Marantau - To Leave Your Home Area To Make a Living

On #weekend-engagement in this time, I chose option four :
Tell us about when you first moved out of home and took control of your own life independently from your parents. Were you nervous or excited by the prospect, were you forced to leave or was it by choice? How did the process go - smoothly or were there problems?

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Marantau is a word from the Minangkabau language and culture (one of the local ethnic groups in Indonesia). Marantau can be interpreted as a human journey to a place with a specific purpose, such as looking for work and money or seeking knowledge (college or school), and going on vacation outside the city is not part of "Marantau" activities. One thing is certain, marantau is a way for Indonesian people to develop and seek a better life than where they came from.

Everyone in Indonesia will experience a “marantau” moment. Moments go and get out of the house to wander. I've had that moment too. One moment in my life, when I had to leave the house to go to Padang City to study at one of the best campuses on Sumatra Island, namely Andalas University.

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The Story
In the middle of 2008, I was faced with two choices, work or continue my education with college. At that time, I had finished high school in Medan City, the city where I lived and was born. I've never had the experience of moving house, nor have I ever been away from my parents. Honestly, I want to just work as a firefighter or work in a factory with the aim that I am not far from my home and parents. However, my father did not agree and wanted me to study outside the province. My father wanted me to learn to be independent and responsible for myself and that can't be done if I just stay at home with my parents.

At that moment, I was still a teenager who was not even 17 years old. I didn't want to be away from my mother and I didn't want to leave the house either. At that age, I was a young man who was independent and unreliable. I never wash clothes (except underwear), make breakfast, and to be able to get up early, I have to be woken up by my mother.

Long story short, I finally passed the exam to study Animal Husbandry at Andalas University. Maybe, you will ask, if I don't want to go to college, why don't I fail my exam? I can't do it, because in my heart, I also want to make my parents proud by graduating from a good university.

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Long Distance
The distance between Padang City and Medan City is about 770 km. If you use an intercity bus, it will take 30 hours. In 2008, there was no direct flight between Medan City to Padang City, had to transit via Jakarta and of course the ticket price was very expensive. This long distance made my mother also hesitate to let me go to college. A few days before departure, he often asked me “are you sure to go to Padang City? why not just study in Medan." My father remained in his stance, I had to leave home to learn to be independent and live my way, he probably understood better that a young man would never develop and progress, if he had to stay at home.

One day before I left for Padang City, my family at home carried out the tradition of departure. We call that tradition “UpahUpah”, I still remember that moment. Because, my grandfather, grandmother, sister and mother cried to let go of my departure. They gave a lot of advice for my trips and departures. I saw that only my father was strong, it seemed he was ready to let go of my departure or maybe he was also tired of seeing me at home only spending food stocks.

I traveled alone, and the 30-hour trip made me acquainted with several people who were also going to study in Padang City. I don't have acquaintances or relatives in Padang City, I don't know where I'll be staying later, and I also don't know where Andalas University is located.

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Culture Shock
I experienced culture shock when I was in Padang. I have no problem with the community, they are friendly people and I have been helped a lot by many people there. There were two problems I faced while there. First, the language problem. I just found out that West Sumatra or Padang City use the Minang language (the local language) for daily conversation. I can't speak Minang, and can only use Indonesian. Every time I ask a question in Indonesian, the person I ask always answers in Indonesian mixed with Minang (local language). It took me half a year to understand and be able to participate in conversations with local residents.

The second problem I ran into was about manners. When I was a teenager, I was not a polite person. According to some people, the language I use is sometimes too harsh and the way I behave is also rude. I once had a shameful tragedy when I first lived in Padang City. At that time, I wanted to take public transportation (bus).

Habit in Indonesia, is to stop public transportation on the side of the road by hand (slightly different from other countries, which usually take public transportation (buses) at bus stops). I didn't know that I was using my left hand to stop the bus. The bus stopped, but the driver also got off and scolded me for using my left hand to stop the bus. In fact, in Padang (and some places in Indonesia), using the left hand is considered a derogatory and insulting symbol. After I explained I was not a local person, the bus driver understood and I was able to get on the bus but in a state of shame.

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Life Change

Going to college out of town, being away from home and my parents made a lot of changes in my life. Living independently makes me more responsible for what I do. I was not provided with enough money to live there, I looked for scholarships and also worked in several NGOs to earn extra income.

At first I was very nervous and had a hard time accepting that I had to leave the house. However, right now I am grateful. The “Marantau” moment made me wiser in taking steps in life. I am calmer, able to speak in public with many people and can also do many things.

After I graduated from college, I immediately continued my journey by working in a non-government organization, then moving to a breeding farm. Everything is the same, I don't live at my parents' house, because I work out of town. Uniquely, when I decided to get married, for two years I lived with my wife at her parents' house. After that, I bought a house (in installments) and started an Arabica coffee business and hydroponic. As I recall, after I went to college in Padang City, I never stayed more than two weeks at my parents' house.

Thank you for reading my story, maybe it's too long but when I remember the moments of “marantau” I have a lot to tell.

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