Holidays: Time to relax and work?

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.