I had a wonderful childhood in the village, where I was familiar with several types of small animals such as beetles, cicadas, and crickets, including the praying mantis. I think I was quite lucky because, during my childhood, gadget technology - even mobile phones - did not exist. We spent most of our days playing in nature; swimming in saltwater rivers; looking for shellfish; playing kites; watching cricket fights; and even playing with praying mantises - one of the smartest insects in the world. In our native language, we call it cangkadak, an insect that always shakes its head, and a pair of saw blades (front legs) like a traditional war dance.
