Back in NL

Thanks for all your support, condolences, prayers, your time, ears to listen, shoulder to cry on, all kind of supports means a lot for me.

After what happened with Meta, people from the company where I'm doing my final project, together with people from the university, bought me a ticket so I was able to attend her funeral. It was very sweet of them. Many thanks to them.

I arrived after the 'peak' emotional time. The first three days were the hardest. Hearing people recounted about what had happened during those days made me cried.

When I arrived and went to my uncle, he pointed to the coffin and said, "Adikmu sudah nggak ada, Vit." (your sister has gone). It really touched me to hear his choice of word -- adik -- sister, instead of cousin -- it made me felt even closer to this family.

She was so young, yet what happened has united two big families, working hand in hand supporting her family. According to her mom, her spiritual condition was at the peak condition. She loves Jesus very much. Surely she is in heaven now. It was quite a relieve (considering the situation) that she died on the spot, she didn't suffer. Her face was so beautiful and peaceful.

It was good for her -- not so good for us who were left behind, but if we love someone, we would wish the best for her, wouldn't we? And she is happy with Jesus. She is home. What else could we expect?

RIP

Meta, may her soul rest in peace.
Meta, my cousin, died on a motorcycle accident today. I'm speechless.

Betara Kala

Got an email:

Ada yg blng SBY hrs potong 1000 kambing spy bencana alam berhenti. Wah nasehat aneh. Dalam legenda Jawa ada dewa yg bernama betoro Kolo (Kala) adalah kuasa supranatural yg paling jahat. Anak2 dilarang keluar sore hari karena nanti kena tulahnya betara Kala. Ini sebenarnya terbawa dari India karena betara Kala adalah penguasa waktu dan kita tahu sang waktu sungguh berkuasa karena dg berlalunya waktu semua akan binasa/hilang/rusak. Jadilah guyonan sekarang ini sang betara menjadi penguasa Indon, makanya banyak bencana.

(If anyone needs a translation of this, please contact me.)

I remember one painting I saw in Tropenmuseum on my birthday -- in 'het Kwaad' exhibition. It's about Mahakala -- same meaning as Betara Kala -- A supreme power that holds time.

Why do I like that painting? Mahakala is painted as a very powerful being, sitting in the middle of a giant clock. And everything else in the painting bows before him (not literally bowing, but it reflects the supremacy of Mahakala).

Terantuk kaki sendiri

Hehe ... bukan pepatah, tp literally. Tadi lg jalan, begitu kembali di udara terbuka (tadinya menyisir gedung) eh tau2 krn angin jadi terantuk kaki sendiri.:p

Ticket controllers

About two weeks ago when my friend said, "Look, they're checking the ticket," I was surprised. I knew that any time a ticket controller might step in and demand to see tickets, and I saw ticket controllers on every stairs on metro station in central station, and I've seen them in the metro before (but they were just travelling, not checking tickets). But it was the first time I saw them checking ticket in a tram.

Yesterday was my first experience with ticket controllers. I was on my way home. On the last stop before I stepped out of the tram, ticket controllers stepped in and checked tickets. I saw a guy got fined. And I thought, "Hmm ... that's weird, for months I've never seen them and in two weeks I saw them twice in this area.

This morning, when I 'overstap' to another metro, there were two ticket controllers guarding the stairs. Are they currently targetting this area? Three times in two weeks!

Verrassing

Verrassing -- surprise. That's my new word today.

Today we got a surprise -- ice cream. Everybody got an email, go get your surprise before it melts.:p

Farewell

Living away from my country, meeting people from many other places are great. But it also has its disadvantage: limited time. Obviously most of international students will go back to their own country after finishing their studies. And then, you'll never know whether there will be another time when you can see each other again.

I've spent my whole life moving around; my environment, friends, everything changes. But every farewell I've always thought we will see each other again another time -- that's before I moved abroad.

"I'll see you again, someday, if not in this world then in heaven." It's the sentence we've always said on every farewell in the church in Enschede. Sounds classic? But it's the only thing one can say, isn't it? How do you know you will ever travel to Uganda, for example? I think that's the best thing one can say in a farewell.

Lately I've been thinking about farewell. Many friends have gone, one has left to his creator, another is leaving very soon (too soon!), and my own time is almost up.

The following song is dedicated to all my friends -- those that have gone, is going soon, and also those that are fortunate enough to have reasonable hope to see each other again in this earth.

Friends
Words: Deborah D. Smith
Music: Michael W. Smith

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can't believe the hopes He's granted
Means a chapter in your life is through

But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

Chorus:
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say "never"
'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
to live as friends.


With the faith and love God's given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you'll live in
Is the strength that now you show

But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

Back to Chorus

Madame Tussaud

went to Madame Tussaud today.


Albert Einstein sits somewhere in the air.

Vincent van Gogh

Nice boots;)

Albert Heijn, Museumplein

Albert Heijn, can you see people up there?

on top of it -- FYI, Albert Heijn is a supermarket chain.

April doet wat hij wilt

Another Dutch saying about month and weather. 'April does what he will.'

Last week, up to Sunday, the weather was sooo ... beautiful. Sunny, warm (definitely > 15 C), terrific for outdoor activities. On Saturday and Sunday I had lunch on the roof of Albert Heijn, Museumplein. Dinner on Saturday was on Vondelpark. Real 'park' weather.

Unfortunately starting on Monday, it changed (not surprising though!), windy, rainy, cold. Even though last week I had given up my winter coat, I started to use it again.:p And yes, the weather forecast says something about the temperture keeps on dropping it might even goes till 1 C tonight!

What can I say rather than 'April doet wat hij wilt'?

[van Gogh 1873]

sebaiknya kamu mengunjungi museum sering kali [van Gogh 1873] Indeed, I didn't quote properly last time.

Indonesian goverment is VERY rich

Inderdaad
http://kompas.com/utama/news/0504/05/125551_.htm

Rijksmuseum

Saturday, 2 April 2005 -- a day in Rijksmuseum, lunch at the roof of Albert Heijn.:p I like the museum. Felt like Rembrandt afterwards, playing with the light effect -- hehehe, no, I did not paint, I only took pictures with my camera.:D In fact I like Museumplein much better than Vondelpark.

Next weekend will be museum weekend -- most musea will be open free of charge -- so I'll continue on doing my 'Weekend Project' -- you know, I have two projects: my Final Project for weekdays and exploring Amsterdam for my weekends.

List of Musea I have been: Tropen museum, Bible museum, Amsterdams Historisch Museum, Jewish Historical Museum, Rijksmuseum, and a bit of van Gogh museum (last Sunday we went to see the temporary exhibition, I still need to go there to see the permanent exhibition). Anyway my museumjaar kaart has reached its break even point.:p

Btw, do you happen to know that van Gogh spoke a lot of languages? (I didn't know that:p) On one of the wall in van Gogh museum you can see his statement 'Go to the museum as often as you can' in several languages, including Indonesian!:D 'Sebaiknya anda pergi ke museum' [van Gogh 1873].

Selamat jalan Izaac

This morning someone told me that he passed away few days ago. I've only met him and his wife twice, both at Easter Conferences. Last year I joined the workshop he led. I still remember, it was about 'treasures', he challenged us to think of a 'new name' Jesus would call us, the way HE sees us, the way HE wants us to be, and explain why chose that name.

Last week I saw him in Easter Conference and we had a brief talk.

He asked when would I visited them in Eindhoven and I thought I would stop by this Thursday, but now he's gone, forever. I've only met him twice, but Izaac and Diane had in a way made me feel like they're my family as well.