Terrible Early Bird

Not my habit to rise early in the morning in Winter except I have an urgent res with my stomach, and I need to deal with it. This morning is a little bit weird, and I can feel a strange sense around me. It was almost 4 am when I've heard crowded outside. Slowly I opened my room's window, and I accentuated my head out to make sure what happened there.

I saw the police was caught a 18-year-old boy. Actually he is my friend's son. Their house is exactly in front of mine, and such this occur is often happening in their family.

After the police leads away the boy, soon Amy (the boy's mother) closed the door, and I saw that she back to sleep. I could tell because I saw the light on the second floor Amy's house no longer on.

Amy is my friend, she came to Taiwan twenty years ago. After her husband died several years ago, Amy couldn't take her children well. Her children such out of control, and like to drink alcohol very much. That's why Amy's family, especially her son like to make a troublemaker. Thereby the situation will be quiet if the police coming and took away that boy.

I felt my eyes tired and then I decided to back to my bed, but I couldn't sleep again. Thereafter I wore my sportswear and then I went out for jogging. I ran for about five minutes when suddenly I was shocked by siren. In early morning an old lady was taken to hospital, she got a heart attack and out of breath as people gathered there told me.

I scurry stepped away from those horrible scenes. I walked slowly on a small path where the way to go hillside. I always jogged on the hillsides when the weather is good enough. Suddenly I chose the other curve when I came up at an intersection. I changed my mind to go to hillsides this morning, and I prefer to walk around along the old road where's the way to catch plantation areas.

Taiwan countrysides abundances with such a good farm. I walked through the street when someone greeted me, ''小姐,早安,'' (Xiao Jie, Zao An/ Good morning, girl). I surprised because I didn't see other people around me. I turned my face backward and I saw a man was walking behind me, and maybe he was walking for some long.

I didn't pay any attention to everything around me. My mind just thinking about some incidents in this early morning. Without smiling I answered him a simple word, ''Zao/morning.'' The man asked me furthermore, ''你一個人? (Ni Yi Ge Ren)/ are you alone?'' A weird sense suddenly arise in my feeling when I heard he asked me like that. ''不, 我的朋友在前面等著我 (Bu, Wo De Peng You Zai Qian Mian Deng Zhe Wo/ My friend was waiting for me up ahead),'' I forced to lie because I won't he knows that I was alone.

I tend to trot and I accelerated my step to get away from him as soon as possible. I exhausted and a little out of breath, then I decided to take a rest. I thought I was far enough with the strange man. I sat on the sidewalk, and my eyes gazing ahead. Vaguely I saw a woman walking toward me. She took a flashlight on her hand and a round basket on the other hand. She walked quickly and I stood up like I wait for her coming even my heart was trembling. I'm scared. I thought that woman just like the strange man I met previously.

The distance between the woman and me increasingly close. I could see much clear from some steps ahead. Fortunately I know her, she is my neighbor called Mrs. Lee. My breath slowly blows as regulars, I feel better. ''An zho a se aje,'' she accosted me friendly. She is Hakka and she spoke Hokkien to me. Beside speak Mandarin Chinese, in Taiwan also speaks Hokkien, Ta Yu and Aboriginal language. An zho means good morning while se aje means miss or girl. She just back from her vegetable gardens in this early bird.

''An zho (morning),''  I replied quickly. ''Kim bu ngit an lang, ngi em kyang lang a ( today is very cold, you don't afraid of the cold?),'' Mrs. Lee tried to broach. ''Mo tong lang, ngae jok an phun a sam (not too cold, I wore thick clothes),'' I mentioned. ''Ngi an sammang a, an zho cut loi tin tong (you're diligent, it's too early to go out for exercise),'' Mrs. Lee said. With my big smile and a little gave her a joke on my purpose I answered, ''Ngae heu zang ngin a, lo ngin ka mo gyun yong, an zho cut loi mo maka syong kon (I am still young, it's different from elderly, it's OK if I go out earlier).'' I saw Mrs. Lee smiled thereafter.

Every Taiwanese always asked me whether I got terrible with the cold weather. As everyone knows that in my own country have no Winter. Some Indonesian will easily catch the cold when the Winter is coming. We live in such warm country, and span of the year we have the same weather. Lots Indonesian who lived in Taiwan got horrible time in Winter, they couldn't settle with a cold. Luckily, I am not.

I had conversation with Mrs. Lee about an hour, and then I knew that her vegetables she planted was stolen. I only could smile and continued my jog, I saw Mrs. Lee followed me to get home. I knew Mrs. Lee was very angry because that accident. She told me that she spent NT 200 to buy vegetable seeds. She was very tired because she must water the plant yet keep them away from the bugs.

I thought the rainy days recently made the vegetable is more expensive than usual. There are a lot of vegetable crops damaged caused by steady rain. On the other hand, some people who didn't have enough income and had some trouble in their life will easily steal something. I wonder, I thought only in Indonesia surrounded with thief and burglars. In Taiwan I found more and more goons even robbers. Yeah....every country had about the same such that citizen.

I reached home almost 7 o'clock. I sat down on a lounge chair, and my mind wandered far away. Sometimes I really need to live away from the crowded and busy place. I missed a lot the birds singing and the rooster crowing in the morning. I felt sadly, the series occurs in this early bird hit me pretty hard. There's nothing I can do for more, I must keep struggling to accept everything happens around me. I need to welcome the next morning in my day.

白娘子蛇 (The Lady White Snake)

The above picture shows the poster on TV series ''White Snake Legend.''

It was been 17 years ago since the first time I saw the movie Chinese love story The White Snake Legend(白蛇傳 : Bai She Chuan). It's very famous  TV shows in my town at that time.

I thought The White Snake Legend is more famous than Chinese Monihi and the funny movie Sun Go Gong or the gigantic Chinese movie The Emperor's Shadow. Lots people thrilled watching that movie even elderly. This is only one of thousands Chinese folk story, as we know that Chinese people pride in their stories and they would tell everyone who come to their country, me included.

Hangzhou is the capital largest city of Zhejiang Province, located in eastern China, at the southern end of the Grand Canal of China. The legend of White Snake was famous in Hangzhou, where it's a shining pearl of Chinese folklore literature. The characters of Lady White, Xu Xian, and Fa Hai that are created  in the serve to express the longing of the masses for liberation of humanity. The ancient traditions and costume handed down in the story enable the legend to loom as one of the relics that contain the richest information of Chinese folk culture.

The Legend of White Snake started in the five periods of Tang Dinasty and basically took shape in South Dong Dinasty and was adapted into variety play and script for story-telling in as late as Yuan Dinasty.

One afternoon, after Lady White and Lady Green rowed a boat touring around the beautiful West Lake, the gloomy sky rained heavily. Their helter-skelter condition was seen by the handsome young man Xu Xian, who gave the umbrella to the White Lady. She was attracted by his gentlemanly quality thus their emotionally moving stormy love story begin.

The scenery of Broken Bridge (Duan Qiao) along West Lake

Lady White Snake and Xu Xian married shortly. Lady White Snake would like to repay an obligation for Xu Xian saved her. She truly loved his average man for his honesty and kind heartedness. After they married, they set up a drug store named Baohe Tang, which nowadays has been the national preserve for stopping human from the disease. However, the path of the life was hardly smooth. On the other hand, Monk Fa Hai kept trying different methods to disclose the real identity of Lady White.

In a May Festival or also known as Dragon Boat Festival, Monk Fa Hai visited the couple. They're all drinking a strong liquor (Bai Jiu), which had been a tradition that Chinese people wanted to expel the spirit of evil during festive times. Monk Fa Hai knew that the serpentine White Lady couldn't drink alcohol, otherwise she would be returning back into her state when she was in heaven.

However, Lady White didn't want her husband a suspicion, she took the Bai Jiu and became a snake again afterwards. Xu Xian shocked to death, and Fa Hai was happy to see this happen, then he left the terrible scene.

For saving her husband, Lady White tried her best to turn to for help all through the earth and heaven. After many sufferings and setbacks, she succeeded in saving her husband. Xu Xian saw Lady White as a snake staying in front of him, wanted to bring back to her human state, and decided to ask Fa Hai for help. Fa Hai was happy to assist him, however, he told a lot of false details about the terror of a white snake. Xu Xian was of course cheated by Monk Fa Hai and therefore abandoned his lover.

Xu Xian didn't ever say goodbye to Lady White, who had devoted her life for him. Her heart was now really broken when she returned to the beautiful West Lake. She realized that it was not the bridge broken but her own heart. In the West Lake, Lady White made up her mind to use the lake water and all inside to attack Fa Hai and rescue her husband.

A great flood hit Fa Hai's residence, but he was strong enough to keep him alive in disaster, and he hid into a giant crab shell. By casting his evil magic, he built a large golden tower and caught Lady White. Fa Hai vowed that Lady White would not release unless the pagoda was collapsed. The pagoda where Lady White imprisons is called Leifeng Pagoda.

                                                    Leifeng Pagoda

As a matter of a fact, the octagonal pagoda was built out of brick and wood. Constructed in 975, by the King Of Wuyue Kingdom, to celebrate the birth of his son. Leifeng Pagoda quickly became one of the most famous buildings in China. 

Xu Xian managed to devote the rest of his lifetime to damage the Leifeng Pagoda until it collapsed. He was very regretted that Lady White had loved him that she was sacrificed her life. Several centuries later, the pagoda was eventually collapsed and the couple reunited in heaven.

Today, boys and girls; husbands and wives enjoying their romances along the lake shore and walking on the Broken Bridge, while the sorrow of the lost love of some people who will roam around the scenic area to remember the passing happy and memorable times.

Life Not Easy

Hi again my friends.....

Here, I  just reached my sweet home. Outside the weather is pretty chilly, I put my hand on a warm ball to keep it away from cool. I honestly a little bit confused about how do I start to tell. I have a bomb to announce, but there's too much stuff just like clogged my throat, and I have no idea how to immerse the blockage. I can't speak anymore, so that I only could put my fingers on my keyboard and I'm trying  to start writing.

December was arrived, and it's meant soon the new year will arrive. I don't know and I will never know, whether I could still write something in the next year? Every day I passed my day, and every single second the age of mine will be increase. Human life is a mystery, when we're born and when we're dead is something cannot be defined. It's something completely mysterious.

It has been almost three weeks since I began to write in this blog. The letters just like my best friend even I called them the best friend in this world. Only those letters who knew what I feel inside, only them understand me as I am. I sincerely and truly thank God for gave me a knowledge, so that I can write and read something while lots people in my own country still didn't can write or read even a simple letter. It's so pity, but it's life. Everyone must face to fate after we have our best attempt to struggle with those fated. Sometimes, someone had a good life while another suffered with pain. This is a real life, just deal with it.

I would like to thank to my beloved Mr. Yee, he never gave up to always teach me everything. His advices and supports lead me to stand up on the ground. My life is complicated before. I didn't even know where is my life heading. I didn't know where's to go, I didn't know where's to stand. No certainly of my existence. Life is too hard for me, and more difficult because it's without knowledge. I'm such a blindness. I couldn't decide what should I do.

Now I try to always face everything happened in my life. Life is so simple but it's really really not easy. Begin when I woke up in the morning, and it will soon end at night when I ready to reach my dream. It sounds so simple, but it's not easy. Just like water flows from the upstream to the estuary, there's ripples and waves always exist. I look at life and it looks as simple, but to fulfill the responsibilities and expectation of everyone is much difficult. It is the difference between simple and easy.

''You are as happy as you make up your mind to be.''  ~Mark Twain~

孟姜女 (Lady Meng Jiang)

This is a Chinese folk love story, China is a romantic country with more than 5000 years of civilizations. Many stories and legends live with Chinese people from generation to generation. The following is a Lady Meng Jiang story, she was a legendary character during the Qin Dinasty who went to the Great Wall in search of her husband, a conscripted laborer of the Wall. She learned that he had died of hunger and exhaustion while building the Wall.

Lady Meng Jiang is also known as Meng Jiang Nu.
In the Qin Dinasty, there was a good-hearted and beautiful girl named Meng Jiang Nu.
One day, when she was doing her housework in her courtyard, suddenly she was discovered a man was hiding under the grape rack. She was very scared and she wanted to shout aloud, but the young man waved his hands and asked for help. ''Don't yell please, and save me. My name is Fan Xiliang. I am here to seek refuge.''

''At that time.....
Qin Shi Huang Emperor was building the Great Wall. He deployed troops to catch civilian young men to help to complete the gigantic project. Many workers were tired or starved to death.''

Meng Jiang Nu agreed to save him. She knew that he was a handsome and well-learnt gentleman. She had the feeling of adoration of him and he loved the girl too. So in love and they asked for their parent's consent, they were to be married.

On the day of weddings, red lanterns and beautiful decorations were in their family. Happy guest crowded in the dining hall. When the darkness came, all the guests returned home. Suddenly the ferocious soldiers entered their house. They didn't say anything, they just arrested Fan in locks.

Fan Xiliang was transferred to the Great Wall construction site to do harsh labor works. Heartbreaking sadness was fully filled the heart of Meng Jiang Nu. She missed her husband very much. She thought that instead of staying at home to waits the news of him, she would like to search him in the construction site.

She tidied up her baggage and set out to the Great Wall. On the road, she weathered many hardships because of dangerous landscape and harsh climate, but she didn't cry and feel pain. The spirit of love had supported her physically and psychologically.

She reached the construction site, but she had still to find him in every small site. For a long time she couldn't find him. At last, she asked a migrant worker,''Is Fan Xiliang here?''
''Yes, he is here and he is a newcomer, but he is dead and his corpse is buried under the foot of the wall,'' the migrant worker answered.

It was like a big thunder in the sky. Meng Jiang didn't see anything, but darkness. She suddenly burst into tears, she cried mournfully for three whole days and nights. The Heaven was moved by her tears. The sky turned dark and the wind grew strong. A part of the Great Wall was collapsed and the body of Fan Xiliang appeared. The tears of Meng Jiang Nu dropped in the distorted face of her beloved husband. Meng had finally seen Fan Xiliang but he didn't see her, because he was killed by Emperor Qin Shi Huang. She then buried her husband and jumped into the sea out of grief.

The Great Wall of China

Mood Swings

It is one of those days I felt lonely and bored. The day is dark at this time, and the heavy rain flushed the city. It is another my rainy days. Gently I rolled my blanket, and I ready to get up. Lazy morning!!!
I woke up and get my coffee after I washed my face and brushed my shiny teeth, he he he
I always took a special care of my teeth, so they look so shiny and I'm pride of it. Well, I won't to talk about my teeth furthermore.

I looked over the window, and I found the heavy rain falls still singing, tik tak tik tak...on top my attic roof. I always felt miserable when the day getting dark yet the rain falls accompanies the dark ambiance. Chinese people said, when a person has a mood swing when the weather turned dark, so that person might affected by 抑鬱症 ( Yi Yu Zheng) = disorder depression. It's just like a melancholy feeling. The person felt so sad and wistful without reason, so do I at this moment. I believe 100% about what they said (I mean Chinese people), if the mood swings caused disorder depression. In the other case, mood swings may be caused from premenstrual syndrome, menopause, pregnancy, stress and depression (it's only for women).

I thought I was losing my mind, I got irritability, mood swings, bored and on top of all that I felt have no energy. I don't know why and what is the reason. Might be mood swings and irritability has an emotional aspect as well.

My Chinese traditional medicine doctor told me that I'm fatigued. I must take enough rest and relax in my daily habit. It's common in Taiwan and other Chinese countries to go to traditional doctors for some kind of diseases. I've done what the doctor said, but I still miserable when day turned dark and rainy. I only know that a mood swing is defined as a mood that changes erratically, often going from one extreme to another. The other doctor (not traditional) I've visited suggested that I might use hormone replacement therapy. He said this is most suitable for me, but I thought I got a mood swing not because I have premenstrual. It caused another reason.

The rain turned more torrential, I'm afraid it would cause flooding again in my town and unfortunately my house is close to the river. By the way,I heard a roving greengrocer come closer and stopped right in front of my house. Soon after most my neighbors go out for shopping vegetables, these recent weather not allowed us to go to market. I took my umbrella and slowly I open the door and gathered with them to shop vegetable and I got my favorite tomato, lettuce and I also bought some eggs. I think I want to cook Egg Drop Soup (蛋花湯= Dan Hua Tang). It will be nice dishes for cold weather.

Well, maybe with cook some of my favorite dishes could swing my mood from bad mood to happy mood. But, I'm not sure. I still felt I would to cry, and yelling. I took my phone and called my friend, I hope she would be willing to hear my grievances. I wait for a few minutes, but nobody answered the phone, oh ghost! I completely lonely.

I pondered and listened to the sound of the rain. The melody is unchanged and aligned. I keep listening and I found myself a little bit better. Now I know, I need to calm down before I shout to at anyone. I don't want this anxiety holding me back, and I look like a person has multiple personalities. I thought meditation is one of those ways I would try soon.

I know that everyone has changes of heart and mood swings; that's actually a normal part of being human. So I didn't worry, not only I am who have such this feeling, but also many women even men could have a mood swing.

After a couple of hours later.
Now is three o'clock at noon, Taiwan time GMT+8. I finished my first meditation, I feel more calm and I can enjoy the melodious sound of the rain falls outside. I'd recommend if some day you get a mood swing, you really to make yourself calm down at first, and then listening to the melodious music or playing musical instruments. May also you could integrate relaxation therapies anything from meditation, yoga and deep breathing exercise. (From my personal experiences)

This is the music I was listening to.

The Girl Burying Flowers

This is a sad story in Chinese classical famous work '' A Dream of Red Mansions.''
A young girl was still weak after her illness. She walked out and strolled about. She came into a woods of pomegranate and found the flowers was falling everywhere on the ground.

She felt so sad for the flower, that caused her to remember of herself. She picked the falling flowers and collected them into a bag and prepared to bury them. When she was picking the flower, she treated the flower as her old friend and she said to them;

''At present you die then I collect and bury your body,
But what time is difficult to predict when I lose my life.
Now I bury the flower so people laugh at my foolish act.
Who do you know would bury me in another year?
Look at the spring now in its remnant and the flower is gradually to fall,
Is it the time that the young girl passes away?
One day as the spring passes completely, I will be old and lost my young appearance.
At that time if you fall again but I die.
Who will bury you again and who will bury me like I did for you?''

English Lyrics; The Girl Burying Flowers

Flawers fade and fall everywhere, who would sympathize with their withered rosiness?
The petals are blown over a pavilion, and the catkins are stuck in the curtain.
All the year round, the frosty cold comes around aggressively.
The enchanting beauty cannot last long and disappears once scattered away.

Flowers bloom in extravagance but fade in silent, and the girl burying the flowers is depressed.
Lonely and in silence she weeps, and the branches are stained with her blood.
Hopefully with wings to flutter, she would follow the flying petals to the end of the heaven.

At the end of the heaven, is there any resting place for the fragrance?
What is still left after the beauty has died?
The clean soil will cover the romance that has gone.
The chaste body remains clean in the earth, never should it fall into the dirt.

At present I collect your dead body and bury it, but it is hard to predict when I lose my life.
Now people laugh at me burying flowers, but who would bury me in a later year in return?

Spring is now in its remnant and the flowers are about to fall, it will be the time that the girl passed away.
Once the spring comes to the end, and she has lost her beauty, who will still care for the falling flowers and the dying girl?

Human Trafficking & Modern Day Slavery

Every year, these unfortunate victims are either lured, sold or forced against their will into a black-market of human trade known as human trafficking. Human trafficking is the fastest increasing criminal industry in todays, and I committed to fight against human trafficking. To fight human trafficking is not easy yet the fight has been hampered by the lack of common vocabulary and framework for discussing the problem.

Huge numbers of unemployed people nowadays, caused lots of people step in such justifies any means. They will never care about others distress. They just want to make money that would enable to overcome their poverty.

Before I'm moving to Taiwan, I met a mother of two girls. Her older daughter went to Macau to earn money on purpose, and the younger one went to Singapore with the same goals with her sister. The older girl called Maria meanwhile her sister called Julia. They left their mother alone at home with a handful of goals and expectations. As the mother told me, her husband was dead several years ago caused he had a severe disease and have no money to go to the doctor. Sometimes poverty could lead somebody will live in pain even dead.

Both Maria and Julia enrolled themselves to a recruitment agency thru a broker. It's common in my place ask brokers for help when we need to go to work overseas. Sometimes the broker will give a promise a very nice job and high salary. Very tempting and seductive for who didn't have any experience work overseas. Maria and Julia themselves readily agreed with it touts bid.

On the appointed day, Maria and Julia take off and leave their mother and their beautiful calm town. Accompanied by their brokers, they went to the manpower training center.

It was almost three years ago, after they left their town and until now nobody knows where's them even their mother just lost both of them. A pity old woman only could put her expectations and with a hopefulness she trusts that her daughter will be back.

Nobody cares about her misery, she already asked the broker who taken her daughter, but the broker just told her nonsense. The town official themselves also couldn't give her certainty assurances after she gave them a report about her daughter vanished.

Such that incident is often happened not only in my place but how many times I've heard that happened in other countries. A Lin, a 17-year-old Chinese girl works as an artisan dishwasher at a small restaurant to increase her family's little income. Accidentally she met Ms. Wang, a 45-year-old woman who came to the restaurant where A Lin works.

Ms. Wang offered to A Lin a nice job as waiters in a big pub, and it will be better than she had now. Ms. Wang also tell A Lin that she will receive some tips from a guest and visitors. The tip itself sometime more than the salary. Seduced to earn a lot of money, A Lin agreed and she decided to go with Ms. Wang on the same day. Ms. Wang took A Lin to the pub as she have promised A Lin to work in.

After A Lin works a few days as a waiter, soon after that the servitude and extended to sex with customers in a back room of the pub. She threatened will be killed if she omitted. On the other hand, Ms. Wang acted as A Lin's controller or common it called a pimp and collected her income.

How many victims of human trafficking in every year around worldwide. Human trafficking deprives hundreds even thousands of people, men and women, kids even teenagers; of their human right, standard lives and freedom.

I AM TAKING A STAND, AGAINST SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING!!!!

So Grateful

''I finally realized that being grateful to my body was the key to giving more love to myself.''
~Oprah Winfrey~


''Dear God, I wanna take a minute not to ask for anything from you, but simply to say thank you for all I have.'' I almost everyday say that's words, when I woke up in the morning and I still found myself alive. Thank God, thanks for this beautiful and blessed life.

Last night I can barely even fall asleep, due yesterday I took a nap too long, also when I woke up I had a cup of coffee. It's almost middle night when I tried to lay down in bed, but my eyes still wide opened. I don't want to force myself to sleep as well, and then I woke up and start to write something.

I wrote my stuff carefully, I always made many mistakes but I don't care. I want to learn more and more so I didn't scare when I made mistakes. I can learn from my mistakes itself as well as experiences.

My body and mind felt very weak, then I glanced at my clock and it's nearly 2am. I decided to end my bustle and go to bed. The weather pretty chilly last night, my blanket is not warm enough to keep me from frigid. I indolent to go up stair and get another thicker blanket, as a result of my laziness I stayed up all night because I have coldness and I can't fall asleep anymore.

I felt like drunk in the morning. My head was pounding and my eyes watery. I fairly couldn't stand up, the earth was spinning too fast as I felt. I have laid my body down on a sofa in the living room. The rain still dripping outside, and I enjoyed the sound of the rain falls. Slowly I closed my eyes and soon after that I went to catch my dream.

Thank God for the beautiful morning. I am grateful for all Your Blessings!

Language Barrier

Taiwan oh Taiwan......! Although I lived here for years but my body physical still startled when the weather changed drastically. The winter hit me again, and I caught a cold. These days recent is rainy days, close a whole week the rain falls dripping. Taiwan has four seasons and it's quite different from my own country. In Indonesia we only have two season span the year, which are rainy season and dry season. Almost along the years we such have the same temperatures.

As a rainy day today, I can barely go out for neither jogging or do other exercise like I had done in every morning. As a result for all this rain, I just stay inside my lovely house. It's almost 9 o'clock, after I finished my breakfast I had watched TV. The sound of rain falls on the roof disturbed my auditory, I couldn't watch the TV seriously. Thereafter I'm spinning around my room like intoxicated, until involuntarily I compelled to open my room's window.

The rain still dripping, while from a distance I looked at a couple under the rain quarreling. Be careful I stared  them, they are my neighbor. His name is Chang Chao Bo but people only called him Chang according his surname. In Taiwan and other Chinese people always summoned their surname. Mr. Chang is married a Vietnamese girl, her name is Kim Cuc, they have been married for two years.

I've heard they always fighting due to misunderstanding. Two years is not enough for Kim Cuc to completely understand Chinese. Unfortunately, Mr. Chang is such impatient person, so that when they argued a small thing he always instantly furious, worse yet sometimes he beats his wife.

In the other hand, Kim Cuc also such a selfish woman even very cynic. When her husband got angry because he didn't understand what Kim Cuc talking about, she always went to her friend's house and ignored her husband instead. She has bad tempers.

Once a while, Mr. Chang ordered a tablespoon and she gave him some sugar instead. ''How can I eat my soup with sugar,'' Mr. Chang pitched fierce. ''You such a gig,'' answered Kim Cuc. Eagerly Kim Cuc put the sugar into her husband's soup. Wide eyes Mr. Chang looked what his wife had done. ''You are really insane, I will take you go to the psychosis doctor then,'' said Mr. Chang. ''I'm not mad, you are crazy not me,'' Kim Cuc yelled and left her husband alone.

I myself experienced, it's really difficult to distinguish Chinese accent words. Sugar in Chinese called 糖 (Tang) and tablespoon is 湯匙 (Tang Chi). If you didn't pay attention when Chinese people talk to you, maybe you will often misunderstand what they meant. One word has four different tones (First tones, Second tones, Third tones and Fourth tones). Like the pronunciation ''Tang'' it's also could be mean ''Lie Down'' (躺=Tang) and ''Hot'' (燙=Tang).

I thought it's a big problem among foreign brides in Taiwan, even though the government provided them a free Chinese language course but still some of them hard to can speak Chinese. By the way when we want to marry people from others countries, it's important to learn their language first to avoid misunderstandings. Don't let language barriers will alleviate the happiness in the family.
How about you? Are you ready to marry people who speak different languages?

The Miracle Of Love, True story!

~The use of miracles as spectacles to induce belief is a misunderstanding of their purpose~


Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.

The new baby was going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in Mommy's tummy. He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.

The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active member of the Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee, USA. In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor.

Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was born, but she was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents the was very little hope. Be prepared for the worst. Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for their new baby they found themselves having to plan a funeral.

Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. ''I want to sing to her,'' he kept saying. Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over. Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids never allowed in Intensive Care.

Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not. If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket. The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed, ''Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed.''

The mother rose up strong in Karen and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's eyes, her lips are firm line,''He is not leaving until he sings to his sister.'' Then Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at at a tiny infant losing the battle to live. After a moment he began tossing. In the-pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang;

''You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.''

Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The pulse rate began to calm down and became steady. ''Keep on singing, Michael,'' encourage Karen with tears in her eyes.

''You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away.''

As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained, breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr. ''Keep on singing, sweetheart.''

''The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms.''

Micahel little sister began to relax as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her. ''Keep singing, Michael.'' Teras had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed.

''You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away....''

The next day,...the very next day...the little girl was well enough to go home.
                                                                       

The story submitted by Cindy.

Abu Nawas & King Aaron

World smartest, cleverest and has millions ideas in his mind, he is Abu Nawas. Possibly everybody knows about this tale, due to the tale is funny but also very interesting among ancient folklore. I was reading the story since I was very young,  maybe when I was in elementary school. The story always caused my reflections run into my imagine and I began to fantasize. Here, I try to remember one of thousands Abu Nawaz's tales, I hope you guys lick one's lips to reading it.

Back to my point!

On one day, The King wanted to test Abu Nawaz's smartness, so he invited Abu Nawaz to the palace. ''You want me, your Majesty,'' greeted Abu Nawaz. ''Yes, you have cheated me three times and that's too much, I want you to leave the country, otherwise you will have to go to jail.'' said The King. ''If that is what you want, I will do what you said.'' said Abu Nawaz sadly. Then ''Remember from tomorrow you may not step on the ground of this country anymore.'' The King said seriously. After that Abu Nawas left The King's palace sadly.

The following morning the King ordered his two guards to go to Abu Nawaz's house. The guards were very surprised, they found Abu Nawaz still in his house, and he had not left the country yet. Instead leaving the country, Abu Nawaz was swimming in a small pool in front of his house. ''Hi, Abu Nawaz! Why haven't you left this country yet? The King ordered you not to step on the ground of this country anymore, didn't he?'' said the guards angrily. 

''Sure he did,'' answered Abu Nawz calmly. ''But look at me! Do I step on the ground of this country? No, I do not step on the ground. I am swimming on the water.'' continued Abu Nawaz. The guards were not able to argue with Abu Nawaz, so they left Abu Nawaz's house and went back to the palace. The guards reported what they had seen to The King. The King was curious in Abu Nawaz's excuse not to leave the country. Therefore The King ordered his guard to call Abu Nawaz to come to the palace.

Abu Nawaz came to the palace on stilts. The King wondered and said, ''Abu Nawaz, I will surely punish you because you haven't done what I have said, you have not left this country.'' The King continued ''And now, look at you, you walk on stilts like a child. Are you crazy?'' The King pretended to be furious. 

''I remember exactly what you said, your Majesty,'' Abu Nawz answered calmly. ''This morning I took a bath in the small pool in my house, so that I had not stepped on the ground, and since yesterday, I have been walking on this stilt. So you see, your Majesty, I do not step on the ground of this country.'' The King was not able to say anything.

The End

Stilts Walkers

Just Be Your Self

~I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I need to be~

       Over fifteen years is not a short time to live in another country. Perhaps it's quite difficult for other people but luckily not for me. Since I am spending my whole life living abroad, I almost didn't understand what is the important role to live in my own country, neither I can financed myself nor I could find a good job.

       As a stranger in a strange country, sometimes I couldn't believe if I can settle my life as soon, mingling with native and learn about their cultures and traditions, as long as I didn't forget my own country's cultures and traditions anyway. In Taiwan I can so easy to find a countryman, due to lots Indonesian people lived in Taiwan.

         Most of them are domestic workers and some is married to indigenous, I stumbled across where places they had often visited and I gathered with them. They made such a group and they will meet when they have a day off. For foreign brides, the government provided a shelter as well as places they learn languages for free.

        When I was a child, I am not one of the lucky kids who have pleasure in their life. I don't have a good life and education either. Whatever I was still trying to learn about everything when I have a change. My experiences have built my own life, show me my happiness path and teach me how to stand up. Even though sometimes I must came a rest and confessed I was no longer afford to welcome my next day. Maybe it's the reason why I am enjoying living abroad.

        A new country and new traditions given me a big influence in my life, but I only pick the good one up. I still understand and I realized who am I and where I came from. I wonder when I saw many Indonesian people just like completely forgot about their origins. How big influences they have gotten? How much time they have spent stayed abroad? That's very regrettable if they transformed quickly the way they were dressed up, they way they were spoken even sometimes they tend didn't recognize fellow itself.

        I had intended asking them a simple question about how long they have been working in Taiwan, and what they was earned span of the year working overseas. Some of them will be honest told me about their aim work and their goals, some just told me bullshit, even lied themselves. I can tell due I saw and I knew many and many Indonesian workers in my neighborhood. They often came to my house just to share their problem over worked, sometimes I also helped them out to solve their problem, and I'm pride about it.

       They came to Taiwan in various types of work, some works as care giver, domestic helper and as machine operators at factories. Whatever, no matter what your occupation, and how long you been staying and working in Taiwan, don't ever forget about who you are and be yourself as well. There is a retrospective pondering about your basic goals for a brilliant future. Don't let your environmental situation changed your basic attitude and your habit. Remember! Your family puts their hope highly in you.
Be positive
Be honest
Be peaceful
Be good
Be yourself!!

''A lie can travel halfway around the world.....while the truth is putting on its shoes''  ~Mark Twain~




   

   
   




   

Love At First Sight

''When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.''  ~William Shakespeare~

    Love is something invisible, we can't see it, we can't touch it, but we can feel how it was. Like the wind; blowing, sweeping even roaring around us. We can't ever get to see it, but we can feel it.

    As for me, I'd like to think that love at first sight is possible. Why? Because I experienced it myself with my current partner, and I still have him present in my life. We have been together for over two years now and I don't think to get a second due I want to maintain my love affair till my rest, (I wish).

       Not everyone has the same idea as mine, there are many also didn't believe in love at first sight. Moreover they thought that love at first sight basically dumb and sometimes plunging merely lust. I myself cannot distinguish the difference between ''love and lust.'' When we love someone, automatically we get lust itself, I guess.

      When you had lured and you love someone, certainly you don't have a real reason to why you love them, it's everything. There is an innate romanticism attached to the thought of meeting someone and having them hitting enough emotional triggers immediately to just know. I had a memory when at the first time I got a message from someone, the guy just asked me how long I been in Taiwan and whether I can speak Chinese anyway. I said, I can only speak a little Chinese at that time. Thereafter I often got his phone even just to say hello, but I really enjoyed it.

      I continue to think of him fondly every day even though I have never seen him before. The strange feeling come and lead me like I am someone lost in the middle desert. I have this overwhelming feeling like I just want to make him happy till I decided to meet him. I was caught by surprised when I saw him, my heart trembling and I couldn't take my eyes off him. I casually looked away after a few moments as to hopefully not make it awkward, but I felt compelled to look back up, he instantly looked back again locking eyes.

      While he asking me a question, I almost instinctively at him again and I twitchy answered his question. I'm starving at that moment, and if someone wants to buy me a sandwich, I can live with that, but when the guy asked me to have a coffee or something to breakfast, I just can say, no thanks. I'm hungry but I never have the gut to tell him. We stood on the street and talking on a level that I never get to with some of my best friends. And then he leads me to go to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall and we are walking around for a while. Timidly I also took some pic with him, and it was my exquisite memory ever.

      It's only taken a few days after I met him, and firmly I fell in love at my first sight. Fortunately, my feeling requited, and totally with him I tied my heart and love. The day after we talked and joked naturally together while I fell for his heart, his spirit, his humor and his looks. It all sounds so silly and maybe it is, but I would not deny that I believed in love at first sight.

                                            *Wise man say, only fools rush in
                                               But I can't help falling in love with you
                                               Shall I stay, would it be a sin
                                               If I can't help falling in love with you*
                                               
                                               Like a river flows
                                               Surely to the sea
                                               Darling, so it goes
                                               Some things are meant to be

                                               Take my hand
                                               Take my whole life too
                                               For I can't help falling in love with you

                                             

                       

                                         
   














   
   

   

   

Wife Sacrifices (A true story of an Indonesian worker in Taiwan)

''Dreams do come true, if we only wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it''  ~James M. Barrie~

 This is a true story that I heard from someone, her name is Desy (not her real name). She comes from a rural town, eastern Indonesia. Two years ago, Desy came to Taiwan to earn some money for her family on purpose. Desy has a son, and she left her son with her husband. Desy parents, both her mother and father was dead when she was very young. She only put her hopes to her husband to take care of their son, while she was away.

      Desy husband is unemployed, therefore she financed all family needed include goods and maintenances. As everyone knows that quite hard to find a job with a decent salary in Indonesia, so that she decided to come to Taiwan, even it's firmly difficult for her to leave her family.

     She was one of those hard-working, diligent woman, come, as if by mistake, into a fierce family as her employer. The boss is such grumpy person yet his wife is very fussy. Desy hired to take care a 86 year old grandmother. Unfortunately, also the grandma very talk active and she had senile diseases.

     The day passed was hard, she suffered continually, working as care gives and she was doing all house hold duties. She learned the heavy cares of grandma, the hard work of a kitchen. She washed the greasy pans and dirty clothes; she took the garbage to the street each morning and brought up the water, stopping often on the stairs to breathe.

     This life lasted for two years which at every the end of the month she always sent her miserable money to her husband, to fund his life and son. Before she come to Taiwan, Desy and her husband borrowed lots of money, so that they need to pay back all those debts.

     Even though the horrible life she got, Desy tried to stand up and continued working. She thought it was her destiny, she must try to face the fate. Desy cares about her son's future, as she told me, she wants to give her son a good education.

     Everything is fine till one Sunday she got the phone from her sister, telling her, that her husband didn't back home almost a week. No one knows where's he went, even their son. How shocked she was, her visions become blurry and finally she couldn't see anything, she fainted instantly.

     Likes the birds broken its wings, she completely lost her control. Desy keeps crying and yelling day and night, thereupon her boss supposed she was mad. One in the morning she came to my house and she told me all about her sadness.

''Nu, I have to think that I want to end my life soon.'' Desy said to me.

''Are you nut!'' I yelled loudly. ''What happened to you, Desy?'' I asked.

''My husband went away with another woman, and she is my niece.'' She sobbed.

''I know about it, your lady boss told me yesterday when I met her at market.'' I said and tried to calm her.

Desy uttered a cry and turned toward me excitedly; ''I can't, I can't......I can't take it anymore.''

Field

       ''Don't you remember, you want to give your son a good education and build your own house? Stick to it, and try to forget yours bastard, useless husband!'' My voice getting furious, and scolded her husband like I was her. Desy calm a while and her face bowed, I saw her tears fell down.

''I cannot afford, my family was completely broken.'' Desy noticed, tortured and angered her.

''I know how was difficult in your life, but it's worth to begin your new life instead.'' I mentioned.


She wept for whole days from despair and from disappointment. Her boss was almost send her back to Indonesia, she couldn't work properly because she always minded about her problem. There is nothing more humiliating than to back hometown without any money. Desy already sent all her money to her husband.

      Moreover I have heard that her husband didn't pay the debts was, even didn't pay his son's school tuition. The money that Desy sent wasted for his chubby regardless his son, even his wife sacrifices.
It was 6 o'clock in the morning, and I still in bed, when my phone was ringing and I answered. There is Desy on the phone, in a hesitating voice, full of anxiety she told me;

''Nu, I am at my agency office right now.'' Desy noticed.

''Hahhh, what are you doing there?'' In a little bit startled I asked her.

''I decided to back home to make clear my problems, furthermore I also want to divorce with my husband, if everything running well, I will be back to Taiwan soon. My boss lend me some money and I will pay it back when I come to Taiwan again.'' Desy talked all her points.

''Well, I can only hope, you will solve your problem soon, but I still afraid you couldn't handle it.'' I said.

''Not to worry Nu, I have thought all day and night about all what you said, you're right, I must rise up again and start over my new life.'' Desy said enthusiastically.

''Ok, good luck dear friend, and God Bless you.'' I answered her and hoped she will have a better life in the future.

She is a diligent maid, Desy works like a beaver, therefore her boss like her and even they were very fierce, they become more pleasant. Desy boss considers to remain her to work for them.

As Desy told me, the flight will depart at noon, four o'clock, and I guess it might be in the middle night she well arrives in Indonesia. Good bye Desy, see you soon.


~You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it~

   

   






 
   
   

Coutryside (Taiwan)

If you live in Taiwan don't count how long you been and how far you know about Taiwan. No matter where you come from, but you could compare your own city in your motherland with cities in a small island called Taiwan.

101 Building, Taipei City

      Taiwan several years ago well known as 1 of 4 Asian Tigers Economy is a small island belong to Republic of China (ROC), a state in East Asia. Before I came to Taiwan, I thought Taiwan is a country, in fact it's not. Taiwan is an island which has for all practical purposes been independent since 1950, but which China regards as a rebel region that must be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. The residents of the state itself called their own island as FORMOSA. Formosa is Taiwan historical, especially prior to 1945, from Portugese; llha Formosa, it's mean ''Beautiful Island.''

        Taiwan is a beautiful island. Taiwan very famous with its beautiful mountains, beaches and cities. The biggest city in Taiwan is Taipei as capital city, located in the north. Kaohsiung is noted with its harbor located in the south. Both Taipei and Kaohsiung play an important role in the country's developments. Many big buildings and substantial offices built in that city. Some significant businesses also running from both cities.

Kaohsiung Harbor

     As a modern city, people run their business everyday almost 24 hours. Taiwan also has a strong emphasis on education and work. If you pay a special attention, you will see how busy the city in the morning due to the people go to work and schools. The crowded will start again in the afternoon, when the people returned home. I really impressed with such activities. It's no wonder if the country had a big progressed and changed just in a short time. Either Taiwanese or Chinese well-known very diligent, hard-working and studious. Sometimes I imagined if Indonesian people just like them, maybe Indonesia no need to send its citizen to go to work overseas. 

       Night markets are places where you can grab some bites, buy some clothes, and souvenir also provided. Many visitors came from other countries, they came to Taiwan as tourists and some as students on purpose. Taiwanese themselves got a big influence from foreigners involved their costumes and traditions. The main language in Taiwan is Chinese Mandarin, nowadays known as a top language in the world besides English. A lot of poeple from other countries came to Taiwan just want to learn Chinese language. My friend from Italy and Brazil can speak Chinese very well, otherwise I just spoke a little Chinese.

Shilin Night Market, Taipei

     Such other countries in Asia, Taiwan has rural town. In advance, I didn't know if in Taiwan also has so many villages, just like in Indonesia, but more contemporary. Taiwan also has a small population of aborigines who comprise about 2 percent of the total population. I stayed at suburbs place, so that many former and gardeners. Most people in my place like to do something in some traditional ways. I thought only Indonesian people washed their clothes in the rivers, but also in Taiwan some people did. I live in a township somewhere in Hsincu County, my place is more feasible as countryside. Partly people in my neighborhood are retired. They fulfill their days with many activities, such gardener and plants. Sometimes I got complementary vegetables from them. They said, it's more healthy to eat vegetables from their own crops. I thought so, and it's cheaper than we bought from supermarkets.    

        Certain traditional manner is when they want to get clean water. Most people got the clean water directly from the mountain, me included, even though some still bought in the supermarkets. The water from the mountain is more fresh and clean. They installed faucet filter and water hose washed every day. While in the long term it does not rain, we took a long line to fetching the water. Everyone should not cut in line or jumping the queue, we must wait our turn. Sometimes in the summer, I took more than two hours to take the water because there are too many people want to take it. It's Okey, besides I enjoy the queuing, I also gathered with them. I like had a conversation with them due to improve my Chinese language skills.

Queuing