I want to share about an inspiring story that influent my life. It’s about the story of The Rainbow Troops or in Indonesia is well-known as ‘Laskar Pelangi’. It’s written by Andrea Hirata in 2005. He wrote it based on his own experience when he was growing up in Belitong. This book suddenly became the best seller and a phenomenon in Indonesian literature because of its humanistic touch. It’s a tetralogy, the first book entitled Laskar Pelangi, the second is Sang Pemimpi, the third is Edensor and the last is Maryamah Karpov.
From that tetralogy, all books tell a story about a boy named Ikal who has a big dream to be a success person. He and his 9 friends studied at a school in the poverty-stricken Kampung Gantong in Belitong, named Muhamadiyah primary school. At first, the government will disperse the school if the pupils can’t reach 10 people. They’re hopeless but suddenly a boy came with mother and then they could start to study there. Although the condition was very bad, like a broken school building that almost tumble down, besides the student were included to the poor society, Ikal and his friends had a huge spirit to keep studying there. The poor condition of their school building didn’t dampen their high spirits and hopes for a better future.
It also just had two teachers and a headmaster who teach them. They taught well the students patiently, but they’re optimist that someday these kids will be success. The teachers taught them reading, writing, science and social knowledge, and also religion. In a bad weather, when rain dropped, the class flooded and could be entered by some goats. It’s a poor condition, so the students had to study outside the class. No matter the condition, they went trough it all in a hope they can continuing study. Moreover, it made them study with the nature, had a walk and studied everything that they could learn.
They faced and passed everything that became the obstructions for them to go to school. They had to paddling their bicycle to get to the school. To get the chalk, they also had to go to the city, that farther from the school. But, their spirit was too high to get knowledge from school, so they happily did their duty to get the chalk. They studied diligently and make a great history for their school. However, they didn’t give up and still had big dreams after graduate from primary school. Then, Ikal had to struggle to study in the best High School and also the best university, not in Indonesia, but he tried to go abroad to study in France, in his dreamy college. Many difficulties were impeding Ikal, but he didn’t give up and keep struggle, and when he back to Indonesia, he became a success man.
This story inspired me a lot. I read the book when I was in the 3rd grade of High School. The most inspiring book, according to my opinion, is Sang Pemimpi. Because the story is about a struggle that Ikal gave to reach his dream studying abroad to Sorborne University in Paris. He revealed his best effort so he can reach his dream out. It opened my eyes that there’re still many people didn’t deserve a good public utilities, whereas Belitong is one of the richest island in Indonesia who produces plenty of tins.
I want to have a huge spirit like Ikal and friends, trying the best to reach the dream. I encourage myself to convinced that I also can be like Ikal if I studied hard. I should thank God for all gifts he gave to me like a good facilities and proper school. But, it all will be in vain if we just think that education is just for our fun, if it’s not necessary to be serious in studying because it’s not us who pay the school fee. We have to realize that we should make our parents proud with giving them our good achievements which can make our parents happy and their money is not been wasted.
