The exams were over and the results were already out, thanks to God that finally I graduated from high school. But the struggle wasn’t over yet, I still had to prepare my self for the university admission (UMPTN) I went to Padang to have the test, we were given up to three choices. My choices at that time were University of Indonesia majoring international relationship and University of Sriwijaya majoring English literature. Most of my high school friends of course chose University of Andalas as their first choice. There were techniques that we could have adopted in order to pass the admission test, that was by picking majors and universities that were not too so called wanted or that students were not too interested in, for instance by picking mathematics in University of Cendrawasih in Abepura Papua. My uncle Bahagia Rasyad has proved it by firstly picking University of Samratulangi in Manado, and studied for about a year or so then took another admission test, and finally passed again. At least doing that meaning that we can still pursue our target and still going to university until first or second year before getting that we want. But we also had to be prepared with the consequences such as losing some amount of money and starting again from first semester as well as leaving friends from that university and the good thing is we can keep our studentship there until graduating if we don’t get what we want as our choice.
The result of the test will only come out after one or two months, during those times the high school graduates would usually find other private universities or polytechnics as backups supposed they were not accepted from UMPTN, well we don’t lose a thing right. I was planning to hear the test result in Jakarta, if I pass then great I am already in Jakarta or if I am granted the second option then I will go to Palembang from Jakarta, that was on my mind even though I got no clue where I could get the money from, was just hoping that my relatives would hand in hand help me, but if I don’t pass then there would be no chance for me to go to private universities as it would surely cost a lot and I don’t think I would dare enough to ask for “sponsors” from my relatives for financing my study.
I told my mom regarding my plan, she couldn’t say a thing but fully support me even though deep in her heart she would cry because I would live far away from her, which had never happened before. The plan was made and the days of my departure were closer. I tried anything that might be able to remind me of my village (kampoeng). One night before I left there was a wedding celebration and a traditional band performed there, traditional songs were mostly played, there was a song that I listened to it’s a song called ”Teluk Bayur” Teluk Bayur isThe West Sumtra Port and the song was about saying goodbye to the land of Minang Kabau, I attentively listened to the song sung, without being felt my eyes turned red, they were filled with tears but I could still hold it so it did not wet my face, for sure until now every time I hear the song, my mind would definitely fly back to my village.
Finally the day where I had to leave my beloved mom and family arrived, my mom already served me breakfast with her last cook. I hugged and kissed every member of the family. This time I could no longer hold my tears, my face was bathed with tears, as long as I could remember this was the second time where I cried and sobbed, the first time was when my beloved great father passed away. Besides my beloved mom, my grandmother’s mother Iyak looked so sad and couldn’t stop crying, I hugged her a few times before I left, She had been physically handicapped for years, one of her legs was dead and could not function. We can’t imagine the effort she had to make to move just ten meters, but the love she gave to her children and her grand children and her grand children’s children was countless.
“be careful Arie, take a good care of yourself” She said to me.
“Yes Yak” I replied.
I could still remember what her face was like, and that the last face I ever saw, a few year later she passed away.
I walked down the house and headed a small bus which would take me to the bus terminal, the small bus was owned by one of our villagers and the house was not too far from mine. I didn’t expect that all of my neighbors were sad with my leaving, they all came to me and shaked my hand hugged me, some of them even slipped me some money, not much but I really appreciated it. I kept walking and still crying and crying and so were they. I got in the bus and still couldn’t stop crying , tears kept rolling down my face. This was the very first time my mom and I got separated. Good bye my beloved mom, goodbye my family, goodbye my friends, good bye my village Manganti, goodbye all.
to be continued...
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