Indonesia is a country with a long history of colonialism. One of the countries who colonized Indonesia is Netherlands that started to come to Indonesia at years 1609s. The Netherlands government made central government at some cities in Indonesia. One of them located at Semarang, now become the capital city of Central Java province. In Semarang, the government builds government building named Lawang Sewu, a Javanese words which mean “a thousand doors”. The words “a thousand doors” refer to a lot of doors made in the building. According to the official books of Semarang Government, Lawang Sewu build started from 1904 and finished at 1907 located at Tugu Muda’s circle.

Lawang Sewu divided into three building. The main building is a three floors building that has two wings spread to the right section and left section. If visitors enter the main building, they’ll find a large stare into the second floor. Between the stare there is a huge glass shows a picture of two young Dutch ladies made from glasses. All of the building structure, the doors and the windows adapt Dutch’s style of architecture. The doors and the windows made of best woods, and the walls made of thick stones. The others building looked familiar, only smaller.

The main building has a large gutter with a main function to throw water from around the building to avoid flood. At the period of Japanese government, this gutter becomes a dungeon to arrest people who avoid paid taxes. Besides that, the gutter becomes a place where Indonesian people hide from the Netherlands soldier. At the present moment, this gutter along with the name of Lawang Sewu, became famous of mystical place after a national television program named “Dunia Lain” showed the phenomenal picture of a ghost lady in the gutter. After that, Lawang Sewu not only becomes famous of its historical building, but also its mystical issue where a ghost lady and Dutch ghost soldier appears.

Komodo Island is one of the beautiful and unique islands that you can use as your main destination if you visit Indonesia. The island will offer a panorama of nature that you will not find in any other places in the world, the charm of the island reptiles that may only exist in our minds or prehistory movie-theme.

Komodo Island is not only the pride of Indonesia but also will become part of the world pride. Because these islands are known as the finalists for the Seven Wonders of the World. Komodo Island is located at the westernmost tip of Nusa Tenggara Timur province which borders the province of West Nusa Tenggara. The park is located on the volcanic island of Indonesia Wallace region is home to more than 5700 komodo or the giant dragon lizards. In this place also lived 4000 people.

The island is located in the Komodo district, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. To be able to reach this island available there are a wide range of accommodation ranging from hostel accommodation to the local communities to set up an international resort.

Since 1980, area of 1817 km2 National Park was made by the Government of Indonesia, which is then recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. In addition it is also the only natural habitat Komodo dragons in the world, and recognized by the World Wildlife Federation and the International Conservation as a global conservation priority.

On this island you can enjoy tours Komodo National Park to observe the life of Komodo dragon up close. In addition you can also enjoy various water sports here. You can try to dive in the waters north and south islands. The water around the island of Komodo is special water because the water is warm. By all those information above, the author thinks that Komodo Island will be your best destination and give you a great experience.

African fabrics have made waves in the fashion industry due to their unique features, designs as well as material. Once overlooked by many, it has now become one of the most popular materials used in the fashion world. If you are shopping for dresses made from these fabrics or want to make your own dresses using these, it is important to know the different kinds as each material might be suitable for one specific type of dress but not for another.

Wax and Fancy

African fabrics typically come in two different types – wax print and fancy. The wax prints are the most popular but also the most expensive of the lot. These fabrics originated from Indonesia and are called “batik cloths”. The ones that come from this country are often called “true wax prints.”

Many of the fabric designs were copied and taken to Europe, where Dutch companies manufactured them using roller prints. As the prints are no longer homemade, but done through machines, the price for the fabric dropped and became much more affordable.

Aside from Holland and some areas in the West Africa, wax print fabrics are also manufactured in China. For those who are interested in true wax print fabrics, then opt for those made in Indonesia as they are usually handmade and authentic. Prices differ usually depending on how complex the designs are and how big is the commissioned work. Typical customized prints includes life stories of the people who commissioned the work but there are also other products that are made in limited quantity example would be fabrics made to commemorate an event.

Fancy prints are another African fabric type but differ in that the cloths are roller printed with the feel of the wax coating on the fabric absent. They are more affordable than wax printed ones and also popular for many who prefer a smooth texture to their clothes.

Aside from wax and fancy fabrics, there are other fabrics that are also known as African fabric or Ankara. In Nigeria, “asoke” is a type of fabric that is worn during special events. “Kente” is the type of African fabric that is popular in Ghana that also has the same design and texture as the wax prints of Indonesia.

Purchasing African Fabrics

Purchasing your fabric material depends on one’s preference(s). Wax prints are durable and popular; however some people find the wax material to be irritating and as such prefer the fancy prints. Cost should also be considered as true African fabrics can be costly but a wise investment later on.

Feeling tired of your regular vacation destination? Why don’t you come to Indonesia and visit Magelang?

As one of the largest cities in Central Java, Indonesia, Magelang has been a favorite destination for many domestic and foreign tourists. The city that located 43 km north from Yogyakarta, and 75 km south of Semarang, the capital of Central Java, is the closest major town to Borobudur Temple, one of the world’s wonders built in ninth century. Besides, it also has a number of the town’s buildings from the Dutch East Indies (colonial) era, which become heritage landmarks now. One of them is Museum Pangeran Diponegoro (formerly used as Karesidenan Kedu Building), that keep some of the memories from Prince Diponegoro, one of the Indonesian famous hero.

In Indonesia itself, the city of Magelang is known as a military landmark. Even before its official establishment date on April 11th 907, the old Magelang has a long history as a military post. During the battle between pro independence army and Dutch colonial that happen in the early 1940s, Magelang once again took a part as the Indonesian Army’s camp. In this third millennium, its historical background is strengthening by the existence of two military landmarks there: The Military Academy and the associated-military school which also known as the best high school in Indonesia, Taruna Nusantara.

In contrast with its history and background as a military landmark, Magelang is a nice city that has so many places of interest. It possesses all the right things to attract getaway traveler. Those who love food and shopping will find unforgettable experience in Magelang. Shops, minimarkets, and restaurants are the common places you can find in Magelang’s Chinatown (Pecinan), the one way 1.5 km long road that also become a center of business in Magelang. For those who love crowds, Magelang Town’s Square (Alun-Alun) is the best place where many people, from domestic residences as well as foreign tourists, enjoy the sensational atmosphere of Magelang.

Its strategic location combined with the fertile agricultural area has put Magelang on a very progressive plan of economic, social, cultural, and also tourism. Year 2008 has become an important milestone for all Indonesian cities including Magelang to prepare the global challenge. Time to time, Magelang always strengthen its position as one of the favorite holiday destination in Indonesia,

Emerging market investments offer potential for higher returns while being highly volatile. Investors therefore include emerging markets ETFs in their ETF portfolio. A popular emerging market ETF is iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (EEM).

Regional emerging markets ETFs like iShares MSCI Eastern Europe Index Fund (ESR) and iShares S&P Latin America 40 Index Fund (ILF) offer exposure to different geographic segments.

Now a new ETF has become available for investment specifically in Southeast Asia… the Global X FTSE ASEAN 40 ETF (ASEA). The ETF seeks to track the price and yield performance of stocks included in the FTSE ASEAN 40 Index.

ASEAN

In 1967 Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand formed an economic bloc called the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote economic growth through free trade amongst those countries. Since then, ASEAN has expanded and currently includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmarand Vietnam.

Benefits & Risks of ASEAN ETF

The Global X ASEAN ETF invests in the 40 largest companies in the five founding member nations of ASEAN. The ETF currently has the following weightings: Singapore 41%, Malaysia 33%, Indonesia 15%, Thailand 11%, and the Philippines 1%.

Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing regions in the global economy. Singaporeis considered a developed market. The economies of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand are expanding rapidly thanks to their economic liberalization policies promoting foreign direct investments, availability of skilled labor at low wages and bilateral trade with China. A fast growing affluent middle class drives up demand for a multitude of consumer goods and services.

Over 40% of Global X ASEAN ETF’s assets are invested in Singapore, posing country concentration risk. Another risk is the dependence of ASEAN countries on China. Like other emerging markets ETFs, the ASEAN ETF carries risks associated with foreign currency, higher inflation and nationalization of companies the ETF invests in.

Investment Strategy

Investors can use a core and satellite strategy to build an emerging markets ETF portfolio. They can consider using the Vanguard ETF (VWO) for the core portion of the ETF portfolio. The Vanguard ETFs as well as sector and industry group index funds are designed to track a target index. VWO tracks the Morgan Stanley Capital International’s (MSCI) Emerging Markets Index.

With only 7% of its assets invested in the emerging markets of ASEAN, the Vanguard ETF offers only a limited exposure to ASEAN. Investors can use Global X ASEAN ETF as the satellite portion of their ETF portfolio.

Country Specific ETFs

Investors have the option of investing in country specific ETFs in ASEAN.They are iShares MSCI Indonesia Investable Market Index Fund (EIDO), iShares MSCI Malaysia Index Fund (EWM), iShares MSCI Philippines Investable Market Index Fund, (EPHE), iShares MSCI Singapore Index Fund (EWS), and iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index Fund (THD).

The awareness of having advanced education to improve the human resources quality is now getting higher in Indonesia. For the evidence, there are many new established universities spread from Sabang to Merauke. Nowadays, people who live in Tangerang, especially the Buddhists, are happy because of the official inauguration of Buddhi Dharma University (BDU)

At the first month of 2015 Arief R. Wismansyah as the Mayor of Tangerang inaugurated the establishment of Buddhi Dharma University. BDU is the first Buddhist University in Indonesia. BDU is located at Imam Bonjol street Number 41, Tangerang, Banten province. On the same occasion, Prof. Dr. Harimurti Kridalaksana was also inaugurated as the first Rector of BDU. The professor was born in Unggaran, Central Java province in December 23rd, 1939. He is known as an expert in literature in Indonesia. He also served as a Chairman of Indonesian Literature Department at UI (University of Indonesia) and the Coordinator of Postgraduate Program.

BDU has three faculties with fifteen departments. The faculty of Science and Technology consists of the Department of Physics, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Informatics Engineering, Information Engineering, Software Engineering, Multimedia and Network Engineering and Informatics Management. Faculty of Business consists of the Department of Management, Accounting, Business Administration and Accounting in D3 (diploma three) program. Meanwhile, for the Faculty of Humanities and Literature consists of English Literature, Communications and English Studies in D3 program.

BDU is the third university in Tangerang after UNIS and Muhammadiyah University. Currently, Buddhi Dharma University has approximately three thousand students, with increasing numbers of students every year. So no wonder, that the existing four-story building is no longer able to accommodate the students. Buddhi Dharma University has a plan to build a building at the back of the existing building.

“Buddhi Dharma University was not achieved easily, but it was achieved with a tedious struggle”, said Udayasakhya Halim, The Chairman of the Board Administrator of Boen Tek Bio Association. Having a status as a Buddhist university, Buddhi Dharma University offers more value in education based on Buddhist values. “Buddhi Dharma University will emphasize more on the practical application of universal Buddhism. The lecturers and students are from different religions, but we all have agreed to apply it in the form of real life”, said Udayasakhya Halim.

Unfortunately, the number of Buddhist lectures is very limited. Therefore, BDU provides a postgraduate scholarship agreement for Buddhists for various majors. It is intended that the Buddhists can be lecturers at BDU. Until now, BDU has given scholarship for ten scholars who study in several universities. In addition, BDU also offers a twenty percent special discount for Pundits’ children who wish to study at BDU.

Indonesia is one of the most populous regions of the world with over 230 million people spread across its 17,000+ islands. Known for its beauty and laid back lifestyle, it is also one of the hot spots for quality furniture. Indonesia furniture manufacturers are known for their finely crafted selections, which are comprised of rattan, teak, and mahogany wood. Every year both business and home owners seek the benefits that come with purchasing Indonesia furniture wholesale. These benefits include the following:

Long life: Most furniture products can give you 3-7 years of good use before the framing starts to break down and the craftsmanship gradually unwinds. Many people choose Indonesia furniture because it has the staying power to last for decades without need for replacement. With each passing year, your initial investment in furniture goes down considerably. Make those years multiples of ten and you go from having a purchase to an investment.

Wear and tear: Every day you and your family put your furniture through the ringers. Whether it means the kids piling into a chair or you plopping down hard at the end of a long day, over time this usage is enough to take its toll on lesser quality products. However, materials such as teak or mahogany are taken directly from nature and built to withstand much worse than common use, which means you can use your furniture as an escape from the worries of the day instead of actually being worried whether or not it will last another one.

Timeless appeal: Not every piece of furniture gets retired because it was of lesser quality. Sometimes misguided individuals will go with what the “in” thing is at the time. While the furniture may possibly last for years, the style statement that it makes will not. Natural furnishing choices maintain a more neutral but no less pleasing pattern.

Versatility: What this means is that furniture selections are right at home no matter what room of the house they are in. In fact, Indonesia furniture not only looks good inside the home but looks great outside as well. It also goes well beyond individual pieces to entire sets that can set and maintain the theme of the room.

Less time on upkeep, more on use: To get the most out of standard furniture, it requires TLC and kid glove treatment compared to the problem free approach of heavy teak, mahogany and rattan options. These materials offer unending support that requires nothing else beyond daily use.

Whether you’re looking for a business opportunity or you simply believe that Indonesia furniture is the best stuff you’ve ever sat on, purchasing Indonesia furniture wholesale gives you the consumer a cheaper means to quality.

Everyone would love a good vacation after working so hard for the year. There are many choices of an ideal vacation for different people but tropical paradises seem to score high on most people’s favorite holiday list; and no better place is there than idyllic Bali, Indonesia.

Tropical Paradise

Bali is a world renowned Indonesian island that offers great beaches, breath-taking landscapes and warm hospitality by its locals. It is home to more than 3,000,000 residents with great sunshine all year round.

There is a serene aura around the island as it is very steep in religion and tradition; hence, visitors do well to dress modestly and adapt to the local style in dressing and behavior.

Hot Spots

Although it is an island, Bali has many wonderful tourist locations that can amaze your senses. You can visit Kuta, Seminyak or Sanur for some fun and enlightenment. Clean and beautiful sandy beaches greet you everywhere in Bali with coral reefs and varied marine life to add color to your holiday. At night, the cool sea breeze makes this idyllic island most suitable for true romance to happen.

Accommodation

There are many types of accommodation in Bali; prices can range from budget to luxury depending on your pocket size. Villas and 5-star hotels sprout abundantly for your luxurious comfort although budget hotels are available with less privacy and room service. Bali villas are ideal for the family where you can get comfort, privacy and opportunity to cook your own meals, which is a great cost savings while on vacation, especially in Bali.

It is amazing how this tropical paradise truly lives up to its name in more ways than sun and fun; there is no crime rate on this island. It is all about touching base with nature all around you with the volcanoes and swaying palms.

Attractions

Bali is renowned as the Best Island in the World with its charm and natural beauty. There are many exotic pagodas for one to explore with the serene chants filling the morning air while sandy beaches and lush fields make a tempting attraction into their midst. Bali is a land that exudes various cultures such as Buddhist, Japanese and Balinese.

For the diving enthusiasts, there are a few popular diving spots found in Amed, Tulamben and Nusa Dua where you can enjoy good scuba diving. Surfing is another favorite pastime with paragliding, golf, cycling and sea cruises. These are lovely ways to spend your days at exotic Bali besides getting a certain tan.

Since it is a tropical paradise, the jungles are dense and rich in fauna and flora, making them a definite treat for nature lovers. Bird watchers will have a field day taking in the sights of the many species of birds; if not, the Bird Park will certainly not disappoint. One way to enjoy the jungles of Bali is on an elephant. The great beast of burden is just right for an awesome ride into the jungles and get closer to nature and sky.

Rejuvenation

Bali is renowned for the many exotic spas it provides as well as the refreshing massages. Every visitor is recommended to try a traditional Balinese massage to feel its refreshing effect. It is extremely different and therapeutic.

The Bali hospitality is to be commended as it is clearly evident in the locals. This is what makes Bali distinct from other holiday resorts.

Earlier this year my husband and I experienced the real rural life in Central Java. We went to a village called Candi Rejo. It’s located about half-an-hour away from Borobudur, the biggest Buddhist temple in Indonesia.

We heard from our partners in Indonesia that Candi Rejo has started community based & eco tourism project. We went to learn more about this project. In our perspective, community based tourism means tourism that consults, involves and benefits the local community. We wanted to see if this was really the case in this village.

At first, we were not really sure what to expect. We bought our tickets from Bali, made arrangements with the village chief, and the next thing we know we were at Jogjakarta’s airport.

Our guide was called I.J. (pronounced EE-Jay). She was very friendly and talkative, even though her English was limited. She was an interesting lady. She’s about 35 years old, and everyday she wears a hijab (head scarf) and long sleeves shirt to cover her arms even though the weather was very hot. Obviously it’s a normal look for Muslim women there. IJ is a single mom, raising 2 kids by herself. She is the only female guide in her village, and she’s very proud of that. She said when there are no visitors to guide around she farms just like the rest of the people in her village.

After we meet IJ we drove to the town, which is about 1 hour from the airport. The view was amazing. We could see a volcano in a distance while we passed mustard fields, cornfields, tapioca farms and other kinds of vegetable farms. We also passed a 9th century Buddhist temple called Pawon. It is dedicated to Kuvera, the God of Fortune.

The first thing we did when we got to Candi Rejo was to meet the village chief. We thought he would be this older man with a grey mustache just like many other Indonesian government officials. We were surprised when the village chief, Mr. Ian, showed up. A charming 28-year old man, soft spoken and very well dressed.

He explained briefly the history of eco-tourism in Candi Rejo. Only a few years ago an Indonesian NGO approached the village and introduced the concept of community-based ecotourism. After many village meetings, the community in Candi Rejo embraced the idea. The village also has the benefit of being very close to Borobudur, the biggest Buddhist temple in Indonesia and a great wonder of the ancient world. They have a river that can be used for white water rafting, and also has a nice trail called Watu Kendil, which is the path to Kendil Hill. From the top of this hill, one can view 5 volcanoes and also the whole construction of Borobudur Temple.

The ecotourism project in Candi Rejo is a pilot project in Indonesia. The village has about 5,000 people, and majority of the people there are farmers. The main unit that managed the tourism industry in Candi Rejo is the community runs cooperative (co-op), not the government. The head of the cooperative still reports to the village chief, but the revenue goes directly to the locals.

The locals voluntarily joined the cooperative. For example, those who have extra rooms in their houses can sign up as accommodation providers. People who have horse drawn rickshaws can join the cooperative as one of the village transportation providers. Everyone in the cooperative has to agree with the roster system, which gives the guides, porters, village tours, trek trail maintenance, and handicraft sales equal opportunity to make money.

No doubt that the ecotourism project has increased the village’s economy. Since Candi Rejo gained its official “tourism village” status in 2003, it has developed into a cleaner and wealthier village. The village chief has ordered every home in the village to grow “Rambutan”, a tropical fruit tree in front of their houses. The result is: this village is becoming very green and shady. The weather in Central Java can get very hot, so these big trees can protect pedestrians from the burning sun.

When we asked the village chief whether or not he is worried that one day the tourism industry would bring outrageous pollution to the village, he said the cooperative limit the number of visitors per year. The tourism programs that they’ve developed also mainly focus on green tourism, not touristy programs. So naturally, majority of visitors who come to Candi Rejo are green-minded travelers. They want to learn about agriculture or to experience the real Javanese rural living.

In 2007, the village saw about 800-900 visitors. We saw photos of their previous visitors. Some schools from Indonesia’s big cities have sent students to visit Candi Rejo to learn about farming and rural living. It’s true that many Indonesian children who grew up in the big city don’t know what the trees and fruit they eat looks like in the ground. These kinds of learning programs teach them where the food in the market came from. It also raises awareness among the students of how important it is to sustain your environment.

It’s not only students from all over Indonesia that come to Candi Rejo. Governments from other villages in Indonesia also visit Candi Rejo to learn about village tourism and ecotourism.

We can’t forget how nice the people in Candi Rejo are. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating. We felt that the community-based tourism really fit their characters. Their natural eagerness to accommodate their guests made our trip so smooth and memorable.

In Candi Rejo we learned how to play the Javanese Gamelan (their traditional musical instruments). We also played volleyball with the locals, which was very fun! We took the horse rickshaw everywhere during our stay there (0 emission for sure). We were also invited to visit the village chief’s house for a community gathering. It feels like we were visiting our family there.

We left Candi Rejo with fond memories of this village. We would go back in a heartbeat. Hopefully next time we could take our travelers there with us. We’re proud that the ecotourism and community-based tourism movement in Indonesia is developing rapidly. We hope these projects can alleviate poverty, create more job opportunities and most importantly sustain Indonesia’s ecology.

In 1945, Pandji’s father was still 7 years old. He had asked her mother (grandmother of Pandji), “What is independence?” Initially, the grandmother replied to Pandji’s father confusedly. However then, she said, “If all of these (pointing to the surrounding environment) are ours.”

The boy asked again, “All are ours? Meaning that while traveling with train, we don’t need to pay?” The grandmother answered, “Yes!” (p 103). In fact, nowadays there is still no free lunch in this country. Through that dialogue, the author politically criticize the nation’s in-dependency.

Nevertheless, the rapper and composer of “Raise Your Hands for Indonesia” song also appreciated the contributions of many heroes. Our founding fathers fought for Motherland’s independence. During (1945-1948), his father’s house was at Yogyakarta. The fence was made of bamboo. It’s height similar to the adult waist. Approximately, the same as the gate house in Unyil and Pak Raden film series.

One day, when Pandji’s grandmother pushed the fence out, it was felt too hard. Then, she found a child who was killed by a stray bullet. His body was laid stiffly and lifelessly. The age of the child was similar to Pandji’s father at that time. He was still hand-holding arem-arem (traditional food made of rice) in his palm (p 104).

In the past, this book was in a form of e-book. Its online version has been downloaded more than 14,955 times. The launching of the printed book of Nasional.Is.Me was conducted at Jakarta Book Festival (2011). Recently, it has been reprinted 4 times. Remarkably, Nasional.Is.Me also carried an altruistic mission. The Hard Rock Cafe’s (HRC) broadcaster is applying the concept of sharing. By purchasing a book, its copy automatically provided freely to the youth of Indonesia who lived in rural areas. This charity program was supported by Bentang Pustaka and Sampoerna Foundation.

Systematically, this book consisted of 3 parts: Know Your Indonesia, Find Your Passion, and Work for the Future of Your People. In total, there are 10 chapters. From “A Request for A Contemplation” to “From Opening to Closing Sentence Line.” This 330 pages book is a kind of manifesto. The summary of some answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) for Pandji’s fans about his love to Indonesia.

One keen analysis of this former Proactive Provocative’s presenter was when he differentiated between nationalism in United States and Indonesia. According to this coffee lover, the US country is consisted of many immigrants who are united through sport. While the world has football (soccer), they created their own: American Football. Why? Due the modern football were coming from England. Native Americans also loved basketball a lot. Through both these 2 sports, all immigrants were participating through the “joint product”. Therefore, nation’s unity is created.

Then, the most important question is, “In Indonesia, what kind of nationalism that we have?” According to Pandji, It is Pancasila, the 5 basic principles. That was in line with Anand Krishna’s opinion. Pancasila is the code of life’s happiness (The Jakarta Post, 13 July 2012).

Moreover, as saying by Bung Karno, Pancasila was Philosophie Grondslag, the basic philosophy on which all races, religions, diversities were resting in Motherland’s hug. It is the foundation in which uniting the difference between “me” and “you” in “our” area.

In this book, Pandji also investigated the history of human civilization. The Jakarta Gonzaga High School Alumnus believed that Pancasila has made Indonesia does not ended up like India. The country who separated with Pakistan after freed from England. The Islamic society (minority in India) thought that they will not be accommodated by the government. Moreover, they were afraid to the civil war between Islam and Hinduism because of some political interests.

Anybody known then that it was Mahatma Gandhi who held a hunger strike. The Mahatma would fast until the violence was ceased in India. Finally, they ended the civil war all over India, and Gandhi started to eat a mouthful of rice. However, the disintegration of India was inevitable.

Later, Pakistan founded their own Muslim community. After that, Muslim and Hindu population migrated to the region of India and Pakistan. It was recorded as the biggest human tragedy in the 20th century. Many housemates were forced to split up from their own families because of religious differences and beliefs.

In this context, Pancasila made Indonesia relatively democratic. The 5 basic principles is still unifying us from Sabang to Merauke. Pandji has written the book based on his experience sojourning across the archipelago.

The work of Pandji allowed him to do that. He traveled from Padang, Belitung, Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Manado, Makassar, Bali, to Jayapura. Those regions’s beauty painted a deep impression in his heart.

He wrote an unforgettable experience in Kupang, “Seeing the kids there, and hearing they sing Kuan Kefa song, a local tradition about how to heal homesickness… then listening the mothers singing together about unity called Lais Manekat while sitting under a shaded tree. I almost do not believe, it is just like in the movies, the sound of the wind is not blowing, but whistling… ” (p.155).

Indeed, this book ignited optimism’s flame in the midst of dense clouds because of the corrupt politics. The young man, Pandji appealed an altruistic calling to transform this beloved republic. Stating from ourselves in every self circumference based on each own professions. Perhaps, we will not see that bright future. However, the next generation, our grandchildren shall experience a better Indonesia. Happy reading!

Title: Nasional.Is.Me

Author: Pandji

Publisher: Bentang Pustaka Yogyakarta

The Forth Published at March 2012

Number of pages: xiv + 330

Price: Rp54.000

ISBN: 978-602-8811-53-8