Dream Is An Alternate Universe
Space Hope

If you think education is evenly distributed on the island of Java, you are wrong. There are still many remote villages that have not been touched, one of which is located behind the Dieng Mountains. Education was the only reason why I left all the comforts of the capital and was in a very poor place this signal. I was one of the volunteer teachers at an elementary school in this village.

The days of being a teacher here are fun, especially when facing children whose curiosity is very high and behavior is varied. At first I thought I had managed to touch all the children who were in the village, but it was not. There's one more young bud that I haven't touched, it's called Angkasa. As the name implies, the child is very difficult to reach. He always runs when approached, disappearing among the green grass.

Angkasa is arguably the least frequent child to school. The attendance is only 21 times in one semester. When I asked her friends in 3rd grade, their answers were very diverse. Some say this child is lazy to wake up early, but when I asked the other child he said that Angkasa always helped his parents take care of the sheep and harvest carica. I don't know for sure which is true, but there is an intention in the depths of my heart to meet the boy.

One hot afternoon, I was walking around the village with some children who were my students. On the way, we met a little boy with dreadlocks. I tried to say hello and get close to the boy. However, not a word had come out of my mouth, the child had already disappeared. That was my first encounter with Space.

The next week after that meeting, I held a group study with the host of one of my students. This group study is followed by children in grade 4 to grade 6 SD. But because of the heavy rain that never stopped, I finally gave up and received an offer from the parents of the student to stay at the simple house. Suddenly from the window of the house entered 1 lump of paper, 2 globules, and continued to grow up to 6 globules. At first glance I saw who the paper thrower was, he was A ngkasa.

I slowly opened the paper. How surprised I was to find out what the contents of the lump of paper were. It contained a math problem for the 6th grade that he had been working on until it was done! I was amazed when I found all the answers were right, but he only entered school 21 days in 6 months and he was still in 3rd grade Elementary School.

Under the light of the – teplok lamp that is how they call the lamp whose light source comes from kerosene—I wrote a reply letter behind one of the lumps of paper.

Whoa, really cool, Le. School nangdi? –Wah, you are so good, son? Where is school? –

After I finished writing the message, I squeezed the paper back. I stepped out of the house and threw away the paper carelessly, but as much as possible approached the hiding place of Space, behind the bush in front of the house. After that I went back in, pretending not to care about the paper.

A few minutes passed, I almost fell asleep if the lump of paper from outside the window did not hit my head. I could see that face looking at me guiltily before returning to its secret hiding place. I smiled as a sign that I was okay. I opened the paper from the boy and found a reply.

Kula mboten school, rama lan biyung mboten marengaken. – I do not school, parents do not allow. –

The rays of the sun kept directing its rays at me, disturbing my beautiful dreams. I woke up and realized there was a piece of paper in my hand. I fell asleep because I was too tired. Remembering the incident last night, I immediately stepped out of the house. I just opened the door of the house the cold was already sweeping me. Soon I gave my eyes to find the boy. However, all I could find was a pen and a few pieces of paper left behind. The boy has returned to his home.

When the sun came back to hide itself, my volunteer friend and I went to the house of one of our students to have an extra lesson. However, unfortunately the rain suddenly fell heavily and made us forced to take shelter on the outskirts of the house of one of the residents. Amidst the torrent of rain, I saw a black, small, dreadlocked figure, and appeared to be carrying a machete-like weapon. It came to my mind that the figure was the angel of death. Of course, I immediately brushed it off, it was a very ridiculous thought. The figure again approached me and my friend, this time saw his dreadlocks wet by the rain, a basket filled with potatoes on his shoulders, and a banana leaf in his right hand. His tears were trying to hold back his cries, his shoulders seemed to tremble.

Without warning, I approached the boy. I don't care anymore about the rain that hit me, I just want to bring the kid into my arms. I thought Angkasa would run away when I approached, my guess this time was wrong.

He hugged me tightly and said amid his cries, “Kula wants to go to school. –I want to go to school. –” I smile. A vibrant bud I have rediscovered.

I said it, “Ya wis, school of death. Inyong will ngekeki ngerti ko wewadine donya iki. – Yes, already. Go school. I'll tell you the secrets of this world. –”

“Nanging ..., –But .. ,–” he seemed to think.

“Nanging opo? –But what?–” more curious.

“Mboten saged school horn. Kula kedhah welcome damel, –I can not attend school. I have to work, –” he continued.

“Lho, welcome gawe nggo ngopo? – Lho, keja for what? –” I was a bit surprised by the reason of this child. He was willing to give up education for work.

“Kula wants to diruwat. Ruwat menika biayane kathah, Ma'am, –I want to rewat. Ruwat it costs a lot, Mom, –” so he said. It has become a habit of Dieng residents to hold a ritual ceremony for children with dreadlocks. Because children are considered special, then when the child has been nurtured, whatever their wishes must be obeyed.

“Yen wes diruwat, ko want opo? –If suah in-ruwat, you want what?–” asku curious.

“Kula Amung want to saged school maning, —I just want to be able to go to school again,—” answers plain.

Because hearing the heartfelt words from a boy named Angkasa, the next day, after my teaching schedule was completed, I took the initiative to visit his residence. With the help of a student and a friend of Space, I found his home. The simple hut was made of bamboo and had started to rickety. Next to the hut I saw a little boy playing with his sheep, it was Angkasa.

I took steps to meet the boy's parents. One step, two steps, I kept putting together the right words to talk to them. Until the two parents of Angkasa, I began to greet them and introduce myself as a volunteer teacher.

“Bu Master!” the scream surprised me. But I smiled when I found out who did it.

“Ko aja mbengok! Ana guest iki, —You don't scream! There is this guest, —” reprimand his mother. The child could only show a row of his teeth as an apology. Space soon joined his parents.

“Ruwatan iku biayane kathah sanget, Mbak, —Ruwatan it costs a lot. Mbak, —” complains mother of Space.

”Ya wis, Mom. Tumut ruwatan ingkang bulk kemawon, —Ya, already, Mom. Follow the bulk bill only, —” said Angkasa.

“Massal karo ora iku podo bae need cost, —Massal or not the same need cost, —” said the father of Angkasa.

“Nanging ruwatan angkan bulk biayane luwih sithik, —But, bulk ruwatan cost less, —” Angkasa said to both parents.

“Saged horn mbantu, Mom, —I can help, Mom,—” refer me again.

“Ah, ora wah, ngrepotaken, —Ah, no need, troublesome, —” subtly reject mother Space.

“Mboten coke, Mom. Genuine horn, —No, Mom. I sincere—” I smile.

“Ngene bae, ko mbantu inyong dodol candied carica, piye? —Begini only, you help me sell sweet carica, how? —” a solution offered by the father of Angkasa.

“White, kula saged. Kula badhe ngejak kanca kula kagem mbiyantu, —Ya, Mom, I can. I will invite my friend to help, —” finally a deal happened between us.

“Wektune gari a week maning nek arep melu ruwatan bulk, —Time to stay a week if you want to join the bulk bill, —” said the mother of Angkasa.

“Upload, Bu. —Good, Bu. —”

That week, I and my volunteer friends began to share time to help the Angkasa family. Starting from making sweets, wrapping them, then selling them to visitors to the Dieng Mountains. Not only that, we also began to set aside the money we had to realize the desire of Space. Those days have passed, now we count the money of our work and savings.

The money that has been collected is directly handed over to both parents of Space.

“Meniki, Mom, —This, Mom, —” I handed you an envelope with help from us.

“Matur nuwun, Mbak, —Thank you, Mbak, —” reply him with a smile.

“Ko want opo, Le? —What do you want, son? —” the father asked his son.

“Kulo amung want to saged school maning, —I just want to be able to go to school again, —” said plain Angkasa.

“Ya wis's. Bar diruwat asuk, kowe can mlebu school, —Ya, already. After being sent tomorrow, you can enter school, —” so the decision of the father of Space.

The expected day arrives. The ritual ceremony was held on Sunday, so it did not interfere with our teaching and learning activities. Because the ceremony was held en masse, so the place chosen was the Arjuna Dieng Temple Complex. Not only Angkasa, there are also many children there waiting to go through the ceremony. Their dreadlocked hair will be cut and if successful then the dreadlocked hair will not grow again.

The procession begins with a welcome from the executor of the ceremony. After the celebration is over, gamelan begins to be played to accompany the ritual. At first the child who will be shaved his hair was bathed. After being bathed, offerings for ceremonial purposes are prepared. Then the shaman prayed all the offerings and fumigated the children's heads with incense.

These traditional moments of course I can not miss just like that. I took some pictures with the camera from my phone. Now, come when the children's hair is shaved. After the dreadlocks are shaved, the cut is placed in a white cloth and will be washed to the Color Lake. The procession went well today. That bright smile emanated from the face of Angkasa, tomorrow he could realize his wish.

The sun was still timid to reveal itself, but the boy had already entered the school gate. He looked very happy and his gymnastics were contagious to anyone who met him. He is Angkasa, a child who was very difficult to achieve and now he came to me himself.

“Bu Master!” he waved and smiled at me, I returned his smile.

Angkasa, who is now no longer dreadlocks, approached me and asked, “Bu, wonten menopo kok nang kene mboten wonten snow rich nang Europe kana? —Bu, wonten menopo kok nang kene mboten wonten snow rich nang Europe kana, why is there no snow here like in Europe there? —” I chuckle, this child does have great curiosity.

In a small voice I said to her, ”Ko can understand answerne nang kene. —You can get the answer here. —”