Portocal Journey

Think about Balam have realized me about what a perfect place I've been living in. Our current home is situated in a really quiet neighborhood. It's away from the highway so we never be bothered by the noises from the passing vehicles. There are also very nice mutual respect neighbors. We get the traditional market just on foot.

It only takes 15 minutes to the beach (Pantai Cermin) and more or less 4 hours to the mountain (Mt. Sinabung). That means we do not need to worry about the fulfillment of seafoods,  fruits and veggies needs. Now, it only takes 30 minutes to the airport (Kuala Namu International Airport). And only needs no later than 1,5 hours to Medan (to college, malls or shopping center).

Actually 'far' in Balam is just a distance matter. The company provides good facilities, though. About the electricity, it's not something which will happen permanently. Like people say, everything needs process and the powerhouse construction includes that story. I hear the children of labors and employees there are exempted from school fees but the schools are still under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, so do not have to worry about the certificate status. There are also shuttle buses which fulfill the transportation needs for everyone, related to school or work.

Being a teacher, regardless of its responsibility to educate, is the happiest profession among others. Good paying (please don't compare with the crazy amount of money a director makes!), long holidays as the students get, no under pressure work and with very short working hours. Moreover, I hear an issue that company held annual company trip to some places which if I have to use my own money to go to, I will not think anything and decide to just stay at home. haha.

***

I've downloaded some hidden object games like Cruel Games - Red Riding Hood, Les Miserables - Cosette's Fate, Otherworld: Spring of Shadows, Chronicles of Albian 2: The Wizbury School of Magic, Campfire Legends - The Last Act, Phantasmat, Shadow Wolf Mysteries 3- Cursed Wedding, The Fog, The Tiny Bang Story, Stray Souls - Dollhouse Story, Snark Busters 2 - All Revved Up. I save them savely in my Games folder happily to bring to accompany me in Balam. I smiled every each of the beautiful yet creepy games' installment was success. I will also bring so many DVDs to play in my laptop.

I'm so ready!!

I told my parents I will try to begin a brand new life in Balam. They told me not to worry about the water and food-needs problems. There must be some people whom can be paid to bring us that water. About the food-needs, it's impossible if there is no veggies seller selling around the housing. So I don't need to go to the market which opens only several days a week. The family there looked like buying their food-needs for a week suplies since the market is.. so far. Ugh! 

Moreover my parents added they will give me a visit regularly for sure.To give me more spirits, daddy came to his office where he used to work (he is a pensioner of one of a state-owned enterprises which run the cacao plantation) to get his monthly salary slip, in order to give me an explanation how lucky I am, do not need to start from the lowest level like most people did.

There, I don't need to rent a house since it is provided by the company. Electricity is a luxury but it's free. There's no cost for public transportation because the school where I will teach is near my designate house. It means I can save more money. 

***

My mother has prepared everything she knows I will need. Kitchen equipments, eating utensils, bathroom fixtures to my clothing needs; for washing and ironing. Everything! Even she has prepared the cleaning tools for the house, inside and yard.

It has been more than one year I bear this jobless status. I took the test to be a civil servant in three ministries this year, but none I could pass. Classic reason: too many participants, too few formations, too high passing grade. Duh! But it's like I triplicated three years exams within one year. I mean, so many people could only participate into one exam in one year. And I think this first entrance exam to be PNS of mine is the best compared to the ones of previous several years. I can check the people's scores who passed the test via online, so although there is still any possibility of bribery activity, at least I could see with my own eyes that those peoples' scores could prove me they deserved the passing.

Just flashback to the first exam I took in Foreign Ministry which took place in Jakarta. That's the first time for me to go there. As a suburban girl, I was amazed how that city surrounded by so many very tall buildings beautifully, the malls which I never see before, Jakarta's well known traffic jam, and of course the socialites' life style which kinda lowered my self-esteem. hee. I imagined how if I passed the test and moved to stay there. Undergoing the 7 months training at the education center of Foreign Ministry, before being inducted into legitimate civil servant. But maybe I have no any destiny to work in there. hahhh.

Continued to the second and the last exam which I took in The Ministry of Fishery and Marine and The Transportation Ministry. I changed my imagination from working in Jakarta to working in Belawan, in a port area where I will see the activities of the massive good transporting ships from domestic and foreign. Will play in the beach in the afternoon and it means no worry about crabs and prawns starving. And watching the fishermen go to and return from the sea, separating the fish from the net, are something I always experience happily.

But one week before the official announcement of the exam result, Noni texted me that there was an offer to work as a teacher in a school which is under the auspices of the biggest company of food products producer in this country, which has its branch in Balam, a sub-district (maybe) in Riau. (I don't know if there is other food products producer which is bigger than that one). Very seductive! The salary is higher than being civil servant in basic level for a strata one. 

So Noni asked me to go to Balam to give a visit back to her friend who ever visited her with his family, and ushered my files at once. We took the night bus, left at 10 pm and arrived there at 6 in the morning. Got off the bus, I still felt 'normal'. But when Noni's friend and his brother came to picked us up, I started to know what a place I would stay in. 

It's an oil palm plantation, a huge one I mean, where it took 20 minutes to reach their home. (And if it has been fixed, I will live in there too). 20 minutes from the highway by riding a motorbike with high speed, according to me is far! And when I saw the environment, a place where it looked like there's no life! Too quiet! I'm shocked. Immediately I thought, for what sake I earn much money if I had to live in this place? But I tried my best to control my feeling because we were being guest in a house where there are 9 family members, so I had to give my best smile. 

In the first night, I felt worry about the possibility I will move into there. But in the second night, when I watched a movie which some of its conversations told: we will not know if something is good for us or not, before we go through it. I start to think do not be only because of the momentary feeling, I lost a big chance which so many people do not need to think even once to grab.

We stayed there for 2 nights and when went home, I told my parents that there was a big possibility I would be accepted. But I cried and explained how the place was. No network coverage for hi-tech cell phones. Water came once in 2 days and the electricity was only active between 6 am to 11 pm. I also said that I saw people brought big jerrycan contained water with their motorbikes which I was sure for drink. I nagged how can I do that? I also did not see any market so how will I buy my food needs?

My father calmed me down and told me to make a decision which I myself was being the main reason; it's not a decision which I took parents as the reason. Then I said that I will try first before shouting I give up. But you need to know what I feel, I said. My mother started to cry and told me that before I expressed my feeling, as a couple with my father who started their life from zero in a plantation too, she had known how the place I will live in was like, and was worry whether I could live in a place like that. 

So I ensured my parents, I will try!!

There are 5 simple ways to catch my attention:

I will guess people are giving me a sincere smile or just-only one. For me, a sincere smile is smiling with your eyes. Not something that you do with just lift one of your lip corners and left the other still in its place. Keep it for several seconds and face-to-my face till you end your smile. 

I am kinda shy when meet new people. That's why I will really thank if those new people are good speakers, so they will be the ones that start the conversation. I am a good listener but hating to be asked so many questions in adjacent time. I also really get pissed off by the same questions been asked more than twice. But, ask me to listen to the your whole story only without asking if I have any opinion is more annoying.

To be honest, I'm a forever-kid. Don't you ever try to say any promise to me. I can't hear a promise. I will take it seriously and never forget to request you to make your promise to be a realization. Lol.

Haiya. I love to eat so much. I had said this several times, I can enjoy foods though they are not tasty at all. How can I resist if you give me so yummy foods?

I smile every time I see cute stuffs. Feel the happiness when touch them. I can't bear to ignore them. I'll fly if you give them to me. You are a pro if you give them to me in pink.

I think I will stop this 30 days blogging challenge but I'm sure I still have the chance to finish it. hehe. The topic for today is with whom we want to have some dinners includes the menus. I'll also choose the people (randomly) from other countries (some of whom are popular people) with the menus which instead of being favorite meals, they are something I can only see the pictures from Google. But at least I ever heard about the foods from some dramas. hehe.

He is the one who pioneered a very well known culinary tour community in Indonesia. Every food no matter how we imagine it will taste, will look so delicious if it is eaten by him. Moreover if he uttered his characteristically expression "Pokoke maknyus!". Hmm.. He can influence people to think they should open their door and go anywhere to find those foods. Lol. I want to ask him to have this as our dinner:

 

Mie Rebus Medan and orange juice. Yes, I'm a roadside food lover. About this one, I can explain the food in detail. It's one of my forever-favorite cuisine. Mie Rebus Medan is a stick noodles (the white one) served with the thick sauce made of shrimps, palm sugar, galangal, lemongrass, onions and garlics, bay leaves, and other unsayable seasonings. With boiled potatoes and egg, fried tofu and traditional red-and-white crackers and hot water-dipped bean sprouts as the complement. Add cayenne paste to balance the sauce sweetness and sprinkle with fried onions and celery. Orange juice is just the best partner to me.

Thailand's signature cuisine Tom Yum and iced watermelon drink (Nam Dang-Mu Pan) as the drink. I prefer the Tom Yum with rice of course. 

 

Bulgogi with rice and mineral water is enough I think. As South Korea is very well known for its Soju.

 

Fani is so into Italian foods. And the easiest way to find the Halal one in Medan is Pizza Hut for sure. I'll choose black pepper fettuccine for me and lasagna for her. For the drink, she rarely sees the drinks on the list. She will ask if there is any avocado drink or not and she will order it. And I will order Blue Ocean.

 

 

She my best cousin and best partner in enjoying foods in Es Teler 77. Baso super spesial jumbo (special super jumbo meatballs) for me and Mie ayam bakso (meatballs chicken noodles) for her. For the drink, we never turn from the Es Teler.