Physalis's Story: From Snake Food to Elegant and Expensive One!

 

Physalis that I bought from Hypermarket - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

I believe that some of you know this kind of fruit and might be nothing special about it. However, there is intriguing about Physalis story from my experiences! It is an unusual one and might give you more complicated to think what exactly this fruit. Here is my story!

Someday my friends asked me to come with them to find a snake food that they called "ciplu-an."  They said it was a small beautiful yellow fruit that we could eat with a sweet taste. I was confused why on hell I had to find this kind of fruit that I associated "danger." Hearing the word "snake" made me nervous, but my friends convinced me, "if the snake appears, we will run!" they said it with a teasing smile. Actually, it was a devil smile because it means if I did not go with them, it means I was not fun. We grabbed our bike and wandering around the crop field under the scorching sun. One of my friends said, "that's it! That the place when I saw lots of "ciplu-an." A few minutes later we just left our bike on the side of field streets and walked towards the bush that had no pathway and descended. "Where is it?" I said. One of my friends said, "Geez, I think they are gone, maybe the snake ate all of it." She grimaced and laughed. "When you saw lots of this fruit here?" I said. "Maybe a few days ago, or..a week ago..." she said. My heart went mad, but she said, "there are some of them,  eat it, eat it!" another friend said. She said some, but actually, the fruit that left only 2!😅 And they gave me that fruit and let me eat and try the taste. Then we came back home safely without any snakes chased us, thank goodness! So, basically, my friends just wanted to have fun with me by biking and wandering around.🙄😂😁 The next day we played again and I did not remember that I went mad at them yesterday. 😅😉 I was in grade 3 at the time. And it was a wonderful memory playing with my best friends by wandering around the crop fields, garden, and learning to make our own toy or doll. After graduated from elementary school, one by one they had gone and left me behind, alone in the school. Where were they? If you read my article before about child marriages, that what happened to my best friends. Everything was not the same when we were at elementary school. Suddenly, our path just made us separated. But, I knew in deep their heart they wanted to go to school.  

The first time I heard the fruit called "ciplu-an" was when my friends asked me to go with them to find that snake food. I hadn't known about this fruit before.  Since that day, sometimes my friends and I went to the wild field or crop field to find this fruit. Until someday, when they were gone, I didn't do this activity anymore, because I started working in the first year of my secondary school and busy studied, while my best friends married. The fun day ended up without a goodbye. 

Many years later after moved to Singapore, I felt a little nervous when saw Physalis at the hypermarket. Not only because the price is expensive, but suddenly I felt upset because it reminds me of my best friends who went and left me without saying "goodbye." What I can say about Physalis is this fruit extinct in my hometown or I can say in Indonesia. It is hard to find wild "ciplu-an" in the wild fields and crop fields. The new generation doesn't know this beautiful fruit anymore. They are too busy taking selfies and update their social media. None of them grab the bike and wandering around the village just to find unknown fruit, plants, or flower. These are the differences between my time and the new generation in my hometown. 

The price of Physalis in Singapore is about $2,95 a pack. It is a small pack containing some physalis, maybe a handful. This particular fruit is from Columbia, no wonder the price is priceless since it is an imported product. However, 1 pack of apples that I have always bought is $3++ with 7 or 6 pieces. In my view, this price is still much more expensive than other fruits. 

If my friends said Physalis was wild fruit and snake food, here in Singapore it is an elegant fruit because some bakery uses it as cake decoration. When I saw a Physalis stand up on the expensive cake, I just smile and said, "now it becomes elegant fruit!."😊👍 A wild fruit that grew on the wild fields and crop fields and we called "ciplu-an" is priceless in another county. I wish I could show it to my best friends, but I do not know where are they since they got married and moved to another place.😐

It was 3 weeks ago I bought Physalis. This fruit hasn't come out of my mind when writing down my shopping list every week. I consider buying apples, pear, oranges, or any other fruit rather than Physalis. If I buy Physalis, 1 pack is just enough for dinner for 2. I would like to choose to buy a pack of apples (1 pack is 6-7 apples) because it is enough for 6 times our dinners. I bought this particular fruit just wanted to try it once again after soo many years had forgotten this fruit. I almost forgot how it tastes since my best friends left me and I moved to the city that far away from my hometown to study. 

About the truth that Physalis is snake's food, to be honest, I do not know, I unsure about it; maybe yes, or no. But, I have strongly believed that maybe it is true that we could find snakes around Physalis bush in the wild field since it is a good spot to hide. However, some birds might eat this fruit in the wild. At the time, in my village, lots of birds around and made nests. But, whatever the truth, I should have thanked my best friends that they introduced me to Physalis at the time. They were good kids and curious about everything around them, especially plants, and flowers. I bet if they studied, they could become a doctor or professor who researches nature.

I think Physalis has its own beautiful story about us when we lived in the tiny village. Who's know, I found this fruit in Singapore. Since moved to Singapore I have discovered lots of things that I found to disappear in my hometown but exist in Singapore. For example Double petals Jasmine flower, love letter (traditional Chinese New Year snack in Singapore, bahulu (traditional Chinese New Year cake in Singapore), rainbow cake, et cetera. Nowadays it hard to find those things in my hometown. In the past, people in the village that I come from were proud of their culture and also nature as well. Knowing that Physalis exists and I can found it in Singapore is actually makes me happy. Moreover, I learn that we have to respect nature more. 

Thank you for reading my article, new recipe on my Ichi's Fusion Recipes blog, here is the link https://ichi-recipes.blogspot.com/2021/03/stir-fried-tiger-prawn-with-sukiyaki.html

Note:

• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Do not copy this article without permission
• Do not use this photograph anywhere else without permission

 

Living in Singapore: The Relationship between Locals and Us

 A flower basket, mangoes, and a thin biscuit from my local friend who lives in another district - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Moving and living in Singapore? I believe many people around you will ask the same question, what is look like living in one of the expensive cities in the world and how the relationship with your neighbor? I think all my Indonesian friends asked me the same question.

Maybe you wonder why people keep asking their friends or family who move to Singapore how the neighbor relationships. As many of you knows that Singapore is a bustling and busy city. You can see how fast people walk in the MRT station every day, everyone looks in rush. Every household closes their door because they are busy with soo many things every day. However, we can see and feel a warm community where we can build our relationship with locals or our neighbors in the place where we live in. 

Sending all kueh bahulu (kueh bahulu is a traditional Singapore cake to celebrate Lunar New Year) and pineapple tart to our local's neighbors - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Before moved to Singapore, we lived in Jakarta-Indonesia. I thought living in Singapore would encounter the same experiences just like what we had in Jakarta, an individual neighbor which means we stay close but we do not know who exactly our neighbor is. We had been worrying about all those things until one day we moved and stayed among locals (Singaporeans). What I have experienced is completely different from what I thought before.  We are amazed by a local's warmth, I call it the true heart of Singapore.

We sent this cake to our local friend - Photographed by Aunty V

First-year after moved I had always closed our door. I also used to buy our groceries in hypermarket only. I hadn't ever interacted with our neighbor who lived on the same floor. Our neighbors did the same thing; closing their door all day long. Until someday Chinese New Year came and it was my first Lunar New Year in Singapore. I was excited because lots of flowers and plants were sold. We walked around the wet market nearby our block and I bought yellow Chrysanthemum and Kalanchoe. Since that day I collected one by one flower and did gardening in our corridor. I bought Flamingo flower, Begonias, mint; I planted Portulaca, Zinnia, Marigold, and many others. Someday one of our neighbors stopped by and we talked about flowers and she offered me to exchange Portulaca flowers. That was the first time I made a friend. Day by day, we knew all of our neighbors who lived on the same floor. Moreover, we also knew and made friends with other neighbors who lived in another building and another floor. We often talked outside just for 1 minute or 2 minutes whenever we met, sometimes in the void deck, lift, the wet market, or when we just sit down on the bench in the park. When I remember about that time, the first year came to Singapore, how selfish I was as a new neighbor and foreigner. I should have talked to my neighbor first and not waiting.

Christmas cake from our local neighbor - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

After the first year, we often joined Community Club events such as the Mooncake festival, Harmony Day, and Movie Night. We also did exchange cookies on Chinese New Year; even sometimes I received "ang pao" from my neighbor. Whenever I came back from Indonesia, I bought a bunch of snacks that I gave to them all. Sometimes I just simply share my Portulaca and gave it to my neighbor, or helping them watering their plants when they went overseas. One of our Malay neighbors also engaged us first then we become friends until this day, unfortunately, one of them passed away a few years ago. I also gave food to stray cats that lived around every day. Every day I walked around to feed the cats in our block. I had always carried cat food in my small bag. It was the first year that I learned about locals. 

Christmas cake from one of our local neighbors - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti 

After a few years living in Singapore, until this day, we had moved to 3 different districts, and I am glad that everywhere we moved, we have made a new friend with our neighbors especially those who live on the same floor. We have continued to always give warmth relationship to our neighbors. Even I made a friend with a local who attended the same class which means staying in another district. Nowadays, I exchange cakes or cookies for 3 celebrations: Chinese New Year, Christmas, and Hari Raya. So, please, do not confuse if we celebrate 3 different celebrations every year. Regardless of race, language, and religion, we just love to spread happiness and peace to all. Sometimes my neighbor just comes by and gives us cakes even my cat, Ichi, received toys from our local's friends. So, basically, we do not need to wait until celebration day, if we want to give something to our neighbor or local friends, just send it for example sending birthday gift or cake to our local friend. Or like today, my local friend who lives in another district sent me a flower basket, 2 mangoes, and a thin cookie (the first picture above). In the past, we had a neighbor who had given me vegetables or fish dishes. Whatever she ate, she shared the foods with us. She said that couldn't finish those dishes. It touches my heart, how lucky I am surrounded by kind people. 

Chinese New Year chocolate, thin cookies, and oranges from our local neighbor - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

So, how we can manage our relationships with locals? Here are tips from me, you have to learn the local culture and live like a local. For example, shopping in the wet market, eating in the hawker, or planting flowers and plants. If you work every day then at least on Saturday and Sunday, giving your time to walk and visit the market nearby. I often bought my fresh ingredients in the wet market before coronavirus years like vegetables, fruits, and cut flowers. I also used to buy daily clothes such as T-shirts at the market and wear them. Even the small bag that I have always carried was only $ 5 and bought in the market nearby. Buying some kitchen tools and household tools also in the market, for example, washing machine nets, basin, plant wire, et cetera. Finding and trying local foods in the hawker, usually before the Covid-19 situation, we went to hawker nearby wet market on Saturday or Sunday. What had I bought? I had bought a sugar cane drink or coconut water. Those are my favorite drinks. what about food or snack? I like Pie tee! The good news is if you like gardening, why? Because most locals love flowers and plants! So it would easy to make a friend with the neighbor. Furthermore, if you are a cat lover that another good thing! Why? Locals who I know are animal lovers. Whether have cat or dog, that would make conversation easier, as result, we can make a friend with locals. 

Colorful noodles and cakes from our local neighbor - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Here what I did when moved to a new neighborhood. We visited our neighbor flats who lived on the same floor one by one, knocked on their door, gave them a cake that I bought from the market nearby, and introduced ourselves that we were a new resident. That's how we show our gratitude to others especially when we move to a new residential. Here in Singapore, people have always been busy, so, Chinese New Year, Christmas, or Hari Raya, there is the best time to visit a neighbor and bring a cake or cookies. But remember, we have to respect their privacy, for example, talking to them just only in minutes when knock their door to give a cake because they have their own business at home, unless, they invite and allow you to enter their house then you can enter their flat and talk longer. But in our experiences that we only talk about 15-30 minutes in their flat. Generally, we often talk about our hometown, food, or cat or dog because I love cats and my neighbor has a dog or talks about gardening, sometimes our neighbor told us about their experiences when visited other countries. It sounds basic, but we set barriers that we respect their private life. 

At 16 years old, I decided to study at a university in the city on another island. Since that day I have learned so many things. But one thing that is very important I have always been remembering, wherever I go, I have to learn the local culture where I live and blend with locals. Do not think that you are different and make friends and doing activities only with people who come from the same country. 

I often did gardening on a public holiday, and weekend (before the Covid-19 situation), who knows the neighbor comes and we just simply talked for a few minutes in the corridor while I planted flowers. Walking to the market nearby buying things; it could be flowers, household tools, visit our Community Club, joining some events in our Community Club, visit a public library, et cetera, all those activities are the way how to live like locals. Living simply like local, that's our motto. Blending with locals and understanding their culture that the key to living harmony.

It sounds easy to live in harmony with locals in Singapore, right? Understanding locals, living like locals, those things will make it easy for you to build warm relationships with your neighbor. So, it means my neighbor is my friend? Yes! That's my answer!😊

Note:

• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Do not copy this article without permission
• Do not reuse these photographs anywhere else without permission

 

Child Marriages: Education is The Key to Solve Social Issues

I believe people who born in the modern country or first world-class countries have been known that education is important and will bring a bright future for their nation or country. However, the fact is so sad when we are born in third world-class countries where people do not believe that education is the key for the children to have a good future. I would like to say that the rise of child marriages in the third-world class country is affected by the lack of education. 

I was born and grew up in a tiny village in Sumatera Island - Indonesia. And I admit that the country where I come from is a third-world class country. Since I was a child, I have seen soo many issues for instance social, education, policy, corruption, et cetera. The first time I heard "corruption" was when my father looked for justice and fight in court for a year to reveal the truth. But, the law that should have protected him betrayed and humiliated him. I was in fifth grade at the time, but I clearly understood the words "corruption" "evident disappear" "fake witnesses" "bribing the judge" et cetera. That's what I had learned from my father's case. My father was an excellent and smart person. He was an honest employee that would give everything to achieve company goals. However, he didn't have a degree and did not go to the university, he just took a computer course. When the company promoted him, many people who have higher education than him worked together to kick out my father from the company and set him up for something that he hadn't ever done. He fought for justice, but the law was about "money" which was only money can speak the truth, who had money then they would win in the court. You know what I mean, right? Since that day, I eager to get a degree and wanted to study at a university. Why? Because only higher education makes people respect us, moreover, the key to becoming have a good life in the future is education! Without high education and degree, even if we become a success in a career but it is not enough to convince people that we are good at that field. Furthermore, without education, people will underestimate us and make fool us around, neither government agencies, the law, community, et cetera. That's how I picture the place where I come from. I have a strong reason why I must get the highest education.

I lived in my hometown since I was born until graduated from high school. Growing up in the village community I felt grateful because I could learn to respect nature, how to become a strong person in any situation, and learned how to make handicrafts. However, I also experienced some or many social issues around our community. What was that? One of those issues was child marriages. Until today, it is still a big issue in my view because there are still many children who do not go to school and marriage at a such young age. You know what? There is one of the reasons why Ichikraft Give and Care exist; I give school assistance to children who live in poverty. I want to break this circle where many villager's children drop off and get married even before 17 years old.

When I was in elementary school, I had a bunch of friends. Like any other children, every day we explored the village by cycling around the village and crop field. We would learn to make our own doll, toy, handmade bag, by using any kind of materials around us for example twig, hard fruit, cardboard, or collecting straw in the street or garden. All those activities made us become creative children. It sounds fun, right? But it didn't last long when I realized one by one my friends gone. Where were they? After graduated from elementary school my friend went to work as a maid or helper in another village or place. A year later came back home and married. My other friend also ended up in the same cycle. Some others went to study at a secondary school but in the second year, they drop off and got married. Their age ranged between 12-14 years old. Year by year the same issue hadn't ended when I saw lots of same cases in our community when the girls or boys drop off from high school and married. 

After married, these boys or girls just simply rely on their parent's support, especially financial support; living with parent, foods and all daily necessity come from the parent. They hadn't gotten a job but at the same time, they had a baby. Everything was a burden to their parent. Without getting a degree there is no decent job offer to them, and that's the fact that they had to face after married at such young age. It is the real world that they have to embrace. If the parent was rich enough, they still have a good life for example the parent would build a home for them, and financial support. But again, without education, even if the parent rich enough, all those money just easily disappears because those children were actually just a child in reality and mentally, they did not know about the responsibility as "adults" and did not act as "adults."  But why was this happen, why the parent arrange for them to marry, and repeat year by year?

The reason why child marriages happened in our community in our hometown was not only because they were poor families and could not go to school then ended up married before 17 years old. People who come from outside my hometown maybe they think it is happening because many villagers live in poverty. Indeed, in some cases like my friends, yes, their family was really poor. However, many villagers had crop fields, cows, living in the big house, had money, all those things were enough to send their children to study at a university at least a Diploma. Even some of the villagers in my hometown were business owners, so they even could send their children to the best school. But why their children got married at such young age? The only reason is they think going to school is a waste of money. These parents could not see how education is important for their children's future and helping them to survive. They trapped in the comfort zone; having a good business and living in heaven. These kinds of parents didn't encourage their children properly that education will help them to thrive because the parents were uneducated and did not want to open their mind such as make a friend with an educated family and asked them why children needed school.

What I have believed that every day is not always a rainbow, sometimes a storm comes. With the knowledge that we get from school at university, we can get through the storm. So, child marriage is about a lack of parenting in the case above? I would say, yes, in this case. Some parents saw that sent the children to a university was just a waste of time because in Indonesia there are lots of students who finished Bachelor Degree for more than 4 years; it could 5 years, 6 years, even 7 years! Can you believe that? Until this day, this bad habit has never ended. Because of this bad picture about study in a university; waste money & waste time, some parents who did not have high education just simply satisfied when their children finished elementary school or secondary school. The next move was to marry off their children, giving them money to start a business to open shop, and building the house for them, if necessary still provide additional money to support their children financially. But, when someday the parents grow old, slowly the money runs out, business goes slow, they realize that only with high education their children would survive. This case happened in our community. 

What about children who lived in poverty, what the reason why they ended up married earlier? First, of course, the parents didn't have enough money to pay tuition fees monthly. They struggled every day working daily to buy enough food for their children at home. So, paying school fees was something hard for them. That's the reason why many villager's children drop off from elementary school or secondary school. The next step was just to get married by arrangement because they did not know what had to do; no skill, no job. If they didn't marry, all neighbors would be gossiping about them which meant there was no room for them in the social community. There is no help come to support those poor children and their families. What I had seen in our community that time when we had money people would respect us and loved to make a friend with us. But, if we were just a poor family, there was no one to help you; your family, your relatives, and even the government just simply ignored you. Instead of giving them a skill or helping them to pay tuition fees, people who had access and fund ignore these children. I had the same feeling at the time when suddenly my father did not have money and broke, people loved to make fun of my father, underestimates him and me.

How education is important to solve the social issue of child marriage? If you are following Ichikraft Give and Care, instantly you know that our mission is to help villager children to keep going to school. Moreover, I hope with this little help and support they can write a good future. If you read my articles on Ichikraft Give and Care, you knew that all of these families' household incomes are very low. I do not want them to drop off from school and get married at such young age. I want them to stay at school, giving them time to think about the future not drop off and married. Furthermore, the opportunity may come to them along the path, what they want to be in the future, plan it, and work hard on it. Only high education and a degree will solve the social issue where no one bullied someone who comes from a poor family if this person holds a degree. A poor family can change their future through education as well, how? A decent job requires high education and degree, am I right? What I have believed is that school is the passport to get a better life in the future. Luckily, my friend, Riche, who helps me to distribute the school assistance money every month, is a nice, kind, and good teacher who could direct guide them to study hard because nothing is possible. Unfortunately, until today, there are many people who do not believe that education is important and can change a life. That's why we can easy to find and see child marriage.

In my view, school is like an investment and not a waste of money. One of my classmates from high school told me, "school is not important and we do not need to study at a university. Nowadays, we can learn from the internet."  I answered this statement with two words, "Good luck!"  This is real-world, without a degree we can not get a decent job, without a decent job is not easy to get a better life and money, without money we can not send our children to the university and guarantee their health. And those are the reality, at least in my life experiences. If there are any people who said, "I can succeed without a degree" or "I can succeed without going to school and university"  I also say, "Good luck!" Even though you are a successful businessman or woman without a school or degree, but your company can only succeed if people who run your company are capable people with degrees and certifications. I remember in the past, I got my privileged job as an executive assistant because I finished my Bachelor's degree in 3,5 years with cum-laude. Dealing with my hometown government was also easy when it comes to administration where most people complain about how bad their services; on the contrary, they gave us the best services because we hold a degree and they respect us and did not dare fool us around. And because I went to school and studied at a university, fate brings me here, live in Singapore. All my Indonesian friends think that I married a foreigner and live in Singapore like many Indonesian women. Me, I stand here (in Singapore) because I worked on it through education since I was a child, planned my future, and went to study at a university; even to this day, I am still working hard for my future. In the past, my husband worked hard on his study as well, after married we worked together to reach our dream. In the past one of my father's friends said this to my father, "it is a good thing that you send your daughter to university. With high education and degree, it will raise the level of your dignity." So, education will bring us from nothing to something, from nowhere to somewhere. That's how important children need to go to school.

For me, personally, child marriage is an intriguing issue, especially in my hometown. What I can say it hasn't changed. However, I made a move to break the wall which means I am trying to make a change and send a message about how important education is by giving school assistant to some children who live in poverty. Of course, staying at school will avoid them to marry at such young age; at the same time, it gives them small light to see the good future ahead.

Note:

• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Do not copy this article without permission

8 Years of Writing on The Journey of Ichi's Family, What Have I got?

Sweet  memories with Ichi while I was working on something - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Someone said, "A writer is a poor person and poor job, they can not earn money by writing."  If this sentence is true, why on earth I keep writing? There is no future and no guarantee that I will get lots of money and become rich, but why I insist to write and publish articles and having 4 different blogs? What the reason behind my "stupid" acts? 

Actually, I have been writing for 10 years or more (I do not remember the exact time). In fourth grade, I wrote my first school assignment and it was writing a story! Unlike most villagers' children who speak in a local language, my father taught me to speak in Indonesia every day so that I could easily catch up with everything that taught by the teacher in class. At the time many students in the village could not understand the Indonesian language clearly because they used to speak in the local language. Meanwhile, the formal language in school is the Indonesian language. By building strong formal language my father hoped I could easier communicate with children from educated families. But who's know, based on language I could write a story. However, I had some lack on these experiences where no one did not have the ability to teach me. Someday my high school teacher told me, "You know, Acik, your paper has a problem in this part. But you can learn how to write a paper when you study at a university. You will understand what I mean."  At this point, it triggered me more and more to study in university. "I have to make it!"

My first year at a university, it was the fun part when I had to finish at least 3 papers a week and presented them in front of the class. Yeah, choosing a program to study Economics management made me busy by writing papers and presentations every week. Feeling tired and exhausted, of course, but I was excited because I could learn how to write and make a better paper and understood what my high teacher told me. However, after graduating, I hadn't typed again. I left it behind and busy with work life. 

After I lost my career path completely, to heal my depression and my broken heart, I learned something else for example learning how to create ribbon flowers and write again. I almost died in 2007; someone tried to brush my existence in this world. In the next year, in 2008, that person tried to destroy me again. Then I completely lost the opportunity to build a bright career in 2008. I planed to build my career from zero and would study again to get a Master's degree which meant before 30 years old I would get my Master's degree and had a bright career. But, all those planed ruined, that's why my heart broke, my dream just burnt like that, and left nothing. While trying to pull up myself together, I started writing in 2010 (or 2009, I do not remember  🙄) by joining a payment blog which means every article I had published, I would receive appreciation. The articles that I wrote mostly about politics. The payment was not much just enough for a phone bill a month, however, I gave it to people who needed it. And I was happy! 

While writing, I also was doing a small business in 2010. Unfortunately, I had to stop this business that I planed would succeed in the next 5 years because my business partner took all the money from the sale of my goods. Feeling upset, of course, I had customers and I could see that my business would thrive. But, I needed to leave it behind.  After that happened, I tried to focus on writing. 

In 2011, I wrote an article for one of the famous women's magazines in Indonesia. After waited for about 2 months, my article officially published; it was the first time I made publication! I was over the moon even though the money was a little! I wrote an inspiring article based on true events! Why? I just wanted to share a little my story so that could inspire others who had a hard life. In the same year, I joined Citizen media as a part-time writer. Most of my articles were Highlight and got Headlines! Even one of my articles helped "some kind" government organization to get financing; they said because of my article they got a big money.  However, I did not receive any money from the articles that I wrote, neither from this citizen media nor this government organization. Moreover, this government organization copy-pastes my article without acknowledging me as a writer. The worst part was someone stole one of my articles because he wanted to gain popularity instantly. Yes, the article that I wrote was number one on Google search at the time. So, he wanted his blog popular and got many readers by stole my article. 

In this citizen media, I wrote many kinds genres, from gardening, traveling, inspired stories, some politics, et cetera. I kept writing because I love writing and I just felt glad if my articles could help others. For example, when I wrote tourist spots that we visited, it means free advertising for this particular place, right? Or writing about Singapore culture, then it would give others a view of what Singapore cultures look like. 

Anyway, in 2012, I was thinking to create my own blog and left citizen media where I had joined for about 2 years since 2011. Whether get money or not, I just wanted to become an independent writer by creating my own blog where no one could easily steal or copy-paste my articles. What I had learned when joined that particular citizen media is that I think someone easy to stole the article that published on it because this media could not protect the writer and the articles. 

Even if I experienced bad things when joined the citizen media, in 2013, one of the publishers reached me and proposed me to publish a book with them by collaborating with another writer. I rejected that proposal. Why? Because at the same time I wanted to start helping children in the village by giving them books so that they could see another world. Helping children was my priority! It was the time when Ichikraft Give and Care born!

After a proposal from a publisher came to me, this citizen media contacted me to join a talk show on their local Television, a year later they asked me to join a discussion with some of the people who worked for the Indonesian government and another else. All of those works had money, they would pay me! But, I rejected all of those opportunities that could build popularity, my name, and moreover would get money. The reason why I rejected all those offers because I just want to focus on goals, one of these goals is to focus on what I am doing and what I want to be in the future, furthermore, helping villager children even though only some kids! Since I was a child, maybe in fifth grade, every time when I laid down on my bed, my eyes had always been looked throughout far away in the sky and said to myself, "my future is out there, I will get higher education so that I can helping other who need help." Maybe they felt disappointed that I rejected them, but I am not someone who hungry for popularity or fame. Someone said to me, "You should have taken those offers, made "them" shocked and jealous badly!" In this word, "them" means people who had made fun of me because my father was nothing but I wanted to study in a university and have a big dream. Well, I am not some kind that person who does something for other people. What I am doing, all those my hard work, my achievement is for my future. My father wanted me to become an educated person, so I just want to make him proud. That's it!🙂

Ichi was my assistant! - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

One of my blogs is The Journey of Ichi's Family. I changed the title 3 times. But I think the last title will last forever since my beloved cat died last year; Ichi was my cat's name, in Japanese means one. After 8 years of writing on this blog, I just feel grateful because I could share true event stories that could inspire others, or just sharing my experiences for some/ many things like culture, traveling, tutorial, the knowledge that I know, or just simply to keep sweet memories by writing. But not politics articles like before because I have done with political matters. So, this blog is like a "gado-gado" which means no specialty like most blogs that only focus on one field such as fashion or traveling blog. Basically, if someone asks me, "You can cook?", I say "YES!" or "You can sew?" My answer is "YES!" or another question, "You can do gardening?" I said, "Of Course, I can!" or  "You can design handmade flower and cat collar?" my answer is "YES, I am!"  I just love writing!😊

What I have got after 8 years of writing in this blog? Well, there is no money, popularity, which is simply nothing. However, like I mentioned before I feel grateful because writing is means I have always learned some or many things. For instance, when I wrote how to make an Autumn flower, I designed and created it before make it published. Another example, before writing about local (Singapore) culture, it meant I learned it first, understanding how they live, what foods they eat, or their habit. There are so many things that I have been learning since I do writing.

In the past, after losing his decent job, my father became cheaper labor that only earned $ 4 a month for living. It was not enough to buy food for a week, yet my father kept this job even if many people around made fun of him or simply bullied and humiliated him. He kept going and run until someday all of those people shocked because my father sent me out to study at a university.  Then, all those people hate me a lot because their children couldn't surpass my achievement. The bottom line about this story is that having a dream is a must; we have to keep walk even if doing something small and ignore all the noise around. Today is small, but who's know the future, a small thing that we have been doing today will become something big in the future. The future hasn't written yet; we write our own future!🚀😉

I think my father was the biggest influence in my life who tough me to learn many things in this life. Someone said, "Do not say I can't, but have always willing to learn something new." Do not stop learning because the world keeps teaching us every day.

Note:

• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Do not copy this article without permission

 

 

TraceTogether Token Make My Life Easier During Pandemic

 

My TraceTogether Token - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

What is that thing? Here in Singapore, we call it TraceTogether token that everyone should have to make contact tracing easier in order to control the spread of Coronavirus. For me, personally, it makes my life much easier during the pandemic.

I have been using the TraceTogether token since February 2021 ( I guess). My husband and I visited our Community Club to take our device. When we arrived, there were just some people who come to take the token. After checked in with TraceTogether App and checked the temperature, we were allowed to proceed to the counter. To take this device, we need to bring our IC (Identity Card) because they need to check before giving it to us and write-down our phone number as well. 

Behind this token, there is my name and also code that I use to scan when entering a mall, hypermarket, or any public places. We must bring this device every time when we go out. And there is a blinking green light appear wherever we near the other people who bring the same device. If the token has a green light that blinks once every minute, it is working well.  So, with this token is make easy for a government to control the spread of Coronavirus in the community. Once when someone is infected by the Covid-19 virus, then people who near or meet him/ her, will be contacted and placed in quarantine. So, it helps with tracing close contact of confirmed Covid-19 patients so they can be identified and quarantined quickly to limit the spread of the coronavirus in the community.

Before using this token I felt uneasy whenever I went out. I had to hold my phone, open the TraceTogether App, did check-in by scanning the barcode before entering the shop or place that I visited, and must do check-out when out. And sometimes I forgot to check-out and realized it after 1 or 2 hours at home. To be honest, I was stressed with all those things. The worst part was a day before I took some kind of exam my camera phone broke and I panicked. If I could not check-in the building which meant I could not take part in the exam. How frustrated I was at the time. And yes I failed my exam! Lots of anxiety!😢 

After encountering some inconvenient situations, I think it is time to take my token when the government announced the distribution of tokens from Monday, 1st February 2021. This smart device is free that the Singapore government distributing since September 14 last year. We can choose whether to use TraceTogether App or TraceTogether token because the TraceTogether token is an alternative for those who prefer not to use a phone. Something that you must know that TraceTogether is mandatory in Singapore to enter public places like restaurants, shopping malls, et cetera. And my decision is TraceTogether token because it makes my move easy during the pandemic. Like I mentioned before I felt stressed when using TraceTogether App🤦‍♀️ With this token, I just bring it whenever I go out without worry about forgetting check-out and the hassle of check-in. You can imagine when I need to visit some shops; check-in & check-out will make me lost my focus on how what I had to buy. 

If the token is faulty then we can get a new one by replacing it. For example, when it has a blinking red light or the light has stopped blinking. We can call the hotline or for me, simply visit my Community Club if something happens to my token. 

That's my story about my TraceTogether token. I think it is an important tool to help the spread of coronavirus in the community. One of my friends said, "I envy that Singapore is one of the safer places during the pandemic." I said to her that her country could get through the tumultuous situation if everyone works together as a nation, and instead of complaining about government rules or laws, we can do our part for instance put on our mask, bringing sanitizer when going out, wash hand frequently, socially responsible (avoid gathering), stay at home as much as possible which is if you do not have any essential matters like going to work, school, buying groceries or medicine. Even if the daily community case is low; yesterday was zero, we still take precautions measurement. Everyone who breaches the Covid-19 safety measurement will get jail for up to 6 months and a fine of up to $ 10,000. 

Thank you for reading my article, and read my garden article; The Beauty of Dwarf Hibiscus Flower, the link is here https://ichi-garden.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-beauty-of-dwarf-hibiscus-flower.html

See you in the next article!🖐🙂

Note:

• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Do not copy this article without permission
• Do not reuse this photograph anywhere else without permission