Exam, exam, exam...

I missed by Research Method exam in June because I was giving birth. I did not make my final Finance and Real Option paper because I was in confinement. It is hard to believe that despite enjoying summer as a whole, I have to put a break in between. To study, to sit for exam, to prepare exercise and to submit a paper.

In addition to summer, another bigger obstacle that I face now is to put a comma to my addiction to blogging. This is all new and fun for me. I am excited to blog about many things, about my discovery of Barcelona, about my baby, about my friends who came visiting from Aleman (Germany) and about another friends whom just came back from Malaysia, about my ability to cook paella... As a remark: I am not good at cooking, but with my significant half's encouragement, in addition to Kak Sobiah's and Kak Akma's constructive comment, I manage to survive in this foreign land.

However, I make a promise to myself. IF I am able to get away from my blogs, I will reward myself. But... what should I choose as a reward? Should I finish all the blog entries that I planned to do? (So I have to fight with my love one over the PC) Or should I treat myself with a fabulous chocolate cake? (It is Ramadhan - fasting month, I know I could not enjoy the cake too much) Or should I buy an outfit? (I am saving my every nickles as we are planning to visit England during Boxing day..another shopping spree)

Whatever it is, I should stay away from my blogs.. So help me please...

Instead of deciding what reward should I treat myself, I give a break to myself and be a nuisance to my husband. Perdona cariño.

Exploring Barcelona

Zarina, Rezal n Daniel


Last week, friends from Germany came for vacation. We took the opportunity to explore Barcelona with them as since we first arrived here, we did nothing to know the city. And we felt in love. Barcelona is great, colorful and interesting. Everything it has is amazing, the people, the culture, the architecture, the food...I bet they still lingered to the taste of paella and seafood that we enjoyed.

A home made paella marinera, yummy!

We visited many places. I loved visiting Park Guell, Monjuic, walking from passage to passage, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, learning the history of Gaudi (even history is the last on my favourite list) and the list goes on. We took advantage of the extended sale season, and of course my friends too,so much I believe!. We had our so called picnic at Barceloneta, also sifting through many items at Mercat del Encants - a popular flea market situated at Glories. It is difficult to describe the feeling, being first time to know our own city. And it was weird. Even our friends laughed at us. Instead of us took them for tour, they took us for tour. Hello! We were the host, ha ha ha.

However, all in all, for a closer look of the city, my beloved Barcelona, city of Gaudi. The site is still in construction, but I uploaded information and pictures bit by bit, not to reveal everything or else, nobody will revisited my blog. (Naughty me).
My serious friend, Zarina and mischievous me.

And for our friends, Zarina, Rezal and their little Daniel, thank you very much for your visit and I am proud to give the credit that all pictures in miciudadbarcelona are upon their courtesy. What to do, I love being the subject of photographer, and they are kind to let me be...

Daniel, let's go and have another ride of eisenbahn again!

Mi familia

This summer, my sister who is studying in Moscow, is back in our hometown. Gosh, I am sooooo jealous. They (my ibu -mom, abah - dad and her), went for holiday in Jakarta after their first flight to Medan was canceled due to 'not enough demand' to the destination (as the airlines claimed). And for my mom, she had sort of chain of vacation, coming back from Aussie, then Jakarta. I missed the fun of being around them.


Ibu, in Australia...enjoying the cold of her life!

Some people, after grown up dislike being with family member, yet I am different. Even now, married with kids, I am still enjoyed being with them. The fun, the laugher, the jokes that we share.... Even when other people looked as us, they always said, how it happen in our family. A little thing can create big laughter that last a week, especially when abah imitates the person. And the story of Sang Kuriang is still joke of the day. It was a good issue to tease ibu.(It's complicated to describe here, cause it requires my dad expertise to imitate the tourist guide and ibu) Hahaha, sorry ibu for me to blog this!


My parents, in Jakarta

And as for brother, he supposed to get his teeth braced this school holiday. But due to his cheeky-ness, he managed to postponed it next month. How? On the day, abah gave him a lift to the dentist, as it was on his way to a meeting at the District Office. When his turn was up, before the process is carried out, a consultation had to be given to an aldult explaining the process. He decided not to call anybody, and pospotned it. It cause a roar within my parents, and my sis (Ode)joined the fun. His arguements were:
1. Abah had an important meeting, thus no disturbance required.
2. Ibu had a bad day, she's not feeling well after taking her hypertension medication. (ok, tienes razon, ibu had bad blood pressure that morning)
3. Ode had to be at home, taking care of ibu in case any emergency. 'Duh'
4. Adik is also a minor, being 14. So, she was out of the list. Even to stay at home to take care of ibu. She had no common sense or eligible to make any important emergency decision.


Left to right: Adik, Ode n Abang

And he smiled when explaining this! My brother! But this little 'accident' cause us to tease him for month, when the truth is he is worried and scared about the pain that he expected to get. Again, my brother.

And right now, I really missed them. Love you all. Muah!

People We Met.. Mickheal @ Miki

My hubby, Miki and far right is Prisca


Once, we walked and explored Barcelona. We met people, many. Smile exchanged, head nodded sometimes with words, sometimes none. I am the 'shy' one, seldom talk. Not because I hate socializing, yet lack of ability to converse in Castellano (Spanish language). On the other hand, my hubby who looooves to talk and already able to master the language, talked much. And, he also acts as informal translator to me, explaining conversation especially when people are complementing and wishing me all the best for the baby. Why? We seldom met people who can speak English. And my Castellano is still zero.

Then, we met Micheal, a Danish who has been in Barcelona for 28 years. We were at a square and having our picnic. The day was hot. Sitting under a tree while the the wind breezing is heaven. Beside us was an old man, teaching a girl named Prisca to smoothen her guitar chords. Smiles exchanged. And conversation started. He is Micheal.

He told us about life he went through, experienced along the way. Brought by faith to Spain 28 years ago. And for the last 8 years he spent his time in Barcelona. Once a while he returns to his home land, Denmark. In fact, he just came home few months ago to spent 8 months there. Married to a Spanish girl and has a daughter, now he is nourishing the expected remaining 2 years of his life. He is suffering from an illness which only 20 percent of his lungs is functioning. Nothing can be done on that and he is ready. Now what he does is enjoying life, motivating and encouraging people to achieve dreams and fulfilling good deeds. We knew that his life is being documented by a local tv station. We thought it is awesome but for him it is nothing. His life is bigger and livelier than the 2 hour documentary, they should produce a 2-year series. Not a tint of regret detected.

I like the way he talked to us, it was something. Like a father, yet like a friend. He told my husband that he is lucky cause I have the most beautiful smile. (Okay dude, I am not exaggerating here but yes, those are his words. Just let me feel good with myself.) And then his good friend arrived.

Introduced as Toni, he dressed as a rocker from GNR era. An old timer, but young at heart. He did not speak English, and later both my love and Miki (that's how the Spanish version of Micheal) were translating for me. (Poor me, I should learn quicker, I tried to but I am not lucky with language). Another life experience. Toni also agreed that to know Miki, it would take more than 2 years of story telling. So much experience. But there was this remark that I could not forget. And my husband too. Extension of Miki's wise words.

Toni : Es tu mujer? (This is your wife?)
My Hubby: Si, mi mujer ( Yes my wife)
Toni: Es tu bebe? (Your baby?)
My hubby: Si (Yes)
Toni: Este cosa, por eso, no hay palabras para explicarlo. Nada. Nada palabra.Es maravilloso. Es un diamante. (If that so, no words able to explain the thing. It is marvelous. A diamond)

If we look on the surface it is just a complement. But the rest of the conversation is advising us to appreciate each other. There is nothing can replace relationship between husband and wife, parents and children. Valuable!

Miki and his wife were separated long time ago, but one of the reason he still in Spain is his daughter. Plus, loving the place made him feels better.

It has been 2 weeks from the day we met Miki. I don't know what his present condition. But one thing for sure, when we are going to have a good time in Barcelona, I will ask my hubby to visit him as he is a regular at the square. Again.