I never had a picture in my head that I can meet this white girl and be friended with her. She is even called the American Chen, and I am as the Indonesian Katie. We were raised by a totally different culture, but maybe with the same root; Catholic faith, we just clicked the right button!
I am making this post to celebrate our friendship, to celebrate her birthday. It's been 2 years since we last met, but we have been keeping in touch, and how funny that we are now working in the related field. Our jobs are dealing with international students.
It is Katie Weiseman's birthday todaaay.
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| my cantik friend in Batik |
I met her at her dorm room in Winter 2010 in the University of Minnesota. Her room was just across the staircase, probably less than 20 steps away from my own room. She was our corridor assistant, a friendly girl with a wide smile that made you feel welcomed. We bumped into each other (duh, what do you expect, I needed to pass her room to be able to reach my room) often until one day we realized that we went to the same church and we were born in the same year.
I couldn't remember exactly how we got closer. I think it was started with Matt Maher. hahaha. Youth group from our church, Newman Center, I think they were called SPO - Saint Paul Outreach presented a small concert with Matt Maher and Audrey Assad, both are notable Cahtolic singer. I remember it was in the basement of our U called the Whole. It was a fun concert, we totally had fun.
Then, we just started giggling every time we met. She told her stories, I told mine, we shared coffee, went to uptown and downtown together. I went to her room when I was sick doing my paper, we hugged each other when we met between classes just because we needed a little warmth in our tough school year (and I may add tough winter). She told me about her friends (I recalled that she told me about 3 different Brittanys? and several more Megans? haha), I told her about my crushes (she tried to pronounce the names right, lol). That's what girls did anyway. Despite differences we have, we found things in common.
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| We both know how to have fun |
I worked with Americans while I was there, and yes, I felt quiet different. I found there was a cultural clash that I could not define. However, while I am with this girl, I just felt fine, excellent, like we're just having different skin colors. Other than that, we're just the same. If you know what I mean :)
Sadly I needed to go home for good in 2011. It was a year and a half full of warmth. Thankfully, I made it my way to Minneapolis in 2013. We definitely spent time again together. I met her then boyfriend now husband for the first time. It was him that told us how similar we were within 10 minutes ride. Haha. He pointed out how we just started giggling whenever we talked. That's when American Chen and Indonesian Katie came up. I just knew him through her stories, but he just pointed out things that we were not aware before.
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| 2011 |
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| 2013 |
She's with me in my rough time even though it was not a literal meaning. She's still in Minnesota, and I am in Indonesia. She cared about me when I lost my mom, sent prayers and messages. I just felt a little sorry that 10000 miles were really far away when she got married in 2014. I was just having a new job and work couldn't allow me to travel that far. I finally had a chance to US again in Spring 2015, we couldn't meet but we talked for HOURS on the phone hahaha. It was funny that we could talk about anything. We learned about each other's culture and the way of living. I am totally blessed that I have known her. I learned to respect differences because she was doing so. She tried to understand issues that related to my situation. For instance, racial issues, religions, immigrations, those things.
Now, we both feel that 10,000 miles is nothing. We exchanging messages, looking at updates on newsfeeds, commenting. Though, we both hope that we can meet again in person one day.
Indeed, friendship has no theory...
I have a friend that I only met once, but years after years of checking each other's news feed, we just found more things that we were in common. I have closed friends that are different religions from me, and we are doing very well. I have a friend that I had a crush on, and we are fine too. I have a friend from different ages as well inspite of her being too delusional sometimes, and annoying one haha, but I still love her and miss her sooo much. Friendship has no theory at all.
Happy Birthday my dear Katie, the American Chen . Happy anniversary for you and Matt. God loves you both and I love you both. Many blessings for you. I pray that things work for you both.
Terima kasih cantik for being my friend...
#friendsforyearsandstillcounting
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| me and my cantik friend :) US |
CVB
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