Translated…
Dodo’s hometown is in the Pati District in Middle Java, in his childhood, he’d “crammed” too, it’s just, that the cramming he’d done was quite different than the kind of cramming here…
When the “Southeast Asia Mobile Library” drifted to Taichung, the organization “Small Bookstand in Plaza One” was formally in business, providing the services of books to read, conversations to share, tour guides, and the exchanges of life stories with others.
On this platform where the world met up, I’d met Dodo, from Indonesia.
A Different Sort of Cram School
Dodo lives in the Pati District in Middle Java in Indonesia, during his childhood, he’d had the cram school sessions too, it’s just, that it isn’t the same sort of cram schools in Taiwan. Dodo who followed the Islamic teachings, after he got out of school at noon, he’d had his lunch, took a shower, then, headed over to the “Islamic Schools” to study the Koran, Arabic, and Islamic literature and some other studies too. After he’s down with his afternoon sessions, he’d first, played a few games of soccer with his friends, then, head home to supper, then, headed over to the mosque close to his house, and recite the verses from the Koran again, and, made it home at seven sharp, to start on his homework assignment, week after week, his life is very rigid.
“Do you like this way of life when you were a kid?”, I’d asked him.
“It’s no problem, the only issue was, that the Islamic schools are off on Fridays, and the regular elementary schools off on Sundays, and, on Sunday afternoons, we’d still needed to go to our Arabic classes! All the schools don’t have a unified schedule, it made the kids so very unhappy!”, Dodo smiled and told me.
And, Dodo had, gone all the way into community college, majoring in engineering, other than studying what’s in his major, he’d also enjoyed a game of badminton, and met friends from all over the world, and learn their languages, discussed the histories, talked about the politics of the various nations, etc., etc., etc. “I’m interested in a lot of things, and want to know a little of everything.”, he’d told me, confidently.
After community college, dodo used his English skills, and flown to Dubai to work, that was, the very first time he’d traveled internationally, in the one-year working term, he’d rotated to the various departments of the company to intern, which had, added to his knowledge base. After his return to Indonesia, he was able to successfully get a job as an engineer at a Japanese corporation responsible for manufacturing the agricultural machineries.
“Isn’t that the life you wanted? Why did you come to Taiwan?”
“My girlfriend is here.” Dodo flashed a smile at me. “I’d want travel to more places, to see the world,” he’d added.
We Can Be Better
After his arrival in Taiwan, Dodo first worked at the Touchiao Indusstrial Area in Mingxiung, then, headed off to Wufeng, Taichung’s medical equipment manufacturer factory, being fluent in many languages, he’d gained the respect and love of everybody he’d worked with, he’d found three “Taiwanese moms” in all the places, and on the weekends, he’d gone to these mom’s food shops, couture shop to shop and to eat, and the owner of the factory in Wufeng also placed him in high regards, when he was dealing with European, American, or Arabic-speaking business clients, he’d also brought Dodo along as his translator.
Toward the multiple inconveniences of working in a foreign place, Dodo still thirsted for knowledge, justice, and a better future for himself. After he’d come to Taiwan, he’d earned an MBA, using the distant education means that the Indonesian government has proved.
Looking at Dodo, I was reminded of my friends from other nations, I’m truly in awe at their hardworking mannerisms and their eager and desires to learn. Living and working in a foreign land, not only do they take advantage of the time they have to meet up with their countrymen, if and when someone from their countries are in trouble, they would all get together, and help the individual resolve the difficulties.
But, later on, I’d discovered, that being the way they are, they are often, limited by the systems in Taiwan. Dodo once told me, that he’d had the language skills and working abilities, and wanted to get a better job, but after he’d inquired at the Labors Department, they’d told him, “Unless you marry and become a resident here, then, you can’t change to a better job.” The workers didn’t even bother explaining the rules of becoming a foreign white collar professional, this made him upset. I’d watched him, thought on how far Taiwan is, from being a nation of “human rights” and a nation of “kindness”?
In my recent call to Dodo, he’d come to the mosque in Taichung to worship, and planned to spend the night there. Every spare time he had, he’d gone there, to pray, followed the pact he’d made Allah, and the teachings of the Koran too. I too, will keep on, praying for him, hoped, that the days he has in Taiwan, he will continue to have the deep seated desire toward the thirst of knowledge, and continue to have his innocent smiles.
So, this just shows, how positive these people who’d come here to work are, despite how they’re being discriminated against, they’d still worked hard every single day, just like the regular citizens, but, because they’re NOT citizens, they would be discriminated against, and that is still very unfair and unjust.
