In The Early Winter

Milk tea (in Chinese called 奶茶) is my favorite drinking in Taiwan. Although i know the effect after drunk it, i still continue to drink milk tea because the taste is very delicious. Do you know that Taiwan tea is so strong? Especially for me who have a little allergy in caffeine. After drink Taiwan tea, i can’t sleep almost the whole of night, feel want to vomit, and my heart beat faster than usual. It also gives effect like a stimulant. I will become more fresh and feel more excited in doing something. So, i usually drink milk tea when i have an exam or many homework. It makes me stay awake until morning.

It was in the middle of November. Winter started to come. The temperature could drop until around 10 degree C. The wind’s blow feel so cold . I have to study for my exam. So, i needed to drink milk tea.

That evening, i went to the canteen to buy milk tea. Not many people over there, so I didn’t need to be in queue. Only me and one boy after me. I didn’t pay attention to him at all, even i didn’t see his face. I went away directly after paid. But, when i just reached to the front of the canteen, someone stopped my step. He greeted me politely.
“Hi, i am sorry, I’m Walter from school magazine” He introduce his self. At that time i heard his name is water. (對不起)
“Could i talk with you, i want to ask some question to you” He continued
I was a little bit confuse, because i am just an ordinary student. Nothing special on me. What this guy want to ask me about
“I am sorry, what kind of question that i need to be answered” I asked him
“I just want to interview some international students to be written in school magazine“
“Ooh, oke. no problem“
“When will you have time, i need to talk face to face with you” He asked me then
“Maybe next week, because i have many exam this week” I told him
He asked my phone number and gave me paper to write on.
“I will call you later” He ended the conversation
Then i went back to my dormitory.

Wednesday, November 18,2009

Wednesday was my full day class. I have class from morning until evening. I was in the chemical engineering Kinetic class when my handphone vibrated. I couldn’t answer it. I didn’t know who was calling, because only the number that showed on the display. So, i just kept it vibrate until stop by itself. However, i remembered about the guy whom i met in the canteen 2 days before. I worried that the one who just called was really him. But haven’t i told him that i have many exam this weeks and i would have free time next week? Finally i sent message to that number “sorry I am in the class, who was calling” no answer at that time.

After kinetic class then i had to attended “ Thin film” class. Again, my mobile phone vibrated. It was the same number as before. I couldn’t answer because I sat really near the lecturer. Then i got a message ” hi lili, i am Walter, i want to talk with you face to face, if you get the message, please call me“. As what I guessed, the one who called me before was Walter. But at that time i still thought that his name is Water. I answered his message shortly ” Now, i am still in the class until 1:30. I will call you after class“.

3:30-5:30 pm. I have seminar class. My mobile phone vibrated for the third time. It was from Walter. Ya, I knew because I have already saved his number. Oh, i really forgot that i have promise to call him after class. It was because i have many things to do after my previous class until seminar. Impossible for me to answer him at that time. So, i sent him a message again “sorry i have seminar class, i will call you tonight“. He had called me three times that day, and what a pity i couldn’t answer those his call. So sorry.

I called him then after seminar class. He wanted to meet me on Thursday, means day after that day. Actually i was a little bit busy that weeks, but maybe he has no time except that week, so i made an appointment to meet him at Thursday 10 am. Still, there was something happened on Thursday morning, i couldn’t meet him again. Then I made new appointment to meet him at 4 pm, but he said he has class on that time and will be available at 7:30pm. In front of MOS Burger is the place he chose.

I invited my roommate to go with me. She is an Indian girl named Olivia. The wind blew so hard that night. The leaves detach from their stem. I taught the autumn hasn’t really finished yet. We waited for Walter in front of MOS burger. Actually I didn’t remember his face at all. And I didn’t know whether he was still remember me or not. But at least, I looked different with other students because I wear “jilbab”(in English maybe has close meaning with scarf). He must be know me. Olivia felt so cold, then I lent him my shawl.

After sometimes one guy come to us, he asked me weather I’m Lili or not? “This guy must be walter“ I thought. Then I said ya. He invited us to enter MOS burger. He ordered tea for me and coffee for Olivia. “Tea again, means I will sleep late tonight “ I speak to my heart. Then he started to interview me.

He looked curious especially to my “jilbab”. Ya, in Taiwan people who wear jilbab is very rare. Maybe some of Taiwanese never seen “jilbab” before. No wonder if some students look at me deeply if I walk in campus. Become more strange in summer when most people wear very short clothes but I still wear long clothes and jilbab in my head. I have been asked for many times by Taiwanese“你不覺得很熱嗎? “ aren’t you feeling hot?” I just answered “不熱” . (read: not hot)

Go back to the interview section, Walter asked my name first. Then I ask him back. He answer Walter, then must be there was something wrong with my ears, because I still heard he said Water. “Who? Water? 水(shui)? “ I made sure. (in chinese water means shui (水)). “No, not shui (水), not water but Walter” He explained while smiling. But maybe to his heart he said “I have thought hard to create my English name, why you change it easily” ^^. I became want to laughing, because since yesterday I called him water. I know it just his English name , not his real name. Actually in Taiwan we need to make a Chinese name, and Taiwanese also arrange their English name, to made foreigner easy to call them. I asked his Chinese name. But I don’t know what he said. So difficult to be spelled and more difficult to be remembered. Lately, I knew that his Chinese name is 施文慶

He asked me many things about my country, Indonesia. About the weather, culture, people, and so on. He Also asked about Islam. It was good chance for me to introduce him and to other people about Moslem. How the way to dressing in Islam, the way to pray, the way to associate with others. I just made point that Moslem is a peace religion, it doesn’t as scary as what most people heard in media. Even I differ with other people in some ways, but I still can make a friend with everybody, I still can study together with other student and I still can do activity normally. I am not only proud but also feel lucky to be a Moslem. Islam is the only perfect religion, because it sets every aspect of life. Islam is the religion of truth.

Walter was really like a professional journalist. His English also good enough, so we can communicate well. Chinese is totally different with English, so for some Taiwanese, it will be hard to speak in English. There are some question that I couldn’t answer directly, so I promised to send him email later. interviewed section closed by took pictures.

Friendship can start from everywhere, everytime and with everyone. Just be the good person then you’ll get the good friends too. Because we never know, when we need other people to help us. I never thought before that the one who ever stopped my step will help me much in the future and became a good friend of mine. Even the meeting is maybe only one year, but the friendship will be forever.

spring, 2010
written by jasmine
special thanks to 施文慶

Advertisement