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1.09.2011

Puasa dan Lebaran di Amerika Serikat

Postingan kali ini sengaja aku buat dalam bahasa Indonesia. Maklum selain sudah capek dgn bahasa Inggris, ini jg lg dikejar deadline ( ceilee ) haha. Pada intinya supaya lbh nyaman aja buat ngeblog kali ini. hehe. So, postingan kali ini judulnya tentang puasa dan lebaran disini, di amerika serikat yg bs dibilang salah satu negara dgn jumlah muslim terendah, lbh singkatnya minoritas dlm hal muslim. Sesuatu yg bs diblang amat sangat bertolak belakang dengan Indonesia yg notabene negara dengan jumlah muslim terbesar di dunia! Bagaikan bumi dan langit rsanya. haha. Well, puasa dan lebaran, 2 hal yg tdk bs dipisahkan. Sebagai muslim wajib hukumnya untuk melaksanakan dua hal ini. Puasa selama krg lebih satu bulan, melawan rasa lapar, haus, nafsu dll dari terbit fajar sampai terbenamnya matahari dan ditutup dengan lebaran setelah menjalankan puasa 1 bulan penuh. Lalu, apa rasanya puasa dan lebaran di tempat yg minoritas muslim? Gimana kesan puasa dan lebaran jauh dr keluarga utk pertama kali? So, check this one out!!
Puasa tahun ini amat sangat berbeda dr tahun2 sebelumnya. Tahun lalu sahur bareng, buka bareng, shalat tarawih bareng, tadarusan, ke masjid dll dilakuin bareng keluarga, teman dll. Tapi tahun ini semua beda. Sahur sendiri, buka ( untung kagak sendiri ) haha, tarawih gkbs jamaah secara masjid di kota tempat aku tinggal cuma ada 2 dan itupun makan waktu sekitar setengah jam utk kesana, dan yg paling parah waktu puasany lbh lm dsni krn wkt itu bertepatan sm summer yg sudah pasti nunggu malemnya agak lama dr di Indonesia. Alhasil, puasa pun cukup susah dan perlu adaptasi selama dsni. Tapi yg namanya kewajiban sudah seharusnya dijalankan. 1 minngu pertama memang berat, terlebih karena masalah penyesuaian waktu dan makanan serta sekitar 2 hari pertama harus jalani puasa dalam keadaan sakit dan orientasi. 1 hari puasa pun bolong dah :( Tapi bener apa kata orang2, hidup di negara orang itu selalu susah di awal tapi bkn berarti gk ada akhir dan alhamdulillah setelah melewati 1 minggu pertama semuanya sudah kembali seperti biasa dan bisa ngejalanin puasa yg cukup hambar ini sampai tuntas. 
Pengalaman serta kesan pasti ada yg didapeti selama ngejalanin puasa disini. Di mulai dr sahur, minggu pertama masih bisa bangun sendiri dan gk ngerepotin host dad buat ngebangunin tp setelah itu balik lg dah sifat aslinya yg susah bangun. haha. Sampe2 host dad yg bukan muslim dan gk puasa mesti ngebangunin jam 4 subuh buat nyuru sahur. haha. Pengalaman yg lain yg didapet juga ada seperti buka puasa yg bs dibilang cukup lama nungguny. Jam 8 malem itu br maghrib, jd bisa dibilang 2 jam lebih lama deh nahan puasa dr biasanya. Beruntung disini masakan host dad enak2 dan bervariasi jd sklipun gk mkn nasi dalam jumlah yg sering setidaknya perut tetep kenyang habis puasa seharian. hehe. Well, bukan cuma sampe disitu sih pengalam dan kesan tentang puasa disini, masih banyak lg sebenarnya. Seperti nyari acara buka bareng komunitas muslim dan nyari masjid yg bisa dikunjungi selama disini. Alhamdulillah semuanya tercapai. Ini juga berkat bantuan dr salah satu muslim di kota ini namanya Rashed Ferdaus. Dia sebenernya bukan asli amerika tp asalnya dr bangladesh. Beruntung bs ketemu dia krn apapun kegiatan Islam disini semuanya dia yg bantu. Sejak saat itu lah jd bs ngunjungin masjid dan ikut buka baeng selama disini buat pertama kali. Guess what? aku malah sampe nangis waktu nginjakin kaki pertama kali di masjid. Dan cukup miris waktu ikut buka bareng tapi malah di gereja. Ternyata setelah dicari tau disini masjid yg ada cuma dua dan semuanya kecil2, gk cukup buat nampung orang dalam kapasitas yg besar, alhasil mereka sampe nyewa gereja buat ngadain buka bareng. Bener2 sesuatu yg beda dan pengalamn tersendiri buat aku ngejalanin puasa tahun ini dengan cara yg dan suasana yg berbeda. Tapi lg2 mesti bijak, anggap ini sebagai pengalaman dan tolak ukur nanti setelah balik lagi ke Indonesia kalau sebenernya aku beruntung hidup disana dan ngejalanin aktifitas seperti ini dengan lancar krn hidup di tengah minoritas itu memang bukan suatu hal yg mudah.
 
 Rashed dan keluarga


Suasana buka puasa dengan komunitas muslim Rochester, MN


Selesai masalh puasa skg lanjut pengalaman buat lebaran selama disini. Pada dasarnya emang sudah minoritas jd utk urusan yg seperti ini juga tetep susah. Gak beda jauh sm puasa, lebaran pun sama hambarnya dsini. Keluarga gk ada, mkanan khas lebaran apa lgi, THR kagak dapet dll. Bisa dibilang jadi salah satu lebaran terhambar ini. Tapi, lagi2 yg didapet itu pengalamn. Sesuatu yg tentunya tidak selalu bs dibeli dgn uang, susah untuk didapetin dan yg pasti gk semua orang bs ngerasain. ( lagi ) Rashed lah yg bener2 plg berjasa selama puasa dan lebaran ini terlebih pas lebaran sekolah sudad dimulai dan host dad lg travel ke negara lain. Lengkap lah sudah penderitaan ini. Sekolah disini mah beda sama di Indonesia, jangankan ngarep dapet libur sebelum dan sesudah lebaran libur buat satu hari lebaran aja kagak ada. Tapi akhirnya minta izin sama sekolah buat "bolos" sehari. haha. Akhirnya karena saat itu host dad lg gk disini Rashed pun dengan ikhlas menampung aku buat satu malam disana. hahaha. Malam takbiran yg biasanya heboh di Indonesia kagak terdenger sama sekali disini. Cuma bisa buka komputer dan dengeri takbir sendiri akhirnya, melow lg deh! huhu.. Tapi malem itu memang beda dr malem2 lainnya selama disini apalagi itu malem sebelum lebaran. Rasany beda setelah bs tinggal dan ngobrol lagi dengan org muslim setelah cukup lama hal itu gk terjadi sejak ikut program pertukaran pelajar ini. Walaupun jauh dr keluarga dll setidaknya mereka bisa bikin suasana lebaran cukup terasa. Malam itupun jg salah satu temen Rashed, Amin berbaik hati minjemin handphone nya buat aku pinjem nelpon keluarga di Indonesia. Secara di Indonesia saat iti mereka sudah ngelaksanain lebaran dan lagi2 ini part melow nya. Nangis deh, keluarga nangis akupun nangis. Siapa yg sangka coba kl sebenrnya lebaran tahun ini aku bakal disini. Tahun sebelumnya juga belum kepikiran apapun sampe kesini. Tapi ya itulah nasib siswa pertukaran pelajar, denger suara mereka saat itupun sdh seneng banget sekalipun sudah nghilangin satu momen yg amat sangat berharga.
Keesokan harinya Lebaran pun tiba. Mandi pagi2 dan siap2 shalat. Lagi2 bener2 miris, shalat id pun diadain di gym salah satu universitas karena masjid gk bs nampung orang dalam jumlah yg banyak. Tapi yg namanya shalat id semua muslim pasti sama jd kami pun tetep ngelaksanain shalat id dengan cara yg sama dan khusyuk sekalipun saat itu muslim dr berbagai belahan dunia ada disana. Namun ntah kenapa aku cuma jd satu2nya orang muslim Indonesia yg ada disitu padahal muslim Indonesia itu terbesar di dunia. haha. Gak ada yg beda, setelah shalat dilanjutin ceramah dan sedikit ad kegiatan interview dan peliputan dr televisi dan media cetak saat itu. Ternyata hal itu karena bertepatan dengan isu kalau salah satu pastur dr florida akan ngebakar al-quran tepat saat lebaran, jadi lebih kurang suasananya lg pada ngomongin itu semua. Setelah ditutup acara volunteer dengan menyantuni anak kurang mampu aku pun pulang dan berkunjung ke beberapa rumah kerabat Rashed disini. Ketupat, opor, pempek, model, tekwan emg kagak ada tp setidaknya makanan ala asia timur disini masih tersedia. hehe. well, begitulah kira2 pengalam aku selama ngejalanin puasa dan lebaran disini. Beda dan penuh dengan pengalaman. Satu hal yg pasti ini semua menggambarkan sedikit banyak tentang hidup di kalangan minoritas dalam hal ini muslim di Amerika Serikat dimana sebagai salah satu "duta" negara Indonesia apapun itu harus bisa dijalani dan diambil hikmahnya :)


Suasana saat shalat Id


Gathering komunitas muslim Rochester, MN




12.19.2010

Southland "REBELS" High school

            Allrite guys!! Now, i still gonna sharing bout my life here in USA. This new post will talk bout my new school here, Southland "REBELS" High School. Yap, here i'm going to southland high school. The school which identical with red, white and blue colors.  Very nice school within very friendly kids there. This school makes really enjoy for learning bout america's educational system. And guess what, mostly things that i've been facing here they are so different with my school in SMAN 1 Palembang. 
           My school here ain't as big as SMANSA for a population side but for a building side this school is pretty cool and much more different like what Indonesia schools have. Mostly activities in school they do in inside building, it's kinda different like in Indonesia where mostly schools have several of activities outside for instance gym sports, ceremony, and etc.In here also it's easy for ya guys to difference which one is school building because basically the buildings were built such in the same view.
           Now talk about school i exactly also observing bout their educational system especially we know that USA is a super country in the world. So, i was trying to find out how the kids get their education here. But what i got was very surprising me. Education for high school here is not as hard as Indonesia. It's much more easier here. School is pretty easy, fun and enjoyable for me. It was so different like what i had in Indonesia. Here you can just take some of classes that ya interest of. Here i took adolescent lit class, gym sports, public speaking, choir, intro to business and US history. See, there's no math or science there which are a must in Indonesia that ya should take. And i just have a few subjects to learn. So interesting for me!!
          Then i should school here also more fun. You can wear jeans and t-shirt or something like that, you can be close to your teachers, and also my school starts more late like what i had in Indonesia. Here, it's fine to call your teachers just by their name or ya can also tease a lot with your teachers. And what i like here i dont have to hurry to go to school because my school starts at 8.15 to 3.00. What do you think guys? seems so fun right? 
          Well, guys i would like to still share a lil bit bout my school here. Now, i'm gonna talk a lil bit detail bout my school. Here, especially for lunch i have my schedule which means your lunch time is on schedule. We also eat lunch in the same time with other kids with the same menu. Except there are still some foods that ya can choose which one you prefer but the main menu is same. So, i just give my money in my account and when it's gone than i have to give some more again. The good thing of this your lunch will be in good arrangement but on the other hand ya can blame them when ya get not really good lunch. Anyway, there is always two sides of something.
          Actually there are bunch of things that i would like to share but i dont know everything's just kinda messed up and make me hard to remember all. lmao. Here, you learn mostly will need technological things such as: computer, smart board, calculator and not necessarily use a book. Well, i think this one that Indonesia's schools should catch up soon. Because in a global era ya need these things to support ya for many things especially education.
         Alright fellas this the last thing that probably i would share and of course i think the important one about educational system in USA. Here, sports is number one! In school you'll face a bunch sports that ya can involve in. Once ya get involved in sports and you'll see that sports is the most priority for kids. They spend a lotta time and focus on sports more. This is different like in Indonesia, ya cant focus on sports more. because you'll pushed by em to study more serious especially if ya are in the senior year.
        So fellas, that's a lil bit things that i could share ya bout my school. Anyway, Indonesia's school should learn for some aspects but USA schools also need to encourage their system a lil bit more challenging i think. But nothing that i can say i really enjoy to go to school here in Southland cuz i think this is one of an awesome school ever in my life.


Southland High School


Rebels logo


                



12.05.2010

New Home and New Family

Being an exchange student for a year in USA means that i'll have a new life. A new environment, family, home and etc. Sounds so intresting but also hard to do especially i never done with this circumtances before. Here is a lil bit story about my new home and new family here.

Minnesota, one of a beautiful states in united states is located in the north of USA. yeah, i've been staying here for a whole year. This place is famous by the lakes and guess what, minnesota is one of a cold states in USA. haha. I love staying here because people here are so friendly, we do have some of intresting places and an unique accent. Another thing that i love for staying here cuz we do have a lotta snow in winter time, i called this state MinneSNOWta!! haha.

Now, i live in the little part of Minnesota. A small town in the part of Rochester city named Elkton. They called it "elkton a small and friendly community." Very quiet and nice town. People here are so friendly and most of the time so interdependence each other. Which means they know each other and always help each other as a social community. That's a good thing though. And i was enjoying here and having a ton of rejoicing cuz people recognize me as an exchange student here. It eases me to get in touch with em' and being part of em'.

In here i've been staying with a new family that we called host family. I was staying with Bob Roberts. He was a single parent and live here alone before i came. He was a retired teacher from Southland High School which is my school where i go though. It's a nice thing to stay here. I was getting many experiences here. I learn more about life which makes me maturer, about my school and all of my concerns and everything. He taught me all those things and so on. But the nice part also he was teaching me bout american slang!! haha. Sounds bad but it was fun. Teasing each other and doing some of goofy stuffs. hahah. It makes me comfortable here and feeling like staying with my family.

Well, but the point is we're learning each other. I'm trying to know him and he aslo trying to know me. Learning bout our different culture and running our life here. Like what he said "life is fun." Interdependence each other instance of i was trying to give a joyful to him and show him bout me and my culture and he also helps me to passed some of hardest part and many apprehensive feeling that i had before for enforcing bout my american year here and so on. But that's what a family does for.

I love my new home. I love my city and my state. I love and enjoying my new family and all of situations here. I'm proud of being Minnesota people and got stuck with Bob! hahahaha

Welcome sign!! :)

11.29.2010

Departure and Arrived at USA

So, this is gonna be my first blog as a 'new comer'. lol. I kept thinking that i should have something to keep track a lil bit about my life especially here.

Well, the first thing that i'm gonna share start from my departured. Left palembang and indonesia apparently for a year and start a new life in this super power country, USA. July 27th, 2010 i left my city, palembang and had a orientation in jakarta right away a day after that day. I left my family, my friends and my girlfriend and everything there for sure. how was it feeling? Nothing i could say except a sadness. But that's a consequence which i realize that i'll face from what i did to applied for an exchange student. "life is a choice." I need a challenge that i should get in my life, no matter what. Now, i do. "don't limit your challenge but challenge your limit." Keep going cuz this chance probably won't come twice. Good bye y'all, good bye palembang then see y'all next year! :)



The picture of my family in Soekarno Hatta interational airport.



Last day at Palembang :(