Asep Haryono Personal Blog From Indonesia: Keseharian

Tag : Keseharian - Asep Haryono | One FIFA Jersey or One Month of Groceries? My Visit to the FIFA Store Gave Me a Surprise - Powered by Blogger

As the FIFA World Cup 2026™ continues to attract millions of football fans around the world, I have found myself visiting the official FIFA website almost every day. There is always something interesting to see, from the latest match results and player statistics to videos, photos, and tournament news. It is one of the best places to stay updated with everything happening during the competition, and I always enjoy spending a few minutes there after work.

During my visit last night, I became curious about the official merchandise and clicked on the FIFA Store. Like many football fans, I enjoy looking at jerseys and souvenirs even if I don't plan to buy them. Every World Cup has its own special collection, and I was interested to see what FIFA had prepared for this tournament. As I browsed through the store, one item immediately caught my attention. It was the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Kansas City Jersey – Limited Edition.

My first impression was very positive. The jersey is beautiful. It doesn't look like a traditional football shirt at all. Instead, it looks like a piece of art. The colorful illustrations, flowers, football players, musical instruments, and famous landmarks make it very different from ordinary jerseys. I can imagine collectors falling in love with it because the design is creative, unique, and full of character. Whoever designed it certainly deserves credit for creating something so eye-catching.

FIFA World Cup 2026™ Kansas City Jersey Limited Edition.
Photo from the official FIFA website

Then I noticed the price. The jersey costs US$375. That is insane.

I was curious, so I checked the latest exchange rate. It showed that 1 US Dollar equals Rp17,909. That means the US$375 jersey costs about Rp6.7 million in Indonesian money. When I saw that number, I stopped thinking about buying the jersey. Instead, I started thinking about what else I could buy with the same amount of money. For my family of five, Rp6.7 million is enough to buy groceries for about one month. To me, that is a lot of food compared to just one football jersey.

At first, I thought I had read it incorrectly, so I looked again. The price was correct. Out of curiosity, I converted it into Indonesian Rupiah, and the result was around Rp6.7 million. That was the moment when my excitement changed into surprise. I wasn't thinking about football anymore. I was thinking about my family's monthly expenses.

For many people, especially here in Indonesia, Rp6.7 million is not a small amount of money. In my case, it could buy groceries for my family of five for about a month. Rice, cooking oil, eggs, vegetables, fruit, chicken, fish, milk, coffee, sugar, and many other daily necessities could all be purchased with that amount. When I looked at the jersey again, I couldn't help smiling. It is beautiful, but I also imagined a supermarket trolley full of food instead

You may also read - When a foreigner feels like super rich in Indonesia.

Please don't misunderstand me. This article is not meant to criticize FIFA or complain about the price. I understand that this is a limited-edition collector's jersey, not an ordinary football shirt. Products like this are made for collectors and passionate fans who appreciate exclusive merchandise. For them, the price may be reasonable because they are buying something unique that may even become more valuable in the future.

However, my experience reminded me that the value of money is different in every country. What seems expensive but affordable for someone in one part of the world can represent a month's household budget somewhere else. That is simply the reality of different economies. As football fans, we all share the same love for the game, but our purchasing power is not always the same.

Even so, I enjoyed visiting the FIFA Store. Looking at the official merchandise is part of the World Cup experience, and I genuinely admire the creativity behind this jersey. Although I probably won't be buying one anytime soon,

I have no problem appreciating its artistic design. Sometimes it is nice just to admire something, even if it is beyond our budget. In the end, I closed the FIFA Store, returned to reading the latest World Cup news, and continued enjoying the tournament. I realized that supporting football has never depended on owning the most expensive jersey. The excitement of watching a great match, celebrating a spectacular goal, and sharing the experience with friends and family is worth far more than any piece of clothing.

If someone asked me today whether I would spend Rp6.7 million on this limited-edition FIFA jersey, my answer would probably be no. I would rather use that money to buy groceries for my family and continue watching the World Cup wearing one of my old football shirts. It may not be a collector's item, but it still carries the same love for the beautiful game

Now it's your turn. If you had US$375 (about Rp6.7 million), would you buy this limited-edition FIFA jersey, or would you rather spend the money on groceries, a family holiday, or something else? There are no right or wrong answers.

I would love to hear what you think.

Leave a comment below and join the conversation

A Message From Asep Haryono

"Thank you so much for your time here. I really appreciate your precious moment here as well. Please leave any comment down below. Let me hear from you. Greetings from Indonesia"

Tag : Keseharian, Kuala Lumpur - Asep Haryono | Unique Things in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Powered by Blogger

IDisclaimer

I visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from November 16 to 17, 2009. It was a really long time ago. I joined as an Indonesian young participant in the Youth Engagement Summit (YES) along with hundreds of youth participants from Southeast Asian countries, with Malaysia as the organizer. There are several tourism spots that are quite interesting to share here, including some unusual and unfamiliar things that you might find interesting. These are all the memories I have written here.

I hope you enjoy reading my travel notes.

Thank you for visiting my blog

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I never imagined that I would have the chance to visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in November 2009. It has been quite a long time since then, but I still have many travel stories to share with all my blogging friends, including food experiences and many other interesting things. The trip happened very suddenly.

What made it even more special was that my 2-day, 1-night visit to Kuala Lumpur was worth about Rp25,000,000 (around US$2,500 at the exchange rate of Rp10,000 per US dollar at that time). Just imagine how many klepon you could buy with that much money

It would not feel complete to visit Kuala Lumpur without seeing the famous Petronas Twin Towers, one of Malaysia's greatest landmarks. At that time, I went there with several other delegates from the Youth Engagement Summit (YES) Conference. We traveled by bus and left at around 10:00 a.m., oops, I almost said Indonesian time! It was Malaysia time, of course.

We did not know the route very well, so we simply asked people for directions until we finally arrived. Unfortunately, we could not go up to the top of the Twin Towers because there was an emergency drill that day for fire safety and anti-terrorism training

For a moment, I remembered the exciting 1999 movie Entrapment, starring Sean Connery as Mac and the beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones as Gin. Some scenes from the movie were filmed at the Petronas Twin Towers, so it was really exciting to stand there in person. Very cool! Then I started wondering what it would be like if a movie like that were filmed in Jakarta at the National Monument (Monas). Would that be possible? I think it could be, if someone really wanted to make it happen! Haha

AWESOME: The Petronas Twin Towers stand tall and impressive. Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to go up to the top during this visit. Maybe next time. Photo by Asep Haryono

A fun stroll around the Petronas Twin Towers with my fellow Indonesian delegates! 🇮🇩 I filmed this video myself, so please forgive the occasional shaky footage. Back then, I was using an ancient smartphone that probably belonged in a museum.

This was me just goofing around during the coffee break between sessions on the first day of the Youth Engagement Summit (YES) – South East Asian Youth for Personal Change (SEAchange), held on November 16–17, 2009, at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).I was doing a fake "live report" right under the massive dome of this magnificent building, pretending to be a TV reporter. No important news, really... I was just shamelessly showing off that I was there!

CLEAN: The streets were clean, well organized, and not very crowded. It was a working day, so I wondered where everyone was. Why were the roads so quiet?

Photo by Asep Haryono

Walking around Kuala Lumpur was a pleasant experience. The city was clean, and I hardly heard any car horns at all. According to some local people, using the horn is not encouraged there, and it may even be against the rules.

I also noticed that public telephones for emergency services, such as the fire department and the police, could be used without inserting any coins first. They connected directly to the emergency services. The roads were busy with traffic, but everything was well organized. I think this is possible because the people of Kuala Lumpur have a good sense of responsibility and take pride in their city. At least, that was my impression.

For dinner, all of us wanted to enjoy local food from the street stalls. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos of the food. I do have a short video, but I was worried it would take too long to upload to YouTube because the internet connection was not very fast at that time. One thing I still remember is trying Nasi Lemak with curry chicken. It was quite affordable, costing only about 5 Malaysian Ringgit, which was around Rp18,000–20,000 at that time.

FUN FACT.

One of the street foods I tasted that night was satay, which was cooked in a different way from the way it is prepared in my country, Indonesia. Beef or chicken satay is usually grilled over charcoal and fanned by hand. However, this was not the case in Kuala Lumpur. Instead of grilling it over charcoal, they boiled it in hot water. The local people said it was healthier than grilling it over charcoal because the smoke could be harmful to our bodies. Hmmm... that makes sense.

That was much cheaper than what I once saw on the internet about a Padang restaurant in Sydney. According to the menu I found online, just one corn fritter (perkedel jagung) cost about AUD 2, or around Rp20,000. And that's for only one corn fritter! Haha. (Have I ever been to Sydney? Not yet! So how do I know the prices? I looked them up on the internet. Haha!)

After remembering this trip, I really wanted to visit Kuala Lumpur again in futrue. In fact, I wanted to go there so much that I even created a new blog header featuring Kuala Lumpur. I had already started planning the trip, although I did not know which month I would be able to go. God willing (Insya Allah), I hoped it would happen.

PROTEST: I asked a local resident in Kuala Lumpur about ISA. I was told that it stood for the Internal Security Act, a law that was said to restrict certain protests and activities against the government. It reminded me of Indonesia's anti-terrorism law, although the two are not exactly the same.

Photo by Asep Haryono

CLEAR: Taking the bus was easy because the fare was clearly displayed. There was no need to worry about having enough money. The bus fare was 1 Malaysian Ringgit. Can you guess how much that was in Indonesian Rupiah at the time?

Photo by Asep Haryono

seklias mirip Pencoblosan PEMILU padahal ini WC NEAT: This is not a voting booth! It is the entrance to a public toilet in a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. Visitors paid a small fee by putting the money into a collection box before entering. Photo by Asep Haryono

NEAT: This is not a voting booth! It is the entrance to a public toilet in a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. Visitors paid a small fee by putting the money into a collection box before entering.

Photo by Asep Haryono

SHOPPING AT DAY. Here, I was filming one of my fellow Indonesian delegates during the Youth Engagement Summit (YES) 2009 while we were wandering around a shop at Kuala Lumpur's Central Market one afternoon.The two shopkeepers were super friendly and loved joking around, so of course we couldn't resist having a little fun with them!

Recorded by Asep Haryono.

SHOPPING AT NIGTH : On our last night before flying back to Indonesia, I tagged along with my fellow Indonesian delegates for a little night shopping adventure near our hotel in Malacca.The streets were lively, the food stalls were everywhere, and the atmosphere was just fantastic! This video captures the fun of bargaining for souvenir keychainsbecause no shopping trip is complete without a little friendly haggling!

Recorded by Asep Haryono.

AIRASIA: I am standing in front of the AirAsia airline backdrop. This photo was taken during a break at the Southeast Asia Youth Engagement Summit in Kuala Lumpur in November 2009.

Photo by Asep Haryono.

A few days earlier last May 2026, I had also received a package from the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board Jakarta (through the Embassy of Malaysia). It contained a book, brochures, leaflets, and a Visit Malaysia 2026 tourist map. I was sure these travel materials would help me plan my next visit to Kuala Lumpur much better.

Well, it was still just a plan. God willing (Insya Allah), everything would go smoothly and I would be able to visit Kuala Lumpur again.

A Message From Asep Haryono

"Thank you so much for your time here. I really appreciate your precious moment here as well. Please leave any comment down below. Let me hear from you. Greetings from Indonesia"

Tag : Keseharian, Teknik Blogging - Asep Haryono | WhatsApp Is Launching Usernames: A Big Step for Better Privacy - Powered by Blogger

Hello every one. First of all, I would like to say to all my fellow bloggers from the US , My most sincere congratulations and best wishes to the people of the United States of America on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Independence Day, July 4. Wishing you all success and a rewarding year ahead.

Good news for WhatsApp users!

WhatsApp is introducing a new feature called Usernames. This feature will allow people to contact you without seeing your phone number. For many years, anyone who wanted to chat with you on WhatsApp needed your phone number. With this new feature, that is going to change.

It is important to know that you will still need a phone number to create and verify your WhatsApp account. However, after your account is set up, you will be able to choose a unique username.Instead of sharing your phone number, you can simply share your username. People can then find and message you using that username, while your phone number stays private.

This is good news for people who care about privacy. It can also make it safer to chat with new people without giving them your personal phone number.

Here are some important things to know about the new feature:

You will still need a phone number to register your WhatsApp account.
You can choose your own unique username.
People can contact you using your username instead of your phone number.
Your phone number will remain hidden from people who only know your username.
There will not be a public directory where everyone can search for usernames.
Usernames are expected to be between 3 and 35 characters long.

This feature is similar to what Telegram and Signal already offer. It gives users more privacy and more control over their personal information.At the moment, WhatsApp is rolling out this feature gradually.

This means not everyone will receive it at the same time. If you do not see it yet, you may need to wait until it becomes available in your country or for your account. Overall, this is a welcome update. It gives WhatsApp users better privacy while making it easier to connect with others.

A smartphone with messages on the screen

Photo Asep Haryono

What do you think about this new feature?

Many people have been waiting for a feature like this, and it could make WhatsApp even more useful in the future. What do you think about WhatsApp usernames? Will you use a username instead of sharing your phone number? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

The new username feature is a positive step for WhatsApp users around the world. It gives people another way to stay connected while protecting their personal phone numbers. If you value your privacy, this is good news.

As the feature becomes available, many users will likely choose to share their usernames instead of their phone numbers. It is another example of how messaging apps continue to improve both convenience and security.

Will you use a WhatsApp username when it becomes available? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you for reading.

Please share this article with your friends if you found it useful.

Thank you my friends.

Happy Saturday.

Happy Weekend

A Message From Asep Haryono

"Thank you so much for your time here. I really appreciate your precious moment here as well. Please leave any comment down below. Let me hear from you. Greetings from Indonesia"

Tag : Keseharian, Wisata Kuliner - Asep Haryono | Have You Ever Tried Klepon? Indonesia's Sweet Traditional Snack - Powered by Blogger

Hello everyone. How is it going.

Have you ever tried Klepon, one of Indonesia's most popular traditional snacks? Although I don't know exactly which region of Indonesia it originally came from, Klepon is now enjoyed throughout the country. This small green rice cake may look simple, but it hides a delicious surprise inside that keeps people coming back for more.

Although it is a simple traditional snack, it is especially tempting for anyone with a sweet tooth. It is loved not only by older generations but also by many young people.

A note

Indonesia, we call it kue klepon. The word kue is often translated as cake, but Klepon is not like a birthday cake or sponge cake. It is a traditional Indonesian rice cake made from glutinous rice flour. Each ball is coated with fresh grated coconut and filled with melted palm sugar. When you take a bite, the sweet syrup flows into your mouth. Klepon is one of Indonesia's most popular traditional foods and can be found in many markets across the country. If you ever visit Indonesia, I hope you will have the chance to taste this delicious treat..

This delicious snack is made from glutinous rice flour and is coated with freshly grated coconut. Inside each soft, chewy ball is melted palm sugar. When you bite into it, the sweet syrup bursts into your mouth, making Klepon a truly delightful treat. It is perfect as a morning snack, an afternoon treat, or even something to serve to guests.

Affordable and Easy to Find

One of the reasons Klepon is so popular is that it is both affordable and easy to find. It is widely sold in traditional markets across Indonesia. Here in Pontianak, West Kalimantan where I live, you can buy Klepon from market stalls, roadside vendors, and even mobile carts.

Klepon comes in different sizes, although most are small enough to be eaten in one or two bites. Unlike meatballs, which sometimes come in giant sizes, I have never seen a giant Klepon!

The largest ones I have seen are about the size of a golf ball. OMG

KLEPON : This is a piece of Klepon that tempts anyone who likes it. Klepon delicious and delicious for those who like. Photo of Asep Haryono

A regular-sized

Klepon usually costs around Rp1,000 (one thousand Indonesian Rupiah) each, making it an inexpensive snack that almost everyone can enjoy. It is often sold together with other traditional cakes, especially Putu, another favorite Indonesian snack. If you ever visit Indonesia, don't miss the chance to try Klepon.

FUNNY FACTS. As of today, July 2, 2026, the exchange rate is approximately 1 US Dollar (USD) = 17,985.4 Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Exchange rates change throughout the day due to market activity, so the exact rate may vary slightly depending on your bank or money exchange service.

At today's exchange rate of 1 USD = Rp17,985.4, a Rp1,000 klepon costs about 5.56% of one U.S. dollar. In other words, US$1 can buy approximately 17 klepon, with a small amount of rupiah remaining.

It may look simple, but its sweet surprise inside makes it one of Indonesia's most unforgettable traditional treats. What makes klepon so special is the warm liquid palm sugar hidden inside. In Indonesia, some people jokingly call it "Bursting Klepon" because when you bite into a medium or large klepon, the hot palm sugar syrup can suddenly burst into your mouth.

If you're not careful, it may even splatter onto your shirt!. LoL

That sweet surprise is exactly what makes Klepon so enjoyable. The combination of its soft, chewy texture, freshly grated coconut coating, and warm melted palm sugar creates a delicious experience that keeps people coming back for more.

Making perfect Klepon is not as easy as it looks. Experienced cooks know that the cooking time is very important. If the Klepon is boiled for too long, it can become too soft and lose its chewy texture. When cooked just right, however, each bite is soft, chewy, and filled with rich, sweet palm sugar.

I hope you'll have the chance to enjoy this delicious Indonesian traditional snack someday

A Message From Asep Haryono

"Thank you so much for your time here. I really appreciate your precious moment here as well. Please leave any comment down below. Let me hear from you. Greetings from Indonesia"

Tag : Keseharian - Asep Haryono | My School Holiday Break from the MBG Program - Powered by Blogger

Hello everyone. How are you all today?

As I begin writing this article on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 7:54 AM, many people in Indonesia are starting their daily activities. Some work in government offices as civil servants, some work for private companies, while others are entrepreneurs such as market vendors, construction workers, and many more. The only exception is school children.

This is exactly what I would like to share with all of you today.

At the moment, schools in Indonesia are on holiday from June 20, 2026, until July 12, 2026. This is directly related to my work in the Free Nutritious Meals Program, commonly known as MBG. The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) of the Republic of Indonesia has decided to temporarily stop the distribution of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program during the 2026 school holiday period.

This food tray is being filled with healthy food, and when everything is set and ready, it is prepared for everyday delivery. Our kitchen has nutrition experts who determine the daily menu, and all the food is obviously delicious, tasty, and nutritious. Photo Asep Haryono

For those of you who may not know, MBG is one of the flagship programs of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. The main goal of this program is to provide free nutritious meals to students, ranging from elementary school children and preschool students to senior high school and university students. In addition to students, the beneficiaries of this program also include what is known as the "3B" group: breastfeeding mothers, toddlers, and community health service participants (Posyandu) throughout Indonesia.

The beneficiaries receive MBG meals for five consecutive days each week, with different menu variations every day. In each province and region of Indonesia, the distribution of free nutritious meals is managed by the Nutrition Fulfillment Implementation Unit, known as SPPG. For example, I live in West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. This province includes several cities and regencies such as Pontianak, Singkawang, Ketapang, Sambas, Bengkayang, Sanggau, Sintang, and Putussibau. Each area has several SPPG kitchens that prepare and distribute the meals. That is a general picture of how the program operates.

Nationally, the number of SPPG kitchens has reached more than 27,000 units, while the number of beneficiaries has exceeded 70 million people. I do not want to discuss too many numbers because this Free Nutritious Meals Program requires significant financial support from the Indonesian Government, with the National Nutrition Agency responsible for its implementation.|

Writing is one of the most rewarding hobbies in my life.
This photo shows the laptop I used today while working on my latest article.
Photo Asep Haryono

The budget for this program has already been approved by the Government of Indonesia through the Minister of Finance, Purbaya. The allocated budget is approximately 268 trillion rupiah, reduced from the original proposal of 335 trillion rupiah submitted by the National Nutrition Agency.

I think I will stop talking about numbers now.

They make my head spin, and I am sure they may make you dizzy as well.

So let's move on to something more enjoyable. In other words, during the school holiday period from June 20 until July 12, 2026, I will also be taking a break from work. I will return to work as usual after the holidays end. During this holiday period, I have several plans.

I would like to tidy up my house, spend more time on my hobbies, visit nearby tourist attractions, go fishing in the small river near my home, ride my bicycle, listen to music (but not watch television because I do not own a TV), and of course continue writing..

By the way, How do you spend your school holiday break or free time away from work? Feel free to share your experiences, hobbies, or vacation plan I think that is all for today's story.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article today. Warm greetings from Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

A Message From Asep Haryono

"Thank you so much for your time here. I really appreciate your precious moment here as well. Please leave any comment down below. Let me hear from you. Greetings from Indonesia"

Tag : Keseharian - Asep Haryono | Different Cultures, Shared Respect: A Memorable Evening in Bali. - Powered by Blogger

Hello everyone, especially my favorite bloggers: Mrs. Ananka from Scotland, Madam Mary Kirkland from the United States of America, and Mrs. Irina from Russia. How is it going?

As for me here in Indonesia, I am doing just fine. I would like to apologize for not visiting your blogs during the last two weeks. I have also not written any new blog posts due to the nature of my work. I briefly mentioned my current job in one of my previous posts. I cannot lie to you about this. I have been a bit lazy for some reasons.

Today is May 31st. I would like to share a little story about something that happened when I was working as a part-time volunteer for KangGURU Champions between 2005 and 2010.

One occasion that I still remember happened when I and my fellow volunteers gathered at the home of Mr. Kevin Dalton, an Australian manager of the program. I am quite sure it happened on April 25, 2009. The location was Kevin's home in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

I have edited this story in a comic-style format using real photographs, which I believe makes it more engaging and interesting. To keep a long story short, some of the photos were taken by my friends, while others were taken using my own cellphone camera.

This is the story.

CHAPTER ONE: ARRIVING AT KEVIN'S HOME
Six other KangGURU volunteers and I were invited to visit Kevin Dalton's home near Ubud, Bali. We left our hotel and took a taxi to his house. The journey only took a short time.

We arrived in the area at around 4:00 PM and had to walk for a few minutes before reaching Kevin's home.

I stepped out of the group for a moment to take this photo with my cellphone camera. As you can see, we were walking along a path leading to Kevin's house in the Ubud area of Bali, Indonesia. It looked like a small village path, at least to me.

During the walk, some of us were a little scared because of the barking dogs along the way. Their barking was very loud, and some of the dogs were quite large, which made us nervous.

After we arrived, all seven of us performed our Maghrib prayer first at around 6:00 PM.

Do you know what happened next?

Let's party... yeaaaaa!

CHAPTER TWO: NO BEER, NO PORK, AND NO KISSING
It was around 7:00 PM when the party started. I still remember some of the Australian guests who attended, including staff members from the Indonesia Australia Language Foundation (IALF), the manager of IALF, and several Australian English tutors.

With lively music playing in the background, we danced, sang, and enjoyed ourselves together. There were plenty of beverages, snacks, and cakes available

Some of the food they were making consisted of pork meat, like bacon or hamburgers. I am so sorry if I was mistaken in mentioning the menu. The bottom line is, I enjoyed all Australian cuisines they provided, even though the taste was not too spicy for me as an Indonesian, except pork.

Eating pork meat or all kinds of food consisting of pork as an ingredient was not allowed to consume based on what I believe and my religion, Islam.

What about beer?

Oh yes, absolutely. There was plenty of beer available too.

I do not remember the brands. They may have been Australian beers or local Indonesian beers.

As we all know, Bali is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, famous for its culture, traditions, heritage, and cuisine. Visitors from around the world come to Bali every year,

Ok I have enclosed herewith some photos were taken at the moment. Some of the photos were taken Ririn (KangGuru Champions from Kediri, Central Java, Indonesia) and some photos created by IALF or KangGuru Indonesia.

From left to right: me, Sue Rodger from England, and Kevin Dalton, the KangGuru Manager. I watched them as they prepared our dinner that evening. Most of the menu featured Australian dishes, which were not too spicy for me.

Do you think I was going to drink that beer? Not at all. The photo was taken just for fun and as a pose. In reality, I did not drink it. As a Muslim, I do not consume beer, wine, or any other alcoholic beverages because of my religious beliefs.
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Kevin Dalton (left), the KangGuru Manager and host of the gathering, was chatting with other Australians, most of whom were expatriates and English teachers who had been living in Bali for many years.

I was sitting on the floor with Australian fellows

Can you spot where I was in the photograph? Yes that is right. That is my Indonesian friends. I meant some of people in this photograph are from different provinces in Indonesia. The lady on the right side is Ayu from KangGuru Indonesia, She was now in foreigh country, as senior Yoga instructor

We danced like crazy that night. This photograph shows all the KangGuru representatives enjoying themselves on the dance floor. I wasn't in the picture, probably because I was off doing something else. To be honest, I can't dance at all, and that's probably a good thing for everyone!

From left to right: Sue Rodger from England, Ana from Australia, a senior full-time English teacher at IALF Denpasar, Bali, and the person on the right? Aha! That's me, for sure, wearing a big smile.

Can you spot the man behind me on the left? That's Kevin Dalton, the KangGuru Manager and the owner of the house where the gathering was held. He invited us, together with several staff members from KangGuru Indonesia and IALF. Most of our Australian friends were expatriates and English teachers who had lived in Bali for many years.

Ok let's continue

One of the Australian guests offered me some beer and a pork burger. My friends and I appreciated his kindness and generosity. However, all of the KangGURU volunteers from Indonesia were Muslims. According to our religious beliefs, we do not drink alcohol or eat pork.

We were very happy to join the party and spend time with everyone. The hospitality shown by our Australian friends was wonderful. However, we also wanted to remain consistent with our religious values and personal beliefs.

The party ended at around 10:00 PM. Before long, it would be midnight, and it was time for us to return to our hotel in Denpasar.

Before leaving, my Indonesian friends and I shook hands and exchanged friendly hugs with many of the guests. We tried to keep everything respectful and appropriate.

One Australian lady whom I had just greeted with a handshake attempted to greet me more warmly and tried to kiss me while giving me a friendly hug. Politely and respectfully, I stepped back and explained that, according to my religion. Islam, physical affection such as kissing between an unmarried man and woman is not permitted.

For me personally, that kind of gesture was not customary because of my cultural background, personal values, and religious beliefs as an Indonesian .

I thanked her for her kindness, continued shaking her hand, and smiled. Hopefully, she understood and respected my identity and beliefs.

We then left Kevin's home while many of the Australian guests stayed behind to continue enjoying the party.

We returned to our hotel in Denpasar, Bali.

Well, guys, that's the story.

I would like to thank my friends who allowed me to use their photographs for this article.
Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read my short story about my experience in Bali.

Bye byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

A Message From Asep Haryono

"Thank you so much for your time here. I really appreciate your precious moment here as well. Please leave any comment down below. Let me hear from you. Greetings from Indonesia"