The Holiday I've Always Wanted

This Month on my Reading-List

Everybody knows this book. It had made into a movie on 2006 starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, deeply in love with this movie since the very first time I watched this with my bestfriend. Yes, it's about fashion and New York. That Big Apple City I always wanted to live of. The book itself (haven't finished yet!) very very enjoying to me.

As being an RA and engaged in all of those stuffs (Indonesian Week 2012, etc.) I literally mere have a good free time. Those precious time of me spending my weekend in bed all day long while reading some novels or watching some movies became something that I always crave of. And today, I got what I deserve the most: a relaxing Sunday.

I kind of wanting make my own Reading List that I will update it every month. It feels so good to get your hobby back: reading something so passionately. Believe me, I was quite terrified when I started losing my passion of reading and writing something several months ago due to my tiredness. Guess it just coming back to me, right?

I will post something more when I decide to start reading another book ;)

With love,
Maya

Just A Story

Now, I am not in Japan, this is my first blog post live from Busan, South Korea!


Today, as my relative that guides me around Busan had an urgent meeting in her campus, I strolled around near Pusan National University. It's quite big and lots of shops to see. After went around for almost an hour, suddenly I passed a shop that sells a thing that my friend wanted for a very long time ago. So I decided to enter.


The bad thing is, I cannot speak Korean beside 'Annyeonghaseyo'. Oh, no.


Two clerks that's been chatting near the door welcomed me.
「어서오세요」"Welcome,"
I don't know how to answer it in Korean and all I can speak is Japanese or English, so I just nodded and look at the thing that I wanted to buy for my friend. The two clerks looked at me while arguing about something in Korean.


Then, they spoke up.
"Are you Japanese?" Again.
"Oh no, I am not," answer me.
"Then, Chinese? Taiwanese?" asked the girl clerk. I still said no. Then the boy clerk tried to guess.
"Oh! Bangladesh? Nepal? Philippians?" Come on.
"I am from Indonesia," I said finally with smile, followed by long "oooowhhh" from the two of them. Then, the girl clerk got away.
"How old are you?" The boy clerk tried to start the conversation with his English-Korean accent.
"How old do I look?" I asked back, my usual answer whenever someone ask my age.
"Uh.. huh?" Seems the clerk cannot understand my English.
"Well, nineteen," I answered, still looking for some souvenir for my older brother.
"Aah! Nineteen!" He said, glad that he can communicate with some foreigner in English. Still, he wanted to talk more, "Are you studying in Pusan National University?"
"No, no. I am just visiting here," I said.
"In Busan?"
"Yeah, in Busan," I said lightly.


The clerk followed me to the cashier as I finished my shopping, then with smiley face, he even gave me some discounts for the things I bought. And the funny thing is..


"Total is 14,000 won. Here you go. And here is my telephone number," 


He happily slip a small paper with his telephone number on it to the shopping bag. After receiving the shopping bag, I got out from the shop as fast as I can to burst into laugh. Hahahaha! What a day. What a funny guy. Simple meeting? Yes. Made my day? The most. 

The Thing I Never Think Of

When I came to Japan one and a half year ago, I didn't really get homesick.. at all. Everything seems so brand new and all in my head was I want to explore this country as much as I could. Being busy everyday, meeting new friends from different backgrounds, joining bunch of activities, and enjoying every minute of my stay in Japan kept me away from homesick.

Before I came to Japan, I read some book about studying abroad, and it always mentioned about how people will get homesick during their first 3 months or so. That time, I honestly thought it won't happen to me. I didn't feel homesick at all for my first year so I think I won't get homesick until the rest of my year in Japan.

As usual, I was wrong. Since last December, suddenly something that I never think will happen to me happened. I miss home. That's it. I said it honestly. I miss live in Jakarta. I miss how I spend my time with my brother to Bandung which was my routine activities since I was in my 3rd grade of elementary school. I miss hanging out with my friends in malls. I miss being so young, carefree, watching DVDs at home, hanging out with friends on Starbucks, going to Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan, going around Jakarta, laughing with my high school friends like there's no tomorrow, wearing things I like, reading magazine every month, watching movies every week, talking about the latest trend, going to hair salon every month, watching Disney Channel everyday, studying AS Level, going to bookstore to buy some books and others.

There are so much things that I miss. Not about the foods, but I miss the memories. Now, I am willing to pay with everything I have to get those moments back. I miss just doing nothing with my friends on Friday. Miss those big city life where I always go to malls to check the latest sale or just window shopping. I keep listening to Indonesian songs and old songs I used to play in my iPod back home. Seems I really really miss home right now. Moreover, I miss my friends so bad.  Miss spending time with them. And now, I really can't wait to come back home.


I think the reason I can overcome the homesick during my first year is that I didn't meet a lot of Indonesian back then. I was too busy to enjoy my new life. This semester, I gather with Indonesian Community quite frequently so I started to miss home. So badly that I didn't realize I am... this homesick. Maybe this is one of the reason I cannot concentrate recently. Well, guess I cannot do a thing but wait until summer to come back and meet all my friends in Indonesia.

The Best Thing About Being Alone

"Maya, where did you just go?"
"I just went to Starbucks and get this," *showing my Starbucks tumbler, filled with Caramel White Chocolate.
"Alone?"
"Yeah,"
"Next time, you shouldn't go alone to Starbucks. It's so.. lonely,"

It was the real conversation I had about two days ago with my Vietnamese friend, when I just got into the bus from Starbucks (read post Refreshing Time). And yesterday, that Vietnamese friend of mind had her birthday and as the reply of my birthday wishes on her facebook wall, she replied, " ...hope u will not enjoy Starbucks alone next time..." Is it that pathetic to be alone?

To begin with, actually I am not a talkative person. I am more an introvert. I started to be more open to people and stuff, but recently, I feel tired. And all I want to do is being alone. Even though I have close friends, but when I want to be alone, I really want to be alone. 


Being alone is my way to think carefully of all of my problems, my thoughts, my feelings, and everything. I can sort out my thought and also motivate myself to not give up with the current situation. The moment where you only have yourself and your mind.


There are people who don't like being or seen alone. But I think, most in our time, we all agree that sometimes we also want to be all alone.


Don't you think so?

The Inspiration Why I Can Stand By My Own Foot

Hi, blogger! Yesterday, my friend just told me that she just watched my favorite Japanese Drama called 14 Years Old Mother (14才の母). The story is about how a 14 years old girl called Miki got pregnant and then decided to keep the baby event though every single person in her life against her decision. But, because she wants to be responsible with her action, she struggling from all the obstacle by herself.

To begin with, I remember watching the drama before I came to APU, and it's inspired me a lot. She is just 14 years old girl, but she has that braveness to face her problem, go to the doctor alone, etc. Miki is such an inspirational character that without I realize encourage me to tell my parents about the life path I want to choose, which is going to APU and live by my own in Japan.

That drama encourage me to not run away from your problem and might be one of the reason I am coming to APU. I want to be such a strong character like that fictional character called Miki. And from that point, just like Miki who never regret on her decision to keep the baby even though she has to pay it with dropped out from school, hated by her best friends, broken up with her boyfriend, obstacle look from others, etc., I decided to try to not regretting what I already chose, what I already decided by my own.

The story inspired me a lot to be a brave girl and one of the reason why I can stand by my own foot here in Japan. I remember, as I preparing all the documents for my departure to APU Japan, I listen to the theme song of this drama and made promises. That time, I promised to not cry, to be strong, to be independent, and whenever I fall, I have to look up the sky and get up by myself. As I writing this, I remember those promises that I almost forgotten about. Guess it's a good thing, eh?

Refreshing Time

Recently, I cannot concentrate on almost all of my work. I think I get in the point where I had enough with all of these busyness. The peak was yesterday, when I had Japanese Kanji and Grammar Exam and I cannot study even for a minute! I read but it cannot get into my head. I remembering the Kanji, but after I turn away, I forgot everything. I messed up really really bad. After the exam, I remembered going out from the class with teary-eyes. I am going to get a bad grade for sure and I am not exaggerating right now.

I still have some exams and reports to do. So, today I decided to change the environment. I cannot study or concentrate in either AP House nor APU Campus anymore. So I went to downtown, bringing all my reports and studies. I went to McD, where it became something rare for me now and had nice lunch there (Big Chicken McD!) and went to Starbucks to have the new Caramel White Chocolate =9

Being in different place, different environment, helped me to study and concentrate.. a lot. Enjoying my weekend in coffee shop while writing my report is not something that I usually do, but the coffee smell actually makes me much more relax that boost my mood and concentration. I think it will be my new habit from now on, finding new places to study or write whenever I feel so down or so.. actually, I think it's kind of important.

Enjoy your weekend and wish me luck with my exams, report, and grade!

Am I Too Workaholic?

Lately, I heard a lot of "You work too hard, Maya" or "You are such a workaholic person," from lots of people close to me. I start wondering, am I too workaholic?

Since I came to APU on September 2010, I never had a day without work, work and work. Okay, I am exaggerating here, but I am serious. I seldom have a free time. I joined lots of activities that made me busy from early morning until late night. Moreover, now I also an Resident Assistant (RA), SAS Student Staff, Indonesian Week 2012 Core Member, and taking part of leader for several things. Plenty of works? More than you can imagine.

The photo I posted here is my personal agenda. I bring it everywhere. Checking my schedule like at least 5 times a day, from morning until (sometimes) morning again. I already getting used to have like 5 different meetings a day. Also, I take my study very serious. That is why I came here. I'm getting used to sleep at 3 or 4 am in the morning after finishing all my assignments and works. Last quarter, I had classes from 10:35 until 17:40 non-stop (I only ate some calorie snacks to balance my diet)

I want to share about my daily life in APU but I now, I think that's not the best thing to do. It's not that I bragging about myself being busy or all those stuff, but, if you have a chance to see my schedule book, I bet you won't believe what's written there.

Back to the topic. Recently, I am thinking about this, why I am such a workaholic? Why can't I live normally in APU like any other people? Why can't I just go to school, do my assignments, meet my friends, and that's it? Why I have to be so interested with so many activities that ends up make me busy like hell?

The thing is.. being busy is my way to express my feeling. If you know me enough, when I start being busier than ever, that means something bothering my mind. Being busy is my way to escape from my own reality. The busier I am, the happier I will get. Being busy will stop me from thinking things that I don't want to think of. And also, whenever I decide to do something, I will never do it half-heartly. Even though it turns out that I lost my interest on it, I will try my best to do my best on it. And giving up in the middle of the process is not my surname.

Especially, when I want to forget about bad memories, I will be busier than ever.
I guess I cannot stop for being workaholic because it became my surname. And maybe, just maybe, I got a feeling that I will never stop being busy during my life in APU.