The Nature's Gift: CCL-HD

Health has become a crucial issue during this pandemic COVID-19. Most people have tried to keep their health by consuming vitamins in various forms of tablets, capsules or effervescent forms. All those vitamins were stated as 100% natural. Somehow, I prefer to make my own natural vitamin provided by nature. I call it CCL-HD for Celery, Cucumber, and Lemon Healthy Drink. 

The CCL-HD is not a new recipe since it is modified from celery juice. The celery juice has been well known for its magnificent effects on people's health, particularly for decreasing the blood pressure and maintaining the ideal weight (Alodokter, April 4th, 2019). For effective results, you have to consume it everyday. Since it brings strong taste of celery, I have modified it according to my taste. I will share the step-by-step of making the CCL-HD in the following paragraph.

First of all, prepare the ingredient of a handful of celery, a cucumber, and a slice of lemon. Clean all ingredient with faucet water, then with a warm boiled water. You can drain and dry up the ingredient while you prepare a food processor, a filter and 300 ml fresh water. Next, cut the celery and the cucumber into small pieces, and put them all together into the food processor that added by the fresh water. Mix them all until smooth and well blended. After that, filter the blended celery and cucumber and add with the squeeze of lemon water. Finally, pour the blended celery, cucumber and lemon water with the final touch of a teaspoon of honey. Mix them well, and the CCL-HD is ready to be served.

See, it is very simple and very fast. It only takes 15 minutes to prepare it. Remember that the CCL-HD will bring effective result when you consume it regularly. By consuming the CCL-HD every morning, you can keep a stable blood pressure and also an ideal weight for your healthy fresh look and body. Indeed, this is one of the nature's gifts that supposed to be grateful for.        

Memoir: Winter Breeze

A cold and windy air was greeting me and my kids when we arrived at the Narita Airport. I looked around, and found no one I knew. The kids: Amr, Iam, and Yaser looked wonder on how huge the airport. "Wow, it's a great great airport. Is it Japan, Abi?" Abi nodded to Yaser. We all laughed, and Abi asked us to continue our walk. Yaser was sitting at the trolley with Abi was driving it. Meanwhile, I was holding my little girl 'Aca' whom looked so pretty with her pink blush on her cheeks. She must be very cold in the winter breeze.

 

After a long walk and took a small integrated train from one building to another building, we finally came out from the airport. Abi called someone, and a few minutes later a man with Indonesian profile showed up. He welcomed us and hugged Abi. Abi introduced him as one of the Indonesian researcher in our destiny town, Tsukuba Science City. He had been there for 9 years with his family. He told us, it took about 1 hour from Narita to Tsukuba City. He was driving the car while telling us about everything he knew about the city we would live in. He seemed to be our tour guide and it was really helpful for us. He told us that he had 4 kids too and promised me to introduce his wife and kids to me and my kids. My kids were falling a sleep along the journey when finally we arrived at the university dormitory, Ichinoya Residence. 

Actually, Abi had lived here for 6 months. Abi had to join a Japanese language course as one of the scholarship's requirements to study in Japan. After Abi completed his course, he came back to Jakarta to pick us up. So then, there we were, accompanying Abi to succeed his study in Doctoral degree of Computer Science. It would take about three years to accomplish the program, and I and my kids would be there to support Abi as one solid team, one for all and all for one. 

Two weeks after the arrival, and those days were the toughest period in our lives. I and my kids had to adapt and adopt every new habits and rules. Every morning, I and Abi had to prepare breakfast together for the kids, since we only had an altogether kitchen in one floor. At night, Abi had to wash our clothes while I washed the dishes. Meanwhile, Amr the oldest, had to take care of his brothers and little sister. Abi had to go to campus every morning from 8 am to 7 pm or even 11 pm. He really worked hard for his study, like he always did for all his work and his responsibilities. He taught us to be responsible for everything we had, as the gratefulness to the Lord, and to anyone who believed us. 

Two weeks of the survival, my oldest son got sick. He got cold and fever. I had tried to give him a medicine that we brought from Indonesia, but it didn't work. I was getting worried, then I texted Abi to come home soon. At around 7 pm, Abi arrived home. He looked worried, but then he said that Amr would be fine for the fever was decreasing. It was around 9 pm when all the kids fell a sleep. Abi looked really tired so I asked Abi to have rest and let me doing the washing. Abi refused to do that, and as usual,  we did it together. Abi told me that he had something to tell me about his lab and his 'Sensei'. "I asked a permission to my senior sensei this afternoon. I officially looked towards him, then I told him that our oldest son was sick. Do you know what did he say?" 

I kept on listening, and I could see and feel his disappointed on his face. "He said or more like an order, I think. Imam san, you are here to study, not to take care of your children, or your family. Do you think you can succeed your study when you are busy with your family? Who does he think he is? I do really disappointed for what he said. Though, I told him firmly that I will succeed without ignoring my family, then I leave him." I rubbed Abi's back so gently while my tears were falling down on my cheeks. We hugged to each other, then I said, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to disturb your study. I promise you that we are going to support you unconditionally. We will prove your sensei that you're going to be the best student he had ever known. Let us show him that your family is your biggest support to be a success person, here and after." Abi wiped my tears gently. He told me that I did not have to be worried. He always knew that he could count on me and kids, cause we were one team, for good...

It was November 2006. The sun was shining shyly, while the clouds were hanging around the Tsukuba san and the tip on the trees.  There was no snow in our first winter in Tsukuba; though, the temperature and the humidity were so low that could freeze our body. There was no snowball in our first winter in Tsukuba; though, the wind blew so cold that could freeze our tears. I knew that the journey would not be easy, yet a precious journey to struggle and to win the victory. It was the beginning of our journey to victory. It began in winter breeze.

PPDB dan BoeDoet

Lepas shubuh ketika aku bergegas membuka laptop dan melakukan pengajuan akun untuk mengikuti proses PPDB DKI 2020. Yah, putra kami yang ketiga, baru saja menyelesaikan pembelajarannya di jenjang sekolah menengah pertama. Masih jelas ku ingat bagaimana ia meyakinkan aku dan Abinya untuk memilih sekolah berasrama di sebuah Pondok Modern di wilayah luar Jakarta, sebuah sekolah yang memadukan kurikulum Nasional dan kurikulum Boarding, khususnya mencetak generasi penghafal Al Qur-an.

Ku amati dengan cermat laman situs PPDB DKI 2020. PPDB kali ini sungguh berbeda, terlebih di masa COVID 19 yang melanda, semua harus dilakukan secara daring. Sungguh berbeda dengan masa-masa putra pertama dan kedua kami, tiga dan enam tahun yang lalu. PPDB kali ini pun menawarkan begitu banyak pilihan dan jalur pendaftaran. Bagi para lulusan siswa Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP), mereka dapat melanjutkan ke tingkat Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) atau Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan (SMK). Untuk pilihan jalur pun, antara SMA atau SMK terdapat banyak kemiripan, hanya berbeda pada jalur Zonasi dan RW Binaan, yang hanya terdapat pada jenjang SMA.

Setelah mendapatkan akun pendaftaran dan melakukan aktivasi akun, aku mulai melakukan pendaftaran putra ketiga kami melalui jalur prestasi non akademik pada jenjang SMA dengan bermodalkan sertifikat penghargaan Tahfidz tingkat Kabupaten. Walaupun putra kami juga memiliki penghargaan Lomba Rubic tingkat Provinsi, sayang kejuaraan ini bersifat eksibisi sehingga tidak memenuhi syarat untuk mengikuti jalur ini. Pada akhirnya, jalur prestasi non akademik ini tidak membuahkan hasil sesuai dengan harapan kami. Namun, hal ini tidak membuat kami putus harapan karena masih ada jalur-jalur lain yang bisa kami usahakan.

Sesuai dengan jadwal yang telah ditentukan, kami mencoba jalur lain yaitu jalur Zonasi sesuai dengan domisili kami di wilayah Jakarta Selatan. Jalur ini ternyata tidak memberikan harapan besar bagi kami, terlebih dengan persyaratan usia yang menjadi pertimbangan utama. Pada jalur ini, pupus sudah harapan putra kami untuk dapat melanjutkan pembelajarannya ke tingkat SMA Negeri. Ada getar kecewa yang mendalam dari putra kami yang dapat kami rasakan. Ada rasa ketidakadilan yang kami rasakan pada PPDB 2020 jalur Zonasi kali ini.

Kami coba memahami bahwa syarat usia yang menjadi pertimbangan utama adalah sebagai langkah Pemerintah menggugurkan kewajibannya memfasilitasi anak-anak Wajib Sekolah yang putus sekolah atau dengan alasan yang lainnya. Namun, di sisi yang lain, kami menjadi berpikir, bagaimana mungkin Pemerintah memfasilitasi Wajib Sekolah bagi yang usianya maksimal 21 tahun, tetapi dengan mengabaikan para siswa lulusan SMP yang usianya terbilang muda tetapi sudah sangat ingin melanjutkan sekolah mereka ke jenjang SMA. Lantas, bagaimana pula dengan keberlangsungan pembelajaran di tengah-tengah para siswa dengan rentang usia yang cukup jauh, ada yang usianya normal di rentang 15-16 tahun, dengan siswa yang usianya 18-21 tahun. Wow, ini tantangan luar biasa bagi semua pihak, baik bagi siswa itu sendiri, guru, sekolah, dan tentunya orang tua.

Boleh jadi, Pemerintah perlahan akan mulai menghilangkan sekolah-sekolah favorit. Artinya, semua sekolah negeri akan memiliki standar yang sama, baik untuk kualitas sarana dan prasarana, maupun untuk kualitas guru-gurunya. Dengan standar yang sama, semua anak memiliki kesempatan yang sama untuk menikmati semua itu sesuai dengan domisili mereka. Namun, semua itu butuh waktu, karena tentunya jumlah sekolah negeri harus dapat memenuhi jumlah siswa yang akan bersekolah. Perlahan, persaingan di tingkat SMP, SMA dan SMK akan dihilangkan sehingga akan muncul yang namanya KOLABORASI.  Bukan hal mudah, semua berproses, dan butuh waktu dan konsistensi. Setiap perubahan tentunya akan memberikan dampak, dan dampak terbesar pasti dirasakan oleh siswa. Jangan sampai perubahan ini hanya akan menimbulkan korban dari sistem pendidikan kita.

Lepas curahan kekecewaan dari putra kami, kami lanjutkan dengan diskusi serius tentang pilihan lain yang masih dapat kami usahakan. Setelah berdiskusi dengan kedua kakaknya, teman-temannya, dan berbagai informasi yang dikumpulkan, akhirnya putra kami memutuskan untuk mencoba jenjang SMK Negeri dengan jurusan Rekayasa Perangkat Lunak. Hampir larut malam ketika kami mendaftarkan putra kami ke jenjang SMK Negeri. Alhamdulillah, di hari terakhir, putra kami akhirnya diterima sebagai salah satu peserta didik di SMK Negeri 1 Jakarta atau yang terkenal dengan sebutan SMK BoeDoet, dengan jurusan Rekayasa Perangkat Lunak (RPL). SMK Negeri 1 Jakarta adalah SMK negeri tertua yang berlokasi di Jln. Boedi Oetomo, Jakarta Pusat. Oleh karena itu, nama SMK ini sering kali disebut dengan nama SMK Boedoet. SMK ini punya sejarah panjang yang bisa dibilang tak ada yang tidak tahu atau tak kenal dengan STM Boedoet? Yah, ada goresan suram tentang SMK ini, namun seiring waktu dengan perubahan nama STM menjadi SMK dan berbagai aturan ketat yang menyertai perubahan itu, SMK Negeri 1 Jakarta telah banyak mengalami perubahan positif. Prestasi demi prestasi telah diraihnya, dan semua terus berpacu dengan semakin canggihnya perubahan zaman dan teknologi.

Bagi kami, sungguh, sebuah pengalaman yang luar biasa di tahun ini, bagaimana perasaan kami begitu naik turun seperti sedang berada di dalam roller coaster. Semua yang terjadi pasti ada hikmahnya, sebagai pembelajaran hidup yang luar biasa. Sebuah pengalaman tentang PPDB dan BoeDoet.

Bismillah, satu perjalanan berakhir dan satu perjalanan lainnya baru dimulai.
Semoga dengan ridho-Nya, perjalanan ini memberikan semua yang terbaik dan terbarokah untuk kehidupan dunia akhirat mu...aamiin...🙏
Dengan bekal yang kamu miliki, jadilah yang terbaik dimanapun kamu berada...

#SMK Bisa! SMK Hebat!
#Sukses diraih bukan karena Dimana Kamu Belajar, tetapi Sukses diraih dengan Bagaimana Kamu Belajar.#