“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend”
― Albert Camus
Connecting Indonesia Japan – that’s his motto. If you have been reading my blog’s posts, probably you already know him. Hasnul Zainal Tamin likes Japan, and as a travel guide, his enthusiasm towards my country has driven him to travel between Indonesia and Japan as frequent as every month.
His knowledge about Japan, therefore, is even deeper than the average Japanese. Having guided a number of Indonesian tourists all across Japan for many years, he especially knows about the country’s major cities inside out, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.
And more than anything else, I appreciate our fascinating friendship. We met through a mutual friend in an international gathering a few years ago and have been discussed heavy topics every time we met. Somewhat, we have things in common – searching the meaning of life and truth of this universe. While everyone else is too busy only thinking about making money and being happy, we’re a little different. More than money, fame, and social status, we just want to know the truth. And the fact that I’m Catholic and he’s Muslim makes this friendship even more special.
What’s the meaning of life? What does gender equality mean for us? How do Muslims view this world in general? Why can’t religion and science go hand in hand? What’s the concept of time? Every time we meet, we talk about this kind of stuff for hours in a cafe. And we enjoy it.
I hope this friendship will continue on for many years to come…
Tonight, I had dinner in an Indian curry shop in Shinjuku with Hasnal and his wife, Saras. Cheers to this priceless friendship!
