It was in October 2012 when I snatched Evi Trisna out of Galuh (office of Indonesia Mengajar or IM) for a quick lunch in Anomalie, some resto in Senopati area,Jakarta. Evi was Public Engagement Officer in IM, and a dear friend who initiate Solo Mengajar introduced me to her.
"Jul, we just had Kelas Inspirasi last feb 2012, and maybe when held in Surabaya you could help start"
"What is that?"
"Like a career day in primary schools we used to have in many private schools here, all professional volunteers, took a day off at work, teaching @ marginal public schools"
I dropped her back to Galuh and the cab took me to Sahid. I kept Kelas Inspirasi in mind, but was still blurred with what I should do, how and with whom I should start. Yet, I promised Evi,I would be in for this.
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I am Juli indawati. I came back frm New York to Surabaya in August 5, 2003, believing gigantically that I had this one life to join the big change of my nation, I had my full confidence to start it from educating the youngest children for my better Indonesia. I had all this heart, my each cell, full of the spirit to do, to give my best for generations to come. I started Ivy School, supported by my family and husband.
7 years passed and I could only see myself still fully occupied with what's going on with my school routines, my daily needs and my health. I was pregnant 2 times with heavy bleeding, a baby girl born extreme premature @29weeks and my third son survived only 19 weeks of my pregnancy. I didn't even make any significant move on whatsoever I dreamed of giving best to "NATIONAL EDUCATION".
Wrap up is: in 2011, I found myself grieving with all if-only scenarios, especially:"if only I did not go back indonesia, I would not go through these ordeals."
And what-if-scenarios, for example:
What if it's just my mooost naïve, stupid vision thinking I could make a change for this nation??? While along the years running the school, I had witnessed some good amount of crippled facts in this nation's education which deeply discouraged me.
I was crashed into pieces of hopelessness and feeling stupid.
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March 16, 2014. 23.44pm
I'm just done chatting with Vivi, Pengajar Muda badge IV, who's going to initiate Kelas Inspirasi in her hometown, Nganjuk, Jawa Timur.
it has been my 15 months involvement in Kelas Inspirasi.
One movement of many-many hearts believing together in the making of better Indonesia.
I met big hearts, working this crazy dream together. We stripped off any attributes, positions @society, work or institutions, we came from many walks of life, religion and race, walking all the way down meeting the principals of the marginal public schools, preparing the day to teach the children and igniting their confidence to reach dreams, capturing the moments with our cams, singing the spirit out for others to hear and join walking together with us.
The movement has grown so uniquely addictive. We are not ruled by rigid procedures on how to start it, instead we're guided only with general yet rooted principles about what spirit to bear and spread. Each volunteer can take any portion he/she can commit to. We're not bound in any annual membership, not scheduled to annual program-based planning, not sponsorship-funded and not organizational structured.
We "wildly" plunge in any areas, any works we can do together. Even during preparation, the commitee formed are working without someone to be at the higher or lower level of anyone.
A high level manager of over 10 year experience, a teacher like me, an undergraduate student, a catering entrepreneur, a professional photographer, banker, chef, athletes,and pengajarmudas who just got back from their 1 year duty in remote areas, blend together calling people to join, making the one day happen for an elementary student meeting and listening to a role they may never know or dare to know before.
The movement spirit is that humble, yet the spread has been tremendously radiant.
I joined the first Kelas Inspirasi in Surabaya last feb 20, 2013, initiated by pengajar muda and undergrad students. Over 30 schools joined, 212 volunteers involved.
Last November 11, 2013, I was in the middle of Kelas Inspirasi session in one public elementary school in Lidah Wetan, Surabaya, along with more than 1200 volunteers in 100 schools, 14 cities in Jawa Timur.
And now, there has been more and more cities, provinces has geared up the movements.
There was one bb-chat so instilled in my memory, with a friend who just read my broadcasted calling to join KI,and was interested to sponsor the "event".
Me: I need u this time, not ur brand or logo. Join me. Teach the kids, just for one day.
Her: u shouldn't do it this way. Any charity organization needs funding, donations, sponsors.
Me: this is not organization. I just take the plates, the portions, I can eat.
Her: if u want to make it big, u have to make it into a good standardized structure. Set an office as headquarter, hire a secretary for doing all the admin tasks. That's how all big organizations grow established.
Me: this is a movement of hearts to remind that the challenge of a nation is the homework of its citizen.. This movement doesn't even belong to any person or group of persons. We don't even dream it to grow big as an institution. We want big in its impact.
She didn't join at last. But what I wrote to her, I kept it to myself as a reminder, how this all started and how this movement should go on.
During KIjatim prep, a female college student who took commitment to start Kelas Inspirasi in her city, texted me:
"We will have briefing next week. Many professional volunteers and even government officers will join. But those who joined in the committee are all still college students. We don't think we can serve 'descent lunch' for them due to limited budget. Is that okay? Wouldn't they feel offended?"
My reply, with my full faith after "been there done that":
"We all here join this movement is to serve, not being served. On the briefing day, focus NOT on what u need to serve them, but what u need them to serve together with u"
Today I heard, she is preparing for further education-passionate movement in more cities within her areas, with 'those important people' she once worried for not being able to serve descent lunches.
It is 00.37 am next day.
I'm getting droopy, but bubbly happy with how God has dealt with me graciously to let me see these days, these people are for real and I am not alone, and this is surely not a stupid dream to ever live my life building brick by brick of my Indonesia.
(August 24, 2013. gathering of first formed committees to initiate KI in 14 cities of Jawa Timur)-------------------------------
"What u built for years, people may ruin it in one night. Build it anyway"
Mother Teresa.
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readyforslumber
Juli.
