An Englishwoman in Medan

Minal Aidin Walfaidzin means something like Sorry for things I have said and done wrong. So if I have offended or hurt anyone's feelings on VOX so I heartily beg for your forgiveness.

This is, for me the most satisfying part of Eid, where everyone asks everyone else's forgiveness.

Try it, even if you're not Moslem!

I'm sure that everyone has at one time or another said or done something they wish they hadn't.

And forgive those who have hurt you. Thank them for the lesson they taught you.

Then you can start and anew.

Hurray!

I've nearly made it!!! It's 8 O Clock on the last day of Ramadan. Tomorrow is the holyday of Eid ul Fitr or Idul Fitri.

So today me and my family will be travelling to my husband's parent's house to break the last fast.

There'll be fireworks, singing and celebrating.

Tomorrow morning we will go to the mosque without eating or drinking.

After that the eating will start and will probably continue all weekend.

Hi, have you heard about the crisis in Burma?

Burma is ruled by one of the worst military dictatorships in the world.  Last month Buddhist monks and nuns began marching and chanting prayers to call for democracy. The protests spread and hundreds of thousands of Burmese people joined in -- but they've been brutally attacked by the military regime.

I just signed a petition calling on Burma's powerful ally China and the UN security council to step in and pressure Burma's rulers to stop the killing. The petition has exploded to over 500,000 signatures in a few days and is being advertised in newspapers around the world, delivered to the UN Security Council, and broadcast to the Burmese people by radio. We're trying to get to 1 million signatures this week, please sign below and tell everyone!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/tf.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
 
Thank you so much for your help!

The Height of Hypocrisy:

Breaking fast at an American fast food restaurant in a third world country. 

About 10 minutes before it was maghrib (sunset), everyone sat in silence looking tired, pale and glum staring at icecream sundaes and pizza. I stared at my salad, a luxury out here. Harassed waitresses A few non-Muslims were tucking in, albeit unhappily.

As we couldn’t hear the bedug (drum to indicate the moment to break fast), we waited for someone to get the sign.

Suddenly someone started. “Sudah buka” (already time to break fast), the people at the neighbouring 

10 minutes later the music was loud, people were laughing and the colour returned to their faces.

The bill: Rp. 169,000- about US$18.

The waitresses wages are about US$100 a month.

That’s Indonesia- a vast gap between rich and poor.

Towering glistening shopping malls selling designer labels and Korean fashion jewellery. Fast food chains.

I feel a little guilty, but sometimes I just fancy a pizza. When I was in Germany, I wouldn’t even have thought about it…

In the taxi, on my way home, we passed Ramadan Fair, which is a festival where one can eat and listen to live music throughout Ramadan.

“Have you ever been there?” asked the taxi driver.

“Nice atmosphere but the food is not so nice…Have you?” I answered.

“I have. Really good this year- and the food’s good- you should go.”

“What about the beggars? Last year I couldn’t really enjoy it because there was so many of them.” As I said this I realised this was hypocritical, but true.

“None this year. They’ve all been arrested.”

“Yeah,” my 10 year old daughter added. “If you give a beggar money you have to pay a really big fine- about 3 million rupiah (US$300)”

“So where are the beggars?” I asked.

“In a home.” said the taxi driver.

“Yeah, it was in television” my daughter added.

I worry about this kind of thing- harks back to the Suharto area, when they used to kidnap beggars and leave them to die. It’s just a matter of time till the beggars are back on the street…

What experience or moment in your life have you learned the most from? 
Submitted by AngieK. 

It was a beautiful sunlit day. A few English travellers a handful of local guides and I were rafting on a load of tyres tied together down the river Bohorok in Bukit Lawang in North Sumatra. Everyone was laughing and fooling about when we turned a corner on the river. The river was rough and suddenly the raft nearly upturned. I fell off and was submerged. I was deep below the surface. I didn't panic. I didn't even need to breathe. I stared up at the sunlight sparkling on the surface of the water. The rushing stopped. It was very calm.

Suddenly I realised I would have to go up or I would die. I remember clearly how I spoke those words in my mind. I made a conscious choice to live.

I broke the surface, and saw a row of shocked faces staring at me. I had been under for about two minutes.

BBC - homepage - Home of the BBC on the Internet

http://www.bbc.co...

Burma march 'largest in 20 years' Burma's largest anti-junta protest in nearly two decades takes place in Rangoon, led by Buddhist monks and nuns. In pictures: Burmese protests Rumbling protests worry leaders Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi

History is happening right now.

Watch this space- This could go either way- the evil corrupt junta that has been ruling the Burmese people could finally be overrun- or they crack down heavily in a massacre.

In 1988, the junta killed hundreds of demonstrators. My support to the brave people of Burma.

 I'm a teacher, and I teach a number of rather rumbuxious, noisy Junior High kids.

Normally I have to raise my voice a number of times, sometimes even get mad...

So what about fasting? In Ramadan, you not only can't drink, eat during the daytime, but you must keep calm, and sometimes your throat gets so dry because of talking.

I guess I'm lucky compared to many Muslims in Indonesia. It's boiling outside, 35 C during midday, but I can keep cool in our plush airconditioned classes.

One fellow teacher says this: "My mouth can't get angry, but my hand can."

I tried this a few days, handing out punishments with a smile on my face. But I realised that the quieter I am- but still firm, the quieter the kids are.

One kid even said: "I like Ms. much better when she's fasting. She just smiles all the time."

And I found out this: I try to find activities where I won't be shouting too much, where the kids will be kept occupied.  

I mean I knew it all the time, but the necessity of saving my voice and keeping calm made me do it.

here I am. It's 11:25pm Indonesian time, and will have to wake up real soon. 4 hours to be precise.

writing blogs was something I've always wanted to do, but somehow never had time to. then i found laura when i was just skimming around google today looking for inspiration during this holy month and realised i had to join vox to send her message.

Outside readings from the Quran fill the air with their low singing voice, unearthly. Otherwise complete quiet. All earthly not so holy people have retired for tomorrow's sahuur. Except for me.

Lacking common sense, I type on, not knowing who I'm really writing for. 

I hear a voice like crying, get up to check, but it's not my son, who had earache earlier.

Got to get some rest, gotta go to work tomorrow bright and early.

Can't be grumpy as it's forbidden to be moody and angry while fasting, otherwise all I'll get is a sore throat and an empty stomach.

Assallam Alleikum