Merantau

So, it's been quite a tiring journey from Indonesia to the United Kingdom on September 1st. I am now officially a part of the international community in Torquay.

I got jet lag. It's now 2:26 AM here in Torquay while it's already about 8:26 AM in Indonesia, so I'm pretty much wide awake right now and couldn't sleep at all.

So glad that I am finally got acquainted with my host family. They are the Coopers, Joan and John Coopers. Both are now considered as my very own grandparents and that I'm very much grateful for them to have me here. Even though I've only been here for a day I could see that their house is filled with this peculiar warm euphoria.

I'm currently alone in my room, in my host family's house. This week they said, I'm the first one on their list to arrive in Torquay so I haven't had the chance to officially get acquainted with my international roommates. Yet.

My parents are staying in a hotel, it's still in the same road with the Coppers' house, which is the St. Marrychurch road I suppose.

Talk about parents, since my Dad couldn't barely speak English at all, I think he was a bit nervous about this journey he's taking because it's going to be his first time in an English-speaking country. But overall, I think he's also satisfied for the fact that he is also able to get acquainted with my host family.

I said to John "He's not very much speaking English" then he said, "Not speaking English? That's just even better!" And so the two men just laughed about it. From that, my Dad began to think, "Oh look, you got a great host parents I think they could really take care of you well so I need not to worry about anything now. You're in great hands Nibras."

The irony was that yesterday, when we had lunch together in McDonalds (seriously, that's the only restaurant we could think of that time) somehow, he... cried.

It's not like he was sobbing but I could see the tears that formed in his eyes. Then when he got caught by my Mum and I, he quickly wiped it away.

Oh my, now I'm crying writing this. He said that he remembered those times where he used to go overseas alone when he was about my age.

My Dad, is not originally from Jakarta. He is originally from this rather rural area in the province of South Sulawesi called Pinrang. Or I think in Indonesia, you could say that he's from a kampong.

As a child, he went to school by making money on his own for the school's tuition. Often, he would go outside of his home to travel alone when he was my age. We would call this as 'merantau' in Indonesian.

Since my Dad is a Buginese, t's a typical thing for someone so young like that to do merantau alone. Bugis people in Indonesia are very much famous for journeying around the world with their Phinisi boat. Yes, they are also a bunch of great sailors, that's what I heard. Usually, this merantau thing is done by people in order to search for better life opportunities in another place. Far from his home.

Dad's merantau process wasn't as easy as my merantau process. He went to Jakarta to enroll in the University of Indonesia with loads of limitations I suppose... Then, he met my Mum.

Sorry guys, I just... got carried away like that.

Oh and another thing, I stupidly just decided to bring this fencing bag of mine. I was just going to bring a sing;e-weapon bag one but, Dad insisted.

The sad thing is, I still haven't find any fencing club around... but I believe there is just a way to fencing here. I just know. I mean, this is England after all. Different from Indonesia, the must have loads of clubs scattered around.

I guess that's it for now. Bye, I need to be in school for my induction week in the morning.

Dadah,

Fasting + Practice = Makes You Hardcore

Why hello there.

Apparently this month is the fasting month for Muslims. Which means we are going to refrain ourselves in doing any act dealing with letting out desires especially refraining desires to devour foods. This way we would learn how it feels to be like our brothers and sisters out there who don't even have any penny for buying edibles.

Not devouring foods, it's fine with me, but my world evolves around fencing and I just need to go to practice.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Some people are complaining and ended up making "Lagi puasa (is currently fasting)" as the top excuse for the month. Yet, once all the hard work is done during fasting, it would feel like conquering the entire universe already.

You. Yes you. Stop right there.

In London 2012, Egypt made its first history to gain a fencing medal from the olympics. Not only Egypt was involved in this peculiar phenomenon, but the entire Africa too. 

In fact, Africa gained its very first fencing medal from all the hard works done by the 22 year old, Abouelkassem.

The Egyptian student literally beat the legendary Andrea Cassara of Italy before ended up losing to China's Lei Sheng in the gold medal bout.

I recall clearly that time, around July - August 2012, it was the fasting month for Muslims.

"I'm from Africa and nobody thought I could win." Said Abouelkassem (via Bloomberg).

It turns out that no matter where you are from, what blade you are holding, how old you are or what title you are holding, nothing beats hard work and will power.

Good job Abouelkassem, you are a true inspiration.

Dadah,

Unchivalrous Douchebaggery Acts

I was browsing through fencing.net's articles and came through an article concerning a sportsmanship-related experience that was written by a coach. The article was written by Mr. Damien Lehfeldt about his experience in encountering his student's behaviour towards a ref during a competition. Do read the article in here, it immediately became a reflection for me towards my behaviours all the time during practices and competitions.

Back in the regionals, although I had so much fun in competing in it, I remember that I cussed towards one of the referees there.

Oddly enough, he did not give me any card or even warning for my ignorant behaviour towards him (any methods regarding scornful abuse towards the referee is supposed to be fined by card... right?). Instead, he just took everything like there was nothing happened. I clearly remember the ref seemed to be smiling by himself after I cussed at him. I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions I ended being reckless, it was a complete idiotic act that I just did.

Yes it might look like something trivial but now, after I read the article made by Mr. Lehfeldt, I'm feeling so aroused by my own behaviour during the regionals.

And so I began to act all-awkward every time I came across the ref because it turned out that, he was one of the coaches for the Jakarta Fencing Team.

Fencing may be a sport and I do find letting out stresses and emotions after one intense period as reviving but... I don't find cussing as a chivalrous act, I mean, was there even any dignified knight back in the Middle Ages who was actually cussing because he couldn't defeat his opponent?

One of my teammates (left) with our coach.

Friends', coaches', and parents' involvements in developing the future seedlings of fencing regarding sportsmanships are very much important. Our sport is not made to be some sort of a gala to show who's more superior than who, who's got the most medals, who's got the most touches, and the like.

"The real difference between what makes a good fencer and a world-class fencer is how they are able to control their emotions." - Jed Dupree, "Olympic Fencing Prodigy: Race Imboden" by THNKR

"Everything is Better in Hijab"

Before I moved to sabre, I discovered this particular athlete from google images. At first I was quite ecstatic about my new discovery. This lady has a rather 'peculiar' way of dressing but it seems that coincidentally, fencing is actually accommodating her needs in terms of dressing.

Yep, Ibtihaj Muhammad lately has been gaining reputation as the first Muslim woman to represent the US in fencing. Her headscarf makes her noticeable among her comrades. They are none other than the 2008 olympics medalist, Mariel Zagunis, and Dagmara Wozniak.

Ibtihaj Muhammad began to fence as a cadet, based on several articles that I read about her, Ibti's mum managed to get her daughter to take a glimpse at fencing as she said "I don't know what that is, but when you get to high school, you're doing it." Also, she managed to went through some sort of a rather awkward demo fencing session after her coach asked for her father's permission "if he could touch her" in order to correct her.

Ibti would gradually become a trigger for Muslim women to achieve what they want without letting their faith to compromise them. I, for one, am really motivated by her and she became my rolemodel instantly after I discovered her.

 I think Ibti should really come to Indonesia one day and see how many girls who have the same 'appearance' as she is. Seeing that the numbers of hijabi fencers are gradually increasing too in Indonesia. It's just that I think she is a little bit underestimated by the world, because I personally think that our fencing seedlings are still in need of influential individuals like Ibti.

Diversity is the thing that makes us stronger, we may be a bunch of individualists on the piste but in reality we are one big family because we have the same passion. If we managed to overcome that  particular barrier, then our bonds will just become even stronger than ever.

Pictures don't belong to me, they belong to their respective owners.

Dadah,

Derping Around in The Regionals

I squealed. Everywhere I saw athletes. Everywhere I saw awesomeness.

Thank you for Athaya Harwig, for taking all of these amazing pictures.