'I go to pay homage to my parents'

'I go to pay homage to my parents'

The city administration estimates 2.5 million Jakarta residents
will travel to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri with
relatives. The Jakarta Post asked two residents their plans for
this year.

Didiek Sugianto, 30, works for an international oil service
company. He lives with his wife and two children in Bumi Serpong
Damai housing complex in Tangerang:

Idul Fitri is the best time for the whole family to get
together. Most of my family lives in Jakarta, while my parents
and grandparents live in Malang, East Java, so during the Idul
Fitri holiday the family usually takes time off to return to our
hometown and get together at our grandparents' or our parents'
house.

As long as our parents are alive, it's my duty to at least
spare some time each year to pay them homage.

This year is special because I have a new baby. My mother only
got to see him when he was born and she came to stay until he was
three months old. She misses him very much.

Iwan Noviarsyah, 32, is a software engineer and works on Jl.
Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta. He lives in Pondok Kopi, East
Jakarta:

I'm not going to join the mudik (annual exodus to hometowns
for the Idul Fitri celebration) to Padang, West Sumatra, this
year. I haven't been for the last four years.

With the high cost of living due to the increase in fuel
prices it would be better for people not join the mudik either.

Besides, mudik has just become another tradition, the essence
of which is to meet old acquaintances. If that's the case, surely
it can be done at any other time of the year and not during this
major holiday.

The way I see it, my generation is less attach to their place
of origin. My parents both come from Padang, but I was born and
raised here in Jakarta. So if my parents don't return to their
hometown, should I? I don't have any emotional attachment to
Padang.

-- The Jakarta Post