Rabu, 23 September 2015

The Dream Never Gives Up On You (Part 1): The Road To Awardee

Konnichiwa, Minna-san!!

It's been more than 1 year since the last time i wrote something in my blog. Apart from the busy life that I lead (#ppfftt), i'm not a big fan of writing in a diary, so since writing a blog is like writing a diary, i'm a lil bit lazy to do that.

But, here we go. The story of a life that i lead.

Currently, I live in Nagoya, a "middle-city" that lies between Kyoto and Tokyo. Not as busy as Tokyo, the people here walks slower that Tokyo's people who seems always in a rush. But still has its own beauty and matsuri, though maybe not as big as matsuri in Kyoto and not as beautiful as Kyoto.

Living in Japan has been one of my dreams since i was in junior high school. So, one of dream's checklist has been fulfilled. Hehe

How was the story that now i live in Japan?

Well, after working in one of research center in my faculty, ASEAN Studies Center, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada, I decided to apply for a scholarship for my master degree (since my parents said that if you want to continue your study after your undergraduate, you have to do it by yourself a.k.a by looking for full scholarship). Yep. My parents could not afford if i want to continue my study, and especially as i want to do my master degree overseas. I understood their concern, as I am the middle child, and i still have a younger brother and a younger sister. It would be not fair if I monopolized their money for my own education.

Sooo, i decided to apply for Japanese Government Scholarship or known as Monbukagakusho Scholarship (MEXT Scholarship) for Research Student (Master/PhD). One reason: study in Japan is always one of my dreams. (Actually, i also applied for  Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) but i just got as far as interview test). Plus, i have interest in several graduate schools in Japan: Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University; Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University; and Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.

I need to submit my document (and filled online document) for administrative selection before April 24, 2014 if I were not mistaken, and I sent it one or two days before the deadline. After that, the result of administrative selection announced through the Japanese Embassy website, and i'm quite shocked knowing my name is on the list along with 86 people (I knew the announcement when I was sitting on my chair in the office and holding my friend's, Ainun, hand while praying). I'm quite shocked because my friend who is definitely smarter than me and apply for it too, did not passed the administrative selection. BOOM. I felt very lucky at that time.

As i passed the administrative selection, the next step is Writing and Interview Test. The Education Section of the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta asked to those who passed the administrative selection to send a confirmation email to them to confirm our attendance in the Writing and Interview Test.  I changed my Writing Test venue from Jakarta to Surabaya, since Surabaya is closer, and cheaper in terms of transportation; but we have to do the interview test in Jakarta.

The writing test consists of two things: Japanese Language test and English Language test. Due to a mistake made by the Consulate General in Surabaya (they ask all of participants to choose which language test we want to do, and i choose english), i need to do Japanese Language test before my interview test. Since my japanese language ability is A BIG FAT ZERO, i just wrote my name and my test number, then i gave the paper to the examiner, and said "My japanese language ability is so poor, so it's better for me to not do it".

After waiting for more than 6 hours (my slot for interview was around 1 pm, and i got there around 8-8.30, and i got interviewed around 3 pm), finally i entered the interview room. There were 4 interviewer, 2 ladies and 2 gentlemen (3 japanese, 1 indonesian). As usual, they asked me to introduce myself, and after that they began to drilled me with questions, mostly on my field of study and interests, my view on women and islam, and the best part is when one of them asked me during my study in Japan whether i want to explore Japan or not, in which i definitely answered with a VERY BIG YES!

The result of the writing and interview test came around July 11, 2014. The Embassy then sent me several documents (via email after my confirmation on my willingness to become one of awardee candidate of the scholarship) that i need to complete and send it back to them, including Letter of Acceptance as Research Student from at least 2 or 3 universities, and they asked us to picked up the previous documents that we sent to apply for the scholarships and a document that stated we passed the First Screening process and will be needed to get LoAs from University in Japan. Yap, this is only the First Screening. Thus, began the LoA Hunting Episode.

I got rejected by several lectures from Kyoto University as my research topic more on International Relations, and their topic mostly on anthropology etc. But, with the blessings from God, I got two LoA, one from GSID, Nagoya University and from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Unfortunately, the LoA from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University came late, so i only could submit from GSID, Nagoya University. But it does not matter for me, since GSID, Nagoya University is my priority, so i got what i wanted.

Around November 20, 2014, I got the email from the Embassy regarding the final result of Monbukagakusho Scholarship or Second Screening as they sent our application to MEXT. Alhamdulillah. Next, is the Episode of waiting for University placement. Since I just sent them one LoA from Nagoya University, I knew that my placement would be there. They announced the University via Facebook (The Embassy made a group on Facebook for all of the Monbukagakusho Scholarship for Research Student Awardee) around February 10, 2015. Then, the preparation for departure started!!




Selasa, 08 Januari 2013

BUZZZYYY

Morning everybody.

When I woke up this morning, I was greeted by the sound of rain outside my room. It made me want to curl in the blanket. I didn't wanna move. Ah, but I had to move and wake up.

Anyway, this is H-2 from my departure to Thailand. Still have a lot of thing to get, a lot of thing to be done before my departure.

and I think I'll catch a flu. So, a visit to my doctor is a MUST list.

Anyway, hope you enjoy your day today. I'll catch you later.

Adios.

Sabtu, 05 Januari 2013

Welcome 2013!!

Although a bit late, HAPPY NEW YEAR everybodeeehh!!

Hope you guys will have a wonderful, blasted year!!

Jumat, 04 Januari 2013

Great News From Thai

Hey Everyone!!!

I just want to share my great happiness after reading an email from international office in my campus this afternoon. I got accepted to participate in the ASEAN Youth & The Evolving Regional Architecture that will held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. The program will start from 10th January 2013 until 20th January 2013.

Can't wait since this is my first time going abroad. *jumping over the moon*

Nervous. Absolutely yes. Especially related to my ability to communicate using english...

Anyway, Pray for Me, will you?? For the best of me!!!

Yihaaaaaaa...

Kamis, 06 Desember 2012

Obsesi Tidak Sehat?

Tahu kan K-POP?

Yap. Korean Wave dalam bentuk musik yang sedang bergolak dimana-mana. Terutama Boyband dan Girlband.

Kalo jaman dulu, Boyband pasti identik sama Westlife, A1, N-SYNC, Blue. Masih inget lagu "Season in the Sun", "Uptown Girl", atau "You Make Me Wanna"?

Kalo girlband mungkin seperti M2M, Spice Girls?

Sekarang girband dan boyband asal Negeri Ginseng yang sedang jadi gandrungan banyak pemuda-pemudi. Nggak cuma di Indonesia. Tapi juga di daratan barat sana tempat Westlife, A1, Blue tumbuh.

Saya termasuk penyuka salah satu boyband dari korea. Tapi saya telat. Baru beberapa bulan yang lalu menyukai mereka. Dan sekarang semacam terobsesi dengan apapun tentang mereka. Pathetic. Yeah, I Know.

Tapi, menurutku mereka memang punya kemampuan yang bener-bener hebat. Nyanyi, Nari, Nulis lagu, Akting. Kayaknya semua mereka punya. Suara mereka unik. Dan mereka juga bukan sekedar bentukan semalam. Mereka sudah dilatih bertahun-tahun sebelum mereka akhirnya diorbitkan sebagai boyband/girlband. Jadi kebayang kan, latihan bertahun-tahun nggak akan mungkin cuma menghasilkan sesuatu yang ecek-ecek.

Jujur, saya memang lumayan sinis dengan girlband/boyband dari negeri sendiri. Entah kenapa. Maaf lho. Saya memang lebih suka sesuatu yang orisinil, yang kalo dalam masalah ini nyanyi ya yang suaranya emang bener-bener bagus. Bukan cuma bagus di album doang yang ternyata hasil polesan, yang kalo nyanyi lipsync. Pasti orang-orang yang mendengarkan yang memang benar-benar ingin menikmati musik menginginkan sesuatu yang orisinil, yang benar-benar enak didengar, yang benar-benar patut untuk dinikmati.

Saya pun nggak ngerti kenapa kita jadi ngomongin masalah itu. Padahal awalnya saya mau ngomong kalo saya sedang terobsesi sama cowok ganteng anggota boyband asal korea. Hahahahahahahahahaha

Selasa, 04 Desember 2012

Jomblo, Punya Pacar, Atau ....??

Tergelitik untuk nulis di blog setelah seorang teman berkata "...blog yang tak pernah diupdate..". *Bagi yang merasa harap diam dan mentraktir saya makan*

Kali ini mari kita bicara tentang JOMBLO.

Yep. JOMBLO. GAK PUNYA PACAR. TAPI PUNYA GEBETAN SEGAMBRENG BANYAKNYA. #eh

Kadang jomblo itu bikin sedih. Misalnya kalo lagi jalan sendirian terus ketemu beribu-ribu pasangan yang sedang asyik berduaan. Yang sedang asyik bergandengan tangan. Yang menganggap dunia punya milik berdua, yang lain dianggap NGONTRAK.

Jomblo bikin nelangsa. Misalnya pas malam minggu isinya kencan sama kerjaan. Pas malam minggu perginya sama enyak babe. Pas malam minggu berduaan sama bantal, guling (bertigaan ya jadinya). Pas malam minggu kerjaannya di depan tivi, ngabisin makanan di kulkas. Nggak ada makanan di kulkas, daun pun dimakan. #eh

Jomblo bikin miris. Nggak ada yang jemput kalo abis pulang kampung. Nggak ada yang jadi ojek tetap. Adanya tukang ojek di pengkolan yang jadi langganan. Nggak ada yang bisa dipeluk pas lagi butuh dipeluk. Nggak ada yang bisa diajak ngobrol tengah malem bahkan pas obrolan itu terasa nggak penting. Nggak ada yang bisa dijadiin tempat buat manja.

Kayaknya bakalan banyak banget kekurangan kalo jadi jomblo. Tapi ya mau gimana lagi, namanya juga manusia. Maunya adaaaaa ajaaa. Udah dikasih hidup, maunya pasti ada yang nemenin. Betul?

Tapi ada lho sisi positif Jomblo. *Membela bagi yang jomblo*

Seneng. Karena nggak ada mengikat kecuali tali. Itu kalo kita mengartikan hubungan sebagai sebuah ikatan yang mengekang. Nggak ada kewajiban lapor lagi dimana kecuali sama orang tua, itupun kalo orang tua ngerasa punya anak kita.#eh
Nggak ada kewajiban ngasih kado ultah. Nggak ada rasa bersalah kalo ngelirik, ngeliat, mbayangin muka cowok/cewek yang ganteng/cantik. Nggak ada rasa bersalah membandingkan orang. (Pasti ada kan yang masih suka mbandingin mantan sama pacar yang sekarang? atau malah gebetan sama pacar yang sekarang?)

TAPIIIIIIIIIII.. Jomblo atau punya pacar lebih enak dibanding yang nggak jelas hubungannya. Bener nggak? Digantungin. Mau marah nggak punya hak karena bukan pacar.

Emang sesuatu itu lebih enak yang pasti-pasti aja. Pasti itu jelas. Ada tanggung jawab dan kewajiban. Ada hak di dalamnya. Betul??

Apapun itu, semua adalah pilihan diri kita masing-masing. Asal kita nyaman, kenapa enggak? Tapi juga harus berani tanggung resiko lhooo..*ini ngomongin apa ya?*

Senin, 15 Oktober 2012

Mungkin...

Mumpung lagi ada ganjelan, mari diluapkan. :))

Pernah nggak ngalamin tiba-tiba dicuekin sama temen sendiri? Temen deket pula? Dan nggak tahu alasannya kenapa?

Pernah nggak ngalamin hal seperti itu, dan ketika konfirmasi ke temen atau nanya ke temen yang lain, kita dianggap nggak sensitif? Atau pas kita mau nanya atau konfirmasi, kita sendiri yang ngerasa atau takut dibilang nggak sensitif? Atau takut salah anggapan.

Orang seringkali berharap kita sensitif terhadap perasaan atau pikiran mereka. Padahal ada tipe orang yang memang tidak sensitif, yang memang harus dikasih tahu.

Orang seringkali terlalu sensitif terhadap perasaan atau pikiran orang lain. Dan tak jarang pula ke-sensitif-an mereka membawa pada asumsi atau anggapan yang salah.

Well, mungkin ini yang buku dan pelajaran PPKn bilang kita harus toleransi. Mungkin ini yang buku dan pelajran PPKn bilang kita harus tenggang rasa. Toleransi dan tenggang rasa atas ketidaksensitifan orang lain. Toleransi dan tenggang rasa atas sensitif yang terlalu hebat yang dimiliki oleh orang lain.

Mungkin ini yang Allah bilang kita diciptakan berbeda-beda. Nggak cuma beda suku. Beda sifat. Beda sikap. Beda tingkah laku. Biar kita bisa belajar. Toh, menurutku setiap hari itu adalah belajar. Nggak cuma belajar di ruang kelas. Belajar bersosialisasi. Belajar semuanya.

Mungkin apa yang kita harapkan, beda dengan kenyataan. Sering.
TETAPI, kita tetap harus menerimanya. Kita berharap orang lain terbuka. Kita berharap orang lain lebih sensitif. Tapi tidak jarang orang yang kita harapkan terbuka, adalah orang yang tertutup. Orang yang kita harapkan sensitif, adalah orang yang tidak sensitif.

Mau tidak mau, memang kita harus menerimanya. DAN beradaptasi dengan keadaan. DAN tidak ada salahnya untuk bicara. Toh kita tidak selamanya bisa bermain mengalah melulu kan?