The roar of the engine clashing with the wind complicates my head already dizzy as I am exposed to the UV. "Selamat Datang Di Kota Salatiga", the big words in upfront of my view seem to greet me with a big smile. As I entered the road of Salatiga, the splashing breeze made my head suddenly turned into calm. The crowded road companying me along the way from Semarang had just bothered my eyes which seems like insulted my brain cells to be angry every single time.
Nevertheless, it seems cured by the way I saw the organized yet catchy sidewalk at my side less minute after the Salatiga City entrance. The unorganized art of the sidewalk floor mixed with the presence of stone chairs, sidewalk poles, and iron benches completed with the number of trees that take a big role as the mother nature of the sidewalk.
"Oh God, I love this city!" My heart sounded loud.
I can't be more humbled by the fact I saw people walking under the western sunlight on the sidewalk. None of them look in a terrible mood. Smiling at their face while talking to each other just gave me a signal of how they love walking.
With my brain still adoring with no break time, I suddenly realize that I am in the UKSW area, my lovely campus. The existing people increased as I arrived at the UKSW area. Black people, white people, yellow, and brown, all seem connected with no barrier. They just laughed and cheered, the strange thing I saw because that is rare in Semarang. Zebra Cross is not just a road sign near UKSW, as it is used often by the way people come and go.
Without any force to stop my willingness, I parked my motorcycle right in front of UKSW next to the sidewalk. I started to look around to pamper my eyes to enjoy the environment. The roaring engine clashes with the parking guy's whistles, creating some tension for a guy with a blue jacket to hurry and run making sure his feet finally touch the gates. It’s funny to see him back to walking slowly after that hurry run and perhaps his faculty is more than 3 minutes walk.
As I enjoyed the show of the blue jacket guy, I lit up my cigarette. As I exhaled the first smoke, the wind suddenly blew it away. With a coffee bottle I bought at Indomaret before, it seems like a precious thing to feel. Mother nature trees above me, a choir birds’ show, completed with undoubtedly fresh Salatiga air. Cheap? Of course! Happy? why not? It’s so easy to enjoy Salatiga. I look at myself and ask myself a question n, how can I hate Salatiga when I can get thousands of joy just by sitting on its sidewalk?
Yusak Samulya, 2023
