Inter-Religion Discussion - Chapter One.

Today, i was just having a dinner with my new international fellow students. Well, i am not really having dinner, since i was still fasting this evening. There are a Bulgarian, two Dutch, a Swedish, two Latvian, and a German sitting on our table.

As usual since the first day of the orientation days, every time they are having meals and drinks, i always not consuming one since i am fasting. And today, again, i say that i am not ordering yet. Then, they start questioning the thing that i do, i mean the fasting thingy. They are wondering why i should control my hunger during the day from the sunrise till the sunset although it is summer, and it is a long day. They also questioning me about the five times prayer a day. Moreover, they also asking me about Indonesia as the biggest Moslem country in the world. And many more.

And here, i should explain it. It feels good to share what you know and understand, and also having people telling their opinion. Although it is not easy since, i am explaining my belief and it may reflects the whole religion. For me, this is my first time to got a chance to involved in such inter-religion conversation and i enjoyed it so much.

Moreover, on this occasion, i am the object of the question. I mean, they are questioning me, and i tried to replied. As one of my friend, Erwin, said : the thing that become our biggest enemy now toward this issue is the stereotyping and prejudice. Therefore, on this occasion i try to deliver the message :

Every person got choices. Every one has their own right to choose about what they want to believe in. The only thing is, no single human in this earth having a right to force what he/she believe to others with any mean. Then, we should respect each other.

And after that, everyone on the table are agreed upon me. Then i come into the conclusion that, it is not that hard to live side by side with people from different culture, religion, race, color, and what so ever it is, as long as we still have a will to learn, understand and respect each other.

The Honeymoon before the Homesick

Today I went to den hagg reporting to Indonesian embassy regarding my arrival here. Well, den hagg is just like one hour or one hour from and half by train or car, but today, I went there by motorcycle !

Not like my ride with motorcycle in Jakarta, my ride here is officially a motorcycle ride. Wearing a full package safety jacket including the pant, and full face and locked helmet. I get used to ride for like 80-100 km/hour with my scooter or motor bebek back there in Jakarta. But riding for 80-100 km/h with Honda CBR 600R is another story. With those huge 600 cc of engine, you can really feel the torque and the acceleration and also the wind.

Indeed, the journey to den hagg with motorcycle is almost the same time compared to with car or train. In most of European country, motorcycles are allowed to enter the highway. And then for the first time, I was riding in the back seat but I have to dealt with a very strong wind that made me having neck-ache. ;D

After finished the “lapor diri” thing in the embassy, I prefer to go to the Schaveningen beach to enjoy the view before the Ramadhan start. Come on guys, you know what I mean. ;P Today is a very bright summer day, temperature is nice for sun bathing. And yes, here in Schaveningen, today I got the view. Some bikinis girls and few topless women laying in the beach. Not bad for a honeymoon phrase before Ramadhan. The Honeymoon just before the Homesick.