Before I move to Jakarta, I think I already know how hard life in Jakarta.. I first think that I can use busway for transportation, living alone in a boarding house, have no friend here etc.. so from the very first time I already know how hard my life could be in Jakarta.. But reality is different from my imagination.. Its even so much harder..
The prize of the boarding house in Jakarta is very expensive so its difficult to get a boarding house in the central city or near my course place.. Right now I shared a room with my sister in Tanah Kusir, Jakarta Selatan which is good in someway because if I’m sick there is someone can took care of me or I have someone I can talk to or vice versa.. but of course certain problem concerning privacy arose and become problem we need to deal from time to time..
Another problem in Jakarta is the problem of transportation.. Instead of using busway, I end up using the metromini because there is no busway that passing near my boarding house.. People that ever used Metromini know how terrible the condition of Metromini, there is no Air Conditioner and usually overload.. Not mentioning the driver used to drive carelessly and the pollution that I breath everyday.. Several times in a week I need to go to Menteng.. When I return from Menteng is around 4-5 P.M, it’s the end of office hours so its really crowded in the streets.. It took 3 hours from Menteng to my boarding house and I used Metromini to go home.. I used to complained a lot, how hot the weather, how crowded inside the bus, the pollution, the traffic jam and I imagine my life in Surabaya and how comfortable my life used to.. So I regret it and complained even more..
One time when I return from Menteng, when I reached Arteri Pondok Indah, the traffic jam is really severe, so of course I’m really in a bad mood and complained a lot about how hot the weather, how severe is the traffic jam is and how big the person that sit next to me.. Suddenly a beggar entered the Metromini.. I saw him and thinking he just a kid, he’s age maybe around 10 years old.. As usual he sing before starts begging for money to the passenger.. As I pay attention, I notice that his voice is actually has run-out but he force it to continue to sing and he did it passionately.. Through the whole song, he smile to the passenger..
I began to think about his life and what kind of life he’s been through.. He must have a very hard life.. Hearing his voice, I know he must have been singing the whole day and now in the end of the day (it’s around 7 P.M) he’s still need to work.. I imagine he must not have the time to go to school and some of what he earned that day must be given to his boss.. What he have in the end may not be much and couldn’t be enough to have a decent life.. I imagine what he would be doing in the future because he can’t be a beggar through out his life, at some point he had to stop but what kind of job he can do if he don’t have education.. Of course the choice is going to be very limited for him..
His constant smile to the passenger and his passion when he sing that first catch my attention.. With a hard life ahead him, he still can smile.. That fact brought shame on me on how easily I complained.. I began to see my life differently and asking what I’m really complaining about.. I have amazing parents and family that always support me, I don’t have to begging for food, I have a Bachelor degree from reputable university, If I work I can have a decent salary, I have a plan for my future and right now I’m working on it and more importantly I have a choice to decide what I’m going to do with my life.. Suddenly life is not as hard as I thought before, the heat is not as hot as before, the traffic jam and the person that sit right next to me is not bothering as much as before..
Its true when people said that poverty didn’t automatically signify unhappiness.. That smile I saw from that kid showed me how true that phrase is.. In the end I gave him Rp. 500 for the song he sang and a lesson of a lifetime that I learned from him.. Until now I never met him again but I’ll never forget the lesson he thought me and the smile in his face..
The prize of the boarding house in Jakarta is very expensive so its difficult to get a boarding house in the central city or near my course place.. Right now I shared a room with my sister in Tanah Kusir, Jakarta Selatan which is good in someway because if I’m sick there is someone can took care of me or I have someone I can talk to or vice versa.. but of course certain problem concerning privacy arose and become problem we need to deal from time to time..
Another problem in Jakarta is the problem of transportation.. Instead of using busway, I end up using the metromini because there is no busway that passing near my boarding house.. People that ever used Metromini know how terrible the condition of Metromini, there is no Air Conditioner and usually overload.. Not mentioning the driver used to drive carelessly and the pollution that I breath everyday.. Several times in a week I need to go to Menteng.. When I return from Menteng is around 4-5 P.M, it’s the end of office hours so its really crowded in the streets.. It took 3 hours from Menteng to my boarding house and I used Metromini to go home.. I used to complained a lot, how hot the weather, how crowded inside the bus, the pollution, the traffic jam and I imagine my life in Surabaya and how comfortable my life used to.. So I regret it and complained even more..
One time when I return from Menteng, when I reached Arteri Pondok Indah, the traffic jam is really severe, so of course I’m really in a bad mood and complained a lot about how hot the weather, how severe is the traffic jam is and how big the person that sit next to me.. Suddenly a beggar entered the Metromini.. I saw him and thinking he just a kid, he’s age maybe around 10 years old.. As usual he sing before starts begging for money to the passenger.. As I pay attention, I notice that his voice is actually has run-out but he force it to continue to sing and he did it passionately.. Through the whole song, he smile to the passenger..
I began to think about his life and what kind of life he’s been through.. He must have a very hard life.. Hearing his voice, I know he must have been singing the whole day and now in the end of the day (it’s around 7 P.M) he’s still need to work.. I imagine he must not have the time to go to school and some of what he earned that day must be given to his boss.. What he have in the end may not be much and couldn’t be enough to have a decent life.. I imagine what he would be doing in the future because he can’t be a beggar through out his life, at some point he had to stop but what kind of job he can do if he don’t have education.. Of course the choice is going to be very limited for him..
His constant smile to the passenger and his passion when he sing that first catch my attention.. With a hard life ahead him, he still can smile.. That fact brought shame on me on how easily I complained.. I began to see my life differently and asking what I’m really complaining about.. I have amazing parents and family that always support me, I don’t have to begging for food, I have a Bachelor degree from reputable university, If I work I can have a decent salary, I have a plan for my future and right now I’m working on it and more importantly I have a choice to decide what I’m going to do with my life.. Suddenly life is not as hard as I thought before, the heat is not as hot as before, the traffic jam and the person that sit right next to me is not bothering as much as before..
Its true when people said that poverty didn’t automatically signify unhappiness.. That smile I saw from that kid showed me how true that phrase is.. In the end I gave him Rp. 500 for the song he sang and a lesson of a lifetime that I learned from him.. Until now I never met him again but I’ll never forget the lesson he thought me and the smile in his face..
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