Jogja

Kok kayanya postingan gw terakhir yellow mellow gak jelas gitu yah...abis sediih banget sih bakal ninggalin Champaign 3 hari lagi... Plus, packing, mensortir barang mana yang dibawa pulang mana yang dibuang, sambil mengenang2 gak jelas bikin sedikity wishy-washy ajah. Eniwei...terus kemarin malem denger kalo Jogja gempa. Since nobody from home called me, I assumed everything was ok. Made efforts to call home, but the connection was bad. When I finally got hold of my mom, she said everything was ok. Just minor damages at my uncle's home in Gedongkiwo, somewhere in the South side of the city. The latest info I got was that two people from that area passed away. My aunt's home in Bulaksumur (the North side) was ok, just some things breaking but nothing major. My parents place in Kotagede (the West) was ok too. Good thing my mom was at home in Jakarta, and my dad was in Taipei - so they were safe & sound. I can imagine how panicked my mom would have been, had she been there. My cousins and their children did have to evacuate for some time, but they headed back home by night and slept outdoors. So I'm glad my family is in good shape. Some bad news however, the home of Pak Tamar (the man who kindly waits on our house) was destroyed. Good think he was ok, though.

Coming home I expected to take a good long vacation in Jogja. Now it seems, it wont be too much of a vacation. It would be too depressing to see the wreck and devastation in this charming little city. I can't believe something so fatal could happen to a place so familiar to me. The place where I used to spend nearly all my Christmases, where I once (for a short time) struggled to memorize Pancasila and went crazy studying ha-na-ca-ra-ka, as well as where I meet with all my beloved relatives. Especially my adorable yet crazy nephews who were the first creatures on my mind last night. I wonder how they felt experiencing this state of chaos. Were they tired, scared, sad, or cold? Knowing them I'd think some would've been excited rather than depressed. Well a good thing about coming home soon is that I'll be able to see all the damage in person, and maybe be of help. And hopefully I can still run abound with these three vicious yet lovable creatures:

bagas & enggar, dicekik sama medha...aiiih!

My prayers go to all those who suffered from this quake. May departed souls find peace in their new home. And may the devastated find virtue from this crisis.