Thursday, November 10, 2011

Technology; Make people together? or apart?

Kemajuan teknologi saat ini sangat pesat. Handphone membuat jarak jauh terasa dekat. Blackberry yang saat ini sedang digandrungi pun bisa membuat kita merasa ramai walaupun dikala sendiri. Tapi benarkah itu semua membuat kita satu sama lain menjadi dekat? atau mejauh?

Saya teringat kata-kata orang tua saya yang ketika sedang makan suka menyindir saya yang menaruh Balckberry saya disamping saya yang terkadang seskali melirik BB ketika lampu merah berkelap-kelip. Papa bilang, "kaya' menteri aja sih ni Ghina sibuk banget kayaknya nungguin kabar." Saya pun terkadang kesal karena saya merasa BB itu penting untuk saya yang mahasiswa ini untuk terus mendapatkan kabar atau info dari teman-teman ketika ada make up class atau berita dadakan lainnya. Namun sekarang ini saya menajdi sadar, kalau ternyata Blackberry itu hanyalah sebuah pelarian. Ya, pelarian untuk merasakan keramaian dikala sedang sendiri. Sama halnya dengan internet yang tetap membuat kita sibuk, padahal seharusnya waktu belajar.

Behind the pride


As an Indonesian, i'm very proud knowing my country is, again, becoming the host of SEA Games, the biggest sport event in South East Asia. This year, the event is held in two big cities, Palembang and Jakarta, starts from November 10th -November 22nd. Very fascinating to watch how lots of talented athletes coming and see the beauty of this country. But there's something bugs me, there are so many 'improvements' going on in this city. Starts from the restorations of the streets, until eviction of the 'sidewalk store'. It all suddenly happens just before the big event which started this week. Well they said it all because of the pride that this country try to show in front of other nations and maybe, it can be part of our tourism campaign? 




Well whatever they try to make there are two sides that we can consider, good one, or bad one. The good thing is, yes we will get the pride (hopefully) by showing that our country is capable to hold such a big and expensive event like this, and one thing is, we as the citizen, ummm, can enjoy the 'beauty' of this country. But the bad thing is, is it continuously? or it's just the euphoria of the games?

What do you say?

Monday, July 4, 2011

YES End of Stay Orientation 2011 in Washington DC







Well hello! Finally i'm glad to get a chance to write again here. i don't really know how to start now.

as in my previous blog, luckily i got selected to be a group leader for End of Stay orientation in Washington DC last week and i had a great times! As some of you might know that i had to flew by myself for 22 hours from Jakarta-Singapore-Hongkong-Chicago-Washington DC. It was a super duper long flight! it wasn't a good flight because all the turbulence and considering i was 60000 feet above, it was scary! but here i am!

I arrived on June 26th and stayed in Hilton Washington Dulles Hotel. The hotel was totally nice and i got 2 roommates, Their names is Mariam and Sajana. We became good friends and freezing almost every night!

End of Stay Orientation is basically the reorientation for all exchange students that have spent 11 months in United States and ready to go home to their home country. There were 501 or more students from all the over the world. We had 101 Indonesian students, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, South Africa, India, Kenya, Turkey, Mozambique, Egypt, Germany, plus we have Yes Abroad Students from USA that will go abroad. We had soo much fun in there and a lot of lessons and material that the students might need when they go home to their country. For group leaders, it was a long week. We barely could sleep. Most of us just sleep for 3-5 hours a day because there are just lots of stuff to do. Biggest credits go to AFS Staff who kept maintaining the flow and arrange everything. They are Nancy Levine, Bryant, Ori Behr, Katrina, and many more. All of us worked together to make this end of stay orientation happen. But, even though we were tired, seeing the kids and listen to their experiences in their states just gave the energy for us! it was great to see them excited as well, and we were glad all of them have became a leader in their community. They are the future leader.

Leading 501 students was not easy at all. We had four days to give them lessons, worked out their guide book, made them listen to the speaker, and taught them how to handle all the challenges that they will faced when they go home. Based on my experience, it was a hard time just to readjust with everything. They have been there for eleven months. It might be hard for them just to speak their native language because they spoke English for a year. They got used to American culture and American food so they might not used to their native culture anymore. They might gonna have problem with their family, schools, and communities. But they have to handle it. They have learned how to adjust with American culture a year ago, and now they have to deal with their native culture. I told my students (the group i led--> INA8) that they have to face the reality in their home country. The schools are different, the people are different, the communities are different, the languages are different, the food are different! How can they handle that? the End of Stay orientation provide all of those materials. We all know that community service is a common thing in United States and might not in their country. And we tried to bring that positive action to their own community back home. They have to bring the betterment to their community. It's the way to express love and bring happiness to their home country. I told my students not to be hesitated to do something different as long as it brings positive impact. There's nothing wrong with positive action.

Those are just some of the materials in end of stay orientation that we had last week. And also we had cultural evening night where all students had to create performance from where they from in front of all people and all students. It was a great night! They showed dances, songs, musics, and everything from their own country!
Cultural evening is the night where you can see all cultures, all countries together, support each other, dance, and sing together. It feels like there is something that tied us together and tell us that we are actually one part of the big world.
The one that made me almost cried is when Indonesian students performed on the stage, the Thailand students were standing and showing their flag (red-white-blue) and fold the blue part of their flag so the flag became Red and White and became the Indonesian flag. That was so respectful of them. i even almost cried from the whole time when i hear all students cheering the other countries that performing at that time. It was a memorable moment! No matter what color is their skin, what color is their hair, what religion that they have, they are one! We are one. I wish every single person in this world saw it, and give them better understanding of this world.

I'm so proud of them all.

Not just for them, all the staff learned a lot of things too! We made friends! I met these incredible people in the world! Mariam, Janina, Kirsten, Sean, Matthew 101, Sajana, Gill, Nat, Nancy, and all the people there that i couldn't write it all. It's glad to know that every where you go, you will always have friend from each part of the world. I even met Josh, the YES Abroad students that came to Indonesia a year ago! We were surprised when we saw each other. I know every single part of me will them a lot.

Thank you friends, thank you AFS, thank you YES :)





Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Back Home after three years

To be asked, yes i am excited. For what? because thanks to God i got accepted to go to United States for one more time (and i hope for millions time after) to be a group leader in End Of Stay YES Orientation 2011.

I am so happy and excited right now but scared inside. Let me tell you about it.

I got the announcement a month ago and i started to apply for visa, and so forth. Thanks God AFS and Mas Dudi from US Embassy Jakarta made my way easier and faster to get the visa. I got it just 2 days after i got my visa interview. isn't it great?

One thing that makes me curious is, i am going to be on the flight just by myself. Yes, just one little Indonesian girl fly to 31 hours of flight going around the world. Totally awesome -.-. I was hoping that i could go through Europe route (transit in Frankfrut) then fly to DC. The fact is, i am going through Asian route which i'm gonna go through Pacific Ocean. Right, an ocean. It's not because i'm scared to be on the plane, but i am scared to be on the top of the ocean. The fact that i cant even swim is frightened me. I am not thinking or hoping to the worst condition (definitely not!) but, you know, there is just this fear in my mind. I cant swim. And eventhough i could, the sharks will definitely gonna eat me out. so scared.

They usually sent at least couple of group leaders, but for this EOS, they are just gonna send one kid.

That is the fact that i am trying to deal in right now.

Right now, i am still trying to deal with my final exams and will be ended on Thursday. So it's a perfect holiday, isn't it?

Despite of any kind of fear that i'm dealing right now, it doesn't stop me from the willingness to meet people from all over the world in AFS End of Stay next week. and of course, my great families, John and Sherry Andrews and all my American friends! i miss them so much!

All tickets have been confirmed. I'll depart on June 25th, mama's birthday, and will be back on July 22nd to meet my Panka Gumilang <3

See you there!!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Dream, Believe, and Make It Happen



Before reading this blog, can you answer these below questions?



What are you going to do in the next 10 years?

What do you want to be in the future?

What is your dream?

After answer those questions, can you think of the answers of these questions?


Have you tell anyone about your dream?

Did people think that you're not gonna make your dream comes true?

Did people say, "Naaaa, you ain't gonna make it.. Keep dreaming!"

If you answered the questions already, let's take a look at this.

I know some of your dreams are might be out of reach (if you answered it honestly). Some of you might wanna be a President, an international soccer player, a successful businessman, a singer, an actor, or even a billionaire. Most of you also might think that you're just gonna keep it in your mind because you don't think that it's gonna happen. Probably only 1 out of 100 people in the world would think it is gonna happen in anytime in your life. Is it right?

Dream, is a very strong word. Dream, is not a thing that only stay in your head when you sleep. Dream, is not a wish. Dream is a HOPE, hope is something that you will reach. Dream is something that you BELIEVE that is going to happen in your life. You might heard about miracle. Miracle wouldn't be a miracle if it wasn't exist before.

When you have a dream, and you don't believe it, then it is NOT going to happen. It is so a simple logic of thinking. The another strong word is Believe in your dream. Like what i wrote before, people would say that you are not gonna make it. That is because people do not believe in your dream! Does what people think matters to you? Do people make your future? No! It's YOU that make your own future, not what people think of you.

For some of you that told people about your 'unachievable' dream, you probably heard people said that you are an Arrogant person. It is not arrogant! It's what we called confidence. Confidence means you trust yourself, you believe yourself. It gives you strength and make you believe that you will reach what you wanna reach. If you don't have confidence, means you don't believe in yourself, and it also means you don't believe people that close with you are going to help you to make your dream comes true. Remember, It's not only you, you have people around you, your friends, relatives, family, that will try hard to make you reach your dream.

Some of you might found some excuses (read my previous blog ; What makes us different). Some of you would think you couldn't make your dream comes true because you are not capable to make it, because you don't have enough luck to get a talent as good as anyone else. People! There is no such a thing called luck! Luck is word created by people who regret their incapability. Luck created by an thing called effort. Effort is something you created by working hard. Talent is not a luck. It is an incredible gift from God which all people were given since they were born no matter how small it is. So what do you suggest? are you keep finding your excuses or try to find your way to make your dream and 'luck' come after you?

Make it Happen, is the most important thing to reach your dream, to believe your dream, to believe in yourself. Dream and believe is important elements. But if you don't make it happen, you dream will only stuck in your head. it is not going to happen. So what's the point of dreaming and believing? Yes, you have to make it happen! You have to be optimist! Believe yourself! Believe you dream! Believe you are gonna make it! Forget about what people said about your dream! Forget about you 'unreachable' thought! Start to make your dream comes true!


Life does not come twice. If you keep waiting for a second chance, then it means you failed.

People failed because they think they failed.


Keep dreaming, keep believing, then Make sure that you have to make it happen!



P.S: this post was inspired from Dream, Believe, and Make it Happen by US Embassy

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

As the Time Goes By



11-01-11


it's January, 11th 2011. Lots of things happened since the last time i posted.
What's so special about this number? People are planning to do something special today. Me myself don't find any special thing. Still doing my job and study (ha! i wish!). I am pretty happy with my life. Lets see what else happened on the beginning of this year.

  1. A very memorable AFF event where Indonesia lost the match from Malaysia. Indonesia is the best team with no lost (before the final match). On final match against Malaysia, oh they have two matches btw, home and away. first match was in Bukit Djalil, Malaysia. I still remember at the time #Garudafightsback, #Indonesia, and #Malaysiacheatlaser became trend topics on twitter. Hilarious! On the first final match in Bukit Djalil, Malaysian supporters were awful. They throw laser on Markus (goalkeeper) of Indonesia to distract him. At the end, Indonesia lost 3-0. On the second match, we won 2-1, but we lost the trophy because of the aggregate score. But everybody knows that Indonesia is the real champion.
  2. #Nurdinturun. Nurdin Halid is the head of PSSI. Chaos happened in Belora Bung Karno when Indonesian supporters insisted to buy ticket to watch the final match between Indonesia and Malaysia in GBK. One man died, but it wasn't because of the radical queue, he died because of sickness. Indonesian supporters want Nurdin Halid to leave his position as the head of PSSI but until this time, he doesn't want to leave his seat.
  3. Gayus around the world. This legendary man is the key master to many tax corruption case. Now, he's been prosecuted as the man who's guilty in the tax case. As a prosecutor, he is supposed to be in jail. What's interesting with this guy is, he went around the world (Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Macao, and Bali) to watch a tennis tournament. He uses silly wig!

Those are just some of the things that happened lately. We'll continue later!