WHERE CAN WE FIND THE PEACE?

I think it may be my writing habit to begin with a nice picture that tells everything at first, of course for the ones who have the ability to see the meanings and truths behind pictures. So, where can we find the peace? On a silent beach accompanied with a breeze which is maybe the herald of a refreshing rain… Or at a lover’s elbow… What about the togetherness?

A feeling suddenly knocked the door of my mind, telling me that “Shame on you man! You’ve got lots of adventures and amazing (!) experiences but your wife writes your story earlier than you!”. That’s why I’m meeting with my (new) keyboard, to drop a few lines on memories.

I’ve just read the last product of my fingers, which I wrote more than one year ago. A line caught my attention there… I say referring to all journeys in my life: “The one we lived on this September was probably the most tragic journey of my life”. I can’t say I was wrong. That’s why I used the word “probably” which means there may be bitter ones in the future. The time has proved this idea behind my words. The life is being bitter and bitter day by day. Why do I use these words to begin an amazing experience and adventure? Let’s leave it for another occasion, as the time is not this time to clarify that.

I promised myself to write about the rest of my last year journey in Indonesia, which I enjoyed so much except for the problems we lived with the airline companies and immigration offices etc. However, I could not. Why? I don’t have an answer or excuse to give. At least to say a few words about the journey I experienced the year before the (for many people) cursed two thousand and sixteen, it was full of fun and excitement. The fun and excitement of enjoying the atmosphere in Bandung again (although only for a few hours), taking a long train trip first time in my life, visiting one of the oldest human-made constructions and the greatest temple of Java island (and maybe the world), learning unknown (at least by me until that time) public figures of Indonesia (like the Sultan of Yogyakarta), having a special wedding gift, which was a one-night stay in a hotel, from a new friend who has never met us but enjoys our long-distance story, soak up the beautiful beaches of West Java… It was a ten-day dreamlike story for me that ended up, again, with the busyness and responsibilities in my lovely home country, although not lovely enough for the year we’re about to leave behind. That’s another long story that can yield even to a novel… Writing a novel or a long-story? Why not? Let’s see what the fate waiting for us in the future will be like.

The famous Malioboro Street after a long train journey from Bandung to Yogyakarta.

Let me leave all these behind and tell a cheering nice story from the cursed (!) year. Surfing on the net or scanning the news on the most trustworthy (!) source of knowledge, Facebook, an open call by the Embassy of Indonesia in Turkey caught my eyes. It was calling everyone who is interested in Indonesian language and culture to join a speech contest. I asked some of my friends and at first my lovely wife of course for advice and they all encouraged me to join that. The prize was a one-week journey in Indonesia, with many other participants from all over the world.  It was a great opportunity for me to visit Indonesia once again (as I actually I could not do this year due to financial problems), with a better organized culture program. Learning the content and details, I began writing my speech which I was going to sincerely tell my story with Indonesian people and culture, since the beginning. Of course with some help from my wife, who is an Indonesian language teacher, but not too much as it would not be fair and I always believe in the power of “original” yields.

Days passed into weeks and I went on writing my speech text and rehearsing it with my wife, so did the other contestants who have a good knowledge on Indonesia and Indonesian language.  The day was the day to be a public speaker once again, after a long while. I put on a batik which was a gift from a close Indonesian friend and arrived to the estate of Ambassador to join that exciting event. I guess it was not easy for us, as the participants, as everybody tried to communicate with us in Indonesian language. It was a method, in my opinion, to see who could actually communicate in Indonesian language and who could only prepare a text to deliver a speech. The time was to hit the microphone as the last participant (and being not allowed to listen to the other five) and my original and sincere words affected both the jury and audience. They burst into laugh although I did not have an intention to write something funny. But my story was naturally funny, seemingly. The exciting day ended with a tasty meal but the excitement had sustained for one more week until the winners were announced. So once again I reaped the benefit of sincere words and I was chosen as the first winner of contest.

On the day of competition.

I began waiting the day of my flight to my second home and a new adventure. We bought another ticket for my lovely wife who is an eternal supporter of me. However, this waiting turned out to be the hardest one for me and my wife, and indeed for the whole country. After all the turmoil and rush knocks, we took our flight from the capital city of our lovely country to Istanbul, where we were going to be transferred to Turkish Airlines’ only flight to Jakarta, Indonesia. The journey started with my new sister, Zeynep, and went on with my love joining us in Istanbul Ataturk Airport. After an 11-hour flight the airplane touched on one of green Soekarno-Hatta’s taxiways. Warmth of the tones of green welcomed as again to this beautiful country once again. A man had already been waiting for us outside the exit door with a paper on which our names were written. We had to wait for some other participants and gathered a few hours later to head towards the hotel we were going to sleep that night. It was the first night and day of this dream-like journey. And the following days were rather impressive for all of us.

My first new friends were from Myanmar and Malaysia (although Malaysians were not actually Malaysians :). I had to wake up my Thai roommate as it was late night when we arrived to our hotel. The next morning was the beginning of new friendships. I had my breakfast with my dear bro called as “Mo” and new friends from Australia. A friendly guy from Timor-Leste who was the first one to greet me inside the bus, a funny one from Singapore who has a great talent to draw pictures, my Muslim brothers and sister from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, cheerful and young staff of the Ministry of Education and Culture were the first nice people I communicated with. We were representatives of different countries in a bus including Turkey, France, Germany, China, Japan, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, India, Netherlands, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Australia and United States of America but the most interesting point was that we all could communicate in Indonesian language.

The first day, in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah.

The journey began with nice conversations and sustained throughout this first class experience in the capital city, Jakarta and the most attractive point of Central Java, Yogyakarta. We were treated like Very Important Persons in all phases of this fairy trip and even invited to President’s Palace to celebrate Indonesia’s 71th Year of Independence where we had a chance to meet Mr. President Joko Widodo.  One week full of love, joy and new friendships that will last probably forever… An impressive atmosphere with twinkly and endearious people singing, dancing and laughing together. All members of this new family were sad when the time to leave came round at last.  Could we have a chance to gather again? Probably not like we did in that journey and not with all these beautiful people… But I’m sure that we will all sustain and spread this love and friendship wherever we go. 

A nice picture of our last moments.

“So, where is the peace you talked about in the beginning?”… Do you think all this story I painted in glowing colors was for nothing? Let’s keep and spread this love and peace having begun with the togetherness we established in this beautiful country of Southeast Asia. Let’s keep this spirit wherever we are. Let’s give the leave the stage to the best (for me) voice of Indonesia for the vote of thanks: “Dimanapun kalian berada, aku kirimkan terimakasih. Untuk warna dalam hidupku dan banyak kenangan indah…”*.

That’s all from me. But please stay tuned for an ongoing adventure in Southeast Asia :)

*A quote from one of the lovely songs of Tulus saying “I send my thanks wherever you are, for being colors of my life and many beautiful memories”.

by: Mustafa Kursun