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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

CURHAT

 
CURHAT TENTANG CURHAT SEORANG TEMAN

Dari networking site sebelah, aku mendapatkan beberapa teman yang lumayan dekat sehingga kita merasa saling nyaman untuk curhat. (FYI, dengan ratusan yang lain paling hanya saling sapa ‘superficial’, saling nge-like status atau foto atau note masing-masing untuk menunjukkan keeksisan masing-masing atau mungkin juga sedikit perhatian.)

Salah satu dari mereka melabeliku ‘soul sister’ setelah dia menyempatkan diri membaca beberapa note (lama) tentang spiritualitas dan feminisme, juga setelah chat di chatbox plus kirim inbox. Aku tidak tahu apa yang membuatnya tiba-tiba menjadi nyaman berbincang denganku selain katanya bahwa I have never been judgmental, different from others yang biasanya tidak hanya judgmental namun juga nosy. You can imagine kenyamanan yang dia rasakan tatkala berbincang denganku ini membuatnya out of the blue curhat kepadaku tentang beberapa hal. I was surprised at the beginning, but I considered it as an honor. Dia juga menyampaikan keinginannya untuk menikmati secangkir (atau bercangkir-cangkir) kopi bersama sembari ngobrol berjam-jam tentang spiritualitas dan feminisme.

Demikianlah akhirnya persahabatan kita terjalin di dunia maya. Kita tidak tinggal terlalu jauh sebenarnya, dia di Jogja aku di Semarang. But karena kesibukan masing-masing setelah mengenal selama satu setengah tahun kita belum pernah kopdar. Kebetulan ketika bulan Juni tahun lalu aku ke Jogja, ketika dia kuhubungi, dia sedang berada di Singapore, menemani seorang tantenya yang harus berobat.

Januari 2011 dia hijrah ke Jakarta demi menyongsong masa depan yang (diharapkan) lebih baik. Namun pupuslah harapanku untuk bertemu dengannya karena aku sangat jarang ke Jakarta.

Beberapa minggu lalu tiba-tiba dia nginbox aku lagi (setelah sekian bulan nampaknya hidupnya baik-baik saja karena status demi status yang dia tulis sounded baik-baik saja.) She needed to talk to me. Bahkan secara khusus dia memintaku online di YM, sangat jarang dia memintaku untuk online di YM. But unfortunately sepanjang dua minggu (atau lebih ya?) aku selalu kelelahan setiap kali sampai rumah jam 9pm. Boro-boro mau online yang ada ya langsung sikat gigi, cuci tangan cuci kaki dan langsung molor.

Dalam hati aku berharap dia baik-baik saja and could solve her problem atau paling tidak she could get over the bad feeling. Yang bisa kulakukan hanya menyapanya di wall atau nginbox dia. Jawaban yang kuterima paling banter dia menulis, “I am still learning to make myself as tough as you my warrior sista.” Kali lain dia menulis, “I cannot tell you about this without making myself down under the surface. At least at the moment I am still learning to be on the surface. Will tell you later.”

Dua minggu lalu she wrote a very sad short story. Meski kita kenal ‘hanya’ lewat dunia maya, dan hanya lewat networking site, aku tahu tidak ada tulisannya yang tidak diilhami oleh pengalamannya sendiri. Apalagi jika cerpen/puisi itu bernuansa ‘gelap’. It is really her.

Dan begitulah, I was attacked by deep guilt. Satu kali aku pernah nulis di wall-nya, “I will always be there when you need me.” Tak bisa kupenuhi. 

Telah dua minggu ini she didn’t update her status. She didn’t comment on any note I tagged her.

Semalam aku sengaja online ‘available’ di YM to wait for her. Another online buddy – yang juga dekat denganku maupun my soul sister – menyapaku. Jadilah kita ngerumpi curhatan sobat kita bersama ini.

And until now I still feel bad. I am not a good friend.

You know, aku tidak mau dituduh sebagai seseorang yang ‘nosy’ itu sebab aku biasanya berada dalam posisi pasif, dan tidak secara aktif (atau bagiku agresif) bertanya-tanya, such as “Whuzzup? Have you eventually found out that he is just another asshole?” atau, “Come on, talk to me! Expose yourself! You will feel better!” it is really not me. Toh di awal persahabatan kita, juga out of the blue dia curhat sesuatu yang cukup mengagetkanku.

Menulis ini sekedar untuk mengurangi rasa bersalahku.

GL7 13.13 260411

MCR = Morning City Ride



Rombongan Srikandi

Sudah cukup lama aku ga gowes ke daerah 'atas' dikarenakan kemalasan menggerakkan dengkul menaiki tanjakan. Enakan pilih trek yang datar, ya toh? Ga pake ngos-ngosan. Bener ga? Dan kehadiran para 'Srikandi' yang melahap sekitar 600 km (benar ga ya sekitar 600 km?) dari Jakarta ke Jepara dan mampir ke Semarang membuat semangatku terpacu untuk gowes 'naik' lagi. (Can you see the relationship? )

So? Hari Jumat pagi kemarin, instead of ngikut rombongan Komselis (komunitas sepeda lipat Semarang) yang merupakan bagian dari komunitas b2w Semarang gowes bareng, aku pun gowes sendiri. Dari Pusponjolo ke arah RS Kariadi, naik ke Rinjani, terus ke AKPOL, sampe Kaliwiru belok kiri, turun di Tanah Putih. (kalau sedang nurunin Tanah Putih, hawanya pengen lepas rem, menikmati turunan, dan pengennya jalan turunan ini panjaaaaaaaaaaang dan lamaaaaaaaa ... )

Kaliwiru
Dari Java Mall, aku terus ke Utara, kemudian belok ke Sompok, Lamper, muncul di Mrican (atau udah Kedungmundu yak?) naik tanjakan Kedungmundu, turun sampai SPBU Graha Wahid, belok ke Fatmawati sampai Majapahit, belok ke Arteri sampai Bubakan, pasar Johar, Pemuda, Pierre Tendean, Indraprasta, lanjut ke Sudirman sampai bunderan Kalibanteng, teruuuusss ke MARON!

Sempet nandai 'check-in' lewat foursquare waktu di Maron, njepret my Orange bike, kemudian pulang.

Maron
Hari Minggu, aku menelusuri trek yang sama, kecuali tidak lanjut ke Maron. Bukan karena capek, tapi karena kebeles pipittttt... Oh iya, tapi aku sempet mampir ke MAJT waktu ngelewatin Arteri.
MAJT

Berhubung aku ga punya GPS ataupun sejenis 'speedometer' di Orange, aku ga tahu deh berapa puluh kilometer yak lone ridingku?

Aku senang semangat gowes naik tanjakan balik lagi.

GL7 14.50 260411

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Biking on Saturday afternoon

27 Nov 2011, Maron beach: Orenj and Shaun

 
Last term -- January till March -- I happened to get classes at Tendean, one downtown area, one morning class from eight to twelve, and another class in the afternoon, from four to six. Practically I was free from twelve until four, around four hours.

At first, I just had 'extra energy' to spend so I went biking in the afternoon, under the sunshine; from my workplace to Jalan Gajah where MAJT was located. (Check this link out.)

And in fact, it was not the only 'experience' of mine to bike in the afternoon of Saturdays last term. I went biking again the following Saturdays, to the same destination, MAJT (not creative of me LOL). No wonder if then I got greeted by some janitors working there. Perhaps they didn't understand what was the excitement of biking in the sunny afternoon and then having picnic in the back yard while listening to music from Sylvie (my lovely notebook) as well as going online. (In case they knew I went online. LOL.)

This second term of 2011 -- April until June -- I get full schedule to teach at Tembalang. Since it is located in the 'highland', please understand if I am reluctant to go by bike. ^_~ And my schedule is from 08.00-12.00 then 14.00-18.00. I only have two hours for lunch break.

But last week I started to miss biking during lunch break. 😎

So I plan to go to Tembalang by riding Snow White next week. When going up the hill (Gombel), I can fold it and take a bus. ^_^ And during lunch break, I can go biking around UNDIP. (Understand me please, I am not familiar with this college's area, especially the one in Tembalang so it sounds exciting for me. )
 
But first of all, I must be sure that the parking area is safe. There must be one strong 'pillar' to fasten Snow White. And I saw one this morning. (No security guard here.)

BIKING has absolutely made me addicted to it. 😀

LIA Tblg 13.20 230411

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Good-looking versus (not so) good-looking teachers

 
some teachers and some admin staff in my workplace

*terinspirasi curhat teman di lapak sebelah*

Emang ngaruh ga ya semangat anak-anak bila mereka mendapatkan guru yang good-looking? Jika dapat guru yang good-looking maka anak-anak bakal tambah rajin belajar? *wedew*

Sedikit kisah di lapak sebelah, si anak (laki-laki) dapat nilai jeblok di pelajaran Matematika. Si kakak (perempuan) yang pernah dapat guru yang sama di kelas sebelumnya melaporkan hal yang sama, teman-teman sekelasnya yang laki-laki banyak yang dapat nilai jelek juga di bawah pengajaran guru yang sama. Padahal cara ngajarnya sama enaknya dengan guru Matematika yang lain, aku si kakak perempuan. Herannya, anak-anak laki-laki itu (masih duduk di bangku SD) merujuk ke fisik sang guru yang begini begitu sehingga mereka malas belajar di kelas. NAH LO.

Jadi ingat cerita seorang rekan kerja yang pernah 'dicurhati' seorang siswa kelas 4. Dia ga suka sekolahnya yang lama karena guru-gurunya kebanyakan sudah tua dan tidak good-looking. Sedangkan di sekolah baru (in the school where I work) dia sangat suka karena guru-gurunya kebanyakan perempuan, masih muda dan good-looking. itu sebab dia rajin berangkat sekolah. LOL.

Kalau yang 'curhat' masalah ini anak kecil sih, kuanggap lucu. Tapi kalau yang mengatakannya laki-laki sudah dewasa, jadi bengong pertama kali mendengarnya; kemudian jadi kesal, merasa dilecehkan. (salah sendiri merasa dilecehkan yak? wakakakakak ...

Ceritanya begini ...

*curhat*

Beberapa tahun lalu waktu sedang ngurus SIM, seorang pegawai 'dalam' (sok) berbaik hati membantuku agar pengurusannya lancar jaya (tapi harus keluar duit ratusan ribu tentu saja). Dia sempat menunjukkan ketertarikan (yang berlebih) kepadaku dikarenakan buku yang sedang kubaca pada waktu itu -- JURNAL PEREMPUAN dengan tajuk PENGARUSUTAMAAN GENDER. Sempet ngobrol sedikit, sampai akhirnya dia tahu profesiku yang guru Bahasa Inggris. Dengan raut wajah rada 'dimelas-melaske', dia bilang, "Saya tidak pernah mendapatkan nilai yang bagus untuk Bahasa Inggris dulu, maka kemampuan Bahasa Inggris saya nol besar. Coba kalau guru Bahasa Inggris saya dulu secantik mbak Nana, pasti saya bakal semangat belajar."

Kekesalanku berlipat sebenarnya. Pertama, dia telah membuatku merasa terpaksa menggunakan 'jasanya' agar urusanku selesai dalam hitungan kurang dari satu jam. Kedua, ya itu tadi, pelecehan fisik. Aku merasa dianggap tidak mampu mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa (dalam hal penguasaan Bahasa Inggris) tanpa kecantikan fisik.

Padahal, suwer, seumur-umur nyokap tidak pernah memuji aku cantik. Mantan -- yang bokapnya Angie -- juga tidak pernah memuji. (curhat beneran ini kalau gini namanya. xixixixixixi ...)

P.S.:
  • hanya iseng-iseng ngetik sambil nungguin anak-anak kelas TOEFL Prep ujian try out. love this!!!
Tembalang, 14.32 160411

Thursday, April 14, 2011

YM

Curcol ga penting, ga usah ikut baca ya teman-temin?



Pada satu waktu, pernah lah aku menginjak usia 36 tahun, (ssshhhttt ... jangan bilang-bilang ke siswaku ya karena mereka tahunya umurku 17, angka yang dikeramatkan oleh orang Indonesia, semenjak tanggal 17 Agustus 1945). Entah mengapa pada tahun yang keramat itu, tergerak hatiku untuk beriseng ria membuat alamat email baru di yahoo (alamat email lamaku di nan29@eudoramail.com ).. FYI, eudoramail sudah tidak mengudara lagi) Karena kepengen jujur dengan 'kondisi' yang kumiliki waktu itu, daripada susah-susah nyari ide (maklum, waktu itu aku sedang sibuk nyari ide untuk nulis tesis dan buku-buku untuk ngumpulin data yang kubutuhkan untuk riset, mana masih juga sok rajin ngikutin kuliah Professor Kenneth Hall dari Michigan) aku pilih aja 'frasa' yang menunjukkan 'aku' banget, a female, 36 years old, from Semarang. (You can bet I was somewhat diligent going online for chatting at that moment. Untuk mgeles, ya maklum lah, buat refreshing setelah sibuk kuliah plus mikirin riset buat nulis tesis.) Maka, terciptalah alamat email di fe_36_smg@yahoo.com :)

Suwer, awalnya hanya untuk iseng ajah. 'Nick' yang kupilih untuk sangat amat iseng: 'Fe Male' (karena harus terdiri dari dua, first and last name).

Namun, ternyata hal ini berkelanjutan sampai sekarang. Frankly speaking, karena waktu itu kenalanku banyak juga, meski hanya di dunia maya. hohohoho ... Dan, dengan alasan narsis pada tulisan sendiri, aku selalu baik hati memberi alamat email (yang juga kemudian YM-nya kuaktifkan) saling berbagi alamat email, untuk kemudian kukirimin tulisan-tulisanku yang bernada brainwashing for women's equality. hahahaha ... (zaman sebelum ikutan milis disana sini).


Alamat email yang kemudian kubuat di kemudian hari dengan menggunakan nama asli 'Nana Podungge' malah kemudian keteter karena aku terlalu sibuk berkutat di alamat email yang sebelumnya, dengan bergabung dengan beberapa milis, misalnya.

Dan karena keisengan tingkat tinggi, tiap kali ada yang nge-add di YM -- entah dari mana saja mereka bisa menemukan alamat emailku -- aku approve, toh beberapa tahun terakhir ini aku lebih sering memilih code 'invisible' ketimbang 'available' maupun 'busy'.


Namun hari ini mendadak aku ingin menghapus most of the contacts yang sudah kadung terhubung denganku di YM -- hundreds of them! It has taken a long time!!! hhuhuhu ... jadi nyesel dah dulu iseng amat ngepprove orang-orang yang ga kukenal secara personal itu? huhuhuhu ... Kepengen bisa online 'available' tanpa perlu merasa terganggu disapa orang-orang yang tidak kuinginkan untuk menyapaku. (swear, serius ini!!!)
Curcol ... curcol ... curcooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllll

GL7 14.54 140411

Friday, April 01, 2011

The conversation ...

Sebelum benar-benar lupa semua percakapan yang kulakukan dengan'nya', mungkin ada baiknya aku tulis sejauh yang kuingat. Ini berhubungan dengan percakapan pendek antara aku dan 'dia' hingga kudapatkan kembali kelas Religious Studies.

Nana: "Miss, I am wondering if it is possible for me to get my religious studies class back?"

She: "Oh? what is it all about?"

Nana: "Before the changing schedule, I was to teach religious studies class of grade 11. Now, it is handled by K. But, I have checked the schedule, with a little changing, I can have the class back."

She: "Ah ... what made you interested in having the class? What material do you give the students?"

Nana: "I downloaded the material from bbc There are five religions provided in the website, and for me it is very interesting. When the first time I gave the material on Hindu, the students complained why they should 'study' anything about Hindu while in fact they are not Hindu, so I explained to them that we had better know other religions in order that we respect other people's belief."

She: "Oh ... from that website! That is really interesting. I remember studying them when I was in college. Talking about this, I remember a friend of mine, a counselor of one institution who was wearing five necklaces with five different pendants that show five different religions, Jewish, Islam, Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu. When giving counseling to teenagers who were involved in alcohol, drugs, free sex, crimes, etc, she -- with the people working in the same institution with her -- was of opinion that religious approach was one very good way. It would be easier to guide those teenagers to get rid of those negative stuff by introducing them to the almighty, the power outside them, that would save them from deep ravine."

"I myself believe in such a god -- without any definite name though -- from one gruesome and terrifying experience I got in the beginning of 1990s. I was still young and innocent at that time, still learning about Buddhism -- one belief that does not introduce any god -- when someone offered me to have that journey to Africa. Innocently -- without being aware of the danger that would face me -- I joined three nuns and one priest on a journey to Africa. Those people wanted to tell me the very sad 'accident' that happened a lot there; something that now we call as 'human trafficking'. Many very young girls were sold to be prostitutes by their own parent due to poverty. Lots and lots of cases like this happened there, and the world did not know yet. The world thought it was just a rumor while in fact it did happen there!"

"In the middle of threatening tribes, five of us had to save some girls from being trafficked. That effort absolutely put our lives really in danger. It was really hell there! I myself was really terrified, so terrified that I thought I wouldn't be able to escape from there. I would die there! ... ... ..."

"The fact that I could run away from there, and successfully saved some girls, made me believe that there is a power outside me, outside us, that watches us, runs this life. This 'power' does not necessarily mean to refer to one certain name, such as Allah or Yahweh, or whatever. Religions that spread the idea of 'my god is better than your god' or 'my religion is the best of all' are already 'polluted' by politics. This kind of thinking will absolutely enable people to say, "in the name of my god, I must kill you."

She: "I was brought up as a Catholic, so I thought, but now that is what I think. I believe that the best 'religion' is where the adherents do not refer to just one name of god. So, Nana, may I know your religion? or your affiliate?"

Nana: "Mmmm ... I was born in a very religious Muslim family. However, after growing up, I came to think the same way as you do: all of us have one god, the same god, so there is no need to fight which god or which religion is the best or the rightest. And this subject really attracts me much because I have to discuss five different religions in the class."

She: "Okay Na. I think this is a very interesting stuff to talk. Let me tell ya we need to talk about it more in the future. I even have an idea to have a certain project for this religious studies class with you. For now, yes, the class is yours. Take it back. I believe K will be happy."

Aha ... tidaklah selengkap yang aku perbincangkan dengannya tentu saja, meski mungkin ada satu dua kalimat yang kukarang sendiri, yang tidak sama persis dengan apa yang kita perbincangkan kemarin siang. But anyway, kurasa tulisan ini cukup memberi gambaran bagaimana aku bisa mendapatkan kelas Religious Studies kembali.

PT56 22.22 310311

P.S.: memenuhi permintaan seorang ex workmate yang ingin tahu bagaimana perbincanganku dengan si pembuat jadual.

Kelas "Religious Studies" versus akreditasi

Vito and me, Halloween event 2012

 

Sekolah tempatku bekerja sejak tahun ajaran 2008/2009 adalah sebuah sekolah yang mendapatkan label 'an international school'. Berdiri tahun 2000, dan baru tahun ini kita akan meluluskan siswa kelas 12. 😊

Beberapa bulan terakhir ini guru-guru SMA sedang 'dikerjain' untuk menyiapkan borang-borang untuk akreditasi SMA. (So far, baru SD dan SMP yang telah diakreditasi.) Dan baru saja aku tahu bahwa pelajaran 'Agama' termasuk mata pelajaran wajib yang harus dimasukkan dalam kurikulum. Mungkin ini sebabnya pelajaran 'Religious Studies' dimasukkan dalam kurikulum tahun ajaran ini. (Di tahun ajaran 2008/2009 maupun 2009/2010, tidak ada pelajaran ini.)

Yang bagiku menggelikan -- terlalu dipaksakan kesannya -- adalah bahwa pelajaran 'Agama' ini harus disampaikan dalam bahasa Indonesia. (so far, we always use English as the main language to communicate, except during 'Bahasa Indonesia' subject.) Dan karena demi kebutuhan akreditasi, mendadak aku diminta mencocokkan 'standard competency' dalam materi pelajaran Religious Studies (yang kudownload dari sini) dengan 'standard competency' yang diberikan oleh pemerintah. Plus lagi, mengingat bahasa Indonesia hukumnya 'haram' dipakai di kelas kecuali dalam pelajaran Bahasa Indonesia, seorang rekan kerja yang ketiban sampur ngurusi segala macam yang berhubungan dengan akreditasi ini memintaku untuk mencari in case ada buku agama yang bilingual. WAAAAHHHHH ... 😁

Barusan ngecek 'standard competency' yang diberikan oleh pemerintah. (untuk agama Islam, Kristen, Katholik, dan Hindu.) At a glance, ga ada yang langsung 'nyambung' dengan materi ajar yang kudownload dari sini 😏

Yo 'opo rek yen ngene iki?

GL7 14.00 310311

Religious Studies Class

With a little effort, eventually the religious studies class was returned to me. 

First of all, I checked who was supposed to be handling the class, plus the schedule, what time and what day. I am not available at that time actually, but I can switch it to my free time, on the same day. With consequence of course, I will have to teach one more slot a week. But you can guess I don't mind at all.

Second, I talked to the one who made the schedule. She seemed a bit curious why I wanted to make myself busier. That's why she asked me to explain. Simply I said I liked the class because from the material I downloaded from here I have to cover five different religions. Based on my experience at school, students only got the material of their respective religion. This made students not familiar with other religions. The case would be worse if they got teachers who fell hostile to other religions; moreover if they were of opinions that their religion was the only one that was 'legal' plus the 'right' one and underestimate others. In practice, the worst one, we would perhaps find people kill other people in the name of their God.

She seemed surprised to find someone saying like that around her -- she is a Canadian -- and asked me more about my religious experience.

After telling me her experience that made her fully believe the existence of a Deist -- with whatever name -- a somewhat 'gruesome' experience that led her to one far away country in Africa in the beginning of 1990s,  she said, "the class is yours, Nana."

Yippeeeeeeeeeeee ...

PT56 20.39 300311

Curcol alias curhat colongan ...

Starting the last term of academic year of 2010/2011 in my working place – which starts today until the promotion test next June – I got a new teaching schedule. There are the positive as well as (not really) positive things:

•    (positive thing) I get less ‘slots’ to teach per week, from 31 slots to be only 28 slots. Besides, I will focus more on the subject that correspond to my background: English and English Literature

•    (not really positive thing)I have to lose two subjects that so far have contributed some ideas to write for blogs: Religious Studies Class of grade 11 and History of grade 7.

For those who follow my writings on notes (FB) or blogs (MP or blogspot) must have recognized my big interest in spirituality. That’s why teaching ‘religious studies’ subject interested me a lot; moreover I got that one special student who admitted that he was agnostic. I very rarely find someone like that in my surrounding so it is understandable if I always have interesting stuff to discuss with him. (How very unprofessional of me because using my own personal reason to have one subject.)

History is also a very challenging as well as as interesting subject since by learning (reading) history books, we will find lotsa answers of the whys and the hows of things that have happened recently. I usually emphasize this thing to my students. After that, after thinking about those events/phenomena deeply, we hopefully can anticipate the negative impacts of things that probably will happen in the future.

But, yeah ... although as a teacher, I am the ‘master’ of the classroom, I cannot really choose what subjects to have/teach. Hiks ... pablebuat???

GL7 10.36 280311