Hi, How are you? I am back again. I am fine and I can enjoy the world even a week without internet and it gave me a chance to think about this blog. First, Agoyyoga has new header since last saturday and I change this page. How about my travel last week? Here it is…

Sorong Situation (Above) and Hasanudin Airport (Bellow)

Actually there was internet connection in a place that I’ve visited in Sorong. Unfortunately I had problem with the laptop, it couldn’t detect my modem, while I tried to use other computer, still I couldn’t get the connection, it’s very-very slow, no 3G and I can get old before getting connected to the net. Beside I was busy with all the activities there. Then I arrived at other city with excellent internet services but still I had to attend a meeting and got to catch the plane in a hurry even I did city check in before. All the way to the new Hasanudin airport, I was praying and wishing that I could make it on time and so does the plane. It seem the Al mighty heard, I arrived on time at the airport and the plane took off almost on time. Considering the airport authority are not ready to operate the new airport. Please do not take it as my compliances. I just want to be honest.

I was in the new airport on their first day -operation. Yup it’s August 4^th. Then I flew to Sorong before came back to Makassar on last Thursday. Modern, minimalist, white, simple, unprepared well were my first impression. I saw finishing defects everywhere and the sound system were terrible (probably they didn’t have time to do testing and commissioning before). Perhaps they were in a rush to fulfill the schedule on August 4^th, 2008, and I also saw process defects. The people (airport staff) were not ready. Until ten o’ clock I saw visitors could enter the gate easily trough exit doors. At the other door-gate’s entrance door, there’s a long queue. Ironic. Fortunately, slowly but sure they could handle it. Some airplanes late, so does the one that will fly me to the Sorong. 737-200 type. I had no chance to take the picture that shows the front of building, but if you saw my header, it was taken from the inside of the gate 2 while I was waiting on August 4^th . You can imagine, it should be a nice airport moreover if they could finish the project as well. Perhaps this airport will operate well without any defects in a couple months later. I really wish and I believe if there’s a will there’s a way.

Without Net was not a big deal for me, but no national newspaper is a big deal. I feel little bit insulated from the world, but with all of my activities I could get over it. I learned a lot by talking and interacting with many people that I’ve met during my travel.

He is a simple taxi driver who interesting in math that I met at Maros. He lost his intention of school once he found that the lesson was too easy for him. He was on 3^rd grade. Then he decided to play around since then. I don’t know it’s true or not, but I was interesting while he said:, “Because of math I delivered my kids to get high education.” A simple math and a simple thought, he calculated if he could save a thousand a day during a year he would have enough money to send his first son to a technical school in Maros, then he did. “Because of math I could have a motorbike and I have no obligation.” He saved another a thousand everyday for two years and he could buy a motorbike, a second one. Leasing was not his option. “In case if I couldn’t pay, they will take back the motorbike and I will loose money that I already paid to the lease company. Then why I should take that risk?” A simple thought that saves his family from obligation. Remind me to lot of people with higher education but hold so many risks and obligations in their life. Well people said, no pain no gain, and high risk high return, yeah I remember that. It is not wrong as long as we can estimate our capabilities and have proper knowledge about what do we need and what can we afford. I have learned people easily “hungry” while they have wills.

Serui is one of  Papua’s ethnics. A lot of them live in Sorong and some of them work for our group. He is a GA, a Watory(i?) clan who married with a Batak lady. He is amazing, full of initiatives and smart but I can’t understand why he can enjoy: – eating rice with tea and sugar. Physically he’s similar to Kamoro-other Papua’s ethnics who inhabitant near Timika-or it was me who cannot saw the differences between them. The cover may be similar but inside, no one knows. Remind me to a story that I heard sometimes ago while I visited Timika for first time. A colleague who lived there told me, one of his friends went to traditional market. He wanted to buy fruits (I forgot what kind of fruits). Knowing that the fruits were so cheap he intended to but them all. But the seller (a Kamoro) refused.

“No Bapa, please do not buy them all.”

“Why not mama?”

“It’s still 9 o’clock in the morning. What can I sell until 12?” — she used to work 9-12 a.m. everyday.

Seriously, it happened, they are simple person who lives for present and never think about the past and the future. And why do I feel that the government does not take care of them seriously? Is it because of Papua is far away from Jakarta? I wish that the government could pay more attention about transportation and communication.

Merpati-one of Indonesia’s airlines has an important role to develop Papua indirectly even their planes were not excellent-could you imagine? You were in toilet. The plane flies trough a bad weather, a small turbulence happened and there it goes, something falls down on your side, a part of toilet-ceiling. Sorry to mention it clearly but I hope Merpati could afford some new plane to fly everyone to Papua. It’s one of my reasons why I flew with Indonesia’s number uno airline to Makassar first and continued with Merpati. C’mon Yoga. No internet, no newspapers in a week, but still there’s news on TV. I used to watch tv while traveling (before fall a sleep or in airport), particularly the news broadcast. I surprised about Merpati’s condition as mentioned on tv. I felt relief while I heard that the government has took an action. J I don’t have intention to prolonging it. I believe there are many clever guy and smart executives in our government who can handle it as well. Overall my short journey is amazing and it’s enrich and refresh my self. Sorong and Makassar are beautiful cities. Unfortunately I didn’t have any chances to visit Raja Ampat and other beautiful places around there yet. May be some day… yeah some day.

Note:

Sorong: A small city in West Papua

Timika: A city in East Papua

Makassar: Capital city of South Sulawesi

Maros: A small region city adjacent to Makassar in South of Sulawesi

Hasanudin Airport: An international airport in Makassar

Batak: An ethnic in Sumatra

GA: General Administrator

Bapa: Father or Mr.

Mama: Mother or Mrs.

Just met and say hello to a client, a bule friend. I met him at Papua (Kuala Kencana) couple months ago–sure for the business purposes. He is in my office now to attend a pre-bid meeting with our project team. I will have other meeting with him and my COO after that meeting. He concerns about his weight now.

Mr. Bule: “Hi Yoga, you look good.”

Yoga: Thanks, How about you? You look good too.”

Mr. Bule: “Come on Yoga, don’t lie. I am still fat.”

…

I just laughed hearing it, consider he is preparing his weeding, next September in Bali with a lovely lady from Toraja. With a broadly smile on his face he reminds us while we have a dinner after a whole day meeting at Kuala Kencana, he just ate salad and ice cream during our long conversation. That’s the way he diets. Poor on you Mr. Bule. Well he’s a nice guy and a polite one and hopefully you get what you want.

Btw, what about you amigos, do you have problem with your tummy? Are you on a diet? I did, healthy is one of the reasons. I traveled; it’s hard to control my meal during traveling. Consider I love culinary traveling too, and I will start a short journey again next Sunday. Where? East of Indonesia. This time two cities and one of it famous with its culinary delights.

The travel plan reminds me to this post, elixir.  Elixir was my experience in other part of this lovely country. I involved in a project management at that time as a project coordinator. My job was to coordinate consultant and contractor to achieve the goals, develop a multifunction building in a remote area. It was not a major project but it gave me some benefits particularly traveling experience to a place that I always miss until now. Experiences that make me love this country more. But my tickets are not to those places but I believe I will visit beautiful parts of the jewels of equator and new experiences wait for me there. Now I am not a project coordinator anymore, I will come as someone who provides solution services to our customer. I am a consultant? Not really. I am a package of consultant, marketing, engineer, traveler, and dreamer whatever I just an employee. Now, I have a pile of paper to accomplish and likely I will spend my Saturday at the office. Yup! It is one of some consequences that happen while I plan to leave the office for a week and other consequences are; I may arrive at a spotless area. No internet, no signal or I have no chance to do net browsing. So, you will hear from me less until next week. Just wish me luck.

Last Sunday morning, I walked alone trough a hilly road.  I will pass a small river after a wide yard with a “Joglo” in its center while I smell a cow. Probably I just passed a byre behind high fence. At the edge of the bridge I saw Bamboos. It moved slowly because of the morning wind, just like a beautiful dance. It is very beautiful scenery. I met one-two people from that neighborhood, they are very modest. Just like me they walked slowly. Then I found my self alone, near fish ponds.

I was standing under Banyan tree. I recognize from its root. I was in foothill and the tree is about 4 meters above me. My feet were wet, the land was wet. I found a stair 50 meters from the Banyan tree’s root and I went up. I found a wide empty yard. I can’t recognize where the road was. I decided to move forward and finally I found a macadam road. It’s such a small village. 5 minutes later I found the asphalt road. I kept walking and finally after an hour I found familiar road. This road has beautiful scenery. You can see a valley in the left side, and you can see the fog begin to disappear.

You know folk, where’ve I been? I went no where. I just took a walk in a big village named Jakarta.

Note:

Joglo : Javanese’s house.

“Pal, check out Agoyyoga’s weblog. It’s damn argly. It’s super cheenapiang, man. No wonder, hear the way she speaks English!”

Hehehe…I think you ever heard about Singlish even once in your life. According to Wikipedia, Singlish is the English-based creole spoken and written colloquially in Singapore. It sort of slank and it’s pronounced in informal situation.

Because of it’s very common –I don’t know why the Singaporean isn’t shame, and the Singaporean are too confident to practice it daily even when they talk to the native speaker, then it became very popular. It’s proved by the availability of an article about it in Wikipedia, and also there are some Singlish dictionaries in the global market. Easy lah! You can find it in web if you want to buy one of it, or let’s check this site out. It’s an on line Singlish’s dictionary to find more vocabularies. Perhaps you feel this site is satire, well they said:- “Satire is always rooted in reality. Which is why even though we’re a humorous site, we try to adhere to professional journalistic principles. This helps us avoid or lessen the impact of defamation suits from people with thin skins. (Believe it or not, there are a lot of them, especially in kiasu Singapore) . Ultimately what we want to do is build a community of Singaporeans with a sense of humor and who enjoy life in all its complexity”.

Well, they always have the way to celebrate their uniqueness. They sell it and perhaps we are the one who buy it, as their motto;- Uniquely Singapore-Discover a world of unique contrasts.

“Kanasai! How come today so hard arh? Gone case liao lah! Bye, bye”

Note;-

Argly: ugly

Cheenapiang/cheenapok: A derogatory term used by Singaporeans who are more well-versed and comfortable in English to describe (insult) those who are more well versed in Chinese and who cannot speak English properly.
1. “Wah lau! He’s super cheenapiang, man. Hear the way he speaks English!”
2. “Ah Lians and Ah Bengs are all cheenapoks!”

Liao: Most basic and famous of Singlish expressions. Means “already”. From Chinese “了”. Ex: “Lai liao, Lai liao!!” Lai is “Come” in Chinese, so “Lai liao” means “Come already”/ “I am coming”/ “(someone) has come”. Liao can also be used with Leh or Lah. “I told you he came liao leh!/I told you he came liao lah!”

Kanasai/Kenasai: Exclamation of anger to show your frustration at something that is not done satisfactorily.

You might ever heard Singlish? Yes, this is for Singaporean-English, what about Japlish and Chinglish for Japanese English and Chinese English? Well, I found this site;- www.engrish.com this is a funny site I think. We can find some funny images regarding the Japanese’s mistake in English. It’s all about humour and for fun.

What is Engrish? It’s the way of Japanese spells English mostly. Yeah, they have difficulties to pronounce “L”, their inability to differentiate between “R” and “L” made them pronounce “Eric Crapton”. Other famous mistake is “erection” for “election” . Other is prononciation of “shi” and “she”, “shit” and “sit” — so do not expect the Japanese give you report about the situation because you will get the “shituation” report . Mmm… perhaps we did the same mistake sometimes, silly but it happened, well I just can say… we are not native, so? Stop laugh! why don’t you start to open this site to prove by your self…

Just remember about it: next April 22nd is Earth Day. Hi I should post this in Amaliaonearth, but never mind. The history of Earth Day is such as written in Wikipedia was begining as the continuity of celebration of The equinoctial Earth Day (March equinox). It was Gaylord Nelson, the principal founder of Earth Day, every April 22nd since 1970. You can read his statement here.   Guys, I am not really care about this. The truth is I just need a “real green work”.  The options are;- we do something to save our environment or we let the capitalizm ruins it. The real green work is not always a great green work. Starting from small thing, such as dedicated manage your own trash wisely, processing it into compost, and plant some trees. Small work to do for the sake of the green Earth.

Here are Green tips at work that I adopted from some site;-

• You can save trees by using paper wisely, such as;-  Photocopy or print on both sides of the page and reuse paper until both sides are used up. Reduce the number of hard copies and try to distribute the soft copies instead of hard copies. Buy recycled, chlorine-free paper and recycle office paper when you are finished with it, reuse envelopes — people need the content instead of the envelope, use a plain paper fax machine so you can reuse and recycle the paper.
• Implement purchasing policies that consider the environmental record of companies you are buying goods and services from.
• Use paper clips, staples, string or non-toxic glue instead of adhesive tape when possible. Use stick-type glues or basic white glue. Avoid glues and cements that emit the smell of solvents (ie. rubber cement, hobby glue).
• Use crayons, china markers (wax pencils) or coloured pencils instead of solvent based markers.
• Use refillable pens and pencils rather than disposable ones.
• Take your own ceramic or china coffee cup to work, and bring your lunch in a reusable container.
• Investigate the health hazards in your office and line of work. Seek and promote alternatives.
• Help educate your coworkers about the environment.
• Set up a recycling program.
• Set up an environmental bulletin board to post notices about local environmental meetings, environmental news and green cleaning tips.
• Encourage your company pension plan not to invest in companies that harm the environment.
• Lobby your company to set up a committee to monitor its environmental performance, and a good company usually has its SHE.  
• Walk or ride a bike to work. Use public transit or carpool – you can advertise at work or on community bulletin boards.

Well, you never know if you don’t try. What are you waiting for?

Additional tips from Luthfi;- Replacing old light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. and I add;- Do you know it can trim 5 percent from your monthly electrical bill. Go for the premium fluorescents that cast a pure white or buttery golden light.

I received a short message yesterday from miss Mulia Arief, her mother just passed away. Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Roji’un. The Almighty has just called her back beside Him. I don’t know, whether she allows me to write my condolence in her blog or not, but apologize I posted it.  

It just yesterday we celebrated the mother’s day but now her mother is gone. I have no perfect words to show my sympathy, but I try hard to express what I feel with my imperfect English.  

Like Mr. Yari ever said here, the role of mother is irreplaceable. So does she. I only wish mbak Cantik have pertinacity and be strong due to this great loss. This Earth is temporary, the day after is our destiny. Let’s live our life in a best way and wishing every moments bring us closer and closer to the Almighty. It’s only the way to unity with your mother, because I believe the Almighty insyaAllah will give the best place for her.  

My sincere condolence on your mother’s (Ibu Basse Daeng Djintu) passing on Dec 26^th, 2007. Her presence in this world was a blessing. My love and praying for the family for this great loss. May Allah bless you and the family.  

Jennie S. Bev has said, If you’re good, the whole world will know. If you are bad, the whole world will also know…. because “the world is flat” (Thomas L. Friedman).
Since I decide to have a blog, this quote suits me. It’s like a reminder… keep learning and learning… and I wish at the end, Agoyyoga’s Weblog will show my learning curve…

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.

Still remember this quote?

Yes, William A. Ward…
Encourage me, and I will not forget you…

Nov 24th, 2007

Adonde te escondite,
Amado, ye me dejaste
con gemido?
Como el ciervo huiste,
Habiendome herido;
Sali tras ci clamando
y eras ido

…..
Where do You hide ?
Oh Love, and leave me
moaning…
You have been ran like a horse
After you hurt me
I came out and called You
But you’ve gone…

Nov 22nd, 2007

I work, therefore I am…

Most of us will say, we work to make a living. Actually working is not only survival game. It can improve ones dignity by self realization (identity). It does shape who we are and the way we are perceived by others, yet most of all, the ‘rules’ of our work do have a powerful impact on the way we understand and give meaning to events shaping our lives and the lives of others.

For Moslem, talking about working is not only related to “dunya” or about living in the world  but it is also about the day after (akhirah). It is emphasized to keep working, while one is over then start with another job. Working is a way to achieve the God’s love and this is a way to ”jannah” (heaven). It only happens if we are professional, “ikhlas” (it is only for God), to be honest and objective in every way, highly ethic, and obey the “syariah” (the Moslem rule*…in simple way*).

Labora Ergo Sum is reflected a Moslem way… Let’s start our work toady with a simple pray to God…Bismillahirrahmannirrahiim…