MY FIRST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION

Kemaren gw ikutan Pemilu Legislatif a.K.a Nyontreng. Ini pengalaman baru buat gw.
Bisa dibilang gw nie pemilih pemula gitu dehh. Tadinya sich sempet mau golput aja gto, tapi ada something yang mengubah pemikiran gw. Bukan karena gw sadar kalo suara gw penting, tapi karena nyokap gw nyuruh gw dan kayanya bakalan marah kalo gw gak nurut. Hal itu nyokap lakukan bukan karena kesadaran bahwa Pemilu itu penting. Tapi hanya karena Nyokap uda susah2 nyari’in kartu Pemilih bwat gw supaya gw masuk daftar pemilih tetap. Nyokap gak mau usahanya sia-sia belaka, jadi maksa2 gw dah buat milih.

Terlepas dari itu semua sebenernya alasan gw tadinya mau golput sich simple kaya anak2 laen aja. Gw bingung ato bisa disebut sebagai gak tau mo milih apa dan siapa. Partai banyak, Caleg banyak, mana pake Nyontreng2 segala lagi. Secara selama ini gw tinggal di luar kota buat kuliah dan tidak begitu mempeduikan hal2 smacam itu. Alhasil, gw yang mengira bahwa diri gw ini tau dengan betul bagaimana caranya meNYONTRENG, ternyata jadi orang yang tiba2 seolah2 Amnesia gitu lahhh. Gw baru tau kalo waktu milih anggota legislatif kt cm harus pilih satu partai, ato satu caleg dari satu partai. Selama ini gw mengira kalo kita bisa memilih satu caleg dari setiap partai untuk wakil mereka di parlemen. Wah, pokoknya intinya benar2 membingungkan.

Selain itu, waktu lihat acara2 berita kemarin koq banyak juga orang yang Golput dan mirisnya lagi di sisi lain banyak orang lainnya yang protest karena mereka gak punya kartu pemilih. Haduhhh gimana sichhh penyelenggaranya……

MY FUTURE HOPES

Everyday, we can found million successful people in the world. We must be questioning ‘How Come’. The answer is very simple. That is because they have a dream and in every peoples’ dream there is a hope. That can be spirit for them in doing this life. People usually have so many hopes for their future. They want to have a better life in the future. As an ordinary people I also hope for my better future. I have a lot of want that I want to reach in the future. That is important for me to have hopes but the most important thing is what we have done to make it come true. In addition when we have hopes, it means that we also must be ready for the failure, when we can not reach that.

As I said before, having hopes is so important for me. I have a lot of hope for my future. A few years ago, I began to think that I want to adventure around the world. I want to be a backpacker and see a lot of interesting thing from every single place in the world. Actually, my purposed is so simple that is I want to know about another people life in another place. Perhaps some people think that it is not important. For me knowing another people life is a part of understanding another human being, their culture and their life. All of us know that lately there are some war happened in some part of people. That is because the misunderstanding among people in the world. That is why knowing and learning another people life is important to make us more appreciate the differences. Actually the main hope of mind is I want to write a book. This book will be about my journey around the world. I want to write everything that can inspire people to make a change to the world. I hope my book will be a bestseller book so that I will get a lot of money from its royalty. I plan to donate that royalty to feed unlucky children around the world and to give them a better education. This idea comes up because I often see in the media a lot of children in the world are suffering because of so many reasons. The point is that I always hope that I can be useful for another human being.

In my opinion hope is nothing without an effort. We still have to work hard to make it come true. So far, I have done some efforts to reach my hope. I know there are a lot of obstacles that I will be face on. However, I will never give up. I will always make a new step although it just a little one. I have read some book about backpacker that is very inspiring and useful for me. From those all book, I know a lot of information about what we have to do as a backpacker. I also have read some book about other country. It has given me more information about a place that can be useful if I will visit it. I also always try to add my saving in my account because money is so important. In addition, I also always try to increase my writing ability, so that I can produce a good book. I often write in my spare time and post it in my blog. This is a kind of practice my writing skill. The most important thing that can not be forgotten by all people who have hope is that we must always pray to God. We must remember that God is powerful. Whatever we did, we are nothing without him. Furthermore, belief in God can prevent us from being stress and depress when we get a failure in our way to reach our hope.

As a human being we must believe that we will reach our hope as long as we keep fighting. We must remember that we hope for our better future. Every effort that we make is important. So, we have to do something whether it just a simple thing if we want to be successful. In addition, we also must prepare our selves from the failure. In this condition the only thing that can help us is just our belief to God. We must believe that there is a miracle from God for us as long as we always work hard and pray to God. Dream and hope is a human right. Everyone can do it freely. Someone without hope is someone who does not deserve to live in this world. Keep dreaming and make your hope come true because it can be a change for us, for another, and for this world.

Human Behaviour

In this life there are some kinds of behavior that we never recognized before. We never realize that understanding behavior is very important in purpose of avoiding misunderstanding. Cross cultural understanding study required us to be aware with this kind of discussion. There are three kinds of behavior that need to be understanding according to this study that is Universal Behavior, Cultural Behavior, and Personal Behavior. Each of those behaviors has different meaning.

Universal behavior is an act made by humans based in human biological inheritance passed on through the generations of all mankind and shared to another human all over the world which can affect the way they think and their feeling. In the other word we can imply that universal behavior is a behavior which can be accepted and understood by all people in the world. The example of some body language that probably universal are smiling when happy or greeting another, raising eyebrows or hand waving when greeting another, laughing when amused, partially hiding the face or blushing when coy or embarrassed, startling as a reaction to shock, crying when sad or in pain, body shrug to express, I don’t know, slumping when dejected or tired, etc. These all example is considered as an act which can be accepted in universal society.

The next discussion is about Cultural Behavior. So, what is the meaning of this term. Cultural behavior is a behavior exhibited by humans from different cultural system in the world. As we know, a culture can produce a language, custom, religion, and all of human creation which is used by human in their daily life. This culture is always different in every places, tribes, nations, etc. So, from this all definition we can consider that cultural behavior consist of some act which made by human and can not be understood easily by another human from different culture. A language can have different meaning in different culture. For example are piddling around in American language means not doing anything much, which in British language consider as rude, in Australian language She’ll be right mate means everything is OK, which in British and American language will have different meaning. Some custom from some culture also have a lot of differences. A custom that is common done by a tribe sometimes becomes a weird thing for another. For example are Japanese like to eat raw fish but Indonesian people do not like it at all, Javanese eat beef but Balinese Hindu do not do that. In a religion there are also a differences such as Moslem do not eat pork but Christian do it, Moslem pilgrimage to Mecca but Jews and Christian to Jerusalem. This all example is a fact in this life and make us realize to always respect the differences.

Different with Cultural behavior, the term Personal Behavior has larger meaning for every human being. Personal behavior can be defined as an act made by human personally in purpose of giving reaction with the problem they face on the Cultural and Universal life. There is no certain role about this personal behavior, even they can act inappropriately without being blamed by another people. The behavior is absolutely made by each individual. Every person has a right to behave in every condition that they face on. The example of this behavior are people can smile whether they happy or not, they can eat everything they want even it is not a common food for their society, etc. However, a personal behavior can not be accepted if it is disturbing the peace and society.

After knowing all definition of Human Behavior we have to be aware in the intercultural communication and social life. We must understand that differences are a part of this life and we need to respect it in purpose to create a peace. We also must follow the role that have made by universal people so that we can be a part of society.

RELATED SOURCE

Implications of Universal and Parochial Behavior for Intercultural Communication

By

James Leigh, PhD FRGS

Asst Professor, Campus Coordinator Languages

Intercollege, Nicosia, Cyprus

Moral and Imoral Term

The words moral and immoral are often found in our daily life. Actually, what is the meaning of the term moral and immoral it self. According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English moral has meaning concern of character, behavior, or actions, considered or judged as being good or evil, right or wrong. The other definition that I found in Webster New World Dictionary of The American Language said that moral means dealing with or capable of distinguishing between right or wrong and also good in conduct or character specifically in sexually virtuous. From both of that definition, we can infer that someone who calls as being moral is that someone who can distinguish between right and wrong and have a good character and behavior in social life. Then, the term immoral absolutely has opposite meaning from the term moral. According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, immoral means offensive to society’s ideas of what is good or right, especially in sexual matters. The second meaning which comes from Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary said that immoral is something which is not following accepted standards of morality especially in sexual behavior. From both of that word we can infer that someone who calls as being immoral is them who do not following the role or standard which is coming from society’s idea and consider as something bad or wicked.

Translate Traditional Song

SUWE ORA JAMU

Suwe ora jamu

Jamu godong telo

Suwe ora ketemu

Ketemu pisan gawe gelo

THE TRANSLATION

It has been long time not drunk an herbal drink

The herbal drink was made from cassava leafs

Long time had not met

Once we met make disappointed

THE FUNCTION

The function of this song is to tell about someone who felt disappointed when meet another person who really want to meet.

Aproaching people

This week we have to make a report about how to approaching people. This time we also need someone who is not Indonesian to explain about how they approach people in their country. My correspondent is a 24 years old male from Melbourne, Australia named Andrew Henderson. We just call him by his nickname that is Andy.

From the information that I got from Andy, there are some differences in approaching people in Australia and Indonesia. In Australia, it is not a common thing to talk with someone who we did not know before on the street or public places. They only talk to people on that kind of places when they have a certain purpose such as asking direction, subway schedule, or public service. On that kind of situation they usually use formal language to give respect to the people they ask to.

Another situation that mostly found when people have to approach another is when they were in the party or there is their friend who let them know about someone. On that kind of situation we must make a conversation with other person that we do not know before. There are some polite and impolite questions in the western country in the term of approaching people. Some polite question that may ask to the people that we have just met is such as name, address, school, etc. There are also some impolite questions that can not ask to the people we have just known because it is too private so it can disturb someone’s privacy. This kind of question consists of question about age, especially for women, religion, financial or money, such as how much your money, sometimes about family, etc. In addition, when you are interesting in someone, it will be better when you directly ask whether they were available or not than just flirting. That is polite and acceptable in the Australian culture.

There are also special gesture and response in approach people. Australian will make direct eye contact to the person they talk to. If there is someone who shies when they talk to them, then they just stop the conversation. It is more polite to talk to the point than just say unimportant thing. They also felt disturb when people who have just they know ask some private business such as, where you have been going, where will you go, etc. In Australia there is polite to call someone with their fist name, although they have just know. They call someone with the title, Sir, Mom, Mr., Mrs., only if they person have higher position in the society such as teacher and senior citizen. This condition was only done by children. When they become adult people they just call their High school teacher or lecturer with their fist name because they think they are in the same level. Usually they speak in formal language with senior citizen, but if the have been having close relationship they may use informal language, even call the person with their first name.

Ritual For Anchestor

Every nation has different way in respecting the ancestor. They also have certain ritual to respect it. This ritual is a part of tradition and culture. This time I want to make a report about some rituals to respect the ancestor. I make a limitation in my observation object only in Javanese Tradition.

Since long time ago Javanese believe that they had to respect the ancestor. They have some rituals to respect the ancestor. That ritual is still done till now, although there has been a lot of changes in the implementation. Usually, when there is a person died, Javanese held some ritual after that. That ritual held in the certain day after the day that person died such as, third days, seventh days, 100^th days, 1000^th days, first year, and second years. Formerly, in that ritual Javanese provide the oblation to the death person such as, food and flower. Nowadays, the way to do those rituals has changed. Since Islam come to Java, it has influenced some Javanese tradition include the rituals for ancestor. People combine between tradition and religion command. For example, when people passed away, Javanese Muslim treat the death body in Islamic way. After that they still do the rituals in those certain day, but they did not provide the oblation anymore. They have changed that part become only pray to God to ask for forgiveness to the spirit of the death body. Some of Javanese Muslim did not do those rituals because their belief not commands them to do that. Another Javanese who still believe with the tradition do both of the ritual, use Islamic way and traditional one. Modern people do this ritual simply. They did not do the ritual based on traditional way.

The other ritual that is still done by the Javanese is pilgrimage the ancestor’s graveyard. Usually, Javanese Muslim visit their ancestor‘s graveyard in the certain day such as, before Ramadan, after Ramadan or in the Idul Fitri day. They go there to pray to God for the spirit of the death body. That is also their way to respect their ancestor. It is to show that they still memorize the people who have passed away and to remind them that they will also die someday.

Maya feat Pak Eddi

Last Friday the English Department of Gadjah Mada University celebrated the 42^nd anniversary. The day is called English day. On that day our lecturer commands us to make a report about Maya’s performance, one of our native lecturers. At that time she and some of her friend performed a musical show which followed by dance performance. The performance is about the harmony of human and environment living in peace. It reflects the relationship of human and nature or environments which sometime keep each other and another time can destruct each other. In the dance performance was described that human sometime keep their environment and sometime destruct. While the environment was destructed by human it became angry and destruct human by give some disaster. In that performance also describe that human also has an expectation that nature will be going better in the future. The dancers consist of two women that are Dewi and Emma. Both of them represent both nature and human. Dewi wore a mask and combined Javanese dance with modern dance. Emma wore a little bit leaf ornament and combined modern dance with Ballet. The rhythms of the music are depending on the move of the dancer. The sound of music was come from some musical instruments such as Taiko; Japanese drum, Gong and Kendang, part of gamelan, and drum. Maya played Taiko, Pak Eddy played Kendang, Drum was played by Wisnu and Shinta, and gong played by Ali. They choose the relationship between environment and human as their topic in their performance because it is becoming hot issue now and it also easy to understand. Their performance was so interesting to watch because they can combine dance and music also traditional art and modern art in one performance to issue their idea.

Serve Food To Guest

This week we have to make a report about how people serve food to their guest. We also must compare between serving food in our culture with someone who is not Indonesian. This time my observation objectives are my own family and a male from Germany named Tobias Gross. In my home sometimes we serve food for our guests. The way we serve food is depend on who are the guest and also the occasion. For example if the guest is family’s friend, then we usually ask them to having breakfast, lunch or dinner together if they come in appropriate timing when we will do that. When the guests are family or friends who come from other city or we serve typical food such as Javanese or Indonesian food. We serve a food like other Indonesian in our house. We did not use a table manner like western but we still have some politeness in eating food such as, we are not allowed to talk while eating, or make o noise from the dishes. Sometimes if the guests is someone that we need to respect or someone who is not Indonesian we just let them to the restaurant. We also serve food in special occasion such as Birthday and Lebaran day. The food that we serve on that occasion is different. There are some must served food on that day such as Ketupat and Nasi Kuning.

The way to serve food in Germany is different with us. From the information that was given by Tobias Gross, people in Germany often invite their friend and serve a food. The way to serve a food is depend on the guest. When the guest is someone who has higher position like their boss, they will let him or her to the restaurants which serve a food in a good manner. They serve food use some role such as appetizer first, then main course and the last is dessert. They always provide alcohol depend on the food. Red wine is provided if the food contain of meat and white wine is for seafood. They also provide a beer but it often do in informal occasion. They serve food to their guest every time they want or in special occasion such as, Christmas and Thanksgiving. In Germany eat directly from hand without use any equipment is not common thing to do. They use fork, knife and spoon to eat to indicate that they are educated person.

What is Culture?????

1. When we need a term for that larger whole which is the common property of all group of men and which distinctively sets off making from all other animal, there is no question; we call it culture.

Hymes, Dell. Language of Culture and Society: A reader in linguistics and anthropology. 1964. Harper and Row Publisher, New York.

2. The art of customs, beliefs and all the other products of human thought made by people at particular time.

Procter, Paul. Longman English Dictionary.1978.The Pitman Press, London.

3. Culture, in general sense, it is the tradition of a social heritage of man; in its specific sense, it is the tradition of a particular human group, a way of living learned from and shared by the member of that group.

Malefijt, Annemarie De Waal. Religion and Culture: An Introduction To Anthropology of Religion. 1968. Collier-Macmillan Ltd, New York.

4. Anthropology was seen as the comparative study of cultures: the habits, customs and also the material technology employed within different societies.

Polity Press. The Polity Readers in Cultural Theory.1994. Polity Press, London.

5. Culture is a vital and dynamics force that is always in the process of development.

Swartz, Mark J and David K Jordan. Culture: The Anthropological Perspective. 1980. John Wiley and Sons, Inc, New York