My forefathers,...

Namanya kerja di negara orang ya jadi yg terbelakang. Apalagi perusahaannya perusahaan pribumi. Sayang aja ga ada perusahaan indonesia di belanda. Ada sih.. spt restoran indonesia, ato toko indonesia. Tapi anehnya sama aja kerja ama orang indonesia.. toh diinjek2 jg. Orang indo disini rasa kebersamaannya kurang... dah kebanyakan sih. Tapi orang susah semua.

Banyak orang2 indonesia yg didatangkan secara gelap ke sini utk kerja ilegal. Keuntungannya buat perusahaan jelas banyak. Yg jelas bayaran murah dan ga perlu bayar pajak. Tapi ya itu... dibikin susah.. Dipergunakan. Bisa sih ngirim uang ke indo, tapi tetep aja.. jadi babu...

Saya tau lagu "nenek moyang ku seorang pelaut", jangan ampe anak2 cucu kite nyanyi "nenek moyang ku seorang babu"

(source: Ajang Kita Forum - http://ajangkita.com/forum/viewtopic.php?
p=154433&sid=47b98c2a9bb280ac8a001a80cf3f95b3)

I was searching for an Indonesian company which is based in the Netherlands for my final dissertation. Until, I came across this forum. Oh my goodness,.. I was stunned!

The last sentence the person said made me stop for a while. Hm,…yeah,.. it is in Indonesian.

The translation is “I know (Indonesian) song “my forefathers were sailors”, yet I don’t want that our children and grand children will sing “my forefathers were servants””. The topic above is about how Indonesian people come to the Netherlands, sometimes as illegal visitors, to work. They normally work in Indonesian business, as “servants”. They are paid very well (comparing to what they will get in Indonesia), however they are treated unfairly.

The first thing I thought, hm,.. it is really true. Where is our pride as Indonesian?! Don’t come to other countries to be a servant! If you want to do that kind of work, why don’t you stay in Indonesia? I have seen many Indonesian people who live in the Netherlands, as illegal visitors, and work day and night to collect some money. I know some of them were treated harshly, yet they still work day and night. Some of them were paid unfairly, yet they work even harder.

I know some people who came to the Netherlands ONLY to work as helpers – working in the kitchen, cleaning, or serving in the restaurants. They were graduated from universities, others from college, yet they chose to come to the Netherlands to work, for instance, in a restaurant.

I don’t understand. Oh, no way, will the next generation modify the song as “my forefathers were servants in other countries” (nenek moyangku seorang babu/kacung di negeri orang)?

Then, I went to the bathroom to take out my soft-lenses. I was, then, thinking, “hm,.. if working in the Netherlands is the only solution to feed the babies, pay the bills and rents, would their work be counted as esteemed work?”

Realizing how difficult it is to find a job in Indonesia, it was, maybe, their choice to consider coming to the Netherlands. Dream to be rich, as Bill Gates, to unlimitedly shop in Kalvertoren, or to eat out in the weekend in Sea Palace, or simply the dream to feed the babies with proper milk, to feed the children three times a day with proper meals (4 sehat 5 sempurna) and to provide a proper shelter for the spouses. Ah yeah,.. all the dreams.

I know, everyone pursues his own dream, like I do.

If it has to be the choice, to work as helpers in the Netherlands, don’t be ashamed! Yes, it is probably the way God shows you, and he never makes mistakes. Thus, let our grandchildren sing the song, proudly, “my forefathers were servants, and they were proud of it. They paid the bills, fed the children and they were happy.”