Now I Can Tell How Silly I am
On 2005 I conducted my thesis research in Meulaboh, West Aceh. The tsunami struck Aceh and Nias on December 26, 2004. I lived in Meulaboh for about 4 months, it was almost nothing left in Meulaboh. Thousands of people killed, hundred thousands of people were displaced and infrastructures collapsed.
However thanks to my new family in Meulaboh, I had privilege to occupy a pink room. It's grand, it's more or less 1.75x2m2 with a great thin mattress and a wardrobe. Then I could also lock that room from outside, not from inside. But I really loved that tweety room, it's wonderful. I mean look, how many people in Meulaboh could occupy a room for him/herself after the tsunami? Sure sometimes I shared that room with some girls, not many, not with more than 6 people at the same time.
After living in this situation for 4 months, it was time for me to return to Bangkok. So the trip was Meulaboh to Medan by UN flight when it was still for free unlike now where we have to pay $100, then Medan to Jakarta and Jakarta to Bangkok. (Actually it would be closer if I go from Meulaboh to Banda Aceh or Medan then Bangkok, but no direct flight and for sure the Ford Foundation wouldn't let me fly by Air Asia.)
I was a bit close with a nice bloke who's also sarcastic…well sorry dude, but you are sarcastically hilarious. We decided to go to Medan and Bukit Lawang, it's a jungle near by Medan and it's awesome. Bukit Lawang is a great vacation destination.
So, there we were. We rent a car to Bukit Lawang. When we arrived at Bukit Lawang I saw how beautiful that jungle was.
"Isn't it beautiful? Look it's so peaceful here."
"Yes. Look at the river. In what Inn will we stay?"
"It's Jungle Inn. They said it's nice and simple. Without electricity too here. So no rubbish from outside, only with the nature. We can also see orang utan."
I frowned and took a deep breath.
"You must be insane."
"Huh…why?"
"How could you…take me…a girl who was born and grew up in Borneo, with a forest as her backyard, and orang utans as neighbours' pet, who just lived in Aceh for 4 months after the tsunami where almost nothing's left, to a jungle to see orang utans and no electricity at all. Dear, you must be crazy taking me here."
"Yes, and the crazier thing is, she agreed to come with me."
"Hell yes, I believe so."
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