Happiness
30 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
A very early birthday wishes from a dear friend far far away. . .
Noodle made by my mom very early in the morning of 30 Sept. . .
An egg taart from the best partner ever. . .
Hugs from dear colleagues. . .
They sang happy birthday song in 3 languages. . .
The students in the hall saying happy birthday to me. . .
A 5 th grade student prayed for me in front of the classroom. . .
A surprise in another classroom. . .
A special bday present from a special student, my favorite fruit ripe from her parents garden. . .
A special dinner with good friends and hang outs. . .
What happiness and joy I had!
I am grateful, so grateful that I kept on singing “thank You, Jesus. It’s only by Your grace that I can live today. Forever I will praise Your name” 
What I do this week
27 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
Look at these mid term test papers I have to grade this week
Road Trip – 2
15 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
Family vacation continues…
We drove east…
Stayed one night in Surabaya, the Capital of East Java…
Passed Suramadu bridge, the longest bridge in Indonesia connecting Java island and Madura Island, the first in Indonesia.
We ran and laughed because the policemen were chasing us and using their speaker saying; “you may not stop your car here, it’s a toll road, continue your trip, you may not stop your car here…” (of course we didn’t know that we are not allowed to stop and take pictures LOL)
We drove back to Java Island and continued driving to a town called Batu…
We went here…
My family enjoyed the “air-bike” ride, lampions, horror house, roller coaster, etc,etc… but I only enjoyed some.
We spent a night in this retreat house called “Roemah YWI” in front of the Batu Night Spectacular…
The next day, we visited a place I like so much (you will know why). It is a recreational park called “Jatim (Jawa Timur) Park”. It is a big park with three areas: Animal Museum, Tree Hotel (A hotel that looks like a big trunk of a tree), and Batu Secret Zoo.
I love the big animal museum
Went inside the museum, welcomed by a huge bird cage where you can take picture in it…
Looking at all the remaining of these marvelous creatures…
observing this scene of a constrictor and its prey…
We wanted to stay in the tree hotel, but it was full during Ramadan holidays.
Behind this hotel is the zoo area, so if you stay in the hotel, you can see the animals at night from the balcony.
The zoo is my favorite place to visit this time.
Watching the huge water rats, porcupines, capybaras, foxes, alpaca, white tigers, and many more.
Watching these cute ones…
Feeding bats…
Feeding bison…
Being marveled and amazed by the wonders God has created
Someday I will see you all again, my animal friends…
Remembering…
12 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
September is always a time to remember someone special in our family. And we got the opportunity to visit his grave during our homecoming this holidays.
We are not sad anymore, we even took funny pictures. My nephew was having fun with my camera that I didn’t even realize he took our pictures.
And it all happened on our beloved dad’s grave.
I guess my dad was smiling in heaven seeing all of these
We miss you, papi. . .
Road Trip – 1
11 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
Short after we started our new academic year, we had 10-days-holidays for Ramadan. I and my family used this opportunity to have a family vacation (even though not all of the family members joined it).
I and my older sister went back to our hometown to have a reunion with my sister’s family and my mom there. My second eldest sister and her daughter had arrived in Semarang earlier. What a big family I have!
Right after we arrived in Semarang, we went to Magelang, a city near Semarang (2 hours drive). We planned to do rafting, unfortunately the river water went so shallow that we couldn’t do it 
no rain yet.
Anyway, I enjoyed the hotel, it is a good one. It is next to the Progo river.
My family did some fun crazy stuff.
Some of us (younger people) went to a recreational park just next to the hotel. “Kyai Langgeng” Park. We went on a boat ride, it was not extra fun, but at least we spent time together and enjoyed it.
I wish I could play in the river, but the rocks are huge and slippery. I wish I had a pair of boot. Anyway, we went swimming in the swimming pool instead.
In love with my nephew (who celebrated his 15th birthday on August 29):
Puri Asri hotel is a nice place to stay if you stop by this area
Jejamuran aka All About Mushrooms
30 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
While we were in Jogjakarta, we visited a restaurant called Jejamuran. Jamur is Indonesian word for mushroom. This restaurant offers all menu of mushrooms. It doesn’t have any chicken, meat, or other vegies. We can order mushroom soup, mushroom satay, mushroom with green chilies, mushroom omelet, and other menus of mushrooms. They also grow their own mushroom.
If you visit Jogjakarta and you like mushrooms, this place is recommended.
Terminal 3
30 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
…in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
It’s new. It’s very clean. It’s big (even though not as big as International Airport in Singapore, Hongkong, USA, or other countries. It’s neat and tidy. It’s organize. And it has Starbucks. It also has a water fountain where you can get water to drink (first in Indonesia if I recall, unfortunately I don’t have a picture of it).
So, can I say it as a progress of my country?
Family
29 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
23rd July 2011 was a big day in our family. My oldest sister got married on that day in Jogjakarta (a city in Central Java, near my hometown). It was last weekend and I still can feel the hectic atmosphere when we had to wake up at 4AM to go to the salon to get our make-up and hair done.
Above all, we all are happy that finally our oldest one got married.
All member of our family got together in this kind of occasion; 1 mom, 1 brother, 5 sisters, 3 in-laws, 2 nephews, 3 nieces, uncles and aunts from my father’s side, cousins.
I don’t have the official wedding pictures. These are some pictures captured by my camera.
Joyful time when we met again (Semarang & Jakarta family), hugging cousins. I wish I took my camera out sooner so that I could capture the long hugging moments.
Calisto home-stay, Jogjakarta
First night eating out in Jogja.
three sisters
4 siblings and 1 in-law
2 aunts, 1 nephew, 2 nieces
BUSY
21 Jul 2011 3 Comments
My school work has started last week. Things are getting busy. I get more teaching hours than last year. Eight classes with 28 meeting periods to teach each week to be exact. At first I was shocked reading my schedule knowing that my Fridays will be full! Yet, there are more things to be grateful for.
To wake up at 4.30 Am on every work day, I am grateful that I still can wake up.
To deal with heavy traffic every single day, I am grateful that the Angel of the Lord is always protecting me.
To teach more classes, I am grateful that it means I have more students to be shepherded.
To work harder this year, I am grateful that God still entrust me to do more work and teach me to be responsible.
I can’t imagine the load of grading papers time this coming academic year with 8 classes and about 200 students…. and the pressure from school to finish grading those papers within 2 days after the test is held…
Yet, I am grateful. I can’t wait to see my new students. I am excited. Let my excited heart last till the end of the academic year, I pray. I think I will enjoy teaching this coming academic year.
Welcome back to school and real life, Vil!
