Makanan Indonesia di Firenze, emang ada?

Jadi kamu ada di Florence, salah satu kota yang indah di Italia. Tujuan kamu mungkin untuk belajar, entah kursus bahasa, kuliah seni, tata boga, atau desain busana. Jadi kamu menetap minimal 6 - 12 bulan, bahkan mungkin lebih dari setahun. Sebulan pertama, kamu masih bingung tapi penuh semangat cari tau ini itu, penyesuaian sini situ. Karena semuanya masih serba "baru" buat kamu, kamu masih antusias cobain segala macam khas Italia, selama cocok buat kamu dan kantong kamu, gak bikin kamu sakit, ataupun melanggar hukum...aduh, amit-amit!, jangan sampe deh. 

Salah satu yang udah pasti kamu coba, yang jelas makanan dan minumannya. Ya iyalah, namanya juga kebutuhan primer. Mana bisa hidup tanpa makan minum, bener gak? Nah, semua juga tau dan setuju kalo di Italia tuh, pizza, pasta, anggur, dan kopinya yang yahud dan kudu dijajal. Ada yang bilang, kamu belum bener-bener merasakan Italia, kalo belum cobain pizza, pasta, anggur, dan kopinya. Dan...aku tuh setuju banget! Jadi pantes dong, begitu kamu tinggal di sini, makanan Italia jadi makanan sehari-hari. Kalo minuman, anggur dan kopi, kayaknya suka-suka aja deh. Gak semua pendatang suka sih, jadi bebas aja pilih minuman lainnya.

Seputar Festival Film Indonesia di Italia.

Aku pengen cerita lagi nih.....

Secara tanggal 22 Oktober lalu, aku baru nonton pilem Indonesia yang diputer di sini. Nah, seneng kan pilem Indonesia bisa diputar di bioskop mancanegara. Eh, iya sih, seneng, bangga juga, tapiiiiiii.........waduh, ada tapinya.  Apa lagi nih?

Community Diary - Part 3

As the community has grown bigger, there were more activities, events and small gatherings have taken place. It did not matter who took part and who did not, every moment worth to be remembered and well appreciated as it showed the generosity of your contribution. Thank you!

 

The Birth and The Farewell

Welcome baby Alessia Bianca Zein!

On Thursday, October 23, 2014, we received a great news about the birth of Alessia Bianca Zein. She is the first child of Joni Zein and Erna Mariana, she is also the first baby who was born within the family of Indonesian Community in Tuscany. We all excited when we heard about Erna's pregnancy and were glad to welcome baby Ale, felt like we have our own niece. 

Festival del Cinema d'Indonesia_Le Murate

Since the first time we arrived in Florence, I've been thinking of how to promote Indonesia. Unlike in the Netherlands where number of Indonesians are large, Indonesians are only about 200 to 250 people in Italy. Once I attended a simple Indonesian bazaar organized by a cultural foundation founded by an Indonesian friend who lives in Rotterdam to celebrate Indonesian independence day and to promote Indonesian culture. Two foundations were involved in organizing the whole event which took place in a good size of a hall for about 250 people in Rotterdam. It was a family bazaar with a bit of Dutch 'gezelligheid', the bazaar inspired me to have the same event in Florence. Unlike in Netherlands, however, as I went around and gathered information, I found more obstacles and more challenges to do so.

However, when we came back from our summer holiday last year. I heard from Malina, that she and her husband have organized a festival of Indonesian Cinema in Florence in continuation with the one they held in Pietrasanta. The organization was done by Malina and her husband, an Italian lawyer, the poster was designed by Erlinda, an Indonesian student who studied design in Florence. I was so excited about this event, finally, we had this opportunity to make Indonesia more recognized and pop-up in Italy. Thank you to Jacopo and Malina for their hard-work and the Ambassador of Indonesia for Vatican City for their supports in making the Festival of Indonesian Film a successful event. 

Summer BBQ Parties - We Love Food, Fun and Friendship

Sate ayam, nasi pecel....we were so excited when we heard that David would bring pecel, Yawa would make sate ayam complete with spicy peanut sauce, Joni and Erna came with juicy Singapore pork dumplings.  Indonesian Singaporean bbq, again at the house of Yawa and Cyril because they have a nice yard with roof where we can sit outside overlook a stunning view of Florence. Thanks to both Cyril and Yawa who generously open their house for us.

Community Diary - Part 2

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.

~cf. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.

~cf.Khalil Gibran

Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over.

~cf.Octavia Butler

Community Diary - Part 1

Our Tuscany's Indonesian community have grown bigger, as many more Indonesians were added to the group. Although the definition of community is a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. One thing in common is that we are all Indonesians, but I am glad to see how everyone is willing for a new friendship and to experience how this friendship has grown and is still growing between us.

We met up for big meals sometime, but we often met up more in small groups, even if it is just for a cup of coffee and dolce or just for a morning walk in a park together. I am so thankful knowing how everyone is willing to open their house, to share what they have, to help each other.

Between Lunch Buffet and Balinesia

I locked my bike at the piazza Largo Pietro Annigoni, then headed to Pingusto, the all you can eat buffet restaurant and our meeting point. Everyone were there already, that was a special lunch gathering to facilitate all of us so we can meet Dina. She lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but was in Florence at that time as she came with her husband who works for GE and had his business trip at GE office in Florence. Beside Dina, Erna Vin Eka Putri was there too. January 15, 2014, was an official day of my first time meeting with Dina and Erna. We have two Ernas in the community now!

The Large Group Meeting and Apericena at Moyo

It was winter December 2013, we had this chat through Facebook, it was Fifi who came up with an idea to have a meeting with all members of the community. At that time I remembered, she has added David into the group. We agreed to have a dinner together and the easiest way we could think of was to meet up for la apericena somewhere at the city center.

The crowded Moyo - Bar & Lounge at Via dei Benci, 23r, Florence. Image courtesy of partyearth.com

I suggested Moyo Bar for some reasons. First, it located in the Santa Croce neighborhood, where there was an annual German market. The idea was to visit the German market together after the dinner, just to be able to spend more times together and to get to know each other better in the fresh outdoor air. Second, apericena would cost everyone a price of one glass of drink, and thirdly, I've been there once, it was spacious enough for a meeting place of 20 people and the food was alright.  

FlashBack2 - From Florence to Tuscany

The Best is Yet to Come - More Friends Were Added to ICiT

Things went so quick more than I expected, it was great to befriend with Fifi. She is a lovely enthusiastic woman, a very friendly lady with a lot of energy. She is very independent and energetic, I felt pumped when I got around her. I admired her energy! The night later she added many of her Indonesian friends into the group, and suddenly….from 6 the number has increased to 20 members!  Amazing!

A Big Lunch, New Friends and the Donkeys

It has been a while since the last time we met up together. Everyone was busy with different activities and many people traveled during the summer holiday from June to August. We still stayed in touch and as soon as we found out that many have come back from the holiday, we decided to quickly have a small gathering before the cold season start. 

A Fun Day with Nunuk and Ami

Piazza Santa Maria Novella was not so crowded that day. Days have turned a bit more chill and a little colder as it was already mid of autumn. I rode my bike as usual and was a little late, so I was in a hurry to meet her. I thought I better find her first before I park my bike. I easily spotted her sitting on one of  benches there. Her exotic look seemed even better in her greenish apparels. Her Indonesian face stood up to me among Italians who were there.  It was Nunuk, I waived at her and came closer toward her and she waived back with her beautiful big smile, a very charming lady.

The Day We Met Fabulous Fifi

How We Met Fifi

After I and my husband came back from our summer holiday this year. One of our friends back home told me that she has a cousin who has been living in Florence like ‘forever’ and she wanted to introduce me to her. And that was exactly how I finally met more Indonesians who live not only in Florence but also outside of Florence. Through my friend I was then got connected with Fifi. I was really glad to see her enthusiasm about meeting more Indonesians in Florence. She was excited about introducing me to some more Indonesians she knew in and outside of Florence. Not so long after I’ve got to know Fifi on Facebook, we decided to meet up on October  17^th, 2013 for a lunch at a restaurant near her area.

Hoping for the Community to Grow

My Hope for IWiF

I remember once Caramia told me that there are more Indonesians in Florence, she saw some of them and was being told by one of them that KBRI (Indonesian Consulate) would be opened up a new office in Florence. I was excited for a while, but then I could not get any further information on this good news. Once I was in Rome for some reasons at the Indonesian Embassy in Rome. I specially asked the officer about this matter and he said, KBRI only opened at some spots within reaching distance of the areas. Since Tuscan region located near Milan, there was no way KBRI would open an office in Florence. Indonesians who live in Florence or Tuscan can go to Milan or Rome for immigration or visa services. Nice enough, the officer also gave me two mobile numbers of Indonesians who live in Florence. 

FlashBack1 - Indonesian Women in Florence

Indonesian Women in Florence, a community.

One thing about living in Florence is that most people I knew and got connected with are mostly visitors. They are only in Florence for some certain period of times and for different purposes, some for study, for work, for certain events and mostly came as tourists.   

How to Get the Italian Stay Permit / Permesso di Soggiorno for an EU citizen's spouse?

You are a non EU citizen and your spouse is an EU citizen who lives and works in Italy. After your husband received his Carta d'Identita, now it’s your turn to get your Stay Permit / Permesso di Soggiorno.

Step 1
Once your husband has done step 4 (on previous post, that was iscriversi all'Anagrafe to register himself at the Registry office / Uffizzi d'Anagrafe), after 10 days, he should be registered in the database of Uffizzi d'Anagrafe/Registry office already, means you should also be registered as his wife. So you can go to the Registry office to get your Stata di Famiglia. It’s a statement letter issued by Registry office states that you are his wife and you are in Italy for family reason.

Visa to Italy

Do you need a visa if you are Indonesian and wants to visit Italy? The answer is YES. You need a visa before you enter Italy. The visa must be obtained in your home country, Indonesia.

You need to apply your visa at the Italian Embassy in Jakarta :

INDONESIA

Jakarta - Embassy of Italy
Address: N/A (please call phone number below to find out about the address)
Tel.: 00622131937445
Fax: 00622131937422
Website: www.ambjakarta.esteri.it
E-mail: visa.jakarta@esteri.it

The Night I Met Beautiful Barbara

How I Met Barbara

That evening I went by myself on an evening bike ride to Piazza Santa Maria Novella, it was hip on the piazza, a DJ played loud music, young people hanged around with bottles of Moretti in their hands. It was an intro and a counting down to the upcoming big event, an MTv Italy Award in Florence! So I stayed longer than I intended to, until dawn and the sky turned dark. The music got harder and more crowds joined in whilst shaking their bodies along with the music. I stood there among the crowd, was taking photo of the DJ and he seemed friendly. Youngsters starred at me, and I wondered why. I thought maybe it was strange that a “young” girl like me being there alone and did not even move by the music.

The 3rd Meeting of Indonesian Community in Florence

Introducing Jeanny.

I was thrilled when I received this email from Zyra a.k.a. Jeanny. She wrote me to express her interest to meet up with another Indonesian women in Florence. Later I found out she lives in Bari, from Florence it's way down South of Italy. Like myself, she was longing to be able to joke and chat in our own mother tongue language. So excited that she would find ways to go to Florence and meet us.