I'm writing this article at Quiznos Menteng, Jakarta, a superbly cozy eatery which I would recommend to anyone seeking a perfect place for delectable food and great relaxation. Sated after gulping down an eight-piece pizza, I am sitting by myself in the spacious restaurant, contemplating my life at present and in the past.
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| Pardon my narcissism. 😋 |
When people hear the word "Chindo", they probably picture a well-off person whose parents own a successful business. They don't need to think about how to keep their head above water, being immune from financial suffering or agony. I believe there are a great many people of my ilk who match the above description, hence the stereostype; however, I'm not one of them. Although my childhood wasn't completely abominable, I wasn't born with a silver (or bronze) spoon in my mouth. There were times of adversity, which any sane human being would not want to be in.
Nomadicity was a pesky thing in my childhood – my family had to move from one abode to another several times. There was a time when five of us (I have two older brothers) had to live in a relatively tiny room in a boarding house. As a result, there were probably two disastrous events where diseases spread in the family, affecting at least some of us and knocking the humans into gross health inconveniences. I'd say it was probably almost a borderline inhuman way of living.
My dad didn't have a permanent job and my mom was a housewife, so my family wasn't financially stable. I can't help but lament the fact that my mom had to work really hard, making and selling soy milk in order to bring home the bacon. Eating pizza was a luxury for us, simply because money was a rarity for us. My mom's blood, sweat, and tears is something I cannot possibly forget and will always be deeply thankful for.
Now things have changed quite a lot. Of course I'm not as wealthy as my music idol, the Taiwanese maestro Jay Chou, but at least, thanks to my lovely livelihood, I can devour a Subway sandwich without thinking much about the price. Now I have my own library comprised of multiple books which are right up my alley (take a look at my bibliotheca here) – thank heaven I have reached one of my dreams! My younger self wasn't as "lucky" as my present self (even my college education had to be financially supported by my aunts), but it was no problem, really. We can't choose what family we are born into etc. (it's a Stoic revelation), but we can choose to change the course of our lives. What will my future be like? No one knows. Until then I will do my best to pave the way for my life aspirations. 😉
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