Story from a far...

Gosh! It's December already....why do I feel it was just like yesterday when I had my last Christmas, and now it's coming again.....

Many things happened lately....my trip to HK and Indonesia. Finally I decided to go home.....and although I couldn't find anyone to be my tour guide, I strengthened my heart to take my solo trip to HK. And....it was a piece of cake! Public Transportation is very easy and convenient in HK, and I didn't have any problem at all walking around in HK, alone. All I had just my travel guides (which I had read before I left) and a map from my Hongkonese friend who lives in SF, so I knew already where I wanted to go. Well, not completely 100% convenient, the only problem I had was getting food, cause apparently, neither of the restaurant has menu in English.
Surprised...huh? And....somehow, I think, HK is less western that what I imagined before. Hm...is it because they've been under PRC for these past years, well, almost 10 years since 1997.

But anyway, I am happy with my trip there....spent about 2.5 days only, but I did some sightseeing and some serious shopping. And, I had the cheapest mojito ever! Hah!

I arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday night, Nov 21 2006. To answer people's question, I went to Indonesia for my big bro's wedding. If not...hmm...probably I still wouldn't go there.

First day in Jakarta, I had stomachache, diarrhea, after I ate Padang food. Hehee....too much appetite huh? And I thought I wont have any stomachache.....Luckily my mom had guessed and prepared some diarrhea medicine already. And I had headache! Gosh! The weather and the traffic! All the chaos.....I heard from friends how Jakarta had changed in these past years....but still, I was amazed when I experienced myself. Seems that the city is developing with no structure at all....too many shopping malls, to many cars, too many motorcycles. But I don't think there are too many people, well, maybe because I have seen more people in China. What worse, Jakarta's public transportation is really really terrible....there's no safety at all and very savage. So many people preferred to drive even though they knew it's traffic. And even though they knew that gas is very costly...and even though they knew cars are very expensive there.....

I spent my first week helping out my mom in preparing my bro's wedding.
And...my heart was aching when I saw how suffered my parents are....For them, having their child's wedding with no reception, was a humiliation. My family is not a rich family. We have been struggling financially ever since I was very young. I learned what the value of money since I was only....cant' even remember...under 10 yr old? I still remember when I asked for new clothes my mom honestly said that she didn't have enough money and I had to wait.....
Perhaps, that's one of the reasons why I love clothes so much now.

And it's very sad to see how they've gotten into financial problem again, while their age are old already. They should have started thinking about retirement, but the fact is, they still have to fight with getting enough money. And when they finally realized they couldn't afford to have reception for my bro's wedding (while he has the same problem), they decided to "just" have the wedding in the church...with embarrassment.
Thing that I can't understand. Is it wrong when you don't have money? Is it wrong when you are poor? I know it's wrong when you steal from others. But, having no money, shouldn't be a humiliation. As long as we are rich in spirit, that's all matter. I argued with my mom about this, that it is really not necessary to have a wedding with reception. Even I know what's the point of getting married: to join 2 people in love in a holy matrimony, to be sacred united in God. And not to feed other people. It is fine if you can afford to do so, but I really don't think that it is a necessity.....
But I couldn't argue with her for too long....I saw that my parents were having a hard time already, so I bit my tongue and held off my words.....I came to be with them, in a short period of time but to be happily spend some times with my family. I didn't come to give them a lecture....

So I was enjoying my time there, seeing my parents everyday....talked to my mom every time I wanted to....and I was happy I got a chance to see some of my good friends....and to see my childhood friend after haven't seen her for about 19 years! Got drunk, got headache, got stomachache..... but I was happy.

I left my home country on last Sunday.
It was hard for me to leave my mom....but....*speechless* ............
Gave her my last hug, swallowed my tears and went inside the airport to catch my flight. It will be a while until I can see her again...And I can only wish and pray for her, for the best of everything.....And I hope God would give us time. Nobody lives forever, and many times I feel I am chasing the time, trying to get the best for her while I could...