Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Obama's Inauguration Address

Like millions of people in the US and around the world, me and my brother was waiting for Obama's inauguration speech on January 20th 2009. The timing falls smack dab in the middle of the night between January 20th 2009 and January 21st 2009, Jakarta time. It's the first time in the history of the world that an African American is inaugurated as president of the United States, and both of us felt that it was way more than worth it to watch the whole proceeding on TV. It was historic.

I still remember one particular day in '07 when I was staying in the US for business purposes. I was at a local bookstore near my apartment and I saw Obama's book. It just came to my attention then that he was running for president. I could only smile, remembering that racial issues run deep in any country, and I thought to myself it would still be awhile until an African American can be a president of the United States (much more so for a Chinese to be president in Indonesia...fat chance). Then my friend pointed out that Obama's stepfather was Indonesian. Interesting piece of fact, I said to myself. I smiled, and just said to my friend that indeed it would be really interesting if he gets elected (the Indonesian connection, dude! It sure will get people back home talking). But, I added, that the probability of such thing seemed to be rather small.

The bastard proved me wrong.
Which was a good thing.

Forward again to the present. 3 hours before the ceremony we were already glued to the TV screen. We tuned in to CNN and they were showing how crowded it was outside of Capitol Hill building. Sea of people came to watch the inauguration ceremony, and many more tuned in from around the US and around the world (including the both of us). Many among these people who came to Capitol Hill were African American, and I could understand why. Their dream has suddenly come true.

I've heard how Obama delivers speech, and I would like to hear what he has to say on his inauguration. From what I've read in many news and magazines, it seemed that he has been bracing for tough times ahead. He hit the ground running, even before he was inaugurated, choosing people for his administration and prepping them for a tough 4 years and working from a humble transition office. He scheduled a 5-hour meeting one day after he got elected. The man definitely don't want to waste time. I would like to see what he has in store for his inauguration.

He surely was prepared, and in control of himself. It was only a little tid bit, but during the swearing in I thought he stumbled and forgot his lines. But after the address was over a CNN commentator stated that it was not his forgetting his lines but it was the other person's fault. He actually remembered and was waiting for the other guy to correct his own mistakes. He was calm and collected during the entire ceremony.

And now about the address.

The address immediately took a sober tone right at the beginning, listing all major crisis the Americans are facing and the mistakes that the country as a whole have made. He calls for Americans to start getting up and start doing some real actions of wasting time in political debates. It was like saying "Ask not what your country can do for you" but in a "get up off your lazy bum and start getting it real" kind of tone. He also stated that America is willing to mend relations but is not hesitant to take a hard stand should some choose to resort to violent means.

The address was quite multidimensional, citing not only political and economical matters, but called forth the American heritage and the old values that still hold true up until today (old values that applies to everyone, not only Americans). It also reminded how far the Americans have gone since the time of the slavery and the segregation, reminded them not because of trying to open up old wound but to show what people could achieve if they have the courage to put body and soul into it.

All in all, the inauguration address was quite a wake-up call for Americans. And in my opinion it should also be a wake-up call to everyone in the world as citizen of the Earth. Obama certainly had no reservations on delivering such a hard, sober speech. Even I was cringing many times during the address. Those were not easy words.

The address was delivered without flaw. In this regard I'd like to say that Obama is indeed a charismatic orator. For a script of the address, please go to this link and for the video of the address go to this link.

It was indeed a historic moment. America is not my country, but it's hard not to share the excitement over this historic moment. I grew up in Indonesia, but along the way I come to appreciate the values that they uphold, values that we in Indonesia said to uphold as well but in reality almost do not exist. Even these days, I thought that these values have gone from the face of the Earth, that perhaps they only exist in fairy tales, but now the Americans have proved me wrong.

The road ahead for them is still unclear. Obama still has to put his words into actions. We shall see that in the next 4 years. But his inauguration is indeed an important milestone in the history of the world.

On November 4th 2008 and January 20th 2009, every Americans have every rights to be proud.

The Millionaire Slumdog

Movie Review
Slumdog Millionaire

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Co-directed by: Loveleen Tandan


There has been quite a lot of good words said about this movie. A friend who's a movie freak told me about it once, and the movie popped up in Time magazine just a tad later after hearing it from him. The movie then won the Golden Globe award for best picture, and it became a must-see in my list (actually, any movie mentioned by my movie-freak friend usually ends up in my must-see list).

After acquiring a copy of the movie (through a rather illegal yet generally acceptable means, if you catch my drift), I went straight ahead and saw it along with my brother in a crampy room we called home. The story is of a young Indian man who is arrested because he is under suspicion of cheating in a well-known TV game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" (the Hindi version). As the interrogation comes along, he explains why he knows the answers to the questions asked during the show and revelations about his childhood unfolds. Ultimately, the true purpose of his participating in the show slowly unveils itself.

At first, the movie's cinematography, tone of colors, dark social themes, and acting reminded me of another great movie from a few years back. The movie in question was "City of God". For those have seen it will understand what I am referring to. The theme at first surrounds the harsh life of street children (albeit set in different places, times, and social settings) and gangster life. As the movie moves along, however, the story subtly transforms itself into a sort of gritty fairy tale love story. In this regard, the movie manages to beautifully blend the gritty aspects of life along with the sort of fairy tale-ness worthy of Hollywood fame.

There's a lot to love about the movie for everyone: excellent cinematography, great screenplay, wonderful acting (all of the cast are Hindis, many are unknown to me*), gritty-yet-beautiful backdrops and (there it is yet again) a great story. To sweeten the deal, the soundtrack accompanying the movie is also wonderful (it won the Golden Globe as well, apparently). They even threw in a bit of dancing at the end of the movie (during credit rolls) as a homage to Bollywood. This will definitely please fans of Hindi movies.

So, there you go. A movie that will be loved by men because of the (slightly) harsh theme but will also be loved by women for its fairy tale-ness. As always, do yourself a favor and watch this instant classic. It is destined to be one, afterall.

*note: most likely because I don't watch Hindi movies in general.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Good Bye, Manila.

It sort of sucks to realize that you really miss something after it's gone for 3 months.

It came unexpectedly. Was on a casual conversation with a colleague when he asked about my previous assignment. I started talking about how it was, and found myself uncomfortably silent after finishing my story. All the images of the places I've been to and the people I know rushed through my mind, and I felt a heavy weight over my heart.

For the next couple of days focusing on work was quite a feat. My mind would wander through the memories I have of the place I called home for 2 years. Tears came, and keeping them in check was not easy. I exchange messages to my driver in the Philippines, and pour my heart out to some close friends. I felt a sort of tugging in my chest and a bit of labored breathing, the kind that you feel when you're about to cry like a baby. But I could not let go. Not at work, at least.

What is it about the Philippines that I love? I remember having some reservations about the place the first time I got there. About how old and run-down the buildings looked, how empty and quiet the streets were on weekends. But over time, it grew on me. The deserted sidewalks (on weekends), the busy traffic (so unlike Jakarta's which lies on the extreme end of hectic), the malls just across the street from my apartment, the company of people I lived (and worked) with (amazing set of people), the sunny blue skies and the beautiful beaches (Batanes, oh Batanes...when will I see your rolling hills and your rocky seas again...).

I used to compare Manila to Jakarta and found that Jakarta's much more developed. The roads there were half the size of what you usually see here, the buildings were older than Jakarta's shiny new office buildings. But overtime I started appreciate the fact that even though the buildings were old they were well-maintained. The roads might have only half the size, but there were less cars which means less traffic jam and less stress. The drivers were not honkers, unlike Jakarta drivers who pretty much connect their honkers to the brake pedals.

And there were the blue skies and the white sandy beaches. I don't want to get started on these. Labored breathing and the tugging, I couldn't take it for the time being.

The place wouldn't mean much if not for the people there and the things that I learned and experienced. These people taught me a lot of things and played a big part in making my experience in the Philippines unforgettable. And if I didn't seem to elaborate more on this, it's just the fact that there's so much I could say that this one entry will become too long if I do so. These people were something (such an understatement...).

Last but not least, I had my own space, and people left me alone when I wanna be alone. A privilege I rarely acquired back in Jakarta.

As I was packing my stuff and getting ready to leave Singapore after staying there for an assignment for 2 weeks, a familiar feeling like a deep sadness came over me. The sight of an open luggage half-filled with clothes and toiletries reminded me of the sadness that usually came over me whenever it is time for me to leave a place that I've grown accustomed to. I felt it when I had to leave Manila for the US back in '07. I felt it again when I had to leave the US back to Manila. And I tried to suppress it (and still does up until now) when it was time for me to finally leave Manila for good (it had been 3 months since then...and yet it felt like yesterday). I will always dread the sight of that half-filled luggage for the rest of my life.

I guess I have been running away and trying to fool myself. Running away from saying good bye, and fooling myself by thinking that it's not over. Not yet.

Fortunately, I was not alone. Most of the people I knew who went to the Philippines during those time felt the same way. They missed the place, and would from time to time reminisce about our time there. The good ol' Manila days. At the very least I could take comfort from this and treasure the moments we shared together and the bond the we created during those time.

But, as a friend puts it, "It's never coming back. There will never be such time again. But boy was it good."

And so, it's over.

With a heavy heart, I must admit that it is time to say,

Good bye, Manila, and good bye Project Olympic.
You are one among my many memories that make me glad to be alive.