Our present - downloadable

'tis the season to share our joy to others!

We'd like to share with you something that might be useful for you. Allow us to present... A ringtone for your cellphone made from Noe's lovely baby laughter! Download here in WAV format (355kb) or MP3 format (165kb). Hope you enjoy it, and let us know what you think about it!

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2005 Noe's Video List - Updated

We're in the process of migrating to the new blog engine, which hopefully can be launched by new year. Beta version is actually available, but it's still barren .. email or PM me if you wanna test the beta or help out.. thanks. Some december entries will be available in that location too.

In the mean time, please do enjoy Noe's videos for the year 2005. Sorry for the quality, we took it using cameraphone:

• 5 May 2005 Noe's first babbling sound (1.0MB)
  
• 5 Jun 2005
  
• His short political speech (0.7MB)
  
• Lifting his head when on his belly (0.7 MB)
  
• A conversation with Nenek (0.7MB)
  
• 7 Jun 2005 First sight in the mirror (2.0MB)
  
• 10 Jun 2005 Nervous in front of the camera (3.0MB). Each time we turn on the video camera, he would stop babbling
• 11 Jun 2005 Noe's long political speech (2.0MB)
  
• 12 Jun 2005 Dancing Baby Music Video - Asoi (from Street Music of Java) (3.9MB)
  
• 19 Jun 2005 Noe tries to sing (1.9MB)
  
• 6 Jul 2005 Dancing Baby Music Video
  
• Celebrate (by Kool and the Gang) (7.6MB)
  
• Noe sings and dance (4.8MB)
  
• 16 Jul 2005 Noe's first trip on the plane
• Noe on the plane (1.0MB)
  
• Noe in the air (0.5MB)
  
• Greeted by a Party in Jakarta (0.9MB)
  
• 17 Jul 2005 Noe playing with Neo in Cibubur (1.0MB)
  
• 18 Jul 2005 Neo in camera, and Noe plays with Rini Tante (0.8MB)
  
• 16 Aug 2005 Pulling himself to standing position (0.8MB)
  
• 18 Aug 2005 Getting pulled by Yodhi to standing position (1.4MB)
  
• 10 Sep 2005 Making wet razzing sound (1.0MB)
  
• 12 Sep 2005 Standing on the crib (1.4MB)
  
• 14 Sep 2005 Noe plays with Professor Widodo in NUS (1.0MB)
  
• 15 Sep 2005 Noe breastfeeding (1.0MB)
  
• 16 Sep 2005 Noe makes wet razzing sound and sings (2.0MB)
  
• 18 Sep 2005
• Noe laughs! (2.4MB)
  
• Noe's political speech again (3.0MB)
  
• 20 Sep 2005 Noe pulls himself to standing position holding onto crib railings (1.1MB)
• 25 Sep 2005 Noe walks with his feet touching the ground (2.0MB)
  
• 1 Oct 2005 Noe and Kakek play together (3.3MB)
• 8 Oct 2005 Noe jumps on the bed (2.0MB)
  
• 15 Oct 2005 Noe and Mongo Santamaria's Song (1.3MB)
• 26 Nov 2005 Noe's first crawl and standing on his own(2.5MB)
• 4 Dec 2005 Noe's Swimming Lesson
  • Swim to Ibu (0.6MB)
  • Swim to Ibu again (0.6MB)
  • Humpty Dumpty Sat On The Wall and Fall Into the Water(0.5MB)
  • Far Swim to Ibu (0.7MB)
  • Far Swim to Ibu again (0.5MB)
  • Ring of Fire (0.5MB)
  • Teddy Bear (0.6MB)
  • Teddy Bear Goes Underwater (1.0MB)
  • Magic Mat (0.6MB)
  • Magic Mat again (0.6MB)
  • Magic Mat again(0.5MB)
  • Hop Little Bunny(0.8MB)
  • Going Home (1.2MB)
• 6 Dec 2005 Noe in US-ASEAN Alumni Dinner (1.1MB)
  
• 7 Dec 2005 Noe learns how to use PowerMac (0.9MB)
  
• 9 Dec 2005 Playing with Batik with Bapak
  
  • Noe under the Batik (0.9MB)
  • Bapak and Noe inside the Batik (0.8MB)
  • Dressing up as ghost (0.6MB)
• 11 Dec 2005 Noe's Swimming Lesson
  
  • Swimming to get the turtle! (0.8MB)
  • Swimming to get the turtle again, with a good kicking..(0.5MB)
  • The Grand Old Duke of York Song (0.8MB)
  • Twinkle-twinkle Little Star Song, early practice for backstroke (1.4MB)
  • Swimming to get the lobster (0.9MB)
  • Crawling on the Magic Mat (2.0MB)
  • Saving the Turtle in the Tunnel of Doom... expresionless Noe, swimming back to Bapak(2.3MB)
  • Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Go Underwater! (4.3MB)
  • A far swim to Bapak! (1.1 MB)
• 12 Dec 2005 Noe first multiple syllabic words.. he said "nyanyanyanya..." (1.6MB)
• 13 Dec 2005 Noe plays with words (2.0MB)
  
• 15 Dec 2005 First pincer grip (2.0MB)
  
• Some videos
  
• Another "nyanyanyanyanya" scene (3.0MB)
• Noe really dances to a hiphop song (2.7MB)
  
• 18 Dec 2005 Yet another "nyanyanyanya" scene (2.0MB)
  

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First Malay Wedding (with Video)

Azlin invited us to come to her brother wedding. This is our first time coming to a malay wedding. Luckily, the Indosing-mums egroups discusses the culture and ethics of coming to a malay wedding in Singapore.

Unlike Indonesian wedding where we greet the wedding couple before proceeding to eating the food, Malay wedding doesn't have the bride and the groom when we arrived. We arrived quite early. We shook hand with the family members and proceed to take a seat in the long table. Don't forget to give the Angpao to the bride/groom immediate family members, usually the parents, beforehand. From there, we can get the food to eat.

Of course, the menu is traditional malay dishes, my favorite being mutton curry and acar. Oh so delicious! and Pulot hitam for dessert... sweet and tasty! Not forgetting Noe, he alsi enjoyed the food, through breastmilk!

Teddy and his gang also attended the party. They are all married 'bachelors', their wives wait in indonesia until they're ready to move to Singapore.

After that, the groom went out to pick up the bride from the bride's house. A group of drummers follow the groom.

Later, the groom arrived with the bride, and again, followed by the malay drummers. They sing several songs to walk the couple to their chairs. Click here for the video!

Then come the photo session. This is the Salem Family.

This is Azlin with Noe.

Back home, Noe plays with the reflection of himself.

And Yodhi's hat drowned Noe's head inside..

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Different Treatment for Domestic Workers

Dibawah ini adalah surat listrik yang saya kirimkan ke KBRI Singapura:


Singapura, 5 Desember 2005

Yth. KBRI Singapura:

Bersama ini saya ingin mengajukan sedikit pertanyaan mengenai perbedaan tarip dalam pembuatan paspor sbb (mohon koreksi apabila ada sedikit kesalahan dalam menuliskan angka):

• Tarif pembuatan paspor bagi WNI yang non-TKW adalah S$85 dengan masa berlaku paspor 5 tahun.
  
• Sedangkan, tarip pembuatan paspor bagi WNI yang TKW (alias pembantu rumah tangga/domestic worker) adalah S$350 dengan masa berlaku paspor hanya kira2 2 tahun.
  

Loket pelayanannya pun berbeda utk para WNI yang TKW itu. Sementara WNI yang non-TKW cukup antri di loket lantai I, para TKW itu harus turun ke basement dan pergi ke loket khusus dimana ada agen2 profesional yang digunakan KBRI utk membantu legal paperwork mereka.

Yang ingin saya tanyakan disini adalah:

• Mengapa TKW harus mempunyai legal paperwork tambahan yang ongkosnya S$265 apabila mereka tidak mempunyai commercial/business liability yang lebih daripada yang saya atau kawan2 saya miliki? Contoh: Kalau ada sebuah rumah tangga yang dirugikan oleh TKW mungkin risk value nya hanya S$10,000 (kehilangan/kerusakan perabot piring/gelas atau televisi, radio) sedangkan kalau ada perusahaan yang dirugikan oleh saya sebagai EP/PR disini mungkin risk value nya bisa berkisar S$100,000 sampai S$1 juta. Jadi, mengapa harus ada legal paperwork tambahan yg ongkos pembuatannya sampai S$265 ? Apakah mempekerjakan seorang TKW lebih beresiko daripada mempekerjakan seorang sarjana S1/S2 di kantor swasta? Bukankah hukum Singapura mewajibkan setiap employer/majikan untuk mempunyai security deposit di bank lokal sejumlah minimal S$3,000 yang bisa sewaktu2 diambil oleh Pemerintah Singapura apabila TKW itu bermasalah secara hukum?
  
• Saya dan juga ribuan WNI disini yang mempunyai Employment Pass ataupun Permanent Residence dan yang secara hukum Singapura harus bergaji minimal S$2500 hanya dikenakan biaya pembuatan paspor yang hanya ¼ jumlahnya dari yang dikenakan kepada TKW dimana mereka rata2 hanya bergaji S$250 per bulan atau hanya 1/10 dari gaji karyawan professional kantoran. Dan juga, para TKW yang baru masuk Singapura tidak punya uang sama sekali selama ½ tahun karena gajinya langsung diambil oleh agen mereka selama 6 bulan pertama dan rata2 hanya terima S$20 per bulan, lebih rendah daripada gaji2 PRT di Jakarta bulanan).
  
• Pihak KBRI nampaknya belum sanggup memberikan penjelasan yang lengkap mengenai tariff S$350 ini ketika diajukan pertanyaan serupa pada forum terbuka/conference bbrp bulan yang lalu.
  
• Mengingat betapa ramainya dibicarakan masalah transparency bagi KBRI/Konjen di beberapa negara oleh media massa, alangkah baiknya apabila KBRI Singapura membuat sebuah press release mengenai biaya pembuatan paspor bagi TKW yang saya bicarakan diatas. *mohon baca artikel dibawah:
  

Terima kasih atas perhatiannya dan mohon maaf apabila ada kesalahan dalam menulis data2 diatas.

Hormat saya,


Indradi S.

---

Dibawah ini adalah tanggapan KBRI Singapura kepada saya:

Singapura, 8 Desember 2005

Kepada Yang Terhormat
Saudara Indradi Soemardjan
di Tempat

Merujuk surat elektronik Saudara tanggal 6 Desember 2005, atas nama Duta Besar RI untuk Singapura, dengan hormat disampaikan bahwa kami sangat menghargai kepedulian Saudara terhadap nasib Tenaga Kerja Indonesia – TKI / Tenaga Kerja Wanita – TKW (di Singapura disebut sebagai Penata Laksana Rumah Tangga – PLRT Indonesia). Menjawab Saudara dapat kami sampaikan hal-hal sebagai berikut:

1. Berkenaan dengan pertanyaan Saudara yang menyangkut perbedaan tarif dalam pembuatan paspor untuk WNI dan PLRT, dapat kami sampaikan bahwa harga sebesar S$ 350 tersebut terjadi karena adanya biaya pembuatan perjanjian kerja yang umumnya tidak dimiliki oleh setiap PLRT Indonesia yang datang untuk bekerja di Singapura dan kalaupun ada, kebanyakan dari mereka tidak memiliki perjanjian kerja yang adil. Pembuatan perjanjian kerja tesebut, sesuai dengan terms of conditions dari working permit yang dikeluarkan Kementerian Tenaga Manusia Singapura dan juga diminta UU tentang Penempatan dan Perlindungan TKI di luar negeri (pasal 58 ayat 1 UU No. 39 tahun 2004), yang mengharuskan perjanjian kerja antara majikan dan PLRT diketahui oleh Perwakilan RI. Oleh karenanya menjadi kewajiban KBRI Singapura untuk memfasilitasi pembuatan perjanjian kerja tersebut sekaligus melakukan monitoring keberadaan PLRT Indonesia di Singapura. Pada perjanjian kerja yang disusun oleh KBRI Singapura memuat kenaikan gaji yang pantas, keleluasaan melaksanakan ibadah, jam kerja, hari libur, keselamatan kerja, perlakuan baik, makanan bergizi, tempat tinggal yang layak, dan tiket pesawat pulang ke tanah air saat kontrak kerja berakhir.
   
2. Biaya yang dikeluarkan sebesar S$ 350 sepenuhnya ditanggung oleh majikan dan umumnya dilakukan pada saat perpanjangan perjanjian kerja PLRT yang ketiga (tahun kelima di Singapura). Biaya tersebut adalah diperuntukkan untuk penyiapan dan legalisasi dokumen perjanjian kerja sebesar S$ 260, pemrosesan pembaharuan paspor RI sebesar S$ 85, dan biaya fotocopy sebesar S$ 5. Dari biaya S$ 260 tersebut, S$ 34 disetorkan kepada kas negara sebagai Pendapatan Negara Bukan Pajak (PNBP) legalisasi perjanjian kerja dan sisanya sebesar S$ 226 digunakan Konsultan untuk biaya pengacara PLRT bermasalah, pemeriksaan kesehatan, penyediaan makanan dan keperluan harian di penampungan sementara KBRI Singapura (tiap hari terdapat rata-rata 60 – 70 PLRT bermasalah), pemulangan PLRT, penanganan PLRT dari negara ketiga yang terlantar di Singapura, menyiapkan komunikasi dengan instansi terkait di Singapura, dan menyelesaikan masalah PLRT Indonesia dengan majikan dan agency terkait. Disamping itu, biaya tersebut juga digunakan oleh Konsultan untuk biaya operasional Konsultan (gaji pegawai, pajak, alat tulis kantor, dan lain lain). Seluruh kegiatan Konsultan tersebut sepenuhnya dalam koordinasi dan arahan Fungsi Konsuler KBRI Singapura.
   
3. Mekanisme keberadaan konsultan tersebut (yang Saudara sebutkan sebagai agen professional dalam e-mail Saudara) telah dimulai dengan penandatanganan kerjasama antara KBRI Singapura dengan Konsultan sejak 1 September 1996 yang diperbaharui setiap tiga tahun melalui tender terbuka. Dapat kami sampaikan bahwa latar belakang penggunaaan Konsultan tersebut adalah karena:
   

   (1) peningkatan jumlah PLRT Indonesia telah mendorong KBRI Singapura untuk memberikan peningkatan pelayanan dan perlindungan PLRT Indonesia di Singapura baik dari segi pisik, hukum, dokumentasi, kesejahteraan dan keterampilan, dan
   
   (2) karena beban tugas Fungsi Konsuler KBRI Singapura yang sangat berat, maka sebagian kecil tugas penanganan PLRT Indonesia di Singapura tersebut perlu untuk dibantu oleh konsultan tenaga kerja swasta dalam bentuk kerjasama penanganan masalah PLRT Indonesia di Singapura.

4. Kerjasama antara Konsultan dan KBRI Singapura akan berakhir pada tanggal 28 Februari 2006 dan dalam rangka peningkatan transparansi, akuntabilitas dan kinerja Konsultan, KBRI Singapura tengah melakukan evaluasi mengenai kinerja pelaksanaannya selama ini, apakah kedepan masih diperlukan kerjasama tersebut dan sekiranya masih diperlukan, hal-hal apa yang perlu ditingkatkan dalam pelaksanaan kinerjanya. Untuk itu, sebagai pemerhati masalah PLRT Indonesia di Singapura, dengan senang hati kami mengundang Saudara untuk menyampaikan pokok pikiran Saudara bagi lebih sempurnanya pelayanan publik di KBRI Singapura. Mohon kiranya Saudara dapat menyampaikan informasi ini kepada rekan-rekan professional dan para pemerhati pelayanan publik KBRI Singapura lainnya demi semakin meningkatnya kesejahteraan dan perlindungan PLRT Indonesia di Singapura.

Demikian kami sampaikan dan terima kasih atas perhatian serta kerjasama Saudara dan salam hangat.

a.n. Kepala Perwakilan RI
Fachry Sulaiman
Sekretaris Pertama
Protokol dan Konsuler

Tembusan:
Yth. Bapak Duta Besar RI di Singapura (sebagai laporan)

---

Komentar saya pada tanggal 11 Desember 2005 terhadap balasan KBRI Singapura:

1. KBRI Singapura menyebutkan bahwa: "harga sebesar S$ 350 tersebut terjadi karena adanya biaya pembuatan perjanjian kerja yang umumnya tidak dimiliki oleh setiap PLRT Indonesia yang datang untuk bekerja di Singapura dan kalaupun ada, kebanyakan dari mereka tidak memiliki perjanjian kerja yang adil."

Mengapa TKW tidak ditawarkan pembuatan perjanjian kerja sejak awal ketika mereka mendarat di Singapura?
Mengapa KBRI Singapura harus menunggu beberapa tahun untuk menawarkan jasa tersebut? Lantas bagaimana dengan TKW yang sudah bekerja 2-3 tahun dan majikan mereka memperlakukan mereka dgn amat baik sehingga para TKW tidak memerlukan jasa pembuatan perjanjian kerja oleh KBRI Singapura dan Konsultan?
Apakah seorang TKW mempunyai pilihan untuk tidak harus membayar biaya tambahan sebesar S$260 tersebut?

KBRI Singapura menyebutkan bahwa: "sesuai dengan terms of conditions dari working permit yang dikeluarkan Kementerian Tenaga Manusia Singapura".

Kenyataannya adalah bahwa Kementerian Tenaga Manusia Singapura (Singapore Ministry of Manpower atau "MoM") dalam undang2 Employment Act tidak mempunyai unsur-unsur yang mengatur hubungan kerja antara majikan (employer) dengan TKW (domestic worker). Yang sudah mereka miliki adalah peraturan untuk hubungan kerja antara majikan (employer) dengan agen TKW (maid agency). Oleh karena itu, saya merasa bahwa penjelasan dari KBRI Singapura kurang tepat karena apapun yang tertulis di perjanjian kerja buatan KBRI kemungkinan besar tidak mempunyai kekuatan hukum dalam negara Singapura. Bahkan MoM baru saja mendapat desakan dari Human Rights Watch untuk merevisi Employment Act.


2. Saya juga kurang memahami bagian dimana KBRI Singapura menulis "S$ 350 sepenuhnya ditanggung oleh majikan dan umumnya dilakukan pada saat perpanjangan perjanjian kerja PLRT yang ketiga". Seingat saya, MoM sudah sejak lama mewajibkan seorang majikan untuk menitipkan uang sejumlah S$5,000 untuk digunakan sebagai "security bond" (yang biasanya berbentuk "time deposit" di sebuah Bank lokal). Baca ini

Oleh karena itu saya beranggapan bahwa perihal biaya pengiriman TKW yang bermasalah untuk pulang ke Indonesia (deportasi) dan masalah "legal" lainnya akan menggunakan dana tersebut yang dikendalikan sepenuhnya oleh MoM. Dengan adanya uang sejumlah itu, maka saya rasa tidak perlu ada pemungutan biaya sebesar S$260 untuk dipakai oleh Konsultan untuk biaya pengacara PLRT bermasalah.


3. Apabila memang sudah sejak tahun 1996 dilakukan pemungutan biaya untuk keperluan pembuatan perjanjian kerja oleh Konsultan, saya rasa jenjang waktu 9 tahun sudah cukup banyak membuat perubahan bagi perlindungan TKW di Singapura. Namun kenyataannya Human Rights Watch melaporkan bahwa dalam 6 tahun terakhir kesejahteraan TKW di Singapura berada di situasi terburuk dalam sejarah, yang mungkin bisa membuktikan bahwa tugas Konsultan bagi TKW di Singapura belum membuat keadaan lebih baik dari yang diharapkan oleh KBRI Singapura.

"Between 1999 and 2005, at least 147 migrant domestic workers died from workplace accidents or suicide, most by jumping or falling from residential buildings. Of these, 122 were Indonesian domestic workers who jumped or fell to their deaths."


4. Saya dengan senang hati akan menyampaikan informasi yang saya dapat kemarin dari KBRI Singapura kepada rekan-rekan yang tertarik untuk membantu. Mungkin saran saya adalah agar KBRI Singapura secara terbuka memperlihatkan dokumentasi dan statistik yang terkumpul dari tahun 1996 agar bisa dihubungkan dengan pertambahan jumlah kasus TKW bermasalah. Dengan melihat "correlation" saya rasa hal itu bisa menjadi tolak ukur kinerja para konsultan sejak 1996. Saya juga berharap KBRI Singapura bersedia menunjukkan catatan pengeluaran biaya2 yang dikeluarkan untuk setiap kasus TKW bermasalah selama 9 tahun. Saya masih beranggapan bahwa biaya sebesar S$ 226 untuk konsultan itu amat mahal; mengingat bahwa pasti sudah ada standarisasi (template) bentuk kerjasama yang ditawarkan sejak 1996 (kecil kemungkinannya bahwa setiap bentuk kerjasama itu berbeda banyak).

---

Channel News Asia

Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch

Human Right Solidarity

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Dibawah ini adalah surat balasan kedua dari KBRI Singapura kepada saya pada tanggal 12 Des 2005:

Selamat sore,

saya ucapakan terima kasih atas tanggapan mas Indi dari surat kami terdahulu.

seperti yang sudah saya sampaikan bahwa saat ini KBRI Singapura juga sedang melakukan avaluasi terhadap kinerja konsultan ini, kami melihat pertanyaan dari mas Indi ini sangat relevan untuk kami jadikan bahan evaluasi.

sedikit mengenai pertanyaan mas indi bahwa fasilitasi perjanjian kerja untuk PLRT ini sebaiknya dari kedatangan ke Singapura, memang betul seharusnya demikian, namun kenyataan adalah PLRT kita itu tidak memahami perjanjian kerja yang disodori para agen kepada mereka. pernjj kerja tsb sangat diperlukan oleh majikan, karena dengan demikian majikan mau menerima plrt dari agen. kenyataan lain adalah majikan tidak akan menerima plrt yang memuat pernjajian yang rumit dan memberikan beban kepada majikan. komplikasi ini
dapat berlangsung samapai empat tahun pertama. hanya pada perpanjanganan kontrak ke 3 mereka terpaksa ke
kbri karena menyangkut usia paspor yang kurang dua tahun.

kenyataan ini sangat merugikan plrt kita sesungguhnya, kita sering mendengar mereka tidak memiliki gaji yang standar atau tidak memiliki day off dll.

lebih lanjut mas Indi, bahwa kondisi ini sulit dimonitor, karena para plrt kita juga tidak berkesempatan datang melaporkan dirinya ke kbri, sehingga jika terjadi maslah kesulitan pelacakan dokumen juga terjadi.

saya sekali lagi sangat memahami pertanyaan tambahan mas Indi, ini semua akan kami jadikan bahan evaluasi dan bahan pertimbangan bagi kita untuk meneruskan atau menentukan langkah terbaik selanjutnya.

jika memungkinkan mungkin kita dapat bertemu untuk melihat ini lebih jernih lagi, karena pelayanan publik ini perlu terus menerus kita benahi dan sejak saya tugas di Spore ini, kita terus mencoba meningkatkan pelayanan yang terbaik untuk publik kita.


terima kasih,


Fachry Sulaiman

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...diskusi ini akan diteruskan malam ini tanggal 15 Desember dengan acara makan malam bersama staff KBRI (dan Dubes).

Read the full article...

First Pincer Grip

We went to Giant Supermarket to do our fortnightly shopping. We bought finger food for Noe to see whether he's ready to feed himself with hands. To our surprise, there is Ikan Lele / Sembilang / Catfish in IMM. We've been wanting to eat Pecel Lele and there is still leftover sambel pecel in the fridge, so Rani bought a pair of Lele. Look at how fresh and nicely they cook in the wok, just like a YinYang sign.

While we're having lunch, we gave the finger food that we bought a try. Seemed that Noe has developed his pincer grip capability.

Later in the afternoon, the Steve and Katrina came to our house, with Baby Thalia. Looks like Thalia has slowly lost her blond streak and changed the hair color to a bit brown.. but the eyes are still blue.

Noe also has stopped taking a shower in the bath. Instead he would just stand up in the bathroom floor under the shower directly, or stand up in the bucket and play with water.

Read the full article...

Life in Singapore

On Saturday, after Rani's last exam, Natasha invited us for dinner. Rani cooked baked spinach pasta to bring. Luckily the pasta turned out to be delicious and complement well Natasha's salad.

After dinner, Noe had half of jar of gerber prune to help with his digestion.

Andi has grown really big and has a big voice too, military style, like the father ;> He already has four teeth and is biting mummy's breast too.. ouch!

The next day Noe had his first slide into the pool..

The same day we saw an Indian Supergirl for the first time!

Compared to the real Supergirl, of course the indian one dresses up more politely.

Read the full article...

Noe's First Burning Mouth

I recalled that I still have Christmas point wildrice from Elizabeth that has been sitting in our storage for more than a year. Also, Noe is now eight month old, which means he can eat cheese. So we decided to cook Spinach Wild Rice Casserole for the whole family and for Noe.

Ingredients

• One cup of wild rice
• Two cups of stock (beef, chicken, vegetable, etc)
• One onion, chopped
• Two cloves of garlic
• Smoked beef cut to cubes (I used smoked tongue)
• One bunch of spinach
• Cheese - to taste - use parmesan mozzarella mix. But since I didn't have it, I use sliced cheddar
  
• Parsley, chopped
  
• Salt, pepper, basil, rosemary - to taste
• Butter
  

Melt butter. Mix in smoked beef and brown it a bit. Mix in onion and garlic, sautee until it becomes transparent and soft. Mix in wild rice, sautee for three to five minutes. Pour in the stock and seasoning, reduce fire. Keep it over fire, stirring occasionnally until the stock is fully absorbed and the rice become soft but dry. Turn off fire, mix in most of the spinach into the rice mixture. Prepare casserole bowl. Put in the remaining spinach at the bottom. Put in a layer of cheese. Then put in some rice-spinach mixture topped with layer of cheese, do this until you finish up the rice-spinach mixture. Finish it up with a layer of cheese sprinkled wirh chopped parsley. Bake in the oven for perhaps 15 minutes (medium fire) until the cheese is nicely melted and the spinach cooked.

The taste wasn't bad at all. The hand picked wild rice really tasted exquisite. Each grain popped in your mouth and gives chewy texture to the casserole, unlike ordinary rice. We ate it with additional dash of tabasco.

When we feed Noe the spinach-cheese mixture, we accidentaly put a drop of tabasco in it. We didn't know that! Then Noe happily took a spoonfull of the spinach, chew it a couple of times, then he screamed and coughed, and his hands rubbed his face. His face became red. At that moment we all know there was a tiny drop of tabasco accidentally got into Noe's plate. But after the brief scream, he looked as if nothing happened. I guess he would be a chili lover like his mom and dad.

Summary of Noe's development over the past month:

• He crawled on two arms and two legs, at first for a short distance, and now all over the house (albeit grudgingly - HE HATES CRAWLING, HE WANTS TO WALK).
  
• He's able to take alternate steps on his feet.
  
• He would walk by creeping along furnitures. He loves this activity so much!
  
• He could stand up without holding on to anything (for 15 seconds at most). He would pull himself to standing position and then he'd let go of his hands. Look mommy, no hands!
• Seemed he started to talk too - in his own language. For example, he would consistently and specifically say "Ah-Ji-Ji!" if he wants to breastfeed. If he's upset about something else, he would not say "Ah-Ji-Ji!". When he's happy, he would say "Ah-Ah-Ah!".
  

We hope we could take videos or photos of the above pretty soon. When he did all those things we never have cameras ready in our hands.

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We're back

We're back in Singapore. We'll post the stories about our last (extended) trip to jakarta in their appropriate dates. You can find the table of contents here, too.

I'll do the table of contents after I finish writing the stories of our jakarta trip.

Thank you very much for your support, we really are touched by your kindness.

Indi is recovering. He still needs to take a rest to fully recover his heart condition, which was affected by the complication of dengue. So, no alcohol for Indi for this month. Poor thing!

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Back to Singapore

We wrap up the tale of our trip with the finale.

Basically we didn't spend much time travelling around Jakarta, since Indi had to take total rest. So we just sit around at home watch TV (I studied for exam of course), playing with Noe. Sometimes Indi went to hospital to settle administration issues.

Oh I went to beauty salon for complete facial treatment with massage and earcandling, plus haircut. It only cost about 30 dollars for the whole thing! In Singapore it might cost hundreds of dollars. That's why, going to beauty salon is a must everytime we go back to Jakarta.

Eyang Putri really loves dressing up Noe, for example this one, Noe with his new cap and glasses.

Noe then put the glasses on Eyang Putri

On the 19th I flew back to Singapore only to attend exam. It was quite tiring, going back and forth Singapore Jakarta in only 12 hours.

Before that, I tried hard to express my breastmilk for Noe to be used while I'm away, but perhaps because I am too stressed out, no milk comes out from the pumping. Only when i direct feed Noe, the oxytocin rushed to my brain and I have a spraying let-down. Neo saw me spraying out milk, and he said, it was just like Pipis (pee).

Well because I didn't have enough milk to give to Noe while i'm away, we resorted by buying formula.

So I flew to Singapore on 18 late at night, and I didn't sleep the whole night because finally I can concentrate studying without any interruption. I boosted myself with coffee to keep me awake the next day. After the exam, I try to express milk and got two bottle full! Maybe because the stress of exam is relieved. at 3pm I rushed back to the airport.

When I arrived in Bintaro again, Ibu Tuti already prepared a barbeque party, to celebrate Indi's recovery and Bimo's engagement. This is Bimo with Noe.

This is Yitno preparing the fire for barbeque.

It turned out that Ibu Tuti didn't sleep the whole night because Noe was restless without my presence. And Noe wouldn't take formula, until he knew that I am not around. Sorry my son, we would not force you drink that ugly formula milk again.

The next day, our last day in Jakarta, Ibu Tuti spent her time playing with Noe.

BTW we had a difficult time persuading singapore airlines to change the date of our departure. But this is a different story altogether which I would write on separate blog entry. One may ask why we didn't just go to Singapore when I attended the exam. The answer is that because Indi needed to do final check up in the hospital the day I had the exam. Well, glad now everything's settled.

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Outta Hospital

Indi's getting sick of the hospital. Once his platelet count reached 100 he decided to walk outta there.

Finally Noe gets to see Bapak again. Noe didn't forget Bapak at all. Noe was really elated to see Bapak!

Finally together again...

When we get back home, Noe was eager to show off that he now can stand up only with one hand holding onto something.

Somehow, Noe hated bath in Jakarta, unlike in Singapore where he really loves shower and bath and swimming.

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Djojosugito Gathering

We thought we wouldn't be able to come to Djojosugito family gathering taking place on Friday. But since we sort-of forced to stay in Indonesia, I decided to come to the gathering, which I haven't done ever since I started to live abroad.

Before we leave for the gathering, Noe played with Nenek in the Kids room in the apartment.

Then on the way to the gathering, we saw this lovely grafitti.

The gathering took place in Mas Maman's house in Widya Chandra. It was a garden party. The food was really good, from spareribs to balinese traditional food and very good desert, es campur.. Here are some photos from the gathering.

This is Bu Iik with Iik

This is Mas Icak with Ibu Wies

Here's the surviving first generation of the Djojosugito family.

This is Noe, as usual, flirting with girls, in this sense a newborn girl.

Here's Mas Dody in action with his big lens that resembles a phallic symbol.

This is Ardi with Noe.

This is Asha with Noe.

Mbak Fanny, the soon to be married, with Ardi her brother.

This is Ari, the drummer.

The hot topic of the day was persecution against Ahmadiyah and religious extremism in Indonesia.

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Goat Testicle

Yesterday, after visiting Indi in the hospital and on the way to home, I went to Kumis 999 Goat Feet Soup that I have yearned for the longest time. It is finally open after closed for the whole month of ramadan.

Basically, here, none of the body part of the poor goat is wasted. I am giving you a preview close up one by one. These are THE goat's feet. To be mixed with soup. The soft bones are exquisite!

These are goat's lungs and brain, to be mixed with soup.

These are goat's eyeballs, goat's sliced ears, and upper head bones cut into chunks. They are to be mixed with soup.

This is the goat's nose bone, to be mixed with soup.

I think this is goat's tripe and intestines, to be mixed into the soup.

And of course, the special main course of the day, Goat Testicle Satay! It is sold for a whooping 70K Rupiah, or 7 USD, per portion of ten skewers. Here's step by step direction on how to make it. These are goat testicles for both the satay and soup. Actually the shop ran out of goat testicle, so they had to go to the adjacent shop that sells the same thing to get the mountain oyster for me.

First, you cut the goat testicles into small piece to be put into skewers.

The goat testicle went to marinade (soy sauce lemon and onion).

Finally, the goat testicles were char-grilled. It's so good, it melts in your mouth!

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In Hospital

After having two cycles of fever, Indi became lethargic and his platelet count fell, really low, about 17,000 only (from the normal count of 200,000!). You can see his two cycle of fever in this chart.

You can see how lethargic Indi was. He didn't even respond to our jokes!

Three days in the hospital and he misses Noe so much. But Noe couldn't and shouldn't come inside the hospital. So how do we help Indi cure his longing feeling for his son? Easy. We parked the car outside Indi's window. We took Maysaroh, our helper, to babysit Noe while Rani's in the hospital room. So anytime Noe cries for milk, Maysaroh would wave at the window and Rani would run down to the parking lot. Then Indi walked to the window and wave at Noe. Ow... so touching.

The past three days has been really frantic for me. I needed to commute about 120km everyday with the baby, picked up the baby sitter, then off to the hospital, drop off the baby sitter again, then go home, then go back to pick up the baby sitter again, then off to hospital, etc etc... . The hospital is about 30km away from my parents' apartment in Menteng and I wanted to go to the hospital twice everyday. Then I also had to study for the exam, and submit paper assignment to my professor in Singapore. But none of the franticness is comparable to my anxiety waiting for Indi to get better.

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Dengue

We're still stuck in Jakarta. Indi got hit by dengue fever last saturday and now hospitalised. Please help with prayers for his speedy recovery.

Indi is in room 272 RS Internasional Bintaro, do visit him if you can (do bring Lindt 70% chocolate bars if you can :>).

I had to evacuate to Menteng and everyday commute 35km between Menteng and hospital. I'm sad because i can't fully stay in the hospital to accompany my hubby, but Neo needs my milk, and i can't bring Noe into the hospital.

Internet connection in Jakarta is really bad. No broadband, at least not at our homes. I hope I would remember to upload photos when I'm back in Singapore.

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Dengue and Jenie Gathering

Yesterday, Indi's fever didn't subside. Ibu Wies and Pak Ahmad visited Indi to see his condition.

Having seen Indi, Ibu suggested that Noe (and Rani of course) needed to be evacuated because it is not confirmed that Indi had dengue (it could be other type of contagious viral infection that may infect Noe), and if indeed it is dengue, it's possible that the mosquito lives around Bintaro and might bite us.

I felt sad to have to leave Indi, but Ibu Tuti reassured me that Indi would be taken care of and it's more important to be careful for the sake of Noe's well being and get him evacuated to Menteng.

So I packed my bags and join Ibu Wies and Pak Ahmad. They were going to Jenie Family gathering in Halim Persada Country Club before going home to Menteng.

This is Nizar, the chairperson of this gathering, delivering his keynote speech representing the third generation of Jenie family.

This is Uncle Busra, Iik, and Jurike reading out the latest news of Jenie Family.

This is Izak, presenting the Jenie Family Tree website.

It was difficult for me to really enjoy the gathering because I keep worrying about Indi's condition. While I was away, his fever reached 40 degree, and I urged him to just go to hospital for constant monitoring. In the early evening, Indi finally decided to go to hospital.

The next day, today - Monday, Mas Dede arrived in Jakarta from Bandung. He took Noe swimming in Menteng's pool. But perhaps Noe was tired, so he fell asleep in Mas Dede's arm while swimming.

Later in the evening, I visited Indi in the hospital. He is still feverish, but as funny as ever. While I visited him, Oom Caryo family also came to see Indi.

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