I Miss Them A Lot
On Dec 24, 2011, at 8:41 PM
Dear Mom and Dad.
It's been a while I haven't replied your email. I'm sorry, I didn't really have enough time to do so, because of school and stuff had to be done. And today is the first of my school getting off this last year till the second week next year. I did well on my exam test for this semester.
I was chosen to be basketball player for 12th graders, we went to the final and I got injured on my right leg, and yesterday I went to the doctor, he said it was not really serious injury, so I can still walk even it hurts me a lot.
I received all of your mails. They were in one big envelope and written down on it that it missed to Kongo before they got here. And about English Competition at my school I told you on phone, I was not allowed to join this by my teachers. They said that It would not have been fair enough if I had joined it. So I didn't join this, even though I really expected knowing my english so far.
Anyway, last night I saw video I made about snow times we spent together, and I wonder if it's already turned snow there. I put chrismas song on it, and it brought me to the christmas events I spent in America, my first christmas, it was really great. I hope I can feel the second chance of it. I would like to say,"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody!" Indonesian Santa Clause would come home through your chimney and read all of your hopes and put the presents in sock. Hohoho... 
This holiday I'm spending time at my grandma's house, my parents are going to Jember, where my sister is. Here is cold enough because it's close to the farm areas. I went for walk this morning, went through rice fields, looked at the mountains and enjoyed the bird singing, it was just like spring on Beechview Dr., so nice, wet, chill.
On tuesday I'm gonna do some community service. I built youth association and it goes on social steps. For the first time we are going to plant 1000 trees at the edge of river in Tulungagung. And also we are collecting books from the students. We are going to give them to orphanage and some of them are going to be placed at the library for remote schools.
About new year, I'm gonna spend new year's eve on mount Bromo. My friends and I are going on Friday December 30th 2011. We are going to hike to the crater at the top of Mount Bromo. It's going to be the great end of my adventure this year and opening of my greater adventure next year. 
I feel so happy heard that Zarin asked Kate to marry him. It's wonderful news. Say hello to him.
There are so many words I'd like to talk with you.
Thank you very much, Mom, Dad!
And big smile from Indonesian family 
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 11:30 AM
Dear Radhingga
We are so happy to receive your e mail letter and learn about your activities. I wish we could have seen you playing basketball. Your arm is OK now. You must be very fearless and now you have an injury, it is like Luiz, you put your whole body into it. At Zumba I often think of when you were dancing with us, you learned it fast and did all the moves, fearless. Since you, there has not been a male in the class.
We will think of you on Mount Bromo on New Year's eve looking into the crater. We will think about it as soon as we wake up on Saturday because of your time being much later there. You can start the new year with a good adventure, and I agree this past year has probably been one of your big years for adventure. We did a lot together and it was so great.
Thank you for explaining about the English competition, I hoped you were not forgetting all you learned, but of course you would know it best and it might not be fair for the others.
We like knowing you are helping to organize service activities there. Meagen will be happy to hear about it.
Zarin came home for 5 days last week so Meagen came home and we all went to Simeon's. Zarin played basketball with Opolot and Oluka. There is no snow and were no horse and carriage rides and no fires with marshmallows, so you lucked out last year. Then Simeon and Oluka came here for a few days. Zarin went with Kate to have Christmas with her family in Ohio, so we only had me Keith and Yusri here,and Santa came and filled the stockings, Yusri's only Christmas. Then Lynn and Randy came for turkey dinner. Yes, snow is nice, and I hope we get some, but I think not before Yusri returns to school on Jan.3
I have something to ask if you have time to answer. Would a kid coming from an African Arab type of Muslim background find this school and culture too loose? Did you find the kids at Linworth crazy or afraid of them? It is a stupid question because I know you did not, but Yusri seems so reluctant to make friends he even said the kids are crazy and doesn't want a phone because he doesn't want them to call him. So he is with us, and even comes home for lunch. The teachers and I are trying to figure out how to help him to feel more a part of school. Maybe you have something you can tell us. The interesting thing is he seems happy and says he likes the school and maybe he just likes attention here as an only child. At home in Africa his mom died and father left them so he lives in a big family. He is shy. He also spends too too much time on the internet looking at friends in Africa and everything African. We try to limit it. I am worried his time will go by with his head not here where he is at the moment.
Just wondering about your experience here. I wonder what you are thinking now that you have been home a while, how have you changed? more mature, maybe even more daring and brave? Do you feel more a part of a whole world family?
I find it interesting that Yusri wants to watch the Jackie Chan movies like you. Boys are individually very different, and some ways very similar in any part of the world. You and Ali were interesting, pretty cool huh.
I love the photos on the facebook. They bring good memories and it is interesting to see your new activities and to see your family and Ivon. Enjoy your time with grandparents away from the city.
Well this is too much writing but we think of you always, and always you will be our son and don't forget it!!!
love, Mom and Dad
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