An American Experience
(a farewell speech of Eisenhower fellowships program)
Today, I can say
I gain a lot of knowledge
besides gaining more weight.
After all, this is America
You order a regular, there comes a huge portion.
America is huge, and sooo expensive
In San Fransisco hotel, they charged me $27 for breakfast
In Indonesia, $27 can provide breakfast for 100 refugees!
I skipped breakfast for money saving,
and a little bit of guilty feeling.
Never before in my life
I walked so many miles.
In two months and ten cities,
packing and unpacking became routines.
Collecting souvenirs for friends & family,
I have to buy another suitcase to carry.
But poor Xiau Ming, our fellow from China
He couldn’t bring anything home,
“What’s the point, everything here is made in China!”
In America,
some dreams come true, some expectations betrayed.
Most important is: breaking stereotypes in both directions
(many people I met thought that I was the spouse,
not the fellow!).
Talking about terrorism and security
I am always patient and obedient at airports
I took off my shoes, my coat
Bomb could be in passenger’s shoes, or in pilot’s mind
But when the officer asked me to take off my jacket
I strongly refused
“Please no sir, this is not my jacket, this is my blouse.
Taking it off is only the right of my spouse.”
Exploring the US from coast to coast,
walking up and down the hilly Berkeley,
the sunny Florida, the chilly North Dakota.
My gratitude is endless
to this fellowships and very fine American people
who make it happened.
Some questions are not answered
and leave me in confusion.
When you say about democracy,
why millions of people protesting the war,
and their voices have no effect?
There are some human right abuse in Iraqi prison
and President Bush just said: “I don’t like it a bit”
(who does, Mr. President?)
and the abuser said: “I was in a wrong place, wrong time”
(as if her conduct is right).
I know how it feels
to be generalized as brutal, uncivilized, even barbaric,
for the work of a small number of people.
I have been there, so I know.
Now at least we come to another understanding,
if there is any evil,
the evil is among us:
in the mountains of Afghanistan,
in religious schools of Indonesia,
or among American soldiers.
But I don’t believe American soldiers are evil,
as much as I want you to believe that,
yes, there are terrorists who happen to be Moslems,
but it’s not in the system.
It’s been a precious opportunity,
knowing America,
not only from coast to coast,
but from heart to heart.
Knowing fellows from different countries and professions;
brothers and sisters who have enriched and broaden my mind.
I am proud to be in the same boat with you.
This privilege will mean nothing
to the suffering people in many places in the world
if we don’t use our connections
to help building a more peaceful world.
Sirikit Syah
May 2004
