Homesickness for Hometown Hampered by Floods in Jakarta

Flooding across several areas in Jakarta has forced some residents to curb their longing to return to their hometown for Lebaran. One resident of Pulo Raya, Petogogan, South Jakarta, Hilman, said he really wants to go home to see his family and that going home for Lebaran is a moment he always looks forward to each year. The desire to mudik for Lebaran is still there, especially since his family in his hometown of Cirebon are waiting for his return. ‘Actually, I still want to mudik. After all, you only meet family in the countryside once a year. Moreover, parents and siblings are already waiting there,’ he said. However, the flooding in his neighbourhood makes Hilman rethink his plan. Therefore, he says he is likely to postpone his Lebaran mudik this year. ‘But what can you do, the conditions are flooded now. So it’s most likely that I won’t be mudik this year,’ he said. Nevertheless, he hopes he can still go home to his hometown at another time once the situation improves. ‘If the weather is rainy and flood-prone, this year alone we’ve already had three floods,’ said Dul. He usually goes home for Lebaran, but this time the plan is not yet certain due to the unpredictable weather. According to Dul, the decision to mudik will depend heavily on the weather in the coming days. ‘For now, it’s more about watching how the weather turns out. If conditions improve, we will mudik; if not, we will cancel. If it keeps like this, the weather means the trip is likely to be cancelled,’ he said.