WW: Souvenirs from Bali

BALI

How I miss this beautiful land.

Dubbed as the land of Gods and Goddesses, Bali is worldwide famous for its natural landscape, rich tradition, and amazing cultures. For us, Indonesian, Bali is and will always be paradise.

As we are not allowed to travel around these days up until God knows when, we try to entertain ourselves with photos and videos took prior to COVID-19. And I have many taken in Bali. Due to my works, there are times when I came and visited Bali 4-5 times a year. Staying in Kuta and Nusa Dua, where most of my meetings were conducted, I always tried to enjoy this place once the works were concluded. As you know, Bali is indeed dotted with plush hotels and 

One thing I wouldn't miss is getting some souvenirs from the fantastic land.

No matter how many times we I have visited Bali, I always try to stop at some souvenir centers around Denpasar, Kuta, or Nusa Dua to get my favorites.

Some of my favorites are the local munchies such as kacang Koro, kacang disco (coated peanuts with various flavors), chips with local spices, brem, and more. 

What I like more is the traditional fabrics, endek and tenun Bali. They are very intricate and detailed plus colorful. As you probably know before, I am a big fan of wastra nusantara. Indonesian traditional fabrics are super cool. I have many collection of them and also the ready-to-wear ones, plus accessories. I always bring them wherever I go and most of the time, make them as souvenirs for my dear friends. Banyak banget temen - temen aku di PBB yang suka juga melihat wastra nusantara yang aku pakai.

READ: 7 Barang Etnik yang Membuat Perjalanan Makin Mengesankan.

Oh..and the paintings! I love Balinese painting, traditional as well as modern ones. 

Here are some of the souvenirs I managed to see and bring home (some of them only).

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WW: Jakarta Sky

I am warmly welcoming Jakarta's blue sky!

Perhaps, this is one of a few benefits or positive changes we all witness during the pandemic.
Clearer air.
Bluer sky.
Healthier earth.

Every end of afternoon, just before dusk, I have a new habit of going up to my rooftop. To enjoy the dramatic sky! I love it!

Do you notice similar changes in your neighborhood?

Is it bluer as well?

How do you like it?

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Wonderful Wednesday with My Purple World, Oh My Heartsie Girls and Friends

Are you ready for the 'new normal'?

Well, ready or not, here it comes!

We have been advised that the new normal will soon be implemented and we will soon resume our activities under new health protocol and arrangement. Flyers have been prepared and disseminated as well. I sincerely hope we are ready for it and work it out as well

Well, we are in the discussion of returning back to our office pretty soon. I am also planning to take the rapid test to double check how things are. Wish me luck! And us all as well!

I just wanted to let you know our party will be running from Monday through Sunday, so anytime you have something new to share, stop back by and add your links to the linky!! 

We appreciate your visit today, let us know in comments if you are following us so we can follow you back! So now we are ready for you to share your blog with us, Linky Parties & Giveaways are all welcome! 

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Terima Kasih, Ramadhan

Terima kasih, Ramadhan.

Begitu cepatnya rasanya ia berlalu. 

Bulan terbaik dalam satu tahun.

Ramadhan yang selalu istimewa ini memang berbeda di tahun 2020.

Segala keriuhan, denyut tradisi dan kegembiraan Ramadhan yang biasanya menghiasi hari - hari di bulan puasa kita berubah drastis. Tidak ada sholat berjamah di masjid, tidak ada traweh bersama di masjid, tidak ada keliling - keliling mencari makanan berbuka, tidak ada sujud sungkem dan tetesan air mata saat memeluk orang tua. Tapi tidak mengapa. Sepanjang hati ini terbuka, selalu ada cara untuk berbagi maaf, cinta dan sukacita.

Dan Ramadhan kali ini tetap menjadi yang terbaik.

Bulan yang membawa segala asa, doa, dan harapan untuk menjadi hamba-Nya yang lebih baik dan baik lagi. 

Menjejakkan semangat bahwa selaksa kebaikan ada di dalam diri kita. 

Selalu ada. 

Bahwa perjuangan menaklukkan kebhatilan dan kedangkalan hati bermula dari diri sendiri. 

Bukan dari tempat atau orang lain.

Ramadhan juga mengajarkanku akan indahnya sabar.

Syahdunya menanti rahmah-Nya.

Dan betapa Allah SWT memiliki cara ajaib untuk membuka mata dan hati kita. Betapa Sang Maha Pembolak-balik hati ini sungguh penuh belas kasih bagi hamba-Nya yang bersungguh - sungguh.

Saya ditunjukkan indahnya keteguhan hati lewat seorang tukang sayur sederhana. Juga nikmatnya mencari ridho-Nya dari seorang penjaga keamanan yang selalu menjaga sholatnya. Serta ampuhnya kejujuran yang membuka rezeki dari seorang supir ojek online. Even my beautiful daughter Nadine becomes my constant reminder of how I should curb my fiery emotions. Ada anak cantik ini yang selalu tidak ragu - ragu memeluk saya dan bilang," sabar, mah.. sabar" saat suara ini sudah meninggi karena satu dan lain hal yang seringkali sepele.

Saya malu, kalau menjadi hamba-Nya yang diberi banyak kemudahan dan keringanan tidak bisa menjadi orang yang baik seperti mereka yang berjuang jauh lebih keras di luar sana. Saya sungkan mengeluh pada-Nya akan satu dua batu kecil yang saya hadapi dalam hidup ini. Saya hanya berharap Ia terus memberi kekuatan dan kesabaran kepada kami dalam menjalani skenario indah-Nya.

Semoga, meskipun dengan segala kekurangan dan beribu alasan yang ada, kita masuk dalam golongan hamba-Nya yang tidak merugi. Ketika bulan penuh rahmat ini kembali pergi, untuk insya Allah kembali lagi. Satu harapan kami ya Rabb, semoga kelak kami dipertemukan kembali. 

Terima kasih, Ramadhan

Virtual Eid Mubarak and Halal Bihalal

getting ready for virtual meet - up 

Thanks to coronavirus, we are now “forced“ to embrace the ‘new normal’.
This year‘s Eid is one of the examples.

Google Meet with my Google Local Guide Community

We are strongly urged not to go back home or do ‘mudik’ in order to curb the spread of the virus. Many of us stay at home, separated from the big family or their loved ones, and experience the first and special Eid Al-Fitr in the middle of the pandemic. And that includes us, the Frakarsas.

The link below is the video of our Eid Celebration last year.
You see.. we did it in traditional fashion. We had big gatherings, family and friends, lots of food, tons of fun! Making me missing everyone! As Lebaran day is happening only once a year and celebrated after a month-long fasting month, no wonder we won't nothing but the best during this victorious day. 

Yet, again, 2020 is super special.
There we are.. making so many adjustments in life, work and the way we conduct our activities. We are taking our Eid celebration to a new level and a new platform.

Virtual celebration.

I have several Eid celebration and ‘gathering’ going on this year. First with my mom and my brothers and our families through whatsapp group video call. Then with my aunties and big families, followed by Office colleagues, my childhood friends and families as well as my communities. Quite a busy and packed schedules that carries on till the end of the week after Eid Al-Fitr. Even on the third day (which used to be part of Eid long holidays before COVID-19), we already have meetings and webinars through zoom application as well.

our first meeting right after the Eid

 I even have back to back ‘halal bihalal’ virtual meetup with my junior high school friends and continued with my Jakarta Google Local Guides and then Women Local Guides. I ended up finish everything at 1 AM. Straight from 4 PM in the afternoon! It was crazily long but I really enjoyed it. I will share more detailed stories in another post. As you can see, we have no better option but enjoying it.

This halal bihalal continued until 11 PM 

This year, we are doing it differently as we stayed at home and did everything from home during Lebaran day. But of course, it does not mean it's not fun! You can see our lebaran celebration this year in my YouTube video as well.

So, many of us are familiar with teleconference applications such as Google Meet, Webex, Skype, Polycon, and Zoom application and therefore we use them a lot. It was fun to chat, laugh, share photos and slides with the others. Even some technical glitches can be funny during the meeting. Perhaps this is the new normal that we all have to get used to. I do have problems with the connection sometimes and from bad backache after long, straight time sitting in front of the computer. And I guess I have to check my sight again as the hours being spent in front of the computers have significantly multiplied. But out of these issues, I can say I enjoy my virtual Eid Mubarak and Halal Bihalal.

How about your Lebaran day? 

So do you have your virtual meetings with your loved one as well?
How do you like it?

Wonderful Wednesday with My Purple World, Oh My Heartsie Girls and Friends

Lebaran Day!

Lebaran Day is here!

How wonderful it is, and slightly somber for us since we are not going back home. We are happy that we have given the opportunity to forge ourselves into better beings during the holy month of Ramadhan and ended it up with Eid Al-Fitr. The festivities are in the air although we are mostly staying at home as Large Scale Social Restriction or PSBB is still in place. 

But as I wrote in Eid Mubarak, Eid Mubarak, we still enjoy Eid Al-Fitr. Even on the third day of Lebaran, which is usually still part of our annual leave, we are officially (and virtually) back to the office. Well, we are getting ready for the 'new normal.' Hope everything can be safely planned and done.

Meanwhile, our friends and families in the US is celebrating the Memorial Day. It's like the heroes' day in Indonesia, where we celebrated the lives and sacrifices our heroes, the fallen soldiers and others who have fought against the colonialization. May they all rest in peace.

And now, Wonderful Wednesday with My Purple World, Oh My Heartsie Girls and Friends is ready to welcome you all.

I would like to take a moment to Thank and Remember all our fallen soldiers of Military, there have been countless lives lost in the pursuit of keeping America safe at home. God Rest their souls!

I just wanted to let you know our party will be running from Monday through Sunday, so anytime you have something new to share, stop back by and add your links to the linky!! We appreciate your visit today, let us know in comments if you are following us so we can follow you back! So now we are ready for you to share your blog with us, Linky Parties & Giveaways are all welcome! 

We hope you will visit our hostess's features and leave comments as well! 

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