First Time Being Host for Traveler

It started from my office mate (ika) who texted me that she has invitation as host one of traveler from CouchSurfing. If you don't know what couchsurfing is about, just search it on google. At that day, there was traveler from Polandia who want to come to Kota Tua. Ika asked me to accompany her while Ika still in Cikarang. Since, i still in Bogor when Ika texted me. So, ika just give me traveler's number. Anyway name of the traveler is Monica.

When I already in home, monica called me. And we made appointment to meet up. Since she phoned me about 5 pm and i have to break fasting and teraweh pray. So, i decided to meet up about 8 p.m. Monica asked me "Do you know any shopping mall near here?". I just know nothing. So i ended the phone, asked my family and texted Monica to go to Gajah Mada Plaza. I don't know where is it anyway. 5 minutes later I remember that Grand Indonesia also near from Kota Tua. So, i recommended her to go to Grand indonesia.

After teraweh pray, i went to Grand Indonesia. I asked security "Pak, J.Co dimana ya pak?". He answered that there is no J.Co at Grand Indonesia. I confused and called Monica to ask about this one. I asked her "Where is actual location of J.Co? Do you know what is the store in front of that? so I can easily to find out". Suddenly, indonesian talked me via Monica's phone "mas, ini temennya daritadi disini" | "Emang J.Co nya dimana sih mas?" | "Lantai dasar. Deket pintu masuk" | "Hah? Bentar bentar mas. Ini di mall apa ya?" | "Gajah mada plaza". Okay. I and monica had missunderstanding. Then, i just asked her to wait there. I continued to Gajah Mada Plaza.

In Gajah Mada Plaza, i was directly to J.Co. And finally met with Monica. She is just the one whose blonde there. So, I introduced myself. So did she. Then we have a chit-chat maybe 15 until 30 minutes. After that, we continued our trip to Sabang.

Monica asked me to have kinda light dinner. I ate at my house. But, she want to eat something light without rice, etc. I just brought her to Sabang to choose one of food there. She chose Hoka-Hoka Bento. Then she ate, i drank while continued our conversation. Many things that we discuss. Culture, pop, punk, hipster, music, energy, religion, family, culture, etc. After finished, we went to Cut Meutia, menteng to attend Ramadhan Jazz Festival.

That was my main purpose to go that night. I want to see Tulus performance. But, unfortunatelly when i was there, Tulus already finished. So, i just take a picture, have a chit-chat with my mates then go back to Ika's kost to bring Monica. Since Monica would stay in Ika's kost. Then i back to my house.

Yeah, that was my first time as host traveler from Couch Surfing. That was very interesting that we can share our insight, our culture with peope from outside our country. Fortunatelly the traveler was Monica that I can easily connect to have conversation with her. She is smart, fun and beautiful polish. I hope next trip as a host would be more interesting.

NIZARLAND

"Where The Land Inspires The World"

Leadership Training FPGM 2013

Berawal dari obrolan-obrolan iseng. Dan kita ngerasa kalo gak ada penerus dari FPGM. Maka terselenggaralah acara ini. Oh iya, mungkin bagi yang belom tau FPGM, FPGM ini merupakan wadah yang bergerak di bidang kepemudaan dan pengembangan diri. Forum Pengembangan Generasi Muda ini fokus kepada targetnya yaitu orang keturunan Arab. Ya, mungkin bagi kalian ini terdengan rasis. Tapi gak sebegitunya kok. Ini sama aja kayak semacam paguyuban. Misalnya di UI ada IMAMI (Ikatan Mahasiswa Minang) dan berbagai daerah lainnya. Kita pun juga demikian, memang terkadang keterikatan ras tidak mudah untuk diputuskan.

Saya pribadi sudah terlibat di FPGM ini mulai dari pertengahan tahun 2009. Pada saat itu saya masih mahasiswa tingkat awal yang lagi hobi mencari kesibukan, berorganisasi, mengenali karakter orang, membuat networking, dan semacamnya merasa bersyukur masuk ke dalam wadah yang sangat positif ini. Acara yang kita adakan diantaranya training 'How to Organize an Event', 'Training for Trainer', 'Career Planning'. That's all about self development.

Wadah ini menjadi.....apa ya? Berguna. Nagih. Bikin saya memiliki networking dengan "Jamaah" lainnya. Pokoknya positif deh. Dan sayang banget kalo wadah ini berhenti sampai di kita. Saya dan beberapa teman yang dulu aktif di FPGM sekarang kebanyakan sudah masuk dunia kerja, dimana waktu yang kita miliki gak se-fleksibel waktu SMA. Dan menurut kita sayang aja, kalo FPGM ini gak diterusin. Berguna dan positif banget soalnya. Akhirnya diadain lah acara ini.

Walaupun persiapan yang sangat pas-pas-an. Dengan jumlah panitia yang mungkin gak lebih dari 10 orang, kita nekat untuk bikin acara ini. Saya pribadi bertanggung jawab sebagai peserta yang mencari peserta untuk mengikuti Leadership Training 2013 ini. Alhamdulillah peserta yang ikut ada 19 orang. 13 orang Pria dan 6 orang wanita.

Acara ini dimulai dari Jumat malam. Tanggal 28 juni. Setelah pulang kantor, kerumah, mandi, rapih-rapih dan akhirnya berangkat ke tempat acara yang bertepatan di Hotel Khalisma, Petamburan. Hotel ini bukan hotel bintang 5. Tapi yaaa....not bad lah. Lumayan sedikit berasa liburan bisa tidur di kasur yang beda dari kasur biasanya + AC yang super dingin.

Malam itu langsung dimulai dengan Ami Geisz Chalifah. Seorang aktivis yang berbagi pengalamannya saat menjadi aktivis. Pembicaraan Ami Geisz, membuat banyak peserta "tertampar". Kemudian besok paginya acara dilanjutkan dengan Ami Anies Basalamah yang merupakan Sekjen KPK. Beliau membawakan materi tentang kepemimpinan. Ada juga Ka Mahir Bayasut, seorang yang merupakan ketua radio PPI Belanda saat dia sedang S2 dan pada saat ini dia aktif di berbagai project. Dia juga orang dibalik layar dari Coffee Institute. Salah satu tempat nongkrong yang sering di kunjungi anak muda di daerah Gunawarman. Masih ada Ka Khotim Ganis, Ka Nadya Afiff dan Ibu Mona Ganiem yang mengisi materi di hari minggu. Ibu Mona Ganiem selalu menjadi favorit saya. Dia mengisi materi tentang Communication Skill. Sudah beberapa kali saya melihat dia membawakan materi yang sebenarnya "sama", tetapi saya tidak pernah bosan. Saya masih terpana melihat dia mengeluarkan gagasan dan ungkapan dengan emosi, vokal suara, gesture, dll yang sangat berkelas.

Beberapa foto lainnya 

Tiga hari selesai. Saya pribadi sangat senang dan bangga karena acara ini berjalan dengan sukses dan lancar. Walaupun ada beberapa penghalang di belakang pembuatan event ini, tapi panitia hebat yang saya kenal tidak pantang menyerah sampai akhirnya acara ini bisa sukses. Semoga kedepannya, para peserta ini dapat meneruskan perjuangan kita. Mereka membuat training lagi, "mencetak" pribadi yang baru lagi. Dan begitu seterusnya sehingga acara kepemudaan ini terus berjalan dan kita tidak hanya jadi penonton. Tapi juga mesin perputaran kepemudaan di Indonesia. Sukses terus FPGM. Lancar acara kedepannya. Wassalamualaikum.

NIZARLAND

"Where The Land Inspires The World"

I'm 22 Years Old

What will you expect in your birthday? Maybe some of you think about surprise when you wake up, surprise from your girlfriend/boyfriend, surprise from your friends, etc. But, I don't know why, honestly i didn't have much expectation for my birthday. I just thought that i am too old to expect many things in my birthday. I thought that birthday is not all about surprise, even birthday wishes always be great "gift". But, I imply my birthday as time that i have to change my behaviour, my thought more mature. I'm already a man. Not a boy.

My 22nd birthday is fulfilled by my nice office mates who give me and my friend (wildan) who had birthday one day before me. I really feel blessed have care office mates like them :)

I know, it kinda wedding cake since there's '&' icon haha

Me and Wildan

The circumstances at that time

And i really happy even i can't meet with all of my friend. They gave me birthday wishes via phone, text, social media, etc. Anyway at my birthday, i thought that god gave me gift, a great sunset at that time. I capture it with my note.

HAHAHA indah made this for me

Some of birthday wishes 

Great Sunset as God's Gift

My wishes in my new age actually just MATURE. Maybe it sounds standard. But, i want to be mature person. Great career, healthy, new partner, happy family. Ya, i just want to be happy. As simple as that ;)

NIZARLAND

"Where The Land Inspires The World"

Internal Gathering RTC 2013

It's kinda one of my late posts. I just want to take a note that a few weeks ago (June 22th, 2013) I and some RTC colleague went to anyer. It is anual event. Alumnus who came to this event, just us. Ya, just me, zipau, indrawege, sasya, adani & pasti. And we enjoy the beach not really for a long time. I mean, we just went to Anyer at saturday morning, and we back at sunday morning.

I was happy since i took many photographs there and of course, it was uploaded to my instagram.

UI Train Station

Coconut Tree (No Filter)

They don't want to play with me (model: ian)

Superman (model: ian)

I also record some "Lenong Reality Show". This video was taken without script, etc. It was spontaneous and made us laugh loudly. I just upload one of five videos. I'll update if already uploaded all of videos.

Around 4 p.m we spend our time at the beach. When we enjoyed the wave, took photo, created tattoo, etc, suddenly big wave hit all of us. My sandals gone and some of our gadget such as handphone and tablet were broken. Seawater infiltrated to our gadget. After that accident, we took photo at the last time, then back to the villa.

Swimming pool looks so seducing. We swam for a couple of minutes then took a bath, eat corn barbeque and chit-chat. There's no evaluation or rundown for us as alumnus at that night. So, we just back to our room, watched television and slept.

At sunday morning, aftet breakfast we directly back to our home. Ya, this short trip quite refreshing in the middle of office routinity.

NIZARLAND

"Where The Land Inspires The World"