Ramadhan, Reunion, and the Return That Changed Everything
It was nearly 6 p.m. when a young man in a crisp black-and-white suit stepped out of a cold taxi, his shoulders slumped from the weight of the day. As he glanced at his watch, his eyes widened in sudden panic. He had forgotten to buy food for iftar. The International Syamsudin Noor Airport was buzzed softly with the sound of passengers rushing to break their fast. He found himself drawn to a stall that smelled of sambal pencit, a typical sambal available only at fried duck stalls.
Here he was now, hearing the vendor converse Madurese with her partner. He ended up eating alone at Warung Bebek Madura, just a short walk from the boarding gate. RE, 24, didn’t mind the solitude–not tonight as he polished off the last spoonful of nasi bebek, a quiet smile formed on his lips. “Finally, the day has come,” he whispered to himself, the excitement unmistakable even in his soft voice.
This year marked RE’s very first mudik experience; it was also his first out-of-islands experience. He had been out of Yogyakarta, Java, to Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan for 10 months. Absolutely, Palangkaraya was not on his bingo card; it was randomly placed by the government system. According to him, there was never a long holiday that allowed him to return to Yogyakarta. “The longest break I got was usually just a three-day weekend, which was far too short for an inter-island trip, ” he shared. He’d need at least seven days to truly stay and spend time in Jogja. So, this was his most awaited journey after 10 months. Not only homecoming, this mudik lebaran Eid al-fitr made him the new one.
Not Just Going Back–Giving Back
This was a return not just as a visitor but as someone who was no longer a student but a fresh graduate finally living his dream of working at the prosecutor’s office.
“Thankfully, the income I could earn was worth enough. And that was nothing without my family support,” he shared. In this new role and occupation, he could finally afford the things he couldn’t once he was a student. Now, he was eager to give back.
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He had already prepared some special presents for the people closest to his heart, his mother. RE bought her super fine and comfy shoes. He carefully chose a pair of soft, high-quality ones that could ease her foot pain. And not to forget, the annual Eid al-fitr tradition of giving THR (holiday allowance) wouldn’t be missed. He had set aside millions of rupiahs, ready to be shared with his siblings, nephew, and cousins. He admitted that he had been saving up for months that now finally reached 15 million rupiahs.
People didn’t need to know how much effort he had poured into getting here. For RE, the smiles on his family’s faces were more than enough. Watched them unwrapping the presents he had carefully chosen, seeing their joy and surprise–that was his own kind of happiness. It filled a space in his heart that achievements alone couldn’t reach.
Longing for Home
Beyond the new role and responsibilities, there was something deeper that made RE count the days to mudik, it was something more personal and emotional. Being 10 months away from home and family was not easy for RE. There was a time he had a fever for an entire week. There was no mother to prepare medicine for him, no siblings to keep him company at home like he was used to. He had no choice but to go to the hospital alone–and access to healthcare wasn’t as easy as it was back in Java. The nearest clinic was a 30-minute journey away. Anyway, that was just a little hard time he finally could went through easily.
“The hardest part and honestly, what I missed the most was just being able to talk to my family”, he said. He was used to sharing every little thing that happened in his day with his mother and siblings. He’d tell them about the annoying people he met, and the homies would always have something funny to say about it. Sometimes, he’d mess with his sister just to get a rise out of her. Seeing her sister annoyed was weirdly satisfying.
Another thing he missed deeply was the simple joy of waiting for Iftar. Their family used to cooperate with each other. His mother would be busy in the kitchen preparing the main dishes, with a little help from his sister. Then, he’d head out to hunt for snacks and sweet iced drinks for takjil. But in Palangkaraya, everything was different. He did it all alone: cooking, preparing, and eating in silence.
Despite all the challenges he had been through, that couldn’t stop him from going back home. His desire to spend the remaining days of Ramadhan was strong. Deep down, he wasn’t sure if he’d have the same chance next year– and that uncertainty made this moment feel even more precious. So this time, with the opportunity in his hands, he made the most of it. He knew his mother would be happy too, when the whole family was together.
Finally, he landed at Yogyakarta International Airport, he couldn’t wait to be wrapped in his mother’s warm hug. As he passed through the arrival gate, he could see lines of people at the boarding gate. It came to his mind that those people might be heading back home like him. Long story short, he has arrived home. To his surprise, there was his cousin, who had just come back from Jakarta. He meant to have a quick transit before continuing his journey to Surabaya. That night, they stayed up together, waiting for the pre-fast meal. They shared such long stories of our out-of-island experiences. Turns out his cousin felt the same kind of homesickness RE had experienced. The challenges, loneliness, and doing everything on your own, it wasn’t easy. But they both agreed that without those hard times, they wouldn’t have become the stronger, better, and more independent people they are now.
