Arca Dwarapala

Sydney, 31 August 2017

Tomorrow will be Eid ul Adha in Indonesia, and look what I got on my Facebook's timeline

I don't know whether the news is true or just fake, but this reminds me about something. 

It's being said that the statue covered in the picture above is the replica of "Arca Dwarapala". Arca Dwarapala is actually statues of giant twins, remains of Singosari Kingdom. They were located in my neighbourhood. When I was kid, I remember my father always said to me "if only the statues were given lives, they would pray to Allah as they hear adzan (prayer call). I think he said so just to persuade me to pray (salah).

But every time my father said it, I felt like "meh, seriously?". I didn't find any strong evidence to what his words other than only his self-proclaiming.  I wish I dare to say "but trees, birds, and other living creatures don't pray!". But for sure, at time he had lost my respect for being a religious hypocrite.

My Sister's Birthday

Sydney, 30 August 2017

Today is my sister's birthday. I trust all my financial tasks in Indonesia such as paying all the bills to her. She is only one year older than me. She is also the only sister that has not been married yet. So being single will help her to manage my financial tasks better than if she is married.

I have four sisters (two elder ones and two younger ones) and no brother. The eldest one is twelve years older than me. We never lived together as when she was kid, she lived with our grand parents. She got married pretty early, just right after she graduated from junior high school. The family economic factor that forced her to marry in a very young age.

My second sister is eight years older than me. We lived together since I was born and she gets married when I was in sixth grade of elementary school. As the oldest kid in the house, she took care of us and done all the house chores while our mom worked for living. I could never thank her enough for helping my mom to raise us.

I was very close to my younger sisters as their age were only one year and two years apart from me. They were also my childhood's friends. We grew up together. However, they have totally different personalities to each other. My third sister was a rebel and very tomboy. People are always comparing me with her by saying if she is more masculine than me (and I hate that comment!).

My youngest sister was a beauty queen and popular girl in her school. She moved to our eldest sister's house for her junior high school. When she was in senior high school, she moved back to my mom's house, but I was studying in Jakarta for my college. I wish I could have more time with her. As her older brother, I am feeling guilty for not taking care her enough when she grew up.

Despite we sometimes fought and argued, but they are the people I love the most in this world, more than anything. We have been through all the things in life together and I could never forget a single moment we had together. I would do anything for them and I surely will be the first person  to protect them. But sometimes my possessiveness hurts myself when they hurt me, such as when they express their disgust to gay people. Their hypocrisy when they got drunk of love and when they got married, makes me feel worthless and unwanted. I feel so useless and rejected.

Mosque Nabawi

Sydney, 30 August 2017

video 1

video 2

video 3

It's being said that those videos are the situation of people rush to get the first row in Mosque Nabawi as the gate opens. The same videos have been shared by some of my friends on their social media. They added some comments of compliments and praises to the Lord for those people's excitement in the videos. But when I read some comments on the videos, some comments are criticising those people's behaviours in the videos.

This situation is like what I described in my old post of Friday Pray I had. How can people become so selfish to get God's rewards? They don't care about other people, whether other people fall and get trampled. They just think to save their own space, and never think to share or give a space for other people. So what's the essence of their prayer? Do they even think they will be rewarded by having this behaviour?

This situation is what I always had when I had Friday prayer. I just don't feel right about this behaviour. Have you ever heard the hajj stampede tragedy?

pindah rumah

Students Rally for Marriage Equality

Sydney, 30 August 2017

When I woke up this morning and scrolled over my Facebook timeline, this is what happens in Indonesia:

I don't have any word to explain this kind of people! I just lose my words to express my amazement how these people keep their hatred towards gay people for fallacious reasons. Can I reply him "if animals are showing heterosexual behaviours, does human belong to animal?"

Meanwhile some people in Indonesia are homophobic, today, some students in my university held a rally to support equality of marriage for LGBTQ+. here are some picture I took today.

We can see clearly the way of thinking of university students and staffs in developed, wealthy countries like here in Australia. The university is also fully support the rights of gay people. Meanwhile in Indonesia, there is a university that requires its new students to sign a statement letter of clear from homosexuality.

Antisemitism

Sydney, 30 August 2017

One of my friends on Facebook posted his prejudice towards Jews, and this I replied this. I just can't believe how the hatred towards Jews has been ingrained inside Muslims like him. Doesn't he realise how many Jew's products he is using right now including Facebook. What has Muslim like him done for the world? Do they even dream to conquer the world?

Women's Equality

Sydney, 29 August 2017

This post on Instagram was stealing my attention. It was posted by someone on my friend list. She re-posted someone else's post. She agreed with the post and she added her personal comment to it.

What surprising to me is that it is re-posted by a woman. I just can't believe how she can degrade her own dignity and position herself below a man. Not only re-posted by a woman, she also get her master degree overseas in infidel's country. I am wondering how living experiences in overseas couldn't help her to open her mind to this issue. Is this true that religion makes someone blind and deaf?

To me, this post is confirming that Islam is patriarchal and oppressive to women. I feel so sorry to women born in Muslim family since they are destined to be fully owned by men. Women can never have equal position to men. They were born as second-class citizens. They are never regarded as human beings. Women must follow all what men say.

In my perspective, woman is independent and should never belong to any man. Woman is not a collection owned by a man. Woman has a right to be fully herself and is never meant to live under man's dictations. Even in a marriage, man and woman should have equal position and reciprocal respect. Woman should be independent and never be always dependent on a man, given that she has to support her own life when her husband leaves her. Street harassment is never a woman's fault. It is fucking nasty perverts' fault! Never ever in this world sexual harassment should be justified!

Gen Z

Sydney, 27 August 2017

I just came back from the library and this is what I found inside the lift. Someone has fallen his food but that person didn't clean the mess. When I came out of the lift, I found a glass was abandoned on the floor.

Although the college has janitors who clean the space everyday, but they are not servants to take care of the college's residents. The residents as adults shall be responsible to their own. This statement has been repeatedly stressed by the management of college, but they don't seem to listen. These are the example of how today's kids are less respecting and less mindful to their society.

Previously in the library, there was a lady who speaks on the computer out loud. She always comes there every night and goes home in the morning. She comes to library not to study, but to play online game, order and eat foods, and talk with someone on the net out loud. Although it was in a discussion room where people can talk, make a phone call, and eat, but still they need to be considerate to the surroundings. Until then, someone else who felt annoyed by her complained to her to talk softer!

I feel that young generations nowadays are so ignorant. They are less respectful to other people. They seem not to care to other people and become selfish. In the college, some residents are so clustered within their own group. They hardly talk or even smile to other people. In the beginning, I always try to be friendly with them like sitting at the same table during meal time. It hardly goes smoothly. They prefer not to talk too much with people like me. But when they come together with their group, they can be so loud as if there nobody else around. It is so different with some others who always greet or at  least give a smile when pass by with other people.

Not only in socialising with other people, their ignorance comes to other attitudes, such as less mindful to clean up their own stuff like piling up dirty plates on sink, less mindful to share the public space like leaving clean clothes inside the washing machine for hours, and so on. Here are some postings on Facebook to notify those ignorant to be more considerate. It is so saddening and ironic since the residents of the International House are expected to live in diversity respectfully.

A Hard Time being with my Male Friends

Sydney, 21 August 2017

I always get uncomfortable feeling every time I get together with my male friends. It happens when they start to talk about women. For them who are naturally attracted to women, it is not difficult to talk about the interesting things in women. But for me who knows nothing about sexual attraction to a woman, it becomes a nightmare. I always wish that the session is gonna end very soon.

It is so hard to conceal myself as if I am a straight guy, especially when they ask me about the woman I like. I have to guess what kind of women are the men like and get attracted with. I have to find a clue from their discussion of which part of women that the men like the most.

They also sometimes make fun about the homosexuals. They feel so disgusted to homosexuals that they think, it is so violating the nature for a man not to be attracted to woman. And at the end, it hurts when they jokingly ask me a question whether or not I am attracted to a woman or not since I don't have any girlfriend until now.

This is the reason why I don't like to being among the people. They are so judgmental that hurt people like me.

International Accounting Tutorial

Sydney, 21 August 2017

Today I had a tutorial class of International Accounting. The teacher asked me the questions for last week's class but I didn't bring my last week notes. Just because I can't answer his question, it already made me so disappointed for a while. I spent all night long to finish the tutorial questions last week, but he didn't discuss the question during last week's session. Who would expect he is gonna ask it now? I know I can answer those questions really well and I don't like to be judged. I was so disappointing myself.

Well, I am fully aware with this bad temperament. It is all fine now. I just need a little time to calm down. I just can't believe how easy I am to get disappointed. Perhaps it is the accumulation of my anger and loneliness. I have been concealing myself to fake the smile and accepting all the prejudices and dealing with hypocrisies. As a result, it is so hard for me to be judged, to be blamed, or to accept criticism.

Talking about the International Accounting tutorial, it was so surprising that everyone, except me, got the cheat sheet for tutorial questions up to the end of the semester. It makes me feel so useless to be hardworking to stay all the night reading all the material and attempting to answer all the questions. It becomes more useless since the teacher gave participation marks to the students who answer the questions. That's so unfair! I know that some students are spending extra money to join additional session from private institution and from there, they got additional sources and helps for their assignments and studies.

Chinese students (which are the majority) are typically quiet and shy to express their opinion in the class. They hardly ask questions or answer the questions in a class discussion. They prefer to come to the teacher after the class and ask the question personally. Probably, the participation mark is designed to encourage them to speak up in the class.

However, being active is not always good. There is an Indian guy who always keeps asking the questions which all his questions are actually clearly explained in the book. It is super annoying that all other students finally helped to answer his question. Sometimes, people are engaging the class discussion just to get the participation marks. But the most important is the content of the discussion. Probably it is also the main reason of why most of Chinese student don't want to get engaged in the class discussion. Maybe they are ashamed if they ask silly question and annoy their classmates.

Sexual Assault

Sydney, 13 August 2017

Here in the University of Sydney, sexual assault has been a serious crime. So, if some of Indonesians say that the number of rape in western countries is actually high, probably those people are wrong in defining what rape is.

Since the first time I came to Sydney, one of the topics delivered in the university orientation day was about sexual assault. The key to determine whether it is a sexual assault or not is a "consent". If both parties consent to sex, it is not a rape. If one of them does not consent, or is unable to consent (such as gets drunk or unconscious), it is a rape. People in here are respecting others.

Meanwhile in Indonesia catcalling seems to be a norm. When a woman is considered to be too sexy in men's perspective, it is the woman who has to be blamed. Why don't those men clear up their dirty mind before oppressing women to cover up. Women are considered to fully belong to men after they married and are not allowed to refuse their husbands' request to sex. They think the forced sex by a man to his wife is not breaching law since they are bonded in marriage and the man thinks he has a right to have a sex with his wife at anytime he wants. Isn't it actually a rape? Rape can actually happen within a marriage.

The definition of rape is not whether they are married or not, but whether they both consent or not. This is actually where Indonesians have been so wrong. The victims, most often, are forced to marry the rapist to solve the problem. They think, by marrying the rapist with the victim, they become a legal married couple that can take responsibility to what has happened. 

Another common rape practice in Indonesia is marrying underaged girls. Underaged girls are considered not mature enough to make an adult decision, including consent to sex. Pedophilia is a serious crime in western countries.  

Visiting Canberra

Sydney, 23 July 2017

Yesterday, my friend and I went to Canberra, the capital of Australia. Canberra is close to Sydney and can be reach within about 3 hours by driving a car, taking bus or train. We went there by taking Murray bus from Sydney Central Station at 5 am. The student fare is $60 for return trip.

The temperature was so cold outside during the trip. It was in the middle of winter, and also, the continental climate of Australia makes the temperature even colder than the coastal climate. When we passed by Goulburn, a small town between Sydney and Canberra, the temperature was -7 degree Celsius. When the sun rose, I saw all the grass field was covered by frost. I also saw some cattle on the field. I was wondering how they can no be freezing to death. 

We arrived at Jolimont Centre at Canberra at 8:30 am. It was very foggy and the temperature was only -2 degree Celsius. The humid air makes the temperature feels like even colder than the actual. My fingers were instantly freezing. I wished I brought my gloves with me.

We dropped by McDonald's near by to get some breakfast and to get some warmth inside. We waited until 10 am but the temperature was still -1 degree Celsius. We insisted to go outside because we didn't want to get stuck just because of the weather. It turned out that it was not as cold as before since the fog has already gone.

We walked to Canberra Central but nothing much to see in there unless frosted grass. We continued walking to the south crossing the bridge. But before that, we dropped by the Lake Burley Griffin. The lake was covered by thick fog but it gradually disappeared as the sun went higher.

After crossing the bridge, there was nothing much to see. In fact, south Canberra is much quieter than the north one. We visited the parliament house and after that we walked to the National Museum of Australia. The Museum is free and worth to visit! It's cafeteria also sells good foods and has a good view to the lake.

Then we continued walking to Australian War Memorial. We didn't spend too much time there since we had to catch the bus at 5 pm to go back to Sydney. Over all, we walked more than 30 km on that day. On the map, Canberra looks so small than can easily be explored on foot. But there was actually nothing much to see in the city. The distance between one and another tourist attraction is quite far and it is only open space in between.

I don't know whether or not I will enjoy living in Canberra, if one day I have to study in this city. I might be feeling lonely and isolated. The city seems to be boring. But, maybe it is just me that knows nothing about Canberra yet!

I Give My Dinner to My Friends

Sydney, 16 August 2017

I am not eating my dinner anymore because I have committed to dieting. I will pack my dinner and give it to my friends so they can save their expenditure. I have wasted my dinner for this three months because of my diet. So I guess by doing this, I can make my diet program be more responsible and useful. Probably the only concern here is to make sure the safety of the food that I give to my friends. I am sure my college has guaranteed the safety of the food. However, now it also becomes my responsibility to make sure if the food i give to my friends is safe.

My friend told me that I can actually make this as a business opportunity. I should charge my friends for this food since I also paid for this food to my college. But I am not kind of that person. I don't like to take benefit from someone who is in need. I never sell a thing. I prefer to give it for free. I realise that I don't have any business instinct. It is such an irony since I study business-related subjects at business school.

Wudhu

Sydney, 16 August 2017

I always notice that everytime after my roommate takes wudhu, the toilet floor becomes so wet. As in western culture, the toilet should be dry for the hygienic reason. Leaving the toilet wet is considered so disgusting.

I understand that he cannot avoid the water spills to the floor when he takes wudhu. But if he already knows it, why does he takes wudhu from the sink inside the wc toilet? Why doesn't he take wudhu at the shower room which is more comfortable for wudhu and designated for wet area. These kind of less-mindful little things that sometimes make local people are hard to accept Muslim immigrants.

Outstanding Academic Achievement

Sydney, 16 August 2017

Yesterday, when I was in my evening class, an email from the university came into my phone. It told me that I have made an outstanding academic achievement during last semester. I got 3rd highest final grade for Accounting Information System subject.

I only got 79 for that subject, which is fairly good but not really that good to get the achievement. It is not even a HD mark. So, I actually didn't expect that my mark was on the top three.

This should be a booster for my spirit to study more diligently this semester. It is still week three but I have lost my spirit to study already. I missed a lot of my schedule to study. Then if so, I shouldn't dream to be getting a good grade in my graduation and getting accepted in prestigious unies for my PhD.

What I noticed so far from my first-three-week lecture this semester, just like me in the last semester, I keep blaming myself for the stupid things I did in the class. I keep saying "I hate my self" out loud unconsciously so many times. How can I become someone so perfectionist and cannot accept failure?

What if My Mom Knows

Sydney, 16 August 2017

One of my friends asked me what if my mom knows me and what she is gonna do? I never think about this. I think I'm just gonna let it be. I really am afraid to disappoint my mom. Maybe, she already knows it. I believe a mother knows her children better than anyone else. But my mom never ask me about my sexuality. In fact, she is always on my side and protects me whenever other people judge me like "why aren't you manly like other man?", "why don't you grow leg hair?", or "why don't you have a girlfriend?, I'm afraid you are not attracted to girls, I'm afraid you are gay.". What makes worse from those judgments is those questions were also asked by my own sisters.

I never know why I am like this. Since I was kid, people always judged me like "your little sister is more manly than you!". Then, I also realise that I don't have a prominent adam's apple. I grew leg hair very very late, that one of my sisters always teased me that my legs are like a girl's. What makes me so sick about it is that they are so hypocritical. They judge my sexuality but they didn't pay attention to be a good kid. They never listened to what my mom and I said, like to prioritise their study over their dates. But now, I can prove them that what I did to be a good, obedient boy pays off. Now I can help my sisters to solve their financial problems and for me this is the sweetest revenge.

I never know why I am never be able to sexually attracted to opposite gender. I was asking how and where those straights learned it. If they have a class of it, I would definitely join the class. Who wants to choose the life of being discriminated and disappointment? Mockery to people like me is not funny. It hurts so much. I have broken my hearts so many times just to try so hard to fit in the society.

Some of My Friends Have Read My Blog

Sydney, 16 August 2017

So many things have happened last week and it is already week 3 of lecture now. Maybe, the most important moment in my life last week was when some of my friends found out and read this blog. It was like a moment of truth for me to receive the response from the people around me.

Surprisingly, all of them gave supports to me. I know that they are my best friends. I also know that they have a heart of gold and they are open-minded. We have known each other for years, but probably they just knew that I am hiding another identity in my heart.

I was suddenly feeling ashamed and worthless. I have changed into someone that they never know. I change into a totally different person, a total stranger. I am just a person clouded by grudge and anger. I blamed everyone because of my pain and disappointment. I am blinded by my selfishness. I still cannot forgive myself and other people.

I felt so ashamed to put my anger to everyone, that may include my friends. They shouldn't be on the list. I souldn't be generalising everyone. I feel so guilty for letting myself to be controlled by my own anger, then blaming everyone. My friends are so kind to me that they understand me without judging me at all. I am feeling guilty to them.

What I do really want is to forgive. I want to forgive myself and to forgive everyone. I just want to have a peacefulness in my heart.

Jealousy

Sydney, 13 August 2017

Yesterday, my crush told me that he felt annoyed with a guy who kept chasing for his love. That guy is working in the same office with him. The guy straighforwardly shows his desire to him and keeps trying to get his attention. He told me that he got misterious gifts and snacks on his office desk everyday, and he knows those are from that guy. And yesteday, the guy texted my crush saying he will come to my crush's house tonight to beg for his love.

Few weeks ago, my crush also said to me that he got another mysterious message from someone on facebook. The message was so disgusting and offensive. That mysterious person said "I want to meet you, I want to sleep on your chest tonight before I leave for Australia. Tonight is the only chance for me". Innit a sexual harassment?

Despite my jealousy to those mysterious people, those messages are actually threatening behaviours and can be jailed. Those real life stalkers are sick and probably psychopathic.

I know that finding a lover for homosexuals in Indonesia is so challenging since everyone is hiding in their closets. And when you think you get one, you really do not want to lose him. People are losing their mind and becoming so possessive. I wish I am not loving my crush in that way. I need to learn how to love whole-heartedly and unconditionally, even if I have to let him go. 😟

Cancer

Sydney, 13 August 2017

In real life, there are some people who are feeling proud living abroad in infidels' countries, enjoying their secular systems, studying, working and earning money from them, but, those people are keep saying no to secularism, intolerant to infidels, and vocal in promoting khilafah (caliphate). I have written some of the real cases of this in my blog previously.

I am just wondering how these people can be so closed-minded despite they are living in the open-minded countries. Maybe because they exclusively socialise with their own group and rarely mingle with local people. There are a lot of real life example of it. Aren't they denial and hypocrites? What does make the so stubborn and denial? What are they searching for? What are they aiming? Probably, this is the reason why some people analogise them as "cancer". What a strong and harsh word.

Storm Village Restaurant

Sydney, 25 July 2017

Today my friend and I had a dinner together in a Chinese restaurant called "Storm Village Restaurant", in the Broadway area of Sydney. We went there for celebrating our result in last semester exam. We passed all the subjects.

Her English name is Allison and her Chinese name is Yuyang. Unlike my other Chinese friends who always group with their compatriots, she does not really have a close Chinese friend in here. She has been my classmate since my first semester in the uni. We accidentally met again in the same class last semester. We become really good friends now.

I like to work with her in some of our class projects. She is smart, diligent, and reliable. What surprises me is that all her marks and final grades are always better than me, despite her bachelor degree is actually English literature. Meanwhile me who has done accounting in undergraduate still suffers with the uni's exams. So that's why I respect her.

Talking about the food, I would say this is the best Chinese restaurant I have ever visited so far in Sydney. Maybe, it is because the taste is pretty much similar to Indonesian culinary which is spicy and savoury. We ordered stir-fry mushroom, sweet sauce pork, and spicy fish soup. Those food reminds me to the taste of classic Indonesian food. The portion size is so generous that we couldn't finish them all.  All the food is so good that I would order them again next time.

From left to right: stir-fry mushroom, sweet sauce pork, and spicy fish soup.

However I am sad because this semester we will not be at the same class anymore. I choose all morning classes, while she prefers afternoon classes. She also got unit reductions and she takes it. So definitely, we are now in the different pathway to our program. I wish I can still have a chance to meet her again in some occasion. Good luck for us!

A New Record on Samsung Health

Sydney, 22 July 2017

I have completely accompanied my friends to travel around Sydney for a week, since the beginning of their arrival at Sydney on 15 July 2017 until today, 22 July 2017. I unlocked some new achievements. First, I have a new record for the furthest walk, 30 km, and the most steps counted on walking, 40k steps. The route was only around the city, but I never thought it can be that far. Second, I have a new record for weekly average walk, 21 km per day, and weekly average steps, 27k steps per day. It was about the same with my past record when I walked at the Blue Mountain track from echo point to Leura last year. In total, I have walked more than 145 km in a week.

My daily record

My weekly record

Travel from or to Sydney Airport: by Train, Taxi, or Uber?

Sydney, 18 July 2017

Today, I picked up a friend at Sydney Domestic Airport. He just flew from Adelaide for having a vacation in Sydney. Few days ago, I also picked up a friend at Sydney International Airport. He just came from Indonesia and he's going to start his study at the University of Sydney. As their friend who has lived in Sydney for a year, I have an obligation to pick them up and take them to their destination at Sydney. When the first time I came to Sydney, I was alone and didn't know much about Sydney's transport. So, this time, I am gonna help my friends so they can travel around Sydney comfortably.

There are several ways to get into or to travel from Sydney Airport. You can take taxi, uber, or train. The nearest bus stops are more than a kilometre away so you need extra time to walk. Taxi in Sydney is so expensive. The first time I came to Sydney, I just used a taxi to take me from the Sydney Airport to the university. It charged me $60. But it is super practical. However, the taxi drivers sometimes may not be familiar with your destination. So you expect some extra cost for getting lost and finding your destination, especially if you are new in the city.

There are train serves directly to the airport, but it costs significantly higher than the regular fare. If you get off at the station before the airport station, or get off at the station after the airport station, the cost is only around $2. But if you get off at the airport station, it costs $16!!! Sixty dollars may be much cheaper than taxi, but if you travel with your family, it can be so expensive.

So what I did when I picked up my friends was I got off at the station before or after the airport. The nearest station to the Sydney International Airport is Wolli Creek. It is about 1.5 km walk. The pathway is really good and travel bag friendly. There were not too many road crossing and we'll walk across a small park. It is a really comfortable walk. The nearest station to the Sydney Domestic Airport is Tempe. There were a lot of work road on pedestrian way at that time, so it was not really nice to walk from Tempe to the Sydney Domestic Airport. Not only the work road, there were also too many intersections we have to cross, so it will be uncomfortable if you bring large travel bags.

Traveling from the airport to the city can also use uber. Uber cars are not permitted to take passenger in the airport, so we have to walk a little bit further outside to catch the car. Uber cars are parked at the pool beside the airport, so it does not take a long time for the car to come after we order it. If we order the uber car from the Sydney International Airport, the car will pick us up at the express pick-up zone inside the airport area. It is only five minutes walk from the arrival gate. If we order the uber car from Sydney Domestic Airport, the car will pick us up at Stamford Plaza. We have to walk a little bit further since the plaza is not part of the airport area. But do not worry since the driver will be patiently waiting for us to arrive. The cost of uber is significantly cheaper than taxi. It is only about $20 to the city, plus $8 extra cost for uber airport service.

Goget Car Rental

Sydney, 27 July 2017

My last week was fully occupied with accompanying my friends who came visiting me in Sydney. They spent five days going around the city and surroundings and we also went to Canberra at the end of the trip. There were so much things happened but probably our journey to Oberon was the most memorable one.

It was on Wednesday, 19 July 2017, also was the day of my final exam result announced. I couldn't sleep to think about it while I had to drive to Oberon in 4 am. It was my very first experience to hire a car and I learnt a lot from it. I slept very early on the night before and woke up at 1 am. I saw a notification on my phone and told me that the exam result has been announced. I made it, I passed all the subject! It was such a miracle to me!

At 3 am I walked to the pod where the car I rent was parked. I rented a car from Goget. Goget is a car-sharing company, just like Airbnb or Uber. The fleets are available and parked everywhere in the city, and we can rent them at any time. That's why I chose Goget for its flexibility. The Goget car I chose was parked near Central Station because we planned to go to south coast by train after coming back from Oberon.

Exactly at 4 am, I tried to unlock the car by swiping my card on the sensor installed on the windshield, but the sensor didn't respond anything. I noticed that the lamp indicator on the sensor was off. I called the costumer care line but it was closed and would be open at 7 am. I needed the car at 4 am to chase the snow on Oberon, I couldn't postpone. So, at that time, I booked a new one parked nearby. We departed to Oberon 30 minutes late from the scheduled time.

It was actually my second time driving in Australia, but previously, I never drove on highway and never drove to a place further than one hour driving. What the most stressful thing in driving in Australia is the speed limit. People in Australia tend to drive at the maximum value of the speed limit. I felt like driving in a hurry and not relaxed at all. Probably because I used to drive in traffic jam in my hometown. The good thing of driving habit of Australians though, the flow of vehicles are smooth and and seamless since everyone moves at the same speed. But to me, driving at 110 km/h at highway is just too fast. I was so afraid if the car was slipped at that speed, physic law kicks and it must be very likely to be very fatal.

Driving to Oberon

We arrived at Oberon at 8 am, or an hour late from our plan. It is because I was afraid to drive car very fast. The temperature was only 1 degree Celsius and it was foggy and rainy. We dropped by at a local restaurant and we ordered three portions of fish and chips and some hot drinks. It was the most delicious fish and chip I have ever tried in Australia so far. Then we saw from the restaurant window, snow sprinkled down from the sky. It was our very first time seeing snow. At 10 am we drove to Katoomba to see "the three sisters" and we drove back to the city at 12 pm to chase the train to south coast.

Snow dusting at Oberon

We arrived at the city at 2 pm while the train departs at 3:24 pm. We dropped by to my college to pick my fridge. I gave my fridge in my room to my friend since I didn't really use it. Then, we drove to my friend's house to drop the fridge to his room, and we drove to return the car to its pod.

It was a surprise that the pod was occupied by another Goget car. I was so angry how can someone else parked his Goget car in my Goget car's pod! I called the customer care line and the operator said if the person who parked on my pod also couldn't park at his pod since it was also occupied by another car. The operator suggested me to park the car on other Goget pod. We drove around the place for almost an hour but we couldn't find any spot available. It was really really stressful, and the city's traffic jam made it ever worse.

Then we saw a parking officer walked down the road. I got off the car and run into him. I told him the trouble we got and he told me that there was a vacant spot for Goget available on Valentine St, the only street we couldn't find. Driving a car in the Sydney CBD was indeed driving us mad. There were too many one way street, too many traffic lights, and too many closed road due to road work for light rail construction.

The pod at Valentine St

Parking spot specially designated for sharing car (Goget)

We were almost late to catch the South Coast Line train. We made it just in time. But bad luck was still with us. The train didn't stop at the station we planned to get off. I rechecked the train schedule and I just found that we were supposed to transfer to another train at the previous station. This train only stopped at some major stations. We decided to get off at the next station and detoured back by bus.

We arrived at the destination when the sky has been dark. We were late almost an hour from the plan. It was such a trouble terrible day. But at least, I learned a lot. Now I know how to rent a car by myself, how to buy gasoline, and how to park in the city.

At least we saw beautiful tranquil beaches in a small town from the bus

It was already dark :sad:

Official Indonesian Taxation Authority Twitter Account

Sydney, 7 August 2017

In my opinion, the twit by Indonesian Taxation Authority commenting on Raffi Ahmad pictures is not appropriate.

The reminder from tax office to a taxpayer should be personal and not for public consumption, unless the law allows it to be announced publicly. What tax authority has done to Raffi Ahmad may indicate he has not include his new car on his last year's tax return. We all know that tax return is highly confidential.

The taxpayer may be ashamed and disgraced by this twit. If he is a businessman, he may be discredited by his business partners. If the twit is true, the tax office should follow the bureaucracy to send the notice. If it is just a gentle greet (not a really true notice), or if it is scripted and actually a part of tax campaign, it is still wrong and inappropriate.

Probably, the operator of official twitter account of Indonesian Taxation Authority was trying to be informal to the audience. However, as government's official institution, there are some strict principals that cannot be breached. Previously, Indonesian Taxation Authority was widely criticised after making a sexism joke. 

Gay Must be Vanished because They are Pedophil?

Sydney, 6 August 2017

The greatest hatred toward homosexuals has been shown by those people who are overdose of their religion.

What about their prophet who married underaged girl? What about straights who raped underaged girls? Is straight also a deviance that should be eradicated?

Their logic is so misleading. It is not about gay or straight. It is about pedophil. Kids are not mature enough to consent to sex. Animals are not subjects who can consent to sex. But straight people or gay people, they may have a consent to sex. How do these people understand about the concept of rape if they don't understand about the concept of consent.

I am sick of these kind of people. I wish they were born as homosexuals so they know how it feels to be prejudiced and discriminated.