We sometimes feel hurt by what others say or do to us. We struggle with those everyday, yeah... maybe. But, you know, sometimes their hurtful word or action is not always about us. :D

Someone says that hurt people hurt others. Not everyone can't keep their negative emotions just for themselves. Some or most of them will channel those negative energies to others. They will lash out at others. 

Hurtful words also often come from those who feel insecure. 

I do know that trying to forget hurtful words isn't easy, but It doesn't mean we can't. Everyone has experienced it, no exception including us. Don't we realize that we can't be a victim and perpetrator? Let's contemplate, stop blaming. Wish we can be a better person. Aamiin. :)

My childhood memories come to my mind every time I think about my hometown. I never thought that now I'm so far away from the place where I was born and raised. When I was little, I ever asked myself: could I see the world, could I go out? I was so curious about places beyond my hometown. 

Alhamdulillah, Allah granted my requests.

But, then, what?

I miss my hometown, the peaceful place. When I am far from there, I just realize that my heart is bound to that place. It makes me remember the proverb: setinggi-tingginya/sejauh-jauhnya bangau terbang, pada akhirnya akan kembali ke pelimbahan juga. :)

Yeah, I will definitely come back, but not now. I still want to live in and move to many different places. I am learning a lot about the life values. But, trust me, wherever I go, wherever I am, and whatever I do, hometown will always be in my heart.

Dear, my peaceful hometown, I owe you a lot.

Alhamdulillah, aku dan suami sudah menerima vaksin Corona. Meski termasuk warga baru di Manado, saat aku menulis ini kami baru tinggal 4 bulan, tapi urusan vaksinasi Covid-19 dosis pertama dan kedua sudah beres. Bersyukur banget. Melalui postingan ini, aku akan berbagi pengalamanku, ya. Bisa jadi, apa yang kurasakan ini berbeda jauh dengan yang orang lain rasakan. :)

Sesaat setelah resmi menginjakkan kaki di Manado, salah satu hal yang menjadi perhatian kami adalah VAKSIN. Yaa meskipun ketika sudah divaksin bukan berarti bebas dan boleh lupa daratan, tapi setidaknya ini adalah salah satu ikhtiar. Ibarat perang, vaksin adalah salah satu perisainya.

Nah, mengingat cukup banyak pro dan kontra di luaran sana plus beragam efek yang disinyalir muncul setelah vaksin, maka kami berdua sepakat kalau vaksinnya nanti gantian: Mas Ryan dulu, baru kemudian aku. Jaga-jaga aja sih ya kalau nanti ternyata terjadi sesuatu setelah vaksin ((maksudnya demam dan "teman-temannya")), yang sakit enggak dua-duanya. Sehingga, pihak yang sehat masih bisa membersamai bocah. Maklum, hal-hal seperti ini harus benar-benar kami pikirkan sebagai perantau yang notabene jauh dari orangtua, mertua, dan saudara. Ya meskipun orang-orang di sini semuanya baik, sih. Alhamdulillah.

Tidak hanya di masalah waktu saja, namun kami juga mendapatkan jenis vaksin yang berbeda: suami Astra Zeneca sedangkan aku Sinovac. Alasannya bukan karena kami pilih-pilih, tapi yang ada saat itu ya itu. :D

Mengenai bedanya, aku yakin kalian semua sudah nglonthok karena rajin googling. Namun, di sini, aku akan mencoba sedikit merangkum kembali apa perbedaan kedua jenis vaksin tersebut. Aku baca dari beragam sumber yang pastinya valid.

1. Bahannya: Sinovac menggunakan virus Corona yang sudah tidak aktif sedangkan Astra Zeneca dari vektor adenovirus simpanse.

2. Interval pemberian vaksin dosis pertama dan kedua: Sinovac 2-4 minggu sedangkan Astra Zeneca 8-12 minggu

3. Efektivitasnya: tidak bisa dimungkiri kalau Astra Zeneca setingkat di atas Sinovac.

4. Efek samping: ibarat teori investasi high risk high return low risk low return, efek samping Astra Zeneca pun disinyalir di atas Sinovac sebagaimana efektivitasnya.

5. Siapa yang bisa menerima? Keduanya bilang kalau vaksin bisa untuk mereka yang berusia di atas 18 tahun, namun lebih lanjut untuk Sinovac ternyata bisa juga diberikan pada mereka yang berusia minimal 12 tahun.

Berhubung di postingan ini, aku hanya akan membicarakan pengalamanku sebagai penerima vaksin Sinovac, maka untuk lebih detail dan jelasnya mengenai kedua jenis vaksin di atas (yang aku dan suami terima) bisa dicari sendiri di Google. :D

Aku sendiri merasa bersyukur karena kami menerima jenis vaksin yang berbeda karena setidaknya bisa dibuat perbandingan mengenai efek sampingnya (yang ternyata enggak jauh beda). :D

Lalu, seperti apa pengalaman disuntik vaksin Sinovac dosis I & II di Manado? Agak sedikit berbeda antara dosis I dan II kemarin.

Vaksin Sinovac dosis I kudapatkan awal Juli dengan teknis sebagai berikut:

1. Aku masuk ke vaksinhebat(.)idsolution(.)co(.)id di Jumat malam, 2 Juli

2. Mengeklik daftar vaksin dan mengisi sesuai petunjuk. Ketika sudah selesai, klik submit.

3. Mendapat semacam keterangan bisa divaksin dengan waktu dan tempat seperti yang tertera plus keterangan dokumen apa saja yang harus dibawa (screenshot halaman keterangan + KTP)

Eh, cukup mudah ternyata. :D

Ngomong-ngomong, aku memang sengaja memilih mal sebagai tempat vaksin dengan pertimbangan agar anak dan suamiku bisa menunggu dengan nyaman tanpa bosan. Enggak perlu mengantarkanku ke tempat vaksin yang kuprediksi bakal ramai karena mereka bisa mencari kebahagiaan sendiri, ke tempat orang jual mainan, toko buku, atau tempat makanan misalnya. Faktanya, mereka ngendon aja di kendaraan. Baiklah.

Oh iya, posisi saat itu, suamiku sudah vaksin Astra Zeneca dosis pertama sebulan sebelumnya alias bulan Juni. Pengalaman suami yang tidak mengalami efek samping apa pun setelah divaksin membuatku semakin yakin untuk mengikuti jejaknya. 

Semangat vaksin!

Jika pendaftaran online pada proses penerimaan vaksin Sinovac jenis pertama cenderung mudah, yang butuh perjuangan dan kesabaran serta keikhlasan adalah saat eksekusinya. 

Aku mendapat nomor antrean 600-an, donggg. :D

Kondisi Manado saat itu memang masih belum termasuk wilayah yang kena PPKM. Kasusnya cenderung menurun jika dibandingkan dengan bulan-bulan sebelumnya. Sehingga tidak bisa dimungkiri kalau suasana saat vaksin memang begitu ramai ditambah antusiasme masyarakat yang juga besar. 

Suasa saat itu, meskipun ramai tapi cukup tertib

Sebelum disuntik, petugas akan memastikan (melalui beberapa tes) bahwa kita sehat dan boleh divaksin.

Setelah dinyatakan aman untuk divaksin, barulah kemudian eksekusi. Enggak lama, sebentar bangettt, yang lama mah prosesnya. :D

Enggak boleh cabut dulu setelah selesai disuntik sebelum mendapatkan ini:

Terlampir juga tanggal berapa vaksin dosis kedua

Selesai divaksin, aku langsung mengecek sertifikatku di situs pedulilindungi. Alhamdulillah, ada. :)

Vaksin dosis I selesai dengan lancar. Selanjutnya adalah harap-harap cemas menantikan efeknya. Alhamdulillah, aku tidak merasakan apa-apa, sama seperti yang dirasakan suamiku meskipun kami mendapatkan vaksin dengan jenis yang berbeda.

Berikutnya....

Vaksin Sinovac dosis II kudapat awal Agustus, meleset beberapa hari dari jadwal karena... aku selalu kehabisan kuota setiap kali daftar di situs yang sama. T_T

Memang sih saat jadwalku menerima vaksin Sinovac dosis II ini Manado sedang PPKM karena kasus Covid-19 yang semakin naik. Mungkin lantaran alasan itu juga kuota penerimaan vaksin jadi dibatasi untuk mengurangi keramaian dan menghindari kluster vaksinasi.

Tapiii, alhamdulillah, akhirnya aku dapat giliran juga meskipun enggak bertempat di mal, huehehehe. 

Sisi positifnya, proses vaksinasi dosis kedua ini ekspres bangett (efek PPKM dan pembatasan kuota). Alhamdulillah.

Harusnya tanggal 31 Juli, realisasinya tanggal 11 Agustus karena dapatnya tanggal segitu

Alhamdulillah, lengkap

Jika di dosis pertama aku tidak merasakan apa-apa, tidak demikian di dosis kedua. Enggak parah, sih. Cuma seputaran mual, pusing, dan... sakit gigi selama beberapa hari. Yang terakhir bikin enggak kuat. LOL.

Tapi, alhamdulillah, secara umum aman-aman aja. Pun suamiku saat menerima vaksin Astra Zeneca dosis kedua awal September kemarin. Tidak ada efek samping yang berarti selain ngantuk, selebihnya baik-baik aja.

Demikian pengalaman disuntik vaksin Sinovac dosis I & II di Manado. Bersyukur meskipun tidak berada di kampung halaman, alamat domisili beda dengan alamat di KTP, tapi kami tetap bisa mendapatkan vaksin. Untuk teman-teman yang masih dalam proses vaksin, semoga dilancarkan, ya. Semoga juga ujian Corona ini cepat berlalu. 

Days ago, some friends asked me where they could get my books legally. Ok. Here's where you can get my published book.

1. Gramedia Digital 

Solo books, published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Anthology with FLP Jepang

Solo books, published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama

3. IPusnas 

Raising kid is not only giving them visible things like feeding, dressing, cleaning, but also invisible. And, one of the most important invisible things we have to give them is build their confident. It’s not easy.

Love and accept them unconditionally.

One of my favorite places here, Manado, is Kawasan Megamas. It's a reclamation area with 37 hectares (I got this information from the celebes site). It is located not far from I live, only about 500 meters - 1 km. I found that place by coincidence.

When I was still a new resident here (about 4 months ago), I only saw Megamas from the outside. Although the location is quite famous for the people of Manado, but at that time I was still not interested to come in. From the side of main road, all I see is just a shopping area. So, even though I pass by the area almost every day, I still have no interest in stopping by Megamas. What's the difference with the others, nothing special, that's what's on my mind. 

But, I'm totally WRONG!!

One night, when we just went from somewhere and the umpteenth time right past this area, I said to my husband, "Mas, Let's come by here for a while," and he answered, "Yes!"

I just want to know, what kind of area that is quite famous among Manado people is like.  And it turns out, the area is not I thought, behind the shophouses I saw as if there was another world. Since then, we often go there, at least on weekends.

Then, what makes the Megamas area my favorite place. For me, here are some reasons:

1. The location is strategic, not far from home.

We don't need much effort to reach it. The distance is less than 1 km. By walking or by car, both can. We don't have to go far just to refresh our mind. It's a super short escape place.

2. There is a car free day every saturday and sunday from 5 to 9 am, yeah twice a week. My son can bike on that day. Alhamdulillah.

3. We can enjoy the sea and beautiful sunset.

4. Some fast food restaurants provide drive thru (KFC, MCD, Starbucks, Burger King), so we don't have to get out of the car if we want to eat. That is very suitable in the current situation, isn't it?

5. We can picnic in the car while enjoying the beauty of the sea. We can bring food for lunch or buy it by drive thru or buy it at Indomaret/Alfamart which is there.

6. As I wrote above, Kawasan Megamas seems to have its own world. It provides many things, not entertainment, but also daily necessities. I can say Kawasan Megamas is complete. I also buy daily necessities here.

7. I can see the tip of Bunaken Island and the Manado tua Island from here.

8. There is a delicious meatball stall here: bakso solo samrat (Sam Ratulangi).

With the various advantages that the Megamas area has and makes the place my favorite place, Megamas will be the most mainstream place as long as I live in Manado for the next two years. It's like Tsukuba Senta when I lived in Japan some time ago.

But, in the situation like this, we can’t go wherever and whenever we want freely. Honestly, there are so many activities we can do as long as staying at home. They are:

• Cooking, trying a new recipe
• Cleaning room or house
• Reading
• Playing with kid
• Watching film
• Learning something/useful thing
• Blogging or writing
• Talking many topics with our spouse or family member
• Doing sport that can be done at home
• ... Working from home
  

Although working from home seems easy, but in reality it’s complicated. We have to face and deal with these challenges:

1. About managing the time wisely

We have to divide our time for many activities, especially if we are a mom too. In the same time, we have to do many things. So, managing time during we are at home is a must. It’s not simple.

2. About dealing with our perfectionist side

Are we perfectionist person? If the answer is yes, we have to be careful because we can get stressed easily. In fact, it doesn’t matter if our plan can’t be real. We are not a loser just because we can do all things at the same time.

3. About feeling alone

Our team is far away. We connect with them just only by the social media. It makes us feel lonely. It seems like sometimes we are a lone ranger.

4. About people will judge you as a jobless no matter how busy you are

Working from home makes us so busy. We have to take care of all things. But, because we are staying at home all day long, so people judge us easily as a jobless. They don’t care about our condition. All the know is we are almost at home from morning to night, everyday. And for them it means… we are unemployment. So sad.

5. About being difficult to focus

Then, why I choose to work from home. 🙂

Honestly, I love working, I mean… I love earning money and doing useful thing. I don’t care wherever I work, as long as I enjoy it, I’ll be happy.

1. More flexible

2. Feel more productive when working alone, not in a team

3. Hate office politic or dramas

4. Wanna be with family while working

5. An introvert

Basically, everyone has their own reasons for same choice. How about you?

Being a mom is not easy. Sometimes it can make us loss the sanity. Especially if we don’t have experience/we are a new mom. 

As a new mom, sometimes, we still feel confused, stress, exhausted, and all another uncomfortable feelings. Don’t blame ourselves because it’s so normal. We are still in adaptation process.

There is a time where you feel exhausted or just hate yourself or your spouse. It doesn’t mean you don’t love your child.

Yeah, being a mom is never easy, especially a new mom. But, we all believe that every expert was an amateur. So is a mom. We also believe that happy mommy makes kids happy too.

There are 5 points we should do to be a happy mom.

1. Love yourself, make your life meaningful.

I believe that every mom has their own way to make them feel meaningful. We often hear that before loving another we have to love ours. But in fact, we find difficulties to love ourselves unconditionally. We often hate ourselves. 

Then, how to love ourselves?

• Don’t compare our life. I know, It’s easy to be written, but it’s difficult to be done sometimes. 
• Don’t be perfectionist. It will kill us. It doesn’t matter if sometimes we so mistakes. Everyone does. Don’t push our selves to be an idealist or too good to be true. It’s impossible. Everyone has their own scar.
• Do exercise/sport we love.
• Enjoy the process. Enjoy the moment. Remember that motherhood is not a competition and childhood never come back.
• Don’t judge ourselves easily just because we can’t do some thing. We’re not a superhuman. Don’t push your self in high expectation. You are not a wonder woman. Don’t be perfect, be a normal.
• Don’t love and hate too much. It makes us disappointed.
• Don’t seek an attention. Just do our best.

2. Don’t be too active on social media like FB, Twitter, IG, or others which make our enery drain. Don’t waste the time. Be an independent mom. I mean we do not need others’ approval to be happy. No matter how they said, we have to be ourselves.

3. Be thankful. I finally became a mom after eight years of marriage. Alhamdulillah. Be grateful every day. 🤗

4. It doesn’t matter if sometimes we cry a lot just because a simple thing, but make sure that we have the solutions after all. We have to move on and move forward.

5. Manage our inner child well.

Do you believe that everyone has their own another side? It’s called inner child. There is always a child inside of adult. Maybe, it sounds nice. But, unfortunatelly, it’s not. Inner child can damage our future if we can’t manage them well.

The cambrigde dictionary explained that inner child is a child personality that will react when something happened that related with your past: bad experience or unfinished business. Inner child has two kinds: positive and negative. Positive inner child makes our life as adult more interesting, not boring. But, negative inner child? Not only ourselves who can be suffer, bur also the others.

Then,As long as we life, it’s so imposibble if our life is always be okay. Sometimes, we hurt by people’s behaviour. Or in another time, we are being someone who hurt another one.

How to deal with inner child?

• Identificate what the problems you still feel until now which happened when you were child or young.
• It doesn’t matter if you still have bad feeling about your bad experience in the past. Don’t be denial person. Accept them all. Accept that sometimes you are so weak and fragile. Not only you, but all people do the same. It’s normal.
• Then, promise to yourself that no matter how hard your life and how bad your past, you can be a better person. It doesn’t mean you have to be someone who can get everything. No, it’s not like that because all the achievements are meaningless if you are not happy. So, being a better person means being a happy one. Be happy for the first. Not for them, but for you.
• Forgive! Yeah…. I know It’s not easy, but if you want to step forward to the next higher level, you have to set them free. You have learned many things that is useful for your future.

I hope those points I wrote above can remind you help me help us to be a better mom, be a happy mom. I believe when we are trying to give the best to our family, our children, spouse, and... ourselves.

Happiness is not only looking happy face with smiley, but also when the inner has the same condition with the outer. Let's be a happy mom!