September 9, 2019. 04.00 AM

...beep..beep..beep..beep

The alarm clock kept beeping. The sound woke sita, datik and dini. Sita sat on her bed lazily. Her body refused to awake, because if it was in Jogjakarta it was still 2 AM. Datik and Dini tried to make their eyes wide open. Datik :”I think my body still refuses to wake up. Sita :” yeah right, our body still have difficulties in suit the time.” Dini:” Hey, I don’t know why I can sleep well last night, It is hard for me to open my eyes.”

Datik :” Well, let’s do shubuh prayer i jamaah first.” “Okay”. Sita and Dini replied.

One by one they took wudhu in the bathroom and had morning prayer together. AfterPraying Sita asked to take a bath first. Sita :”well, Let me take a bath first, you two can have a rest for a while.” Datik :” alright,

Sita got off from her bed and went off to the bathroom. She tried to adjust the water heater to the right temperature she wanted. She splashed of the water was quite refreshing. It washed away the laziness.

Sita came out from the bathroom, feeling fresh. Dini fell asleep again, she looked exhausted because of her insomnia.Then Datik took the second round.

The phone rang. It was Mrs. Elah. She asked us whether we had woken up. Then We would meet at six in the hotels dining room at 6 AM.

Sita, Dini and Datik went downstair ready to start the day. Wearing Monday uniform,Bringing their kemitraan jumper, and also their stuff that needed for todays action like laptop, questionaire sheets and observation sheets in their kemitraan backpack.

They went straight to the dining room. In the dining room Mrs. Elah and the others had waited. The group could only find bread, coffee and tea. Mrs. Elah tried to ask the waiter about it. Mrs. Elah :” excuse me, why there is only bread here.” Waiter :” Sorry maam, the breakfast is still cooked, we try to serve it as soon as possible for you, because we usually serve it at 7 AM.” Mrs. Elah :” well can you make an exception for them? They will do hard activities all day, they need good breakfast.” Waiter :” Why don’t you tell the owner maam, I don’t have authorities in making decision, I’ll take you to her. “ Mrs. Elah :” Alright.” Mrs. Elah asked the rest of the group to have coffee and bread while she met the owner. They made coffee and spread jam on the bread. While eating, Mrs. Elah came. She said that the hotels couldn’t make an exception. At least they would have bread coffee and banana early before 7 AM.

06.45 AM Someone from SMP 1 Halmahera Utara had picked us. We quickly finished our bread and went to the living room. But the man said that we didn’t need to rush, SMP 1 halut still made a preparation. The group felt relieved. Luckily, the fried rice and eggs for breakfast had ready. The waiter called us and we went again to the dining room to taste the fried rice. There were also Manado porridge called “tinutuan”. It was rice Porridge mixed with some vegetables like water spinach, corn and basil leaves. It is delicious too. Sita taste a spoon of tinutuan, she took it from Dini’s bowl, because she was afraid to be too full. There were also fried noodle and turmeric rice with cakalang fish as side dish. They were so delicious. They also served sunny side up and omelette. The hotels owner were not natives. They came from Manado. That’s why they served some of Manado specific foods. They quickly finished their breakfast. In order not to get late coming to the school.

7.15 AM The man from the school which was one of the school committee asked them to get into the car. On the way, Sita looked arround, the street was not crowded. They passed some traffict light but the traffict light was not working. The vehicles were few.Sita could feel the air is still fresh. Arround 15 minutes they arrived at SMP 1 Halmahera Utara. The car parked in front of the school beside the sidewalk. They had to crooss the street to get to the school. While crossing the street Sita could see that the school made special welcome ceremony for them. “Look I think the school had prepared something to welcome us.” Said Sita. “yeah, right..I am so excited what is it.” Said Dini.

Entering the school gate, the headmaster Mr. Karel welcome the group. There were two girls brought trays. On the trays there were some pink ribbon pins. The girls pinned it to them one by one. Then the welcome ceremony began. The school performed

The “cakalele” dance. It was a specific dance From Maluku Island to welcome guests. The dance danced by two boys and some girls. The headmasters said that it was one of the extracurricular activity in SMP 1 Halmahera Utara. With such warm welcome Sita felt very touching. It was a great honour. After performing cakalele dance, the welcome ceremony continued. There was a choir group. They were boys and girls wore colorful traditional clothing. They sang tradional a song from halmahera utara. There was also a group of boys as musicians. They played guitar, “ukulele” traditional guitar and “tifa” traditional drum hit by hand. The song was so beautiful. Sita and the rest of the group took their cell phone out and recorded the touching and beautiful moments.

The ceremony finished. Then the headmasters took them to the teachers room to introduce the patrnership group. The teachers welcomed us so friendly. All the guru mitra had arrived too. After a brief introduction we joined the flag ceremony. The flag ceremony run smoothly. In the end of it, the headmasters introduce the kemitraan group to the students. The ceremony finished. In the end of the flag ceremony, the cakalele dance performers performed “tide-tide” dance and continued by the choir group performance. The choir group performed the yangere dance. They sang a song about tobelo and dancing. The dance was quite fun. Sita said to Dini: “hey the dance was fun right? I think It is easy too. Dini :” That’s right. I feel that my body wants to move following the dance. “ Sita :” haw about if we come forward and dance together with the dancer? “. Dini :”let’s do it!.”

Sita and Dini came forward and started dancing with the dancers. It was only simple movements. One leg stepping forward and another leg stepping backward. It was easy and fun. The situation become so cheerful, because Datik, Mr. Yanto, all facilitators were joining the dance too. The headmasters and the guru mitra also. It was so fun and heart warming.

The Ceremony was over. The headmaster asked the guru inti and the facilitators to have a break in his office. Mrs. Elah said to Dini and Sita :”Hey, You are unpredictable. I didn’t expect that you can dance very well.” Sita and Dini were laughing.

In the office there were some various snacks. They looked delicious. The specific snacks was lalampa. It was similar with lemper in java. Lemper is Sticky rice cooked with coconut milk, filled with chicken or beef floss. Wrapped with coconut leaves, with long shapes like a sausage and steamed. The difference between lalampa and lemper was lalampa filled with fish. And after wrapping with coconut leaves the lalampa was not steamed but it was grilled.

Mr. Karel asked us to taste the snacks. After having some snacks, Their next schedule was seeing The head of Education department office halmahera utara regency. The school gave them ride to the office. It was arround 10 minutes journey to the office. There, they reported their coming and purpose. The chief welcome us nicely. He is Mr. Suwarno Tongotongo. They were having a chat about the program. Like introducing the facilitators and guru inti, how long they would stay and also invited Mr. Tongotongo to open the workshop for guru mitra, guru inti and guru imbas that woud be hold toworrow in Greenland hotel.

TO BE CONTINUED