Indonesia Merdakah!

My sister went to the homeland to visit dad's grave. My youngest sister was born in the Netherlands and this is the first time for her to visit Indonesia. She's visiting Indonesia together with my older sister, who has returned many times over. When dad passed away, he was laid to rest in his town of birth. By his life, my father was very active in unions and has been very involved in advancing the station of blue collar workers in the Netherlands. In the later days of his career, he went into politics where he was one of the architects of laws that regulated the workplace, level of salary and pension, worker healthcare and safety. When I consider that when he came to the Netherlands he had to rise above prejudice and downright discrimination to eventually become a person with political influence, I can't help but feel pride that I have had the honor to be his son.

Nowadays, the Indonesian community in the Netherlands is fully integrated into society and discrimination for us is sporadic and when it happens it is more jokingly so than it is intended with actual malice. My father always said that the Indonesians integrated out of reflex. We are here, let's make the best out of it. It is because of that he once refused to appear on television for a documentary about minority groups and integration. He didn't see himself or the Indonesian community as a minority. It is certainly true that Indonesians can be found in all layers of Dutch society.

The picture is the hotel my sisters are staying and this is the first picture she uploaded as of yet... I hope she uploads more that I can share, so you guys can get an impression of where I come from.