personal narrative

Extraordinary people

             Three weeks ago, I was invited by my friend who has joined in UKM jhepret photography to accompany her photo hunting in a blind foundation in Malang, her name is Afidah. My friend and I went in there by motorcycle, our trip is not flawless. In the middle of our trip we got loss, we pass a wrong street and find a place which we have never seen before, because of feeling of fear my friend and I go back to a street before and ask some people about the foundation for the blind. We continued the trip and finally we arrived at the foundation. The first feeling when we arrived is contented, but after I saw around the place I feel compassion. My friend invited me to come in and meet with a man, which is one of staff in there. While Afidah asking permission with that man, I still could not believe if there were many blinds people in there. Around 176 blind people live in that place with any activities as an education, sport, games, and others.

             After asked for permission, I followed afidah walked into a room. In fact, that room is a class for them who learn to read. Afidah busy with her camera, while she looked for any angle, my attention was focus on them who looks happy although they have any physical defect. On the other rooms, there were many men currently practicing massage. Yeah, all inhabitant of foundation for the blind, trained to be professional massage. However, they were not only trained about massage, but also any skill activities that can help them to continue their life.

            In a break time, I try to make a conversation with some of them. I start with introduced my name and asked their name one by one, give some question and told some story for them. When I overed a question

“What make you happy in here?” there was an answer from Indah that touched my heart. She said

“I am happy because I live together and we love each other, here we can eat, play and study together, meeting each person make me learn new things, nevertheless I cannot look the face, the physical, but I can learn from their story.”

 Heard the answer, suddenly my tears fall, from that time I am sure that every person can live happily with their own way.

            Unexpectedly, my daydream cracked by a voice that calls my name. Afidah call me to lunch together with all members of the foundation. So, I, Indah and some others move on to  the dinning room together, while we were eating together the atmosphere very nice, I felt like eating together with my big family at that time, I realy miss my family at that time.
After having lunch together, they continued their activity again. So many activities in there, but I prefer to follow some man to skill class. Another skill activity which was taught is a hand-made skill, in this class is dominant with a woman; they make a product from flannel material become accessories, lampoon, and anything else, in other hand they also make recycled things from waste of factory scraps of paper.

            Besides that, there was a thing that made me interest in. It was some hand made accessories from polyester yarn which usually used for decorate clothes but, in their hands it was become some jewelry which was very nice. It was not usual because they could combine some colors beautifully, they made it with arranges the yarn and use many models of knot. I surprised with the results which are very nice, I tried make a simple bracelet but it was hard enough for me but, Indah and her friends can finish the bracelet only in some minutes. Still amazed with them who have spirit and believe that they can do everything they want without helped from others.

            Finally, I and Afidah to go back home because the sun had close over. So, we went to supervisor’s room and asked for permission, they allowed us to go home. Some of them said to us

 “Of you have time off, you have to come back here”.

”Of course”. We answer us together.
When Afidah turned on the motorcycle, i saw around the place. They looked like felt sad at that time, I also wont to left the place but it was impossible if I lived in there. Afterwards, I said good bye for them and we ready to go home. On the street, I remembered with a movie that inspired to me. Several days ago, I have watched a great movie that is The Imitation Game. The story tells about the first version or the history of computer in a war world, on the other hand the creater of the first computer is a man who have disorder hormone, he is a homosexual. There was a quote from that movie which was related to my experience, “Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of, who do the things who no one can imagine”. In my opinion that quote reflected them who live in the foundation of blind, they can do anything although they are disable. So, do not judge everyone who has difference with us because it is possible if the people who have difference will do something great or something that we cannot do it.