My Favorite Place and Questions

Where do I want to visit? May be the correct question is, where do I want to stay? Just kidding. Actually I do want to stay for several months in some certain countries while learning their cultures and language. If I have to choose one, I'd rather choose Japan. Why Japan?

I had been living in Japan for 4 years since I was two. So at least I have a glance of depiction about the country. I lived in a small city named Toyohashi. This city has been told by Mrs.Wiwin in the class before, so I had my own excitement writing on this blog.

I had my kindergarten period in Japan. It's a fun journey even though I'm the only Indonesian and moslem in my school. Sometimes I had a hard time during school because of friends, but it wasn't really a big deal.

Why had I lived in Japan? I followed my parents because they were having a doctoral student in Toyohashi University of Technology. We had an Indonesian student association there named PPI (Persatuan Pelajar Indonesia). I had best friends there! Most of their ages were above me. Now they live in different cities in Indonesia.

If I had a chance to visit that country again, I'd love to go to Toyohashi once more. Why? Because I want to recall the memories. No. Not recall.

It's better to make new memories rather than remind the old ones. 

Lol I've got an quote.

Actually I do want to feel the air of Japan. The cool, cold, mild, and sweet air that refresh your mind. I also want to experience the four seasons. The cool air in spring, warmth in summer, refreshing time in fall, and crystal clear snowballs in winter.

Oh, and food! You should know that I'm kind of food lover. But unfortunately I could be gaining weight easily, so I must limit my willing of eating. Go back to topic.

About food in Japan, I recommend you some.

First, takoyaki. For the one who doesn't know anything about takoyaki, you're outdated. Indonesian takoyaki and original takoyaki which means Japanese takoyaki are much different. Number one is the tako (octopus) itself. Japanese style's size is much bigger. Here, our takoyaki is kinda stingy. We got only a little piece of octopus's leg. How dare:( Number two is the flour. You can understand the differences when you taste both and start comparing those. Number three is the amount of sauce and other addition. The last, is the size of the takoyaki itself.

Second is its friend, okonomiyaki. Excuse me but in Indonesia, okonomiyaki is almost similar with vegetable fried, or just say 'bala-bala'. For Japanese, once again you can understand the differences when you taste both and start comparing those.

Third is kakigori. I'm freaking missing that dessert! It's an obligation dessert for summer. It's so easy to make, and we have many in our country as we said 'es serut'. I would like to show you the images. Hope you postponed your diet program haha.

Well actually there are so many things to tell but I'm sorry that I'm running out of words. Lastly, thank you for your time reading my imperfect story. See you soon on the next post!

images source : www.google.com

Based on my text above, I’d like to make 5 multiple choices questions.

1.     What am I going to do in the visited country?

a.      Walking around

b.     Learning their language

c.      Making a snowman

d.     Eating recommended foods

e.      Doing a social activities

2.     How was my school period in Japan?

a.      I had a friend of Indonesian

b.     Had bad scores

c.      I played all along and had a lot of fun

d.     One of my friend had tricked me

e.      I had eaten well at school that I was growing faster than the other child

3.     Mention 2 things that I have missed from Japan!

a.      The weather and cultures

b.     The air and its environment

c.      Friends and teachers

d.     Foods and beverages

e.      Traffic and foods

4.     What are the differences between Japanese takoyaki and Indonesian takoyaki?

a.      The price

b.     The package

c.      Amount of the sauces

d.     The color of takoyaki itself

e.      Size and price

5.     How’s the air in Japan?

a.      Full of pollution

b.     Dirty

c.      Very hot

d.     So cool that can refresh your mind

e.      Normal temperature

Moral Values From The Stories

Potatoes, Eggs, and Coffee Beans

Moral : In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.

 Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot.

He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.

After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?”

“Potatoes, eggs, and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer,” he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity– the boiling water.

However, each one reacted differently.

The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak.

The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which are you,” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean? “

 The Two Goats

Moral :It is better to yield than to come to misfortune through stubbornness.

Two Goats, frisking gaily on the rocky steeps of a mountain valley, chanced to meet, one on each side of a deep chasm through which poured a mighty mountain torrent. The trunk of a fallen tree formed the only means of crossing the chasm, and on this not even two squirrels could have passed each other in safety. The narrow path would have made the bravest tremble. Not so our Goats. Their pride would not permit either to stand aside for the other.

One set her foot on the log. The other did likewise. In the middle they met horn to horn. Neither would give way, and so they both fell, to be swept away by the roaring torrent below.

 The Donkey and The Little Dog

Moral : Everyone has its own role, so just do whats in your own frame. Don't try to be the other person so that you could get more attention, cause each of you are special.

A man had a little dog, and he was very fond of it. He would pat its head, and take it on his knee, and talk to it. Then he would give it little bits of food from his own plate.
A donkey looked in at the window and saw the man and the dog.

"Why does he not make a pet of me?" said the donkey.

"It is not fair. I work hard, and the dog only wags its tail, and barks, and jumps on its master's knee. It is not fair."

Then the donkey said to himself, "If I do what the dog does, he may make a pet of me."

So the donkey ran into the room. It brayed as loudly as it could. It wagged its tail so hard that it knocked over a jar on the table. Then it tried to jump on to its master's knee.
The master thought the donkey was mad, and he shouted, "Help! Help!" Men came running in with sticks, and they beat the donkey till it ran out of the house, and they drove it back to the field.

"I only did what the dog does," said the donkey," and yet they make a pet of the dog, and they beat me with sticks. It is not fair."

The Crying Stone 

Moral : Be proud of your mother, love her with all your heart. You are born here because of your mother.

 Long time ago, lived a girl with her mother at a mountain near a town in Kalimantan. The girl's named was Darmi. Darmi is very beautiful. Everyday, She wears makeup and her best clothes. She always wanted to rich and beautiful. She never helped her mother. She is very lazy and spoiled girl.

 One day, Her mother Darmi to accompany her to the market. "Oke.. but, I don't want to walk beside you, you have to walk behind me. With a sad heart, her mother agreed. So, Darmi walked in front of her mother. Her mother followed behind her.

 The girl and her mother looked very different. The girl looked very beautiful in her pretty dress, while her mother looked very old in her simple dress.

 On the way to the market, People greeted the beautiful girl and asked who the old woman behind her was. Then, The girl replied to them, that she was her servant.

Her mother was very sad. But, She couldn't anything. She offended for the insult. Then, She said to Darmi: "Darmi.. How could you keep telling those people that I'm not your mother?".

 And Darmi said : "Mom... I have to do that, because I don't want the to laugh at me, If they find out that you are my mother. We look so different".

 "Enough Darmi! You've hurt me! So deep that I can't stand on it any longer. Whoever and whatever I'm? You must honor me as your own mother." Said her mother.

 Her mother couldn't bear the pain anymore. She prayed to god to punish her daughter's. "My dear lord, I can't stand on my daughter's behavior. She's been to far in hurting me. Please, give her a punishment to make feel sorry for what she has done to me".

 And god answered her prayed. Slowly, Darmi's legs turned into stone and process continued to upper part of the girl's body. The girl began to be panic. She felt sorry and cried for help her mother's help. "Mom.. Please, Forgive me". Said the girl. But, it was too late.

 Finally. her whole body turned into stone. Until now, people can still see the tears falling down the stone. That's why stone is called "Crying Stone".

Junior High Graduation Announcement

For all 9th grade students from Inesya Junior High School,

There will be a graduation event that will be held on:

Date : 1st June 2016
Time : 8am - finish
Place : Ramayana Hotel Ballroom

For boys, you're obligated to wear tuxedo and don't forget to make up your hair. For girls, you can wear a fancy dress or our traditional clothes called kebaya. Be sure to be the most graceful student with the most humble smile you could make.

Ask your beloved parents to come with, sure we will be happy for that. See you my boys and girls on graduation!
 
https://youtu.be/JASExQmvb_g