Started In Paris
New Neighborhood
Arriving at Vani's apartment, I was warmly welcomed by Uncle and Aunt Vani. They are so good, just set foot inside I have been offered this, if not Vani who tells them that I also need a break, then they will not stop spoiling me.
"Don't hesitate to ask us anything, just treat it like your own family"
That's what they said when I was going to go to my room which was actually wasted by them. I feel bad, just came I've been treated like a king like this.
I thought the foreigner was very indifferent, rarely spoke, and took care of himself. But I realized I was wrong. They're not like that. If that is often seen on the television screen or anything that shows overseas people who are too focused on the gadget, but not with what I find today. They are so humble and appreciative.
They also know that I am a Muslim. Even if they're non-Muslims, I think they'll appreciate me here. Vani said his little family rarely ate meat***, and rarely drank hard. Because Uncle Vani who is more precise Mr. Bill knows that liquor will only make humans sick.
"So Sister Zulfa don't worry about food here, everything is safe"
He said when he led me into the resting place.
After the bath and prayers I joined the Vani family for dinner. Today's dinner was very special. For the Vani family. I don't know what happened to me, it felt like my stomach was so bad for food to enter, could I be Jet Lag?
Whatever it is, I'm trying to behave as usual. In the middle of the twang of the spoon we chatted together. Mr and Mrs Bill were so friendly, they never mentioned anything about my personal matters. However, my only obstacle, that is language.
Although according to Luluk I speak English quite loudly, but I still feel my language is still as level as plankton. If William James Sidis was able to master 6 languages when he was 4 years old, then I could only speak foreign languages at the age of head. It may just be English.
After dinner, Mrs Bill asked me to take a break, she understood very well the situation if you are in a new environment, especially abroad like this. I went inside my room. However, I did not lie down immediately, because I was not yet sleepy.
Sure enough, in Paris it is already half ten hours, and this hour is still not the time for prayer isya. While in Indonesia it is still afternoon, of course I am not sleepy. Even the people of the Thousand Temples country are still actively doing this activity, still waiting for the magrib to arrive.
Paris and Indonesia have a difference of approximately 5 hours. If Indonesia is still afternoon, then in Paris it is night. Maybe I will fall asleep in the morning, because I am used to Indonesian time.
My room is classic European. On the right wall hang paintings of Europe's largest and widest mountains stretching from Austria, Slovenia to the east, through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany to western France, the Alps.
On the left wall, there was a cube-shaped shelf attached to the wall accompanied by various kinds of decorations standing on it. My room has a cream color whose atmosphere reconciles. This room is also facilitated by a bathroom and an air heater. In France, there is a question of winter.
Vani says winter will end in March. So, maybe for Indonesians like me who are accustomed to the tropical climate is very difficult to adapt in this temperate country.
I still couldn't sleep, now I was standing behind the window, staring out the window. Want to know what's going on out there. My window was late in the direction of the highway, where I could see vehicles whose lights were lighting up the night highway.
This metropolitan city is very charming at night. Especially seen from above, because the apartment unit of the Vani family is on the 5th floor.
So remember Abah and Ummi. What are they doing? The faces of those two people always stick in my memory. If from childhood I live with them, then for the next month I live apart from them. My distant place is capable of making my soul flogged hundreds of times, for it misses them.
Tomorrow I'll call them on Luluk's phone.
I let out a long breath, once again I close my jacket.
The sound of knocking on the door from outside blew my daydream, I walked open the door.
"So, you haven't slept yet?" Sergey Vani when the door is not yet perfectly open. The short haired girl seemed to be very tired. I let him in.
"Not yet Van. can't sleep" I replied. I saw him chuckling while sitting on my bedside.
"Official in Indonesia anyway"
So long abroad, I heard his voice when speaking Indonesian like a bule voice who had just learned Indonesian. Along the way to the apartment, I heard he spoke French and English. I don't know what he was talking to Mr. taxi driver earlier, I can guess that the language he spoke to the driver was speaking to Mr. French, seen from his thick accent.
"Sleep Lo brother, said Aneeta Kak Zulfa tomorrow want to attend a big meeting Lo.. meeting in the building near Eiffel right?" My story.
"Yes, "I answered briefly.
Indeed tomorrow is my schedule to attend the meeting for the opening of the event, I may also have to prepare myself to be able to communicate with other participants. I've imagined how the meeting in a large building that was also attended by many people from various countries.
There will be many languages in one room, there will be many races, tribes, and cultures in one room. I will meet with foreign people who may also communicate with me tomorrow.
After talking about this it was with Vani, he returned to his room. After the prayer, I tried to lay down my body and sleep. However, my eyes still could not be closed. I have to force her, because tomorrow I have to get up early too.
I chose to listen to the murrotal of the Koran from my phone, this is the way I used to sleep when I couldn't sleep like this. And slowly my eyes closed and I was deep in my sleep. Behind the thick blanket I drowned my body, taking refuge from the cold air that had been piercing. Can't wait for the warm sunshine to welcome tomorrow.