Taking Local Train Is My Cardio
My cardio. My exercise.
In Japan, exercising means me on a bicycle going as fast as I could because class start in 10 minutes and I want to have that cinnamon roll at Lapaz cafe so... yeah.
exercising means me on a bicycle (again) fighting for my life because the curfew is on 11.00 pm, it was 10.50 and I just got out from the freakin nearest train station (10 minutes on normal speed, 5 minutes added on looking for keys and finding bicycle in the dark in the parking lot), which totally freakin define a new meaning for freakin "panicking"
exercising means me practicing kendo and kyuudo, how I miss that.
In Jakarta, it means me taking local train to practically everywhere, to the university, to my work place, to go back home -- everywhere.
As much as I hate local trains, I'm still grateful for the convenience it offers me everyday... but!
Seriously...? I can do my cardio by taking trains?? Unbelievable.
The exercise including running, cramped inside the train (no personal space, AT ALL, absolutely sweating.. absolutely.... frustrating), jumping across the railway (dangerous have totally different standard here), cramped inside the train again, and then fighting people to get out of the train.
That is unbelievable.
And sad too, because I actually like it, going by train. And going to the train station. Because there are a lot of things to look at, and everyday is different. One of the thing that 4 years of school of Psychology craved inside of me is an obsessive observing behavior , that is automatically happened because it's just is.
Like today, I realized that a lot of people here in Indonesia use some kind of attributes that affiliates them with certain religion, certain organization and certain institution everyday. They are wearing hijab, cross-shaped necklace, and, euh, alma mater jacket? And I noticed that people use this without really realizing what they are implying because if they do, they would certainly behave themselves and stop spitting, throwing trashes around, or -- hitting or pulling people because they wanted to get into an already overcrowded train.
You don't spit around and you don't throw trashes on the ground especially when you are so easily recognized as "x believers", "y believers" or "z university student", because... people, because it shows you what those religion, organization or institution whatsoever been teaching you. You trashed on the ground because you don't feel like owning that place, you have no sense of belonging at all, to that place. Train station is a public place and we are the public. If we stop caring, owning, building a sense of belonging to these places, then who will? It's not the gov that's owning the place, we own that. We pay taxes for those places.
I also have a real hard time understanding why on earth everyone are trying to get out of the train just at the exact same time? It's like throwing rice to a group of hens and all of them just run to grab those rices fastly. I mean, there is this big transit station, called Sudirman Station. It is located in the heart of Jakarta, and naturally (or stupidly, I don't know) most people work on that area. And some universities are there too. I believe with all my heart that people working to signal the train, and the train's driver are very well educated in the fact that HALF of the train passengers will leave the train at this station. It is highly unlikely that they will depart the train in less than 1 minute. It is highly unlikely that you will not be able to go out because the train is already departed to the next station the moment you reach the doors. Of course it is not like you can walk out giggling with your friends and walking snail-speed because then it will be your fault not to be able to get out in time.
But there is enough time for everyone to get out of the train if everyone just, for heaven's sake, behave themselves well and stop pushing and pulling while walking out.
Is it that hard to act like a real homo sapiens?
like, being wise and do the actual thinking process instead of following our mere instinct?
I don't know what is wrong here. The education? The culture?
What I know is, taking local train is my cardio, not only physically, but mentally as well as I tried my best everyday not to step on people feet, apologize if I do, be patient and... be forgiving.
Prologue: Becoming Indonesia
By the last week of September, I was once again returned to the busy Jakarta, back to the usual schedule, the usual things to do. I remembered it was almost lunch time, I was sitting in a small office room near Thamrin City Office Park, scrolling through my personal e-mails and...... stunned.
There was this one e-mail congratulating me on making it to the 32 finalists of Becoming Indonesia: Student Essay Competition (KEM) 2013, it is an annual competition and this year is its ffth year.
I clearly spent the first minutes of my lunch break by staring, just staring doing nothing, at that e-mail. Actually my default reaction would be jumping here and there laughing, but this is just... different. The competition was different, I did not dare to have a thought that they will select mine out of 1.529 essays.
Almost sure that this was a prank, I turned off my computer and walked away for lunch (I'm so sorry mbak Etha.. xD).
The next day, I got a call from an unknown number to my personal line. it was around 9 a.m. and I was on my way to the Office Park.
"Hi Rielya. I'm Etha from Tempo Institute. Have you checked your mail yet?"
"No maam, I haven't" --> big fat liar, I was just buying time to process that someone from Tempo Institute gave me a call. Yesterday's mail probably was not a joke.
"Congratulation. You made it to the 32 finalists chosen to go to Leadership Camp for two weeks."
"..."
"Hello?"
"Is this for real, maam?"
"(laughing)" yes of coooourse. So please check your e-mail. We called your home phone yesterday and I think it was your brother who answered the phone. He haven't told you anything?"
*shaking my head* *realizing she couldn't see me* "Not yet, maam." --> 100% truth, my brother say no word about this.
"Allright, thanks, maam"
"You're welcome."
After that I remember I was almost jumping around along the way from Sudirman station to the Office Park.
This is a big event. KEM 2013 is one of Becoming Indonesia's project and was already held for four consecutive years since 2009. One of KEM 2010 alumni, Moses, created an acronym for Becoming Indonesia which is more or less translated to "we better not just stay quiet for Indonesia".
So every year, Indonesia's youth from all across the land send out their essays, fruits of their thoughts and hopes, and sometimes also the bitterness they feel about Indonesia and write it out into an essay. This year, there were 1.529 essays in total.
At first the Tempo Institute selected 30 writers to join the 2 weeks leadership camp in Bogor. But then they increase the quota to 32 finalist. According to @menjadi_id 's tweet, that was a policy made considering the quantity and quality of the essays they received.
This is the list of the 32 selected essays:
No.
|
NAMA
|
JUDUL
|
UNIVERSITAS
|
1
|
Amir Fadli Nasution
|
Jika Koruptor Saja Bergenerasi
|
Universitas Sumatera Utara
|
2
|
Asep Andri
|
Kita Dan Demokrasi Selebar Depa
|
IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon
|
3
|
Athirptin Halawiyah
|
Kontradiksi Dalam Menyikapi Demokrasi Oleh Perongrong NKRI
|
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
|
4
|
Benny Prawira
|
Keberagaman Yang Terlupakan
|
Universitas Bunda Mulia
|
5
|
Brita Putri Utami
|
Suara Difabel Adalah Suara Kita
|
Universitas Gajah Mada
|
6
|
Fadrin Fadlan Bya
|
Di Bali, Islam Belajar Toleransi
|
Universitas Brawijaya
|
7
|
Fikri Disyacitta
|
Konsekuensi Homogenitas dan Dialog Antariman
|
Universitas Airlangga
|
8
|
Fitriana
|
Pertukaran Pemuda Antar Suku Memupuk Kebhinekaan Pemuda
|
Universitas Mulawarman
|
9
|
Guster C P Sihombing
|
Menghargai Manusia Tanpa Batas Orientasi
|
Universitas Sumatera Utara
|
10
|
Heru Joni Putra
|
Di Bawah Ancaman Nasionalisme
|
Universitas Andalas
|
11
|
Ihram
|
Menyelamatkan Naskah Kuno Nusantara
|
Institute Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember Surabaya
|
12
|
Jody Bhaskara
|
Analogi dari Suatu Film: Kartun Etnosentrisme dan Stereotip Pemicu Disintegrasi
|
Universitas Indonesia
|
13
|
Martin Rambe
|
Pendidik Tidak Berintegritas Air Mata Putus Kuliah
|
Universitas Sumatera Utara
|
14
|
May Rahmani
|
Sebilah Pisau Bernama Stigma
|
IISIP Jakarta
|
15
|
Muh Ihsan Harahap
|
Widji Thukul Syi'ah Sampang Mesir: Menguji Kembali Rasa Kemanusian Kita
|
Universitas Hasanuddin
|
16
|
Muhammad Fajar Putranto
|
Soundscape: Adab Bunyi Yang Terabaikan Dalam Budaya Indonesia
|
Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta
|
17
|
Naufil Istikhari KR
|
Surat Terbuka Buat Pak Nuh
|
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta
|
18
|
Rahma Yulia Prastiwi
|
Ketika Budaya Berbicara: Surat Anoman Kepada Android
|
Universitas Airlangga
|
19
|
Rahmadani Puji Lestari
|
Intermeso Tentang Negeriku
|
Universitas Gajah Mada
|
20
|
Raymundus Rikang Rinangga Widya
|
Wajah Kerukunan Umat Beragama Dipelosok Dusun
|
Universitas Atmajaya Yogyakarta
|
21
|
Rendy Adriyab Diningrat
|
Wisata Penjara: Saatnya Koruptor Menjadi Objek Wisata
|
Universitas Gajah Mada
|
22
|
Rezza Aji Pratama
|
Belajar Dari Norman Osborn
|
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
|
23
|
Rianto
|
Masihkah Kau Membutuhkan Perumpamaan
|
Universitas Negeri Jakarta
|
24
|
Rielya Alfa Florianti Lasano
|
Jatuh Cinta Pada Indonesia
|
Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya
|
25
|
Rio Rahadian Tuasikal
|
Indonesia Butuh Lebih Dari Karnaval
|
Universitas Komputer Indonesia Bandung
|
26
|
Ririe Rachmania
|
Ketidakselarasan Pendidikan dan Integritas
|
Universitas Airlangga
|
27
|
Saneri
|
Sanggar Anak Akar: Sumbangan Rakyat Pinggiran Untuk Indonesia
|
Sekolah Tinggi Bahasa Asing LIA
|
28
|
Setyaningsih
|
Buku, Ibu dan Nasib Pendidikan
|
Institut Agama Islam Negeri Surakarta
|
29
|
Shalahuddin Al Madury
|
Pendidikan Mencetakku Menjadi Kurang Ajar
|
Universitas Islam Indonesia
|
30
|
Suci Amelia Harlen
|
Bagimu Agamamu, Bagiku Agamaku
|
Universitas Padjadjaran
|
31
|
Yohanis Ajoi
|
Menakar Duri Konflik Perbedaan Dalam Daging Kebhinekaan
|
Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Teologi Fajar Timur
|
32
|
Yoni Elviandri
|
Kemilau Mahakam: Mata Indonesia Di Tapal Batas Khatulistiwa
|
Institut Pertanian Bogor
|
Leadership Camp is given in order to equip us with materials, perspective and knowledge about leadership and journalism, as Tempo is actually a newspaper company. Looking at the event's schedule sent to my e-mail, I was excited to see that there are Human Rights session, as well as Indonesia's History and Politics, Gender and Women, Leadership and the Environment, Social Analysis and also lots of other fun sessions waiting for us! I texted Aloince and upon seeing my schedule she said that it looks like I'm going for a summer course or something, because there are a lot of topics to talk about in 2 weeks period. Lol.
But to think about it, probably because this is a short program with so many interesting topics to talk about, then I feel even more excited. Imagining I will learn all these things with the other 31 friends come from various places in Indonesia is exciting. These young people, us, we wrote because we care. We wrote because we want to do something to bring a change. For our homeland.
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