Catatan: Pilihan

27336515_10155917153960761_1938783188027321975_n-e1519796007923.jpg Menjadi ibu rumah tangga atau ibu bekerja adalah sebuah pilihan. Tak ada keharusan di mana setelah memiliki anak, ibu harus di rumah. Tak ada keharusan pula bahwa ibu harus bekerja. Semua itu tergantung pada pilihan masing-masing berdasarkan berbagai macam pertimbangan.

Kalau aku, aku memilih bekerja. Menapa? Selain ingin meraih suatu prestasi baik secara finansial maupun kemampuan, aku juga ingin selalu siap jika bencana menimpa. Aku ingat ketika gempa bumi terjadi di Yogyakarta pada tahun 2006 lalu. Waktu itu, Bapak baru pensiun, aku akan kuliah, adikku masih SMA dan rumah kami rubuh. Ibaratnya sudah jatuh, tertimpa tangga, tercucuk tai kebo. Akhirnya, aku terpaksa memilih kuliah di UGM hanya karena murah (300,000 rupiah saja) padahal aku tak tertarik dengan teknik pertanian. Untung Bapak punya simpanan dan Ibu masih bekerja sehingga kami dapat terus melanjutkan kehidupan kami meskipun dengan berbagai macam adjustment. Termasuk pindah ke universitas lain, mengambil jurusan yang aku sukai.

Itulah sebabnya mengapa aku pikir penting kiranya untuk berpendidikan tinggi dan bekerja meskipun aku menjadi ibu apalagi mengingat betapa peliknya kompetisi di dunia kerja di era modern ini. Jika terjadi sesuatu, aku sudah siap. Kita tak pernah tahu apa yang akan terjadi, serangan terorisme, penyakit akut atau kecelakaan dapat menimpa siapa saja dan kapan saja. Pengalaman mengajarkanku bahwa aku harus selalu siap. Seperti Bapak selalu bilang “Sebuah gerobak lebih baik ditarik dua kerbau daripada satu. Kalau satu kerbau sakit atau mati, setidaknya gerobak masih bisa terus berjalan,” dan itulah pilihanku.

Ride the bus

Notes: Rule #1

I am an introvert but when I live at someone else’s house, I will not lock myself in the room all the times and only come up when I am hungry. That is why I do not like staying at other people’s house even for one night because one is forced to socialize with others.

However, if I have to stay at someone’s house, I will force myself to socialize with other and take some time to help the host to do some household task because the host has been kindly hosting me. Otherwise, one is considered to be very rude.

Indonesia: About LGBT

Goodbye 2012! Hello 2013

You know what makes me upset about LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) debate these days in Indonesia? Well, let me tell you.

Last night, a good friend of mine sent me a message telling me how concerned (s)he is about all these LGBT debates. (S)he wondered what the government/parliament next step toward it whether they are going to ban it altogether, ban foreign funding for LGBT activity (including reproductive health awareness) or even worse if they plan to stop distributing subsidised ARV in the country. (S)he is wondering.

Honestly, this condition would not just have a negative impact to the LGBT community but also all the patients, let me repeat myself again ALL PATIENTS, (which also include heterosexual people) who have been getting ARV for free so they can survive and live their lives as a healthy person. So, I said to a good friend of mine that everything will just be fine. Let’s have faith in it.

Since the fall of President Soeharto in 1998, religion has been used as a political commodity to control people. Sometimes I am wondering whether we, the people of Indonesia, can have a discussion about certain issue without bringing a religious perspective or not.

It is very devastating because I feel that this country is heading to a dark age than moving forward to the future. What about if we discuss what really matters and crucial to citizen’s daily life such as food supply, education, health and infrastructure, instead of the sexual orientation or religious preferences, which are very personal?! Can we?

PS: If you do not know what ARV is, you can search on the internet. It is very googleable.

Notes: Let ‘Em Talk!

ORG__DSC5664

As I scrolled down my Facebook’s newsfeed, I came across to an article by The Guardian on a Philadelphia born model Amber Rose titled “Amber Rose interview: Even when I was a virgin, I was called a slut“. I must say that I have been admiring her spirit, I have also been listening to her interviews and following her Instagram as well as Twitter account to understand her perspective on women’s world, as a result, I immediately read the article because I think that Amber is an awesome woman who is outspoken about woman issue. So, I assumed that this article would be worth reading.

As I finished reading the last sentence, this article got me thinking about my personal experience. As time passes, we grew up, we learnt and we choose our own value of life. However, everything that we do, it often becomes the subject of discussion for others.

Why? First of all, because they have nothing else to talk about. Secondly, that is how society taught us. Our society constructs standard what we can and cannot do, the standard of what is right and what is wrong. I would understand that those standards are constructed based on scientific research with sufficient evidence but when it is based on morality, it is very subjective.

In my own experience, I have been called slut or gold digger even right in front of my face over and over again. It still happens until today sometimes. At first, I felt hurt but I grow thick skin by now. At least, I do something real and some (or many) recognise it.

So, if I may say….. do whatever you want to do as long as you do not hurt other people, as long as you are being responsible about it. Never do something just to please others while you are suffering from it.

Notes: Faith and Relationsh!t

LRG__DSC6447 I often heard people saying “I cannot marry this person because we do not have same religion” or “I cannot marry this person because (s)he doesn’t wanna convert into x religion”. It got me thinking and wondering what love really is.

Frankly, I just do not understand when a lover asks, demands or even worse sometimes FORCES their partner to convert into certain religion or belief simply to get married, simply to prove that (s)he loves him/her.

What is the point to make them convert into certain religion, has it on the paper but they just do not believe it. Even worse, it is not uncommon that some of them would make fun of it and disrespect it because they do not believe it.

Meanwhile, if (s)he does not convert, one of them will consider her/him for not sincerely loving them. And sometimes, if (s)he does not convert, it is often translated or concluded or defined that their lover does not respect one’s parents. Really?!

First of all, your love should not be measured based on their belief, race or social status. Secondly, you marry her/him and not her/his parents. And last but not least, you just cannot force one to convert into something that they do not believe in. I just find this dumb and stupid!

Sadly, it is pretty common practice in Indonesia because regulation only allows the legalization of marriage to be done in a religious institution. You cannot just go to the civil registry. Even worse, those religions are imported religions in this country.

Forcing an individual to convert into certain religion means that one forces others to lie to themselves. If one can lie to themselves, it is not impossible that (s)he will lie to their partner too.

You see how religions play with people’s mind. Lovers forget what love is. Lovers forget that when you love someone, you must love them unconditionally.

Notes: Women’s Voices

Bali Undercover by Malcolm Scott [2015:EO]

When I published “Bule Hunter: Money, Sex and Love” in September 2014, I received a stream of criticism in the net from many people. I would have understood that they criticized my book after they read it but they have not. They criticized it based on some media coverages. Those are including many Indonesian women, who are in relationship with Western Men and feel offended with my writing as well as other people are who simply narrow minded.

Some of them said that it was just a bunch of gossip, some of them said that it’s not a journalism work because it’s very subjective yadda yadda yadda (Well honey, it’s hard to find an objective journalism work these days. Media is controlled by companies who are linked to govt). Anyway, there were big wave of nasty comments coming toward me. It was terrifying!

Frankly, I was shocked reading those comments. I refused to read further for few weeks. But I must say that I am grateful because those haters actually inspired me to write my next book.

So when I went to Times Bookstore in Plaza Singapura, I saw this book and purchased one. I read nearly half of the book within few hours over few glasses of Chardonnay. Since I read the title, I already assumed that it would have similar content to my book Bule Hunter. And YES IT IS!

It talks about Indonesian women, Western men, Indonesian men, western women,money, sex and relationship. However, it seems nobody attacking the Australian author Malcolm Scott. At least, I didn’t hear about it.

Is it because the author is a man? Is it because the author is a Westerner? Or is it because he choose a soft title instead of Bule Hunter?! Or is it because it’s written in English and doesn’t get a lot of media exposure in Indonesia (if I understand correctly)?

Oh well, we are still living in an era and place where women can hardly say their voices loudly and bluntly!

You Never Miss What You Had Until It’s Gone

It was 10:06 p.m. when I stepped into the house last night. I just got home from watching the premiere of Indonesian film “A Copy of My Mind” at 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. I felt restless and extremely exhausted. All I thought about was good night sleep. After I finished the shower and got ready to bed, I heard my phone beeping. It was from a good friend of mine. Yet, I did not answer his message until I woke up this morning.

“Beb,” my friend wrote.

“Yes,” I answered.

“I want to break up (with my lover). I’m a sex addict and he said to me that if I slept with other guys, we’re done” My friend wrote.

“Well, if it is the best for you then go ahead. But remember, we have a certain condition that everybody cannot just accept it easily. Unless you enjoy being alone and do not need or want to have somebody to come home to or make you feel complete, then you should break up and continue the adventure.” I went on,

“At the end, casual sex only gives us temporary happiness and temporary sense of acceptance. Those hot, rich and handsome guys normally give no shit about us at all. As soon as they’re done, they are just gonna go.” I continued.

“So I think, we have to ask to ourselves ‘Why do we want to trade one great guy with a beautiful personality and most importantly loves us so much, who also can accept us the way we are, with those dickheads? What are we looking for?’. As they say ‘You never miss what you had until it’s gone.'” I said.

“True,” he answered.

Sometimes we just take our lives for granted until we lose everything and regret it. When it is gone, it is gone.

PS: This writing was inspired by my conversation with a good friend of mine. Of course, I shared this story with my friend’s permission.

Catatan Fani

Herstory

sociology