Suurrpprriieessseeeee

First show in Uncle Sam’s Country

We know that United States of America is also popular called as Uncle Sam’s Country. America is also one of the biggest continental in the world. It has 4 seasons, spring, fall, winter and summer. Winter is very cold, that is the reason I love this place so much! But, summer it's also nice because they have two months summer school holiday. United States also had much festive occasion, like Thanks Giving Day, Halloween Day, Eastern Day and Christmas Day. Arriving at the airport, I felt  so familiar with this place, even though it was the first time for me in America. 

The weather is very friendly. It's cold! I loved it. Many people want to go to America. But they told that America is very expensive country. I don’t think so because many America products are made in China. WAUW! Why it could be like that? America is a big continental right, so actually they can make by themselves, in their country. But most of those products are made in China, because China has many cheap human resources with the highest population in the world. Uncle Sam’s Country currency is in US$ America and it also one of the most expensive currency comparing to others in the world.   

And in this huge country, I had ever had the best moment in my life. I played my violin in my first wedding performance. My first violin show was held in this Uncle Sam’s Country not in Indonesia  which I was born. And at that time, I was still a tiny girl in my 4 age years old. It was a long distance by plane to USA, it spent around 24 hours and we also couldn’t directly go there, we had to transit into two airports : Changi Airport Singapore and Narita Airport. Japan is the last embarkation before I went to America. I could buy some cute souvenir in Narita Airport.

Marriot Hotel Airport, SF

 I played violin in my aunt’s wedding. That party was held on 16^th of September 2000 in Marriot Hotel, San Francisco. It was opposite the airport, so we could see that the airplane takes off and landed. I was so happy to meet my far distance cousins whom I hadn’t known their name, but I had played with my cousins called Michael and Matthew. Michael was 2 years older than me, but Matthew was a year younger than me. I was the only girl that still very tiny. We played in the garden, running around it and jumping on the bed with shout and laugh loudly. That was recently all children did when they were still toddler. 6 months later after I met my relatives in San Francisco, I received the MURI AWARD from Mr. Jaya Suprana

  And at that time, I was still studying in Saint Clara Kindergarten. And after this moment, I became more famous and many people booked me to entertain them in their wedding party. Every weekend, I had job for entertaining people’s wedding party and even week days, too. I could play Cotton Eye Joe, that played by a very popular violinist Vanessa-Mae. Beside that I also could play Chinese and Indonesian songs, too with my violin and singing together at the same time. The bride and the groom usually request their own song. I learnt many songs from their requests so that I can add more and more songs vocabulary.   

A shark wanted to eat Bella.

After I played in my aunt’s wedding, she brought me to visit many wonderful places, where the most people played in there with their children such as Anaheim Disneyland which is located in California, Lego Land, Knot Berry Farm, Sea World located in San Diego, Universal Studio, Fisherman Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz where long time ago they placed prisoners, but now it is used as  the tourist site, it is liked an ancient museum. The Golden Gate Bridge is one of modern wonders in the world. Many people visit this bridge at night for seeing the beautiful scenery from it but also many people take suicide, too .  

The best placed that I loved very much was the Anaheim Disneyland. I stayed at Disney Resort for four nights. I spent my time played in Disney and shopping in Disney Downtown. In the evening, before the Disney time for closing, there was a farewell party. It was very fascinating. In this place, I could ride the boat of the Small World, Jungle River. And I also could ride the carnival, too. But I had ever been in this Anaheim Disneyland for 3 times in my life. Last year, I had also visited again to Anaheim Disneyland. However, during my 4 age, I couldn’t play all games, because yeah I was too short and my height could not achieve the standard minimum of the measurement. And it would be dangerous for me if I still insisted on it.  

 In the Lego Land, I had a problem. While my dad went to the toilet, I was sitting alone on a chair with my dad’s bag beside me. And suddenly, there was two American people switched their bag with my dad’s bag. I scream loudly until my auntie came and angry to their people. Their people were very afraid to my auntie. Hahahahaha… But, they gave back the bag to my dad.                   

There was the most delicious ice cream called Ghirardelli ice cream. My aunt also gave me fresh milk. Yummy!! I went to the Fisherman Wharf by San Fransisco tram. And we could have sightseeing the China Town. Beside that my auntie brought me to the Alcatraz, she rent a boat. This boat also could bring me and parents to see the Golden Bridge closely under this bridge. My auntie had lived in San Francisco in their own house around 12 years; she finished her master in this Uncle Sam’s Country. So that’s why, she knew many places in United States.     

  I was so glad; I could have my first performance violin in my Aunt’s wedding in there. And of course, I could meet them in America. I could go to the wonderful places. America was very famous with their greatest technology. I was so lucky to go to this Uncle Sam's Country. 

Everyone has its own talent, so we have to use it for our future life. That is the precious gift from our Creature, GOD! I thank to Him, because He gives me a precious talent in playing musical instruments. And I hope in the next 10 years, I could become a professional violinist. That could make my family, especially my parents will be proud of me. We have to develop our talents as mentioned on the script of the Bible, Matthew 25:14-30 about The Parable of the Talents. 

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LORD has the power

26 December 2004, Phuket

Tsunami in Thailand !!

In 2004, I was still 8 years old. And I had my Christmas celebration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Phuket, Thailand. It was a Christmas holiday, and it was very fun! I went to both countries with my beloved parents. Kuala Lumpur was clean but there was some part of Malaysia was very polluted. I stayed for five nights in Nikko Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. And this hotel was located opposite the Ampang Park MRT Station. So I could easily go to the other place by using the MRT. It was nearly same as Subway in Jakarta, but MRT was much faster than Subway and we bought the ticket from the ticket machine. Many countries had MRT. This hotel was very exclusive and it belongs to Japanese company. It had five stars rate. I have been stayed in this hotel for about five until six times. Almost every year in my life, I spend my holiday in Malaysia and Singapore, or I only transited in this both countries. 

I visited many places in Malaysia, such as the PETRONAS Twin Tower, Sunway Lagoon and Berjaya Square. Besides this PETRONAS building, there was a shopping mall called KLCC and this building was very huge. At the top floor there was a Science Center and National Geography. I loved to go there. We could see the bones of dinosaurs and learn about many things at that place. That place taught me many things about these species in this whole world. And there was one of the popular bookstores called Kinokuniya. I spent almost three hours to look around this bookstore. Many interested books and the cute stationary, too. Kuala Lumpur was a splendored country, but sometimes Malaysia folded Indonesian sculpture. Muslim was the majority religion in this country.

After I spent my time in Kuala Lumpur, I went to Thailand by plane from Malaysia. I arrived at Phuket, Thailand on 25^th December 2004. I stayed at Kata Beach Hotel. That was a lovely hotel and opposite the beach. In front of my room was swimming pool. So I could directly jump and swim in the pool. That night, I decided to go to many shops in downtown and of course with my parents. But it was very crowded and I cancelled to go there, because many people spent their money for shopping in this cheap country. So, I planned to come back again the next day on 26^th December 2004 and in the afternoon I wanted to go to the beach that opposite my hotel. The beach was very beautiful and crowded of children who scream out loud. And we could watch the sunset from this beach.

The next day, maybe at 10 am in the morning, I had finished my breakfast. After finished my breakfast, I went to the main street shops that on 25^th December 2004 I had been cancelled. I forgot to bring my hats and my dad came back to the room in order to take my hat. While my mom and I were waiting my dad, there were many peoples who stayed in the same hotel as me backed from the beach and they were injured. My mom and I were so wondering. And many people had scratches on their bodies and lots of blood on the floor. Many people were missing and bleeding. One old British uncle warned me no to go out from the hotel since his wife was lost during in the Pathong Beach. From that time, I just realized that there was a Tsunami. Very dangerous phenomena, that very scared me. Because it made many people die and loss. In the same time, my dad directly went to our room to take our key car. Before that, my dad told me and my mom that he wouldn’t take so long. But the fact, he was very long in the room. Our hotel reception has warned us, that we mustn’t in our room.

My mom and I started to ensues, why my dad hadn’t come back yet, and we tried to call him. But we didn’t know that his cell phone was in his bag pack that we brought. So, we only could wait. Ten minutes later, my dad came back and he brought the key car. So we directly went into the car, and ran away to the higher place. There was a big shopping mall, but the food wasn’t delicious. It was Thai food and so spicy. I didn’t like to eat curry, it wasn’t delicious. But I thanked to God, I could get the second chance for my life. How lucky am I, could run away from the Tsunami.

At 6 pm, I went back to my hotel. I was very afraid, because I still have 3 nights to stay in this hotel. Luckily the location of Kata Beach Hotel wasn’t opposite the beach directly. The Holiday Inn hotel was located opposite the Pathong Beach which actually my parents already booked to stay there. However, we only got 1 night only because Holiday Inn was fully booked. My parents tried to book Holiday Inn via many travels, online booking; however, it was still fully booked and no way more. Then my dad decides to book Kata Beach Hotel which is located behind the Holiday Inn. Thanks to God about this. Actually God gave us the sign. If I stayed there, I would be disappeared for only few minutes’ cause of Tsunami. After 3 days passed, I came back to Kuala Lumpur. I stayed in Nikko Hotel again for two nights, and then finally came back to Surabaya safely. And until now I still alive, because of the kindness from God!

Please, don’t waste your time and chance, because we didn’t know how long we could live in this earth.

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