Because of Dream

I was gratefull for life difficulties I have experienced specially during my college years.

My memory go back to 1990 till 1993 the time when a poor student struggled for higher education without having anything but high motivation and passion I and my family had.

When I applied for enrollment testing, at night before, my father seriously realized me that we did not have anything to support my school if I passed the test. What we had only dream and "8 pieces of bones" to work. I always remeber this even till now.

Three years persued associate degree in University of Bengkulu was the most difficult time during my life so far. I should stay away from my family. It took 2/3 hours by bus.

My father and I should work quite hard to make money to support my and my sister school necesities. After school hours, I should do anything, even just to have a dish of rice. Many times I collected fire wood and sell it to my rental room neighbors, help my neighbors cut down big trees to send to saw mill, help my neighbors climbed their coconut trees just to have one coconut in return for my cooking.

Many times I should wash my friend cloths just to be able to wash my own cloths, or to borrow their cloths to go campus that I ussualy did by foot.

Many times I had no other to eat, only rice or even only one meal in whole day. The most unforgottable moment is that when my father sent me money ONLY Rp 3.000,- (three thousand) for my one month life together with a piece of paper onwhich he hand-wrote "my beloved son, we are so sorry that we could not send you more than. Your father had been sick for almost two weeks, be patient and don't forget to always pray to God. God was just testing us"

Some time I had chance to do better work which were to teach at English course or to translate my friend's artilces to Indonesia or to English. I was happy to get paid Rp 250 - Rp 500 per page because at least I could buy noodle for my meal. If I wanted better meal, I should go fishing.

When school holiday came, I could not go vacation as my friend usually did. I had to make money to pay my semester school fee. Usually, I and my father got order to repair or build up house. Some times I was sad that I could not enjoy my holiday. The only thing made me and my family happy was that I alway be one of big five best student eventhough I almost never bought school books and spent most of time to make money.

In three years I completed my associate degree. My family came to my graduation day and we're all quite happy and froud of.

Two month later I went to Jakarta to persue my life.