Sunday, May 28, 2006
The day the earth shook... again...
Unless you've been hiding under a rock somewhere, you would have heard of the earthquake which happened early morning in Central Java, the Yogyakarta area.
It's funny how a couple of weeks in Indonesia can do to you. Having spent a month there, experienced Javanese hospitality, talked to the locals in an effort to understand how their minds work... you somehow develop some sort of feelings for them.
So when I heard about the earthquake, my heart really went out to the people... I think it also really affected me because 2 weeks out of the study trip last year, were spent in Yogyakarta. I wondered if the places affected are the exact same places I visited... what if someone I had communicated with while there, is now injuried in hospital, or worse, dead? I remembered this guy whom I had met while wandering along the main road. He had brought me to his gallery and showed me his batik paintings, explaining to me how the process was done. We had exchanged numbers, promising to keep in touch, but I never really did bother for some reason. I now wondered if he was ok.
Of course when I hear of some bad thing happening to people, I get sad and sympathise with the victims. But for the people of Yogyakarta, I feel for them even more for some strange reason. It's sorta like my feelings for Nepal too. I spent a whole month there when I was about 14-15... and I still have extremely fond memories of that place and I do most earnestly desire to return there some day. So when I read news about the political situation there, for example, I feel extra sad.
Perhaps it is coz you've been there, seen the place with your own eyes, met the people... so hence that place no longer becomes just another geographical location to you. It becomes very real to you. And therefore, you can relate more to them.
Makes sense?
I do hope the Indonesians in Central Java will recover soon...
Hmm.... I hope the ancient architecture there's ok too...
It's funny how a couple of weeks in Indonesia can do to you. Having spent a month there, experienced Javanese hospitality, talked to the locals in an effort to understand how their minds work... you somehow develop some sort of feelings for them.
So when I heard about the earthquake, my heart really went out to the people... I think it also really affected me because 2 weeks out of the study trip last year, were spent in Yogyakarta. I wondered if the places affected are the exact same places I visited... what if someone I had communicated with while there, is now injuried in hospital, or worse, dead? I remembered this guy whom I had met while wandering along the main road. He had brought me to his gallery and showed me his batik paintings, explaining to me how the process was done. We had exchanged numbers, promising to keep in touch, but I never really did bother for some reason. I now wondered if he was ok.
Of course when I hear of some bad thing happening to people, I get sad and sympathise with the victims. But for the people of Yogyakarta, I feel for them even more for some strange reason. It's sorta like my feelings for Nepal too. I spent a whole month there when I was about 14-15... and I still have extremely fond memories of that place and I do most earnestly desire to return there some day. So when I read news about the political situation there, for example, I feel extra sad.
Perhaps it is coz you've been there, seen the place with your own eyes, met the people... so hence that place no longer becomes just another geographical location to you. It becomes very real to you. And therefore, you can relate more to them.
Makes sense?
I do hope the Indonesians in Central Java will recover soon...
Hmm.... I hope the ancient architecture there's ok too...
