Holidays: Time to relax and work?
School holiday is the most wonderful time for students as they do not have to attend classes or do homework. It's time to relax and refresh themselves, The Jakarta Post's contributor I. Christianto reports.
JAKARTA (JP): For some students in Jakarta, school holidays mean a longer period to sleep or to hang around at shopping malls, where they can window shop and relax.
It may sound boring, but this could happen if the students do not have any better idea on how to spend the holiday while the parents are busy with their routine work.
"Yeah, I think I'll just sleep longer or go window shopping or see more movies at TA (Taman Anggrek shopping mall in Slipi, West Jakarta)," said Yvette, 13, who just passed to the second-grade of Santa Maria junior high school.
She said that her parents would likely be busy with their jobs as usual and will do not have any time for her during the holidays.
To keep herself busy, Yvette takes piano lessons and other courses.
She is not the only one who does not have any particular plan fir the holidays.
"Some friends of mine will also just stay at home, so we can meet regularly and go out, having fun together. We also love to swim," said Yvette.
The holidays began on Monday for most private schools. Students of state schools will start enjoying the holidays in the next a few days. Some private schools' holidays last for a month, while in state schools it is only about two weeks as the students had a longer holiday during Ramadhan (prior to the Idul Fitri holy day).
Most schools close for holidays at year end. Santa Maria, for instance, never offers any activities for the students during the holiday period.
"We have programs only during quarterly holidays, but not for the long holidays. It's the time for children to be together with their parents," said Juniar M. Siregar, a counseling teacher at Santa Maria.
There are many organizations that offer special programs for students during the holidays, ranging from courses to outdoor activities.
Taman Safari in Cisarua, West Java, for example, has a camping program for the study of nature conservation - dubbed Kembara. It offers students the chance to appreciate nature by sleeping in tents and observing indigenous plants and animals while walking in the forest.
Children from affluent households have more choices. There have been numerous advertisements of travel and holiday services in local media these weeks preparatory to the holidays. To attract the young customers, several travel agents have invited child stars to join their overseas tours.
Smailing Tour offers two kinds of tours to Los Angeles, U.S.A., including visits to Disneyland, Seaworld and Universal Studio. Prices range between US$1,820 and $1,399. The tours will feature child star Joshua and child singer Chikita.
Bobo children's magazine, in collaboration with Bayu Buana Tour also organizes a similar tour to L.A. People interested to go on that tour, which features child singer Agnes Monica, must prepare a budget of some $1,595 (adult) or $1,295 (children, non- bed).
Ninuk of Bobo said that the tour to L.A. is offered based on input from its readers, mostly elementary and junior high school students.
She said that most of them mentioned that they were looking for some entertaining activities. "We found that most of them are dreaming of going to the U.S."
"Bobo initiated a tour to the Gold Coast in Australia three years ago. It was a success and this year we're sure to hold further tours to the U.S.," she said, adding that child star Eno Lerian also is going on the tour.
The magazine did not hold any domestic tours because such tours can be organized by schools, she said.
Most of the participants in 1997 were from Jakarta. "Only one from Bandung," Ninuk said.
But this year, some people from Semarang in Central Java and Surabaya in East Java have expressed an interest to join.
"Both children and parents have their own reasons to go abroad. We know that some people in Indonesia, particularly in Jakarta, who have budgets for that," she said.
Meanwhile, Eiffel International Educational Service, has organized a holiday educational tour to Singapore and Malaysia for students.
Yandi, of Eiffel, said that it was dubbed an educational tour because it comprises a two-week English course in Singapore and only a weekend tour in Malaysia.
"The major aim is to show educational institutions in Singapore to the participants, restricted to ages 10 to 15 years. This is our first activity, but we received enthusiastic response. The group is already closed now as we have reached the maximum number of 15 participants," he said.
The tour costs $1,380 including transportation, accommodation and the English course.
Agaphos Tour also offers special tours during the school holidays.
Finda, of Agaphos, said her company offers special rates for hotels in Singapore, Yogyakarta, Bromo, Bali and Lombok.
"..interested people must arrange their own transportation, but we're ready to help them," she said, adding that the rates for local hotels range from Rp 1.2 million and Rp 630,000.
Non-intellectual
Noted educator J. Drost SJ said that for the students, the most important thing during the holiday is doing nonintellectual things.
"It's important for students to have leisure time. Doing nothing will also be boring," he said.
Drost suggested that children of the same housing complex, same school or same organization hold activities together on their own since most parents are busy with their work.
It is expected that the students will spend the holidays for refreshing.
Drost did not see anything wrong with the children who could afford holidays abroad, even though this is not necessarily the best way to spend the holidays.
"They can go out of town to visit family's relatives, spending one or two weeks there," he said.
"The ideal one is nothing else but camping. Just go to the area around Sukabumi in West Java to find a location for camping. It's not too far from Jakarta compared to other places in Central Java."
While some students are starting to pack their stuff and get ready to go for holidays out of town or abroad, others like Yvette will hang around at the malls or visiting recreation parks with moderate fees.
As for those from the lower income families, holidays could mean working - some children might spend their time hawking cigarettes or snacks - or idling.
Wibowo, who runs a small stall selling instant noodles in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta, said that his two children always stay at home during school holidays.
"We don't have any money to go anywhere," he said.
If Wibowo has extra money, he plans to send his children to an Islam religion class or take them to the public park in Monas.
Otherwise, "they can play football with their friends in a nearby field."
The Monas park, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and the Ragunan Zoo are the most popular recreation spots in Jakarta, especially for the lower-income people. More expensive places are Taman Ria Senayan, Ancol Dreamland and Taman Safari park in Cisarua, Bogor, West Java.