So I went to Jakarta alone. Totally alone with no advisor accompanied me. Yet, I managed to reach Gambir station successfully without losing anything. Thus, came my first obstacle. I was blind of transportation mode there, and know nothing of the direction. Darn. I had not even the foggiest idea of which way to Menteng Raya.
One of my acquaintance told me that the place is relatively near Gambir. You could even just walk there. But he suggested me taking the bajaj or taxi. I know that I am stingy, but then, the comfort came first. My first thought ever since I was still in Yogyakarta was taking taxi. But my parents objected by saying that using taxi was dangerous. So, following their advice, I searched for bajaj around the railway station.
The first bajaj. I asked him with a very short sentence, trying my best to lose my strong Javanese accent. And he offered me twenty five thousand rupiah. Damn! I already got the info that the normal rate from Gambir to Kanisius Menteng is ten thousand. Thus, I tried haggling. And, it was still unsuccessful.
Moved to the second bajaj, The same thing happened again. Twenty five thousand, with unsuccessful haggle.
The third bajaj. Nothing's changed. I looked at my cellphone, and it was almost 7. Good God, I got panicked, since I realized that coming to the dorm late gave no good impression. So, I paid twenty five thousand rupiah to the third bajaj. He gave me a reasoning, that there was a very great traffic jam, so they need to move around.
What was the reality? It was so damn near, and it took me only five minutes. No traffic jam that I saw. Grrrrhhh! They might notice my Javanese accent and decided to trick me.
There goes my twenty five thousand.................
Jakarta, oh Jakarta.
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