Have you ever experienced, or imagined, not living in your home? In Tokyo, sometimes people are seen sleeping outside or inside train stations at night. They will disappear in the morning, moving to parks or elsewhere, carrying their belongings or leaving them behind. A national survey reported around 4,000 people living in homelessness in Japan in 2018 (when I was living there) – that accounts … Continue reading Second Harvest Japan
Wow. It has been a while, hasn’t it? I don’t know how many people still read this blog or read notifications for new posts but if you’re reading this: Hello. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed having my stories being read by you. I’ve missed writing for myself, even if that means I have to live with typos and errors. Too many things have happened in … Continue reading Hello there.
Another year has passed and here I am, looking back at the year that’s coming to a close in a few hours. I started the year 2018 without new year’s “goals” or “resolutions”. This was the first after a few years of having diligently written down goals, even setting quantitative ones. Always on the list were to lose weight (5-10 kg) and write a number … Continue reading 2018
I’ve wanted to cycle in Hokkaido for a long time and finally did it last weekend! I went skiing in Sapporo last winter and left a part of my heart there for the island’s beauty. After Sapporo my next destinations were Furano and Biei. I know summer is widely known as the best time for visiting these small towns for the sight of lavender bloom, but … Continue reading Cycling through the Charm of Biei, Hokkaido
“It went by too fast!” – says myself at the end of every year. Then I’d try to recollect what I’ve done in the past 364 days. Finally, I’d whimper silently at the undeniable fact that I will age one year older. It doesn’t help much to have a birthday in February, you’ll feel you’re aging faster than everybody else. The year 2016 was an … Continue reading 2016
25 Mei 2013, Hari Waisak Memasuki area bertenda di Candi Mendut dimana ratusan umat Buddha berkumpul dengan pakaian biksu atau seragam komunitas masing-masing, saya merasa kurang ajar. Orang-orang pada ramai memfotoi seperti obyek wisata padahal mereka sedang beribadah. Ibaratnya seperti Muslim sedang salat Ied berjamaah lalu orang-orang berkamera datang dan membabi buta memfotoi di depan muka mereka. Ramai, tidak terkendali. Sebagian memang sudah selesai beribadah … Continue reading Catatan Yogyakarta: Perayaan Waisak di Borobudur (Mei 2013)
24 Mei 2013 Hari ini saya bertekad tidak akan naik becak. Tadinya mau sewa sepeda gunung atau onthel, tapi dengan lugu saya tinggalkan KTP-ku di hotel. Lalu ego saya menolak semua tukang becak yang menawarkan jasanya. Saya biasa dan senang jalan kaki! Tapi ternyata, kota ini lebih sulit ditaklukkan oleh kaki daripada yang saya bayangkan. Bukannya tak ada trotoar atau banyak pengendara motor yang menyebalkan … Continue reading Catatan Yogyakarta: Pesona Macapat dan Birokrasi Turis (Mei 2013)
(English version: https://amellina.me/2013/02/26/about-myself-and-pramoedya-ananta-toer/) Saat itu mungkin sekitar tahun 2001. Saya masih duduk di kelas dua SMP. Saya iseng berkunjung ke perpustakaan pribadi di rumah kami, mencari-cari bahan bacaan baru setelah menyelesaikan sebuah buku. Sebuah buku yang kelihatan kuno menarik perhatian saya. Sampulnya putih memampangkan judul yang tampak ditulis dengan tangan menggunakan penggaris atau handzet (cetakan tulisan berbahan timah yang digunakan penerbit-penerbit zaman dahulu), tulisan judulnya berwarna biru bergradasi … Continue reading Pak Pram: yang Saya Pelajari darinya Sejak Pertemuan Pertama (tentang Saya dan Pramoedya Ananta Toer)
Beberapa hari yang lalu saya membaca status teman di facebook. Saya lalu jadi tergelitik untuk menulis komentar. 🙂 Ini status teman saya dan di bawahnya komentar saya: Ceritanya ada tiga orang ilmuwan yang terjebak di sebuah kapal di tengah laut; fisikawan, ilmuwan kimia, dan ekonom. Mereka terjebak dalam keadaan kelaparan dan hanya memiliki satu buah kaleng kacang. Kemudian mereka berdebat tentang bagaimana membuka kaleng yang … Continue reading Ekonomi Indonesia Ikut Siapa?
Accidentally caught some lyrics of this song when it was playing in my shuffled playlist. And – wow – it’s me. Duffy – Distant Dreamer Writers: Aimee Ann Duffy ; Bernard Butler Although you think I cope My head is filled with hope Of some place other than here Although you think I smile Inside and all the while I’m wondering about my destiny I’m … Continue reading Song of My Life
amellina's journal 