The Miraculous Land of the Boy Who Lived

The Miraculous Land of the Boy Who Lived

By: Debrina Ayu

Figure 1 : Hogsmeade's Gate

I step my foot in a magical world as an enormous Hogsmeade’s gate greets me by saying, “Please Respect the Spell Limits”. Hogsmeade looks like a Christmas card; the sky is painted a bright blue. The sun beam upon my face in the same way my gaze is embraced onto the sky. The smell of wind is like the taste of water. The crisp snow dances in the little thatched cottages and shops along the street; there are holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. Then my heart stays in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter forever.

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”—Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Figure 2: The Ticket.

This is one of the attractions in Universal Studios Japan (USJ), a theme park with a collection of world-class amusement park for all ages to enjoy. As amazing as it is, one adult has to pay 7,400 yen or approximately Rp900.000,- to enter USJ meanwhile a fee for children is 5,000 yen or around Rp600,000,-.

Captivated by the view, I catch a sight of a colossal old-fashioned steam train, the Hogwarts Express. People draw closer to see the machinist wearing full uniform. There is indeed a line just to take a photograph with him.

Walking along the streets, I see people from all over the world bringing their cameras. They are dazzled to go to the Zonko’s Joke Shop, Ollivanders, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipement, Owl Posy & Owlery, Dervish and Banges, Gladrags Wizardwear, Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, and Honeydukes as well as I am. One of the stores, Honeydukes, is a sweetshop loved by students of Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, this colorful shop is full of unique sweets. I have a chance to taste the Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans. Suitable with its name, every candy distinguishes its flavor. I choose the bright candy hoping not to get the horrible taste; indeed I taste a fruit.

Figure 3: Tea & Cakes

Figure 4: Ollivanders

Figure 6:  Dogweed & Deathcap

Figure 5: Owl Posy & Owlery

At the end of the street, I mesmerize with the scenery in front of me, a Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Words can’t even describe the beauty of it. As I enter the door, the magic comes. It is dark as if it is a night in the movie and the only sound that I can hear is my heartbeat. Too bad, I am not allowed to take a picture inside the castle. I explore Dumbeldore’s office, the Gryffindor common room, and the Defence Agaisnt the Dark Arts classroom before departing on a thrilling journey on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Soar across the vast sky above Hogwarts at high speeds and experience the intensity of the thrilling immersive realism as the Golden Snitch races by as if within arm’s reach.

Figure 7: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is successfully reproducing the world from the Harry Potter stories on overwhelming scale and with accurate attention to detail. The rocky path has leaded me to the end of my adventure yet the charming snowscape lingers on my heart.

The Smallest Actions Often Make the Biggest Difference

The Smallest Actions Often Make the Biggest Difference

By: Debrina Ayu

Figure 1 : Sigit is teaching in front of the class.

Based on The Jakarta Post, Indonesia is the second-least literate nation in the world in a list of 61 measurable countries, besting only Botswana, according to new research that ranks the five Nordic states (Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Sweden) as the top five.

The number of uneducated people is higher in isolated district. This could be a wakeup call for many people including Sigit Puji Wicaksono as for today he joins SM3T, Sarjana Mendidik di Daerah Terluar, Terdepan, dan Tertinggal. The participants are there to make people across the nation realize that Indonesia is not merely Java Island and it takes lots of people to develop it. SM3T offers different teaching experience. He said that teaching in remote areas is totally different than in big cities such as Jakarta. He wants to undergo it and shares his ‘city’ life to people in those areas.

SM3T is not a new program. It has been held for 4 years at that time. In 2015, Sigit and his colleagues talked about this programme yet at the end, there was only him. He decided to join the programme soon after graduating from State University of Jakarta. In addition, after the SM3T, the participants will get free enrolment for PPG (Pendidikan Profesi Guru) –a must for a teacher.

However, Sigit had to meet the requirements which were online application, written test, and interview. Stated that he was qualified, he had to go through some training before being sent to remote areas. Every participant is chosen either to Papua, Kupang, or Riau as for Sigit it is a village in Kupang. He is assigned in Junior High School 2 Amfoang Timur. It is a totally different world out there. The village is near the Oekusi District of Timor Leste. Don’t even bother to think about Wi-Fi. There isn’t even a cellular signal. In fact, the electricity is only for about 12 hours a day. To reach the City of Kupang, he has to take a bus for 12-14 hours.

He feels happy to contribute something for our country yet it is really sad to see undeveloped district. “It is sad to see the condition in this area. Once, I challenged my students to count number 1 to 10 yet they cannot even say one two three in English”, he recalled.

Once, the students were asked to introduce themselves in English yet none of them could. After they were taught several times, they were able to do it with a text. Sigit also said that the students also couldn’t understand simple expressions. For instance they were told to open the book. Few of them managed to do it but the rest of them just stand up, or opened the window, or cleaned the blackboard.

Figure 2: The students are studying.

The students only have a small opportunity to study at home because the books are only available in the school. So they could only rely on the teachers. Sometimes the students go to Sigit’s house to repeat what they have studied in the school.

Sigit also said that students in 7^th grade couldn’t even remember a simple multiplication as for the following grade still get confused. “It was one afternoon when they were studying in my house. They were given a simple case; if you had Rp10.000,- in your hand and the price of a book was Rp1.000,- each, how many books could you buy? They answered, ‘we couldn’t buy it, sir. The price of the book in the store was Rp2.500,-”, said Sigit.

It is tough yet meaningful. Sigit has lived for 8 months there and is about to finish his SM3T in a couple of months. The programme has given valuable knowledge for students in remote areas. They have learned to count, speak, read, and write –something that not all of them can get since there are limited amount of teachers.

“One of the proudest moments is listening to my students singing Indonesia Raya. I wish that my contribution is useful for students here. They will continue to higher level of education and one day, they will come back to develop their village.”

[Mid-term] Debrina Ayu Virgoyanti - Love, Edwin Ave. (Short Story)

by : Debrina Ayu

Hi Mom! How’s life? I want you to know that I’m fine even though you might see different thing from up there. It has been 6 months that you left us and Dad already find someone else. He lives in our house now, having his own family. Dinda and I live in grandma’s house even though there is no grandma, grandpa, or you. Our house is no longer a home for us.

The new semester has just begun. Time flies, huh? I remember the time you brought me a lunchbox for my first day in junior high school. I’m in the 9th grade now. Since you left, Dinda and I walk side by side to go to the school. She will go to Mrs. Triana’s house after school to help cleaning her house. Then, I will do whatever I can do to provide us food on the table.

Don’t be sad, Mom. I meet a new teacher at the beginning of this semester. Her name is Mrs. Farinda. I’ll tell you about her.

She is my new science teacher. She asked me, “Why did you get score 30 out of 100?” Sorry mom, you know I’m never a big fan of science. Then she kept asking me, “Why did you sleep during my class?” or “Why didn’t you attend today class?” – That sort of thing. I am not an extrovert person, I never will. But her determination of asking my condition touched my heart.

I’m never open up my life to her as I did to you. “I have to work in a restaurant, a shop, even a house. I have to have 3 part time jobs in a day”, that was my only answer to her. She didn’t pity me. She didn’t judge me. That’s what I liked about her. Instead, she helped me, mom. Every day after school, she would tutor me in the library. She was nice.

One day, she even invited me to join her family’s lunch at some good restaurant. It was not a glamorous restaurant like you and dad liked to visit. But it was good. The food was good. She even brought me a take away for Dinda. I asked her, “How could I ever pay your kindness?” The next thing I know, she just smiled. She said, “Don’t think about it. You can thank me later when you have achieved your dream”. I felt so grateful to meet someone like her.

Huh, Mom, I just got my mid-term test yesterday. I got 70 out of 100! Aren’t you proud of me? I even danced in the class this morning. This is because Mrs. Farinda. She has helped me sincerely. Ah, I wish you could meet her. Wow, I’ve been writing forever. I’ll be back as soon as possible.

Love,

Edwin Ave

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 22 June 2003

Dear my beloved mom…

I’m sorry I haven’t writing for so long. I miss you mother, more than you know. Things have been difficult lately. I want to share what had happened in school but promise me you won’t get mad.

Do you remember when our drunken neighbors stole our mangos tree? Then he used the money to gamble in the table card? Well, I might have done something a quite similar. I didn’t gambling though. I was the one they would pay to when the wrestling about to start. But as the show went on, the police came and captured me for involving in gambling. Then I realized, no! The police won’t let me go if there were no family member. Everybody that involve in this business was also captured. So I have no one else except for the fact I couldn’t let Dinda knew about this.

One person that passed my head was Mrs. Farinda yet I was too ashamed to ask her help. She had done so much for our family but I might have let her –or you down with this. But she came and asked me, “Why did I involve in gambling?” I couldn’t help it anymore. I just burst into tears. “I want to create a special gift for Dinda. She is in the 6th grade now and will have a birthday soon. My 3 part time jobs are just not enough to buy the materials.”

She bailed me out, Mom. She didn’t yell at me nor got angry with me. She just kept helping me with her angelic intention. But once again, I let her –you down. Somebody stole the restaurant owner’s money and they accused me. I was dragged into a police station. But this time I swear I didn’t steal his money. The only person trusted me was Mrs. Farinda. She (again) bailed me out. I felt terrible with her –and you for continuously trapped in a jail. When my class year was about to end, it turned out that his own son had stole it for drugs. The owner had apologized to me. The best thing I learn from Mrs. Farinda is to forgive and don’t judge people. I forgive him –something that is so difficult for me especially because what Dad has done to us.

Hey, I start my senior high school next month. With the help of Mrs. Farinda, I got a good score and entered a nice school. Aren’t you proud of me, Mom?

Love,

Edwin Ave

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 05 September 2010

Dear my beloved mom…

TODAY IS MY GRADUATION DAY MOM! I just finished mechanical engineering study program – something that I would never think in the million years before. I thought I was not smart enough to understand science but it turned out I was wrong. Mrs. Farinda has changed me a lot I high school until I chose science major in senior high school. By the why, she comes to my graduation. I wish you do too.

Hey, I could make an invention right now. I just gave Dinda a new tv that I made by myself. It used old materials but I could modify it into a sophisticated tv. I like to make new things for her birthday. Anddddd, I’ am nominated for my invention in science fair. I hope I can win it.

Something that I hate could be changed in a matter of seconds that is what you –and Mrs. Farinda surprisingly had said to me.  I never thought to like science. I never considered forgiving my father. I never expected to trust someone. But I do. I do. I do now.

I’m applying to a vehicle company. I’m hoping everything will be better from now. Wish me luck!

Love,

Edwin Ave

⃝⃝⃝

He has become a successful inventor. His hard work has paid off.  Today, before he is awarded as ‘Inventor of the year’, he is sitting next to his teacher and sister. Edwin gives his pieces of diary to his teacher now, after almost 13 years. “Thank you for everything you had done to me. This is only a tiny proof of so many great things you have done for me”. That is his only sentence with a smile before receiving the award.

Mrs. Farinda couldn’t say anything but answering with a smile.

[Mid-term] Debrina Ayu Virgoyanti - It's a Rain (Poem)

It's a Rain

By : Debrina Ayu

Sixteen o'clock

We call it a rain

Heavy - not going to stop

Sixteen o'clock

Five minutes left

My paper is fully loaded by nothing

You call it an empty thought

I live in it. I live in the gap. I live in you.

But it's two minutes left

When will we meet the rain in the same ground

I don't even move

Walk to the light, I haven't met the end

Cause my time is only now

In this minute - count down till

Seconds, second, and done

Drama: RUMPELSTILTSKIN

Brothers Grimm

Script by Debrina Ayu Virgoyanti

Once, a miller who is poor yet has a beautiful daughter had to speak to the king.

MILLER                                 :               I have a daughter who can spin straw into gold.

KING                                     :               That is an art which pleases me well, if your daughter is as clever as you say, bring her to-morrow to my palace, and I will put her to the test.

The girl is bought into a room which is quite full of straw and given her a spinning-wheel and a reel.

KING                                     :               (Pointing at the straw) now set to work, and if by to-morrow morning early you have not spun this straw into gold during the night, you must die.

The King leaves and locks up the room. The Girl has no idea how straw could be spun into gold.

GIRL                                       :               (Frightened then crying)

LITTLE MAN                        :               (Opening the door and entering the room) good evening, mistress miller. Why are you crying so?

GIRL                                       :               Alas. I have to spin straw into gold, and I do not know how to do it. (Still sobbing)

LITTLE MAN                        :               What will you give me, if I do it for you?

GIRL                                       :               My necklace.

LITTLE MAN                        :               Well then… (Taking the necklace then sitting in front of the wheel. Whirr, whirr, whirr. (Putting another on) whirr, whirr, whirr.

And so it goes on until the morning, when all the straw is spun, and all the reels are full of gold.

KING                                     :               (Entering the room) (Astonished and delighted) so, it’s true what your father said. I can have more gold now. Soldier! (To the soldier) Bring this girl to another room. We need to make her productive.

GIRL                                       :               No! No! Please… Just let me go, please please.

The King doesn’t listen to the girl. The King has the miller's daughter taken into another room full of straw, which is much larger.

KING                                     :               Now, you have to spin all of this straw that also in one night if you value your life. (Exit)

GIRL                                       :               (Crying again)

LITTLE MAN                        :               (Opening the door and entering the room -again) what will you give me if I spin that straw into gold for you?

GIRL                                       :               (Pointing at her ring) I have a ring to give it to you.

LITTLE MAN                        :               Alright… (Taking the ring then sitting in front of the wheel. Whirr, whirr, whirr. (Putting another on) whirr, whirr, whirr. (Putting another on again) whirr, whirr, whirr)

By morning, the little man had spun all the straw into glittering gold.

KING                                     :               (Entering the room) (Rejoiced beyond measure at the sight) this is bewildering! I cannot let you do nothing after this.

Unable to say and do anything, the girl is taken into a still larger room full of straw.

KING                                     :               You must spin this, too, in the course of this night, but if you succeed this time, you shall be my wife. (Greedy) (Thinking he could not find a richer wife in the whole world.)

GIRL                                       :               (confused but not crying.)

LITTLE MAN                        :               (Opening the door and entering the room -again) what will you give me if I spin the straw for you this time also?

GIRL                                       :               I have nothing left that I could give.

LITTLE MAN                        :               Then promise me, if you should become queen, to give me your first child.

GIRL                                       :               That probably will ever happen… but I promise it to you.

LITTLE MAN                        :               We’ll see honey… (Taking the ring then sitting in front of the wheel. Whirr, whirr, whirr. (Putting another on) whirr, whirr, whirr. (Putting another on again) whirr, whirr, whirr)

KING                                     :               This is magnificent! I shall keep my words. You will be a queen now! Everybody! Prepare a wedding. We will have glorious wedding today.

A year after, the queen gives a birth to a beautiful child yet let her promise slip. Out of the blue, the little man comes into her room.

LITTLE MAN                        :               I come to collect your promise. Give me what your child.

QUEEN                                 :               (horror-struck) I could offer you all the riches of the kingdom if you would leave me with my child.

LITTLE MAN                        :               No, something alive is dearer to me than all the treasures in the world, honey.

QUEEN                                 :               (Began to lament and cry)

LITTLE MAN                        :               Alright, alright. I could give you a bargain. I will give you three days, time. If by that time you find out my name, then shall you keep your child.

QUEEN                                 :               It’s a deal.

So the queen thinks the whole night of all the names that she has ever heard, and she send a messenger over the country to inquire, far and wide, for any other names that there might be. The little man comes the next day.

LITTLE MAN                        :               So, what’s my name?

QUEEN                                 :               Is it… Caspar? Melchior? Balthazar? Jack? Thomas? Oliver? Charlie? George? Lewis? Harvey? Luke?

LITTLE MAN                        :               That is not my name. (Exit)

On the second day she had inquiries made in the neighborhood as to the names of the people there. The little man comes again.

LITTLE MAN                        :               So, what’s my name?

QUEEN                                 :               Shortribs? or Sheepshanks? or Laceleg?

LITTLE MAN                        :               That is not my name. (Exit)

On the third day the messenger came back again.

MESSENGER                       :               I have not been able to find a single new name, but as I came to a high mountain at the end of the forest, where the fox and the hare bid each other good night, there I saw a little house, and before the house a fire was burning, and round about the fire quite a ridiculous little man was jumping, he hopped upon one leg, and shouted –

                                                                'To-day I bake, to-morrow brew, the next I'll have the young queen's child. Ha, glad am I that no one knew that Rumpelstiltskin I am styled.'

QUEEN                                 :               (Happy) Thank you for your hard work, man. You may leave this room.

MESSENGER                       :               At your service. (Exit)

LITTLE MAN                        :               (Enter) now, mistress queen, what is my name?

QUEEN                                 :               Is your name Conrad?

LITTLE MAN                        :               No.

QUEEN                                 :               Is your name Harry?

LITTLE MAN                        :               No.

QUEEN                                 :               Perhaps your name is Rumpelstiltskin?

LITTLE MAN                        :               (Crying) the devil has told you that! The devil has told you that! This is unacceptable.

In his anger he plunges his right foot so deep into the earth that his whole leg goes in, and then in rage he pulls at his left leg so hard with both hands that he tears himself in two.

TO YOU

By Debrina Ayu Virgoyanti

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 12 January 2003

Dear Mom…

Hi Mom! How’s life? I want you to know that I’m fine even though you might see different thing from up there. It has been 6 months that you left us and Dad already find someone else. He lives in our house now, having his own family. Dinda and I live in grandma’s house even though there is no grandma, grandpa, or you. Our house is no longer a home for us.

The new semester has just begun. Time flies, huh? I remember the time you brought me a lunchbox for my first day in junior high school. I’m in the 9^th grade now. Since you left, Dinda and I walk side by side to go to the school. She will go to Mrs. Triana’s house after school to help cleaning her house. Then, I will do whatever I can do to provide us food on the table.

Don’t be sad, Mom. I meet a new teacher at the beginning of this semester. Her name is Mrs. Farinda. I’ll tell you about her.

She is my new science teacher. She asked me, “Why did you get score 30 out of 100?” Sorry mom, you know I’m never a big fan of science. Then she kept asking me, “Why did you sleep during my class?” or “Why didn’t you attend today class?” – That sort of thing. I am not an extrovert person, I never will. But her determination of asking my condition touched my heart.

I’m never open up my life to her as I did to you. “I have to work in a restaurant, a shop, even a house. I have to have 3 part time jobs in a day”, that was my only answer to her. She didn’t pity me. She didn’t judge me. That’s what I liked about her. Instead, she helped me, mom. Every day after school, she would tutor me in the library. She was nice.

One day, she even invited me to join her family’s lunch at some good restaurant. It was not a glamorous restaurant like you and dad liked to visit. But it was good. The food was good. She even brought me a take away for Dinda. I asked her, “How could I ever pay your kindness?” The next thing I know, she just smiled. She said, “Don’t think about it. You can thank me later when you have achieved your dream”. I felt so grateful to meet someone like her.

Huh, Mom, I just got my mid-term test yesterday. I got 70 out of 100! Aren’t you proud of me? I even danced in the class this morning. This is because Mrs. Farinda. She has helped me sincerely. Ah, I wish you could meet her. Wow, I’ve been writing forever. I’ll be back as soon as possible.

Love,

Edwin Ave

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 22 June 2003

Dear my beloved mom…

I’m sorry I haven’t writing for so long. I miss you mother, more than you know. Things have been difficult lately. I want to share what had happened in school but promise me you won’t get mad.

Do you remember when our drunken neighbors stole our mangos tree? Then he used the money to gamble in the table card? Well, I might have done something a quite similar. I didn’t gambling though. I was the one they would pay to when the wrestling about to start. But as the show went on, the police came and captured me for involving in gambling. Then I realized, no! The police won’t let me go if there were no family member. Everybody that involve in this business was also captured. So I have no one else except for the fact I couldn’t let Dinda knew about this.

One person that passed my head was Mrs. Farinda yet I was too ashamed to ask her help. She had done so much for our family but I might have let her –or you down with this. But she came and asked me, “Why did I involve in gambling?” I couldn’t help it anymore. I just burst into tears. “I want to create a special gift for Dinda. She is in the 6^th grade now and will have a birthday soon. My 3 part time jobs are just not enough to buy the materials.”

She bailed me out, Mom. She didn’t yell at me nor got angry with me. She just kept helping me with her angelic intention. But once again, I let her –you down. Somebody stole the restaurant owner’s money and they accused me. I was dragged into a police station. But this time I swear I didn’t steal his money. The only person trusted me was Mrs. Farinda. She (again) bailed me out. I felt terrible with her –and you for continuously trapped in a jail. When my class year was about to end, it turned out that his own son had stole it for drugs. The owner had apologized to me. The best thing I learn from Mrs. Farinda is to forgive and don’t judge people. I forgive him –something that is so difficult for me especially because what Dad has done to us.

Hey, I start my senior high school next month. With the help of Mrs. Farinda, I got a good score and entered a nice school. Aren’t you proud of me, Mom?

Love,

Edwin Ave

⃝⃝⃝

Jakarta, 05 September 2010

Dear my beloved mom…

TODAY IS MY GRADUATION DAY MOM! I just finished mechanical engineering study program – something that I would never think in the million years before. I thought I was not smart enough to understand science but it turned out I was wrong. Mrs. Farinda has changed me a lot I high school until I chose science major in senior high school. By the why, she comes to my graduation. I wish you do too.

Hey, I could make an invention right now. I just gave Dinda a new tv that I made by myself. It used old materials but I could modify it into a sophisticated tv. I like to make new things for her birthday. Anddddd, I’ am nominated for my invention in science fair. I hope I can win it.

Something that I hate could be changed in a matter of seconds that is what you –and Mrs. Farinda surprisingly had said to me.  I never thought to like science. I never considered forgiving my father. I never expected to trust someone. But I do. I do. I do now.

I’m applying to a vehicle company. Wish me luck!

⃝⃝⃝

He has become a successful inventor. His hard work has paid off.  Today, before he is awarded as ‘Inventor of the year’, he is sitting next to his teacher and sister. Edwin gives his pieces of diary to his teacher now, after almost 13 years. “Thank you for everything you had done to me. This is only a tiny proof of so many great things you have done for me”. That is his only sentence with a smile before walk to the stage.

Mrs. Farinda answers, “Thank you for treating me as your mother”.