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Thea December 30th, 2008

The first time I set my eyes to the house, I knew exactly that it was the same house I saw at the photo. In several chattings, the owner invited me to visit her home sweet home.  However, due to time limitation , I couldn’t go there until last Sunday, finally I touched down at that sweet castle. rumahsenyumpagi, that’s the call.

I should admit that the location is quite far from my home, approximately 1.5 hours to get there. Ika said that we’re great as we could find the house without making a phone call to her.

The look of the house? Extraordinary one, with the a pretty tall wall in the left side. Entering the home, the black tiles decorate the floor. My fave one is the large windows surrounding the house, allowing sun shining in to the house. Perfect!

What amazes us isn’t only the appearance of the house, but the story that the house was built before they married. Never did we dream to build a house before we tied a knot last August, but Kelik and Ika made it. Reading the story in the blog, I find the spirit they gathered in house building process. I know there’s a bunch a love in the house, in the frames on the wall, and in their littleluckyfrangipani.

Looking up to them makes me dare to dream. A dream I have been long chasing, but so shame putting little courage in it. On our way home from rumahsenyumpagi, I discussed a lot with my hubby in the car and we knew that the time has come, to build our dream.

Happy new year all. Seize your dream and make it real in 2009:)

• Fellas , Every Day Life
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Thea December 23rd, 2008

Holiday mood is already in the air but definitely I won’t spend the new year eve anywhere, probably at home, this time.

So sad that I have to cancel my plan to Bidadari Isand with my hubby and Wipi along with Camat as well. The notification that I can’t get my leave is so near to the edge, even when Wippie already paid the down payment. Aaaghhh!!!

Okay, my plan to Bangka Belitung is failed, then to Padang Bukittingi is also same and when I try to find some luck at Bidadari Island, it turns out ending sadly too! Sorry my lovely huckelberry. Next year we are going to destinations we are dreaming(with a note:asal blom hamil lho ya…)

• Every Day Life
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Thea December 8th, 2008

Once you have a chance to visit Magetan, there’s another spot that you may visit aside Sarangan lake which is located at the feet of Lawu mountain. In the Desa Gandu, Rejosari, Magetan, the people are actively involved in culinary business, which has empowered local economy impulse.

My visit to Sentra Ayam Panggang Gandu was solicit, unplanned. Starting from a plan of attending a best friend’s wedding at Ngawi, my friend, Citra and her hubby treated us to have a lunch at Gandu. Entering the village, on the left and right side, I saw houses with tag ” Ayam Bakar”. Almost every house there sells ayam panggang (roasted chicken). The appearance of the home doesn’t look like a restaurant as it’s not set like that. Instead, guests will be served in each house’s living room. No chair but all sit on the floor.

We arrived in a house which is said serves one of the most delicious ayam panggang. Mas Eddy, Citra’s hubby, ordered for us. Not so long after that, the menus came. There were two plates of ayam panggang, one was onion flavor and another one was bumbu rujak flavor. Hmm it looked delicious. The ayam panggang wasn’t served alone as there were other companions such as lalapan, botok, trancam, pelas, and of course sambel. All of them really awoke our appetite.

I tried the ayam panggang bumbu rujak. Though it was a little bit tough, the flavor was so nice. Maknyusss. It’s combination of sweet, salty and spicy at once. Then, I moved the botok into my mouth…hmmmm delicious. Just like the one my mum’s cook. The trancam wasn’t less delicious. They were good combined with the warm white rice. Yummyyy:)

I am so sorry that I can’t give a detail information on the price as I was there because I was treated:D. But once talking with Mas Eddy, He implied that the price of a whole chicken is around 44-45 thousands rupiah. Worth it as it can be eaten by 4-5 people.

Glossary:
Botok: mix vegetable which steamed in a banana leaf
Trancam: mix fresh vegetable with coconut sauce
Pelas: dish made of black soya bean

• Culinary
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Thea December 4th, 2008

Recommendation letter is an effective tool to promote or endorse a person to fit a position. It’s widely used by an employer before they hire a staff or universities for approving new students. As it can be a decisive mean, recommendation letter should be written in an impressive way.  Frankly, writing this letter is not easy for me. That’s why I read a lot of recommendation letters my lectures wrote to me. And based on my experience writing recommendation letter for my colleague Fenny, I would be more than happy to share following tips for you.

1. For recommending a person, please pay to attention to the wording! Avoid “weak and blunt” words. Instead of using nice and diligent, you can apply words such as determined.

2. To begin with, state what kind of relationship you have with the person you recommend. Write down how long and how do you know him/her.
Example: I have known Ms. Chandra since we went to Gadjah Mada University in 2000. While we were at college, we took the same concentration accordingly Political Economy International. Therefore, Ms. Chandra and I were involved intensely in class rooms, discussions, and paper work.

3. Then you can continue to your impression to the person. You can convey your experience with him/her and reveal prominent experience that may be effective such as tell how independent or determined she/he is. Academic award needs to be shared here.
Example: My first impression of her was she was a smart and clever student. And I found out that my impression was correct. Not only smart and clever, Ms. Chandra was also a determined student. She mastered all subjects she took and obtained excellent grades. She showed her strong passion in learning something new. Obviously she was a fast-learner and I am highly convinced that she stays the same now.

Make sure that you have covered up teh exceptional quality in every paragraph. Recommendation letter isn’t necessary the long one but brief, clear and giving correct description on the person.

4. When you finished conveying the quality of the person, you can sum up with a sentence reaffirming his/her quality so he/she is qualified for the position/scholarship.
Example: With the above-stated considerations, I highly recommend Ms. Chandra for the scholarship.

5. Don’t forget stating that you can be contacted for further discussion and state the most convenient time to call you.

Any other tips???

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Thea November 27th, 2008

In a phone conversation with SBY, Obama said that he’s missing nasi goreng, bakso and rambutan. All of those local delicacies were a part of his childhood while living at Jakarta, Indonesia with his family.

Food is memorable, especially when it’s unique, special and of course delicious. It has a “special” capability to melt the situation. The relationship also can begin from a dinner banquet. Diplomacy occasion is not complete without serving the guests with dinner or lunch.

USA and Libya have been involved in unfriendly relationship for years. But last September, another story happened when USA foreign secretary visited Libya and met the Libya president, Moamar Kadaffi. They met in a comfortable situation. Kadaffi served his honored colleague by asking her to look around to his kitchen. Leeza (nick name of USA Secretary of State) was accompanied to have a look at the kitchen and of course tasted Iftar, the Libya delicacy. The success of kitchen diplomacy marks the milestone of USA-Libya relationship.

In 2003, Govt. of Thailand launched program Thai Global Food which aimed at reaffirming the international culture to its appeal. 8000 Thai restaurants around the world were up and it didn’t only introducing Thai food to foreigner but also attracted them to visit Thailand. 15 million tourists are recorded coming to Thailand every year.

According to a source, Diplomats in Washington have pointed out from time to time that restaurants are often the only contacts that most Americans have with other cultures. See, it has a magnificent role. Some say that meal time is the best one when you want to discuss about sensitive things, in sense it’s the moment when people share the same dish and ignore differences for a while.

Maybe our govt, can learn form Thailand. We can encourage entrepreneur to run Indonesia restaurants abroad and make it easier for them to import local ingredients from Indonesia. So, Mr. Obama won’t meet any difficulty when he wants to memorize his childhood through the Indonesian delicacy.

• Culinary
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Thea November 23rd, 2008

In our daily life, we’re often engaged in conversations with our partners, friends, couples, or opponents. Have you ever, in that conversation, felt that you’re dominant over your counterparts? You talk much more than them and listen less.

This happens with me. I talk too much and I realize that it’s one of my weakness. I have been trying to talk less and listen more, especially in certain occasions. Two years ago, my tutor in an official training shared his experience to be an active listener.

Active listener is that involves in active listening activity. Active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. When talk to somebody, we often don’t listen to them attentively. We’re often distracted and not focus. The conversation doesn’t get our attention.

Becoming an active listener is not easy, but of course we can learn step by step. According to several sources, I share several steps:
1. Pay attention to others’ behavior and body language
2. Listen attentively what others say and feel their emotion
3. Having heard them, then paraphrase their statements
4. We need to ask clarification sometimes
5. State you view (if you want to) but after they say all thing

Active listening has several benefits such as avoid misunderstanding, makes us to listen to others attentively, and cause people to be more open up. This strategy is used widely to scrutinize cross-cultural conflict but in every day life, it’s very useful to improve the quality of relationship between us and our nearest persons.

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Thea November 20th, 2008

Last night, we cruised the street along our way home, accompanied with rain. We’re wet at home.

When can we afford a car, dear?

I don’t know. We have to save our money first.

But when the money is available, there will be another need waiting.

Hmmmm…we have to be grateful of what we have now. We have shelter (though there’s a leak in the ceiling), we have rain-coat (so we weren’t wet at all). Thanking to God as there are a lot of people who aren’t as lucky as we are. 

Can we list blessings God has been giving to us? It’s countless. Once again, thank you:)

• Every Day Life
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Thea November 17th, 2008

What people say about life in the street was hard, proven yesterday, and I became one of the witnesses.

I was taking angkot to a beauty center near Ragunan from my home. It was a hot day. The street wasn’t full, nor empty, unlike work day. When the angkot approached to the Jatipadang intersection, it lapped a small bus (Kopaja). Succesfully doing that, abruptly it was hit from the back. The kopaja hit the angkot I was in.

Then, it can be predicted. The angkot driver was mad and got off the vehicle. While checking the damage, the kopaja driver shouted unpleasant words toward him which of course evoked his emotion. The angkot driver challenged the kopaja driver to get down but it was useless. Shortly they were invloved in fierce arguments. It was as hot as the day, causing people sweat alot and angry easier.
The angkot then continued the route. The driver said that he would take a revenge to the kopaja driver, which happened having the similar end terminal, accordingly Ragunan. I was terrified within the vehicle and said to him” Sabar ya, Bang. Sabar”. I suggested him to be patient. But I didn’t know if he took it. Like I was clueless if the fight would really happen after that in Ragunan.

Oh yeah, it was really hard there, life in the street.

• Every Day Life
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Thea November 14th, 2008

Being raised by a mother, who’s a career woman, as a daughter I wanted to follow what my mum was doing. I was dreaming as a career woman as well. I think it’s a natural because I was living in an environment where I looked up my mum as a role model.

Building pathway there, I studied hard while keeping choose the career option suitable for me. I found what I wanted to be when I was in a senior high school. Diplomat, i thought, was cool after reading  a story about an Indonesia ambassador.

Okay, the fact that I am not becoming a diplomat didn’t make my parents disappointed. Instead they could really understand that finally I indeed never wanted to be there. Many considerations why I never applied to that institution. And now I am working in telco company, a new field for me which doesn’t make me inferior but on the contrary gives challenges for me.

Before entering a real work-world, I never paid attention about career option in non-formal path, being an enterpriser, for example. I have several friends who build successfully their business. And even I get envy with my husband who has more flexible time than me.

Chatting with a friend several days ago, she gave me an enlightenment about working as enterpeneur.  She elaborated several advantages working at home (she owns an online boutique). The best advantage is having much more time with children at home, which is the most precious one.

I share similar idea with her. Looking the condition I am facing now, the time I have with my husband is limited due to my work thingies. Even it’s only 8-5, we think it doesn’t really worth except for weekend. Just can’t imagine how much time I can devote to my children later, if I remain working this way:((.

My husband keeps encouraging me to start up a business. It’s not easy for that who has a labor-mentality like me:D. I have to learn with him and my other friends who are in their way to build a business and dare to leave their nicely-paid job.

What about you, my deary fellas???

• Family , Every Day Life , Work Station
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Thea November 10th, 2008

It’s been more than one year my dad has been being assigned at Bandung, but he’s still blind-route.

One and half year ago, not long after he moved to Bandung, we (my mum, my brother, my granny and I, visited him for the first time. Enthusiastically he took us around Bandung. At that time his knowledge about that cool city wasn’t  much. He had to rely with some instructions from his friends at office. However, we did understand as he’s just knew barely about Bandung and its confusing routes:D.

Several months ago, again I visited my dad. With my mum, we had several itineraries there for my wedding preparations. We hunted clothes material and souvenir for siraman. Still, my dad’s knowledge didn’t improve. It took several loops to leave Pasar Baru Bandung to his favorite restaurant. He drove while keep wondering if it was the correct route he took. My mum and I just laughed at a man we both loved. My dad didn’t change. He is still a nice man even when getting lost:D.

Last weekend, for the first time after married, my husband and I came to see he again. He was so happy and overwhelmed knowing that his daddy’s girl would be visiting him. He promised to take us wherever we wanted. His offer of course was irresistible, too good to be ignored. Lucky us to have him because Bandung was rainy almost all day. And the similar thing did happen again. We got lost with dad. Many people to ask for direction to train station. When taking us to the flowery hill at Lembang, he took wrong turn. Ugghhh.

in car, he said this to me and my hubby

I never go anywhere. I go to the office in the morning and back to home after five.After that, i choose staying at house rather than going out.

That’s how he defended his poor knowledge on the route. it’s reasonable as it only takes a minute for him to go to the office. He resides at home in one neighborhood with the office. And he is often accompanied by a driver once going anywhere.

Afterall, my dad is a nice companion for us. He drove along the way without hesitation. He didn’t mind taking us to FO for shopping. Sometimes he still insisted us treating us for lunch and didn’t mind at all if we wanted to spoil him.

Next time again….jangan kapok ya Dad:)

• Family
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