Balinese boy's day is full of work and play<\/p>\n
By Wawan S. Husin<\/p>\n
SINGARAJA, BALI (JP): Elementary school student Nyoman Sukarma
\nis about 10 years old but his day begins long before school
\nopens.<\/p>\n
At 5:30 a.m. he wakes up to help his parents set up their
\ncoffee stall on Tejakula Beach.<\/p>\n
In addition to coffee, the stall sells soft drinks, tea, and
\nsnacks, with rice and side dishes also available upon request.
\nNyoman helps his parents prepare glasses and plates, washing the
\ndirty utensils and returning them to the kitchen area. He cleans
\nthe tables before getting himself ready to go to school, about a
\n15-minute walk from the stall.<\/p>\n
Nyoman is eager to go to school, but he is also happy to
\nreturn home at 1 p.m. If there are no chores to be done, he sails
\ntoy ships made from the stems of banana leaves in the Kali Mas
\nRiver. He uses plastic as the sail, watching as the ship is
\ntugged by the wind.<\/p>\n
In the late afternoon, he often visits mask maker I Gde Sandi
\nto watch the master at work.<\/p>\n
Nyoman is already showing his culinary flair. It was apparent
\none day before school when a bearded man stopped by and asked him
\nto help grill some fish. Nyoman was eager to help the old man.
\nFirst, he washed and cleaned the fish. He then built a makeshift
\ngrill from two concrete blocks and six pieces of sambuk, the
\ndried coconut husk. He put two branches on the blocks and set the
\ncoconut husk on fire. He deftly rubbed margarine and soybean oil
\nover the fish, which were large at about one and a half kilograms
\neach.<\/p>\n
"Sambuk makes the best burning material," he told the bearded
\nman. His friend, Badut, watched from a short distance away and
\nanother older friend, Wayan Suwarjaya, came and parked his
\nbicycle to get a better look. Nyoman's dog, Sempol, waddled over
\nwith the expectation of grabbing a bite to eat. His young master
\ntossed him a piece of the fish, with the dog wagging its tail in
\ndelight.<\/p>\n
He enjoys his life, helping his parents and showing his
\nexpertise at cooling, but what does he want for the future?<\/p>\n
"I want to be a trader," he answered. "I want to continue my
\nstudies."<\/p>\n
He desires more than an elementary school education, although
\nhis two sisters, like millions of other children in the country,
\nwere forced to drop out of school during the devastating economic
\ncrisis of the past three years.<\/p>\n
Nyoman lifted the last of the fish off the grill and handed
\nthem to the bearded man. He walked back to his home and tucked
\nhis schoolbooks under his arm, ready to continue his studies.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/balinese-boys-day-is-full-of-work-and-play-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}