Laughing My Self Out

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself."

My favorite line from a bio of a selebtweet that I follow. And yes, I started this new age (ahem, I'm just getting older) with a laugh, over my stupidity. I regret it, but then, after all what had happened, I realized that the only thing I can do is just, well, give it a sincere laughter.

And the rest of the day just turned easier, after I laugh over my self :)   

Year End Notes: Keep Calm... and Enjoy The Moment!

Whoaaa! It's already year end again! A bit scary how 2013 has been passing just in a quick blink, eh? ><"

Anyway, last month was November, my month. Apparently I’m already a year older, getting closer and closer to the terrifying 30. TERRIFYYYYYYING *insert horror meme here*. Most of people I know have been married and getting babies, meanwhile I’m like still stuck in early 20s mental age. And it made me worry, made me want to hurry. I didn't want to be left behind.

But then, why worry? What to hurry? Life is a never ending journey. Don’t make it meaningless. If it takes forever to find out its meaning, then make it forever lasting journey of understanding. We don’t have to always understand what life means, often we just have to let it be. And either it means good or bad, it will keep happening anyway. So, just let today happens in its way.

Eventually, I am grateful for every bits of the past years. And I’m trying to enjoy it, trying to living it in the most fun way. Enjoying every silly moments and embrace my life with childlike optimistic. I know this might sound naive, but I believe, that the best thing to deal with life is to get along with The Master’s plan. Perhaps His plans on our lives are not always about happiness and laughters, instead He teaches us the goodness of mixed moments – up and downs, light and dark, happy and sad; the meaningfful binary oppositions.
We just have to keep calm and enjoy the moment :D

Inspired by Inspiration Class

"Anybody can be an inspiration - It just requires an opportunity to teach others how to find success and give them confidence to reach their goals"                                                                                                  - Anies Baswedan -

First time I've heard about this movement was a few months ago, when my college friends, Gardini and Jane, told us that they’re going to teach in Elementary Schools. “Not basically teaching, more like sharing what our profession is to the kids,” they said. Wow, sounds exciting, I thought. I can’t hardly imagine how to tell the first or second-graders, what does the Human Resources Department do? :D

Later I searched more about the movement. I found out that Kelas Inspirasi (Inspiration Class) was originally initiated by Mr. Anies Baswedan, a prominent educational figure and also the Rector of Paramadina University. Firstly Mr. Anies and co. initiated Indonesia Mengajar (Indonesia Teaches), an inspiring program that sent aspiring young teachers (mostly are best fresh graduates from reputable universities) to remote areas all around Indonesia to teach for about a year. But since not everyone can have a lengthy time commitment as Indonesia Mengajar requires, yet still want to contribute, then the founders initiated a spin off, namely Kelas Inspirasi (KI, for short), that firstly held in April 2012.

The point of KI is to build Indonesian children’s dreams, by sharing to the kids the way to get there, and encouraging them to reach their goals. Regular folks with varying expertise have to take a full day off, to share stories related to their career and job to the state elementary students. Most of the schools selected are state schools that located in big cities or urban area, that supposedly have easy access to the information and technology, but perhaps unfortunately doesn't get much attention from government related institution.

To be honest, I almost failed to join KI this season. Although I have followed their official twitter account for months, I didn't notice that KI will be held again in September 2013 - simultaneously in Bekasi, Bogor, Tangerang – until the night before the admission deadline. Thankfully, a few weeks later I got an email confirmation that said I was chosen as one of the teacher in Group 1. Yaay!

The other voluntary teacher in Group 1 were awesome professionals. There’s Mba Cahya, a developmental engineer who works in Myanmar – she’s kind of developing excavator and other heavy equipment there. Then Ibu Evy, a senior tourism consultant. And Bang Patar, a media communication specialist and the Festival Director in Erasmus Huis. We've also got Rio, an IPB graduated consultant, that volunteered as our photographer. Our groups facilitator was Meylin, an aspiring architect that formerly volunteered at the previous KI season.

Road to the Hari Inspirasi (Inspiration Day, or the teaching day) were tough, though. We only had 10 days left to the D-day, which was held on Wednesday, September 11, 2013. Due to each of us were terribly busy with our own jobs, we couldn't go surveying the school together. Bang Patar and I even couldn't make to go survey. Some of the equipment and preparation for the day necessarily could only be discussed in chat message. Luckily we could arrange an instant meeting on Monday night for a quick coordination.

And then came the day :D

I was nervous as hell.

Early in the morning we came to SDN Margahayu XV, in East Bekasi. The school shares building and field yard with SDN Margahayu XXII, wherein the Group 2 was teaching. The school wasn't really big but quite clean and tidy. It only has three class rooms that used alternately – morning and afternoon class, and one room that parted into teacher room, headmaster’s room, and living room. There’s also a small library near the entry gate.

SDN Margahayu XV & XXII, Bekasi

Our school only has five teachers plus one Head Master, and the pupils number was not many, around average twenty students per class. Pak Arif, one of the teachers said that people's interest to enter the schools tends to decrease from time to time. Most of the students come from lower economical class, whose parents work as labors, salesmen, etc.

The Team (left to right: Bang Patar, Bu Evy, Mba Cahya, me, Rio) with the teachers

The second and third-graders :)

Me, Mba Cahya, Bang Patar and Meylin with the third and second-graders

Since the number of students were not that much, we merged each of two class for the event. First-graders went with second, third with four, and fifth with six. So we only had half day to teach.

Firstly I went to Class 5 and Class 6.

Fortunately before I came in (I was a bit late), Rio had already entered the class to fill in the time, so the class was already conditioned. Big thanks to him.

I gave the students some kind of star-shaped origami papers to the students, where they have to write down the professions or the jobs they want. Then few students are asked to present in front of the class, why do they want to be them. I also asked some students to do a bit role-play and act like the professions they chose.

The sixth-graders and the origamis

A role play between sixth-graders acted as designer and her customer

The well-known professions such as doctor, police, pilot are likely the most chosen. But some students from sixth grade answered wider options with more specific reasons like, “I want to be a designer because I love to draw” or “I want to be model because they wear pretty gowns”. Shockingly, one of the fifth-graders shouted “I want to be a pimp!” followed by immediate “Ssshh!” from his pals. I pretended not to hear that word, but later I found out from Pak Arif, that there’s a fifth-grader whose mother is a sex-commercial worker :(.

After they told what kind of profession they want to do, I explained to them, what do the Human Resource Practitioner do. I tried to make it in simplest words, such as, my job is recruiting new employees, handling payrolls, giving warning letters, and firing people :D. To make it more interesting, I made some role plays – one of the students acted as HR and another acted as a job-seeker, or one acted as HR while the other acted as a fired employee. A sixth-grader once commented, “In sinetron, it’s the director who fired people,” aha :D smart kids. Another sixth-grader asked, “My brother has applied to many offices but no one accepted him...” Oh dear, that’s beyond my capacities to answer :(

Class 5 and 6 done. Next I came to Class 1 and 2. And the real challenge began.

Challenge number 1: these first and second-graders haven’t fully understand what the teachers tell them. Moreover, for unfamiliar matters like HR jobs. So I just asked them what they want to be when they grow up, and help them write the answers down on the origamis because some of them still cant write and spell properly. Then each of them are asked to come in front of the class and explain, and I give the origamis as a reward.

Most of the first-graders are still naive and sincere. The girls want to be Barbie, the boys wanted to be Bima Satria Garuda and Optimus Prime :D

The first-graders - aim high to be Barbie & Bima Satria Garuda :))

Teaching first and second-graders sure needs extra dose of patience, but for me, the major challenge of the day was on the Class 3 and 4.

The third-graders are mostly still act childish and some of them are still hard to focus just like the second and the first-graders, while the fourth-graders tended to act ‘grown-ups-like’ and being attention seekers. Surprisingly from these classes, the girls are more noisy, and the boys were easier to handle. Fortunately, after a few minutes, I found the magic line; “If you keep being noisy, Kak Rio won’t take your pictures” aaand it worked! It seemed like they're really like being photographed :P

Apparently, the third and fourth-graders are more update with the latest tv trends :D Some of them said they want to be chefs (the Masterchef effects), the others want to be presenter, actress, and join the bands. But some others answered they want to be teachers. It’s nice to know that the kids adore their teachers :)

The third & fourth-graders strike a pose :D

I realized that among my other fellow teachers, my presentations seems to be the least attractive. The kids are more interested to Mba Cahya’s story about ‘building tractors’, or to Bu Evi who showed amazing scenery pictures from her business trips around Indonesia and other countries, or to Rio that stole the kids’ attentions with his camera and tripod. On the other hand, I wasn't as charismatic as Patar either, who successfully manage the class, even without any presentation tools. That’s why I was really flattered when at the closing sessions, some of the sixth-graders boy greeted me and said, “Kak, I want to work as HRD ”. At least, what I said are quite memorable to them :).

I remember when I was in elementary school, I used to dream to be a journalist and a writer. Quite rare dreams for an elementary school students. Why could I have such dreams is none other than because of the exposure from my surroundings. My late dad always brought newspapers and magazines home, and I grew up with books. I've inspired to make a hand-written ‘newspaper’ and ‘story books’, and later created school magazine when in junior and senior high.

What KI give is perhaps just an inspiration. KI haven’t be able yet to facilitate more regarding the kids’ dreams. But as a start, it’s already more than enough. These kids probably have never knew before that there is a profession like tourism consultant. Or they probably had never imagined that they can work abroad. They probably can only have limited dreams based on what they can only see. But because of KI, they can dream a bigger dream, and they know how to reach it.

For us, it might be only a day-off. But for the kids, this can be a day that inspires them for their lifetime :).

With Kelompok 2 after teaching - look at our tired-but-happy faces!

*)Some of Photo Sources: Rio's Blog, Mba Cahya's tab, Bu Evy's camera

The Night Circus - A Fan Review (#TeamMarco!)

The Circus arrives without warning....

Last Saturday, I went checking what’s new in bookstore at mall. And, tadaaaaa! I found ‘The Night Circus’ at new books section, already translated into Bahasa Indonesia! Yayness! I was so exciting and yet worrying at the same time; exciting because finally, more people will read the book, and worrying, will the translated version be as magnificent as the original?

The Night Circus - Indonesian version.
Why did they choose red instead of black as in the original book? :|

Because the best thing about this book is, its’ writing style. Erin Morgenstern, the writer, obviously did a marvelous job. She described the whole parts – the characters’ traits, the fanciness of the circus’ attractions, the whimsical atmosphere – they all stirred my imagination, in a way that the readers could actually envision the circus, even more, sometimes I feel like I’m transported to the circus itself.

But, when reading this book,we have to be patience -_-. The book moves pretty slowly. The plot strings start out loosely and a bit confusing, because you think there’s no connection between some characters. The ‘jumping-to-past-then forward-back to past’ time settings also made me curiously wondered, ‘what the hell is going on’? But after some chapters, the strings have turned into complicated rope, and you realize that can not stop. You can’t complain. And you won’t go to see the end no matter how impatient reader you are. The writers had me guessing and wondering throughout the whole chapters until I didn't realized, I had reached the last chapter and there’s only about fifty pages left.

And once you get to the end, you’ll soon realize that it is the only not-too-good thing about this book. I won’t say it has a bad ending, but it’s just too accommodating to all parties. After all the awesomeness on previous 200 pages, the end was just unpredictably... well, I think it’s better if it doesn't have to end.

I don’t really into fancy writings and flowery words, but this book’s wordplay sounds so beautiful. This book put gorgeous prose in the beginning of some chapters, and you don’t know what they are until you read a few first chapters and soon realize that they are the descriptions of the circus’ attractions. Even better, after you finish the book, you’ll realize that they’re the descriptions of the circus’ today, the things you’d see if you go to the circus at this year 2000 circa, after all the ‘competition’ between Celia and Marco.

Hell yeah, I enjoy this book. If there’s people who’s proud to be twi-hard, then I’m a proud reveurs. I’ll wear a black with a touch of red when I watch this book. And since it has translated to some languages, chances to see it on big screen are bigger, right? I opened IMDB at it said, The Night Circus The Movie is ‘currently on progress’ and will hit the cinema on 2015. Woohooo!

I wish, there will be no R-Patz and K-Stew on the cast. Holy God, please, don’t put them as Marco and Celia please. I jumped into random fans forum discussions and most of them likely wish Andrew Garfield could play as Marco. Though I can vividly imagine Andrew Garfield wears coat and bowler hat (Marco daily costume) but I think, Andrew can’t portray the darkside of Marco. Jim Sturgess or Joseph Gordon Levitt will be better choice, although they’re not that handsome. And for Celia, I can only think of Carey Mulligan. Whoever the cast is, I hope they can really act and won’t ruin this amazing story.

You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Reves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus....

You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is dream.

Better or Bitter?

Just saw this picture on twitter timeline recently, and it reminds me of this quote from unknown...

"If you continuously compete with others, you become BITTER. But if you continuously compete with yourself, you become BETTER"

;)

Another View Point

I don't like it when someone says to me, "if you're sad or upset about your current situation, look out there and see that there are many other people who are less-fortunate than you.". I don't like that mindset, about how we should be (more) grateful for having a life - at least - better than some other people out there. In a way, you are happy for other people's sufferings. I find that very selfish and heartless. When I am sad or upset, I prefer to look up and find motivation from people that are more fortunate than me, and tell myself that "if they can make it, then I can make it too, either in the same way or in my own way.". And being grateful is between us and God, having no need to compare our lives with anyone else out there.

(Reblog from dianarikasari.blogspot.com)

Just Open The Doors

National Archive Museum, 24/03/2013

"Don't ever be afraid to open the doors. Don't be scared of what's behind them.

Always believe that when you open the doors, they will eventually lead you,

to another open doors."

Silver Linings Playbook

No, no, I'm not gonna write reviews nor comments about the movie, I'm just going to quote some memorable lines out of it. Frankly, I feel a little bit like Tiffany (on personality, not on her appearance because clearly she's way prettier and taller and all), but somehow I also feel like Pat. I guess many people feel related to this movie characters because after all, we are crazy just like them, in our own way...

   "Time after time after time! I do all this shit for other people! And then I wake up and I'm empty!"

Cheers, Tiff. 

   (Pat to Tiffany): "You have poor social skills. You have a problem"

Oh yeah. Just because we tell the truth, people take that as an 'inappropriate' and mean. High five, Tiff?

   "There will always be a part of me that is dirty and sloppy. But I like that, just like all the other parts of myself. I can forgive. Can you say the same for yourself, fucker?"

Sure, we have to like our own selves and forgive the past, just like Pat says:

   "The world will break your heart ten ways to Sunday, that's guaranteed, and I can't begin to explain that, or the craziness inside myself and everybody else, but guess what? Sunday is may favorite day again."

:)

The Truth Hurts, The Lies Worse

"People are like roses, no matter how beautiful they may look, they also have thorns that hurt." - read somewhere

I know I'm not a good person. I made tons of mistakes. I might being rude and talking harsh. But one thing I keep trying to do, is somehow, to stay out of being fake.
I want to be true. And I want the universe to also be true to me.

So I was really shocked when I found out that some special people, that I considered as best friends, has bitched about me - negatively - behind my back.

I was hurt. I felt like being back-stabbed. People I care the most, are the ones who are fake to me.

But then I looked back, and suddenly some thought hit me. They treated me like that because I am deserved to be treated like that. Nobody would be treated badly if they treat others nicely.

There's must be at least one good reason why we experience some things. Because God sent every things out on good purpose, as long as we want to learn to see it that way.
Whether I want to take this as a learning process, or keep this as an endless hatred, this is me who have to decide.

For you guys, thanks for teaching me to be better :)

If My Life Were A Book...

...then you were the typo of the 2011 and 2012 life-chapter.

The typo that I subconsciously wrote at first, then eventually, habitually written continuously in almost every pages.

I realized that the typo was a mere mistake. But instead of erased it, I kept on writing it. I was thinking that it would add more flavor to my plain story, to make my tale more interesting. But beyond my volition, it has unbearably turned into the highlight of all of my stories.

But I felt uncomfortable. That typo made me hurt. That typo made me sad. And what was worse, that typo made me hard to move forward.

So I looked for my correction pen, trying to re-type it.

But I changed my mind.

As I'm entering this 2013 life chapter. The typo's still there. I just mark it, make it as a gentle reminder, to not to repeat another same mistake, anymore.

Dear You, You're still the typo of my previous life-chapter, that I never want to erase.

On Getting Old

So, yes, I'm eagerly saying that I'm now 28. Pretty old, huh?

At this age, according to society expectations, I'm supposed to achieve any stability in life. I'm supposed to get married and raise kids. I'm supposed to have a steady job (or, becoming a housewife). I'm supposed to have some savings or investments whatsoever.In shorts, I'm supposed to able to live independently, as a mature human being.

Well, the fact is, I haven't be what I'm supposed to be.

My financial life hasn't been near any stable phase. I haven't got any investment and my savings accounts are usually spent on vacations or shopping some unremarkable stuffs. To be honest, if I'm not living with my mom (and get supports from her), I don't know if I can afford any household billings. I'm still unable to manage my credit cards and monthly wages     wisely. I don't know what I'm going to do with my job; it's like I was stuck in every office I entered to and always ended up seeking 'better' ones - which I'm still unable to explain what 'better' means, because I don't know what's 'better' that I'm actually looking for.
And as everyone can see, I haven't married, let alone raising kids.

As a grown up, I couldn't say I'm a mature person. I feel like my mental age stopped when I was 21. I act like abege labil. I cry easily. My mood swings within seconds. I yell and angry to the wrong persons at the wrong times. I can't manage my emotions and blame it the hormones. Shame on my psychological background.

But here I am.

I admit my mistakes. I see my failures. I know my downs. And I plan to fix them.

I know this sounds cliche, like resolutions and promises, easy to say yet never been done. But we have to be optimistic, don't we? We have to believe that we're able to fix and mend our faults, and create something better. I believe my mistakes and any errors in my life can be some guidance, and yes, I'm somewhat grateful for that.

Now I keep in mind that I have to be better, because I have to.

And what's the point of getting older, if I'm not able to get better, anyway? :)