One Year Ago : Lucky Seat

for English translation,

290708, Mardi

wake up earlier, have a jogging with Pablo.

morning prayer, breakfast, washing up.

go to Point 5, removing graffiti until 11.00.

hang out on Tilleul's common room until midday prayer.

midday prayer, lunch, play chess for a while.

work at Cadole on 15.00. today's work is cleaning the rubbish bins around Taize with Song, Save, and Jongki.

17.00 take a shower and sleep for a while.

19.00 supper. hang out on Tilleul's common room until evening prayer.

20.30 evening prayer.

21.30, go to the community. today's special because all the boys who stay longer has been invited to the community to have a meeting with Br. Alois. Br. Leandro said that this meeting is the first meeting between the permanents and the prior after 40 years ;p

unfortunately i'm too excited to sing the song in the church so i came late to the meeting, with Karel. when we entered, Br. Benoit welcomed both of us. Karel picked the chair near the entrance and so do i. but Br. Benoit asked me to come with him. okay i think those chairs is for those who come late. then i saw Br. Leandro asked Pablo to come with him as well. then me and Pablo were taken to the middle of the room. exactly in the middle of the room, there were three empty chairs. there are microphone on top of the chair in the middle. hm i think this chair is for Br. Alois. and apparently, me and Pablo was told to sit next to the chair with the microphone, i'm on the left chair and Pablo on the right chair. have a seat with quite shock and still can't believe what happens, in a minutes Br. Alois come and take a seat between me and Pablo! struck with amazement, i greet him nicely. then there's one brother told me to move one chair to the left because he will be Br. Alois' translator.

what a day, what a seat!

;p

One Year Ago : The Graffiti Cleaner

for English translation,

280708, Lundi

wake up, morning prayer, breakfast, and ready for my first job in Taize!

go to Point 5, meet Zuzana the Queen of Point 5. the graffiti cleaner for this week is me and Helion from France. she gave us our equipment; a bottle of alcohol, sandpaper, and gloves. then she gave us a little brief about our job for today. it's quite simple, to clean graffiti all around Taize, either on the wall, benches, even inside toilet.

after we took some of unused newspaper in La Morada, we ready for the battle! after one hour for walking around and scratching and cleaning, it's true that the most graffiti area is toilet :( especially boys toilet, on the door or on the wall. yeah i know the excitement of your "nature calls" in the toilet while you write some poetic sentences on the wall or on the door. but doing this job made me realize that we have to put some respect on every facilities to keep it clean, well in this case is not ruin it with "timo was here" writing. ;p

but i'm really proud of this kind of job because two of us is a kind of hero in Taize. of course, if we saw some writings ANYWHERE, we will CLEAN it. and we are the only two of us in Taize. imagine, with only two people, we can make this hill more clean than it was ;p the best part is when we enter the toilet that closed for a while by Point 5 Toilet Cleaner Team, we can enter it with a privilege by yelling "EXCUSE ME, GRAFFITI CLEANER!" with a bottle of alcohol, sandpaper, newspaper, and gloves in our hands ;p

11.00 our work is done for today. play chess with Helion at Tilleul's common room. i lost.

midday prayer, lunch.

hang out in the common room, playing guitar and singing along, to spend time until my afternoon work.

14.45 go to Cadole. today our job is to collecting rubbish until the next village. the Cadole workers for today split into three teams. my team went to Bray, Anka from Germany, Jongki from South Korea, Jadoga from Poland, and Irene from French. it's amazing, five people with five different nationalities ;p

after the work has done, back to Tilleul. take a shower and a quick sleep until supper.

after supper, play chess for a while with Pablo. and today isn't my day for play chess, i lost again.

evening prayer.

























graffiti picture taken from here.

One Year Ago : 3000 Bowls

for English translation,

270708, Dimanche

wake up on 09.00, breakfast.

Eucharist on 10.00.

play chess until lunch.

apparently, i invited to have lunch in the house of three ladies from Vietnam. so the story behind these three ladies is that, when Br. Roger visited Vietnam 30 years ago, he brought these three ladies to Taize and ask them to stay there. so here are they, staying in Taize and working for the community. lunch menu on that house is Vietnamnese sticky rice and fried chicken! whoaaa it's been so long for me to not eat fried chicken! ;p

then say goodbye to Lia, an Indonesian lady who married with German guy and stay in Switzerland.

for have a lot of free time and craving for work, i help Francis, Dipok, Pepe, and Pedro in the Big Kitchen, to distribute tea into welcoming spots. and after that, washing up around 3000 bowls! that's my first time work in the Big Kitchen and i'm so exhausted! ;p

play chess for awhile, against Pablo, i won!

supper at the community.

have a meeting with Suzana, the Queen of Point Five, to have a briefing about cleaning grafiti job.

evening prayer.

chess again, against Song, lose :(



bowls picture taken from here.

One Year Ago : The Workshop

for English translations,

260708, Samedi

wake up, morning prayer, breakfast.

work schedule for next week already show up. and i get a "Graffiti Cleaner" job in the morning and Cadole in the afternoon.

bible introduction on 10.00, my last group sharing in this week.

middat prayer 12.00. lunch at Tilleul.

have a little meeting with Br. Francesco, he asked me to share about Indonesia for the "How to Share a Life with Moslem Believers" Workshop. he told me that it's very important to share about Indonesia's situation because Indonesia is a country with the largest population of Moslem believers.

15.00 come to Tent P to find Frerence, the moderator. he gave me a short brief and then the workshop began. apparently i'm not alone, there's also Dipok that will share about his life in Bangladesh and Credo will share about his life in Aljazair (whoa by the time i type their name, suddenly i miss them! ;p). then each one of us began to share about our experience for share a life with Moslem believers. for me, i share about my experience in my high school that the majority of student in my school is Moslem believers. and i have no problem with that.

after the workshop, back to Tilleul to play a chess until supper time.

evening prayer on 20.30.

then have a conversation with one old man from Indonesia who live in Germany, apparently he attended the workshop that's why he know me.

then play Uno in the Tilleul's common room until 01.00 (yeah, it's saturday night fever! ;p)

One Year Ago : It's a Week!

for English translations,

wake up on 08.45, then straight to self-service breakfast.

join the Eucharist on 10.00. the mass is quite unique, of course with "Taize-style". the priest is quite rare seen on the altar. the focus is the altar and the decoration itself.

lunch on 13.00 then it's my turn to do the washing up.

then me and a few Asians went to Cluny (Save, Tang Mo, Xiao, George, Akalard, Phoenix). pay 2,30 Euros return bus ticket. apparently this is an "illegal trip" because it suppose that we don't have a permission to go from Taize. of course because when we arrived in Taize in the first time, we hand out our important documents, including passport, to one of the brother for safety procedure. so if we go out of Taize, then there's no identity with us. and i realize all of those things in the return back home, thanks to George. and suddenly i feel paranoid that i've made something illegal ;p

supper at Community on 19.00 and the Sunday's menu is Taize' Pizza! ;p

Evening prayer on 20.30.

afterward, have a little meeting with Br. Jean-Patrick about my work on my second week; sit and listen in a bible introduction (again!) with the brother with the Book of Revelation topic.

have a little conversation with Alena, she told me that she extend her staying until next Wednesday.

playing Uno until midnight (well it's begin to be my daily routine in the night before sleep, thanks to the "Midnight Uno Team": Simon, David, Ruben, Frederick ;p)

One Year Ago : Samedi

for English translations,

wake up, morning prayer 08.15.

breakfast at Tilleul. today it's my turn to do the WASHING UP! with Credo and Roland.

meeting at 10.00. the last bible introduction for today. i exchange souvenirs with Alena. i give her a wallet with "batik" pattern and she give me a Czech coin.

midday prayer 12.20 and lunch at Tilleul.

after that, me, Karel, and Song prepare and start to make a decoration for our Indonesia Corner for the Asia Workshop that will begin on 15.15. we make a decoration as we have our Independence Day; there's a lot of red and white Indonesian flag. then we perform our "Wayang Kulit" drama show. i'm dressing with a traditional cloth from Java, Song dressed as a Semar, a character from Java's folk story, and Karel dressed with traditional cloth from Batak.

after the workshop, have a little conversation with Alena. then Sarah came by and taught me and Karel a Polish folk song.

supper at the community on 19.00.

evening prayer on 20.30. because this is Saturday, we received a little candle when we enter the church. after the last song of the prayer, we light the candle from the brothers in the middle until people who sit in the end of the church. sooo beautiful! and apparently the candle only last for only 5 minutes. yeah it's a hi-tech security candle ;p

22.30, i go back to Tilleul to take my diary with me and go back to the church again. then i write on my diary while listening to the songs. apparently, they keep on singing until midnight. i don't know, maybe they accompanied the people who want to keep stay in the church. well, or to accompanied the people who writing on their diary ;p

One Year Ago : Vendredi

for English translations,

wake up in the morning, this is third time i wake up exactly on 08.15 and the bells are alredy ringing. wash my face and then make a little run to the church.

so, morning prayer. ah, every morning prayer, we received a holy bread. but i don't know, this bread is quite red (in Indonesia, it's white). rumors said that the red one is without glucose.

breakfast at Tilleul.

and for today, there's a new roomates on my room, Carlos from Guatemala!

meeting at Point 10, continued by discussion in small group. Annelies didn't come again, so i have to be the group leader again :( it seems that our group is a very serious group than the other groups, which i realize for today. if i see the other groups, they always put some games or singing in the middle or the end of their discussion. but for our groups, we always serious to discuss about the topic, sometimes we extend our time discussions. and amazingly, every people in our group always speak up, even if they hardly to speak English.

midday prayer on 12.20 and lunch at Tilleul.

meeting on 15.15.

after that, i take a walk around Source St. Etienne. this place it's like a garden, wood, and there's a lake in the middle of it. a very perfect place to make a distance from the crowd, to stay in silence. it's a very nice place!

17.00 prepare for tomorrow's Asia workshop.

19.00 supper at the Community.

20.30 evening prayer. because this is Friday, they lay down the Taize' cross in the middle of the church and put candles on top of it. after the prayer, all of the brothers gathered around the cross and pray. after the brothers leave the church, then it's turn for the people who want to take a prayer around the cross.

afterward, playing Uno until midnight. it's addicting! ;p

One Year Ago : Lunch at the Community

for English translations,

wake up, morning prayer on 08.15.

breakfast at Tilleul.

then Br. Jean-Patrick told me that i had been invited to have lunch in the Community. wowh!

meeting at Point 10 on 10.00. Annelies from Holland came to me and told me that she and the other two boys from Holland can't make it to the meeting for today. so she asked my help to become a group leader to lead the discussion.

midday prayer on 12.20.

lunch at the Community. i'm quite late but it's ok. the food is much better than Tilleul! ahahaha. and there's a red wine as well ;p

meeting at Point 10 on 15.15. one of the brothers taught us about the meaning of one of icon in Taize.

then have a conversation in La Morada with Br. Francesco from Indonesia and the other Indonesian people that came to Taize that week; there's a sisters that came from Frankfurt and Perth, and there's two brothers that came from Belgia.

supper at the community 19.00. have a conversation with Br. Jasper from Holland which became a brother just last Saturday.

evening prayer.

playing Uno at Tilleul's common room until midnite ;p

One Year Ago : Wednesday

for English translations,


wake up, then morning prayer at 08.15.
breakfast at Tilleul.
meeting at Point 10 on 10.00
walking around at the camping ground, taking some photos.
make a visit at Exposition.
Midday prayer 12.20.
luncht at Tilleul.
meeting in a small group on 15.15
after the discussion ends, have a little conversation with Alena from Czech Republic.
Asian workshop practice at Point 14 on 17.00-19.00.
Supper at Community on 19.00
have a conversation with Br. Adam at La Morada.
Evening prayer on 20.30.
have a little conversation with one-year permanent boy from Haiti.
playing Uno (my first time!) at Tilleul's common room until 23.30.
*thanks to Simon from Kenya who taught me how to play Uno.

One Year Ago : The Third Day

for English translations,

wake up at 07.45, brush my teeth, prepare for the cold weather costume, and go to the church.

Morning prayer 08.15.

breakfast at Tilleul immediately after the prayer. together with all Tilleul boys and one of the brothers. bread, jam, choco stick, and coffe-milk.
meeting on 10 at Point 10. together with some of the people who stay for one week. speech from one of the brothers, he gave us several topics to discuss in the small group.

Midday prayer 12.20.

lunch at Tilleul immediately after prayer, in silence for 15 minutes with classical music. there's appetizer with salad and bread, then there's a main course, then a dessert with a fruit and yoghurt.

14.45, gathered in Roman Church opposite of Tilleul for walk together with the big group of morning's meeting to pray in the Roman Church at Bray village. around one hour walking with a beautiful scenery! make some friends with one boy from Pakistan, one boy from Bangladesh, and several girls from Ukraine ;p
Asian workshop practice at 18.00-19.00. make a decision of what performance that we will perform on the workshop with Karel and Song. and take a shower afterward.
supper at the Community with some of the brothers, 19.00. get in touch with Br. John-Mark from England.

Evening prayer 20.30.

Asian meeting 21.30 with Br. John-Noel.

then with Song, we make a first visit to Oyak ;p watching a lot of Europeans young people gathered to sing and dance. it's crowded!

One Year Ago : Accueil, Taize!

for English translations,

arrived at Taize last night, 20.30. exactly on Evening Prayer begins. directly join the prayer, quite stunning while singing the songs.
after the prayer, got the quick briefing with Br. Jean-Patrick, and accompanied by Br. Benoit to my room in Tilleul house. then i go to sleep.

today (Monday), wake up at 10am and have a meeting with Br. Jean-Patrick, have a briefing about the life for a week. tomorrow i have to join the meeting at 10am in Point 10. today is a rest day for me.

then i walk around for a while, trying to follow the map that Br. Jean-Patrick gave me, and took some photos. then join the Midday Prayer at 12.20. then have a lunch in Tilleul and a little chat afterwards. then i go to sleep until the supper time, 19.00.

every supper, it seems that ever boys who stay longer have a supper together with some brothers in the Community. then have a meeting with Br. Adam (Indonesia) for preparing the Asian Workshop for next Saturday.

then join the Evening Prayer at 20.30.

One Year Ago : Gare de Lyon

for English translations,

Gare de Lyon, Paris

my plane landed at Charles de Gaulle, Paris on 13.00 Paris time. passport check and claim baggage, 14.00 i get out and start to looking for Air France Bus that will take me to Gare de Lyon. the bus is at Gate 2, Terminal 2. bus' final destination is to Montparnasse, and Gare de Lyon is the first stop. bought the ticket from the driver, 15 Euro. around 1 hour of driving. along the road, i saw some kind of yellow plants in the field (wheat or something like that?)

arrived at Gare de Lyon on 15.00, i directly asked the officer where i can buy the TGV ticket to Macon-Loche. 53,70 Euro and depart on 17.50 thich mean i have to wait here around 3 hours! okay. bought a telephonique carte, 7 Euro, and called Taize to give them some news about me. and my guess is true, i'll arrive at Macon Loche around 19.25 and there's no bus anymore to Taize. so they said i'll be picked up.

ok. i walked around this big station, taking some photos. and i took a pee and! i have to paid! for my pee! so true what people said, take a pee on Europe is expensive! i have to pay 0.50 Euro and it's equal to Rp. 7.000 only to take a pee! darn...

the weather is quite cold here, with some winds.

yeah! see you at Taize!

One Year Ago : Transit Note

for English translations,

Dubai International Airpot,
rumors said that this is one of the most sophisticated airport in the world.
and here i am, sitting in the boarding room, waiting for the plane that take me to Charles de Gaulle, Paris on 08.20 Dubai time.
after 7 hours of exhausting flight from Jakarta - Dubai with a difficult time to sleep.
ah, before i transit in Dubai, exactly from Jakarta our plane stopped at Changi Airport, Singapore for refueling and all the passenger has to alight. my favorite bottle had gone to the trash bin by the security screening officer. darn!

ah, before we alight in Singapore, flight from Cengkareng, Jakarta had been delayed for 1 hour, and i don't know what the reason is. our flight finally take off on 11.20 while it should be take off on 10.20. one hour and a half flight to Singapore and 7 hours flight to Dubai.

so far, i've been through two of the most sophisticated airport in the world, Changi Airport and Dubai International Airport.

and i feel sleepy!

see you in Paris.

One Year Ago : The Departure

one year ago, exactly on today, July 12th, 2008, was one of my the most memorable day.
the day when i finally fulfilled what i dream about.

and i want to celebrate it here by sharing what i've done in every days until next Sunday. i think it's a good idea at least for me to remember the days on my first week in Taize, start from my departure. fortunately i've made a daily notes during my stay so what i'm gonna do is just take a photo on my diary and upload it here.

but unfortunately i didn't make any note on the date July 12th, 2008. so let me share it a little about that day.