Where Really Am I?

A beautiful village town, there is an islamic boarding school which is quite famous. The Islamic boarding school is famous for its best student achievements and complete facilities. I am also very grateful to be able to go to school and graduate from that islamic boarding school. I have graduated from the islamic boarding school with the first rank in general and as a memorizer of the Al-Quran or commonly called hafiz Quran. My parents are very proud of me. As long as I live, I always stick to the religion that I profess. In accordance with religious teachings, I always give good trustees and warn my friends and also myself to stay away from bad teachings or even something sins. My friends are very happy to be friends with me, they said that I am a helper from bad things or sinful things. I wear the prayer prayer cap almost everywhere I go to make people immediately know the religion that I profess. I have a best friend named Randy. Randy was my best friend when we were at the islamic boarding school until we graduated. The two of us often travel together, either for shopping purposes or just for entertained ourself. After we graduated, we decided to pursue higher education. We were confused, which education will we choose. We went to play while talking and asking for the continuation of our choices for our education later.

"Where do you want to go to college?" asked Randy

"I don't know, I'm confused, I want to study abroad. How about you?"

"I'm also confused, mostly in the city as I am. Good luck and success, friend!”

Two months later.

Then came college enrollment day. I, who stick with my initial stance, will register for higher education abroad. Likewise with Randy who still wants to study in a nearby city. "Are you still choose study abroad, ri? Which country did you choose?” asked Randy with curiosity. "yeah I am, it seems like in Bravisla to choose a campus later. I want to stay with a country with a Muslim majority," I answered confidently. "yes, we are graduates of Islamic boarding schools, so it's better to study in a place where the majority of Muslims," replied Randy. After registering, I immediately got the exam schedule and announcements faster than Randy. I immediately invited Randy to study together, whether in one of our house or do online. The day of the exam came, I prayed that it would be easy for me to pass the test. Randy as a friend also prays at his house, I am very grateful to have a friend like Randy.

“Randy, my exam starts at 8 in the morning. Hopefully it will be easy and I will pass the test. Aamiin" I said into the phone with enthusiasm

"Aamiin, I hope that you will pass the test, Fachri Sudrajat. I pray here later" replied Randy

Two months later.

Now is the day that I have been waiting for, namely the announcement of graduation to study in Bravisla. I also searched for a list of names that passed carefully without missing a single letter! My name turns out to be in the order of 88 out of 100 originating from my country. I announced the graduation to my parents, my bestfriend, my friends and also my teachers who made them very proud of me. Randy immediately came to my house after I told the announcement. We are both very happy, but on the other hand we have to be sad because we both will be very far apart. "YOU PASSED THE TEST!!, Alhamdulillah. So proud of you" said Randy full of emotion. "Yes Randy, Alhamdulillah.. thank you for praying for me and being my friend. YOU ARE THE BEST” I said while crying and feeling grateful. Not long after that, I immediately took care of the files and packed up until the day I will have left about three weeks later.

The day is came, when I had to leave and say goodbye to my family and my best friend. They escorted me to the airport until my scheduled departure. Boarding was opened and the flight will be very long, around 13 hours with one transit.

Arriving in Bravisla, I immediately came to my small apartment that had been rent. The school year will start in about a week, I decided to explore new areas. Of course the areas are very different from Tenzorg. In Tenzorg, lots of cheap snacks are on the side of the road using carts, unlike in Bravisla, where there are only cafes and snacks in luxury shops. I also tried to buy food that was a bit familiar with the ones in Tenzorg, beef wraps. Beef wraps in Bravisla are quite expensive, around TGD 78,000, compared to TGD 15,000 in Tenzorg. After walking the streets, I will return to my apartment.

After several days of traveling around Bravisla, I experienced something weird. It left me shocked and confused as to why this was happening. The reason is because my appearance goes everywhere using a prayer prayer cap. They insulted me as a freak, but I left regardless. When school year arrived, I came with great enthusiasm to gain knowledge. When I arrived at the campus, I was surprised they looked at me like I was a weirdo. I kept going and stayed focused on studying rather than thinking about unimportant things. While waiting for the lecturer to arrive, I met a new friend beside me. "Hi mate, can we get to know each other? My name is Fachri Sudrajat. What's your name?" I said kindly “Hi Fachri, of course. My name is Freddric" he said with a smile. I was surprised by his name which looked like it wasn't a Muslim name, but I still didn't blame it. I had time to tell him about the things that I experienced while in Bravisla.

“Freddric, may I ask something?”

"Sure, what do you want to ask?"

“When I arrived here, I had experienced something that I was wearing, I guess. People in this country are looking at me with a strange look, why do you think this could happen?”

“Maybe because you're wearing something on your head. Even when I saw you, I didn't know what thing that you wear. Maybe that's why makes you look weird."

I was very surprised by Freddric's answer, even though I was wearing something that was identical to a Muslim in a place where the citizen was a Muslim too.

Day after day, I'm getting confused what's going on here. While walking to campus, I met a person wearing a prayer cap that looked like me. I approached him and I asked "hi how do you do? Can I get to know you? I see you as I see myself” I asked “oh well, of course. why do you say that?” he said confusedly "let me introduce myself. My name is Fachri. I said that because of the prayer prayer cap that you wear on your head" answered casually "oh well, nice to meet you Fachri. My name is Zeedan" Zeedan said. I also asked a few things to Zeedan while walking which coincidence of our destination

“Where are you from Zeedan? ”

“I come from Famsqi, where are you from?”

“I'm from Tenzorg. What are doing in Bravisla?”

"I'm studying here, I think you are too"

Hearing the answer from Zeedan who is the same as me is not a native of the Bravisla but only studies here. I also asked about my experience the other day, did Zeedan experience the same thing or not.

"Have you ever experienced anything strange here?"

"yes I have, they laughed when they saw me when I was walking around exploring this area"

It suddenly surprised me because his experienced something similar to me. However, it seems that Zeedan's experience is worse than mine, which is only seen as strange without being laughed at.

"Have you ever asked your college friends why they laugh at you?"

"I've asked my friends, Isabelle and Joshua. He said that the reason for laughing was from what I was wearing on my head.”

When I heard Zeedan's answer, I turned to his friends named Isabelle and Joshua. They have names that are not like the majority of Islam. We also exchanged phone numbers and social media, which is possible to invite each other to play another day.

We made an appointment four days after we exchanged phone numbers. We promised to meet each other in the town square area. We also talked each other starting from the registration of the test until passing the test. Zeedan said that he graduates from the best islamic boarding school from his hometown and wanted to study abroad. Zeedan also has a friend who helps him when he goes to islamic boarding school and even graduates. I was very surprised to hear that, because Zeedan and I have very similar issues. We continued talking until it was time to go home because we were getting tired.

Arriving at the apartment, I remembered Zeedan's hometown, Famsqi. I also searched on the internet, it turns out that it is an area that is predominantly Muslim.

On study day, I also went to keep wearing a prayer cap. They looked at me strangely. I still walk with ease. Once while walking to class, I heard the words of a student “Why does he always use that thing in his head? Very strange isn't it” said with little laughing with his friend. I heard it faintly and not so clearly still on my way to class. After all the classes that day were over, I headed to the apartment to go home. On the way home, they kept looking at me strangely. "During the class, none of my friends in my class saw me like a strange person, why did they see me outside the class like a strange person?" I said to myself

A student pulled the prayer cap off my head and then gave it back to me. I don't know who he is, but it just took me by surprise. Almost every day this happens and I'm getting more and more uncomfortable, but on the other hand I'm still curious about what really happened.

I also told Zeedan on weekend where we were both on free. Zeedan argues "maybe when we don't wear the prayer cap on our heads, they won't think of us as weirdos". I also thought about Zeedan's oppinion. Then we both planned to not wear it for one day when we went to campus and saw the students' reactions.

When college day arrived, I, who was not wearing a prayer cap, left the apartment. I feel a bit unaccustomed to not wearing it. I'm sticking around because it's only for one day. I was really supprissed, my day went so smoothly that no one even saw me as a freak. Until the same way home, I was increasingly amazed “what is this place? Why is it so strange for the majority of country to be Muslims” I muttered to myself

Arriving at the apartment, I immediately told Zeedan about what happened today. Zeedan feels the same way, no one laughs at him when he doesn't wear a prayer cap on his head. We find it strange that Bravisla is a city with a Muslim majority like me and Zeedan. After that, I searched for the city in Bravisla on the internet.

I just realized, when I chose a campus in Bravisla, I was just random in choosing the campus that I chose. The most important thing for me is studying at Bravisla without thinking about which city the campus is in. I was very surprised about what I found on the Internet, in fact my campus which is in the city name Vaniy is a city with a majority of Christians and other religion. Only about 2 percent of Muslim citizens live in this city.