Project 365

I was watching some videos on TED.com when I suddenly encountered this interesting comment about poor people:

You probably think poor people all across the United States can just pick themselves up out of the dirt, go to college, and get a great job, thus eliminating all of their problems. And if they don’t do that, they’re lazy. It’s so frustrating dealing with people who do not understand how external factors contribute to the perpetuation of poverty in the United States. Take a look at "In Search of Respect" by Philippe Bourgois, and he’ll show you how the downtrodden turned their lives around, ditched the drugs, and said to society "I"m ready to change my life." They try to get a job. Society replies, "sorry, you don’t fit in with us well-to-do people. You don’t dress right, you don’t have the skills, and you don’t have the attitude to be a successful person." Yet, from the beginning, society inhibited their ability to, for example, get the decent "education" required to function in society. It’s a vicious cycle, and it applies here.

— Michael Toyama

It doesn’t only exist in the U.S. It’s everywhere. What can we do about it?

All I can say now is: BUSY! HECTIC! And I LOVE IT!

Tomorrow is THE DAY! Wish us luck!!!!

The Angklung Charity Concert will be held in a matter of THREE days! I’m nervous yet excited. I have been BUSY preparing the details of the concert, like arranging the programs, writing ‘job descriptions’ for the stage manager, writing a script for the emcee, and reviewing the booklet. Phew! I like it though. I always like to be in charge with event planning (hell yeah, I was an event organizer before!!! hahaha). The fact that this is a charity concert makes me want to be more dedicated and involved! 🙂 We have only one more practice to go before the real concert. I hope we’ll do fine! Wish us luck!!!

I also got a surprising message today. I was offered to join the committee of PPI/e (Perhimpunan Pelajar Indonesia di Eindhoven or Indonesian Student Association in Eindhoven). I accepted it! Hehehe. Hopefully it’s going to be exciting! Busy life is waiting for me. Bring it on!

I met up with Jessie today at Usine (AGAIN for the third time in a week, can you imagine?!?!). I hadn’t seen her for AGES. She was busy and I was busy as well. It’s always hard to find a day when both of us were free! So finally we could have a hot chocolate today! I demanded for the meet up because she’s going to Indonesia this Thursday 🙁 (yes, during my concert!) and she won’t be back until January next year. I’m so sad. I’m going to miss her SOOO MUCH!!!! She’s the closest friend I have right now. I’ll be so lonely :-S

And no, I don’t need a boyfriend just because I’m lonely!!! 🙂

I had such a long day today! I went for angklung practice in the morning, followed by an ‘election day’ organized by the Indonesian Student Association in Eindhoven (PPI/e) to choose a new president.

The election ran a little bit messy in the beginning. Nobody was interested to nominate him/herself to be the President. As a result, there were no candidates at all. So, it ended up with a direct nomination. But each candidate refused to take the tough job. Everyone was frustrated and there was even a talk that the PPI/e would be freeze as no new leader was chosen.

A good friend of mine, Arya, who was the President of PPI/e at that time, was even more frustrated and worried. He had worked so hard to bring the name of PPI/e to the surface and to make the organization a platform for Indonesian students in Eindhoven to gather. If the PPI/e would be inactive, his effort would be so useless. So he delivered an unexpected and spontaneous ‘speech’ that really stabbed the hearts of everyone in the room. I was so touched. It was a really great one! If I had the guts and time to be the President, I would have nominated myself. But sadly, I didn’t. After he delivered the speech, two candidates stepped in and we finally chose the leader :). Congrats Al!

It was such a long event. But it ended with a great dinner and entertaining video! I enjoyed it.

After meeting with my professor to report about my progress, I went to the centrum to have some fresh air with my friend Elva. We went for window shopping and by the end of the day, we sat at my favorite café, Usine. We talked for hours! I really enjoyed it. A great way to end my day! Alhamdulillah.

It hurts to see the person you love happy, while the life she has been living in is full of lies.

It even hurts to see the person you love not knowing that her other half has been unfaithful to her.

It hurts even more to see the person you love and you’re not able to tell her that she has been so blind.

It hurts the most to see yourself watching the whole movie, sitting there unable to do anything.

It hurts to see yourself hurting slowly. Every time the heart bleeds, you stitch the wound. You don’t know how many more it can bear before it eventually breaks.

Then you ask a simple question, who are you protecting from? Him? Her? Or yourself?

A few days ago, a friend posted a link on Facebook. It’s from CNN titled: A portrait of a modern Muslim woman in Indonesia. The title of the news seemed to be interesting to me. What kind of woman did CNN pick this time?

I was not happy with the CNN’s choice, to be honest. This woman, Alia Wahid, was described as "a modern woman who also happens to be a devout Muslim" by the CNN. In the video, she’s seen socializing and drinking (alcohol) with her friends, a very typical Jakarta woman I have to say. I wish CNN could pick a smart "real devout" Muslim woman who has made contributions to the society.

At some point in the video, she was asked why she drank alcohol, when Islam prohibited her to do so. And she answered it by saying, "I’m a Muslim, but I’m not practicing it fanatically." OH MY GOD! Come again?!?!

First of all, Islam that I believe prohibits me to drink alcohol. Maybe she believes in different thing. I don’t care about what she believes in. Her relationship with God is entirely her business. But her reason was so lame. So she labeled me as fanatic. She labeled other Muslims who don’t drink as fanatics. How about those Christians, Jews, Catholics, or even atheists who choose not to drink? Does she label those people as fanatics too? Why can’t she just say that she’s a Muslim but she doesn’t practice the religion perfectly?!

I was not happy with her answer AT ALL. And I quickly commented on my friend’s post, criticizing about her ability to answer that simple question. I was so surprised that when I opened Facebook the next day, the same Alia Wahid who was on that news, replied my writing! Hahaha! What did she say?

never rely on what is implied…. good to see a bigger picture. you can’t only see the edited version and make assumptions. i have my reason, you have your reason.

So, she blamed CNN for editing the video. But the part where she answered the question wasn’t edited at all. I was kinda puzzled and I think she just didn’t know what to response to my criticism. CNN, please, next time… pick a smarter woman, okay?

I went to a friend’s thesis presentation today and was invited to a dinner afterwards. It was really nice. Catching up with many people I haven’t seen for ages AND promoting the concert! Hahaha. What can I say? I have a marketing blood, I guess.

It’s nice to "go away" from the Indonesian community for awhile. It’s refreshing. I just need a balance, that’s all.

Sometimes I wish you would understand how I view and stir my life… then everything would be easy.

But then, if everything was easy, it wouldn’t be called life, would it?

I wondered if every road was connected to every other road. I wondered if I touched it, if maybe somewhere, you would know.

— Iain Thomas @ I Wrote This For You

… or maybe not 🙂