'It's anticlimactic to return to work'

Many approached the post-Ramadhan holiday of Idul Fitri as a time to ask for forgiveness from family, friends and colleagues, while others took the chance to take a long holiday and get away from the stresses of life and traffic in the capital. The Jakarta Post asked some residents how they are dealing with the holiday hangover as they return to work this week.

Agustinus Triwahyudi, 30, is an instructor with an IT training firm in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. He lives in Radio Dalam, South Jakarta:

I could not enjoy my holiday, although the government extended the Idul Fitri break for several days. I was occupied with organizing my wedding for next week. Instead of becoming fully recharged, I got exhausted. And I've just recovered from a cold.

I think last year's holiday was longer because we enjoyed a back-to-back Idul Fitri and Christmas holiday.

This year, we must steel ourselves to return to work after the extended holiday -- but not for long, as Christmas and New Year are coming next month.

Yulia Wardhani, 30, is a lecturer at a nursing school in Salemba, Central Jakarta, where she lives nearby with her family:

I spent my two-week holiday traveling around with my husband -- that was our belated honeymoon, and it was anticlimactic when I went in to my office and found piles of work to be done.

Frankly, I need several days to pull myself together to tend to unavoidable tasks.

If I don't, the unfinished work will give me more headaches. -- The Jakarta Post