Last 24 Hours Of 2011

Today is the last 24 hours of 2011. If I can choose what would I do, I would like to stay in my room, blogging all day long, writing things of my head, while enjoying some hot chocolate to begin with in this cold weather, some light content book to enjoy and taking some pictures of the last moments in 2011.

Too bad, the reality speaks louder. I have to work just like in 1 hour for the Count Down Event 2011. Well, good luck. And Happy New Year everyone!

With love,

Maya

New Year Resolution

Hi, blogger! It's already December 28th, 2011 which means.. it's new year resolution time! Cannot believe that one year passed this fast. It's too fast, you know. I always make a new year resolution every year and post it on my blog, but the thing is, I heard rumor that from tomorrow until 5th January, there will be no internet connection in AP House, so I decide to make this post earlier.


Well, let's see. Year of 2011. A lot of things happened. I can say, 2011 was a colorful year. Lots of joyfulness, happiness, laugh, smiles, and also cries. I feel that I grown up through the year somehow. 


Some highlights of 2011:

• My family visited me in Japan. We went to Fukuoka together and me and my brother went to Kansai Area (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe) on February 2011.

• I was selected to be one of the SAS Student Staff

• Indonesian Week 2011 which was so great

• Then, I was selected as one of the Resident Assistant

• I went home to Indonesia! Also, I traveled to Jogja and Bali with my sharemate and my Japanese friend! =)

• I traveled a lot (Fukuoka, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nagasaki, Kumamoto)

Some bad things?


Hmm, let me think. Well, maybe I was too busy through out this year that I cannot spend my time with my closest friends as much as I wanted to. And also, one of my relative passed away just like a couple weeks ago.



Here is my last year resolution. Wondering whether I did all my resolution or not.


1. Get Straight-A (and scholarship) -> okay, I failed to achieve this. Twice I applied for scholarship, twice I got rejected. And no straight A for me, yet.

2. Learn Korean Language -> hmm, it's kind of difficult to say. I learnt some phrases and I can read hangeul, but still I haven't learnt that much about Korean Language.

3. Better luck in my love life -> No boyfriend for me, but believe me, at least I got something that worth to remember ;)

4. Be a more talkative Maya -> I think I am a little bit more talkative than the last year Maya. Thanks to the all activities I joined so far such as SAS, RA, etc. I tried my best you know, to be more talkative Maya.

5. Mastering the Japanese -> Still not that master, I still cannot remember all those difficult vocab, Kanji and grammar, but I'm getting there. 

6. Be better Maya. Better personality. Better style. -> People said my style changed. It becomes more girly and lady-like. Then, does it count? I guess so.





I can say, this year was kind of successful for me. I changed through out the year, to be a better me. Well, then, it's time for to write down my new year resolution:


1. Change My Hairstyle 
Long hair with a bang. This is my style since like forever. I want to change my hairstyle this year. Maybe some wavy look? Or short hair? Perm? Still don't know.


2. Get Scholarship
Still the same me, aiming for straight As and scholarship. Well, I'll do my best for this.


3. Update This Blog Regularly
My absence for 3 months was unacceptable for me. Come on, where is that little girl that love to write more than anything? At least I should update this blog once a month.


4. Travel More
Explore the world. Maybe South Korea? Tokyo? Mount Fuji? Hokkaido? or even China and Thailand? And I absolutely wouldn't say no for Europe.


5. Take JLPT N2
Already plan this, so I should focus on it.


6. Save more!
Okay, I have to admit that I spent too much recently. So, this is one of my biggest resolution, I should save more next year! At least, learn to control myself to not buy unnecessary things.


7. Better In Cooking
To begin with, I am not really good in cooking and I kept feeding myself this past a year and a half with some instant foods. So, my new resolution is to be better in cooking, at least try a new recipe once a month. 


8. More Stylish, Maybe?
Well, next year, I am gonna be 20 and I think it's time for me to be more stylish =)


This year I didn't put anything about love in my resolution. Doesn't mean I don't need them, I just.. want to focus more about something else rather than that. Just like I posted on my previous post, love is not about boyfriend and girlfriend, love is everywhere, forming in different things. And also, next year is going to be my 20th birthday! Oh. My. God. I am turning into adult. No, I am not ready yet.


Then, for everyone that keep reading this blog, thank you!


Happy New Year 2012 for all of you regardless your place, time, etc.


With smile,
Maya

Life Is Good

Hi, blogger! Few more days left until the end of the year.


I just finished cleaning up my room, it becomes so comfy now. Well, people can see whether I am stress or not by coming to my room. More stress I am, the messier my room would be. Anyway, recently, I feel that I really enjoy my life, really.


I mean, I don't think I have more to ask. For now, my life is good. Not perfect, but nice. Let's see what I have so far. I living on my dream, studying in Japan, which is my dream, then I can learn Japanese, the language that I always wanted to learn from the first time I learnt it in junior high school. Having Japanese friends and talk with them about almost everything. Being an SAS Student Staff and learn new staff. Selected as one of the Resident Assistant and being in charge in M Building and have a fine communication with my partner.

From my room, every morning, I see a beautiful sun rise. In the night, when I lay down on my comfy bed, I sleep while seeing the beautiful moon and hundred of stars. I can see the sparkle of city night, amazing night sky, shooting stars and eclipse from my window when the sun goes down and see Beppu and Oita City, the blue sky and the deep blue sea in the day light.


I have a warm family that always support me and waiting for me back home in Indonesia. I have one big brother that even though sometimes he's so annoying that makes me want to punch him to shut him up, but really care and nice to me. A mother that loves me so much, and a father that always back me up and give me his hand whenever I fall in life.


What should I ask more about? I used to think that life is unfair because I never had luck in my love life. But, when I see around, love is everywhere. It's on the air but not a lot of people realize that it's always hanging there. Love from my friends. Laughing until I cry with them when things is not right. Doing silly things and still love every minutes of it. Getting Christmas Event from my sharemate. Having best friends from junior high school that even though we are separated by thousands miles we still keep in touch with each other, and when we see each other, we still have things and things to talk and laugh about.


Talking about the true essence of friend, I remember when I was in high school, I failed all my AS Level Exams even though I studied too hard on it. As of my disappointment, I cried and cried at my favorite place near the music room. Then, I was so surprised that one by one, my classmates came and be there for me. That time, it was my first time I realized that having friend is amazing. 


As now I am far from home, my friends are people that would give me hand when I fall and back me up. Not because some bad things happen in life, I should forget that when I turn back my head, I have friends and family that will always be there, giving me strength and love I need to continue my life.


Having all this amazing stuffs just in front of my eyes, that is why, I never dare to whine. God gives so much to me so it's so unfair if I ask more and whine about something that I already have. Instead, I want to be glad for everything. For having such a great life. For having such a warm and caring family. For having amazing friends.


Isn't it enough? 

The Traveler Story

Hi, blogger! I am back again =)


I just got back from Kumamoto for some shopping and sightseeing on this White Christmas Day. Me and two of my friends went to Kumamoto Castle and Suisenji Park which was so great. Also, I had fun a lot with my friends.


I do travel a lot. In Japan, I've been to about 9 prefectures so far. As long as I remember, since I was little, my family travel a lot. During my years in Pittsburgh, I never had memories that's not filled with traveling around States. Every summer, winter, breaks.. we did travel. Washington  D.C, New York, Florida, etc. My dad brought us to amazing places in States, while driving our blue car back then. In my home, there are bunch of photo album full with photos from our journeys.


In Indonesia, sometimes we travel as well. My parents hometown, East Java, Bali, Jogja, etc. And we did travel to Singapore. Once, before I headed off to APU, me and my mom traveled to Hong Kong and China. All the travel experiences make me love traveling so much.


Today, as I headed of back to Beppu from Kumamoto by bus, I looked outside the window. A lot of buildings and even super centers that reminded me a lot with America somehow, and also my family and our journeys there. When was the last time me and my whole family traveled together?


Oh it's last February, when they visited me here in Japan and the four of us went to Fukuoka for a one-day-sightseeing trip. 


..suddenly, I miss traveling with my family.

Changes of Life

Hi, blogger, it's me again. It's been a while since the last time I post a blog post last September, so when I start to write again, I cannot stop the feeling to write and write again. I was terribly busy for the last 3 months.

Last summer, I read an amazing book that become one of my favorite books. It's One Day by David Nicholas. The story about a girl named Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew who met for the first time on July 15th, 1988. Then the story continues of what they do on that day for the next year and the more years to come, until 20 years long. It is really a nice love story for me, because without their realize, they think about each other on that long time. 

What I really like about this story is that, this story is very realistic. Very very realistic. It shows how a relationship between two people will gradually change after some years. I can relate myself very much. After the end of something (graduation, occasion), people tend to walk in their own way. They will not be a lot of communication until they are not keeping touch anymore. 

After some years, I lost contact with several people. People move on with their life, and we gradually become their past and vice versa. Isn't it sad? 

Unexpected things happen. Life changes. There will be a day that you come back to somewhere or places where you couldn't remember anything but memories. Isn't it interesting? People meet, people say goodbye. But that's life. No need to be sad, no need to shed tears. Just be glad and live through of it.

Am I Too Independent?

Hi blogger, do you ever felt that you start to be able handle almost everything by yourself and do not need other's help if it's not that necessary?


Well, this is what bothers me recently. Before I came to Japan, I was able to take care of myself and handle certain situation. But because of my parents's presents, sometimes when I need things, I still able to ask my parents to help me.


Living alone in Japan, I became more independent than before. I did all my work by myself. I decided what should I do for my day. I decide my own decision and when things get wrong, I'll get the consequences and learn my lesson. I try not to depend on other people as others are also try to survive living alone as well. I learn about life here.


For me, as long I can do things by myself, I don't think I need help from others and become such a burden for them. But, when I cannot handle it no more, I always ask for help. From that point, I seem like I don't need other people, because I always do my things by myself. 
It seems a very good thing. But in the other side..


...not all people know that being independent is lonely.


People think I don't need other people because I can handle things by myself.


But I think, independent people are the ones that need people's help the most.

Christmas Is Coming To Town

Hi, blogger, wherever you are in this world, it's me again, Maya.

It's December 23rd already. 8 more days to New Year and 2 more days to Christmas. Well, tomorrow is gonna be the Christmas Eve. Anyway, tonight and tomorrow is the Beppu Christmas Fireworks, the difference is that tonight is for families and friends while tomorrow will be for couples (yeah, I know). The fireworks was so beautiful.


Anyway, that is not the main point I wanted to write here. This year, I did plenty of things related with Christmas. I did Christmas Party with kids for SAS Event, I went to Christmas Fireworks, etc. And in fact, I quite enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong, I don't celebrate Christmas, because I am not Christian. But, these all Christmas Carol reminds me a lot with my childhood and my family.


I spent my early years in America. And in my opinion, Christmas is just so western. I can say, I partly grew up with this culture. 


Whenever I heard the word "Christmas" or see a Christmas Tree, I always remember about one memory. During Christmas when I was in Pittsburgh, I really wondered why my family did not put Christmas Tree inside our small apartment, unlike all my other friends and classmates. I thought in that time, that if my family didn't put and decorate Christmas Tree with Christmas ornaments, I cannot tell my friends about it in the other day.


So, I asked my parents to get a Christmas Tree as well, without knowing that actually our family do not celebrate it. My older brother, who did not want to see my crying face, draw a big Christmas Tree with beautiful ornaments and put it on the wall. He succeeded to make me smile.


And then, Christmas Day came. Because all my other friend was talking about Santa Claus and what kind of presents they will get, I expected that I was also going to get something for Christmas. I believed in Santa Claus so much. Then, just like other days, I did not see any present on that day. So I asked my older brother.


"Where's Santa? Did he forget about me?"


Being asked like that, all my older brother can do was nothing but telling me a make up story.


"He did come,"
"He did?"
"Yes, but he cannot get into the apartment because you were asleep and unable to open the front door for him,"


I believed it. Later on my life, I realized that it was only a lie that being told by my brother to escape me from a disappointment. But, I am glad he lied. It shows that my brother cared about my feeling so much.


Went back to Indonesia, I learnt that I am not Christian, that is why I do not celebrate Christmas. After 12 years lived in Indonesia, here I am, living in Japan. Then, it's almost Christmas that everywhere I go, I hear Christmas Carol. And I remember my childhood. I remember the warmth of my small family back then. That is why, I always smile whenever I have to do Christmas-related things. Not because I want to be Christian and celebrate it. But deep inside my heart, it makes me smile and reminds me of my childhood and my family.


That's all =)

In This Cold Weather

Hi, blogger! Wherever you are now, this is me again, Maya.
It's getting freaking cold in Japan, especially in APU because my university (and also my dorm as well) located on the top of the mountain. So.. you can imagine how cold could it be.


Anyway..
In this freezing weather, suddenly I remembered last summer.
The heat and the humid. The sun that made my Indonesian skin even tanner. The busyness that made me do my work very fast. Everything seemed so fast, fast and fast.


The blue sky and the green hills. Sound of hundreds of summer insects just like the nature sang summer song for me. The summer breeze smell so nice and lift up my spirit. Went through colorful days that made by people around me. Chasing one dream that I know I can make it. The smile of midsummer night, that will be remembered in the rest of my life. Believing for once more,  dancing as the sun set down. The road on the beach, hoping the summer never ended.

And now I miss my summer.

Thought of My Family

Hi, blogger. I am sorry that I was too busy to update this blog for these past several months.
Again with me here, Maya.


It's already winter in Japan, my favorite season of all, even though it's so cold and stuffs, but I love winter.
I think about a lot of think recently, moreover, my future after I graduate from APU. To be honest, actually, spending 4 years in APU is not enough for me. I want to try more and more things and explore about everything.


This thought came up into my mind recently, when I started watching my friends from all different nationalities started their job-hunting. Seeing them busy on campus wearing black suits, attending bunch of job-hunting seminars and interviews. Also, their Japanese becomes really really good. I started to think that having several years job experience in Japan must be a wonderful thing. Not a lot of people can experience this such of thing. I really want to try to do job-hunting in Japan, as that is most of my friends' reason studying in APU. Especially when I really love and enjoy every minute of my life in Japan like right now.

This afternoon, suddenly my brother called me on Skype, bringing a news that one of my relatives passed away. He is my father's uncle and just like my own grandfather for me. I've known him from I was a kid, and last summer, when I went back to Indonesia, I still had a chance to see and meet him and his condition was very great back then. I was so shocked that suddenly he left us. I was so shocked that last summer was my last time to see him alive.

Losing someone always a painful experience and I know, I will experience this again and again as I am getting older. It is so different when I heard this news in Japan, not in Indonesia. I mean, in Indonesia, we will go straight away to Madura, my parent's hometown and see him for the last time before they burry them. But here in Japan, I only can get the news through Skype, with a little of details and there was nothing I can do except pray for him in my own little room in my dorm.

As I think about that, I re-think my future. And think of my parents, who got older day by day. What if they will be the next? In the end, I realized that I cannot leave them. I cannot leave my family, who are waiting for me at home right now.

Gotta go now.

I will post more. Thanks for reading.

See ya' and bye-bye!