High costs prevent students vacations

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post/Yogyakarta

As many Muslims here left for their hometowns to enjoy the feast at the end of the Ramadhan fast with their families, high transportation costs kept some university students in Yogyakarta put, surviving the holiday on instant noodles.

"Back home, after the Idul Fitri morning prayer, our family usually eats particular foods prepared for the day, ketupat (rice cake wrapped in coconut leaves) served with opor ayam (chicken cooked with spices in coconut milk)," recalled Seprizky Pratama, a native of Neusu, Aceh province, who could not return to his family for Idul Fitri.

"This year, I could only imagine the taste of mother's cooking as I only had instant noodles to eat."

The student of Gadjah Mada University's school of engineering missed his parents and three siblings, but high transportation costs made him think twice about making the trip.

To go home to Aceh, he said, would cost him at least Rp 1.4 million (US$140) -- Rp 500,000 for the air ticket to Jakarta and another Rp 800,000 to Medan plus Rp 100,000 for the bus fare to reach Aceh.

His limited days off made traveling by bus an unappealing option.

"A single land trip might take four days, if there's no congestion on the way. So I should have at least eight days, and I only have two weeks' holiday," he said.

Since he has no family in Yogyakarta, Seprizky stayed in his boarding house in Pogung Baru for the holiday. The fact that most food stalls were closed accounted for his diet of instant noodles.

Another student, Mutaqin, also a native of Aceh, did not go back home either, although his parents did send him money.

"The money was not much, but enough to buy some new clothes," he said.

In order to save money to enable him to visit his friends at Idul Fitri, Mutaqin broke his fast in a nearby mosque that provided free meals. "Visiting friends is costly since transportation fares have gone up. If I don't save money, I might end up hungry," he said.

Another student, Bima of West Nusa Tenggara, also decided to stay in Yogyakarta for Idul Fitri since he did not have Rp 400,000 for a single trip home.

"I actually miss my family, but what can I do? My financial situation does not allow me to travel," Bima said.