Ramadhan and….. going home !! -_-

Ramdhan is a holy month for Muslims all over the globe.  It is also a period where Muslims are not allowed to drink, eat, have sex(If they are married) for certain period of time. How we fast is we get up early in the morning(depending on where we live) because I live in Indonesia I normally wake up at 3.30am and break my fasting around 6.30.

For me, This ramadhan means so special, not only because I fast in USA but also I fast 3 hours longer than I do back home. I start considering what I eat for breakfast. 17.5 hours without eating is not easy to do. I also experience things I have never experienced before. A lots of American ask me about the purpose of fasting, consequences if you did not fast, and the most frequent asked question from American is “what if you do not fast as long as you are suppose to?”. These are my answers according what I have been taught about fasting.

The main purpose of ramadhan is to appreciate the poor who do not have food and drink. We bring ourselves to the level where we do not eat nor drink almost the whole day in order to know and understand what not having food and drink feels like for the poor. We are also expected to appreciate them and welcome them with open arms. If you could not fast for some reasons you can make it up later on.  For instance, you are sick in ramadhan, you do not want to harm your self so you decide not to fast. It is obviously fine. But you can not be spoiled. You are not sick but because you find out not eating for that such period of time is not easy to do and your sloth,  you don’t fast.

There is no physical consequence you will obtain for not fasting. It is about your faith between you and your god.  If you believe in your God and religion you will absolutely fast, right? Eventhough you worry you are not able to fast. At least you try it first and when you feel it hurt you physically and mentally just stop fasting.

I am still in USA. My departure day is coming up. I am excited to go home, meet my family and friends, but in the other hand I am going to miss friends I have been close to, host family which is the one who always encourage me when I need support. Teachers, They all have taught me not only about the subject they teach but also something I have never learned before. They always try to amuse students before learning about the material so they can understand and apply what they learn better. Speaking English is an activity I barely do backhome that’s why there is no reason I will not miss it. I am not going to discover the moment where I do not understand what my teacher says , I should ask my friends a lot of questions about subjects we talk about due to language difference and many other interesting things.

I have never been away from my family for this such along time. I get to see them again in 20 days so exciting!!. I am definitely looking forward to celebrate Idul Fitri which is 20 days ahead from now. I would say leaving the place you feel comfortable living in is sort of bitter sweet. You are excited to see family and friends in your home country but in the other hand you do not want to abandon people you have been friends with where you currently live. SEE YOU GUYS SOON!!!

These are some pictures from activities I have done recently :) :

Kayaking(I am trying not to get blown away into the shore, haha)

Chicago(My sweatshirt goes on my waist cz i wanna look cool, peace, haha)

I am touching a stingray!!!

My group and I on the aquarium(still in Chicago)

graduation!!! I am on the second row on the right side

walking through the crowd!!!

I am giving a short speech in the graduation ceremony!

The place i've never expected to say goodbye to

As the time goes by, I feel more comfortable living in U.S.A. I also feel satisfied of all achievements I got. I never thought I was going to be able to reach all of these achievements this early. The achievements I am talking about are not the award or medal you can get by winning a competition. Getting along with everyone, experiencing a significant change of my personality and being involved with some school organizations are achievements I mean. 

Being an exchange student has truly changed my perception about America, their people, and many other things. Before I arrived in USA, the only thing i know about America is they have some fascinating cities to go to and that’s pretty much it, nothing more. Right now, I realize America also have their own problem such as huge gap between the poor and rich people, rate of unemployment and so forth. I learn how serious and diligent you have to be at the thing you want to become in the future. For instance, if you want to become an athlete, there is no way not to come to the practice just because your laziness. You must practice constantly unless you wont never be good at it. Practice, practice and practice !

Once I go home, I am going to miss how quick american students respond when their teacher gets them to analyze and talk about an issue. It is one of the things I want to apply in Indonesia once I have a better position in my society so it is easier to apply.

Anyway, I have just been so serius as I keep talking about boring things without joy. Hahahaha !! Talking about what I have done recently I actually went to Madison for  Superior day in which youth representatives from Northern Wisconsin got invited to attend it and talk about our issue to the Senator. We discussed some issues such as, how bad our roads are, education, public facility, and so forth. 

A while a go I plunged into the pool made in the frozen Lake Superior for fundraising. I trembled for a few seconds after I plunged, such an unforgettable moment. I thaught I was going to die right away because it was very cold. A bunch of people watched and gave me an applause.

I lately often give a speech as I am the part of forensic club( a group which refers to the students who are interested in doing public speaking activity). You can do a lot of things, depends on what category you do. 4 minutes speech, poetry, solo acting are some activities you can choose(there are still more categories). I qualify to go to state for forensic. I am so grateful of it.

I headed down to Minneapolis for springbreak. We went to Mall of America which is regarded as the biggest mall in USA. My friends and I rode some rides at the Amusement Park there. One of the rides I rode completely terrified me. It brought me up until the highest point and went down quickly. I shouted too much!! Hahaha.. My friend who sat next to me did not shout as much as I did.  NBA game and visiting Science Musuem were our agenda before we got back. NBA game was fabulous. The stadium was fulled of thousands of fans. I cheered Timberwolves(the team I supported).

The longer I stay here the more experience I get. I will utilitize the last 2 months of my exchange program by achieving targets I haven’t accomplished and I can also gain some advantages out of it. 

NBA!!! The stadium is full of thousands of fans

This photo was taken at Amusement Park in Mall of America

At the Minnesota Science Museum!!

My lobbying team and I are about ready to go to the Capitol and meet the Senators

Youth and adult representatives from Bayfield County with our Senator (Janet Beuley)

My host parents and I ! A little bit blurry because we were taking picture by the time the sun sat

My article got published in the local news paper! 

I am the one on the furthest right on reader side. Soccer team!! Oh yeah

Taking selfie  while waiting for dinner

Still feeling cold anytime

May be some of you wonder why I put “still feeling cold anytime” as the title. It’s not that horrible anyway. That is just my joke, because the real winter has been taking place  for almost 1 months weeks. We have heater in our house here, so I always feel warm inside.

A few days before thanksgiving almost everyone talked about hunting. Hunting is typically American tradition before thanksgiving.  I went to Michigan in order to visit my hostgrandpa’s house. All the family member will gather in someone’s house in thanks giving.

We left our house at 9 am, and we arrived at Michigan at 8 pm. It was long drive away, we spent almost 12 hour on the road. One day later, we went to the festival, called “Turkey Trot”. It is a running competition, but you can either walking or running. The main purpose of it is having fun!! I just walked with my hostfamily and my grandpa. My grandpa isn’t able to run, so we walked intead. The city’s name that we went to is East Lansing, 10 miles east from the capital of Michigan.

We walked as far as 8 miles.  We headed back home afterward. We cooked turkey and the other food as well. Turkey was our main dinner menu.  We had some dessert also. It was the best time for those who haven’t men their family for along time and spending time with your family is the best time ever.

Thanksgiving night is different from any other night, because you can go to any store and get stuff you want cheaper than it is supposed to cost. That night is called Black Friday.  But you have to be at the store early than any other people, otherwise it will be sold out, but the worst thing is I didn’t go there. I was so exhausted. I had hectic thanksgiving day.

Thanksgiving day is celebrated evry November 25^th. We have 4 days off  to celebrate it. All the people around the world celebrated new year, so did I! My English teacher told methere is no specific  celebration here on newyears night, besides because the town that I am living in  is a small town, people here would rather to celebrate at their house with their friend than go outside . I went to my friend house on newyears night. The girl whose house I went to is  the exchange student from Germany.

All the people who were in the party are exchange student. We played a card game that I never played before, the way you play is there is supposed to be 1 judge among the player. And there are 2 different kinds of card, green and red cad. Every one has to has 5 red card. The judge will pick 1 green card and every player must pick the card that relates to the green card. The judge will five the greedn card to the person  who has redcard that most relate to it. The winner is the person who has 5 green cards. That’s fun! We listened to a lot of music and watching movie.

I even took a selfie with my hostfam when we were still walking on turkey trot, haha

Turkey Trot! A lot of people were there

I still even remember how delicious the turkey was :)

The only one who wasn't there is my hostbro. He was in Montana for college

Look at me! i was doing rock climbing, good experience!

It is taken at the place where i did rock climbing

This building is called State Capital Building, it is such an fabulous building

Hockey game! Fortunately, i wasn't frozen, haha

It is called mackinay bridge, one of the longest bridge in michigan

one of the most awesome picture i have had so far, :)

Me and my favourite teacher in my high school. There is Indonesian writing on the little board. I dedicate this writing to all the teachers in Indonesia.