Unforgettable Ramadhan

unforgettable ramadhan
What answer would you give if your boss suddenly asks,you should go to Thailand for business trip. Is it ok?”
If the question above drops to me, I probably will say yes without hesitation. Well, but how if your boss just asks you to go on business trip on couple days prior Eid Fitr? This means that you’ll celebrate Lebaran far away from your family. What would be your answer? Yes or No?
Syahr-i Ramadhan is the holy month for moslem around the world. The month where the 1st time Holy Qur'an revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It's also the time where Allah double the reward for all those who do good deed or worship. So, people are racing to increase prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, doing more charity, and so on.
As in Indonesia, which is said as the biggest moslem population in the world, so many tradition to celebrate Ramadhan and Eid Fitr. When I was a little child, some young guys walked around the village to wake up villagers for pre-dawn meal before fasting which is called “sahur”. They made some loud music with traditional instrument such as “Gendang” or “Bedug”. But, in the city is more quite than the village. For me, visiting home town during this month will bring back the nice memory of my childhood. I love this kind of tradition.
But then one day, my boss asked me to go to Thailand as an observer for audit. Well, I was little bit confused. My feeling was mixed, between exciting and sad. It would be the 1st time for me to go abroad, and also the 1st time I flew by a plane. Hey! Are you kidding? The 1st time taking a plane? Yes! For me, it was the 1st time! So, could you imagine how exciting I was?
In the middle of my excitement, suddenly I felt so sad, since I had to leave my two little daughters and I couldn’t back to my hometown for Lebaran.
Then my husband, my mom and my father encouraged me to go. “Just go, don’t hesitate. We’ll take care of the childs,” said my mom on the line. My parent lives in different city, but for the sake of their daughter, they traveled around 10 hours to my place since the traffic was so damn badly. I love you Mom, Dad. Thank you for loving me so much.  
So, here  I was on the plane, ready to go abroad. You know? I was so scare being there, on the big steel bird! The voice of jet machine was really terrifying. My boss said, “daijyoubu Ina san. Anshin shite kudasai,” which means it’s ok, don’t worry, please relax, such kind of those words. Kampungan? Yes, I was!!! Hahaha. Didn’t know how to go to toilet on the plane, didn’t know how to use the earphone and the LCD screen in front of my seat, and so on.
But then I enjoyed the flight and we arrived safely in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. For me it looks like Jakarta. But the highways are so wide and at that time Thailand already used a smart card for toll road, no queuing on the gate. The weather is quite the same with Jakarta. So, I felt home, no culture shock.
Walking down the street near the hotel, I found a lot food stalls, souvenir shop, shopping mall, even sellers who only used plastic cover to display their things along the street. It was interesting to observe life there. Before I realized something. What was that?
I was the only one who wearing hijab!! I stared around the street, no women wore hijab at all here. I felt a little bit awkward.  I felt, people looked at me, strangely.
“Assalamu’alaikum,” a little voice stroke my ears. I turned around, and there was a little girl with her mommy. She wave her hand, her little face was white with slanted eyes. I looked at her mother, she smiled at me, her hair was swaying in the wind. I was speechless. They already walked away before I said simple world hello.
Well, it really became unforgettable Ramadhan for me. 
***
Word Count 699 (including title)

This blog post is presented in order to join FED Challenge conducted by Fun Blogging Community

37 komentar:

  1. To me, if I'm offered to go to Thailand on Ied Fitri days, I'll directly reject it. :)

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Hmmm, back to the past, that time I was still young and wanted to know everything. Probably, if I were back to that time, the answer still yes. Hahaha. But of course that time my boss understood that we moslem celebrate Eid, so I just returned in time on the night of Eid. So, I knew how it feels when listening to the "Takbir" while we're still on the road, way back home. The feeling couldn't be described so easily. It was so sacred, and I couldn't stop my tears falling down my face.

      Hapus
    2. Luckily your boss understood. I can imagine how did you feel on that time.

      Hapus
  2. Yeayyy, how lucky you are, bundaaa :)
    congrats, bunda levi.
    benar" Ramadhan yg tak terlupakan ya bun.

    maaf bun gak totally b.ingg nih komentnya :D grammar dan vocab belepotan :(

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Yes, it was. Unforgettable moment. Back to that time, I realized that hijab is not only the obligation for Muslim woman, but also it is an identity.

      I also don't understand well English Language, I just practice and practice to make it better. It's OK making mistake, since we also learn it.

      Hapus
  3. Semoga ramadhan ini penuh berkah dari Nya

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Aamiin Mas Cumi Lebay ...
      Semoga keberkahan bagi kita semua yak. May Allah bless us.

      Hapus
  4. Nice story, i feel you. Pengen nerusin with english but masih belepotan hehehe ... good job, mbak :*

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Hehe...tenang Mbak, saya juga suka belepotan kok. Maklum bukan bule beneran...hanya bu levina, xixixi.

      Hapus
  5. Balasan
    1. Actually my English is poor. My boss frequently scolding me for my bad English. Hahaha. "Ina san, I don't understand your sentence, bla, bla, bla." #tutupkuping

      Hapus
  6. So... did u also celebrate the idul fitri on Thailand?it must have felt different than in Indonesia

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Hmmm, almost Mbak Muna. Luckly the audit just short time, so I was able return home on the midnight, just in time. Hehe

      Hapus
  7. I am curious to know what story is next. It's a great opening story Mbak. But I am waiting for: how was Ramadhan in Bangkok, is there any bazaar to buy iftar food, how do they go for tarawih? Etc. Well written :)

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Hmmm, should I continue to write about my first experience going abroad? Actually it was quite interesting after that. But since this article is limited only maximum 700 words, so I can't write all the story here.

      Hapus
  8. Oh.. same question here.. I also curious about the next story !^^

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Hehe, I'm thinking to write the 2nd article about this Unforgettable Ramadhan of mine

      Hapus
  9. someday you will tell story to your children that you once celebrated Ied in Thailand :))

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Yes, of course. I'll tell them the 1st time flying to the sky, the 1st time being at abroad, etc.

      Hapus
  10. I do not know when will I visit Thailand. I just have some postcards from there...

    BalasHapus
  11. I once accepted that kind of job, I didnt regret it completely, since it was a good experience for myself hehe

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. That's exactly what I felt. Yes of course a little bit guilty to the child but after that every time I should go for business trip, I talk to them, and they also understand it. Then I compensate to accompany them on Saturday and Sunday, everything they like to do.

      Hapus
  12. Must be a lovely moment when the little girl say hi to u as she noticed that u were moslem :)

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. The thing is that I believe she is non moslem. I was feeling lonely, walking down the street, little bit awkward since I was the only one using hijab there. Then, that little girl gave me warm welcome. She knows I'm moslem just from my appearance. Her smile liked light in the dark ... xixixi

      Hapus
  13. Levina, if I were you, I will never think twice I will automatically say YES, YES, YES...LOL I had been in you condition back to year 1983. I left my children and and my husband to be away to 3 Asian countries for about 4.5 months.

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Yes Bunda, back to that year, I think I didn't regret my decision. Haha, sometimes I think impulsive decision is good for life. My concerned that times was that no one accompany my daughters. Hubby still on the job, and the maids also already backed to home town.

      Hapus
  14. Thailand! What a long trip to go to experience Ramadan abroad. Actually, the main reason for you to go there was for the job, though. It's truly unforgettable for you. No doubt about it.
    Thanks for sharing.

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Yep Ms. Frida, I went there due to the job. Actually, My boss had to go, but he refused since he usually going for "mabit", stayed at mosque the night long on the end of 10 days Ramadhan. So, he asked me to go with the big boss. I really wanted to go that time, but I thought about the child being alone, no one accompany them. Hubby was still on the job, the maids already backed to hometown. I didn't dare to ask my mom to come to my house. But then my mom said that I had to go.

      Hapus
  15. similar story with mine. Despite of Eid-Mubarak, I was on business trip during Idul Adha. Although Idul Adha is not as festive as Lebaran, but I know how it feels; away from family. Mix feeling you hardly explain.

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Yup, the first time away from family, it was indeed rather bit difficult. I was worry, who would take care the child. Quite the same with Idul Adha, for many people it looks like Lebaran, but it called "Lebaran Haji". Mbak Ratna might be difficult also to make decision whether to leave or to stay. Hehe.

      Hapus
  16. What a very unforgettable moment ya Mba... I understand how difficult to decide whether you will go or not.

    BalasHapus
    Balasan
    1. Indeed unforgettable moment. I just thinking, how it feels when somebody must celebrate Eid in country such as Europe, Australia, Amerika. I think they'll miss so much Indonesia.

      Hapus

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