Life is All About Culture

Life is All About Culture

By: Andi Supriyanto, STIKes Santo Borromeus

Live in SOS Children’s Village Jakarta

Anyone knows about culture? Of course many people know about this word. Every country, nation, ethnic, and islands have their own culture. Many people think that something called “culture” is only about tradition in that country, smelling about ethnic, magic and something like traditional dance, clothes and houses which is used by our ancestors from long time ago. Hmm, I think culture has large meaning not only about the ethnic but also about the tradition in our life because I believe life is all about culture and I will tell you my experience about the other side of culture which can change this world to be a better world.

I live in a social institution named SOS Children Villages at Jakarta. I live with more than 120 children who come from many culture, ethnic and tradition. We live in 15 houses headed by a mother in every houses. Every houses has 12 children from the youngest until the oldest. There are boys and girls who come from many culture, ethnic and tradition from their hometown and biological family. So, the first culture that my mother teaches me is respect to others, not only to your siblings in your home but to all people you meet it does not matter about their background, ethnic, culture and religion. This culture make me more respectful to others and be a friendly man to all people. Finally, I learn how to adapt in every new situation because I live with many other children.

The second culture that my mother teach me is always give our warm smile to others no matters how bad our feeling at the time and I think it can give a positive energy for me and other people because I always believe that a warm smile is a universal language of kindness. A little smile can make us more powerful to survive in this world. When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile!

The third culture is politeness. You’ve to know who are the older and younger than you especially be polite to your big brothers, sisters and of course your parents. Guard your speech and your attitude not only in front of them but also behind them. When you walk in front of your parents, big brothers and sisters, do not forget to say “excuse me”, give something to other people with the good hand, speech slowly, clearly and softly. Before you leave your home you’ve to ask the permission to your mother and before you entering home you better to say “excuse me” and many others polite cultures because if you are impolite you cannot live especially in a public society, the other people will have no respect to you.

            Next, the fourth culture that my mother teaches me is a mutual cooperation with other people. It is same with Indonesian culture. She always told me that we can not live alone in this world without anyone no matters how strong we are. We always need other people. So, I always implement this fabulous culture which she gave me in my daily activity. I think if we do the some project together in mutual cooperation, it will make the project easier to do. There is one event that remind me about this. It was when my friend and I as children of SOS made a big event in sport and art competition named PORSENI to promote SOS to the society. It was a big event and we made the event together with all of the builders, volunteers, and of course the young organization in my village. Finally, the event success and there were many sponsors donated to us. So, this culture is also teach me not to be an egoistic man.

            Then, the fifth culture that my mother teaches me is always help other people in any situation. We will need a help when something goes wrong and we cannot handle it by our self. So if someone else need our help, let’s help them with full our heart because that kindness will be back to you soon. But, if you’ve to help others with full heart without thinking about the profit from your help then the other goodness will come to you in many ways.

            The next one is Take and Give culture, In SOS, children can grow up and go to school because of all the sponsor, they donate everything in their life to help us. I think it’s a very good culture that they teach us because life it’s not only to take everything but also give a lot, give everything that we have to other people who really need help around us. After that the Director of SOS Children’s Villages Jakarta teach us a new culture to give this blessing from our sponsor to others people who really need help. I remember the time when i, my friends, my big brothers and sisters together helped the mount Merapi eruption’s victim. We collected all the things we had such us noodles, t-shirt, clothes, milk for baby, toiletries (toothpaste, soap, tooth brush, shampoo), cooking oil, pampers for baby and many others then we sent all of it to the aid post in Yogyakarta. We helped of what we have, It looked small but I hope this small steps will help them. Then, I remember too, we made a small social activity with the mentally retarded children in one of social place in Jakarta. We visited them, we shared our love and all the things we had to them. We sang and danced together, we were really happy and enjoyed it. I think this culture really touched my heart and I will try to always implement this culture and tradition to the next generation.

            The other culture is about our environment. We have to take care, love our environment and still keep the environment clean. Everyday, me and my young brothers and sisters have to clean the inside and outside of our home. We have to sweep the home, water the plants and clean our home because if you love your environment nature will give back something interesting to you, in fact every month there is a lot of fruit on the trees such a banana, coconut, rambutan, mango and other fruits. We can eat it and after that we have to clean the leafs. Every month in SOS, we have to clean our environment together with all the SOS members and volunteers, so our environment look so fresh and clean. Many people love our environment in SOS.

             In SOS, they teach me a phenomenal culture related to Indonesian culture. This is to admit mistakes, apologize and forgiveness culture. If we have a mistake we have to admit our mistakes and say an apologize to the people. Then we have to give our forgiveness with full heart to the boys or girls that really hurt us. I know it’s really hard to give our forgiveness but we have to make a peaceful world by this small step. By giving forgiveness it means that we give a second chance to that people to be a better person. Is that really touching you? Yeah it is. I have an experience when I save my money in my cupboard; I want to buy a new cell phones because my old cell phones is broken. But I can not imagine that my closest friend  stole my money! I was really sad and mad but finally he admit his mistake and said an apologize to me, and I forgave him with full of my heart. I think the way he admit his mistakes and said apology are more than anything in this world. After that, I cannot realize my big brother gave me a new cell phones. So, I think if we do good to other, we will receive kindness too.

            Then, another culture that I learned when I live in SOS is do not forget to say thank you. It looks so small and easy but many people sometimes forget this small tradition. When you say thank you it means you are appreciating anyone who helped you. I have an experience when my big sister gave me a new jacket for my birthday gift, I was really happy receiving it because it’s my favourite jacket with the UK flag, but I forgot to say ‘thank you’ then my mother took it and she was really angry. I said so sorry to her and my big sister and after that I said ‘thank you’ to her.

            Another spectacular culture in SOS teaches me about life is think and do positive things with full of your heart. It’s really gorgeous culture. Why I say that this is a spectacular and gorgeous culture? Because something bad can changed with this power of mind and act. The example is when i do my daily routine in my home. Usually, I have to mop and broom the floor. I will try to do it with full of my heart although sometimes I am really lazy to do it but I will try to think positively, I can keep my home clean and my family always healthy. I also believe that a clean house represents the behaviour of the member of the house.

          I think there are some cultural traditions that I learn from SOS, my mom and my family. My opinion, culture is not only about ethnic but it is also about life tradition that is always hereditary from generation to the next generation. Like Indonesian culture, Indonesian always take Eastern culture value which will be applied in their social life. I think I will share this spirit and culture  to the next generation and of course the young generation who live in global era that sometimes forget this social life culture. I believe this social life culture will make a better world. No war, no terrorist, and no violence!