My Grey World

17 Aug, 2007

Indonesia National Day - Happy Birthday Indonesia!

Posted by: Sylvia Giacinta In: Current Affairs| day by day

Note: This post’s timestamp had been edited.

It’s funny that the national days of my home country and the country I’m living in are really close to each other. And Singapore had fireworks display at the night of the 17th! Okay, I consider that a celebration. Hahaha.

So how are you doing, Indonesia? You’re 62 now. Old and weary, I suppose? Still trying hard to stand up to be the “great lion of Asia” again? It’s been 10 years… Whoa FGS it’s been 10 years!! There were a lot of things going on. The monetary crisis, the terrible riot, the earthquake(s), the tsunami…

A lot of things can change in 10 years. The “Indonesia? Is it in Bali?” kind of joke is already cheesy. Now they know you as a insert-any-negative-adjective-here country. They call you terrorist’s basecamp. They call you corrupt. They call you unstable. They forget about your unbeatable beaches at Bali (I swear I haven’t seen beach that is more beautiful than Bali’s). They forget about your always-smiling people (tell that to Singapore people). They forget that you are, indeed, a pleasant country…

Nevertheless, you’re still my home country. The country that I still call my home. The country where I was born and raised. To be honest, I don’t regret leaving you. But I must admit that I miss you so much. I miss those cheap cute accessories. (Damn, why does my fetish for accessories grow after I left you?) I miss using cars to go everywhere. And I miss those goddamn hawkers that sell the most delicious food on earth, delivered to my door!

So what’s up? I bet there are a lot of things going on in you. People going to Monas to….. do something. Flag ceremonies.. Ooh, speaking of flag ceremony, I can’t believe the fact that I miss flag ceremony now. The damn thing that forced me to stand for 1.5 hours to see a flag going up and hear some bullshit… Gosh. Hey Singapore friends, do you guys have flag ceremonies too? =)

Oh and you surely have those competitions!! And I found many pictures of it from internet..

Balap karung

photo by supriyadisw. credit

Well, for the readers, as you can see, it’s a competition where you must race in karung (sack, usually rice sack).

Makan kerupuk

Photo by Aphrodita. Credit

This one is pretty obvious. Try to be the fastest to finish eating kerupuk/keropok. But the thing is… It’s hanging! =D

Tangkap belut

Photo by Aphrodita. credit

Catch that slimy eel! *yikes*

Sepakbola daster

Photo by devie_ritani. credit

Cross-dressing soccer game.. The guys are using girls’ night gown.. Either their wifes’ or maybe their mothers’. Hahahahaha… This one is the most LOL.

Well my dear home country, you didn’t have expensive celebration like the country I’m living in had. Did you know, they held kewl performances on a floating platform, complete with fireworks and lasers and what-nots? Nevertheless, I’m sure you have one of the most enthusiastic people to celebrate their independence day! And interesting competitions, of course..

I’ll see you again at December. ’til then, I wish you best wishes. May you be prosperous. May you be safe. May you’ll always be the Indonesia I love, until forever..

MERDEKA!!

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