Yipppeee... the video of pictures compilation is officially in the Study Program's webpage in Wageningen University! Hope you all enjoy it. Feedback/critics are most welcome!
http://www.mdr.wur.nl/UK/Student+life/
*PS. Thanks Abs for the idea of the song and for being on the other side of the monitor during the creative process :)
HUGS,
23 September 2010
13 September 2010
Sentences
Some of you may know that I've been juggling Thesis Topic(s) in my head for quite some time now. Recently, Conny Almekinders, one of my lectures here in Wageningen shared her tips in relation to Thesis/Proposal writing. Actually, it's nothing new, but it coincided nicely with my state of emotion (entangled with confusions) at that time. Well, 'good timing' does able to turn ordinary into extraordinary and even sometimes disapproval into approval.
She said
"try to make sentences... making sentences will help in documenting those numerous questions and ideas in your head and in connecting or even structuring them."
I second that! Miguel and Leo, my friends in the MDR program were also in agreement. However, it is always easier said than done. Making sentences challenge us to connect ideas and to find words that represent our thinking.
One way to get ideas/inspirations for making sentences is by reading someone else's sentences. I always feel very excited when I encounter sentences that represent my unwritten thoughts. I often find them in Paulo Coelho's novels. Yesterday, I found them in John Mayer's blog! I noticed that the 2 examples are so NOT related to academic Thesis!
Anyhow, John's writing about "Going to Bed" precisely represents my unwritten points about it. I said to some friends, "I don't like going to bed when I'm not totally feeling sleepy, I don't like lying on my bed and trying to fall asleep, I prefer to fall asleep on my desk while working or on a couch while reading." Back home, my Mom was the champion in waking me up from all 'awkward' places to sleep (laptop's keyboard, studying chair, dining table, and even church's chair).
Here I copied John's writing. I ultimately fancy his sentence that I put in bold:
My whole life I've hated going to bed. I like falling asleep instead. Falling asleep is so much better than going to bed because you don't get tangled up in the logistics. Falling asleep happens for you, even if it means waking up at eight to the sun assaulting your eyes while a block of metal videos are playing on VH1 Classic. Then all you have to do is scamper over to your bed where you can capitalize on how fresh the memory of how to sleep is and instantly dip back into slumber. Going to bed invites performance anxiety. Going to bed means you have to confront a final moment of consciousness. I'm not a fan. I hope you all fall asleep well tonight.
Well, I better get some sleep too :)
12 September 2010
Life = Choices
This afternoon I was very lucky to get some nice and right-on-time inspirations via skype call from my version of 'Indonesian-next-best-thing', Daniel Chrisendo. Indonesia needs more energetic and inspiring YOUTH like him, no doubt!!
We were discussing about my fear of reverse-culture-shock when I come back to Indonesia. He shared 2 brilliant 'food-for-thoughts':
1. I fear to be drowned in some 'stereotypes' or 'old habits'. He said: You can CHOOSE which settings (people, discussion topics, places, events, organizations, etc.) you want to be. Life is about making choices and realizing that you CAN make those choices.
2. I fear the peer-pressure on marriage. He said: Marriage is indeed a SERIOUS thing, thus it is REASONABLE to say that one needs more time and process than others to make such decision or even to start thinking about it. It is about committing oneself to be LOYAL or in a simplistic word, to STICK, with one person. Digest that... with ONE person, one out of countless number of people you MAY MEET in your life. Of course, one may argue that life can be short, but one can also use the average life expectation of .. say 60 years old, which make the calculation as follows: even if one gets marry at the age of 30, then he/she (still) needs to STICK with one person (the DEAR husband/wife) for 30 years (that's MORE than 11,000 days!!)... calculate it if you start in your younger years!!
After our talk, I spent some (worthwhile) times reflecting on our discussion and I came across my own writing about "Life = Choices". It was written in year 2006. I wrote that life is about making choices, that who we are today is the accumulation of the choices that we made in the past. I remember even one of my childhood story books is a practice of making choices. In one of the pages, it asks: "If you think Tina should wait for the school bus, go to page 8. If you think Tina should walk home by herself, go to page 12."
Here I copied what I wrote about Life = Choices (only in Indonesian language). I am now back in the process of searching myself and 'what-where-how' in this universe I want to function/take part. A confusing stage of life. This writing reminds me of a 'giant' inside me that I once have... it's a wonderful encounter, it slightly recharge my energy and self-confidence.
Mahasiswa Berprestasi IPB 2006
Mahasiswa berprestasi adalah suatu kompetisi yang berjenjang dari tingkat departemen sampai nasional. Kompetisi ini diselenggarakan untuk memberikan penghargaan kepada mahasiswa yang mampu menyeimbangkan kemampuan intrakurikuler (akademis) dan ekstrakurikuler. Seleksi di tingkat IPB biasanya dimulai di bulan April setiap tahunnya. Saya berhasil menjadi mahasiswa berprestasi IPB 2006 dan meraih posisi ke-6 dari 15 finalis tingkat nasional. Saya adalah mahasiswa angkatan 39 di Departemen Ilmu dan Teknologi Pangan, Fakultas Teknologi Pertanian.
Siapa kita sekarang adalah akumulasi dari pilihan-pilihan kita di masa lampau. Sejak awal, saya memilih untuk memperkaya diri dengan pengalaman-pengalaman ekstrakurikuler dan tidak ingin menjadi study oriented. Sejak SMA saya sudah menyukai kegiatan organisasi, kepemimpinan, dan Bahasa Inggris. Ketertarikan ini saya lanjutkan di perkuliahan. Saya yakin bahwa banyak hal yang unik dan bermanfaat di luar ruang kuliah dan laboratorium.
Saya ingin membuat hidup ini lebih berbumbu. Sama seperti makanan, perpaduan bahan utama dan bumbu-bumbu harus tepat agar nikmat. Kelebihan bumbu juga tidak enak, bahkan dapat jadi beracun. Teman-teman yang juga aktif berorganisasi harus pintar-pintar mengatur waktu supaya "bumbu"-nya tidak berlebihan sehingga mengalahkan "makanan utama." Saya juga menerapkan belajar Sistem Kebut Semalan (SKS) untuk ujian. Namun, saat di ruang kuliah saya berusaha menyerap pelajaran semaksimal mungkin. Salah satu caranya adalah dengan duduk di depan, sehingga lebih terhindar dari niat untuk ngobrol dan ngantuk.
Menurut saya, banyak mahasiswa lain yang juga berprestasi, tetapi tidak semuanya mau repot-repot mengurus segala keperluan untuk mengikuti kompetisi mahasiswa berprestasi. Sebenarnya tidak banyak banget, hal-hal yang perlu dipersiapkan sejak dini adalah:
1. Karya tulis. Dari tahun ke tahun topiknya sputar peningkatan kualitas sumber daya Indonesia menuju peningkatan daya saing bangsa. Boleh ditinjau dari bidang IPA atau IPS. Sebaiknya, sedari sekarang kita merenungkan apa yang bisa kita kontribusikan untuk Indonesia. Bagaimana ilmu yang kita pelajari atau sukai dapat memperbaiki masalah-masalah bangsa ini.
Indeks Prestasi yang lumayan (untuk membuktikan kemampuan akademis).
2. Kemampuan Bahasa Inggris lisan dan tulisan karena seleksinya meliputi tes IELTS dan wawancara.
3. Data kegiatan ekstrakurikuler (organisasi, kepanitiaan, sosial) dan prestasi yang telah diraih. Dari sekarang mulai dikumpulkan sertifikat2, surat keterangan, surat tugas, dari kegiatan2 yang kalian ikuti mulai dari tingkat lokal sampai internasioanl, karena semua itu menyumbangkan poin dalam penilaian hanya jika ada bukti tertulis (lagipula kan sekalian mendata untuk melamar pekerjaan atau membuat sejarah hidup perkuliahan kita).
Kehidupan ini sangat menarik. Menarik karena kemisteriusannya. Banyak kesempatan lewat di depan kita, asalkan kita mau peka terhadap perkembangan informasi. Sejak kita bangun tidur, kita mulai dihadapkan pada pilihan2. Bahkan untuk bangun dari tempat tidur juga merupakan pilihan. Pikirkan baik-baik sebelum kalian memilih, sebelum kalian memilih untuk tidak mencoba mengikuti pemilihan mahasiswa berprestasi IPB 2007. Siapa tahu kalian akan menulis topik ini tahun depan. Selamat Memilih!
"He who has a why believe for can live with any how."
Steisi (mileivas@yahoo.com)
We were discussing about my fear of reverse-culture-shock when I come back to Indonesia. He shared 2 brilliant 'food-for-thoughts':
1. I fear to be drowned in some 'stereotypes' or 'old habits'. He said: You can CHOOSE which settings (people, discussion topics, places, events, organizations, etc.) you want to be. Life is about making choices and realizing that you CAN make those choices.
2. I fear the peer-pressure on marriage. He said: Marriage is indeed a SERIOUS thing, thus it is REASONABLE to say that one needs more time and process than others to make such decision or even to start thinking about it. It is about committing oneself to be LOYAL or in a simplistic word, to STICK, with one person. Digest that... with ONE person, one out of countless number of people you MAY MEET in your life. Of course, one may argue that life can be short, but one can also use the average life expectation of .. say 60 years old, which make the calculation as follows: even if one gets marry at the age of 30, then he/she (still) needs to STICK with one person (the DEAR husband/wife) for 30 years (that's MORE than 11,000 days!!)... calculate it if you start in your younger years!!
After our talk, I spent some (worthwhile) times reflecting on our discussion and I came across my own writing about "Life = Choices". It was written in year 2006. I wrote that life is about making choices, that who we are today is the accumulation of the choices that we made in the past. I remember even one of my childhood story books is a practice of making choices. In one of the pages, it asks: "If you think Tina should wait for the school bus, go to page 8. If you think Tina should walk home by herself, go to page 12."
Here I copied what I wrote about Life = Choices (only in Indonesian language). I am now back in the process of searching myself and 'what-where-how' in this universe I want to function/take part. A confusing stage of life. This writing reminds me of a 'giant' inside me that I once have... it's a wonderful encounter, it slightly recharge my energy and self-confidence.
Mahasiswa Berprestasi IPB 2006
Mahasiswa berprestasi adalah suatu kompetisi yang berjenjang dari tingkat departemen sampai nasional. Kompetisi ini diselenggarakan untuk memberikan penghargaan kepada mahasiswa yang mampu menyeimbangkan kemampuan intrakurikuler (akademis) dan ekstrakurikuler. Seleksi di tingkat IPB biasanya dimulai di bulan April setiap tahunnya. Saya berhasil menjadi mahasiswa berprestasi IPB 2006 dan meraih posisi ke-6 dari 15 finalis tingkat nasional. Saya adalah mahasiswa angkatan 39 di Departemen Ilmu dan Teknologi Pangan, Fakultas Teknologi Pertanian.
Siapa kita sekarang adalah akumulasi dari pilihan-pilihan kita di masa lampau. Sejak awal, saya memilih untuk memperkaya diri dengan pengalaman-pengalaman ekstrakurikuler dan tidak ingin menjadi study oriented. Sejak SMA saya sudah menyukai kegiatan organisasi, kepemimpinan, dan Bahasa Inggris. Ketertarikan ini saya lanjutkan di perkuliahan. Saya yakin bahwa banyak hal yang unik dan bermanfaat di luar ruang kuliah dan laboratorium.
Saya ingin membuat hidup ini lebih berbumbu. Sama seperti makanan, perpaduan bahan utama dan bumbu-bumbu harus tepat agar nikmat. Kelebihan bumbu juga tidak enak, bahkan dapat jadi beracun. Teman-teman yang juga aktif berorganisasi harus pintar-pintar mengatur waktu supaya "bumbu"-nya tidak berlebihan sehingga mengalahkan "makanan utama." Saya juga menerapkan belajar Sistem Kebut Semalan (SKS) untuk ujian. Namun, saat di ruang kuliah saya berusaha menyerap pelajaran semaksimal mungkin. Salah satu caranya adalah dengan duduk di depan, sehingga lebih terhindar dari niat untuk ngobrol dan ngantuk.
Menurut saya, banyak mahasiswa lain yang juga berprestasi, tetapi tidak semuanya mau repot-repot mengurus segala keperluan untuk mengikuti kompetisi mahasiswa berprestasi. Sebenarnya tidak banyak banget, hal-hal yang perlu dipersiapkan sejak dini adalah:
1. Karya tulis. Dari tahun ke tahun topiknya sputar peningkatan kualitas sumber daya Indonesia menuju peningkatan daya saing bangsa. Boleh ditinjau dari bidang IPA atau IPS. Sebaiknya, sedari sekarang kita merenungkan apa yang bisa kita kontribusikan untuk Indonesia. Bagaimana ilmu yang kita pelajari atau sukai dapat memperbaiki masalah-masalah bangsa ini.
Indeks Prestasi yang lumayan (untuk membuktikan kemampuan akademis).
2. Kemampuan Bahasa Inggris lisan dan tulisan karena seleksinya meliputi tes IELTS dan wawancara.
3. Data kegiatan ekstrakurikuler (organisasi, kepanitiaan, sosial) dan prestasi yang telah diraih. Dari sekarang mulai dikumpulkan sertifikat2, surat keterangan, surat tugas, dari kegiatan2 yang kalian ikuti mulai dari tingkat lokal sampai internasioanl, karena semua itu menyumbangkan poin dalam penilaian hanya jika ada bukti tertulis (lagipula kan sekalian mendata untuk melamar pekerjaan atau membuat sejarah hidup perkuliahan kita).
Kehidupan ini sangat menarik. Menarik karena kemisteriusannya. Banyak kesempatan lewat di depan kita, asalkan kita mau peka terhadap perkembangan informasi. Sejak kita bangun tidur, kita mulai dihadapkan pada pilihan2. Bahkan untuk bangun dari tempat tidur juga merupakan pilihan. Pikirkan baik-baik sebelum kalian memilih, sebelum kalian memilih untuk tidak mencoba mengikuti pemilihan mahasiswa berprestasi IPB 2007. Siapa tahu kalian akan menulis topik ini tahun depan. Selamat Memilih!
"He who has a why believe for can live with any how."
Steisi (mileivas@yahoo.com)
BEST Sister on Planet Earth!
After one year of studying social science here in Wageningen, I have better understanding on the fact that every individual is unique. The fact that everyone of us has our own reality and that reality is (socially) constructed. That said, it is indeed SPECIAL to have one other individual in this Planet Earth who can UNDERSTAND you! It is SPECIAL to have someone who can understand the construction of your constructed reality. Hahaha.. I'm making things complicated (again) now...
I'm blessed to have that SPECIAL someone, and she is my lovely SISTER! She is my version of the 'BEST Sister on Planet Earth!'
So, here I want to share you a 'document' that she beautifully recorded. I'm pretty sure you'll agree with me on that BEST SISTER title!! Unfortunately, only for my Indonesian-speaking friends... until my lovely sister decided to translate them I guess... :) I hope I make you all jealous, coz she's MY sister! Hahahaa.. *wink*
http://stevania.blogspot.com/2008/05/percakapan-mega-penting-di-abad-ini.html
... and Sis, nope, I haven't found the answer. I AM in the same questions and struggles! But, I guess that's just the way I AM! HUGS.
I'm blessed to have that SPECIAL someone, and she is my lovely SISTER! She is my version of the 'BEST Sister on Planet Earth!'
So, here I want to share you a 'document' that she beautifully recorded. I'm pretty sure you'll agree with me on that BEST SISTER title!! Unfortunately, only for my Indonesian-speaking friends... until my lovely sister decided to translate them I guess... :) I hope I make you all jealous, coz she's MY sister! Hahahaa.. *wink*
http://stevania.blogspot.com/2008/05/percakapan-mega-penting-di-abad-ini.html
... and Sis, nope, I haven't found the answer. I AM in the same questions and struggles! But, I guess that's just the way I AM! HUGS.
05 September 2010
Asante Sana
Early morning
wake up and checking
so many things running in their heads
Birds are singing
as they start walking
making sure people have some bread
Morogoro is their playground
where people are lost and found
you always hear their sound
helping all around
Luzius Tere Fiorina
Lea Johanes Kahal
Asante asante sana
Thank you thank you thank you
Always busy
but also happy
organizing everything
Always tough
but never rough
your strengths make us feel BAFF
Morogoro is their playground
where people are lost and found
you always hear their sound
helping all around
Luzius Tere Fiorina
Lea Johanes Kahal
Asante asante sana
Thank you thank you thank you
Dona, dona, dona; Steisi & Frederik
Morogoro, Tanzania
8 - 31 August 2010
Home in Wageningen
My homey home, here in Wageningen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhnl_PzWqc#
Thanks to PPI Wageningen team (for nominating my student room in Asserpark) and Bang Drias (producer and reporter)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhnl_PzWqc#
Thanks to PPI Wageningen team (for nominating my student room in Asserpark) and Bang Drias (producer and reporter)!
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