Another Victoria's Secrets

[nazareth, moi, issac, norman, yonas]

I went to fX (read: Fun Xtatement, which was once Sudirman Place) today and arrived by around 2.30. Yonas said they were at Muffin House, so I searched for two guys sitting there but found none when suddenly I saw familiar faces in the group of 7-8. Yep, they're my junior high's schoolmates who gathered with their graduate school friends.

Yonas, who called the meeting, is now working at Freeport, Jayapura, while Issac, who used to accompany me go home by angkot, is working at United Tractor at Pulo Gadung, Jakarta. They were hanging out there with their friends from Management-Unpad after their entry test in Monetary Department in Sudirman.

About half an hour later, Nazareth came. He works at Ernst&Young, at Sudirman, Jakarta, in which I pass by everyday on my way to my office. We shared stories, no longer stupid stuff like 10 years ago, but more to office, work, experiences we've been thru.

After 1-2 hour we've sat there came Norman, one of my exs who went to Binus too, who is working in Danamon as HR officer in Kuningan. Not long after that, Issac's sister, Yohana came with her boyfriend and joined us for some time. It was kinda funny cuz she still remembers me.

Then we moved to Ganthari Grill Chicken at Bulungan for dinner and then Norman drove us all back home, I was the third before Nazareth.

I'm happy to meet the boys again after so long and--can you imagine that we met up in Jakarta? Who would've thought before that these guys are now in Jakarta? Well, not me, but that's what happened, that's the fact that they're now working in great and huge companies in the country (while I don't do a lot at my office) and are climbing to their better futures. I'm so glad to hear my friends' stories of success and I'm gonna find my own way to that goal!


[once again: norman-nazareth-yonas-issac-moi]

I was having an unpleasant day in the office yesterday cuz except that yesterday was my off-Saturday turn, I and colleagues were having issue with our employer. I avoided her by going to one of our site project at Hampton's Park, in Terogong, South Jakarta.

After working for almost 5 months in Jakarta and been in so many kind of public transportations in the big city, I came to some tips which I'd like to share them with you.

If you're a pedestrian, it's necessary for you to watch your every step in the streets in Jakarta.

1. You have to check your belongings; make sure your bags are shut close with no item peeking out cuz this is quite crucial for your safety.
   
2. Don't wear any provocative clothes, make sure that you are dressed politely and quite covered. Then, you can go out from your shelter if you're sure that your appearance is safe enough.
   
3. During the walk, keep your destination in mind and walk straightly toward it, no matter how far or meandered it is; just keep on walking and keep your chin up high and eyes straight forward so you'll seem to focus. People tend to bother those who seem lost.
   
4. Never bother the whistling or teasing they deliver to you. They're just killing time by doing that and it would never cost you anything to just consider them only the passing wind.
   
5. Split your mind in two. Replay music or sing some song in mute and think of something else in the other half. This could avoid you from such hypnotic stuff. It's a good idea to wear your iPod while walking.
   

But sometimes you'll need to take the public transportation so here are some of the tips I collected from my experiences.

When you take bajaj in Jakarta, you have to know the price range so you shouldn't waste time bargaining while you can save some money on this cuz they usually put high prices on newbies. When you take a bajaj, make sure you know your destination and tell them while you're entering the vehicle. You are free to do anything in that small compartment but take a look on the road once in a while to make sure you're in the right way. It's better if you know some shortcuts.


If you're taking bus, either it's Kopaja, Metromini, Patas AC, or other public buses in Jakarta, prepare your money (it's Rp 2,500.-/person now.) You should never wear unrespectful dress cuz it could really provocative to some people. Once again, mind your belongings. And beware of thieves, especially in the longer buses cuz it's more crowded which made them easier to operate on your wallet/cellphone. One simple tips; always get down with your left leg first.

In taxi the rules are simple and easy. Make sure they use the argometer well. It doesn't really matter whether they put 'tarif bawah' (cheaper tariff) or not bcuz the calculating is different depends on the speed or distance they've set (only God and they know it.) It is highly recommended to take the trustable company such as Blue Bird Group, Gamya, and other brands you're familiar with. The new TransCab offers hi-tech taxi service such as television in it and payment roll by the time you reach your destination. This, is one great quality they've innovated but I guess the price follows the services.

One last thing, you must have known this, but try to make some effort to chat with the driver cuz you'll get some advantages here; you could have a chat friend, add up your knowledge on whatever his story is about, and you won't have to worry whether he has bad purpose on you (although it's much safer to take taxis now than it was, and you can guarantee services from several qualified taxi companies.)

I went to watch the movie with a new friend, Carina, who I met in the office. She's here for 2 months for internship and she works here more or less because of my recommendation since she called me around 3 months ago introducing herself as Erwin's friend from the Maranatha University (which is my junior) and asked for some help. So I helped her to join the company and to find her a place and she seems to be thankful for that, she's been extremely kind to me for the late month we're working together.

Last night was the first time I stayed over at her place. We walked from the office and put our stuff in her room, then walked for another 3 minutes to my aunt's place. Hizkia, my dearest cousin, was coming with us so his mom dropped us at PIM by around 6.30. We had dinner at the food court and had little chat the three of us, but we mostly discuss about my cousin's new high school, Binus School at Serpong.

I went to Senci with my latest ex, Mario, last night. We had a wonderful Vietnamese dinner at Pho' 2000 and hung out at Starbucks til 10 p.m. But stuff were getting more complicated and we were back arguing of our differences. Well, it was mostly came from me for I'm the one who make this problem. It's me who made it bigger than it is.

But he said it's been enough for him that he'd sacrificed all for me, now I had to choose between making up for good or not at all. So I chose the last option and there'll be no turning back; this is the final decision between us and I'm quite certain with it.

Well, I still love him, cuz he's somehow the most loving guy I've ever been with and he's the one who loves me the most, the greatest lover I've ever met. But just like Samantha Jones said in Sex and the City; 'I love me more.' As simple as that, and I know that I have to let go of him forever. Let the regret be with me if someday it'll show, but I need to live my life the way I want it to, not by what others said I have to. I need to enjoy every minute I'm breathing in cuz that's the only way I could feel peace. And life only happens once, there are no way turning back and I don't wanna regret anything anymore.


I feel so much better peace in mind and soul for I'm no longer under Mario's influence. I'm now being me; myself. I'm now concentrating on finding my true self for I've changed and been in demand of being someone who wasn't me since my adolescent years. I've been following wrong instructions of my false surroundings and now, it's just time to be me.

I've spent 16 bloody years in Bandung in the way my parents and my surroundings taught me to and I felt regrets, uselessness and uncountable misfit moments along every single minute in it. That, I promise myself, won't be happening again. Being here now in Jakarta is like 'coming home' to me. Dunno how many times I've said this before but that's what I feel after being a refugee in a place I disliked.

Now it's completely a new life. I've let go of everything I owned in Bandung, the memories and friends. I'm losing my girls who made me and helped me survived. I lost someone who loves me the most and it's just me in this whole big metropolitan city. But of course I'm allowing more to come for I've emptied a lot of spaces for new friends and experiences in Jakarta. And that's exactly what I got here, I'm filling the spaces for only things I want and like. I'm welcoming people that I love to be with and experiences I've never had before.

And God have been so kind to me lately. Ever since I arrived here, God had lead me the way. He always have someone helping me to cope and adapt in the new situations I have. He put me in my aunt's place in the first place so I could get used to the tough life in Jakarta and now that He moved me to the apartment, He prepared a friend to accompany me experiencing the bus transportation, to company me trying every possible transportation they have. Transjakarta busway, Metro Mini, Kopaja, bajaj, all of them... He don't let me be alone.


Life in my office, meanwhile, have been quite flared up with so many politics and problems but God had put me here in the safest position, the most strategic position in the whole organization. And I feel that I'm loved for I'm receiving so many treats, especially for the last month. People have been so nice to me, like two people who treated me on different meals and a guy [sorry, no names mentioned] who drove me home when I felt too tired to take a bus--all happened in only a day.

And when I felt sad or not in the mood just like today (due to last night's heavy quarrel and buckets of tears), there are always friends sent to me like Alex (who fetched me at the apartment tonight by Doni's black Jazz and brought me to PIM2 to watch Wanted with Isak and girlfriend, Joey and his friend Frank by 11.35 p.m. They even entertained me with jokes and funny nostalgic stories of their high school moments while we were waiting for the movie to play) or Joey (who accompanied me talking and blabbering over the phone up to 4 hours post-midnight...nice talking-chatting-blabbering-discussing things with you, Jo!)