There is a reason why I always miss to celebrate Idul Fitri in Jakarta. In 1993, I was at Athens, Ohio, US to study broadcast sponsored by USIS (now USAID). For the first time my tear comes in Idul Fitri because I feel completely alone even surrounding by Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean students. I miss my kampung and family.

Then when I work in Singapore. I promise myself I must celebrate Idul Fitri or Hari Raya — in Malay — in Indonesia, no matter what. It is because I feel so terrible when I celebrate Idul Adha in Singapore. Can you imagine, after sholat Ied I eat Mc Donald with my friends while all my kampung friends in Jakarta are busy with goat, sheep and cows to slaughter. And in Singapore, nobody care about Idul Adha even the Malay itself. For them, it just another one day off.

I remembered, I spent almost 1800 SGD to buy cloths, apparels, shoes with my wife, to compensate my “hurt” feeling he he he.. After shopping, I with my wife( at that time we haven’t got any kid and still lontang lantung berdua ) had promised. No matter what we must celebrate Idul Fitri in Jakarta.

Then, I just like Jakarta’s urban people whom I always take cynical comment on them” ” Ngapain sih jejelan di kereta api, ditipu sama calo bis pergi mudik untuk lebaran, heran deh .. “.

One month before Idul Fitri , I must book ticket to Jakarta with very expensive fare. It’s almost three times doubles. If you are not lucky enough to get “this fare ” ( around 350 SGD ) be prepare to buy 600 SGD’s SQ ticket for JUST only one way. All travel agencies are in the same tone. They know for sure, around 50 thousand of 300 thousands Indonesian in Singapore will go mudik.

But “inpatient- happy – homesick- feeling” is always overwhelming all painful feeling when you purchase the ticket. Even I am happy to spend the money to buy “oleh oleh” and ” hadiah lebaran” to my mom, dad, brothers, and sister in laws, nephews and cousins. Frankly, it always cost me around 3000 – 3500 SGD. So we ( me and my wife ) will always have a long “must buy” list from my family. Sometimes we reject the request because it’s too bulky to carry or too heavy. We buy those entire things with happy even feeling weak and thirsty because we are fasting.

Now you know I am a part of “mudiker” .. who is always try hard to get a ticket going home and have to bring big and heavy luggage to my homeland Sungai Bambu Tanjung Priok. Spending around 4500 SGD every year excluding “additional” expenditure in rupiah JUST TO CELEBRATE IDUL FITRI.. I always miss sound of Beduk in the eve of Idul Fitri Raya mix with takbir and takmid. No matter Beduk’s sound like Twister Sister ( udah bubar tu group ), but the spirit and soul of Idul Fitri still strong.

Now I have three kids. I always take the two to the mosque when we mudik kampung in Sungai Bambu. They are
always happy and laugh to drum the beduk and sing English song ” Gorilla and the drum ” just what they learn in kindergarten. Everybody laugh on them. including my long-time ustad at masjid Al Muhinah, Gang Asem, Sungai Bambu. I feel blessed then… and that I always miss another Idul Fitri and sound of Beduk