band as well. Well…. I like some of them either, but nothing compared to Jimmy Page, Jon Lord, Freddy Mercury and their compatriot. Then, when I was in senior high school days I start to listen to my father’s Jazz collections. First time, it just like a lot of noise sounds in my ear especially the mainstream jazz standard. I wonder why my father loves them so much, even his friends who live in Jakarta sent him a lot of Jazz cassettes when he knew that my father likes Jazz a lot (like himself). Curiosity.... maybe that was the point. Gradually, my ear start to receive Fusion Jazz, Big Band and Latin Jazz that easier to listen. Now, I can even enjoy the Jazz mainstream genre. Off course, sometimes my friend saw me just like a strange boy who enjoy Jazz than another popular genre. When I was studying in university, my classmates sometimes ask me why I prefer the old crack rockers and Jazz. You know my answer.

Violet Brass Band


Fujimori Trio and Suzuki Mami

Back to the main topic, Hamamatsu Jazz Week. During my part-time job, there are some Jazz live performances like Big Band, quartet and trio jazz group in the restaurant that I work as waiter. But because I have to focus on my job, I couldn’t even enjoy their music. I couldn’t leave my experiment in my lab and part-time job, but luckily I got free time at this Sunday weekend at the end of Jazz Week day. So I went to the last performance that held at 2 different places. First, I went to concert hall in Act City building but a lady asked me the entrance ticket (3.000 ~ 8.000 yen) that I didn’t have. So, I went to the other stage at the north gate of train station. It was free, it was gratis! I spent my time enjoying Jazz from 12:00 until 5:00. There were 5 performers in that day and I saw full performance from 4 of them, not bad.

2009/05/21

Malunya ikut tes memperoleh SIM di Jepang

Sengaja kali ini aku membuat tulisan dengan bahasa Indonesia karena agak malu juga diriku bercerita tentang keburukan administrasi di negara sendiri.

Tanggal 18 Mei 2009 minggu lalu, aku pergi ke Menkyo Senta (kantor satlantas Jepang) untuk mengajukan permintaan penukaran unten menkyo (surat ijin mengemudi alias SIM) mobil dari SIM Indonesia menjadi SIM Jepang. Sebenarnya SIM Internasional dari beberapa negara diakui oleh satlantas Jepang, tetapi sayangnya SIM internasional dari Indonesia termasuk diantara SIM internasional yang tidak diakui, sehingga bagi pemilik SIM luar Jepang (tapi tak diakui) yang ingin mengendarai mobil/motor > 50cc mau tidak mau harus tukar SIM menjadi SIM Jepang. Bagi yang ingin tahu lebih jauh tentang pengalaman sulitnya memperoleh SIM di Jepang boleh membaca cerita mas Iwan diblog bawah ini:
Susahnya nyari SIM di Jepang


Tes bagi orang asing yang ingin menukar SIM meliputi 4 tahap yaitu wawancara, tes kesehatan (mata dan buta warna), tes tulis peraturan lalu lintas dan tes praktek. Tadinya tahap tes yang paling kukhawatirkan adalah tes praktek menyetir mobil yang kudengar dari pengalaman beberapa kenalan cukup sulit untuk langsung lulus sekali praktek. Ternyata aku malah langsung mendapatkan cobaan diawal yaitu pada saat wawancara.

Karena aku sudah memperoleh SIM motor gentsuki (baca tulisanku disini), petugas pewawancara meminta SIM motor Jepang plus SIM C (untuk motor dari Indonesia) asli untuk menyertai SIM A yang sudah kuserahkan sebelumnya. Disinilah letak permasalahannya dimulai. Dua SIM yang kumiliki ternyata menyimpan masalah yang sangat serius jika anda berada di Jepang. Silahkan bandingkan SIM A dan SIM C milikku dibawah ini:





Coba perhatikan data yang ditunjukkan dengan panah merah! Orang yang memiliki nama sama, alamat sama, foto sama, sidik jari sama, tanda tangan sama, diambil pada hari yang sama, dikantor satlantas yang sama, dengan cap dan tanda tangan Dirlantas yang sama, tapi ada dua data remeh yang berbeda dan membuat curiga polisi Jepang.
Data pada SIM A
Tinggi: 173 cm
Pekerjaan: Swasta

Data pada SIM C
Tinggi: 165 cm
Pekerjaan: Pelajar/Mahasiswa

Kalau anda polisi Jepang dan bertugas sebagai pewawancara bagi pemohon SIM Jepang, apakah tanggapan anda? Menganggap pemohon sebagai penipu? Menganggap negara asal si pemohon nggak benar ngurus administrasi? Atau menganggap satlantas negara si pemohon tukang kibul? Setengah bercanda (atau mengejek) beliau bertanya bagaimana cara tinggi badanku bisa bertambah 8 sentimeter dalam waktu satu hari. Hahahaha....

Untungnya walaupun si petugas galak dan aku habis diomelin sampai malu nggak bisa ngomong, dia tetap saja mengijinkan aku ikut tes tulis. Tetapi sebelum itu, aku tetap diwawancara secara detail tentang proses aku mengambil SIM di Indonesia dari cara daftar, ujian tulisnya berapa soal, bahan ujian tulis, hingga tes praktek. Untungnya aku pernah ikut ujian yang sebenarnya sampai tak lulus beberapa kali sebelum akhirnya terpaksa nembak..... uppssss....



Setelah diwawancara, aku ikut ujian tulis dan berhasil lolos untuk mengikuti ujian praktek mengendarai mobil. Ada 4 rute yang tersedia dan aku memperoleh bagian ujian di rute nomor 4. Sayangnya di ujian praktek aku harus mengakui kalau aku gagal. 3 orang yang ikut tes hari itu (2 orang lainnya adalah orang Brazil yang ikut sekolah menyetir) semuanya gagal dan diharuskan mengkuti ujian praktek lagi minggu yang akan datang. Sebelum dibubarkan, si petugas galak itu kembali menguliahi kami kembali tentang betapa menyetir mobil di Jepang sama saja dengan mempertaruhkan nyawa diri sendiri dan juga nyawa orang lain. Karena itu sebelum mengikuti ujian praktek diminggu yang akan datang, beliau menekankan agar kami belajar peraturan negara Jepang dalam berkendara di jalan. Toh kalau gagal lagi, yang rugi waktu dan uang adalah kami sendiri.

2009/05/03

Hamamatsu Matsuri


I won’t write a lot in this posting, just upload some pictures that I took from central Hamamatsu to show you about Hamamatsu Matsuri (まつりor Festival). Actually the main event in Hamamatsu Matsuri is the three days kite festival (3rd, 4th and 5th May) where every 町 (Chou/Machi or town) in Hamamatsu city will send their representative group to fight each other through their kite in the sky until the supreme one kite flying unmatched.
A group from Tenmachou - 天馬町 during preparation

A group from Chitosechou - 千歳町 during preparation

The kite event performed during the day until afternoon and it will followed by parade of 御殿屋台 - Goten Yatai (A cart which is decorated beautifully) from every Chou/Machi in Hamamatsu at night. Every Goten Yatai accompanied by the Chou/Machi’s representative group (Gumi – 組) who carrying the Goten Yatai cart when the younger female playing Japanese traditional music by drumming a small drum or even taiko (big drum) and playing flute and shamisen (Japanese three string guitar) inside the cart.

Goten Yatai Parade during Hamamatsu Matsuri

I wonder what was that man doing on the top of Goten Yatai during parade?

Wait for a moment and take a rest a while before pull/push the cart again

Young girls inside Goten Yatai in white costum playing drum and shamisen

Sorry, I can't clearly read the letter that written on the lampion. It is their town's name.

Representative group from Tamachi - 田町