" I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy. Asking him to love her. "
Anna Scott
~ Nothing Hill
Facebook on Spotlight
Facebook took its' deepening effects in Indo-land! Although they came late.
I'm sure you know what I meant.
The media has been spruiking on about children being missing because of Facebook. These children are on Facebook constantly without guidance from parents.
Having said that, I remember back when I was in Junior High (about their age), I began to explore my curiousity for the Internet. Back then, we have yet to discover Social Networking. It was basic chatrooms, messenger, and emailing. Those 3 socializing media have instantly put myself - a young teenager in Indonesia - to a world so wide, next to random strangers. Hence, I became familiar with the term 'kopdar' or 'kopi darat', which basically means 'meeting up with someone we know online'. Luckily, I have never been that brave to meet these 'online friends' by myself. I've always asked someone to tag along. Kopdar could be harmless or could not. Depends on the individuals (of course).
Worst scenarios. Such cases have raised high attention to Police and Government. The issue of Internet Crimes against children has been a major concern in the western countries, one of which is Pedophilia in the Internet. Adults who have sexual preference for children are everywhere, ANYwhere. That being said, they can easily be your next door neighbour or someone you trusts dearly to keep your kids safe. The Internet is merely keeping a mask for them, a protection from sneering public eye.
Throughout the years, Federal Police and citizen have joint arms to dispose these two-faced criminals. The support asked to citizen is to guidance their children when using Internet, especially on social networking such as Facebook.
Unfortunately in Indonesia, awareness of the issue still smells fresh to our government and citizen. Internet - especially mobile Internet - has just come to our hands since a couple years back. Indonesians are famous for being gadget-minded, emphasize on status and not tech-savvy. Therefore, middle to upper class individuals have encountered to mobile Internet, which means easy access, fast information and higher society status. The said demographic also include their children, from the primary school age up to high schoolies. Some of these parents, having the income, status and knowledge, surprisingly, aren't aware of the effects of mass information for their underage children.
Culturally speaking, Indonesians of the aforementioned society level are indulged with 'house-assistants' in their homes to help with -not only- house chores, but also raising the children. Other circumstance, parents tend to pamper their children without limits. Being raised under similar circumstance, I do understand the behaviour some of these children are experiencing. For instance, lacking guidance and understanding the word 'NO' in their daily activity.
Back in the old age, where Internet is lacking and considered luxury, parents of Generation Y didn't think Internet would be any danger to their children. They would think, what's there to worry about? The kids are at home with their family. Some of these parents have zilch experience with Internet.
Parents' zero knowledge is what keeping the pedophilias in the Internet wildly exploring their sexual needs. That happens up until now, although Internet has been delivered to our hands, with speedy access. Given today’s breaking news of missing children, the parents are left bewildered and started to blame on Facebook.
INILAH.COM, Jambi - Seorang siswa kelas 2 SMU di Kota Jambi, dilarikan wanita yang lebih tua usianya. Mulanya, kedua orang itu berkenalan lewat jejaring sosial Facebook. More....
These parents knew not of their children's "friends' on facebook (or Online). Logically, these kids also barely know who these "friends' are. Sorting the good friends from bad based on online chats isn't easy. I mean, how well you could know a person whom you only talk with your fingertips?
Indonesia is just encountered by such matters. Parents, who are Generation X and baby bloomers are made aware of the concerns of Cyber world, the world that is barely visible to them.
This being said, as silly as it is, Facebook to the western world has made entry into family disturbances. The news that made headlines was about "Facebook Divorces". In Indonesia, too, this made headlines. But the coverage wasn't as high alert as the missing children.
The cases of missing children or abused children as effect of Internet, although very alarming both in Indonesia and the west, could easily vanish in forthnight by the media. Then comes the next headlines, Facebook intervenes into marriage life.
When the cases of Facebook against missing children fade away in Indonesia (that is when the media gains no ratings from it), how soon we would hear them spruiking news of Facebook against the sanctity of marriage to appear in the news?
Such as...
a story on Britain's Telegraph website, which claimed that one in five British divorce petitions are now citing Facebook as the reason for the split. More...
In Indonesia, that could raise some serious concerns because marriage is a serious government issues. We have MUI and Department of Religion to be kept busy.
Ignorant Indonesian in Belitung
Belitung, a part of Indonesian province Bangka-Belitung.
My first ever visit to Sumatra island.
Had no expectations prior leaving Jakarta to Belitung. All i've heard was how beautiful scenery the island will present, unknowingly how much beauty it will gave me.
A friend asked of me to join the trip only five days before departure. By then, we have yet to book tickets, arrange tours and accomodation. All was done very quick. Luckily, she knew a tour provider that will arrange tours, transport and accomodation while we're in Belitung. They're called Belitungisland.com. All we have to do was just enjoy ourselves in Belitung, everything is taken care of.
Sweet.
9 AM, Thursday Jan 21st, the four of us took Sriwijaya flight from Soekarno-Hatta to H.AS. Hanandjoeddin airport in Belitung. Of all the airports I took flights to in Java island and Bali, this by far is the smallest I've seen. They only have 1 belt for our luggage claim.
Outside the terminal, our tour guide, whom later we called bang manca, was holding a huge sign of my friend's name. The sign was so huge, it stands out in crowds of pick-up drivers and rental cars' drivers(?)
We're on private tour, so just the four of us and bang manca throughout the 4 days tour.
According to him, in Belitung, there is no taxi. From that I gathered, those people standing outside the airport terminal was renting their cars to visitors (them as drivers too, i reckon).
Drove pass the airport to our hotel, the view of Belitung looked too bland for me. Houses are faraway from each other, and most of them surrounded by woods. Yes, Belitung is full of em, deep and wide forests. The route from airport to our Pondok Impian Hotel was crossing the main city, Tanjung Pandan. It's a small island, so is the main city. Crowds weren't much hectic as compared to small village in Java island.
It gets good view of sunset when the weather permits, given the backyard of it was the ocean. Pretty great deal for our holiday price.
All four days of our trip were packed with Beach sightseeings.
Belitung Timur has, by far, the greenest most gorgeous beaches I've ever seen.
And what makes them special is the rocks lie across the beach. Another unique finding told by locals was decreasing sea level in Belitung beaches happened on the afternoons and not in mornings as usual beaches we have in Java (and others?). The ocean has low tides and given the location of the island, it would be impossible for Belitung to be struck by Tsunamis. It really is a hidden Indonesian gem.
Tried as many rocks we could climb -- with help from our local guide of course. The view from the top was astounding! Mind you, top of rocks for us weren't really the highest top for the locals. If our highest we could reached is already this gorgeous, you could imagine how near the horizon and edge of sea looked from that highest top.
I'm awestruck when I first stepped my feet onto the white sands in Tanjung Tinggi, couldn't take my eyes away from the wide sea lies in front of me. Taking it all in and hoped memory could save it well in mind.
We took a stroll across the beach in Belitung Timur.
Sneaking in through small pathways between rocks, climbed up the rocks to get to the next path. I'm a big girl and climbing these rocks can be difficult to do at times, but not doing them would be a massive loss for tourists. That's where the fun exist when you're in Belitung!
Walking through inside these scattered rocks, could get tricky at most times. There's this one pathway where we had to slide within small gap between two big rocks. My fear was, I got stuck while sliding. We wouldnt want to get headline on the news 'Jakartan tourist stuck between rocks in Belitung' do we?
Fortunately, I slided with success. Of course, we took a different route when we went back. I won't let the rocks took that chance of me twice. :grin:
Our guide also told us that Belitung is also famous for its' thousand lakes and coffee shops (warung kopi). For the latter, we could be proud of it, for its uniqueness.
However, it's ironic if to say Belitung's thousand lakes are beauty attractions of the island. Why?
Simply because those lakes exist due to abandoned tin mines caused by the Dutch and the Japanese. If they were to continue forcing nature to fulfil human's greed, I was too scared to imagine that Belitung island would no longer be up the surface for next generations to see.
It would be devastating to even imagine.
Belitung is also surrounded by small islands. We took fisherman's wooden boat to visit these islands. One of which is called Lengkuas island (pic above). To our surprise, the island is an asset to DKI Jakarta province. Politic plays major role in this. I wouldn't look into much in this.
Oh! Belitung has this stranded island covered by white sands. Just abandoned white sands, mounted up as tiny ground. It's called Pulau Pasir (Sand Island). Pretty self-explanatory, right? We sipped our coconut drink on the island.
It's sooo Cast Away, lacking Tom Hanks. It also becomes the home for the biggest starfishes I've ever seen. They're beyond beautiful too see.
Then comes our time to bid farewell to one of Indonesian gorgeous islands.
A trip I would never forget, and got me to appreciate Indonesia tops more.
Belitung,
perhaps one of thousands of islands in Indonesia that is often ignored by its' own nation. It shys away from the bright lights of metroplitan that Indonesians prefer to worship upon. It doesnt snob its beauty to the nation, let alone to the world. I could say, Belitung then becomes one of Indonesia hidden beauties. The weapon to gain power to the world but being kept away from spotlight. Belitung is our Cinderella island.
It's Belitung that had me at Hello.
A God's creation is truly beyond words to say.
Andrea Hirata has drew very detail the beauty of the island in his books.. I dare not to put much wordly about the island here. His words have done well to bring his home-island up to the nation's attention.
I'm here, merely, to left a space for future me to reminisce one of my awestruck moments in Indonesia.
Trying to diminish the ignorant Indonesian tattoo on my forehead, one layer at a time.
Sang Pemimpi
Ijinkan saya meminjam 2 kata itu dari Gigi.
Sepertinya di akhir minggu ini, itulah yang terjadi pada saya. Si Pemimpi besar, yang akhirnya mendapatkan secuil dari impiannya itu.
Akhirnya si pemimpi berjalan di jalur yang benar. Alhamdulillah ya Allah, langkah kaki ini sebentar lagi akan menyentuh rute yang sesuai keinginan hati.
Semua berjalan bagaikan kilat.
Seperti mimpi.
Terimakasih ya Allah. Terimakasih..
You have given me the biggest blessing this year.
Heart B.
Closed my eyes,
Spread my wings.
Blue sky above me,
Ocean breeze blown to my face.
Green on both right, and left.
There stood only me, and quiet.
To-day
--- Knowing this day,
A dying nation's legacy
Here lies, a serenity.
B, Jan 2010
YouTube and Obscenity -- Indonesian version
Don't we all praise YouTube for our home entertainment media?
when I was looking for a jazz/funk dance class in Jakarta,
I found a video that comes too close as seeing Babylon, and Justin at the front stage.
(hint: Queer as Folk)
O....kayy. *trying hard not to laugh*
To instructor (Stefan Brecard, is it?): Honey stanny, I've joined dance classes at a fitness centre before, and darling, I thought the gays are great dancers?
I'm sorry but I can only watch half of that 3 minutes video.
I mean, look at those ladies, and THOSE MUMS?! mimicking your dance moves?! I just can't.. it's way terrifying than Sadako.
If it were me, I would def want my money back.
If this were the case to find a *proper* dance class in Jakarta, then by all means, I'll forget my intention to start dance lessons. I better off find me some pirated DVDs down at Ambasador Mall and teach myself to dance. or better yet, a Wii.
I hear that those instructors at Fitness centers are freelancers. I'm just wondering, don't they get proper qualification tests to be gym/dance instructors? Ya know, just a curious mind is all.
Another obscene video found on YouTube, based on another one of my curiousities.
Started from a shocking headline on Jakarta Globe I read this morning.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesian-clerics-ban-menstruating-ghost-horror-film/356458
(I won't put up the vid here, that's just too much exclusivity for the movie)
What caught my attention was A word that, I think, is so improper to be in the article that is not cosmopolitan's or femina's.
What's more, is that the article ISN'T about a women's that-time-of-the-month and whatnot.
It's about a Horror flick. Of course, Indonesian lah.
Who else on earth would ever made a movie that includes a women's period in its' title!?
Okay, to cut curiousity short, the movie is entitled 'Hantu Puncak Datang Bulan'.
We all know about the predecessors of lamest Indonesian flicks (especially, horror genre). This menstruating horror movie really pushing it to the toll. Skimpy clothes are one thing, but sex scenes?
Hey, KK Deeraj, is the idea of menstruating too horrific for you to apprehend, that you end up making a HORROR film of it?
However, before stopping it to screen in cinemas, why don't we compromise?
Sir, if your defense is excessive production cost. Yes, I know that making movie isn't cheap.
So hear me out, Why don't you...
Stay the fuck away from my young cousins, nieces and nephews' hangouts --- 21 cineplex and blitz cinemas. But, I know for sure, there's one cinema where your movie can def get a spot, that cinema opposite Pasar Senen. Why not make a deal with them, Sir?
You can even put big poster up there, proudly announcing Andy Soraya and Trio Macan as the casts, and You, KK Deeraj, Sir as, what, producer? writer? director?. That poster can also include the casts' boobs hanging out, or if you want, your man-boobs, by all means please.
That's what democracy is.
Compromising.
You won't go bust by spending $$$ for yo big ass movie, you get some income back (if that),
You could get people to watch your movie (proudly). Bottomline, you can get your exposure, which then you can put it in that resume of yours that Yo a big ass movie director. (or producer or writer, you choose).
Comprende?
