Hai, sudah lama aku gak membuka blog ini. Well, sekarang aku mau cerita apa yang terjadi hampir setahun belakangan dan mungkin menjadi salah satu alasan aku gak buka blog ini heheh..
Bulan Agustus 2016 merupakan awal aku memulai petualangan di Bumi Pasundan ini. Seperti semua orang, euforia menjadi mahasiswa baru di institut yang cukup terkenal dengan prestasi akademiknya sangat terasa di awal-awal. Siapa yang tidak senang coba berkuliah di sini?
Di sini, aku tinggal di sebuah kos yang letaknya masih di sekitar ITB. Ini memang bukan pertama kalinya aku tinggal sendirian, jauh dari keluarga dan tempat asal. Jadi, di awal-awal aku tinggal di Bandung, aku sudah terbiasa dengan kesendirian dan mulai membangun kehidupan dengan beradaptasi terhadap lingkungan sekitar. Puji Tuhan, di sini aku cukup aktif di Bina Antarbudaya Chapter Bandung sehingga memudahkan aku untuk bertanya kepada beberapa orang yang tinggal di sini mengenai suatu hal di Bandung yang tidak aku ketahui. Selain itu, karena beberapa anak pertukaran pelajar yang seangkatan denganku dulu juga berkuliah di sini, aku juga gak terlalu merasa sendiri.
Oh iya, di sini aku juga satu kos dengan teman-teman SMA-ku. Ketika aku merasa sendiri di kamar, aku langsung beranjak menuju ke kamar mereka, bercengkeramah dari hal yang berfaedah hingga nirfaedah. Beberapa kali juga, kami pergi ke kosan teman-teman kami yang lain, sambil belajar jalan-jalan di sekitar lingkungan baruku ini.
Gimana dengan kuliahnya sendiri? Hmm... Kuliah di ITB emang bener-bener menguras pikiran dan tenaga. Waktu juga deng. When you're accepted in ITB, your senior will say like,"Welcome to the hell, guys!" Unfortunately, it's true. Mungkin ketika kamu duduk di kelas di awal-awal perkuliahan, kamu akan merasa yang paling pintar. Tapi setelah kamu mendapat hasil ujian... HEHEH sabar aja ya :) Tapi sedihnya gak lama-lama kok, seiring berjalannya waktu kami mulai beradptasi dan terbiasa dengan cara belajarnya ITB.
Kebanyakan anak-anak ITB belajar secara berkelompok, and that's what I do. Awalnya, aku emang mencoba untuk belajar sendiri, hasilnya... lihatlah betapa buruknya heheh. Akhirnya aku mencoba untuk mencari teman yang asik dan mau belajar bareng aku. Di sini aku mencoba untuk tidak sering bersama dengan teman-teman SMA ku karena aku merasa itu akan menghambat adaptasiku untuk tinggal di sini. Untungnya aku ikut unit Radio Kampus. Di situ aku menemukan beberapa teman yang asik dan mau belajar denganku. Awalnya sih cuma teman seunit yang dulu satu bimbel dengan aku di Medan, tapi di tempat kami belajar, sering kami bertemu dengan beberapa teman seunit kami yang lain sehingga kami menyatu menjadi satu kelompok belajar heheh.. Belajar kelompok di sini juga ga bentar. Sering ketika sudah mendekati ujian, kami belajar hampir setiap hari dari sore hingga esok pagi (karena pagi-sore masih kuliah). Pernah suatu hari kami belajar sampai jam 5 pagi hahah... But it's worth actually. Selain kamu bisa nambah teman dan semakin akrab dengan mereka, kamu akhirnya bisa tau beberapa materi pelajaran yang kamu ga tau, tapi temen kamu tau :)
Ngomong-ngomong tentang unit... Aku merupakan salah satu kru Radio Kampus atau biasa disingkat dengan RK. Seperti unit-unit lain, sebelum menjadi anggota unit ini, dalam unit ini menjadi kru, kami diharuskan mengikuti kaderisasi, di RK disebut sebagai pendidikan. Di unit ini, aku diterima menjadi announcer. Ini merupakan pengalaman yang sangat baru buatku. Jujur sebenernya aku masih kurang pede ngomong, bahkan sampai sekarang karena anak-anak ITB sangat kritis dan keren-keren, di situ aku kadang merasa minder. Tapi anak RK sangat sangat lucu, juga asik. Dari RK, aku banyak tau tentang tempat-tempat hang out yang bagus di Bandung, tempat makan yang enak, film atau musik yang baru keluar, dll. Aku bener-bener merasa up-to-date di sini. Walaupun begitu, kalau lagi serius, kayak musyawarah atau forum gitu, mereka bener-bener serius. Dari situ, aku jadi banyak belajar dari mereka tentang berorganisasi dan berpikir kritis dan kreatif.
Selain RK, aku juga lumayan aktif di Persekutuan Mahasiswa Kristen atau biasa disingkat PMK. PMK ITB membuat aku emang bener-bener bertumbuh secara rohani. Aku merasa lebih mengenal Tuhan sekarang dibandingkan yang dulu. Well, you know, anak ITB itu sangat ambis (read: rajin) dalam akademik sehingga banyak kehidupan sosial mereka sangat kurang, akibatnya mereka merasa sendiri dan ada kekosongan di dalam diri mereka. That's the point, guys. You need God, aku merasa butuh Tuhan dalam diriku. Di PMK, aku aktif di Divisi Pelayan Khusus (PK), tugasnya seperti menjenguk orang sakit, menghibur orang yang lagi sedih dan menjadi penyambut orang yang datang ke ibadah PMK setiap Jumat.
Hari berganti hari, bulan berganti bulan, kini aku akan memasuki tahun kedua. Katanya sih besok bakal pengumuman jurusan. Hopefully I get the one that I want the most! I won't tell what it is anyway heheh... Dari pertengahan Mei kemarin, sebenarnya aku udah libur, tapi aku belum balik karena masih harus mengikuti beberapa diklat yang merupakan persyaratan untuk menjadi panitia OSKM (Orientasi Studi Keluarga Mahasiswa), semacam ospek gitu, mahasiswa 2017.
By the way, sekarang kan lagi puasa. Di daerah kosan aku, ga ada warung makan yang buka pagi-pagi. Jadi untuk sarapan aku harus bangun jam 3 pagi untuk beli makan (sahur). Such a great experience actually, belum pernah ngerasain begini, tapi gapapa sih, that's what we call as tolerance, right?
Sudah hampir setahun aku berada di sini, banyak sekali perubahan yang aku rasa di dalam diriku. Lika-liku dalam kehidupan juga semakin banyak untuk mengasah kepribadianku menjadi manusia yang kuat. Tapi hidup harus terus berlanjut kan? Aku percaya, semua badai pasti akan berlalu dan suatu hari, aku akan benar-benar menjadi manusia kuat, hebat dan bisa menginspirasi setiap orang.
Bandung, 4 Juni 2017.
00:09
Showing posts with label Differences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Differences. Show all posts
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Weird Questions in Belgium and Indonesia
Dag! Halo!
Today I will make a list of weird questions from Belgians and Indonesians during my first month in Belgium and in Indonesia after exchange. So, check it out.
From Belgians to me:
1. How high is your flight? (Seriously? Why don't you ask me the name of the pilot?)
2. Indonesia is same as India, right?
3. Ah yeah, I've ever heard the currency of Indonesia, it's Rupee right? (Please, Indonesia is not same as India, even the currency)
4. How far is your city from Jakarta? (I don't know, but I fly like from Brussels to Sicily I think)
5. Why do you want to come to Belgium? (So are you not proud to be here? I can replace you! Yes!)
6. Don't you miss your family and friends in Indonesia? (Of course I miss, but why I am still here if I miss my family so much?)
7. What? You eat rice everyday? Are you not bored? (It's like how if I ask you back, are you not bored eat bread and potato everyday?
8. You are Asian! You must be a Chinese? (ASIANS ARE NOT CHINESE!)
9. Is there iPhone in Indonesia? (I don't use iPhone doesn't mean there is no iPhone here)
10. Why don't you use iPhone? (And why do you use iPhone?)
11. Are you Muslim? (I come from Indonesia and it doesn't mean I'm Muslim -_-)
From Indonesians to me:
1. Where is Belgium? (I even have to describe it that it is located among the Netherlands, Germany, and France, then they know it)
2. What is the capital city of Belgium? (Please, it is even the capital city of European Union)
3. Are you not hungry, you don't eat rice? (Please, I live in Belgium, not in Indonesia -_-)
4. Do you like there? (If I don't like to be there, why do I really wanna go back?)
5. Do you speak Belgian? (There is no Belgian language -_-)
6. I saw your status on facebook, instagram, you speak German? (I SPEAK DUTCH AND BELGIUM HAS 3 NATIONAL LANGUAGES: DUTCH, FRENCH, GERMAN)
7. But you still speak German right? (Yes -_- but a little bit)
8. Why don't you go to Germany? (Because Belgium is more awesome than Germany I think, not make sense)
9. Are they kind to you? (Seriously? ...)
10. Do you have girlfriend there? (Sorry, but is it really important for you?)
Today I will make a list of weird questions from Belgians and Indonesians during my first month in Belgium and in Indonesia after exchange. So, check it out.
From Belgians to me:
1. How high is your flight? (Seriously? Why don't you ask me the name of the pilot?)
2. Indonesia is same as India, right?
3. Ah yeah, I've ever heard the currency of Indonesia, it's Rupee right? (Please, Indonesia is not same as India, even the currency)
4. How far is your city from Jakarta? (I don't know, but I fly like from Brussels to Sicily I think)
5. Why do you want to come to Belgium? (So are you not proud to be here? I can replace you! Yes!)
6. Don't you miss your family and friends in Indonesia? (Of course I miss, but why I am still here if I miss my family so much?)
7. What? You eat rice everyday? Are you not bored? (It's like how if I ask you back, are you not bored eat bread and potato everyday?
8. You are Asian! You must be a Chinese? (ASIANS ARE NOT CHINESE!)
9. Is there iPhone in Indonesia? (I don't use iPhone doesn't mean there is no iPhone here)
10. Why don't you use iPhone? (And why do you use iPhone?)
11. Are you Muslim? (I come from Indonesia and it doesn't mean I'm Muslim -_-)
From Indonesians to me:
1. Where is Belgium? (I even have to describe it that it is located among the Netherlands, Germany, and France, then they know it)
2. What is the capital city of Belgium? (Please, it is even the capital city of European Union)
3. Are you not hungry, you don't eat rice? (Please, I live in Belgium, not in Indonesia -_-)
4. Do you like there? (If I don't like to be there, why do I really wanna go back?)
5. Do you speak Belgian? (There is no Belgian language -_-)
6. I saw your status on facebook, instagram, you speak German? (I SPEAK DUTCH AND BELGIUM HAS 3 NATIONAL LANGUAGES: DUTCH, FRENCH, GERMAN)
7. But you still speak German right? (Yes -_- but a little bit)
8. Why don't you go to Germany? (Because Belgium is more awesome than Germany I think, not make sense)
9. Are they kind to you? (Seriously? ...)
10. Do you have girlfriend there? (Sorry, but is it really important for you?)
Friday, June 26, 2015
Exams: Study, Study, Study...
Hallo! So, last week I got exam here. Well, I actually don't want to take exam, of course. But AFS asks all exchange students in Flanders to take it. It's an obligatory. So, I made a negotiation with my school as I don't really study here and my Dutch is still bad. Hahaha.. I may take only some exams that I want. Haha. Then I chose Science, Maths, English, and History. The rest, such as Social Science, Geography, and French, I just come with some books to read while my friends are doing their exams. Actually I also don't want to take Dutch as it is about literature and the words are still difficult to me. Dutch exam took 4 hours. During the first 2 hours, I read the books that I had brought from home. But suddenly, my Dutch teacher came to me and asked me why I didn't take the exam. Then I said my reason. But she said, "Okay, but in the next 2 hours you have to take it. It's only listening and reading" Oh shit! -_-
So, what is the difference between the exam in Indonesia and Belgium? Well, there are some points that I notice. First, for exam in June, they study really hard. They even start to study a couple of weeks before they start their exam. This exam is really difficult for them because they need to learn what they have learned from January until June. The teachers here don't give tolerance to the students who get bad score. In anyway they will stay in that grade if they get bad score. Second, they don't have multiple-choice questions. All of them are essay questions. So, we need to really understand what we've learned in the class. Third, mostly we need to analyse the questions first. Then we have to connect it with what we've learned in the class. And the last, in the last page there is always a column where we can full in like "According to me, I will get score ..." or "The next time, I should do ..." It's like an evaluation for us. So, we realize about the way of our studying. In other schools, some my friends also had oral exam. So, the teacher will ask you directly and we have to explain it. It's quite scary, but I think from that, we have more confidence to speak in front of the people.
Now, it's already holiday! I'm so happy that I've done with school! Next week, I'll get my report. Hopefully it is good haha.. And it's time to have fun before I go home.. I still have 2 weeks here anyway.
So, what is the difference between the exam in Indonesia and Belgium? Well, there are some points that I notice. First, for exam in June, they study really hard. They even start to study a couple of weeks before they start their exam. This exam is really difficult for them because they need to learn what they have learned from January until June. The teachers here don't give tolerance to the students who get bad score. In anyway they will stay in that grade if they get bad score. Second, they don't have multiple-choice questions. All of them are essay questions. So, we need to really understand what we've learned in the class. Third, mostly we need to analyse the questions first. Then we have to connect it with what we've learned in the class. And the last, in the last page there is always a column where we can full in like "According to me, I will get score ..." or "The next time, I should do ..." It's like an evaluation for us. So, we realize about the way of our studying. In other schools, some my friends also had oral exam. So, the teacher will ask you directly and we have to explain it. It's quite scary, but I think from that, we have more confidence to speak in front of the people.
Now, it's already holiday! I'm so happy that I've done with school! Next week, I'll get my report. Hopefully it is good haha.. And it's time to have fun before I go home.. I still have 2 weeks here anyway.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Are You Ready?
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| Dag! Alles goed? |
Well, I'm not going to continue that shit thing anymore. Let's talk to the point. In this post, I'll tell you about choosing of being an exchange students, especially in high school.
Why do you waste your time with that useless thing?
Why don't you go after you're graduated from high school?
You're stupid, give your money with useless thing!
You can go wherever you want after you get much money on your job, dude!
You're stupid doing that thing!
Why do you do it if you miss your country, family, friends?
How come you go there and don't know the language?!
Those are statements and questions I've got before I left my country until NOW, when I'm still on my exchange year. I think not only me, all exchange students have ever got it surely. See, we are awesome, guys! We are strong because we can get through all those underestimated questions or statements. We can face the people who underestimate us! Right now, I'm gonna tell you a little story of me before until now as an exchange student.
Well, I started from January 2014. At that time, I really wanna go abroad. Then once I looked for scholarship and I found AFS. I know AFS is not a scholarship actually, but I think that's my chance to go abroad. Then I said to myself that I MUST DO IT!
In March, I signed up myself and I took some tests which are required by AFS Indonesia. Fortunately, my parents agree that I join it. I know it's hard for them to agree with it, but this is my life, I have right to do what I want and I convince them that it's gonna be all right. Finally, I'm official AFS-er in April! I got placement in Belgium Flanders. Well, I never thought before that I'll get this little country. I don't even really know how Belgium is. But later, after I'm here, I really don't regret to get placement in this beautiful country.
After I got visa with many obstacles and had orientation camp, I departed on 21st August 2014. I still remember the face of my dad, mom, sisters at that time. Unfortunately, my brother couldn't join us because he was really busy. My mother cried a little. So did my friends who are going with me to Belgium. While I didn't actually because I believe I'll meet them next year and it's time for me to see the world.
Then I arrived in Belgium on 22nd August 2014. I met many people who are also AFS-ers from around the world. It was really nice to know them. I met my host family on 24th August 2014. Such a wonderful moment for me! I didn't really know my host family before I arrived here. One thing that I knew was only that I'll be alone with a 75-year-old man at home. My feeling was mixed when I met him. It was like he is my grandpa. He can't speak English well but I took it as a positive thing for me. I was challenged to be able to speak Dutch as soon as possible. I learned a lot of Dutch and everyday tried to speak with him.
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| Have friends from all over the world |
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| Indonesians :) |
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| Host family |
1st September was my first day at school. I really felt weird but I could only smile to everyone. Then I have many friends at this school. Such a nice thing!
Then in October I changed my host family. It's not a problem. I just felt alone there and it's not the time for that man to take care of anyone anymore. I still love him, we still have contact, even a few weeks ago I made a waffle to him. Now I have hostdad, mom, two brothers and one sister. I really love my family here. We travel a lot, play, discuss many things and others together. I really can't describe how I love them. Since January 2015, I changed my school also and I met many nice poeple again!
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| Host family at the Christmas night |
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| We played with snow during sport lesson haha |
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| We also made snowball |
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| My friends in the new school :) |
Well, now I'm already 7 months here. I got many experiences here. I have new family, not only one but two families! I have many friends, either from Belgium or from other countries. EN NU KAN IK NEDERLANDS PRATEN!
Just imagine, you will have new family, friends from around the world, and can speak other languages. Besides, maybe you'll get new skills that you never thought before. I mean, like me, I learn how to cook now which was really not me before. But at school I take direction which has cooking lesson and I have to follow it! I also learn swimming here. Belgians really like sport! Everyone I meet here has sport activity. So, I choose to learn swimming here as I never learned it as serious as here haha.. So, isn't it enough to be the reasons for being an exchange student?!
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| First real snow in my life |
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| And now I know how snow is as we don't have snow in Indonesia haha :) |
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| Cooking lesson in school |
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| When I made waffle with my counselor |
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| LOOK! I got this in Netherlands which is near to my house and cooked it with my host mom |
It's not an useless thing! We learn here. Maybe not learn like in school, we learn more about the life. Experience is the best teacher of our life, isn't it? And later, you'll know that holiday is not same as exchange. Trust me, you won't regret it and remember, YOLO! You're still young and it's time for you to explore the world! So, are you ready?
Still doubt? Here I give you more reasons.
And you should also read this, it's really amazing and represent us:
Exchange
is change. Rapid, brutal, beautiful, hurtful, colourful, amazing,
unexpected, overwhelming and most of all constant change. Change in
lifestyle, country, language, friends, parents, houses, school, simply
everything.
Exchange is realizing that everything they told you beforehand is wrong, but also right in a way.
Exchange is going from thinking you know who you are, to having no idea who you are anymore to being someone new. But not entirely new. You are still the person you were before but you jumped into that ice cold lake. You know how it feels like to be on your own. Away from home, with no one you really know. And you find out that you can actually do it.
Exchange is learning to trust. Trust people, who, at first, are only names on a piece of paper, trust that they want the best for you, that they care. Trust, that you have the strength to endure a year on your own, endure a year of being apart from everything that mattered to you before. Trust that you will have friends. Trust that everything’s going to be alright. And it is seeing this trust being justified.
Exchange is thinking. All the time. About everything. Thinking about those strange costumes, the strange food, the strange language. About why you’re here and not back home. About how it’s going to be like once you come back home. How that girl/boy is going to react when you see her again. About who’s hanging out where this weekend. At first who’s inviting you at all. And in the end where you’re supposed to go, when you’re invited to ten different things. About how everybody at home is doing. About how stupid this whole time-zone thing is. Not only because of home, but also because the tv ads for shows keep confusing you.
Thinking about what’s right and what’s wrong. About how stupid or rude you just were to someone without meaning to be. About the point of all this. About the sense of life. About who you want to be, what you want to do. And about when that English essay is due, even though you’re marks don’t count. About whether you should go home after school, or hang out at someone’s place until midnight. Someone you didn’t even know a few months ago. And about what the hell that guy just said.
Exchange is people. Those incredibly strange people, who look at you like you’re an alien. Those people who are too afraid to talk to you. And those people who actually talk to you. Those people who know your name, even though you have never met them. Those people, who tell you who to stay away from. Those people who talk about you behind your back, those people who make fun of your country. All those people, who aren’t worth your giving a damn. Those people you ignore.
And those people who invite you to their homes. Who keep you sane. Who become your friends.
Exchange is music. New music, weird music, cool music, music you will remember all your life as the soundtrack of your exchange. Music that will make you cry because all those lyrics express exactly how you feel, so far away. Music that will make you feel like you could take on the whole world. And it is music you make. With the most amazing musicians you’ve ever met. And it is site reading a thousand pages just to be part of the school band.
Exchange is uncomfortable. It’s feeling out of place, like a fifth wheel. It’s talking to people you don’t like. It’s trying to be nice all the time. It’s bugs.. and bears. It’s cold, freezing cold. It’s homesickness, it’s awkward silence and its feeling guilty because you didn’t talk to someone at home. Or feeling guilty because you missed something because you were talking on Skype.
Exchange is great. It’s feeling the connection between you and your host parents grow. It’s hearing your little host brother asking where his big brother is. It’s knowing in which cupboard the peanut butter is. It’s meeting people from all over the world. It’s having a place to stay in almost every country of the world. It’s getting 5 new families. One of them being a huge group of the most awesome teenagers in the world.
It’s cooking food from your home country and not messing up. It’s seeing beautiful landscapes that you never knew existed.
Exchange is exchange students. The most amazing people in the whole wide world. Those people from everywhere who know exactly how you feel and those people who become your absolute best friends even though you only see most of them 3 or 4 times during your year. The people, who take almost an hour to say their final goodbyes to each other. Those people with the jackets full of pins. All over the world.
Exchange is falling in love. With this amazing, wild, beautiful country. And with your home country.
Exchange is frustrating. Things you can’t do, things you don’t understand. Things you say, that mean the exact opposite of what you meant to say. Or even worse…
Exchange is understanding.
Exchange is unbelievable.
Exchange is not a year in your life. It’s a life in one year.
Exchange is nothing like you expected it to be, and everything you wanted it to be.
Exchange is the best year of your life so far. Without a doubt. And it’s also the worst. Without a doubt.
Exchange is something you will never forget, something that will always be a part of you. It is something no one back at home will ever truly understand.
Exchange is growing up, realizing that everybody is the same, no matter where they’re from. That there are great people and douche bags everywhere. And that it only depends on you how good or bad your day is going to be. Or the whole year.
And it is realizing that you can be on your own, that you are an independent person. Finally. And it’s trying to explain that to your parents.
Exchange is dancing in the rain for no reason, crying without a reason, laughing at the same time. It’s a turmoil of every emotion possible.
Exchange is everything. And exchange is something you can’t understand unless you’ve been through it.
Exchange is realizing that everything they told you beforehand is wrong, but also right in a way.
Exchange is going from thinking you know who you are, to having no idea who you are anymore to being someone new. But not entirely new. You are still the person you were before but you jumped into that ice cold lake. You know how it feels like to be on your own. Away from home, with no one you really know. And you find out that you can actually do it.
Exchange is learning to trust. Trust people, who, at first, are only names on a piece of paper, trust that they want the best for you, that they care. Trust, that you have the strength to endure a year on your own, endure a year of being apart from everything that mattered to you before. Trust that you will have friends. Trust that everything’s going to be alright. And it is seeing this trust being justified.
Exchange is thinking. All the time. About everything. Thinking about those strange costumes, the strange food, the strange language. About why you’re here and not back home. About how it’s going to be like once you come back home. How that girl/boy is going to react when you see her again. About who’s hanging out where this weekend. At first who’s inviting you at all. And in the end where you’re supposed to go, when you’re invited to ten different things. About how everybody at home is doing. About how stupid this whole time-zone thing is. Not only because of home, but also because the tv ads for shows keep confusing you.
Thinking about what’s right and what’s wrong. About how stupid or rude you just were to someone without meaning to be. About the point of all this. About the sense of life. About who you want to be, what you want to do. And about when that English essay is due, even though you’re marks don’t count. About whether you should go home after school, or hang out at someone’s place until midnight. Someone you didn’t even know a few months ago. And about what the hell that guy just said.
Exchange is people. Those incredibly strange people, who look at you like you’re an alien. Those people who are too afraid to talk to you. And those people who actually talk to you. Those people who know your name, even though you have never met them. Those people, who tell you who to stay away from. Those people who talk about you behind your back, those people who make fun of your country. All those people, who aren’t worth your giving a damn. Those people you ignore.
And those people who invite you to their homes. Who keep you sane. Who become your friends.
Exchange is music. New music, weird music, cool music, music you will remember all your life as the soundtrack of your exchange. Music that will make you cry because all those lyrics express exactly how you feel, so far away. Music that will make you feel like you could take on the whole world. And it is music you make. With the most amazing musicians you’ve ever met. And it is site reading a thousand pages just to be part of the school band.
Exchange is uncomfortable. It’s feeling out of place, like a fifth wheel. It’s talking to people you don’t like. It’s trying to be nice all the time. It’s bugs.. and bears. It’s cold, freezing cold. It’s homesickness, it’s awkward silence and its feeling guilty because you didn’t talk to someone at home. Or feeling guilty because you missed something because you were talking on Skype.
Exchange is great. It’s feeling the connection between you and your host parents grow. It’s hearing your little host brother asking where his big brother is. It’s knowing in which cupboard the peanut butter is. It’s meeting people from all over the world. It’s having a place to stay in almost every country of the world. It’s getting 5 new families. One of them being a huge group of the most awesome teenagers in the world.
It’s cooking food from your home country and not messing up. It’s seeing beautiful landscapes that you never knew existed.
Exchange is exchange students. The most amazing people in the whole wide world. Those people from everywhere who know exactly how you feel and those people who become your absolute best friends even though you only see most of them 3 or 4 times during your year. The people, who take almost an hour to say their final goodbyes to each other. Those people with the jackets full of pins. All over the world.
Exchange is falling in love. With this amazing, wild, beautiful country. And with your home country.
Exchange is frustrating. Things you can’t do, things you don’t understand. Things you say, that mean the exact opposite of what you meant to say. Or even worse…
Exchange is understanding.
Exchange is unbelievable.
Exchange is not a year in your life. It’s a life in one year.
Exchange is nothing like you expected it to be, and everything you wanted it to be.
Exchange is the best year of your life so far. Without a doubt. And it’s also the worst. Without a doubt.
Exchange is something you will never forget, something that will always be a part of you. It is something no one back at home will ever truly understand.
Exchange is growing up, realizing that everybody is the same, no matter where they’re from. That there are great people and douche bags everywhere. And that it only depends on you how good or bad your day is going to be. Or the whole year.
And it is realizing that you can be on your own, that you are an independent person. Finally. And it’s trying to explain that to your parents.
Exchange is dancing in the rain for no reason, crying without a reason, laughing at the same time. It’s a turmoil of every emotion possible.
Exchange is everything. And exchange is something you can’t understand unless you’ve been through it.
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| Me with my friend and her family |
And also this:
I am an exchange student.
How do you know what is a dream if you never accomplished one.
How do you know what is a dream if you never accomplished one.
How do you know what is an adventure if you never took part in one.
How do you know what is anguish if you never said goodbye to your family and friends with your eyes full of tears.
How do you know what is being desperate,
if you never arrived in a place alone and could not understand a word
of what everyone else was saying.
How do you know what is diversity if you never lived under the same roof with people from all over the world?
How do you know what is tolerance, if you never had to get used to something different even if you didn’t like it.
How do you know what is autonomy, if you never had the chance to decide something by yourself?
How do you know what it means to grow up, if you never stopped being a child to start a new course?
How do you know what is to be helpless, if you never wanted to hug someone and had a computer screen to prevent you from doing it.
How do you know what is distance, if you never, looking at a map, said “I am so far away”.
How do you know what is a language, if you never had to learn one to make friends.
How do you know what is patriotism, if you never shouted “I love my country” holding a flag in your hands.
How do you know what is the true reality, if you never had the chance to see a lot of them to make one.
How do you know what is an opportunity, if you never caught one.
How do you know what is pride, if you never experienced it for yourself at realizing how much you have accomplished.
How do you know what is to seize the day, if you never saw the time running so fast.
How do you know what is a friend, if the circumstances never showed you the true ones.
How do you know what is a family, if you never had one that supported you unconditionally.
How do you know what are borders, if you never crossed yours, to see what there was on the other side.
How do you know what is imagination, if you never thought about the moment when you would go back home.
How do you know the world, if you have never been an exchange student?
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| Greetings from Belgium :) |
Sunday, January 25, 2015
België? Dat Is Mijn Tweede Thuis!
Hi! We meet again. It’s already around 5 months I’m here. Time flies so fast! I hate it so much. Many things happened to me during these 5 months and almost all of it are new for me. Actually, I don’t really want to tell it because my English is getting worse here, even my Indonesian! Am I lying? No, it’s really true! I still remember when my Indonesian friend asked the time to me and I don’t know to say it in Indonesian. I also ever wanted to write an email to my Indonesian friends, but… after I wrote one sentence in Indonesian, I didn’t know anymore how to write in Indonesian, even in English. I was so lazy at that time to open my lovely Google Translate, so I didn’t send it. Hahaha…
Living in a country where has 3 national languages, as I said before in my last newsletter is unique but also complicated for me. The majority languages here are Dutch and French. Almost everyone here can speak both beause they learn it at school. I’m really proud of being an exchange student in Belgium because I don’t only learn to speak Dutch but also French a little bit. Every product here has writing in Dutch and French. I live in Flanders - a Dutch-speaking region – so you will see the advertisements in public places in Dutch. While in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium, has Dutch and French speaker over there. So, the advertisements will be in Dutch and French. Even in the train station, if they want to say the departure of the trains, they will say it in Dutch and French. And if I go to the south of Belgium, Wallonia – the Frech-speaking region – it’s better I speak English than my bad Dutch. Based on it, I’m really proud of being Indonesian which only has 1 national language. I can’t imagine if every dialects in Indonesia become national language…
In Indonesia, it’s not really common to use calculator, especially in the exam. We are used to calculate by ourselves on the paper. But in Belgium… You can use it as you want, they even use it in the exam. And what makes me become lore impressed is the calculator can make graphic! First time when I saw it, I said, “WHAT??!!” I really never see that in Indonesia. I was thinking that I was so tired to calculate, especially in the exam and must search how the graphic will be and draw it by myself. And now, I see everyone use their calculator in the exam and they just copy the graphic from the calculator into their paper. They also bring only some papers of the books everyday. I mean, their books are easily to rip. So, they will take only some pages from the books that will be learned by them in school and put it in a binder. So, if they have thick books, they don’t need to bring all the books to school like us in Indonesia, only the binder with some pages. It’s really more comfortable!As you know, western people really like walking or using public transportation and now I MUST DO IT TOO. If in Indonesia, my dad will bring me to school and pick me up again by car, now I must walk every morning to school because it’s close to my house, around 10 minutes by foot. If I go further, I must use bicycle or walk to the station and take the bus. In the beginning, it’s really hard for me, I’m really tired because in Indonesia, if it’s even 10 minutes by walk, you still use motorcycle or car! But now I already use to it. Moreover, I think it’s good for my health. Oh ya, being on time is very important here. For example, taking the bus or train. If you’re not on time, you have to wait it again for one hour. Or maybe you have an appointment with someone and you’re late, he/she will be really disappointed to you. They also don’t care if you are an exchange student with “late” culture because I live in a new culture, not in mine anymore.
Maybe you also know that western people have "table manner" which must use fork and knife. That's what I do also here. If in Indonesia I usually use hand or spoon and fork, now whatever is the food, if it's pasta, fish, chicken, or anything else, I have to use fork and knife like them. Beside that, Belgian also use to drink alcohol or something with soda when they are eating. I ever went out with my family, everyone choose the drinking with soda while me, only order water. Oh yeah, they also have 2 kinds of water here, the usual water and water with soda -__________- I ever tried water with soda and I didn't want it anymore. I think it will be my first and the last water with soda -___-
In the beginning of December, there was exam in my school. Because I'm still a beginner, it's really hard for me to understand the lessons and AFS asked us, the exchange students who didn't want to take exam here to do a social work as volunteer. So, during my friends had exam, I worked in OCMW Genk, it's a place for old people to eat, learn how to use computer, learn languages or even play cards with their friends. I worked to served coffee or tea in the cafeteria of it. 2 weeks there was very priceless for me. Many things I learned, especially from the volunteers over there. They work also like me but they also old people. I asked them why they still want to do it while they are also old people as people they serve. They even said to me they already work for years, even more than 20 years. And they answered because they like to do it. They are happy if their friends are happy. WHAT A WONDERFUL ANSWER! Actually I really didn't want to work over there because I serve old people which are very annoying for me. But because of the volunteers I met over there, I learn that VOLUNTEER=HEART. We need our heart to do volunteering. Now I also understand why people want to be volunteers in AFS or maybe why my host family or other host families want to host us. It's because they have their heart in it. VOLUNTEERS ARE REALLY PRICELESS!
Two days before Christmas, the family from my host mom came to our house. They are really nice and friendly. We did many things. We talked together, young people got presents from the older people, the kids read a letter for the family as Belgian tradition here, and played cards together. It was really fun! I felt like they are also my family. While in the New Year's Eve, I went to Brussels. I met my Indonesian friends over there. We talked everything and ate very much because we needed to go to restaurant to get warmth hahaha... In the midnight, we saw the fireworks. It was beautiful and I was really happy because that was my first time to celebrate New Year abroad.
Now, it’s already winter here. Winter starts on 21st December every year. I was really excited in the beginning December. I really hoped there will be snow because many people say in 2013, there was no snow. But… ON 2nd DECEMBER 2014 MY FIRST SNOW FELL!!! It was in the evening. After dinner, my mom went outside and she said, “Benny, it’s snow!” I was surprised and ran outside directly! I saw everything is almost white! I was really happy although it’s not too much. I took many photos of it. Hahaha… After that, there was no snow anymore. But in the winter break, OH GOSH! THERE WAS SO MUCH SNOW! It was like my best Christmas gift ever. Every new thing that I find here is really unique and awesome. Altough sometimes I find something different with my personality or my culture, now I’m falling in love with Belgium. Now I can say, BELGIUM IS MY SECOND HOME!PS. Sorry I don't have time to post the photos. I need to sleep now but I promise to post it asap. Good night!
Living in a country where has 3 national languages, as I said before in my last newsletter is unique but also complicated for me. The majority languages here are Dutch and French. Almost everyone here can speak both beause they learn it at school. I’m really proud of being an exchange student in Belgium because I don’t only learn to speak Dutch but also French a little bit. Every product here has writing in Dutch and French. I live in Flanders - a Dutch-speaking region – so you will see the advertisements in public places in Dutch. While in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium, has Dutch and French speaker over there. So, the advertisements will be in Dutch and French. Even in the train station, if they want to say the departure of the trains, they will say it in Dutch and French. And if I go to the south of Belgium, Wallonia – the Frech-speaking region – it’s better I speak English than my bad Dutch. Based on it, I’m really proud of being Indonesian which only has 1 national language. I can’t imagine if every dialects in Indonesia become national language…
In Indonesia, it’s not really common to use calculator, especially in the exam. We are used to calculate by ourselves on the paper. But in Belgium… You can use it as you want, they even use it in the exam. And what makes me become lore impressed is the calculator can make graphic! First time when I saw it, I said, “WHAT??!!” I really never see that in Indonesia. I was thinking that I was so tired to calculate, especially in the exam and must search how the graphic will be and draw it by myself. And now, I see everyone use their calculator in the exam and they just copy the graphic from the calculator into their paper. They also bring only some papers of the books everyday. I mean, their books are easily to rip. So, they will take only some pages from the books that will be learned by them in school and put it in a binder. So, if they have thick books, they don’t need to bring all the books to school like us in Indonesia, only the binder with some pages. It’s really more comfortable!As you know, western people really like walking or using public transportation and now I MUST DO IT TOO. If in Indonesia, my dad will bring me to school and pick me up again by car, now I must walk every morning to school because it’s close to my house, around 10 minutes by foot. If I go further, I must use bicycle or walk to the station and take the bus. In the beginning, it’s really hard for me, I’m really tired because in Indonesia, if it’s even 10 minutes by walk, you still use motorcycle or car! But now I already use to it. Moreover, I think it’s good for my health. Oh ya, being on time is very important here. For example, taking the bus or train. If you’re not on time, you have to wait it again for one hour. Or maybe you have an appointment with someone and you’re late, he/she will be really disappointed to you. They also don’t care if you are an exchange student with “late” culture because I live in a new culture, not in mine anymore.
Maybe you also know that western people have "table manner" which must use fork and knife. That's what I do also here. If in Indonesia I usually use hand or spoon and fork, now whatever is the food, if it's pasta, fish, chicken, or anything else, I have to use fork and knife like them. Beside that, Belgian also use to drink alcohol or something with soda when they are eating. I ever went out with my family, everyone choose the drinking with soda while me, only order water. Oh yeah, they also have 2 kinds of water here, the usual water and water with soda -__________- I ever tried water with soda and I didn't want it anymore. I think it will be my first and the last water with soda -___-
In the beginning of December, there was exam in my school. Because I'm still a beginner, it's really hard for me to understand the lessons and AFS asked us, the exchange students who didn't want to take exam here to do a social work as volunteer. So, during my friends had exam, I worked in OCMW Genk, it's a place for old people to eat, learn how to use computer, learn languages or even play cards with their friends. I worked to served coffee or tea in the cafeteria of it. 2 weeks there was very priceless for me. Many things I learned, especially from the volunteers over there. They work also like me but they also old people. I asked them why they still want to do it while they are also old people as people they serve. They even said to me they already work for years, even more than 20 years. And they answered because they like to do it. They are happy if their friends are happy. WHAT A WONDERFUL ANSWER! Actually I really didn't want to work over there because I serve old people which are very annoying for me. But because of the volunteers I met over there, I learn that VOLUNTEER=HEART. We need our heart to do volunteering. Now I also understand why people want to be volunteers in AFS or maybe why my host family or other host families want to host us. It's because they have their heart in it. VOLUNTEERS ARE REALLY PRICELESS!
Two days before Christmas, the family from my host mom came to our house. They are really nice and friendly. We did many things. We talked together, young people got presents from the older people, the kids read a letter for the family as Belgian tradition here, and played cards together. It was really fun! I felt like they are also my family. While in the New Year's Eve, I went to Brussels. I met my Indonesian friends over there. We talked everything and ate very much because we needed to go to restaurant to get warmth hahaha... In the midnight, we saw the fireworks. It was beautiful and I was really happy because that was my first time to celebrate New Year abroad.
Now, it’s already winter here. Winter starts on 21st December every year. I was really excited in the beginning December. I really hoped there will be snow because many people say in 2013, there was no snow. But… ON 2nd DECEMBER 2014 MY FIRST SNOW FELL!!! It was in the evening. After dinner, my mom went outside and she said, “Benny, it’s snow!” I was surprised and ran outside directly! I saw everything is almost white! I was really happy although it’s not too much. I took many photos of it. Hahaha… After that, there was no snow anymore. But in the winter break, OH GOSH! THERE WAS SO MUCH SNOW! It was like my best Christmas gift ever. Every new thing that I find here is really unique and awesome. Altough sometimes I find something different with my personality or my culture, now I’m falling in love with Belgium. Now I can say, BELGIUM IS MY SECOND HOME!PS. Sorry I don't have time to post the photos. I need to sleep now but I promise to post it asap. Good night!
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