Draft Itinerary Melbourne - Sydney

Daripada blog miskin post, saya mau posting kegiatan 5 hari ke depan aahhh... it's our long anticipated honeymoon holiday to Melbourne and Sydney!! Horeee!!!

Dari sejak mulai direncanakan liburan ini, saya kedapetan bikin itinerary, karena biasanya, pengalaman sebelum2nya saya buat rencana travel gini seneng banget, kaya waktu itu ke Canberra-Sydney atau Bangkok-Pattaya. Nah, sekarang entah mengapa jd nightmare begini. Bingung mw kemananya. Apalagi si akang sibuk belajar jd semua diserahkan kepada saya, mulai dari booking tiket pesawat, hotel, smp itinerary (sayang, eneng bukan travel agent lohh). Tapi dapet lahh tiket yg murah akhirny, sampe hotel juga lumayan  dapet yg murah2. (nanti diceritain ttg ini yah).

Nah, skrg udh tinggal 12 jam lagi menuju take-off, si eneng teh belum selesai bikin itinerary-nya. Dari kemarin dan hari ini sibuk bikin soal evaluasi buat anak2 TPA-ku. Dan lebih shocking lagi, packing pun jadinya masih nol persen. Begitupun akang yg udah bobo jam segini, koper kita masih kosong. Huehehe. Yang ada tumpukan baju abis dicuci belum dimasukin palagi disetrika. Pluss.. rumah masih berantakan. Ga mungkin kan ninggalin rumah klo piring belum dicuci, lantai belum dibersihin, dan bagian lain belum diberesin.. nanti pulang2 dikirain dimalingin padahal emg dari sononya kaya kapal pecah hehe. Dan bukannya dikerjain gitu yah tugasnya malah blogwalking trus ikutan ngeblog :p

Yaudah daripada lieur, dipublish dulu deh draft itinerarynya:

Minggu, 21 November 2010
depart from Brisbane to Melbourne
sampe Best Western Atlantis Hotel jam 3-4pm ADST, shalat, makan, mandi, istirahat...
Federation Square, ke Visitor Centre ambil peta n brosur dll
Australian Centre of Moving Image (ACMI)
Eureka Skydeck 88

Senin, 22 November 2010
Old Melbourne Gaol
University of Melbourne
Rod Laver Arena
Royal Botanic Gardens
Jalan menyusuri Yarra River

Selasa, 23 November 2010
Queen Victoria Market
Packing2 trus naik bis ke airport, kita ke Sydney!

nah sampe Sydney belum dibikin lagi..tapi berhubung tahun kemaren abis dari sana, yaa sedikit2 masih kebayang lah mau kemana aja, cuman kapannya yang belum diputuskan:
Sydney Opera House
Darling Harbour
Paddy's Market
University of Sydney
Botanic Gardens
Manly Beach by ferry
yaa pokoknya sama ky di Melbourne, ga jauh2 dari CBD kita mainnya.

If all goes well, we'll be back in Brisbane on Thursday, 25th November. Doakan perjalanan lancar. Doakan kantong pun tetap tebal (ga kalap ngabisin duitny). Doakan bagasi tidak melebihi batas (berhubung salah satu tujuan kita ke Melbourne and Sydney adalah beli suvenir khas Aussie buat dibawa ke Indonesia krn di Brisbane muahalll, dijamin pulang ke Brisbane pasti koper menggendut! Asal jgn smpe "beranak" ajah yah). Ah agak nyesel sih cuma beli bagasi buat saya aja, si akang cuma dapet cabin baggage :(

Wichi signing off! Bye bye Brissie!

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Mie Bakso Special edisi Final Exam

Si Akang lagi heboh2nya final exam. Cuma kali ini bener2 final. Yang terakhir sepanjang sejarah dia kuliah Master of Commerce ini. Jika tidak ada aral melintang, dengan kekuasaan Allah SWT saya akan melihatnya diwisuda tanggal 15 Desember mendatang.. (amin amin amiin...)

Nah biar dia tambah semangat belajarnya, saya kasih treat spesial. Sebenernya ga direncanakan, tapi emang udah jodoh (??), pas lagi TPA salah satu orangtua murid menghampiri saya dan nawarin beli bakso buatannya. Ini bakso sapi dan bakso ayam, yang bentuknya bener2 kayak bakso. Untuk diketahui di Brisbane ini ga ada yang jual bakso sprt itu yg mentah, klo mau beli ya harus yg udah jadi di restoran Indonesia (yg cuma ada 3 seantero Brisbane yg gede ini :((( ), meskipun ada beberapa yang bikin sendiri trus dijualin. Seperti yg ditawarkan ke saya, dan sayapun langsung mengiyakan, beli 1 plastik seharga $5.

Sampai dirumah saya beraksi.. Bikinnya gampang kok.

Untuk kuahnya tinggal rebus ayam, kuah rebusanny itu yg jadi kuah bakso. Kalo rajin sih ayamnya bisa disuwir, trus ditumis sama saus tiram dll untuk bikin ayam yg kaya mie ayam. Tapi saya males, ribet. Hehe. Jadi setelah jadi kuah kaldu ayamnya, baru masukin baso, tumisan bawang merah-bawang putih, irisan daun bawang, garam dan merica. Sementara itu saya bikin pangsit dari fish paste (beli jadi) yang dimasukkan ke lembaran pangsit (won ton pastry), direkatkan pake larutan maizena. Lalu rebus sampai pangsitnya mengapung. Berikutnya saya rebus mie telor dan bihun (untuk bihun cukup direndam dalam air panas selama beberapa menit lalu tiriskan).

Bihun dan mie yang sudah ditiriskan dimasukkan ke dalam mangkok. Diatasnya masukkan pangsit yg sudah matang, irisan seledri, dan tauge yang sudah direndam air panas sebentar. Lalu masukkan bakso beserta kuahnya ke dalam mangkok tersebut. Taburkan bawang goreng.

Voila! Semangkuk bakso yang memuaskan suami dan membuatnya refreshing sejenak dari beban ujian... ;-)

mmm.. looks mighty good, doesn't it??

PS: liat baksonya, taugenya, pangsitnya.. jadi kangen bakso di Tasik yang sungguh juaraa.. ihh pengen ke Tasik ihh.. ketemu Mamah Papah lagi..

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I *heart* Libraries!!!

Di posting sebelumnya, saya ditengarai cocok jadi pustakawan. Awwhh.. How spot on!  Saya hanya punya pengalaman menjadi asisten perpustakaan waktu SD jadi library monitor, tapi sepanjang sekolah, dari SD di Yasporbi, Ironside State School dan Indooroopilly High School, tempat favorit saya memang perpustakaan. I love being surrounded by books, they give me peace and comfort. Bahkan pas kuliah di ITB dan tentunya UQ, saya lebih tenang belajar di tempat sepi dikelilingi buku2. Saya menghindari perpustakaan waktu SMP dan SMA, karena penjaga perpustakaannya tidak menyenangkan. Galak. Dan juga waktu kuliah, di perpustakaan jurusan, soalnya penjaganya Naudzubillah galaknya. Mulai nyaman kesana pas si oknum penjaga galak dipindahtugaskan, konon karena sikapnya yang tidak ramah itu beliau dikeluarkan dari perpustakaan. Oh good riddance.

I'm going to take a trip down memory lane and review the libraries that I have been to.

1. Perpustakaan SD Yasporbi, Jakarta: Pertama kali cinta sama perpustakaan disini nih. Perpustakaan ini menyenangkan, karena koleksi bukunya yang oke. Saya diperkenalkan dengan Trio Detektif, Lima Sekawan, STOP, Tujuh Serangkai, Hawkeye dan Amy, serta dongeng2 nusantara disini. Tapi yang paling berkesan ya buku2 detektif cilik itu. What geniuses, I thought. Karena buku2 inilah saya jadi bisa menemukan bakat saya di bidang menulis, waktu itu saya kelas 4 SD. Yang saya ingat pustakawannya bapak2, perawakan besar, tidak terlalu ramah tapi tidak galak juga. Yang jelas saya hobi banget pinjam buku disitu sampai2 banyak yang saya lupa kembalikan, sampai akhirnya saya hijrah ke Australia dan buku2 itu masih tetap ditangan saya sampai sekarang. Kebanyakan buku Lima Sekawan, ada beberapa Enid Blyton juga :D
2. Ironside State School Library, Brisbane Australia: Ah, one of the libraries I love! Dan disinilah impian saya untuk jadi pustakawan mulai terwujud, hehe. Saya jadi anggota Library Monitors, yaitu murid2 yang bantu2 diperpustakaan. Kerjanya merapikan buku2 di rak, membantu murid lain yang mencari buku, sampai dibagian pinjam-meminjam buku. Setiap Library Monitor dikasih pin, dan ada tingkatannya. Kayak Paskibra gitu :D Yg jelas saya koleksi semua jenis pin dan award, saking berdedikasinya saya. Para pustakawan disitu, Mrs Anderssen dan Mr Poulsen, I think considered me as one of their favourites ;) Pengalaman mengesankan disini adalah saya dikasih tanggungjawab rak buku bagian 800-900 (kode perpustakaan yg disebut Dewey Decimal System). Ini bagian Sastra, Geografi, dan juga bagian tentang perang (my most precious book from this shelf was The Diary of Anne Frank). Dan juga pas saya diberi kepercayaan untuk menjalankan sistem pinjam-meminjam paling mutakhir, discan2 pake barcode, udah ga dicatat di kartu lagi! Oh, how exciting! Jadi hampir setiap lunch time di sekolah ini saya habiskan di library ini. Temen2 deket saya juga tidak lain adalah para library monitors. I love library monitors!
3. Indooroopilly State High School Library, Brisbane: Lulus dari Ironside, saya masuk Indooroopilly High. How I marvel at the books! Disini minat baca saya mulai tidak terkendali. Haha. Saya bisa minjam 8 buku dan dalam 2 hari semuanya sudah saya kembalikan. Para pustakawan sudah hapal sama saya dan takjub lihat saya begitu lapar akan buku. Hehe. Tapi disini ga ada library monitor. Waktu makan siang adalah waktu gaul bersama teman2 dekat. :D cuma jadi sering begadang2 baca buku. Buku2 yang dibaca juga sudah mulai bergenre dewasa, bukan lagi buku young adult fiction. Mulai suka baca buku thriller (sempet terobsesi sama buku The Sculptress karya Minette Walters), dan meneruskan kecintaan baca buku klasik. Kalo pas SD bacanya Louisa May Alcott's Little Women atau serial Anne of Green Gables atau Emily of New Moon karya L M Montgomery, mulai high school bacaannya Jane Austen (fell in love with her books here, especially, of course, Pride and Prejudice), Bronte, Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World dan bahkan baca Pramoedya Ananta Toer dari perpustakaan ini.
4. Brisbane City Council Library:

   

   the colourful Brisbane City Council Library

   terkadang saya juga suka minjam buku disini. Tapi agak jarang, karena disekolah sudah banyak buku yg bisa saya baca. Cuma disini perpustakaannya strategis, terletak di pusat2 perbelanjaan yang tersebar di penjuru kota. Jadi bisa minjem buku pas mama belanja, trus dikembalikannya di mall yang satunya. Ga masalah, karena semuanya terhubung. BCC Library yg sekarang sudah keren sih, tapi saya malah belum pernah masuk kesana lagi sekarang, udah keasikan di perpus kampus UQ.
5. Perpustakaan SMP 138, Jakarta: Not much experience here. Kecuali masuk pas dikeluarin dari kelas Ekonomi gara2 ga bikin PR. Huhu. Hampir nangis deh. Tapi perpusnya ga nyaman banget. Karena ya itu, tempat murid2 yg dikeluarin dari kelas pada nongkrong. So it's like a detention centre instead of a library. Koleksi bukunya juga buku pelajaran yang ga pernah disentuh. Ga ada buku cerita kayak di SD Yasporbi.
6. Perpustakaan SMA 21, Jakarta: Sama seperti diatas. Bahkan lebih buruk, karena penjaganya gualak pisaan. Hiks, kapok lah kesana. Katanya sih ada beberapa buku recreational, ga semuanya buku pelajaran, tapi pustakawannya bikin il fil mau masuk sana.
7. British Council Library, Jakarta: 

   

   Library@Senayan, penerima buku2 hibah dari British Council Library

   Terletak di kantor British Council di Sudirman, berisi buku2 Bahasa Inggris. Mulai kesini pas SMA dan jatuh cintaa!! Bisa baca English books tanpa harus beli dengan harga ratusan ribu rupiah. And reunited with Jane Austen! Tapi setelah itu tutup, dan buku2nya dihibahkan ke perpustakaan Diknas. Ironisnya, jaman saya kerja di Diknas ga pernah sekalipun menginjakkan kaki kesana. Padahal konon perpus Diknas ini cukup happening, jadi tempat gaul dan berkumpul, ga cuma perpustakaan pemerintah yang kaku seperti perpustakaan jaman saya SMP dan SMA.

8. 

   Perpustakaan Pusat ITB

   Perpustakaan Pusat ITB, Bandung: Gedungnya aja ungu, how can I not love it? Haha. Tapi sekarang udah direnovasi yah. ga ungu lagi. sayangnya, ga terlalu sering juga sih kesini, karena ga banyak buku yang bisa saya pinjam. Hanya kalo lagi pengen belajar dan menyendiri, suka belajar disini. Sebenernya sih ada juga buu2 recreational berbahasa Inggris, tapi ga terlalu banyak. Sering kesini ya paling numpang sholat di musholanya. Atau belajar kelompok di basementnya. Atau beli batagor, sebelum kakilima digusur dari ITB.
9. Perpustakaan Jurusan Kimia ITB, Bandung : Tidak pernah masuk kesini, dan bahkan bikin kartu anggota, sampai tingkat 3 kalo ga salah. Malah ada temen yang ga pernah jadi anggota sama sekali. Awalnya ilfil karena sang pustakawan yang begitu galaknya. (lihat cerita diatas :D ) Dan buku2nya juga jadul. Giliran ada buku yang relevan ya dijaga di rak yang terkunci. Maklum, edisi terbaru, harganya jutaan rupiah. Jadi cuma boleh minjem sebentaar ajah. Trus kalo disini juga ga boleh bawa tas, tapi tasnya ditaro di rak yang ga dijaga, jadi suka kejadian tasnya kehilangan.
10. Social Sciences and Humanities Library, University of Queensland, Brisbane: Sebenernya dahulu kala waktu Mama dan Papa masih jadi student UQ, pernah kesini. Dulu namanya Central Library kalo ga salah. Nah kebetulan pas saya jadi student disini, di library inilah tempat buku2 yang relevan dengan kuliah saya berada. Saya sering belajar disini, pas mau bikin essay, writing notes from books or drawing mindmaps. Disini juga ada buku2 recreational. Saya khatam Harry Potter pake buku2 disini. Hehe. Disini juga bisa pinjam DVD loh. Bisa nonton ditempat, atau bisa dibawa pulang. Saya juga khatam nonton Lord of the Rings dari film pertama sampai ketiga, semuanya minjem disini. Gratisan tentunya. Trus bukunya bisa dipinjem berbulan2, kalo ga ada yang recall tentunya. Paling sebel kalo ada buku yang penting buat bikin essay trus di-recall, dlm beberapa hari harus dibalikin. Di sebelah library ini ada Duhig Library tempat saya menghabiskan buanyak waktu mengerjakan essay sampai thesis... dan.. ehm... pacaran sama suami saya, dari jaman pedekate sampai sekarang (suka nemenin suami belajar disana) hehehe. Selain di library ini, di UQ saya suka ke Dorothy Hill Physical Science and Engineering Library dan Graduate Business and Economics, dimana biasanya saya booking kamar belajar dan laptop, atau bermalam di Biological Sciences Library yang buka sampai jam 12 malam. Library ini paling berkesan karena saya menghabiskan waktu berdarah2 waktu S2. Dan karena.. yaitu.. one of the places where me and my husband spend a lot of time together ;) 
    

    

    UQ Library, where love flourish eheheee.. ;p

Haaa.. sudah panjaaang. I loooove libraries, as you can probably tell my the way I passionately write this blog post. Saking cintanya, saya jadi bercita2 pengen punya library sendiri. Yang terwujud dalam bentuk miniatur waktu SD, and in its grand form in 2004, dalam bentuk Taman Bacaan Litera. But that's another story....


Image sources:
http://uqisa.multiply.com/journal/item/11/Amazing_Facilities_SSH_Library
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=258105&page=4
http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=850
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/03/14/get-out-your-rampr-rut.html

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Karier Ideal Wichi

Diambil dari KOMPAS.com's QUIZ : TEMUKAN KARIER IMPIAN ANDA! 

 

Jawaban
Jawaban Anda akan memberikan beberapa petunjuk mengenai karier ideal Anda. Walaupun pada hakekatnya semua karier mengharuskan Anda berhubungan dengan orang lain, informasi, dan hal-hal lain, dan banyak pekerjaan yang membutuhkan kreativitas, kebanyakan karier berfokus pada satu aspek tertentu, dan kebanyakan dari kita memiliki kecenderungan yang berbeda. Pilihan karier yang diberikan akan sangat banyak, namun Anda bisa mencari sendiri contoh lainnya berdasarkan kriteria pekerjaan yang sesuai keinginan Anda

"Karier ideal Anda kemungkinan mengharuskan Anda mengolah informasi. Anda akan menjalankan tugas-tugas seperti menyatukan, mengkoordinasi, menganalisa, menyusun, menginput data, mengkopi, atau membuat perbandingan. Apa kira-kira pekerjaan yang cocok untuk ketrampilan seperti ini? Beberapa di antaranya adalah asisten di perpustakaan, editor, web developer, organizer profesional, akuntan, atau sistem informasi manajemen."

 

I knew it I knew it I knew it!! I should've been a librarian. Atau editor yah? I have no idea what organizer profesional mean. There's no way I'm going to be an accountant. Tapi kedua profesi yang disebut di awal adalah pekerjaan yang setidaknya saya ada pengalaman di bidang itu.

 

Well this is very mind-opening, di tengah kegalauan mencari makna hidup, self worth dan sesuap nasi nanti di Tanah air (which is in 1 month's time!!) 

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when he leaves

She watched him go silently. If she could, she would have screamed, and exclaimed at the top of her lungs, calling his name, beckoning him back. But the words just stuck in her throat. 

As he walked away, she could only see a blurred vision of him, as her eyes welled up with tears.

She got down to her knees, crying, unable to utter any words. What? What words could possibly have brought him back? It was her fault he went, her own doings had made him leave her now. There was nothing she could do. No more reasons to tell him why he should stay. No more apologies will soften his heart. No, he was bored of her apologies. As if apologising will make it all better, and then their lives will be like usual. When in reality it doesn’t go that way, he had told her. She couldn’t understand, although how hard she tried. She only knew that he had tried so hard to understand her, but she just wouldn’t let him.

I don’t even understand myself, she cried silently.

She had always wanted someone to understand her, and yet when that someone actually comes along, she shut herself, afraid of what she might reveal to him. As if knowing her will mean she will lose that person’s trust. And all she could do was tell him things, things that she meant to be from her heart, but failed to come  ut as she wanted them to. All the wrong things she said. And yet she couldn’t make them right. She couldn’t make them right then, and she couldn’t make them right now.

He disappeared out of sight, his heart, too, in pain. He loved her dearly, but he was being unfair to himself and to her, if he let things go they way they were before. He couldn’t face it. And yet he knew clearly that he still loves her, and it will always stay that way. But she wasn’t the girl he knew before. The girl that made him love her in the first place, the girl who always made his heart skip a beat, the girl who never failed to make him just plain happy. Or maybe the person she is now, is truly who she was? That all this time, the girl he knew just wasn’t her, and now the real her is surfacing? If that was true, he knew he couldn’t stay with her any longer.

There was no use, anyway. She gave up trying to call him. As if her words will bring him back. Her words, which always came out wrong from her mouth, could never make him see her the way he had seen her in the first place. Oh, if I could get back the person I was before! The person who can laugh when it was time to laugh, cry when it was time to cry… the person who did everything right, who made everyone happy… but most important of all… who made him happy.

What’s the use? There was no point in life, now that he’s gone. It was him who kept her going… it was him who gave her a purpose in life… to make him happy. But she had failed. She failed him. She failed life.

She stood, watching the empty street that he had walked through. She turned the other way, her step shaken, as if she was walking on a tightrope. She couldn’t feel anything anymore. Her tears had gone dry; she was too tired to cry. Too tired to go on. Too tired to do anything. As she continued walking, her cell phone beeped. Sighing, she rummaged through her bag to find it, and pressed its buttons to read the new message. It was him.

“I just want to let you know that whatever I do, my feelings for you will never change. I love you. Hang on… don’t let anything ruin you. Take care of yourself, for you, your family… and your lover.”

 A smile dawned on her. A smile that turned into a laugh, then a cry, as the tears flow out of her eyes in joy. She walked on, never being as determined in her life, to return to her normal self, and to please the most important person in her life… herself.

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Cooking Capers: Ayam Goreng plus Kol Goreng

My lunch today was heavenly. Really unhealthy, but heavenly. :) Berawal dari nostalgia kuliner Bandung yang saya tumpahkan di twitter, saya jadi kebayang2 ayam goreng langganan saya waktu masih kuliah di ITB. Letaknya di gerbang belakang ITB, belakang parkiran. Emang langganan karena deket kalo mau makan siang dari Gedung Kimia. Disitu yg saya ingat menunya ayam goreng, nasi goreng, kayanya ada lain lagi tapi lupa. Soalnya yg keinget ayam gorengnya. Disajikan di piring kecil beserta lalapan selada, kol dan timun. Sama nasi di piring lainnya. Kalo saya makan, ditambahin sambel sama kecap. Yumm.. Nah yg bikin yummy itu ada lagi tambahannya, yaitu kol goreng. Aneh ya kedengarannya.. tapi kol goreng ini nikmat loh. Syaratnya, bikinnya bareng ayam goreng.

Jadi gampang banget caranya. Kalo bikin ayam goreng udah bisa lah ya. It involves ngulek2 banyak bumbu, ngungkep ayam sampe abis airnya trus digoreng deh. Bumbuny apa? Google aja ndiri yah. Soalnya saya juga males ngulek2 bumbu ayam goreng, biasanya beli jadi yg kering maupun yg basah. Kali ini saya pake bumbu basah. Nah sisa2 rebusan bumbu saya ikut goreng juga sama ayamny, jadi ada ky kremesannya itu. kremesannya ini yang saya goreng sama kol. Jadi kolnya harus digoreng pake minyak bekas goreng ayam, dan lebih maknyus lagi kalo masih ada kremesan2nya itu digoreng bareng kolnya. Biar rasanya keluar, kolny harus digoreng sampe ujungny sedikit gosong atau sampe dia melepuh2, karena kalo belum sampe kaya gitu rasany cuma kaya kol rebus berminyak, ga enak. Hihi.

Ini makanan paling ga bergizi kali ya, minyakny sekilang (hiperbolis nya), jelantah pula.. tapi rasanya... nikmattt!! ;)

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Wichi's No-Facebook Tweeting and Blogging Philosophy

image credit

I don't have Facebook. I did delete my twitter and blog but have since created new accounts for both. New accounts, new philosophy on tweeting and blogging.

I like Twitter and blog because they provide a healthy platform of expression. They promote literacy and also an effective stress-reliever. Oh and the art of it, too! Trying to express your consciousness in just 140 characters is an art I'm enjoying more and more. I try not to use Twitlonger or similar services as they are an
insult to Twitter philosophy for me :) Furthermore,  for me the information shared on Twitter and blog are more useful than the information on Facebook. As for networking, well, if my Facebook friends are friends I know in real life, I'd prefer the traditional way of networking. I feel more connected meeting someone in person, on the phone, being sent text messages or even emails, rather than a few words on my comments page on Facebook. Some of the comments are even not appropriate and doesn't really show you care. Right?

And what, pray tell, is my new philosophy when writing a tweet or a blog post?

1. First and foremost, the goal should be manfaat vs mudharat. More manfaat, less mudharat
2. As pointless as a tweet may sound like, it should serve someone (more likely me) good rather than become something bad.
3. Do not shame anyone, and most importantly do not shame yourself. I represent a whole family now, I must uphold my honour and that of my husband's. This is my obligation as a (Muslim) wife.
4. As much as possible, your writing be useful for the reader Get just enough of it.. Too much of anything is never good for you :)

Back to Facebook, I did delete it because I've experienced some unpleasant things with it. Other people may think that's pretty ordinary for a Facebook user but to me it's uncomfortable. And unsafe. And generally I found more mudharat than manfaat on Facebook. Sure, there are always risks. But I'm not willing to take them anymore, it just proves to be not worth it at all now.

So I'm just gonna enjoy tweeting and blogging away, and don't look at me funny when you've found out I'm not on Facebook..

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#prayforIndonesia

let's #prayforIndonesia, the current trending topic on Twitter.. to make as many people pray as possible

Lagi sedih. Kemaren di timeline Twitter banyak yang tweet tentang banjir di Jakarta. Trus jadi males mau balik ke Jakarta. Disini, sekarang, lagi enak2nya. Ibarat bulan madu deh.. hidup dibayarin dan ga usah kerja keras.. ga mikir pusing macet di jalan, ga mikir kerja keras buat nyari uang, cuaca menyenangkan tiap hari.. santai kaya di pantai deh pokoknya. Hehe. Nah kebayang balik ke Jakarta, udah musti adaptasi dengan lingkungan baru, juga dengan kehidupan baru sebagai keluarga yang mencari nafkah di Jakarta. Which isn't easy. Oh I know, karena sayapun lahir besar di Jakarta kaan? Hehe. Tapi Alhamdulillah sih, selama saya dibesarkan saya selalu (merasa) berkecukupan, jadi tidak pernah merasa kesusahan. Alhamdulillah Ya Allah.

Nah nanti kalo saya di Jakarta, ga mungkin bisa hidup sesantai disini. Suami pasti ba'da subuh harus langsung berangkat ke kantor, pulangnya juga sepertinya pas matahari udah tenggelam. Belum lagi dinas luarnya, saya sendirian deh.

Jadi saya nge-tweet dan sempet bilang juga ke Akang untuk tinggal disini aja. Balik dulu dua tahun (karena syarat beasiswa Ausaid penerimanya ga boleh stay di Aussie, harus minimal 2 tahun mengabdi di negara asalnya), baru abis itu ke Aussie lagi pas udah dapet kerjaan. Kalo udah PR, nanti mau sponsorin Mama biar bisa tinggal disini juga. Itu sih rencana mengawang2nya.. tapi setelah berita banjir itu, mulailah beterbaran berita tentang gempa Padang, tsunami Mentawai, sampai meletusnya Gunung Merapi...

Hwaa.. ga tegaaa!!!

Langsung guilty.. No no no no.. Indonesia, I will never leave you.. I guess I was always taught to love you, in my own way. I had always before believed in you, was always proud of you, always proud of the fact of my heritage that was linked to you (meskipun ada sedikit darah Cina dan Afrika juga sih hehe). I rose your flag for three years in high school, dedicated ceremonies for you on Mondays.. I kissed your flag while inaugurated as your ambassador in a mission to foster friendship and mutual understanding between Southeast Asian nations and Japan, I was even the one who sang your national anthem while raising your red-and-white flag in the rough seas between Philippines and Japan on a cruise ship called Nippon Maru. I was the one who had pledged my loyalty to you. The one who really took the meaning of the song Tanah Airku, especially the second verse*, that wherever I go, the more places I visit, the more I respect my country and that I just want to go back there.

All right then. 18 December 2010 I will fly back to you. Please accept me, I will do my best to do you proud as your citizen.

In the meantime, please let us pray for Indonesia.

*Tanah Airku (Ibu Soed)

Walaupun banyak negeri kujalani
yang mahsyur permai dikata orang 
tetapi kampung dan rumahku 
disanalah ku rasa senang.. 
Tanahku tak kulupakan
Engkau kubanggakan!

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I have the best husband in the world

Judul post-nya lebay? Hehe, biarin. Saya mau mendokumentasikan cerita berikut, supaya nanti kalo saya mulai kesel2, atau ada perasaan ga enak sama suami (we've all been there girls, right??).. saya baca ini dan ingat bahwa suami saya adalah anugerah terindah dari Allah SWT... amin.

Beberapa hari ini suami saya bertindak lebih sweet and romantic dari biasanya. Daan.. saya yakin dia melakukannya tanpa bermaksud untuk jadi sweet and romantic, which makes it all the more sweet and romantic, aww.. hehe.

Here are the things that he did that made me HAVE to thank Allah (bersyukur) that I have him for a husband:

• bangun pagi2, saya masih dengan rambut berantakan, bau iler, dll dsb... he looked at me and said, "Eneng cantik..."
• tidak lama kemudian, selang sehari, dia memuji lagi dengan kata2 such as shalihah, telaten, pinter masak, pinter, baik hati, and much more.. haduuhhh... Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah amiiinnn...
• beberapa hari terakhir yang sering cuci piring adalah dia, dan dia juga yang nyuci baju, jemur dll..
• plus dia suka beresin dapur kalo saya habis masak.. krn saya biasanya suka kecapekan ga langsung diberesin dapurnya habis masak
• ...bonusnya, dia malah jd sering masakin buat saya! meskipun cuma sebatas goreng sosis, telor ceplok, eh hari ini malah dia masak ikan loh.. ohh.. juaraaaa!!!
• akhir2 ini saya suka sakit, lemes ga jelas.. akhirnya suka dimasakin dan dikasih makanan di kasur
• dia jd sering banget sedekah senyum sama saya
• dia ga pernah ngeluh klo saya ga bisa masak atau beres2 karena lg ga enak badan atau karena emang lagi ga terlalu mood (hihi) malah sama dia dikerjain sendiri aja
• and much much more.. not for public consumption ;)

Intinya ya Wichi... bersyukurlah suamimu shaleh dan baik, InsyaAllah suami teladan.. aminn.. semoga saya bisa jadi istri shalihah, teladan, dan qurrata a'yun bagi Akang...

I ♥ you, honey...

Love,
A very happy and grateful Mrs Baktilugina

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Cooking Capers: Mie Ayam Jamur Pangsit

Kira2 dua hari yang lalu, si Eneng dan Akang ngidam mie ayam. Nge-google resep ada yang tampak gampang bikinnya, ada yang ribet. Jadi hari ini, setelah pergi keluar beli mie telor, saos tiram dan kulit pangsit, saya memutuskan untuk bikin mie ayam, mumpung kemaren masih ada sisa ayam rebus bekas soto ayam.

Resep yang dipake? Akhirnya saya memutuskan bikin sendiri, pake bahan2 yang kira2 saya tau bakal buat rasanya oke. Padahal ini ngasal loh. Ternyata jadinya enak, Alhamdulillah, beneran kaya mie ayam profesional, halah. Suami sampe merinding disko saking mantapnya.. hihi.. Alhamdulillah.

Jadi mau saya abadikan sebelum lupa resepnya.

Ini resepnya:

Bahan:
Paha ayam, rebus, ambil dagingnya dan potong dadu/suwir2
Kaldu ayam dari merebus ayam
Sawi hijau secukupnya, rebus hingga hampir matang
2 batang daun bawang
Kecap manis
100 ml saos tiram
5 sdm jamur kalengan
3 siung bawang putih, cincang halus
Kulit pangsit, direbus dan digoreng
Garam secukupnya
Merica secukupnya


Bumbu halus:
4 siung bawang putih
6 siung bawang merah
5 butir kemiri sangrai
1 sdt ketumbar
1 sdt jahe


1. Kuah mie: rebus kaldu ayam, masukkan daun bawang, tambahkan garam dan merica dan bila perlu penyedap rasa. Ambil kulit ayam dan lemak ayam dan letakkan di atas penggorengan bersama bawang putih cincang hingga keluar minyaknya (jika tidak keluar, celupkan kulit ayam ke dalam rebusan kaldu). Rebusnya jangan terlalu lama, jangan sampai daun bawang berubah warna.


2. Ayam: Tumis bumbu halus hingga harum, tambahkan ayam suwir dan jamur, tambahkan 2 sdm kecap manis, tambahkan garam secukupnya. Aduk dan masak hingga harum dan matang.


3. Rebus mie hingga matang.


4. Siapkan 1 sdt minyak, sedikit garam dan merica, sedikit kecap manis dan saos tiram ke dalam mangkuk. Masukkan mie yang telah direbus dan aduk merata. Tambahkan sawi hijau, pangsit goreng, ayam dan bawang goreng di atasnya.


5. Masukkan kuah mie dan pangsit rebus ke dalam mangkuk kecil. Mie ayam siap dihidangkan. :)

Sebenernya masih banyak yang bisa diperbaiki.. kalo pake kecap asin kayany lebih mantep rasanya, ga harus banyak2 pake garam. Terus si pangsit ini kulitnya aneh, susah matengnya pas digedein apinya eh gosong -_-" sama kalo dilihat secara seksama si sawinya juga kematangannya, jadi ga gitu crunchy2 gitu pas dimakan. Oiya kalo ga mau daun bawang dicampur di kuah, bisa dirajang dan ditaburi di atas ayam. Jadi kuahny bening gitu. Punya saya agak2 keruh hehe.

Overall menurut saya bikinnya termasuk mudah, ga cape.. so me likey!! :)

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Perjalanan ke Selatan: IKEA - Gold Coast - Tweed Heads (part 1)

Di awal bulan Oktober kemaren, Akang lagi semangat jalan2. Setelah seminggu sebelumnya mampir ke IKEA, dibulatkannya tekad untuk beli furniture dan barang2 buat di rumah lainnya... untuk rumah yang belum kita punya di Jakarta. Heuheu.. Jadinya, minggu depannya direncanakan ke IKEA lagi, kali ini harus prepare dengan shopping list dan juga harus nyewa mobil buat barang2nya, karena salah satu barang yang akan kita beli adalah.. jeng2... dining table dengan berat hampir 20kg! Haha niat yah.

Jadi Sabtu pagi2 kita udah buru2 naik bis ke tempat rental mobil (bangun kesiangan, padahal masih harus masak buat botram, jadinya cuman oseng2 nasi goreng aja yang sempet kebikin). Abis itu jalanlah kita ke IKEA, yang letaknya tidak di Brisbane tapi di kota tetangganya di Selatan yaitu Logan, dan sampailah kita sana tepat waktu, pas baru buka tokonya.

Sampe sana, tujuan pertama adalah restoran! Haha. Soalnya ga sempet sarapan, dan Akang udah pengen nyobain free bottomless coffee. Yap, kopi gratis sepuasnya untuk member IKEA. Menu sarapannya juga muraahh dan enak.. cuma $2.50 saja untuk breakfast dari telur orak-arik, baked beans, kentang hash brown, dan tomat. Akang, yang awalnya ragu kopi gratis sepuasnya pasti rasanya ga jelas, jadi puas setelah mencoba, "worth it ternyata" katanya. Oya, yang gratis sebanyak2nya ga cuman kopi, tapi termasuk teh, softdrink, hot chocolate.. kopinya juga dari mesin, bisa milih cappuccino, espresso, flat white atau black. Keren yah. *norak*

Perut kenyang, perburuan pun dimulai. Di IKEA kita pertama disuguhin showcase2 gitu, jadi model kamar2 beneran. Kalo ada yang disuka dicatat kodenya dan diambil kardusnya di lantai bawah. Pensil, kertas daftar belanjaan dan penggaris disediakan. Nah, ini yang bikin lama. Karena kita keliling2, mulai dari bagian living room, dining room, office, kitchen, bedroom.. dikasih liat ke kita semua, dan lucu2, apalagi harganya (murah maksudnya ^^). Tapi ini bagian serunyaa.. membayangkan punya rumah dengan setting furniture seperti itu. Seleranya pas buat saya yang emang suka agak minimalis tapi trendy. Hahah. Meja yang ditaksir Akang minggu lalu ternyata udah out of stock, jadi harus cari lagi yang baru.. eh malah dapet yang lebih keren. Meja makan extendable, jadi bisa disesuaikan untuk 6 - 10 kursi, bisa dibikin panjang ataupun pendek. Hihi. Pokonya kita keluar IKEA puas, beli segala macam dari meja, kursi, lampu, tatakan laptop, railing buat di dapur dan kamar mandi, tempat tisu toilet, sampe frame foto.. abis muraaahhh!! Kalo di Indonesia murah belum tentu kualitasnya bagus, dan yang pasti belanjanya ga se-menyenangkan di IKEA. Heheh.

Meja yang kita beli kurang lebih seperti ini, kalo nanti rumahnya kecil, bisa dipendekin jadi setengahnya :)

Setelah dari IKEA, sudah mendekati makan siang dan waktu Dzuhur. Kita memutuskan untuk terus jalan kearah Gold Coast, tepatnya mesjid Gold Coast. Berbekal buku peta dan GPS handphone, kita sampai di Gold Coast Mosque. Berhubung saya lagi berhalangan, saya nunggu di mobil sementara Akang shalat. Disana lumayan rame, ternyata lagi ada orang Malaysia yang nikah. Terus ada grup pencak silat, kemungkinan ini hiburannya.. tapi pencak silatnya bukan silat Malaysia, melainkan.. Cimande! Hahah. Dan yang ikutan ada bule2 kekar gitu lho. *bangga* Kita makan siang di dalam mobil di Gold Coast Mosque, lalu mulai jalan terus ke selatan.. ke arah Coollangatta dan Tweed Heads.

Mesjid Gold Coast, lumayan besar dibanding mesjid disekitar Brisbane yang pernah saya datangi

bersambung....

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Hijabi Baby

Pada suatu hari, terjadilah pembicaraan sebagai berikut diantara pasangan newlywed yang berbahagia ini..

Eneng: Kang, Eneng udh cerita belom? Waktu itu Eneng sama Mama lagi di mobil di jalan pulang, trus ngeliat anak kecil digendong pake jilbab gitu. Trus Mama Eneng bilang: "Tuh, anak kamu nanti kayak gitu ya."
Akang: Hahaha.. Kenapa yah Mama teh? Ya gapapa sih dibiasain dari kecil, biar kalo udah gede ga risih makenya, ga buka tutup seenaknya.
Eneng: *manggut2*
Akang: Tapi Neng, nanti anak kita InsyaAllah ga bakal pake jilbab kok...
Eneng: ???
Akang: ....soalnya kan anaknya cowok.
Eneng: (-_-") *masih obsesi pengen punya anak cewek*
Akang: Kan kalo cowok ada yang jagain Eneng, trus adeknya cewek.. jadi kakak cowok bisa jagain ade ceweknya. *keukeuh pengen anak cowok*
Eneng: Iya deh sayang, sedikasihnya aja ya sama Alloh...
Eneng dan Akang: *berdoa dengan khusyuk masing2 dalam hati semoga cepet diberikan amanah itu*

Semoga berhasil...... *fingers crossed*

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Wichi's Cooking Capers: Chuck Steak Roast

Dulu di blog yang lama ada bagian bernama Wichi's Cooking Capers yang mendokumentasikan petualangan Wichi di dapur, hehe. Sekarang sebagai ibu rumah tangga sayapun jadi harus memasuki dapur setiap hari. Waktu belum menikah, saya paling sering ke dapur pas tinggal di Australia sendirian.. karena mau makan ya harus masak, berhubung makanan susah didapat dan muahal. Setelah menikah, saya diboyong kembali oleh suami ke Australia dan harus masuk dapur.

Awalnya agak kaget juga harus masak tiap hari. Bukan apa2, capek bo. Rata2 saya menghabiskan waktu 2 jam untuk masak 2 jenis masakan yang terdiri dari lauk berupa daging2an dan sayuran. Itu belum termasuk waktu di dapur buat cuci piring, dan nyiapin sarapan atau bekal makan siang saya dan suami kalo suami ke kampus dan saya kerja. Apalagi awal2 mulai masak langsung puasa.. beuhh... tantangan banget dah masak sore2 pas lagi kritis2ny puasa, udah gitu ga bisa diicip2 lagi masakannya.. masih newbie kan feelingnya belum terasah dengan baik, ga ngerti takaran yang pas gimana. Akhirny suami suka nambahin bumbu lagi pas mau dimakan karena seringkali ga ada rasanya. Huehehehee..

Anyway, sekarang sih udah mendingan. Untuk mengatasi capek udah dibeliin bangku kecil di Ikea, jadi pas motong2 or ngulek2 bisa sambil duduk. Trus udah mengubah mindset jd setiap capek dipikirnya ini ibadah yang dapet pahala berlimpah dari Alloh, amiin. Trus mengatasi kekecewaan respon suami terhadap masakan, sekarang udah mulai kenal selera suami, udah tahu dia sukanya dan ga sukanya apa, dan kalopun ga suka, udah ga kecewa dan rewel lagi. Hehe. Dan emang udah terbiasa aja ya di dapur, meskipun ga enjoy 100% and I wouldn't say cooking is my passion.. yet.

Hari ini saya coba nggak masak masakan Indonesia, tapi masakan Barat. Hehe gaya. Gara2 beli chuck steak yang murah di butcher, tapi ga tau gimana cara masaknya. Biasanya kalo daging sama saya disemur atau dibikin kare. Kalo steak ya dibakar. Tapi chuck steak ini denger2 sangat alot, kalo dibakar pasti jadi tambah alot. Makanya nge-google dan ketemu resep bikin chuck steak yang gampang dan ga repot di sini.

Hasilnyaaa:

Lumayan lah.. ini belum dikeluarin dari aluminium foilnya dan belum disajikan di atas piring.. nunggu nanti malam aja pas mau dinner. Sekarang udah ditutup lagi sama aluminium foil biar tetap hangat. Rasanya oke, meskipun kayanya nanti harus ditambah garam lagi, karena lidah suami Indonesia banget, garamnya harus berlebihh.. Kalo makanan Barat rata2 ga asin, gurih dan berbumbu kan. Overall, I am happy with this chuck steak roast. Yang penting ada rasanya, trus si dagingnya jadi empuk, dan sehat masaknya karena ga pake minyak!

Resepnya kurang lebih sama dengan yang disitus itu, tapi saya modifikasi ala Indonesia dikit:

CHUCK STEAK ROAST

Bahan:
1 kg chuck steak
2 bh wortel, potong kotak2
2 batang celery, iris2
1 bh kentang ukuran besar, potong kotak2
2 sdm mentega
garam
paprika/cabe bubuk


bumbu halus:
1 bh bawang bombay
4 siung bawang putih
3 bh kemiri
lengkuas, ketumbar, garam ga ditakar, pake feeling aja :)


Cara masak:
1. Siapkan aluminium foil di atas baking pan, letakkan potongan steak diatas aluminium foil. Oleskan bumbu halus diatas daging.
2. Letakkan potongan sayur diatas daging, lalu percikkan mentega (kalo cair) atau sebarkan potongan mentega (kalo padat).
3. Taburi dengan garam dan paprika atau cabe bubuk.
4. Tutup dengan aluminium foil, bisa beberapa lapis yang penting kuat untuk menahan air keluar dari roast nya.
5. Masukkan ke dalam oven yang sudah dipanaskan dengan suhu 210 derajat celcius.
6. Panggang dalam oven selama 1,5 jam sampai empuk.

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The Scimitar and the Veil: Extraordinary Women of Islam

Author	Heath, Jennifer.
Title	The scimitar and the veil : extraordinary women of Islam / Jennifer Heath.
Publisher	Mahwah, N.J. : Hidden Spring, c2004.

I. "Paradise lies at the feet of the mothers" : in the beginning : women of the prophetate -- II. "That does not come from you, but from her behind the curtain" : scholars of the Hadith -- III. "Be like wax and illumine the world. Be like a needle and work naked" : ascetics, saints, and mystics -- IV. "If you do not fall in battle, someone is saving you as a token of shame" : warriors and amazons -- V. "Drink from this cup, then be gracious to her who sent it by paying a visit after sunset" : rebels and concubines -- VI. "Listening stirs the heart to see god" : musicians and dancers -- VII. "We have left the account for the day of accountings" : rulers, regents, queen mothers, and philanthropists -- VIII. "To educate a woman is to educate the whole world ..." : tradeswomen and learned ladies -- IX. "Enjoy life! Who cares what people say?" : poets -- The five pillars of Islam.

The Scimitar and the Veil is a book written to introduce, and perhaps improve the perceptions of Western people on Muslim women. It accounts very comprehensively the history of famous or at least recorded Muslim women from the first woman to become a Muslim (Khadijah bint Khuwaylid RA) to queens, poets and tradeswomen of the 19th century.

So it is a very comprehensive book, around 465 pages.. and took me 2 months to finish reading it. And what do I think about it?

Well, the author has really gone to great lengths to research and write on these remarkable Muslim women. I became very engaged in the beginning, in the first section on the first Muslim women, those whose lives are personally touched by the physical presence of Prophet Muhammad SAW. How lucky they are to know him personally.. and to be loved by him! I've read before their stories, especially Prophet Muhammad SAW's wives or Ummul Mu'minin, such as Khadijah bint Khuwaylid RA and Aisyah bint Abu Bakr RA, but I was never able to really engage with it. I guess the stories or books I read were more of a historical account. What is different about this book is that it is (sometimes overly) romanticised. It actually portrayed the personal feelings of these women. Like how Khadijah RA dreamed of Muhammad SAW. It was told in this book that she went up to the roof of her house to get some air, then she watched a group of traders walked past and saw that Muhammad SAW was shining. It accounted, with dialogue, how anxious she was after she proposed to Muhammad SAW. And the part about Aisyah RA were also documented in such a way that I could actually feel what she was feeling and really could imagine what she is like. So it wasn't like reading a textbook (I used to feel this way when reading the previous books on Ummul Mu'minin).

Although, I'm sure a lot of people, particularly Muslim, would object that such great women are portrayed in this way. I mean who really knows for sure that Khadijah actually said or thought, or what the other Ummul Mu'minin thought in their hearts. So I think some of the dialogues are made up, just to spice up the story.. but I love it! I imagine too that those reading this book, especially women, would want a romantic story rather than a textbook-like account.

Other extraordinary women that were portrayed were scholars, warriors, queens, rulers, queen-mothers, tradeswomen, mystics, etc.. but mostly it really showed its "girl power" promise through the accounts of women warriors and rulers. I think the author is trying to say that "girls can really rawk" by going to war and even ruling a whole kingdom and be in power over men. Well, okay. I'm not really into this part. I don't like any accounts of war of violence, especially when women are involved. As for women leaders, well, surprisingly, I'm not into that either. I am totally into girl power, but I believe sometimes women and men have their place, naturally.

I'm not saying I oppose of women leaders and warriors. Just not interested. I am more interested in women who tend to their family more, and do it in piety of Allah and really happy doing it. Now that's girl power. ;)

I'm also not able to engage with chapters III, V and VI on saints/mystics, rebels/concubines and musicians/dancers respectively. Chapter III told about Muslim women ascetics or mystics, or in Islam we call them Sufi. Personally, I don't really approve of Sufism or those who submit to Islam in such a way they ignore other people or the environment around them. As if the only thing matters is their relationship to Allah SWT. Islam, in my view, is a very communal and social religion. That is why it is so comprehensive. So this chapter tells Muslim women, who, through their constant devotion in praying, crying, loving Allah SWT were able to perform miracles. Hmm.. really? I'm a bit skeptic on this.

The chapter on rebels and concubines also didn't appeal to me. Who likes the word "rebel" and "concubine" and have them associated with Muslim woman? Not me. Especially how they stated that Prophet Muhammad SAW had a concubine who was a Christian, Maria al-Qibtiyyah. If concubine here means it is a "secondary wife", then fine. But if it means a woman who is not legally married to him, but cohabits with him.. then I'm a bit concerned. The concubines that were portrayed here were those "residing in a harem and kept, as by a sultan, for sexual purposes". *sigh* Are men allowed to do this? And they are sultan, too! Those with high power. Isn't this zina? Although it is interesting to read about the politics going on in the harem with these concubines, I am a bit upset how it is connected to Islam with its strict sanction of zina. The next chapter on musicians and dancers also gave me a similar feeling with the previous chapter, as musicians and dancers are mostly associated with concubines who had these talents to be presented to please her master or sultan.


To be honest, the only chapter I thoroughly enjoyed was the first one. Towards the end it got boring for me, since it was too long and maybe I just got bored, so I started skipping pages, stories, and sometimes a whole chapter. The last chapter I didn't even bother to read. But I was able to read the part of how the person responsible for trades in Aceh and Gresik are women! I think that's the only time Southeast Asian women were mentioned. Which was sad, Cut Nyak Dien or RA Kartini should have had their places in this book. Most women portrayed originated from the Middle East, Africa or East Asia. Which got me thinking, if a similar book were to be written on Muslim women 20th century onwards..would Indonesia have gained more portion? After all, we are the largest Muslim country in the world...


Nevertheless, although there were some points I didn't agree on, I do agree this book is quite a treasure. Those wanting to learn about real Muslim women in history should read this book, especially women. Though I don't recommend it to men.. they might get boring reading the romanticised parts and may get the wrong ideas on the parts about concubines, polygamy, etc.


And I would just like to clarify some points that could be misleading Islam in this book:
1. Although in Islam polygamy is allowed, as stated in the Qur'an, but the conditions of it have to be met, i.e. the man is able to be just to his wives in all cases, the latter marriage is endorsed by the previous wife, etc.
2. Having concubines, meaning women not legally married to a man but can be involved in sexual relationships with them, are not allowed in Islam. This is called zina, and the sanction in the Qur'an is very severe. In fact, it is said one of the reasons polygamy can be allowed is to prevent committing the sin of zina.
3. The consumption of alcohol for drinks is prohibited in Islam. In this book the characters were described as drinking wine and even getting drunk. Prohibition of alcohol is debatable, though, some say that if it is in an amount that is not dangerous i.e. doesn't get the person drunk, then it is okay. As long as they don't get drunk. But for me, no alcoholic drinks (please note, it's drinks! not legal medicines) can go through my throat, thank you!
4. On the veil. From my readings, discussions, etc.. I have come to believe that the most important is the veil of the heart, rather than physical veil. But I do really recommend women to wear very decent clothes and not showing their body parts. For me, personally, that is a dignified woman who loves herself and most importantly loves Allah SWT. ;)

Wichi's verdict: unputdownable | read | skim | pass

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(ending?) the honeymoon phase

In a week, I'll be married for three months. *plok plok plok* Alhamdulillah... But people say after three months, the "honeymoon phase" ends and we both enter the new reality of married life. One that is not all nice and sweet as in the honeymoon phase.

Honestly, thinking that things could fall worse is a scary thought. Well of course! I mean, we didn't take three months to have our bickerings now and then, mostly over simple things. Yup, my overdramatic self had to cry and wail in the last few weeks she has become a missus. :(

Fortunately, I am very blessed by Allah. He has shown me that everything has a meaning, every cloud has a silver lining. So I might be crying and wailing one day, but it always ended with a new dawning thought on what I should do to improve myself, what we should do to improve this family and take it to heaven..aminn.

So what does it feel to be married? When asked this question (and I've had plenty since the ijab qabul ^^) I would smile and reply "Alhamdulillah..." For sure, there are mixed feelings. I've come to realise that there are some pretty undesirable character traits that I own, and my husband, though soft and caring, sometimes do practice tough love when I'm being overly unbearable. Hehe. So me the drama queen often make big fuss out of small things and thinking I'm the most unfortunate person faced with the most unfortunate incident ever. If you know me well enough, you'll know that's the sort of person I am. (Bahasa Indonesia-nya: lebay! hehe) But my dear husband is trying to fix me on this, to get me grounded. And hey, wasn't that what I was always looking for?? Realising I'm too much of a dreamer, I had asked God to find me a man that can bring me down to earth so I could face life together with him forever and ever. And He gave me one :) But sometimes it's hard to give up the fairytale-princess world...

I think living together with the intensity that a married couple go through is impossible if not faced with some little problems. I mean, we're still adjusting to each other, especially when you haven't known him/her that long. So as big as the problem may sound at the time, when it's over, I don't really make a fuss about it because it's normal for me.

But overall... Subhanallah... being married is "gRRReat!!!" *scottish style* All the good stuff I've ever imagined being married is like actually happened to me. Alhamdulillah.. hihi.. My husband is a sweet, caring, responsible guy and I wouldn't want to trade him with another! Haha. Alhamdulillah.. Alhamdulillah.. It is so true what the Prophet had said, marriage is fulfilling half of religion. I do feel more complete as a wife.

Our journey is long, and I'm sure not always filled with the sweet stuff.. but when there are rocks ahead, I know they are just reminders to lead us both back to the righteous path, to our original commitment to each other to what marriage is, and it's piety to our one and only God Allah subhanahuwata'ala and as a means to lead us to the heavenly afterlife..

But going back to the beginning, just before I end this post.. Will the Baktiluginas end their honeymoon phase?? Most likely not.. well, not until December anyway... In the meantime, we're enjoying our 5-month honeymoon in Brisbane, Australia.. courtesy of AusAid.^^v

...and don't forget, our first honeymoon in Bali is presented by the lovely girls of Gerombolan Siberat! :-*

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Mengumpulkan Amal Jariyah - teaching at TPA IISB

It's Wednesday and I am already preparing the lesson plan and finding resources for TPA IISB on Sunday. Since before I even came to Brisbane, I was already asked to teach these children. TPA stands for Taman Pendidikan Al Qur'an or Sunday School, like the one Christian children go to in church, Muslim children go to TPA in the mosque. Originally it is not always on Sunday, it can be anytime, not always weekly as well. Usually in Indonesia we go to TPA after school to learn religion. In Brisbane, under Indonesian Islamic Society of Brisbane, we service the Indonesian Muslim children to learn about Islam, because in school they don't have Islam as a subject (not like in Indonesia), unless they go to an Islamic school. But most children who go to TPA are children of students who don't go to Muslim schools but to a regular state school, or children of Indonesian workers or permanent residents who also don't get religious knowledge in school.

Aaanywaay.. I just want to share my experience teaching children at TPA. Now I'm not a children person. I can never feel comfortable around children, except probably when I get to have one. I don't get much exposure to little kids so I never know how to act around them :D So when at first I was asked to teach in the Kelas Balita (under 5's) I was a bit concerned.. luckily my husband -- who taught in the boys class -- suggested I teach English Class instead. With an IELTS score of 8.5 (pameer.. hehe) I think I can manage that!

Ternyata oh ternyata.. (loh ganti bahasa..) Di kelas Bahasa Inggris itu terdiri dari anak2 Indonesia yang sama sekali atau sangat sedikit sekali bisa Bahasa Indonesia, dan pengetahuan tentang Islam pun sangat minim karena mereka lahir dan besar, atau sebagian besar hidupnya dihabiskan di Australia dan orang tuanya pun jarang atau nggak pernah ngasih pengetahuan agama Islam ke mereka. Di English Class ada 12 orang, dengan range umur antara 6 sampai 15 tahun. Nah bingung kan gimana ngajarinnya. Tingkat pengetahuannya pun beda-beda. Ada yang udah bisa baca Al Qur'an sampai yang buta. Mau ngajarin pake metode ke anak kecil, yang gede ga nyambung. Mau diseriusin, yang kecilnya bingung dan ga merhatiin jadinya. Untung dibantu 2 guru lain, tapi mereka kemarin sempet liburan, dan saya sendiri ngajarnya. Megap.. megap.. deh.. Jadinya, saya harus mikir 7 keliling buat ngasih materi apa dan kayak gimana sebelum kelas berikutnya. Karena saya juga bukan guru, apalagi guru agama.. Dulu pernah ngajarin les itupun ogah2an (hehe maap ya Fitri..) karena bingung jelasin Kimia, Fisika dan Matematika.. trus mau ngajarin sepupu di rumah yang mau UAN juga yang ada dia bingung dijelasin sm gw yg bingung, hehe. Ternyata, saya lebih pede ngajarin alif-ba-ta-tsa dan Iqra, nyeritain tentang kisah nabi dan akhlak Muslim yang baik.. daripada ngajarin Kimia yang saya punya ijazahnya :p

Nah, minggu kemarin saya datang ke TPA. Disana sepi, padahal udah datang telat karena mampir ke Museum dulu. Udah mau ga dateng aja tuh awalnya, cape abis seharian jalan2 sampe negara bagian sebelah (New South Wales, di perbatasannya sih.. Tweed Heads), mana saya yang nyetir pula.. tapi namany juga ibadah.. niatnya ibadah, ngumpulin amal jariyah :) Udah punya feeling bakal sepi karena ada Pesta Rakyat (semacam perayaan 17 Agustusan, tp diundur karena kemarin pas puasa 17annya). Dan bener aja, sampe sana sepi, udah ada  beberapa anak yang pulang. Tapi salah satu guru tetep mau ngejalanin, dan nyuruh saya bimbing baca Iqra untuk salah satu anak perempuan kelas 2 SD, Vila. Ternyata anak ini enak diajak ngobrol, Bahasa Indonesianya bagus, Inggrisnya juga okeh. Jadi nyambung deh. Terus ada temennya dateng, si Farsya. Masih Prep (umur 5 tahunan), tapi udah Iqra 5. Sementara si Farsya saya bimbing baca Iqra, si Vila dikasih Word Search tentang Shalat yang udah saya siapin buat murid saya di English Class. Vila senang sekali, sampe berterimakasih sama saya dan mengerjakan word searchnya dengan giat. Hehe. Udah gitu saya kasih mereka worksheet tentang urutan shalat dan urutan wudhu. And they enjoyed it very much. Aduuh senang yaa kalo kaya gituu.. soalny murid saya di English Class tanpa ekspresi semua. Kalopun ada yang pinter, ngomong mulu, yang lainnya diem. -.-"

But, hopefully next time, I can make the lesson as enjoyable as last week.. meskipun saya ga dapet ngajar Vila dan Farsya lagi.. hiks.. they're such lovely and bright girls.. aduh... seneng deh...

Saya sangat terbantu dengan situs ini, Worksheets for Kids, yang menyediakan worksheet Arabic alphabet, karena besok materinya Arabic Writing, kisah Nabi Isa A.S. dan setor hapalan. Jadi dengan worksheet ini saya ga bikin mereka bosan, mudah2an... dan saya siapin dari sekarang biar bisa diprint gratis di kantor huwehehee..

Semoga saya bisa mengajar dengan baik... itung2 siap2 buat ngajarin anak sendiri... Amiinn..

TPA IISB 2010 performing at Halal Bi Halal September 2010

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