[Mind]Flow :

Hong Kong: fragrant harbor & odorous skyline

2011-06-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

I didn’t smell any fragrant at the harbor but I believed it was Hong Kong when I see the skyline. As I read from Wikipedia the name "Hong Kong" is an approximate phonetic rendering of the pronunciation of the spoken Cantonese or Hakka name "香港" (Heung and Gong), meaning "fragrant harbour" . But then I wonder why they called it "fragrant harbour" ?. Some historians suggest that Hong Kong's Chinese name was inspired by its export of fragrant incense as I also read from here. Nowaday, I would rather to name Hong Kong as an odourous skyline if we see the fact that there is 7,650 skycrapers in here. Thirty-six of the world's 100 tallest residential buildings are in Hong Kong. More people in Hong Kong live or work above the 14th floor than anywhere else on Earth, making it the world's most vertical city not a fragrant harbour anymore.

We arrived in Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal at Shun Tak Centre, 200 Connaught Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, then we take MTR to Tsim Tsa Sui toward our hostel at Chung King Mansion near the Nathan Road. It was around 12 at midnight and the MTR is still operating. Just at the gate near the building called Chungking Mansion, an old lady is come to us and she bring her name plate written : Sukma Wahyuningsih. It was my friend name who books the room for us. The old lady said that she has been waiting us for hours and she is little bit worry since we didn’t show up until 12 midnight. She then take us to our hostel passing through the corridor of that building up into the 12 floor when we see that the room is too small as we also already now. It’s Hong Kong, one of the most expensive city in the world. We know that.

Lantau Island : To Ngong Village through Cable Car
The Next day we go to our first destination in Lantau Island. We go there using the MTR through one transit station and then we arrived at the Tung Chung station. From Tung Chung station we go to the cable car terminal toward the Ngong ping village to see the Tian Tan Buddha.

How to get there:
Assuming that you're taking the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station, take the MTR Tsuen Wan Line going towards Tsuen Wan and get off at Lai King station - interchange trains to the MTR Tung Chung Line towards Tung Chung and get off to that last station. Take the Exit B and look for signs going to the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Terminal.

Fare : Adult 13.8 (Octopus), 15.5 (Single Ticket)

MTR Station

Arrived in Tung Chung Station

Welcome in Ngong Ping

The Ngong Ping Village

Wish you luck

It was foggy. We cannot see the panoramic view as promises at the www.np360.com.hk. We already book the cable car through the website, but we should exchange the booking print out with the ticket at the counter. There were no que.

The Cable Car

Inside the cable car

The Route
This ride is from Tung Chung Town Centre down to Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. Encompassing bird's eye views of the South China Sea and Tung Chung Bay, Scenic Mountains, the Hong Kong International Airport, and the whole North Lantau Country Park.

We arrived at final station in Ngong Ping Village after 20 minutes journey through the cable car. It was disappointing since we cannot see anything from the cable car window. Then we walk toward the Buddha statue. It was quite an effort to get to the Buddha statue since we should walk the thousand of stepladder ( I think it was thousand, more or less).

Having excited walking upward and downward the stairs then we have a meal at one of the Halal restorant at the Ngong Ping Village . It was a middle east restaurant so we feel more comfortable with the food.

We pass the monastery and we go directly back to the Tung Chung station via the cable car (again). But the view was quite good rather than the first ride. At the Tung Chung station we stop by to City gate factory Outlet which famous for it big discount for quality goods.

Citygate Factory Outlet

Ngon Ping Station

Hong Kong Island : Victoria Tram, Victoria Peak, Madame Tussaud
The next destination is the Victoria Peak at the Hong Kong island. From Tung Chung station we go back to the hostel first since we cannot find any mosque around the street (at the next day we found that there is a mosque near the Hostel). Then we go toward Victoria peak.

How to get there:

Take the MTR >> Central Station >>The Peak Lower Station, at Garden Road >> Victoria Peak. From Central ke The Peak Lower Terminus.

Fare :
Tram ticket price as follows: Adult = HK$ 28 - one way, HK$ 40 - round trip; Child (age 3 - 11) or Senior (age 65 or above) = HK$ 11 - one way, HK$ 18 - round trip

Madame Tussaud
When we arrived, it was around 09 pm and the Madame Tussaud is closed at 10 pm. So we only have less than an hour to get around the museum while also taking picture with the figures from Kung Fu star (Andy Lau, Jet Li to name a few) to the world leaders (Obama, Hu Jiantao & mahatma Gandhi ). They also have a scream room where they will try to scare us with all the tools they have while we walk through the corridor.

Then we go back by the same route to the hotels to take a nap and charging our energy for tomorrow adventure.

Waiting

Kowloon : Harbor City, Avenue of Stars and Masjid Kowloon
The next day we start the journey to go to the Harbor city near the Star Ferry Terminal. The view is good with the foggy around. Then we go straight back to Kowloon, near the hostel to visit the Avenue of Stars. Here are the photos :

Action

Bruce Lee

Becoming a movie stars

One of my friends should go back to Jakarta and cannot continue to Macau for the reason of duty calling. So we take her to the Central station so she can continue to the airport by Airport Express from Central station.

After that we go to Mongkok station to look around the famous ladies market which actually sell all goods for all gender not only for ladies as It name. I have not taken any picture there, since I am busy bargaining with the seller.

In the afternoon, we stop by to the Kowloon Mosque near the Nathan road. It is said that although the current building dates from the eighties, the first mosque on the site was erected in 1896 as a place of worship for Muslims in the British Arm according to this site.

Kowloon Mosque

Hong Kong after 5 @Kowloon

We have count all the expense that we have made. If you interested to review our budget and itinerary please feel free to download the doc here.

Macau : a bit of Europe & a bit of Vegas in Asia

2011-05-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

The night when I arrived in Macau, I feel like in Europe and Vegas at one time. The classic roman architecture in Fisherman Wharf reminds me of the roman style building and the glittering light from the Casino gave me the atmosphere of Vegas. Then, my dreams of Europe and Vegas that night suddenly gone when I talk to the Taxi driver. None of them can spoke English or read the English map.

This time, I am travelling with my friends using AirAsia from Jakarta to Macau (via KL) and we go directly crossing the straits to Hong Kong using the Turbojet. We skip Macau at the first day for Hong Kong experience and we put Macau for the last day before we depart back to Jakarta (again, via KL). We spent 2 days for Hong Kong and 2 days for Macau. We arrived in Macau International at around 8 PM and we take some times for taking picture around the Fisherman Wharf and Sands Casino. The night scenery is stunning with the lights from each Casino that make the City so beautiful as in Vegas.

The first night here, we only spend several hours for taking picture around Fisherman Wharf where I feel very much in classic roman story. Then we should catch up for a ferry to Hong Kong. The next two days after, we go back to Macau and here is the story of a blending experience between European style architecture and Vegas taste of entertainment from the casino. Before you go through this post, please take your time to see the big picture below.

Courtesy of Google Map

The Building Architecture : The Ruin of St Pauls Catedral, Penha Church, Senado Square

I start the sightseeing at the night after we arrived back from Hong Kong. One of my friends got to go back to Jakarta and skip Macau for the sake of her office calling for workshop that she finally realized doesn’t worth enough. So we are now four left. Three guys and one lady.

We start from one of the popular destination. The Ruins of St pauls but this time we try with the unpopular way : at night. The hotel we stayed (Guia Hotel) is located at Guia Hills and we only needs to walk around 20 minutes from the hotel to Ruin of St Pauls.

I am really enjoying walking through the street with the view of an old building which taste doo European. In here, they named the streets using the Portuguese name: Avenida, Estrada, Rua and Travessa. Avenida and Estrada refer to the main road which usually have two lines while Rua is smaller road which usually one way line. Travessa is a narrow street which can only be access by bicycle, motorcycle or pedestrian

European Style Building

St Paul ruins at night

The day after we go to the next destination for sightseeing An Ma temple and Penha Church. This time we should take a cab and continue by walking for several km. It takes around half an hour from Guia Hotel to An Ma Temple . It is quit effort for us to walk to Penha Hill, but the astonishing view can pay for that effort

An Ma Temple

Penha Church

Macau Tower-view from Penha Hill

From Penha hill, we go to Senado square while also walk over the St Dominic Church and St Augustine Church. We are having brunch at Mc Caffe around the Senado Square where I am having trouble to get the chilli sauce from the servant since they cannot speak English until finally a nice lady help me translating what I want to the servant.

Toward the Senado Square-My Friend Riri wearing a hat.

In front of St Dominique Church

Senado Square-MOP 100

Senado crowd

The Gambling Industry and the Migrant Worker.

It’s a Friday and we went to a mosque for Friday praying. It was in the Islamic Association Head Office, Muslim Community Centre. The location is at the area of muslim cemetery. We met an Indonesian worker here. I forgot his name, he tell us the story of several migrant workers from Indonesia who have been tricked by some institution who promises them a job in other country (Japan,South Korea, Taiwan) but ended up by leaving them here in Macau.

It was so sad to hear their story that ended up like this, working in one of the casino, spa, or other entertaiment industry in Macau. Those man are moslem which is forbiden for those kind of things as gambling , but they didnt have any other choice rather than to work in that industry. The man whom I talk to also said that this mosque is a place for a person like him to find some help. The people here are very friendly and they share the spirit of muslim brotherhood. They hope that none of other migrant worker from Indonesia get tricked by those institution.It so sad to hear that story.

The next agenda is an invitation from Sofitel for an afternoon tea. I will gave the full report of our once in a life time experience in Sofitel Macau here. Thanks to Sofitel and our new friend, Jay Lee who let us look around the rooms in Sofitel Ponte 16. Here are some of the picture of Macau from above which I have taken from one of the room in Sofitel.

Macau from above Sofitel Ponte 16

Venetian Macau dan City of Dreams

Having satisfied looking around the Sofitel we continue the journey to the Casino Spot using the shuttle bus from Sofitel to Macau Ferry Terminal and take the other Shuttle from the Ferry Terminal to Venetian Resort and Hotel. Our first destination here is the Venetian Macau Gondola which cost MOP 108.

Meet Sofia, the Gondoliers

City of Dreams

The Bubble show. The nest destination is watching the bubble show at the City of Dreams which now cost for MOP 30. Several travel blog as I read from the internet said that it was free of charge but now they charge a ticket of MOP 30 for each person. You may look at the video here.

So that the story of 2 days in Macau where I and my froends are exploring the European style building and vegas at one time. If you would like to smell the frangrant of Hong Kong harbor and odorous skyline you may read it here.

A Day in Museum

2010-11-25T03:57:00.000-08:00

My friends are coming to town. They are hold a meeting between a group of a traveling community called Banten Backpacker (BB). They met up in Semanggi on Saturday to watch a movie, having some lunch and the next day they went to several museum in Kota Tua Area. I didnt came to the saturday meeting but I came on sunday for a tour de musee : Monumen Nasional, Museum Bank Mandiri, Museum Bank Indonesia, Museum Fatahilah and Museum Wayang (Puppet Museum). Dont tell anyone..This is my first time to get to the Monumen Nasional in my life.

I am not lieying. this is my very first time to come up to the top on Monas at arounf 115 m from the ground. It was so hillaious to be in the top of Jakarta. I can see almost the tallest building in Jakarta Pusat from Monas. But I was so crowded. We have to queue for abaout one hour just to get to the top.

This is the photos..Enjoy...

Taking Pieces of India: A golden Triangle Journey with friends

2010-11-16T14:34:00.000-08:00

Finally we got some pieces of India. India is one of the largest country in the world with its population over 1.18 billion people ranked for the second most populous country in the world. It also ranked as the seventh-largest country by geographical area. India has a lot to offer with its large geographical area and its people. They have a lot of beautiful landscape, popular heritage sites, and foods. India is also unique with its cultural and religion in its people. There are lot of things that we could get from India. Something that we could take home. At least some pieces of India that we could bring as s souvenir. A piece of smile, a piece of beautiful landscape, a piece of culinary, a piece of surprise, a piece of heritage. And the most important piece…..is a piece of story about India that I want to share with you…dear my lovely reader.

I took the India trip with friends in college. Sukma, Zahra, Aris and Afdal are my friends in college. AirAsia and the traveling issue has brought us back together. We decide to travel to India because we agree India have something to offer. Something unique compare to other destination in the world. Then we plan to go with this route: New Delhi-Jaipur-Agra. The golden triangle route. We took AirAsia (AA) flight from Jakarta to KL then New Delhi. We have to take the flight to KL first since AA have no direct flight from Jakarta to New Delhi. The flight from Jakarta-KL took around 2 hours then after having some rest, lunch and praying we continue the flight to Delhi that took another 6 hours from KL. So in total we have to spent more than 10 hours just to get to India for the sake of the cheap ticket.

I feel astonished when I arrived in Indhira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi. The Airport was beyond my expectation. In point of fact I am ready to see the dirtiest airport in the world as mentioned in several review on the internet. But what I saw there was great. It has capacity of 34 million people per year in compare with 55 million for Harthrow-London, 70 million Changi-Singapore, 78 million for Beijing Airport-China. This airport turn my view about India. I thought that the Government had renovated the airport just before the commonwealth Olympic game that was held on October 2010.

As promised the Hotel sent a driver to pick up us at the airport. It was Kwality Hotel. A kind of hostel with a good price and located at the heart of New Delhi. Off course they have minimum facilities in the room. But price is our major concern, plus they offer a pick up from the airport to Hotel. That is enough for us.

We have to canceled the first activity on our schedule to visit India Gate at night. I read from the internet that it was closed after 9 PM and its only a slight from our arrival time plus the ride from airport to the center of New Delhi. So after check in we go direct to find restaurant near the Hotel. As an explorer we want to taste the local food although with a little bit of anxiety about the hygiene. We walk around the hotel, looking around the neighborhood, sightseeing while looking for dinner. The first restaurant we go in, then blocked our exploring soul.

I don’t want to be harsh about this, but the unpleasant smell inside the local restaurant is really made us sick. We go out just a few second after we open the door. Then my friend pointed directly to the modern restaurant across the local restaurant. There’s a lot of foreigner there which made us feels more comfortable to choose that one. We still have the opportunity to taste local food there. Just to mention a few are : briyani rice (I got surprice with this one : a portion of briyanni with two chicken and one egg inside of it….imagine that two chicken, plus an eggs) Parathe breads. Te foods was glorious. I love Indian foods. After full, we go back to the hotel for rest. The next day we started our journey to explore India, start from New Delhi on the first day.

Day one : New Delhi. We go around the city by car we rent from the local rental. Our destinations are : (1) Gandhi Fire (2) Houses of Parliament, (3) India Gate (4) Qutb Minar (5) Humayun thombs (5) Janthar Market, but we have to remove the schedule to Bahai Worships House since the drivers have some private mission to drop us to the souvenirs store. You should have know this trick, every travel guide has a connection with the souvenir store which will gave them some tips for every tourist they drop at the store. We have to follow this although we don’t buy any things there. And you know, the drivers looks very disappoint knowing that we don’t bought anything from the store. Our last destination in the first day is the Janthar market for shopping good souvenirs before we go to the train station where we will take a train to Jaipur. Overall, we quite satisfied with this city tour around New Delhi where we can see lots of Indian structure and heritage sites.

Day two : Jaipur. We arrive in Jaipur around 10 PM and the hotel already sent the driver to pick up us at the station. Arrived in Jaipur I feel that this Is what they often told about India, poverty everywhere. But I would call this city as a spiritual city where I feels lot of atmosphere of devotion. As written in many books some people are traveling to India in search of something. They called it as search for devotion or some kind of religious fervor. I heard some talk about this when we are holding a dinner at the roof top restaurant in our hotel Khrisna Palace. Some travelers are talking about their reason for traveling. One of them talks about their previous life where she feels uncomfortable with the world she have. Others talk about havier things about religion. I remembered that one of the girl said “Religion is something in our mind. That’s why we can create it”. I don’t have a comments for this, but this talks are quite common in India. People are coming to India to search somethings, one of it is the search for devotion.

The destination in Jaipur are : (1) Albert Hall (2) The Pink city (3) Observatory (4) Amber Fort & Amber City- the ancient capital of the state until 1728. In Khrisna Palace where we stay we also met our Indonesian friends that we met at the airport on the first day arrived in New Delhi. They have the same schedule to go to Agra the next day by train.

Day three : Agra. This is our ultimate destination: Taj Mahal. We arrived in Agra in the middle of the night without hotel facilities to pick us. The problems is not that we could not find taxi to the hotel but there are to much of them that offering us with pushing. We have to argue with the those several taxi drivers that come around us and made us confuse with the information about the distance from the station to hotel related to the price that we should pay. Finally we hold a white flag. OK they won this time.

The next day, or actually a few hours after we slept we go to the Taj Mahal in the morning but we fail to catch up the sun rise in Taj Mahal.

We took lots of picture while also amazed by the construction built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653. I heard that there are lots of people died in construction of this building. Then we are heading back to New Delhi to catch the night plane to KL then go back to Jakarta the next day.

A happenstance in the journey : Malaysia-Thailand in a coincidence

2010-07-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

It was said that happenstance has a meaning behind. An event that shows us something beyond our plan. It refers to anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause. Sometime we call it as an indicator of a luck. You might think this as a coincidence that left you with a big question about what lies behind all of that. A philosopher (who love to think to much of unnecessary things) always love to analyse this kind of coincidence. When you are given something that comes just before your other plans supportively you might said that as a happennstance. I have a story about this.

One of it is what I called it as a happenstance in my journey to Thailand. It was started with my plan about a year ago to book a flight from AirAsia with several of my friends. For most of my friend the journey was not a big one, but for me this is the one. My first time cross border experience. As always first time always stamp me with a big impression that comes from a big expectation behind. We started a plan to have a trip Thailand in a middle of a night when my friend, Aris call me just to tell me there is promo from our beloved airlines, AirAsia. A return ticket Jakarta-Bangkok for only Rp 683,000 ($ 76). I didnt really know how I have agreed this plan in a middle of a night and mostly how can I agree to give Aris a trust to use my credit. We start the plan with 6 person on the list but only 3 left into the final day.

The other 3 person: Andi, Ditho, & Gumelar decided to cancel with several of reasons. Making a forward buying for a promo ticket always left us with a risk like this, no refund for the tickets. The three other, Aris, Afdal and me are continuing the plan through the day. The tick tok of waiting the the day 24 June 2010, to come give me a shocking moment.

One of it is when I have given some offering : a conference in Malaysia, would you like to join? "Conference"....It sound cool in my ears. But this is not the first time an offering comes but most of it ends with : sorry canceled. It has been a common in the company. So I did not expect to much. I have a plan already, Bangkok in my oversight. So KL cannot tease me this one.

But the conference offering come into more close. Then I see the Directors email, approving me to join the conference. But I still havent got the date yet, tentatively its on 20-something. They havent told me the exact date. So, I tell Aris that I might canceled Bangkok for KL. But I still keep the plan B. I tell Aris to make plan B just in case fortune comes to me : both KL and Bangkok on my shoestring.

Then It come into what I called : happenstance. The conference is on 22-23 of June. My plan to Bangkok is on 24-28 June. Nice schedule. I am wondering, who made this? A Gypsy might said to me : Fortune favor the bold. I said, this is God intervention. Allah had give me a nice schedule of trip to two countries over the week. And most of all I can make a cross subsidy between those two. Bangkok is an expense side, but KL is an income side. I have made a balance between those :)

Back to the discussion. Happenstance come with a mysterious way. You might not know when it will come or even might it will come. Life is all about mystery isn't it? That's why a forecaster is always been looking for to make prediction : empirically using statistic or mystically using a Cristal ball. Both have something in common.

Happenstance has a meaning behind. It is not a just coincidence came randomly although we can not predict it. I believe it was created to sign us that the power of God can decide anything to happen or not happen. I believe that. Do you?

When Logic beats Black Magic

2009-12-31T19:17:00.000-08:00

Actually I want to watch Avatar, but when I saw Sherlock Holmes is playing I change my mind. Avatar can wait. In this movie, Guy Ritchie (the director) modify Sherlock Holmes character form a nerd-skinny kind of detective to a naughty-good looking-muscles detective. In this movie you will see how Holmes is taking a fight and won the fight(I never read that Holmes could ever take a fight). A little bit different with the old character in Conan Doyle famous Novel. But Holmes was still astonishing with his logical thinking in solving a mystery. This time Holmes and Dr Watson is trying to revealed the mystery of Lord Blackwood trick to terror the public of London with his series of murder and "wake up from the grave" deception to mobilize an ancient secret society.

As in the Novel, Holmes is showing off his rationalistic powers. First, when he meet Marry (Kelly Reilly) and how he can guess all the things about Marry from his eye-review analysis. Second, when he take a fight in boxing arena. He calculates all the steps from his opponents and make assumption before taking his action in beating the opponent. He even predicting what will happen to his opponents in the 6 months. In this scene the audience can follow what is in Holmes thought process through a slow motion preview. When I saw this process I get thrilled with all his calculation and observation through the body of his opponents using the laws of anatomy and phisycs and finally send his opponent to a hospital for the next 6 months.

My imagination about "damn smart" kind of person always shows a kind of nerd character. Just like what Arthur Conan Doyle made on his "nerd-skinny-unatractive" Sherlock Holmes. But in this movie, that is not always the case. The French director, Guy Ritchie has change this Holmes into a muscles (but still with his brain) person. He also can take a fight, just like the other superhero in Hollywood movie.

But, Holmes weakness to Irene Adler is still in this movie. The charming Adler had always make his trick to Holmes.

The red line from this movie, as it pop up in my mind, that logic will always beat anythings even the black magic.

The words I like from this movies was when Holmes is having a difficulty in resolving the Mystery of Lord Blackwood, He said to himself : "...Steel your mind" (is it correct ?? steel or still?? I would rather pick the "steel" cause it refer to strong material analogy) Trying to keep up his logical mind.

Wayang Listrik (Electric Puppet Show) and the creative economy

2009-08-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

I went to JCC on Saturday. There were several exhibition on JCC: Traditional Food Exhibition, Property Expo, And Virus K. The last one is the most interesting for me. Virus K is a Creative Economy Exhibition from Ministry of Trade. In this expo they perform "Wayang Listrik" an Electric Puppet Show by Made Sidia. The show was one hour show of electric puppet from Made Sidia from Bali telling about a peace country that was build by Khrisna & Amarta that then become ruin because of the greed of its people and also because of terrorist. This is my first time watching wayang in theather. My parents used to tell me about their experience watching wayang in the Midnight but I never interested. But this Wayang show was different. It was performed in theater with a good lighting and sound system and it the dalang is interchangebly using Indonesia and English in the show. This is what they called as a transformation of traditional culture with modern technology without eliminating the traditional root. One of the main in creative economy.

Wayang is an Javanese word for theatre (literally "shadow"[1]) When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet theater, sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as wayang. ", the Javanese word for shadow or imagination, also connotes "spirit." Performances of shadow puppet theater are accompanied by gamelan in Java, and by "gender wayang" in Bali. UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit, a shadow puppet theater and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003 (Wikipedia).

There were several kind of Wayang : Wayang kulit , Wayang topeng or wayang gedog or wayang wong, Wayang golek (rod puppets), Wayang karucil or wayang klitik, Wayang beber, Wayang Sadat, Wayang Wahyu. Wayang kulit, shadow puppets prevalent in Java and Bali in Indonesia are the best known of the Indonesian wayang. Wayang kulit was transformed from the restriction of islamic leaders in that era that prohibited the used of the display of God or gods in human form was prohibited, and thus this style of painting and shadow play was suppressed. King Raden Patah of Demak, Java, wanted to see the wayang in its traditional form, but failed to obtain permission from the Muslim religious leaders. As an alternative, the religious leaders converted the wayang golek into wayang purwa made from leather, and displayed only the shadow instead of the figures itself.[citation needed] Instead of the forbidden figures only their shadow picture was displayed, the birth of the wayang kulit (Wikipedia.

Wayang today is both the most ancient and most popular form of puppet theatre in the world. Hundreds of people will stay up all night long to watch the superstar performers, dalang, who command extravagant fees and are international celebrities. Some of the most famous dalang in recent history are Ki Nartosabdho, Ki Anom Suroto, Ki Asep Sunarya, Ki Sugino, and Ki Manteb Sudarsono.

For me Wayang is boring, At least from my point of view the traditional. Especially that it usually performed in the late night. I just dont know how they can stand the whole night just for watching the show. I also dont understand their Javanes languange the Dalang used.

But I dont feel this kind of bored when Ia m using this Wayang Listrik. They used projector not a traditional light and they also using good background for example the background of fire, sun rise in the morning and many other. The Dalang also interchangeably using Indonesia and English with a Balinesse sound.

This evolution of wayang performing and the adapaibility with technology describe how Made Sidia has made his contribution in Indonesian heritage. In his speech he said that with his wayang listrik he would like to teach children to love the wayang and other indonesian heritage.

Reunion

2009-07-20T06:07:00.000-07:00

When we go far away from to some place,we will have some feeling to go back to a place where we start before.I often have this feeling around me lately. The feel to get back to the old memories, the time when I thought that I am doing something cool but realized that it was fool,and and wishes to fix it now.

This feeling can only be cured by those people that had made their notes in my memories. Those memories was a precious intangible asset for me. Something that would raise my spirit when I am going down. Something that would cheer me up when I am fed up with this long winding road that I have to go through. Reunion, is an oases for these journey.

The journey that I have taken was not so far away but still I have had this feeling surround me. Missing the old days with them, the dreams, friendships and off course love. The last one is something that I always regret that I have never taken. The old times for me seems to far away for thinking about love. I have several accidentally in love moment with nice, pretty girl but none of them ended happily.

Not to mention that it was a black memories for me, but what I have been through was a choice in live. There is always some choices that we should take with regard to the other that we should put off. Love is something that I prefer to put off. This choices had the consequences for me as an amateur in understanding what love is and who should I love.

Another part of these memories was a dream. Dream about my live and what should I contribute to people around me. I am still hold the dream to realizing all my ideas and how to make this things work.

And the other part of memories (the most important for me) was a friendships. Thinking about those old days would come up to me about how they have fill my live, support me in every circumstances and always be there when I needed.

I can only see those things from the memories behind. A reunion with friends is the one that cure this with memories of dreams, loves, and the ultimate friendships.

Bomb, Terorism, And The Speculation Beyond

2009-07-19T00:09:00.000-07:00

On Friday, two sequential bomb explosions hit the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott hotel. The bomb that blast on around 7.47 AM(JW Marriott) and 7.57 AM(Ritz Carlton) killed at least eight people and injured at least 50 others (data from Jakarta Post). This is the second one after the last bombing in JW Marriott on 2003. The yesteday bomb shocked Indonesia and the world. After the peace legislative and presidential election, we are expecting that this peace and stability condition will continue so Indonesia could continue to delevop its economic and the welfare of its people while keep learning democracy for in its dynamic and multicultural people.

Many people are then trying to figure out who (the hell) are the terrorist behind and what are their motive. They are now speculating with just afew facts they have from the news. Not just politician, President, economist, and even my collage at the office are starting to speculate what the motive and who the hell are this terrorist.

One of the simple opinion comes from an office mate saying that this bomb was a proof of the goverment (while pointing at SBY ) mistakes in protecting it's country. The police and intelligent are not work properly in protecting the national defense. He continued by saying that the police are assuming that after the death of Dr. Azahari our country are now safe from terrorist. (I just smiling on this opinion that seems more tendencious then based on the fact). This opinion had triggered my other office mate who stand for SBY to make another fools argument. Then this talks turns into another joke in my office (a kind of unimportant discussion between the people there when they need to kill the time).

While keep working on my report, I also listening to the news in TV next to me and clicking the news portal, trying to find out update from the news. Then I read another argument about this tragedy comes from a friend of mine in Cilegon that write in mailing list. He stand in the argument that what we had here is a set up from the "outsider" who want our country to be chaotic. The argument was stand for a defense from the common judgment that always pointed "moslem" as a bomber.

I just dont really understand what this people are arguing. They only have a few facts from the news and now they are speculating all about this.

Then I heard about the President statement which triggered another debate. Mr. President release a statement in TV implicitly saying that this tragedy might come from a person who dont like about the election result (detik.com). This speculation then triggered another debate then come in the news from the other presidential candidate who feel that this statement was not true. This statement seems to linking between the hotels bombing to recent presidential election. An analyst saying that SBY statement was too early and seems to politizing the tragedy. They argue that politicizing the this deadly bombing was a setback for democracy in Indonesia..

Another speculation read in Politikana is writing that based on the fact that most of the victims are important people (CEO Holcim, Manager of Thiess) it might that this bombing was intended to the mining industry sector since most of the victims are from there.

Today in the news saying that Noordin M. Top is suspected to be the mastermind behind the bombing of the Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton in Jakarta on Friday. The authorities say there are "strong indications" of that. One of the most wanted men in Asia, he is already wanted for the Bali bombings of 2002 and 2005 and for bombing the very same Marriott in 2003. The bombs look like the work of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). They found an unexploded bomb in Room 1808 of the Marriott. The two suicide bombers were hotel guests.

Well I dont want to judge all the speculation. But how if we keep our thought for a while. Let the aouthority pooll the facts. Give them some room to investigate and analyze. Then from the result we could critize whether the goverment is really working or just another of looking the black goats.

Can't wait for Monday

2009-06-27T02:45:00.001-07:00

Most people hate Monday. I bet they do, including me. But after I have this "thing" I always have the passion to go to the office. I always dreaming about my clear Monday, lovely Tuesday, cheerful Wednesday, beautiful Thursday, and happy Friday to ride my Bike.

It's not a new one. I bought from my office mate just a few weeks before. It was a mountain bike that I always wanted.

Now I am planning to go to work by this green vehicle that make no pollution, no Fuel to spend from my budget and that enhance my muscle by cycling it.

I have made some trial to found a track to go to the office and estimating the time to go there. Last Sunday I went to UI to met some of the bikers from Depok or Rombongan Depok (known as Rodex) then I continue the journey to my office. I start at about 8 AM then I arrived at the office at 9 AM. So I predicted that the approximately 25 km distance can be travelled around one hour. But when I went back to home, I spend more than to hours. May be I have lost my energy during the the first ride that made me cycle so slow.

Well for me it was worth enough to fullfill my passion on riding bicycle. Today I just started my activities with riding a bike to campus for TOEFL courses. Unfortunately The weather is too hot that made me so thirst and have to drink much dring the ride. I can not wait untill Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to ride my bike. Go bike to work.

Whose to blame?

2009-05-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

I really doubt about my English ability, especially for grammar and conversation. The last one is about habit (I think). The more you speak the more you can speak fluently. But the first one is a matter of intelectual ability (I guess). These are my problems and would become an obstacles for my dream to study abroad. Last time I take TOEFL the result was quite good (for me) but was poor compared my other competitor (I guess). Several scholarships & university require the prospective student to have at least 550 score on TOEFL. But if I go on with this minimum score of course the others will beat me with more than 600 score on their TOEFL. Thats why I decide to take TOEFL preparation course so I could beat this number.

For this purpose, I have search the information from my old campus which near where I am living. I search the info from their website than I call their office to ask further about the their courses. I also look at the brochure that they have new class on IBT preparation. I decide to take the new class which offer the student to prepare on internet based TOEFL. They said that I should pass the advanced paper based TOEFL to take the IBT preparation class.

About a week later I take the test. I was unprepared but I pass the test.Unfortunately they only told me that I pass the test and enter the IBT prep class without giving me the score. After the test I should pay the admission and I prefer use transfer from my bank account. I ask the officer there via phone and she said I should take a form before I make the payment. Gosh, Do I have to take the form by myself? I go to work from monday to friday then saturday is my only choice to go there. But Unfortunately I have a wedding invitation from my college mate in Bogor on the same day. So I went to my old campus in Depok first before leaving to the wedding reception. What an effort to take.

When I ask the other officer in charge. She said that I can make a transfer payment. Just jot down the account number then make a transfer payment via ATM. Grrrrrr. I wish they told me before so that I dont need to go their office just to get the account number. What an effort. It is very annoying that they dont told me before. But I also shame to my self, why dont I ask before. Can I make a payment via transfer mam? and Can you just give me the account number so that I dont have to go to your office. I wish I have ask that before.Grrrrr

I dont know whose to blame. Surely a part of this mistakes was mine but it is easier to blame others.Hhhe...Now blame the registration person.

The class has a requirement that the minimum number of student registered is 13. Therefore I still have to wait for the other 12 person . They said at this time there is only 2 people registered. The first one is me and the other one doesnt pass the test.

A week later I try to ask them whether the number has reach 13 person. Then I call their office to ask. This time another person answering the phone. But he mention about the step in this registration. Did you have taken the test sir? I said Yes I did. Have make the payment? Yes, I have transfer the money and I have confirmed to the person in charged?Did I have taken the interview?...What interview? The girl I call before didnt said anything about interview? Should I take the interview? The man said "Yes You should take the interview test? Then I resisted "But the girl I ask before did'nt said anything about interview...The man was also resisted?No..no..you should take the interview.

OK I give up. When the interview should take place? The man said you could came here tomorrow?

It was saturday when I came to the office. I came late, It was 11.30 AM. I went through the office and ask the officer. I hear a sound of a man which I call in phone yesterday. From the voice I know it's him. I ask him whether I can take the interview although I am late and I am wearing T Shirt and using sandals? He said No problem. He ask me to wait for a minute.

I am waiting. Then the girl show up. She ask me? You have make your payment did'nt you ? I said Yes I did. Then OK we have confirmed you? She continued. But what about the interview? I ask calmly. What interview? the girl said. There is no other test and interview. You have pass the test. But the class has not reach the minimum requirement of student so you have to wait untill next week. I became more confused with this and said to her "but the man (I pointed that man overthere) said I should take the interview". But when I try to blame him, he suddenly said. No..no..you dont have to take any interview.

What..a he** is this. Of course I didn't said that word in front of them. I just keep it for this post. Now whose to blame for this?

From Neverland to Netherlands : A dream to study Netherland

2009-04-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

I am counting and It’s been almost two years since my undergraduate study in economics that I still hold the dream. A dream that seems unrealistic for me at that time concerning my poor undergrad academic performance at FEUI. Dreaming about studying abroad to shape my mind about the world. To get an opportunity to go out and let the world shape me. Dreaming about entering the global community to get the global perspective. I have this dream all over my life but my path of life have driven me away to another choice as an employee at state owned enterprise rather than hunting for scholarships and university abroad. But this dream is keep building, no wonder I am dreaming about traveling Netherland yesterday while in the train (see this post), just like Wendy that expecting Peter Pan to take her to Neverland, an imaginary and wonderful place, a fantasy land a place, where Childs dreams and wishes come true.

Since Peter pan may not even exist, I try to go for the dream by myself. And now I am back to those times when I have the time to search scholarships & business school. I have spent my spare time, while my bosses are not giving me a task, by surfing and entering these keywords in google: scholarship, Netherlands. Beside from internet I also went to some education fair. I have saved some of the file that I got from those past times and try to open it again now. One of it is from European Union. Thank god I still keep the files.

I open those files and search any information about studying Europe. What a coincidence that almost of the brochure I got there are from Netherland Education. I play the CD from nuffic neso which consist database with information on 1391 international study programmes. These study programmes are offered by higher education institutions in Holland for academic year 2009-2010. The CD ROM also contains internet links and contact addresses of the institutions for further information about a particular study programme. I am thanking to those people in neso who made it easier for us to understand about Netherland.

What I have found about Netherland is each university have a long tradition and trust worthy reputation. One of our founding father an honored man Mr. Muhammad Hatta was graduated from Rotterdam University, He had inspired me to study economics. From my friends I also know that study in Holland allows the student to approach education in manner that best suited their needs. The Universities in Netherland also has global reputation with their innovative teaching methods.

From the CD ROM where listed 1,391 international study programmes I found the programmes that suit most on my interest. I am preparing to enhanced my education in market research. From the searching I found 3 universities that suit my preference. Erasmus Rotterdam,Utrech and Groningen. Then I try to find the rank for this universities in world universities rank. And all of them are on the list.

The most important thing in searching for study for me is scholarships availabilitu. Netherlands have plenty of it. From the CD ROM I also got these informationthat they provide some scholarships for best student and especially from developing countries like Indonesia.

Another criterion in searching a place to study is how well you can adapt to the new environment and it is about the culture they have, the language they speak and the food they eat. These criterions were not only for Indonesian people who have a long history and emotional relation with the Netherland but also for other countries and culture along the globe. The Netherlands has long been renowned for its liberal, sometimes groundbreaking, attitudes to individual liberties. Other countries often view the Dutch as ‘tolerant’, ‘progressive’ or ‘libertarian’ in these matters. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to introduce legislation permitting euthanasia and same-sex marriage. It is debatable but what I can conclude is they have give freedom for the citizen to choose, that's the main point.

Beside "Freedom" they also have high tolerance to other religion. As I found in Wikipedia the Netherlands and Dutch people have played an important role for centuries as a culturally liberal and tolerant centre, with the Dutch Golden Age regarded as the zenith.

And finally the money that we have to spend during the study is the major concern for all of us. In my search I found that relatively most study programmes in Netherlands has relatively lower cost compare to US of UK for instance.

Many students (put me on the first list) are willing to join foreign universities to guide their career in the right direction. Studying in the foreign universities has many advantages to it. Study in Netherland offers student one of the best opportunity to understand Europe culture and off course the world.

The Netherlands, a flat country more than half of which is below sea level, is not a Neverland anymore ( I hope) and I don’t need Peter pan to take me there. Netherland for me is not just about for studying master degree but also shaping my mind with a global community. Netherland offers a professionally fulfilling and financially lucrative career anywhere in the world. What I need then is a ticket there. A ticket to global community for me is to take study in Holland. So I could leave my Neverland and run for my Netherland...

Sir, Your ticket please….

2009-04-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

It was 7 AM and I AM LATE. I usually took the 7.30 train and it was 7 AM when I woke up. There is only 30 minutes to go for praying subuh (Praying at 7 AM??? God forgive me for this one), take a shower, preparing my stuff that places everywhere and breakfast. Life is all about choosing one thing and leaving another. So I leave my breakfast as a trade off for other things. Preparing the stuff and get dressed with messy suit. Don’t ask me about shower. But I do wash my face and brush my teeth (honestly). The two most important things, I guess. I said bye to my mom then run for the train. My house is about 15 minutes walking from a train station or 5 minutes running. Thank god the train arrived late so I could take my time for breath. I should arrive at 8.00 AM to prepare some report. I pray my boss will be late too.

Lucky me, the train was empty then I took my time to find a nice position. I got my seat and then tried to continue my fastidious dreams that have taken by the alarm this morning. I am heavy-eyed and cannot hold this. My mind come fade away. I fall asleep while thinking about an email from Erasmus Rotterdam informed me about study programme for master degree. About 6 months ago I went for an education expo and I put my email address in their guess book. Hoping to get some information about their study programme. Then they sent me the information. The question then is not about whether I am interested about the programme but whether I can afford for it or not. This question drives me to search information about scholarship to study in Netherland. Hence I spend the whole night googling for scholarships. Then I fall asleep in the train. Sleep like a baby in his folding bed.

Suddenly a noisy sounds wake me up. I thought that it was an alarm. But it was not. It was a bell ringing from some place notifying arrival and the officer shakes my shoulder. Sir, your ticket please. “Uhh.. Where am I?” Suddenly I see stranger around me. None of them are Asian. Wait I am the stranger here not them. Am I dreaming? “its Amstel Sir” said the officer. Am I dreaming? I look ahead and I saw Amsterdam Central Station.

I leave the train station to a city hall. And I see Dam Square the city central square. And there is a lot of store there from antique stuff store to a Koffie shop where you can smell the space cake & mushroom (please keep boys under 17 from reading this post). I look around to find something to eat. But how can. I can’t even speak Dutch. Hmm..Holland is the place where most of the people are speaking English aren’t they. Lucky me. Wow I am in the middle of the global community. Don’t need to be afraid anymore.

I take my step to the street. I look around to talk to somebody and I met this foreign student who looks calm and nice. We talk in English. Her name is Olga Muravjova, Lithuanian and she took BA in Liberal Arts, at Utrecht. I took the chance for asking about her experience in studying in Netherland. She said that the first time she knew about University College Utrecht was when she came to visit her brother who was also studying here several years ago. She decided to study at UC because it offers a perfect combination of quality education and gives an opportunity to combine several disciplines.

After having a nice conversation with Olga I prefer to have some travel in this flat country. I went to Aalsmeer, to see the largest flower auction of the world. Daily, said one of the seller, over 45 million of flowers and plants are sold here. What a big market. Then after windows shopping for flowers, I took a train to visit the beautiful medieval city Delft, to visit a delftware factory. From Deft I went to the international port Rotterdam. It used to be the largest port of the world not long ago. Although it isn’t anymore, it is still extremely impressive to see how ships as large as a block of flats call in at this international port and imagining how VOC start their international trade here.

From Rotterdam I went to The Hague by train to visit the Royal Palace Noordeinde, the Vredespaleis (Peace Palace). Of course, I will not skip Madurodam, the smallest city of the Netherlands, in this Grand Holland Tour. In Madurodam they have precisely copied a part of Holland on a scale of 1:25. A kind of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah but in small scale. I can touch the top of The Dutch Parliament, Schiphol, the Rotterdam harbor, the Amsterdam canals, the mills of Kinderdijk, and it was a great experience. Feels like Giants walking around the Netherland. I met my college mate here. She went to VU Amsterdam for her Master degree. We talks about an opportunity for getting scholarships and she said that no need to be worry of that. That’s a plenty of scholarships offered by Stuned, Huygens and a lot more.

After long travel through Holland I feel like that I just had travel around the world. Holland is a global village where people from all around the round are interacting. No need to go around the world (as sing by Gita Gutawa Tak Perlu Keliling Dunia). I don’t need to go around the world to sense the global community if I could study here. A ticket to global community is here at the Netherland.

Ticket…ticket…ticket. “Sir, your ticket please….”. I suddenly woke up and back here in the train when an officer is asking a ticket. “Gosh. Am I dreaming???. Yes You are I guess”, said the train officer.

Travelling Jogja

2009-04-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

Traveling- it leaves you speechness, then turns you into a storyteller--Ibnu Batuta, as quoted in Travellers Tale-Aditya Mulya

I have never visited Jogja since I was in junior high school. It was 10 years ago. Something called "study tour" from my junior high school was my last time to visit Jogja. And last weekend I went to Jogja for the first time since 1998. And It really makes me speechless then drive my finger to write. I have so many words in my mind I to write. The beautifull places, the people around, and the heritage that still exist. But I choose to upload the picture that I have taken rather than describe it on my post. Picture say a thousand word, as mention in a proverb

The journey begin with a visit to Ratu Boko temple. At first we want to visit Prambana Temple, but in the ticket line we see an offering of a package to visit both places. So we decide to change the ticket in hope to see both palces with one ticket. But at the end we can only visit Ratu Boko since we are running out of time.

These are some pictures of places I have taken from the famous Malioboro street, now known as Jalan Ahmad Yani. It was not a holiday night so the street was not so crowd (not saying that it was empty) but we still have the chance to see the empty street here

     Kenek Andong is waiting for his passenger

We walk around the street to take some picture. This is a beautiful night that we can not miss. We pass the famous Beringharjo market. My friend father have some places where he sell clothes near Beringharjo market. So we stop by just to look around the market.

     Beringharjo market at night

We then walk to the Fort Vredeburg is a fortress built by the Dutch in Yogyakarta during the colonial ages. It is located in front of Gedung Agung, one of 7 presidential palaces in Indonesia and the Sultan Palace called Kraton. It was bulit in 1765 to protect Dutch governor. It is surrounded by a trench that is still visible. This square-shaped fortress has 4 watch towers at its 4 corners. In the past, the Dutch troops patrolled frequently on its wall. Nowadays, the fortress has become a museum. In some buildings in the fortress there are dioramas on Indonesian history

     Fort Vredeburg

Just in front of Fort Vredeburg there is Gedung Agung, on one of 7 presidential palaces in Indonesia and the Sultan Palace called Kraton.

Gedung Agung

Then we walk home and take some of the streets pictures here. This is the..near Kantor Pos and BNI office. Not far from that places there is a music festival held by a cigaretes company.

The day after we went to the Ultan Bath palace or called Taman Sari. It was not far from my friend house since he live in near the palace.

        Taman Sari

Then we pray Dzuhur at Masjid Kraton Soko Tunggal. It was name soko Tunggal since it has only one main pilar at the center of the mosque. A unique kind of mosque.

   Soko Tunggal

Traveling jogja has always connected to visiting temple. Because the limited time we can only visiting the Ratu Boko Temple.

    Me at Ratu Boko

These journey has make me speechless while observing the beauti of its herirage and its people there. The journey has come to and end but Jogja has never been an end. It is never ending asia. I would come here again to explore many things that I have not yet visited.

Is it friday??

2009-04-05T02:16:00.000-07:00

Yes.It's Friday already. Friday also means "Free-day" for some people. The busy activities are slowing down. People are relaxing their tension. Some people are trying to concentrate on searching which places they should choose for weekend. Some others are talking about the four day before and trying to make some weekly report for what they have done already at the weekday. But for sure most of them do not have any other activities except for reviewing their jobs. I think it is a matter of office habit that we have this kind of slowing down activities. But whatever the bad habit's are, I am one of them. Thats why I love to work here (sorry for my bad reason boss)

Since it is a free day (on my own term) I also trying to relax my tension although I have big load works to finish. But I prefer to finish the work at home. It need focus and concentration to do my heavy work (????). Then I prefer to walk around. Other reason for me to walk around is my fellow work which had been located in Cilegon is having what the so called OJT (On The Job Training) in Marketing Department. It means that he should work and learn the business process in the marketing & sales area here in Jakarta.

Just few months ago I also take the OJT on his place at PPC (Production & Planning Control)where I learn nothing. This is one other habits in our Company. We still formally doing something which sometimes unnecessary. The new employee are the objects that should do this formally activities although we have said to the officail person that we don not really need two weeks just to learn this kind of thing. But we still should do that.

Well, since my friend Aryo do not have any activities and seems bored. I take him for a tour around the building to met several friends in other division and subsidiary of our Company. First I take him to met Dewi which places at KHI Pipe Industries, the subsidiary) We talk around for sometimes then I take him to another places to met Iffan & Fery in Krakatau Wajatama also the subsidiary. In the middle of our chats there is a man who walk into the office and presenting himself with high level of confidence. He then walk through the room which we can not hold since we do not have any security or front office to hold him. Then He said some words fluently and directly while his assistant helps him to give the brochure to us. Then he continued his presentation about this Holiday Package.

It seems interesting for me to see the package. He said that he will give extra ticket if we buy one ticket. Means that every ticket we buy he will give us one ticket for free. But I do have other preferences for vacation so i said to him that I would like to have this package for free. If anyone take one ticket, I am willing to take his free ticket. I said this eaily followed by laugh just trying to warm the talk.

But what he said then, makes me a lil a bit angry. He said directly: dont you shame sir? What the he** he said......? I still hold my anger since I knew that he said the statement without any pretention which I feel from his intonation. OK. Then I said "Off course not. Why should I be shame?". Maybe he means that those are are not the kind of expensive package and still I do ask for a free ticket there.

I am trying to see the positive side rather than mumbling to his annoying statement. I see that a salesperson should be like him. His effort to convince us even though we are not listening and dont even care of his existance are need to be given thumbs up. The way the present his holiday package is very fluent and flow naturally. He also can easily make through to our office (where the he** is the security?having lunch maybe...). Two thumbs up for him. You win, but dont let me see you again, cause I might not hold my anger again and you may end up in the first floor without elevator. What a friday.

Wondering whether facebook is a complement or substitute for blogging

2009-02-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

These day I spend most of my spare time on facebook. Waiting for my friends to put their comment on me. I post my update for this purpose. I also make some notes aimed to get their attention they put on my comment. This is what they call as viral narcissism. I want to show to the world what I have done, what I currently doing and all others things I will do. Facebook provide all of this.

As my retaliation I also put my comment on them so that they know how much I care them (yikes). Facebook has dominantly take its role on our society. Spreading its influence from it's small community at Harvard to all over the world currently. Facebook has also taken our times (here is one of the analysis on TIME). But my question as a blogger (to be) : has Facebook also taken the time for blogger who ussually blogwalking. I see this trend from blogbuddy analysis (read it here)

At first I feel that all that social networking media are complement since I have most of them to diversified my community. But recently Facebook has dominantly takes it role over. It has note which can tag people we associate with or we want to pursue them to read. It also has many application which makes us want to stay longer. Particularly, do I need blogger, wordpress, typad or other blogs?

To blog you need a lot more efforts than facebook. You need to design your own blog (to attract blog walkers), you also need to put this and that gadget to get more your reader stay longer. And finally tou should blog walking to your neighbour to keep your relation with them.

With facebook and all it's facilties. We dont need much effort to do that. It provide you with a single click media. Then the question is whether those two things are complement or subtitute? The question may diverse between people (may I have your opinion on this)

Black valentine

2009-02-14T20:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday some people celebrate what they call as valentine's day. They day when they express their love to their lovers. Usually they send chocolate and gift card to their lovers. Many people around the world has adopt this culture (Indonesia is on the list). But some people has it cynic view about valentine's day (put me on the first list). Most of my friend also has this cynic view. One of them even said that she will wear a black shirt in valentine's day just to show her annoyance to a couple who wear pink shirt and its attribute (all in pink) in valentine's day and walking together to show that they are in love (a kind of Public Display Affection)

I laugh at her when she said her willingness to wear in black in valentine's. Then it reminds me about the history behind this tradition that as black as my friends shirt. From my small research at wikipedia I knew the fact that the valentine's day may have not exist in the past and have no exact correlation with love and romance. It has no history as it background. I call it a black valentine.

My small research on wikipedia found a few relation about this valentine's day and celebration of love actually. Wikipedia noted that Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

From wikipedia, it also mentioned that in modern live valentine's day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States. The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women.

But what is the association between "love" and "14 Februari"? Indeed, mid Februari was mentioned to be correlated with love and fertility. Based on the Athens calendar the period betwenn mid January and mid Februari it was associated with Gamelion month which given to the Romance between Zeus and Hera. Here are the further explanation on wikipedia.

The history and relation between "love" "s.t valentinus" and the "valentine's day" is a black as my friends shirt. I laugh while imagining my friends at 14 February wearing black shirts walking around showing her annoyance to pink as I also annoyed to this celebration.

Priority Seat

2009-02-10T04:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was late and should take the 7.30 train to office. The train was scheduled to arrive at Depok Baru Station at 7.30 from Jakarta and then turn back to Jakarta. That's why they call it "Kereta Balik" since it's destination is only at Depok Lama then the train doesnt continue to Bogor but to turn back to Jakarta (or Tanah Abang. Usually I don't take this train but the "6.05 economy class" train. But yesterday I should take this "AC Economy Class" train (which cost me Rp. 5.500 compared to Rp.1.500 regular economy class) because I wake up late. The train was empty when arrived at station Depok Baru. I am so blissful to see this empty train and feel free to choose the seat that I finally realized it is an erroneous choice.

Then I go through to find some comfortable seat. Choosing in several alternative seat I finally decide to take the seat near the door. The seat is only for 3 people in row. That's why I choose that one rather than other seat that contain more than 3 in row. This seat is so comfortable because no one other take it at the first place.

After a few moment enjoying the comfortable seat while also releasing my breath and serene my brain for the anxiety (because of late), I take my paperwork from bag then tried to review my work. Not long after that the train arrived at the Depok Lama station, the second destination before it turn back to Jakarta. Suddenly lot of people entering the train and tried to find their seat, pushing each other and competing to get the seat.

I saw this phenomenon as usual. Naturally, mankind have this kind of nature character. Competing each other to get the best (and comfortable seat in this context). I tried to analyze these people through their face, dress and gesture just to found out their character.

Just a few second after the rush of people entering the train and make full of this train, a woman came close to me and said "excuse me..." with her face saying "will you stand up and leave the seat for me" . Spontaneously as I gentleman, I take position to stand up and give her my seat. What make me feel a little beat stunned is, how can she be so confidence urge me to leave my seat. I know she is a woman and in etiquette man should giver her seat to woman. But that's not the case here. She is young and there are lot of man kept his seat while infront of him a young woman in standing.

Then I saw the sign that give me a reason why she urge me to stand up. The problem with me here is my position. I take the priority seat. The seat that should be take by this priority person: old man, handy cap person, and pregnant woman and woman with her children. Well, let just say that day was not my lucky day.

I'm Gonna Take The Chellenge...

2009-01-25T08:01:00.000-08:00

It's another blogging competition since I've participate in several blogging competition that I never won it.Yeah...I never fade up with this kind of thing. This is the link.

Well, got to prepare for this competition. I got to speak up my mind to the world...

Riding a Bicycle

2008-11-16T05:21:00.000-08:00

One of the most memorable stories in my childhood was when I learn to ride a bicycle. It was too late for a child in my age to learn bicycle but I never give up. I always dream to have my own bike. Driving it all over the village with my friends, make some noise from the horn and yelling each other was the most memorable stories in my childhood.

The joy of riding bicycle is when you drive it along the road it feels like flying into the thin air, and then if you make the full speed you could feel all the rush on your blood was released into the air. This two tire vehicle was one of the most important human inventions made by Karl Von Drais.This invention then inspired people to make other vehicle like motorcycle and even plane.

My first bicycle was a small bike...I forget the brand, but it has second paddle in it. My parents bought it after my long begging for it. I learn to drive it every day after school and in the weekend. I got several injuries for it but it all worth for what I have learned. Now after years never been driving bicycle I miss it. Then when I see several people driving bicycle into their office inspired me to joint restart my old dream driving bicycle to feel the thin air.

But now this dream will start step by step. My first step is to have it first. I have started to collect money to buy it. Last week I came to a bicycle exhibition held by the Ministry of Industry and University of Indonesia. The exhibition was held in Balairung UI in Sunday. This is some pictures I take from the exhibition.

The Exhibition and the crowd...

A Must Have......

What A horse......ready to ride. This is one of my dream ride. A Cool Mountain bike, with its mud. Completely.....what a man's dream

The People and the official...Ups, could anyone found her. I forgot to ask her number…he3.

I am going to Pesta Blogger 2008

2008-11-16T04:59:00.000-08:00

I remember a quotation from Einstein noted this ”Someone started to live when he can live outside himself”. Here Einstein is saying that the ultimate goal of our live is when we can serve other than ourself. For me to live outside myself is to give my idea for other people or at least my stories so that other people may learn from my mistake that don’t have to recur on them. Sharing my stories is one of ultimate goal for blogging. And then I went to this Pesta Blogger 2008. The theme for Pesta Blogger 2008 has the same idea with me “Blogging for Society”. Blogger should have contribution to the society since they have wide area of influence from the broadband media.

I have just started blogging less than a year and I am interested in blogging since I have the passion to tell a story. I care about how the process not the result and that’s why I want to tell these process that I have been through. To tell about how was it feels the first time experience, the story that I never revealed even for my best friend, this might look like a diary that open for whole world. But this was aimed to have other people responds, I want to share my point of view to be shaped by other people view by their comments.

This year I am planning to go to Pesta Blogger 2008. For that I have register myself and bought this shirt.

Could you please leave the "booth"

2008-11-08T19:22:00.000-08:00

Last week I have an accidentally moment when I went to a career & scholarships exhibition in UI. It was my friend Indra and Adi that invite me to accompanied them to that event. Since I also have some occasion for ALUMNI gathering or Halal Bihalal in my old campus I decided to came to the exhibition first before going to the gathering.

But I get dissapointed when I see the scholarships exhibiton was not as I expected. It was only a kind of seminar that talk about how to get succeed in searching scholarships.

The First accidentally moment is when I met this girl. She was second degree friends (using FS term), her name is Puput and she is Adi's collegue in his old workplace. We met her at the Stasiun UI shelter while waiting for a Campus bus Then Adi introduce her to me and Indra. She came to the exhibiton as scholarships hunter. What a coincidence. But we were separated then, Puput take the first Bus while we (Indra, Adi and me)were walking to Balairung since it was taking too long for waiting the next Bus.

The second accidentally moment is when I am just thinking about leaving the expo to come to the gathering, I met this girl again at the Balairung shelter. Then she tells about her plan to go to European Higher education expo at Balai Kartini but she doesn't know how to get there (what an opportunity for me...). I dont have to tell you what next. For short we went to Balai Kartini together.

It was so crowded there. There is so many visitor come to the expo. Then I realized that I lost Puput since I was so excited while browsing the university stand, moving from one stand to another. While I am looking for the information by the person there, I also try to overlooked to anything in the stand. It might because that one of the person in one of the stand said this to me: Sir could you please leave the "booth"...??? I get confused by this "booth" term. First I think that it refers to my shoes...should I leave my shoes outsie the stand???. Then I respons by saying pardon? He replied, could you please leave the "booth", this moment by acting like a man who try to drive away a chicken from a field.

I leave the stand with a confused face. Does he have problem with my shoes? I am still thinking that the "booth" refers to my shoes. Until then I get realized that the "booth" refers the "stand". What a bad english I have. Shame on me.

Craft Exhibition

2008-11-06T00:40:00.000-08:00

As a wrote before yesterday is one of my boring day since I don’t know what to do at work . I do have some task to do and it was scheduled to finish this week. But I give up , I can’t work it. I forgot how to run the ARIMA (Auto Regressive Moving Average) model to forecast the demand variable. Beside that I also have some procastinating habit. Wait until tomorrow to do something and till I plan it to do it the next tomorrow. At 10.00 AM I keep counting down every second to 12.00, waiting for the lunch time to go out. But as my stomache cant wait for any longer I went to the mart to bought some snack then I keep counting to 12.00.

Finally the time has come and then I get lunch with my friends after that we go to craft exhibition at the Ministry of Industry Building near by our office. We just went for windows shopping and this is the souvenir.

I ask the seller how much is the Puppet (Wayang), he said it depends on the size and its motive but the range is around Rp. 100,000-200,000. I remember when I was child I do have this kind of puppet that my parents bought to me. I love this kind of etnic motive.

The craft are quite expensive (for my wallet that moment), I plan to buy some batik shirt but I revoke when I see the price. Wawan, the big guy with glasses bought a neckles made from silver for her girl friend. The price is Rp.125, 000 at first but after the bargaining with the seller they agree to trade with the equilibrium price at Rp. 100, 000. Other craft from silver as this horse statue worth for Rp. 400,000. But it was not made of all silver only at the outside. The seller said that the price for each gram of silver made craft is Rp.20,000 per gram.

An evening talks with an old friend

2008-11-06T00:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I met a friend in a mosque around Gunadarma University. He works in a big Logistic and Shipping Company, MAERSK SEALAND. I have known him since we go to college 7 years ago and we also learn Qur’an (Liqo) in the same teacher, but I have decided to quit Liqo earlier since my busy activity lately. Few days ago we just met in a friend’s wedding but we have less conversation after a long time no see moment.
In the mosque after Maghrib praying we have a little intense talk about our job. He share his fed up with his work now. He had worked there for around 2 years and expects to have a career promotion. But the system never gives him a chance. In a MNC like MAERSK SEALAND the competition to get promoted around the employee is though and tide.

Then he tells his unrealized plan to start up a new business. He has a plan to start a business in a computer spare part component with his friend. For that purpose he had made a passport to visit China to contact the exporter there. But unluckily this economic situation that made doing business uncomfortable had made him to think twice.

From this little chat make me think about my future plan, what have I plan for life? I have some dreams I never realized because of lazy behavior. One of it is my plan to continue study abroad. I do have made some steps. First, I want to make some achievement to furnish my CV. I don’t get a good grade in college, that’s why I want to make some other achievement so that my CV will look better in the eyes of the scholarships committee. For that I have start to write in several essay writing competition but I only get one certificate for that. Then I also have started to search the scholarships info. But lately those steps have been fading away. For short I never finished what I have planned before.

Now, listening to a friends’ story about his goal, I try to restart my goal. Trying to get focused by shifting from goals to goal. From many to one goal. To get scholarship for my study in marketing research.

Happiness comes from within

2008-11-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

Some people live for the fortune, Some people live just for the faith, Some people live for the power, Some people live just to play the game, Some people think that a physical think define what was within…..
……
Some people want it all, but I don’t want nothing at all if I ain’t got you baby….if I ain’t got you baby
Some people wants a diamond ring, some just want everything, but everythings means nothing if I ain’t got you baby….(Alicia Keys, If I Ain’t Got You)

I believe that the ultimate goal of a mankind in the world is the pursuit of happiness. But what kind of happiness they chase is all the problems here. Like the part of Alicia’s songs “if I Ain’t got you” define that some people search for happiness from other persons that he/she loves. It means the person has dependency to his/her soul mate. I that case the search of happiness will be described by the search for the soul mate that will make them happy. It means that happiness comes from the outside.
This is the case for me (yet for this moment). I still have this primitive paradigm that happiness comes from physical things out there: nice looking girls, a lot of money in my deposit, work in a great companies with good salary and career path…you name it (the list will be infinite here). What I feel lately is I became more depended to what happens in outside. My emotion became so fragile with the external shocks.
Most people (like me) search for happiness from the outside since it is the easiest things they can do. If you can touch something means that it is real. The physical thing is the easiest things that we can define. But the problem is that we can’t always count all the things from the outside. What happens out there will give us an external shock. Then some kind of emptiness will accompany us. The search from the outside will drive us into never ending journey to infinity. Then while you search for the “happiness” the time run out and what you’ll find is nothing.
Happiness for each person’s will be different and depend on his/her definition. The most reachable definition of happiness should comes from the inside. Means that if we shorten our definition of happiness it will became reachable for us to get it. Happiness should come from within. We all have our happiness inside and should not let the outside define happiness for us.
Happiness from inside is the most believable thing you can count on. It will not betrayed you and it will be always on your side.
It should be like that…..(originally posted on 231008)

Beautiful Roller Coaster

2008-04-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Life is a Roller Coaster.....kata Ronan Keating
Life is Beautiful .........kata Benigno

Tapi buat gw

"life is a beautiful roller coaster...."

Penggalan itu saya kutip dari seorang teman dalam pesan kesan buku kenangan. Hidup memang seperti wahana permainan roller coaster...dan itu menyenangkan bagi yang tidak punya penyakit jantung dan phobia terhadap ketinggian.

Sensasi menuju puncak persis seperti perjalanan hidup ketika mencapai sebuah prestasi. Begitu hidup....begitu menggebu-gebu seperti seorang pemuda yang tak sabaran untuk bermalam minggu...menjemput kekasihnya dan meluapkan rindu dan menghirup kembali candu asmara yang akan membuatnya ketagihan. Begitu menderu...seperti pesawat yang sedang melaju kencang untuk tinggal landas, ingin terus melaju hingga membayangkan di atas sana hanya ada aku dan angin......

Melaju kencang, melawan gravitasi, bercumbu dengan udara yang bergerak, menampar-nampar wajah dan permukaan kulit, masuk memenuhi paru-paruku hingga sesak. Hingga keluarlah teriakan lepas menyambut puncak di sana yang sebentar lagi ya...sebentar lagi tiba...
tiba untuk terbang diatas sana....

Sesaat sebelum puncak menjelang tiba-tiba tubuh ini tersentak....sesuatu menghujamkan tubuh ini kebawah sana...membuyarkan lamunan tentang semua impian yang seakan sudah dalam genggaman. Semua impian-impian itu tiba-tiba direnggut oleh angin yang bersekongkol dengan gravitasi untuk menarikku ke bawah....turun...terus turun ke bawah sana. Inilah saat-saat ketika kita mendapat cobaan, mengutip petuah guru ngaji dulu: Allah sedang menguji iman umatnya. Itu tandanya Allah menyayangi umatnya.....Ternyata dihujamkan dari ujung sana pun memiliki kenikmatannya sendiri, begitu lepas dan pasrah. Ya benar kata guru ngajiku tadi. Seperti melepaskan semua beban..seperti tidak lagi memiliki apa-apa dan tidak perlu takut kehilangan apa-apa, karena tidak ada lagi yang kita miliki. Yang ada hanya pasrah.....

Namun tidak sampai di situ. Itu baru menu pembuka....Ketika belum habis rasa khawatir dan ketakutan yang keluar melewati rongga tenggorokan dan kemudian berusaha menyerap makna pasrah di dalamnnya muncul satu lagi cobaan itu. Belokkan yang tiba-tiba yang ku kira akan ke kanan ternyata salah.Ke kiri. Belum sempat otak ini berpikir untuk menyesuaikan posisi selanjutnya. Tubuh ini tiba-tiba diajak berputar dalam posisi terbalik.... melawan gravitasi. Dalam posisi yang sensasional ini angin semakin senang menjamah permukaan tubuhku. Sekali lagi bersekongkol dengan gravitasi.Tapi hanya sejenak untuk kemudian berputar lagi ke kanan untuk segera menuju landasan pacu yang akan membawaku terbang lagi.....Setelahnya selamat datang dunia.

Malam dan Siang

2008-04-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

"Dalam malam
kita dapat melihat
bintang......
yang tak dapat kita
nikmati di siang hari...."

(Anonymous)

Sore itu di kantor beberapa saat sebelum menutup browser Mozilla saya kembali mengecek inboks Gmail sekedar untuk memastikan surat yang telah saya baca. Di baris teratas ada satu surat baru yang masuk, pengirimnya menggunakan email account Bank Indonesia. Sejenak jantung berdebar-debar, inikah pengumuman yang saya tunggu-tunggu.....?

Sejenak meresapi momen indah itu sayapun berulang-ulang membaca kembali pengumuman itu sambil berbangga-bangga dalam hati pada diri sendiri diiringi ucap syukur. Sesampainya di rumah ternyata ada pesan bahwa saya perlu menghubungi sebuah nomor pada Bank Indonesia dan saya hanya tersenyum-senyum. Dari email yang saya baca hanya tertulis undangan untuk menghadiri seminar Laporan Perekonomian Indonesia 2007 di Bank Indonesia yang di dalamnya akan diumumkan pemenang lomba karya tulis kebijakan moneter BI 2008 yang pernah saya ikuti. Namun tidak disebutkan peringkat para pemenang. Informasi tersebut membuka semua kemungkinan dari segala harapan yang muncul. Betapa indahnya begitu akhirnya tulisan yang saya buat dihargai dan akan diumumkan di depan Dewan Gubernur Bank Indonesia. Malam itu adalah siang yang terang benderang, sedikit menyilaukan mata yang tiba-tiba mampu melihat segala kemungkinan dari pengumuman itu.

Di hari minggu malam selesai mengerjakan sedikit tugas dan mengembalikan laptop kantor saya bergegas untuk segera menuju Hotel Millenium di bilangan kebon Sirih tak jauh dari Kantor Bank Indonesia untuk sekedar menikmati bermalam di Hotel yang telah disediakan panitia bagi para peserta dari luar Jakarta. Sebentar, dari luar Jakarta? Memangnya dimana saya tinggal? Depok di luar Jakarta bukan? dan tentu panitia menyediakan akomodasi bagi semua peserta tanpa terkecuali, begitu saya berargumen ketika dihubungi oleh panitia dan menanyakan fasilitas yang didapatkan bagi undangan seminar dan pengumuman pemenang lomba nanti. Tentunya panitia tersebut memaklumi keinginan orang kampung dari pinggiran Jakarta seperti saya yang ingin menikmati bermalam dihotel bintang 5 tersebut...he..he..

Teman sekamar saya adalah seorang Dosen dari Universitas Ciputra Surabaya yang mempunyai semboyan "Entrepreuneurship will change the world.." indah sekali semboyan yang selalu didengung-dengungkan oleh Pak Ciputra Sang Entrepreuneurs sejati idola beberapa orang itu. Pak David, teman sekamar saya itu mempunyai logat suroboyo mirip dengan gaya bicara Hermawan Kartajaya dari MarkPlus, walaupun ia mengaku berasal dari Purwokerto. Dari pembicaraan dengannya ternyata dia mempunyai penyakit yang sama dengan saya: pemburu lomba karya tulis dan sejenisnya. Dia
juga bercerita tentang pemenang lain yang ia temui
pada saat makan malam sebelum saya datang. Mereka semua berasal dari luar Jakarta dan mereka...tentu saja punya penyakit yang sama...
(liat aja tampang-tampangnya di foto kiri-kanan: David, Ika, Dyah, Jose, Saya, Mora, dan Ani )

Esok harinya saat itupun tiba. Ketika saya duduk di ruang seminar yang megah itu, saya mengamat-amati ruangan yang mirip dengan ruangan yang dulu pernah saya singgahi ketika magang di bank Indonesia 3 tahun yang lalu, sembari mencuri-curi pandang pada beberapa panitia wanita yang tentunya adalah pegawai BI yang seumuran dengan dengan saya. Salah satu impian saya ketika kuliah dulu adalah bekerja di Bank Indonesia namun harus buru-buru saya hempaskan ketika menyaksikan nilai IPK terakhir saya yang tidak mencukupi. Tak lama kemudian suara gemuruh protokoler membangunkan lamunan saya dan terlihat para Dewan Gubernur termasuk Gubernur BI Burhanudin Abdullah memasuki ruangan. Deretan undangan di depan saya adalah para pembicara yang cukup dikenal di masyarakat: Adrianus Mooy (Mantan Deputi Gub. BI), Cyrillus Harinowo (Komisaris BCA, pernah menjadi calon Gub. BI), dan seorang pengusaha muda yang sehari sebelumnya saya lihat di cover majalah Globe Asia, Sandiaga Uno (Ketua HIPMI). Yang terakhir ini disebut oleh moderator sebagai Young Guns Indonesia, untuk menggambarkan kiprah dan kontribusi sang pengusaha yang masih muda ini namun telah mampu melejit seperti tembakan peluru.

Acarapun dimulai, keynote speak dilakukan oleh Sang Gubernur, dilanjutkan dengan acara pengumuman pemenang oleh Direktur DKM (Direktorat Keb. Moneter). Jantung ini semakin berdebar-debar ketika nama-nama itu disebutkan satu persatu tanpa jeda dan tanpa nuansa dramatisasi seperti dalam acara Mama Mia atau sejenisnya. Penyebutannya pun secara descending dari mereka yang memenangkan juara harapan alias pemenang bontot. Satu nama disebutkan.....bukan saya, nama kedua....bukan saya juga...ketiga...masih bukan nama saya. Saya semakin bersyukur dan jantung ini semakin berdebar kencang berharap nama saya tidak disebut hingga juara pertama. Tapi sayang bahkan sebelum juara ketiga nama saya telah disebut. Sesuatu telah runtuh entah dimana dan melemparkan saya ke sudut sana. Setelah itu saya menjadi tidak bersemangat dan kehilangan antusiasme untuk mengikuti acara selanjutnya. Semuanya menjadi remang-remang, cahaya-cahaya mentari harapan pun meredup berganti malam dengan cahaya yang meredup.

Acara dilanjutkan dengam foto bersama dan penyerahan hadiah oleh Gubernur BI dan kemudian dilanjutkan dengan pemutaran video Laporan Perekonomian Indonesia, kali ini dengan dramatisasi. Namun semuanya menjadi kurang menarik lagi. Ternyata saya bukan hanya tidak juara, tapi juga belum bermental juara. Hal terakhit inilah yang paling saya sesali.

Tiba-tiba saja saya teringat dalam perjalanan menuju ke Hotel kemarin pikiran saya melantur ketika menikmati limpahan cahaya lampu-lampu
jalanan yang memikat di jalan yang sepi itu.
Membayangkan suatu hal sepele yang jarang saya pikirkan, betapa indahnya sang malam, lebih tepatnya betapa indahnya cahaya-cahaya sepele itu justru ketika malam telah datang. Cahaya-cahaya ini pasti tak akan ada artinya di siang hari ketika mentari merajai hari. Mungkin ini pelajaran paling berharga yang perlu saya pelajari. Justru ketika malam tiba cahaya-cahaya itu menjadi semakin menarik, berpendar dan menari-nari diantara gelapnya malam yang misterius.

Pelajaran hari ini yang mungkin cliche : saat terhempaskan dari semua harapan, saya semakin berpikir dan berusaha melihat lebih dalam termasuk dengan hal-hal kecil yang ketika "siang hari" sering saya abaikan....justru ketika malam tiba saya baru dapat melihat bintang yang tak dapat saya nikmati di siang hari. Dan tentu saja "my journey on writing has just begin......."

Marketing Places: Visit Indonesia 2008

2008-01-03T15:57:00.000-08:00

B eberapa hari lalu saya menyaksikan acara diskusi "Padamu Negeri" yang membahas mengenai program "Visit Indonesia Year 2008". Salah satu narasumbernya adalah bung Rhenald Khasali ketua program MM FEUI yang juga bintang iklan produk jamunya orang pintar itu. Selain itu juga hadir Menteri Pariwisata Jero Wacik.

Menarik menyaksikan diskusi mengenai promosi wisata indonesia yang telah di launching pada 26 desember 2007 lalu. Apalagi masalah pariwisata berkaitan erat dengan budaya dimana belakangan ini Indonesia sering kecolongan dari negara tetangga Malaysia. Sehingga Indonesia perlu memberikan promosi yang lebih kuat mengenai budaya-budaya yang dimilikinya dengan program2 pariwisatanya.

Dari sudut pandang pemasaran, bung Rhenald melihat bahwa upaya promosi pariwisata sebaiknya melibatkan seluruh sektor sehingga yang "dijual" bukan hanya objek-objek wisata dalam definisi alam yang sudah ada tetapi lebih dari itu juga mencakup sektor-sektor lain seperti pendidikan dan pelayanan kesehatan seperti yang dilakukan singapura dengan layanan kesehatan dan berbagai industri pendidikannya. Tetapi mungkin dalam jangka pendek yang bisa dijual oleh negara kita saat ini hanya objek-objek wisata yang given yang telah dianugerahkan Tuhan pada kita. Untuk menjual produk-produk wisata itu tidak diperlukan CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) tetapi yang diperlukan hanyalah OPEX (Operational Expenditure) berupa biaya promosi dan sedikit biaya untuk membenahi infrastruktur yang mendukung pelayanan bagi para wisatawan yang akan berkunjung.

Promo dari Depbudpar cukup gencar setidaknya seperti dikatakan oleh Menteri Jero Wacik sendiri dan jika dilihat dari besarnya biaya pembuatan website untuk mempromosikan program ini yaitu sebesar 17,5 Milyar yang diambil dari dana APBN (sedikit berlebihan untuk sebuah website yang banyak mendapat kritikini silakan dilihat http://www.my-indonesia.info) Tapi saya tidak akan membahas hal itu. Yang menjadi perhatian saya adalah strategi pemasaran pariwisata yang merupakan salah satu bentuk pemasaran wilayah (marketing places) ini.

Target yang akan dikejar tahun ini yaitu 7 juta wisatawan mungkin cukup berani atau menurut Pak Menteri Jero Wacik "menjadi tantangan untuk dikejar", maka diperlukan suatu strategi yang cukup mumpuni untuk mencapainya. Seperti halnya dalam memasarkan produk atau jasa diperlukan suatu triangle strategy yaitu Perumusan Positioning, Differensiasi dan Branding.

Positioning nerupakan upaya unruk membangun suaru kesan positif tertentu dalam benak target market. Untuk kasus indonesia kita perlu membangun suatu positioning bahwa indonesia masih merupakan negara dengan masyarakat yang ramah dan menarik untuk dikunjungi. Kemudian Diferensiasi adalah upaya untuk membedakan diri melalui pemberian value proposition yang unik dan berbeda dari apa yang dimiliki pesaing. Value proposition yang bisa membedakan indonesia dibanding negara lainnya adalah tentu saja diversity in unity dipoles lagi dengan pesona alamnya. Yang ketiga adalah Branding atau upaya membangun merek yaitu membangun awareness, persepsi kualitas dan loyalitas target market kepada tujuan wisata. Hal terakhir ini bisa dilakukan dengan promosi wisata melalui salah satunya memunculkan icon yang dapat meningkatkan awareness terhadap Indonesia. Pembuatan website promosi tentunya dapat lebih membangun awareness mengenai kualitas budaya dan alam indonesia. Namun sayangnya website yang amaat mahal dari depbudpar tidak menampakkan kualitas tersebut.

Dari penjelasan Pak Menteri, mungkin hal yang sedikit luput dari perhatian adalah mengenai target marketnya, jika tahun lalu saja hanya mencapai 5 juta wisatawan mancanegara (wisman) dari target 6 juta wisman maka dari mana tambahan 1 juta wisman untuk tahun ini. Seperti dikemukakan dalam suatu diskusi lainnya di Metro TV masih banyak hambatan dalam memacu peningkatan wisman untuk datang ke indonesia misalnya masalah travel warning dari negara2 eropa bagi wismannya agar tidak mengunjungi indonesia bahkan perusahaan asuransi di negara2 tersebut tidak mau menanggung wisman yang berkunjung ke indonesia. Kemudian ban (larangan) yang diberikan eropa terhadap maskapai penerbangan Garuda juga menyulitkan kedatangan wisman2 eropa ke Indonesia. Melihat hal tersebut yang paling realistis adalah menargetkan pasar-pasar regional seperti: ASEAN dan Asia timur .

Negara2 dalam kawasan ASEAN dan Asia Timur bisa menjadi pilihan karena secara budaya mereka memiliki kemiripan dengan budaya kita kemudian juga melihat adanya Olimpiade di China kita bisa mendapatkan efek spillover dari event tersebut.

Pemilihan target market ini sangat penting agar implementasi dari program2 yang akan diluncurkan nantinya lebih terarah dan sesuai target. Kemudian tentunya strategi Positioning, Differentition, Branding harus dilengkapi dengan upaya program marketing Mix (4P) ditambah dengan penjualan (selling) dan service kepada wisman2 agar ketika mereka akan meninggalkan indonesia dalam benak mereka telah memiliki rencana untuk datang lagi ke Indonesia.

Blogger: Edit Profil User

2007-10-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

Blogger: Edit Profil User

Already have my own blog

2007-09-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

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