Mannschaft and Home

Oh my goodness, I felt like crap yesterday. My Mannschaft lost to Spain in WC semi final. The match was so intense, then @!#!$#@$!@#$! Puyol scored a goal. Bah! He got lucky. HOLY COW! Bah that was not Mannschaft best performance, yet I think it was pretty fair and square. Watching my favorite players (well, I love them as a team) crying on the ground with all that frustrated, sad faces really break my heart. Yeah, heartbroken.. almost as bad as when your boyfriend dump you. But, I felt much better now.
SHOUT OUT TO DIE MANNSCHAFT:
Big hug for Mannschaft, you've fought hard and well! Coming this far is really an achievement. Thanks for all the fun and interesting matches. You're still my FAV!
Now, keep your heads up high! Beat Spain in the Euro 2012!!
By the way, Jogi has done a really good job! Hats off to you

Move on.. some guy came up to me few days ago. In our conversation, he asked all the general things, like where I'm from, etc etc. Then an interesting question popped up: So, where do you feel more like home: Indonesia or here (USA)?
Hmm... I said, here. Then I explained...
I really like it here, because all of the opportunities you can get here. I am one who loves to explore new things, have non-monotonous days, enjoy the most out of life basically. In the US, I feel like people are creative, there are bunches of activities and skills that countries like Indonesia doesn't have. For example: various kind of dances, from African, Salsa, pole dance, tap dance, trapeze, you name it. Then opportunities to learn pottery, poetry, etc that if you do extra research you could get it for free. People in the States are on the next level in terms of state of mind. They in general follow rules (public washrooms are not bad, public transportation is pretty good, etc.). You can find any kind of people here: one who supports abortion, tree hugger, vegan, anti-war, etc. People do not mainly focus on money, which is a big turn off for me. When you live in a developed country, the concerns and priorities are different. So, you know if you happen to express yourself in non-conventional way, you would not get based out, because there are people out there that think like you. It's the freedom and the opportunity to learn and grow.
But, I'm not suggesting that Indonesia is a rundown country. Well, let's see.. The environment that I (and most friends) grow up does not exactly equip us with all the needed skills in life. We live too dependent on our parents, and all the things we see on Gossip Girl. It is a heartbreaking fact that too much money apparently turns kids to be spoiled. Other than that, I felt like I live in a cage. With all the ridiculous policies from the government, censorship regulations, and living in a non-diverse community. I feel like everyone has to be the same. If you're not, the "majority" will use whatever force to turn you into one. People has to think the same, we can't be creative. Asking question is wrong, being critical is condemned. There is not much freedom. We are not thought to strive and thrive.
On the other hand, I respect Indonesian tangible culture: like Batik, the traditional dance, the places (cities, and all). Ok, one thing I still have problem with is the folk music: dangdut. I find the lyrics are mostly silly (talking about your man cheating on you, going off with another woman, or sometimes it's more like seducing a man). That is just weird for me, I don't know. I see the purpose of music is to communicate your message through the lyrics. In this case, dangdut is the same with hip hop, I mean "empty" (at least in my humble opinion) lyrics. But, hip hop, I enjoy the beat. Maybe because there are associations between all those cool moves in the music videos or movies with hip hop music. But, in dangdut video clips, again the videos are likely about a lover and all those dramas that I've mentioned above. I'm waiting to be proven wrong, though. But, Indonesian pop music is pretty good!
My next objection is: silly news. I never understand a high-caliber newspaper like Jawa Post sometimes could cover super stupid things, like: Obama's childhood in Indonesia. So, this article includes interviews from Obama's classmates in primary school. Oh my goodness?! SERIOUSLY?! And, not that informative, they said: Obama could not pronounce few words right (tell you what, my classmate in primary school was just like that!) hahahaha... And, later, somewhere it is said that Obama's favorite food is sate or bakso, I could not remember which one.
Yeah, we love that kind of soft news in Indo. It is really not that informative, it's more like "drama" value. Remember the TV show AFI or something (the singing contest, American Idol-like in Indosiar, aired years ago. They covered how each contestant lives in the house everyday. We want to know them at the personal level. Come on, really?! It's a damn singing contest. I don't want to know who miss his/her hometown or parents or whatever).
Another thing, in Metropolis (section for youths in the newspaper) they always have some kind of polls. The questions they asked are seriously "world-class questions," something like: have you ever cheated in a relationship? Does your partner knows that you cheat? DO YOU ASK FOR YOUR PARTNER'S PERMISSION? How does your partner react? I had no word when I read it. Sigh. Shouldn't we more concern about serious things, like politics, or environmental issues or something? Aren't we supposed to make our youths to be more aware to such issues?
Thus, I think medias in Indonesia are not that informative.
Next objection, people are rather homogeneous in their way of thinking. On one side, it is a good thing, that people hold up their traditional values. But, worlds progress, things are re-defined. What they might think as taboo now, some people find it tolerable or okay-to-do. It is really, I think, is a personal choice. Therefore, others should not judge the person based on majority's value. It's just unfair. Few bad implications of it is: people who are labeled as different live under oppression of lacking self-expression, people are afraid to think outside the box, it kills innovation, creativity, competition and it put the society at the stagnant level.
Not everything in the States I like, sometimes you can find Americans who think that they are all that, like their country is the greatest or something., and start looking down on others. WOW! Watch out! out of your small world, in a lot of countries Americas have bad reputations and being hated.
With all the pros and cons..
So, yes, I said: I was raised in Indonesia, but I GREW UP (I think I really do grow) here. The States feels more like home.