My Indonesian experience so far enriched me so much! I am grateful to be living here in Java, Indonesia and to study from professionals the amazing UNESCO certified Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity certified Indonesian textile art, batik. It was one of my dreams to study art formally and this art form is so beautiful and it suits me so much. Besides the technique itself which has its challenges, batik is an art so full of philosophical meaning! Each type of batik says a story. Batik is a textile art based on the technique of decorating and (repeatedly) dyeing a fabric by using removable wax to save the parts of the fabric that are not intended to be dyed. Batik is centuries old and the diversity of patterns, motifs and colors used stand as a proof for the cultural diversity that can be found in Indonesia itself … Continue reading
Education
On bullying (I)
“If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us” – Herman Hesse Recently, I’ve been reflection on bullying. It is only of very recent date (less than I year) that I realized that I’ve been bullied at school. It’s a perfect illustration of the fact that if one doesn’t know “the name” or “the label” of something, it might pass by as being normal in a way, socially accepted. That is why knowledge is power! And why education is essential! Now, most commonly, one would find bullying related to pre-teen and teen behavior. But it just doesn’t end here (nor does it start there). Let’s just define bullying for a start. My American heritage dictionary informs me that a bully is 1. A person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker … Continue reading
Get out of children’s way!
Children are the most authentic beings on the planet! They know exactly who they are and why they are here for. Ask them and they know exactly what’s wrong with the world and some of them have even ingenious solutions for ending world problems. I remember fragments of my childhood … visions… back then anything was possible. What happened? I got a “good education”. After learning to walk, speak and read, I was told to sit down, shut up and look up to other people. Children know naturally what is best for them. What are their interests. Instead of labeling them with ADHD whatever not or worrying about their future, satisfying their needs and encouraging them to know and believe in themselves is the key.