A Glance of Me

Chapter 2's

A week later……

Today the sun is shining so bright. Time seems to pass so fast. New feeling yesterday my friend and I – my friend called my teacher to be told will take the race. Today is the day the race takes place. I was very nervous when I took part in this activity. Especially when in the race I was told to sing by the competition committee, which is singing the national anthem of our country, Indonesia Raya. I thought a weird – weird when I was going to sing that song. Will my voice be false, right not knocking the notes and so forth. Well that's how I am if I'm groggy.

I finally got through all the race activities. Time for the race announcement.I am very nervous whether I will succeed in this race or will fail? That's the question that came to my mind. After the results were announced, I did not expect it turned out that Dhiki and I had won this race and would represent my sub-district to the district level. As for Winda he is also still fighting again at the district level.

Preparation to follow the district level race more. There are several aspects to be followed, from a written race to practice. For the written activity, my preparation is already very mature, now it remains to be practiced. The first is the computer. I'm still a stranger to this one. Well, this is one of the developments in the world of technology that is not yet familiar. All I know is a typewriter with either a long or a short handle. Because I was still too ordinary, I finally asked for permission to the office of the education office in the sub-district where I live to practice the name of a computer along with a companion teacher.

In addition to the skills aspect of computer technology, there are also extracurricular aspects that will be assessed in the race. And at that time I followed the name of extracurricular traditional dance, so I chose to perform a traditional dance of central Java that is Bondan Payung dance. This dance tells the story of a mother who takes care of her child with a heart of – hearts. This dance is usually danced by a girl by holding a baby doll that is held and uses an umbrella. To smooth my dance, every afternoon for 3 consecutive days – I follow the lightning dance practice.

While Dhiki, he chose to perform extracurricular music. It features a song accompanied by a modern musical instrument, orgent.

Finally the race at the district level has arrived. All races run smoothly without any obstacles thanks to the preparation of the race yesterday. In this race my mentality is really tested. How not, I was told to speak and dance in front of hundreds of people, even though I was a very shy person and had less confidence. Even so, everything feels good to me. Even though I did not occupy the top position in that race but I remained satisfied and happy because it gained a lot of experience and got friends – new friends.

The day feels gray, the sun from morning hides behind the clouds does not want to show his cheerful smile. Hustle and bustle of people – people who are interacting with each other bargained – bidding on the market still running without any obstacles. Likewise with my residence which is crowded with preparations for the holding of yasinan commemorating 1000 days of my grandfather's death. I don't want to lose either. I helped to clean and organize the room to be used for yasinan and also a place to put offerings. Sesajen is a kind of food, drinks, along with fresh flowers that are put in containers and given water, there are also cigarettes, placed on a table and given a thinthir (light/light/ oil lamp like candle) as lighting.

My family is Muslim, including myself, but they still uphold Javanese customs that are still influenced by ancient Hinduism and Java. Therefore, even though there are still yasinan still prepare offerings because they assume that what we make today the ancestors also taste or feel. Although in the end whatever is made as a offerings is eaten by ourselves. Usually, offerings are not only done at the time of commemorating the day of death, but at the time of fasting Ramadan and on the Day of Feast as well.

During the preparation for Yasinan, my family was assisted by neighbors and relatives who lived near us. Gotong royong and guyup got along well in the village and my family stayed awake. Anyone who is having a wish or needs help, surely the community including family members will be ready to help. So we do not need to worry or be confused to ask for help.

The chirping of birds accompanied the beautiful atmosphere this morning. I don't feel like I'm at the end of elementary school. Today is the day of the final exams of elementary school. I wake up early to help Mak cook and get ready to go to school. I started preparing the rice I was going to cook. Because it needs to be winnowed first, I also winnow the rice slowly and regularly so that the rice does not fall when winnowing. While being cool in sorting out the grain that was in the rice, I felt an oddity in me. My body feels rocking – shake suddenly – arrive. I felt like I was still not moving at all. Shortly afterwards I heard the rumbling sound of my brother's room room room which was like being pounded – gedor. I was very confused because I saw my brother – and my parents running out of the house. They yelled at me to run out of the house.

“Nia, let's go mlyu metu mrene, spout Ndhuk!”⁵ they said while shouting very loudly. I then ran out of the house. After I was outside the house, I just realized that my body was swaying – shake because there was an earthquake. After a while the earthquake stopped.

My brother walked into the house and turned on the tv in the living room. He watches news shows. Sure enough according to my guess he was looking for information about the earthquake that had just occurred. It turns out that it came from the Jogjakarta area. It is also coincident with the eruption of Mount Merapi. I continued cooking rice. After that I prepared – ready to go to school then work on my Final Exams. The – days of elementary school ended today and will determine where else I will continue school.

Entering the SMP period…

The First High School (SMP) is my current level of education. Times have started to change. Today, technology has become more sophisticated. Not long ago came the name Hand Phone (HP) or mobile phone. Actually this has been a long time, it's just that – school children are now starting to use many of these communication tools. Including myself. I who was not interested in this thing now really want this one thing. It started because I saw my brother who had just returned from wandering through the city carrying this thing. After I thought – thought, I felt this thing was very useful especially to facilitate communication between me and my other brothers. No exception my brother who is still wandering. He only came home once a year. So this is very helpful to know the situation and news of him when being monitored.

I feel my life is right now – is really starting to change drastically. My village that was once deserted is now starting to get crowded. My father's relatives who used to live and settle in the city, namely Jakarta also chose to return to Java. The reason is to be close to his brother – brother. With this brother – brother, I who was not too consumptive towards an object now become more consumptive. Even so there is a positive side as well that I became familiar and know my brother – brother who has never met.

I am currently at school. The clock is 09:00, which means time to rest. I moved from my seat to the school library. Yesterday while I was working in the library I was interested in a book. I'm interested in reading it. I began to drift in my reading, almost forgetting time. Because the book I read is not yet widespread, I use the library card to borrow it and also another book – books that I want to read in my spare time.

Ever since I borrowed books in the school library, I spent a lot of free time in silence and reading books, until I was isolated from the outside world. Because I rarely play with my peers including with my brother – brother. There are good and bad sides to my activities, but I take the positive side, which is that I can reduce my consumption nature which usually relapses when I often play with my brother.

TB

Hi my friends back again bring the story. Oh yes yesterday forgot because there are some conversations using my regional language, namely Javanese, well under my bribes I give note meaning.

Good luck reading, guys.

Don't forget to leave a trail of a.k.a like and comments yes, criticism and suggestions are still awaited for the improvement of writing for the author.

Thanks see you next chapter 😊😊

Meaning of sentence :

¹“Ndhuk, alon –alon ya anggone nyebrang dalan karo ngeterke wedange, iku wedang hot,” : Ndhuk (javanese call against girls) \= Nak, ndhuk, liver – hearts yes when crossing the road and delivering drinks.

²“Nggih Mak,” : Yes, Mom.

³“Ndhuk, lehmu nyirami sawi wis finished what urung?, Come gek mulih wis afternoon iki lo,” : Son, you have finished not watering mustard?, Let's quickly go home already this afternoon.

*⁴“Sampun, Sir!, notch : Already Sir!, Yes.

⁵“Nia, let's go mlyu metu mrene, spout Ndhuk!” : Nia, let's quickly run out of the house, sneak Nak!*