Christmas service

For some years, Christmas in Indonesia is 'coloured' by the shadow of terrorism and bomb. This morning, when we arrived in the church, no vehicle was allowed to enter church's premises.

The 'given' reason: there was news that a terrorist entered our town last night. Police has swept the entire premises and after that, no vehicle is allowed in. But why didn't they make us walk through a metal detector?

During the sermon, there was an interference from the police's radio communication into our sound system. For a split second I thought the police were in front of our church, informing that indeed something had 'happened'.

Later I realised, this is a standard operational procedure -- they just want to make sure nothing happens. Perhaps I watched too many movies.:D

Merry Christmas

I'd like to say Merry Christmas in several languages. Not that I'm able to speak all these languages, but for each of the language below, there are people that I remember. So, dear readers,

Merry Christmas
Selamat Hari Natal
Vrolijk Kerstfeest (or Zalig Kerstfeest, see here)
Feliz Navidad
Froehliche Weihnachten
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Milad Majid
Feliz Natal
Bon Nadal
Glædelig Jul
Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Kala Christouyenna!
Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Maligayan Pasko!
Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto
God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År

and I'd like to include a song I've just learnt (this is 'We Wish you a Merry Christmas in a local language in Indonesia):
Horas ma hita mar Natal (3x)
dohot mar Taon Baru

UT Nieuws

An article about the alumni dinner I mentioned before is published in the University's weekly paper (Dutch version) . Click here to read it.

Study Abroad and LDR

Last weekend I met some friends at alumni dinner. I heard another failed relationship story. It made me think of relationship, how studying abroad effects it.

During my stay in Europe, I heard sooo ... many story about failed relationships. One by one friends lost her/his boy/girlfriend.

Of course many people have theories on it. It ranges from 'how living in another country changes a person' to 'unfaithfulness'. It became a gender related issues (there is a theory on whether a relationship has bigger possibility to survive if the man or the woman studied abroad).

A friend even had a theory that having a long distance relationship is a 'safety net' -- you're not asked about not having a partner, yet you have all the time to enjoy your single life.

I think most students who studied abroad had a 'dream' of getting married and settle down after graduation. Unfortunately many of us were not blessed with fulfillment of that dream. I don't have the statistical data, but I'm a witness on how many relationships have failed because of this.

So friends, for you who have studied abroad and succeeded in your relationship: hats off! For you who have never gone abroad and succeeded in your relationship: don't be disappointed, perhaps that's what it takes for keeping your relationship. For you who are thinking of going abroad: consider this and think of how to keep yours. For you whose relationship failed: it's not the end of the world -- dunia tak selebar daun kelor. :P

Force majeure?

Life in school is getting 'interesting'.

Last week, on the day that US President Bush visited Indonesia, there was a bomb threat in the school -- turned out to be a bluff.

This Monday, the main switch was short circuited -- korsluiting -- fire! Fire extinguisher went off, the smell was awful, classes were dismissed early.

As those two things happened on Mondays, my students were wondering what will happened the following Monday. Flood? Earthquake?

Let's hope no more 'interesting' things happen. :-)

Origami

Yesterday I learnt about origami. I made a fish. Picture will be uploaded later.

Update: My little niece got hold on it. There goes my fish before I took a picture.:p

Mestakung

Mestakung -- semesta mendukung -- All universe supports ... that's the title of the book wrote by my boss that was launched yesterday.

A...

It started as a fairy tale
It ended as a nightmare

A Freak

Before going to NL, I knew nothing about LaTeX. I learnt to use it from my lecturers. My supervisors were very helpful. Using LaTeX became the normal thing to do.

Back in ID, in my work, I work a lot with fractions. It takes a lot of extra effort typing fractions with MathType compared to typing with LaTeX. So naturally, after some socialization, I sticked to LaTeX. Learning about babel and making thumbnail made me like LaTeX even more.

And now -- I even started to prepare presentations in LaTeX !!
Aargh, have I become a LaTeX freak?

5:21-22 איכה

הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃

כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃

This post may look weird, if you wonder what it is, click the title and select an English version.

Back in the Teaching World

It's been a month. I'm back in the teaching world. I teach a class that is called 'super class', consists of 16 smart students. Indeed teaching creme de la creme is very enjoyable.

As I did during my previous teaching experience, I have interesting experiences. It reminds me of a friend who loved to ask about stories from my classes. :-)

A Mathematician

As I searched about natural numbers, I ran through this quote. It was
a discussion about zero -- yes, zero -- and I think it's a nice quote.

A mathematician is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat
which isn't there.
-- Charles Darwin

Kawah Candradimuka

I feel like I'm preparing kawah candradimuka. Hopefully from this place many Gatotkaca will be born :-)

Big job, big responsibility. Yes, my dream gets bigger and bigger. :-)

et tu Brute

Those words caught my attention when I read the newspaper yesterday. Click here to read it.

Those words were in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.

To a certain extent, they described what I felt for the past few weeks.

A broken treasure

A treasure
A very valuable one

I spent time nurturing it
I spent time taking care of it
I invested my time on it
I thought I was very blessed to have it

It has coloured my life
It has shared my happiness
It has cheered me up during sadness
It has supported me

So many things reminded me of it
So many times I kept on thinking about it

Bicycles, stargazing, a stroll,
snow, snowman, snow angel,
a swing, kermis, musea, paintings,
cooking, books, even hospital visit reminded me of it

It was one of the thing I could fall back on
Time has proven it to be worthy
Indeed it is very valuable
A treasure nothing could beat

I thought I could keep it forever
I thought it will last
It has endured so much
I thought nothing could destroy it

But ... eventually ...
It slipped away from me
breaking into pieces
bringing my heart with it

Why can't I keep it?
Why can't it last?
Why?

SoE

I spent last week in SoE. Most of you might wonder where it is. It is in Nusa Tenggara Timur, in the island of Timor. About 100 km from Kupang, on the direction to Timor Leste.

Nice place, cold, windy, about 600 m above sea level. The temperature was ok, but the wind was quite unbearable. Well, actually, the only problem was that I didn't bring proper things. Had I gone there with coat, long john, and scarf (plus if I could get warmer blanket:p), it would be oki doki.

The air was clean, the sky was clean ... the starts looked sooo ... beautiful. With proper things to warm me up it would be an ideal place for stargazing. :-)

During the day, people will expose themselves to sunlight to get warmth -- interesting that even in Indonesia there are people who'd go out to enjoy the sun:p

Two Triangles

There are two triangles. One side is shared by both triangles. Which triangle has bigger area?

Paradox

Life is full of paradox. Two months ago we talked about paradox. Few days ago another paradox came.

Life must go on, but to which direction? I know I am the only one who can make the decision. Don't worry, friends, I'm fully aware of that. But at this moment I just don't know which direction to take.

Tipang

Today I went to visit the village where my grandfather came from.
An adventure.
History is made.

Horas from Lake Toba

10 days in Northern Sumatera. 5 days for work, 5 days for holiday.
Spending my holiday by Lake Toba.

Crab Master

Last night I had crab for dinner. Felt like a 'crab master' after explaining many things about crab to my friends. From how to see whether it is a male or female crab, whether it is with egg, to how to get crab's meat. :-p

Earthquake

Indonesia ... what happens to you?
Earthquake after earthquake, disaster after disaster.
Don't know what happen to me
but this time I simply cannot follow the news
whenever I read the newspaper, my heart ache
I must close it and leave it
I can't help reading
or I'll get insane ...

Long Weekend

Last weekend was long weekend. My friends and I planned to go to Kep. Seribu (Thousands Island). Many things happened. First of all, we couldn't get accomodation (they are fully booked) -- then we decided that we could do camping.

But then, on the last day of departure, the one who organised food etc was hospitalised! So ... bubar deh ... :(

Saturday, I went with Patrick to Kota. I was curious to see how I'd see Indonesian musea after my stay in Europe. (I used to hate visits to musea, but fell in love with musea when I was in Europe) We visited Museum Seni Rupa ... hmm ... how do I like it? Well, I really like the building -- and that's about it.:D

The 'unforgettable' New Year

New Year. As every other year, we went to my dad's place of birth.

Jan 2. I traveled back with my uncle and aunt. In Patrol -- could anyone find it in the map? -- our car broke down. The situation seems hopeless. Our 'only' hope was a 'montir' who doesn't shave nor comb his long hair, even worse: he didn't have the tools that is needed! Yet he refused to be said 'unable to help' -- he can, he just didn't have the tools!

We had to sleep in a so-called-hotel. It didn't have a name, the 'kraan' is not even there (there is only a hole in the wall where the water comes), etc etc. Nevertheless, we were thankful that we could find a place to rest!

The next day, finally the guy managed to 'make' a tool by which he could open the problem. It then took more than 2 hours before he could find the spare-part.

Later on we learnt that if the problem arose half an hour before, we would be stopped in not-so-safe-area. So it's another point to thank God.

Some changes

Friends, I'm sorry for not maintaning this blog for some time. Seems like some people have 'bad agenda' about my blog. Hence I'm disabling some features and put more restriction. Sorry for the incovenience for the genuine ones.