When I was in grade school, I asked my mom for money so I can go to a PERSAMI [Perkemahan Sabtu-Minggu, a weekend boy scout activity]. My mother didn’t have money so she wanted to go to the bank first, but I insisted that I wanted to leave right away. My older brother then said to me «if you want to be a boy scout for the rest of your life, I will pay for this trip, I’ll even double it, but you must be a boy scout for the rest of your life.» I was in sixth grade, my friends were waiting downstairs, and I was made to think about a life lesson in responsibilities. I went downstairs and told my friends I wasn’t going with them. I went back upstairs and sat watching Doraemon, but I actually wasn’t watching—I was thinking about what my brother said.

When I went to college in Institut Kesenian Jakarta, I had an exhibition and my whole family came to see it. The same older brother asked me if I was sure this is what I wanted to study, and that I would do this for the rest of my life—I replied «yes, this is what I wanted to do.»

Saleh Husein.