Hari ke-6: International Friendship

our last full member gathering, May 20th, 2012

International Dinner, RIP Rayetta Fetter (the one who sit was our deceased coordinator) October 14th, 2011

ma good friends, October 14th, 2011

Halloween Party on Bloomsbury Farm, early October 2011

Salah satu hal yang paling saya kangenin dari tahun pertukaran saya adalah pertemanan sesama exchange students dalam organisasi penempatan kami.

There were 15 amazing youth from 13 countries around the world that became my very good friends in 2011/2012 academic year hosted by our placement organization PAX, and we were hosted in eastern part of the state of Iowa.

 Beberapa dari kami adalah penerima beasiswa penuh dari Departemen Luar Negeri Amerika Serikat, ada yang dari program FLEX dan ada dari program YES. They have different personalities and they are so friendly and welcome. I never experience things that are not fun with them and I always feel so happy every time I'm talking and having fun with them.

Bahkan, kita bisa saling curhat-curhatan kalau ada masalah, merasa ada yang satu nasib, yang kangen negara masing-masing saling sharing, yang bisa cerita minat masing-masing, mimpi masing-masing, semuanya deh.

Saya beruntung banget bisa bertemu mereka. Saya belajar banyak dari mereka. Perspektif saya banyak berubah karena mereka. Banyak dari teman-teman saya ini yang lebih muda dari sana tapi keberanian mereka untuk ikut pertukaran pelajar bisa jadi lebih besar dari pada keberanian saya. Saya jadi tahu lebih banyak tentang negara dunia dan kehidupan remajanya.

Saya kangen mereka semua.

Saya kangen kebersamaan dan sesi berbaginya.

Saya kangen volunteering bersamanya.

Saya kangen berkeluh kesah tentang Iowa yang penuh ladang jagung, sementara most of us datang dari perkotaan di negara masing-masing.

Saya kangen tertawanya.

Saya kangen belajar bahasa sama mereka.

Saya kangen saling memujinya.

Saya kangen kami semua bertemu.

Memang nggak ada yang nggak mungkin kalau kita having reunion. 

Mungkin sama sahabat Thailand saya mungkin gampang lah ya, atau kalau gua naik haji ke Arab bisa ngesot-ngesot ke rumah sahabat saya di Riyadh ;)

Intinya adalah, saya bersyukur bisa menjalin pertemanan internasional, jadi saya nggak perlu lagi deh kuliah Hubungan Internasional buat cari teman-teman internasional, karena teman itu bisa datang dari pengalaman apa saja dan di mana saja, iya kan?

Favorite Teachers

This is Mrs. McGrew. She just retired from teaching in Benton after 27 years teaching Family and Consumer Sciences and she hosted some exchange students especially from Korea and even her children are from Korea. She's really loving, she's my Foods teacher and she's a loving person and she helped me survive my first months in America :')

Mr. Andreson, Government and Global Affairs teacher. He had been teaching in several states and I learn a lot from his great knowledge and friendliness

Mrs. Deerberg, sophomore English, communication and theater arts teacher, she's a great theater and speech director~ She's firm but kind and she directed a lot of musicals and plays already. I learn a lot about acting from her

Mrs. Schmuecker and Mr.. Hayden, my vocal music teachers. I love them, they've been teaching me the whole year and made me more confident on being a musical person

Mr. Patterson, a.k.a Patty a.k.a Patty Wack my art teacher, he's a fun person with a good ability of communicating with students. I definitely love his class

Mr. Conrad my American History teacher, people says he's grumpy when teaching , he even said that he's sometimes a grumpy old man, but he's a great teacher because everything he taught me still remains in my brain and he is friendly

Mr. Winsor, my World History teacher, another fun and young teacher, he was a college athlete and now one of the football coach, he likes to play history games he made and have a unique start-up questions everyday

Mrs. Richer a.k.a Mas Rica, her famous nick name Mas. Mas is my Spanish teacher and my Seminar teacher too, and she is really open to the students and really fun, that's why students love her and so do I

The point of all of this is:
I love American teacher!

Sincerely,
GladhysWhoNeedsTeachersLikeInAmerica

The Best Last Days of School, Ever :')

The last 4 days of my experience in Benton is still sticking out in my head. I remember, on those last days, the Class of 2012 were already out of the school except me. With all of the proud, I still went on the yellow school bus and attend classes, also an additional class on D block to experience the making of pinata

I some kind of dropping my Global Affairs class for Spanish III (I'm sorry for my Global Affairs teacher, Mr. Anderson but you really know that I am super enthusiastic on your class and I finished my final assignments on Indonesian presentation and Global final test).

Not to forget the breakfast made by my Junior good friends in my Vocal Music class, and y'all now already a seniors and I'm so proud of you. That really made my last week, and you all really precious for my exchange experience

This hospitality, even in the last week of school when I just can socialize with the other underclassmen, make me proud of being a Benton Bobcat, and I will say:
 
 
I am a Benton Bobcat for life

Well, except if I'm accepted in one of American university in the future ;)

Juniors 2013 (now they are Seniors) on my Vocal Music class wrote plans for the special potluck breakfast on my last day in Benton. We're morning classmates for the whole school year

Cole and Kenzie my super-mega-ultra-bestfriends heating some pancakes on the Music office's microwave

Brandon and I was having a good time on Spanish class, with Sexy Fish whoops from our art class in previous quarter

My locker number was 293 and I love my locker. I didn't have locker partner, well, my locker partner 'ran away' though, while everyone shared their lockers with other person in their class

The flower piñata that I made on the Spanish III class with Nicole, Kadee and Miranda. And I looovvvee Spanish class!

My World History class, I'm their classmate for the whole semester and I love this class so much. This is the last class I attend that week

The stack of returned World History book, man, I wish I have just one of them. It's one of the best subject A__A

2011/2012 Returnees Performance @ INAYPSchNh 2012/2013 Farewell Party

A lil bit crazy, but it's really fun being on stage, I'm the one with USA flag as a cloak, dan yang paling.. ya gimana ya.... freak? hahahaha

Enjoy :)

Percakapan #2

Percakapan ini sudah ditranslate dalam Bahasa Indonesia

Percakapan antara gue dengan tantenya Bridget, udah tua gitu sih tantenya, asal Missouri

Setting: Malam tahun baru, barn di rumah Bridget yang disulap menjadi tempat pesta, di sekitar Atkins, Iowa deket Highway 30


Tantenya Bridget : Jadi kamu siswi pertukaran pelajar itu ya?
Gue : Iya tante :)
Tantenya Bridget : Kamu asal negara mana?
Gue : Indonesia tante
Tantenya Bridget : Oh ya... ya... Dimana ya itu betewe?
Gue : (dengan sabarnya dan udah seringnya ditanyain pertanyaan ini) Oh itu, kami negara kepulauan diantara semenanjung Asia dan Australia, di daerah Asia Tenggara pokoknya
Tantenya Bridget : Kamu udah berapa lama di sini?
Gue : Udah 6 bulan kira-kira tante
Tantenya Bridget : Gimana Natal di Indonesia?
Gue : Oh, di Indonesia sebagian besar penganut Muslim jadi scene Natalnya kurang besar gitu, tante, yang Kristen dan Katolik sangat gembira menyambut datangnya natal dan yang kulihat Natal di Indonesia itu seru
Tantenya Bridget : Kamu nggak balik waktu Natal? 
Gue : Ya nggak tante, kan saya setahun ini nggak bisa bolak-balik pulang
Tantenya Bridget : Kamu jadi gak natalan sama keluarga kamu di Indonesia?
Gue : Oh, saya Muslim tante, saya nggak merayakan Natal sama keluarga di negara saya
Tantenya Bridget : Kamu nggak kesepian pas Natal?
Gue : Oh nggak tante, saya ngerayain natal sama keluarga angkat saya di sini, dan saya senang :D
Tantenya Bridget : Terus keluarga kamu nggak sedih nggak Natalan sama kamu, nggak nyariin kamu?
Gue : Tante, keluarga saya nggak ngerayain natal karena kami Muslim
Tantenya Bridget : Kamu nelfon keluarga kamu nggak pas Natal?
Gue : (dalam hati: "buset nih tante") Nggak tante, saya telfon keluarga saya udah awal bulan, kemarin
Tantenya Bridget : Jadi kamu bener nggak kesepian nih pas Natal?
Gue : Kesepian sih nggak juga tante, karena keluarga angkat saya cukup membantu, tapi Natal ini merupakan pengalaman baru bagi saya
Tantenya Bridget : Tetep aja, kalo saya sih kesepian kalo jadi kamu nggak Natalan sama keluarga
Gue : (dalam hati) "Tante, terserah tante deh ya!"


(Note: maaf, post ini tidak bermaksud SARA, gue Muslim, gue experiencing natal di keluarga angkat gue di Amerika dan enjoying it, tapi masalahnya ini tante ngotot banget ya, jadi.. ya gitu, sekedar berbagi saja)

Percakapan #1

Percakapan di sini sudah ditranslate ke Bahasa Indonesia

Percakapan antara gue dan Abdullah, temen exchange gue dari Arab Saudi yang punya pembantu orang Indonesia

Setting: Mobil local coordinator dalam perjalanan ke restoran di Cedar Rapids, Iowa, musim gugur 2011


Abdullah : Eh gue punya punya pembantu dari Indonesia loh
Gue : Oh ya? Namanya siapa?
Abdullah : Namanya Is
Gue : Is? Asalnya dari Jawa ya?
Abdullah : Gak tau, kayaknya bukan
Gue : Sumatera?
Abdullah : Kayaknya sih... Is ini deket sama gue, doi pembantu yang ngurusin khusus kebutuhan gue
Gue : Wow, oke, nanti kalo ketemu Is bilang dapet salam dari gue ya
Abdullah : Oke, gue sampein ntar, tapi kayaknya dia bakalan pulang deh bentar lagi, gak papa, gue punya pembantu baru sih dari Ghana
Gue : *facepalm*
Abdullah : Betewe, gue tau bahasa Indonesia-nya "one" loh!
Gue : Iya?! Apa coba?
Abdullah : (sambil nunjukkin jari telunjuk) SAMPO
Gue : BUKAN WOY, itu mah "Shampoo"!
Abdullah : Oh, berarti itu... sa... sa.... apa ya?
Gue : SATU
Abdullah : Oh, yes, yes Satu, Satu (logat arab ke-english-an sambil nunjuk-nunjukin angka satu)
Gue : (dalam hati) "Buset ini cowok arab..." (dengan muka yang --> :'))

New York City Days

Jadi saya ini punya cerita besar yang harusnya saya share sebelum pulang, hanya saja, kepulangan membuat saya malas ngapa-ngapain kecuali packing, saying farewell sama sahabat dan keluarga saya di Amerika dan juga reunian lagi sama teman-teman YES Indonesia 2011-2012. Jadi mari, later is better than never kalo kata Lana Del Rey.

Jadi sebenernya tujuan utama saya adalah menghadiri pernikahan tante saya yang ngerawat saya dari kecil di Indonesia, saya panggil dia, Anti. Tanggal 27 Mei sampai 14 Juni, saya menghabiskan waktu saya di Harissburg, Pennsylvania (tempat tante saya tinggal) yang jug amerupakan ibukota dari negara bagian Pennsylvania.

Setelah itu, saya menghabiskan 3 hari 2 malam di New York City~ Di NYC, saya ditemani Tante Wahyu dan Kak Dinda, mereka kerabat keluarga, lalu juga ditemani teman Indonesian-American saya, Dara, teman lama dari SMP yang selama ini cuma keep contact dari email dan social network dia sekarang kuliah di Stony Brook University majoring in Medical, sama Syira, anak Jakarta cuma dia pindah baru setahun ke Harrisburg buat SMAnya berhubung dia technically a U.S Citizen.

Lalu berwisata bersama Anti ke Philadelphia di hari terakhir sebelum kepulangan saya kembali ke Iowa.

Berikut 'galeri foto' New York City-nya, saya persembahkan~~

Keluar dari Subway, norak

Broadway, my dream

Sama Mas Johnny :')

Bawa aku Mbak Poppins~

U-S-A RED WHITE AND BLUE!

Times Square siang hari

:') *speechless*

Will I featured in the poster? Future speaks

The Apple 'sanctuary' and Rockefeller Center, cool sunglasses huh?

PLEASE BRING ME BACK TO STRANDS BOOKSTORE!! GIMME SOME MONEY TO BUY THIS!

Brooklyn Bridge yeah

This beautiful view from Brooklyn Bridge

Good Indonesian friends, Dara (left) and Syira (right). They accompany me along the weeks in Pennsylvania and New York. World Trade Center in the background

Broadway at night

Finally I found where that Broadway musical plays, and I really want to watch it: "Once". I got the Playbill though :')

Another Broadway place: Evita. Ricky Martin play as Peron and the music is by Andrew Lloyd Weber :'D

Rela hujan-hujanan sama Syira dan Dara demi foto di Times Square malam hari~

I got to the Statue of Liberty

Indonesian KL-YES 2011-2012: Cultural Evening @ Washington D.C

Cultural Evening di Re-Entry Orientation KL-YES 2011-2012, Hyatt Capitol, June 28th 2012.

saya bagian nyanyi di choir dan sesekali kelihatan, saya cewek berbaju hijau di baris kedua, yang kalo nyanyi mumble-ing terus

Kita waktu itu tampil pertama, kita yang palin nggak seragam dari negara lain karena pake baju daerah masing-masing, tapi justru itu yang bikin kita kelihatan diverse dan paling berwarna-warni dan paling ramai dari negara lain, also, kita satu-satunya rombongan negara yang nggak pake softcopy lagu atau rekaman yang requiring komputer. Kita hanya bermodal tarian, suara paduan suara kita dan satu gitar, satu biola dan drum kardus, sungguh sangat merasa keren

Enjoy video kita ya, kawan semua :D

Cerita 20 Mei part 2: That Last Meeting

ki-ka (sitting): Zeina (Lebanon), Leyla (Azerbaijan), Ilaria (Italy), Halima (Tanzania),
 Maty (Senegal), Alex/Dear (Thailand), Nerea and Gema (Spain)
ki-ka (kneeling): Gunay (Azerbaijan), Usman (Pakistan), Akram (Yemen),
 Abdullah (Saudi Arabia), Yuliya (Ukraine), Me, Ama (Ghana)
 last man standing: Adham (Egypt)

Selepas graduation, gue pulang supaya host mom dan host dad bisa ganti mobil, mom akan pergi kerja karena memang setiap weekend dia kerja sebagai nurse, kemudian gue bersama host dad dan host sister gue akhirnya pergi ke rumah local coordinator gue, Jeff Schmatt. Gue yang termasuk pertama dateng, tapi host dad sama host sister gue pergi ke graduation party-nya salah satu saudara mereka, terusnya, gue ditinggal aja buat having social time dan sebagainya.

Di sana, gue minta semua temen gue untuk nulis sepatah-duapatah kalimat di diary gue, sebagai tulisan terakhir gitu, kan bakal gak tau kapan kita bakal ketemu lagi, dan hari itu adalah bener-bener terakhir kita bakal ketemu di sini, dan juga 16 students itu datang semua which is a very rare yet important occasion. Host family sebenernya harus datang juga sih karena bakal disampaikan pesan-pesan tentang end of the year dan departure, tapi keluarga gue gak bisa datang soalnya yaitu tadi, sibuk semua, jadi gue satu-satunya anak yang gak ada host family-nya. Tapi gak papa, asik aja.

Udah senang-senang, makan, bakar ayam dan bakar steak, main ninja-ninja-an, gagal main truth or dare segala macam, bikin video pesan-kesan untuk students tahun depan, jam 6 sore akhirnya kita masuk ke hal yang utama, yaitu rapatnya, the ultimate meeting of the meeting, karena ini bakal jadi yang terakhir. Kita pada setengah jam pertama, kita curhat-curhat aja soal concerns kita setelah balik ke home country, buat gue adalah, gue takut orang-orang pikir gue sok tau dan sombong setelah gue balik, tapi kata koordinator gue, "Cerita ke teman-teman dan keluarga itu harus pilih-pilih katanya biar gak terlihat sombong, juga jangan cerita seneng-senengnya di Amerika aja, tapi cerita soal sisi-sisi nggak enak menurut kamu," which... a useful tip

Terus Jeff bikinin kita sesi untuk ngobrol heart to heart soal kepulangan dan post-exchange year communication selama 15 menit, gue liat beberapa temen-temen gue ada yang nangis, gue... nangis dalam hati karena host family gue kok keliatannya sibuk sendiri di graduation party saudaranya. Gue lihat Usman gak ngobrol juga, karena host mom-nya kelihatannya yg lebih sedih soal Usman bakal pulang dan gak rela juga, dan gue jadinya ngobrol ama dia karena dia gak tau gimana dia gak tau cara ngobrol. Beberapa menit kemudian, host dad gue dateng, host sis gue ketiduran di mobil, gue kira mereka bakal ikut rapat ini, tapi mereka malah nyuruh gue pulang sama mereka, kata dad, dia harus ngerjain paperwork kerjaannya dan dia nggak mau tidur terlalu malem. Gue kecewa sih, Jeff juga ikut kecewa, tapi yaudah sih harus gue harus mengerti juga. Akhirnya gue pulang, dapet beberapa souvenirs (termasuk American flag inceran gue) dan gue nangis pas peluk satu-satu, yaiyalah, ampun itu hari terakhir pertemuan, gue deket sama semuanya udah ngerasa senasib terus, tapi gue yang harus pergi duluan :'(

My message for PAX Students Cedar Rapids Area 2011-2012:
Friends, you are one of the awesome-est friends I ever got, you all are really brave to face the new world alone with new family and learn more about life and learn about ourselves even deeper. I will say, good luck for your future endeavor, we will see each other on Facebook, Twitter or other internet sites thingy, y'know, we have to be thankful that the world is much smaller with those things. We won't know when we will meet again, or when we will visit the your countries, but we have to be sure that we won't forget to keep in touch and we will have or yet create better future not just for ourselves but for people around us too. Thank you for being a part of my life, thank you for letting me be in the part of your life and I love you guys, although we don't spent much time together but it's a super pleasure too know you all, thank you and good luck, keep open minded for life :D
Love, Gladhys

Pre-Departure Gloominess

 NOTE: this writing actually had been done on October 17th 2011, it's my autobiography essay in my Senior English class, and I just found out that it will be great to share it with people, enjoy :)


Last night, I watched the news. They said, there was a burned man again in the afternoon, at the top of the commuter train. It’s not far from where I live. This morning, even when the sun hasn’t show its light, I see hundreds of men standing and sitting in the top of that economy class commuter train, as if there were no burned man from that spot yesterday. That train then departed from the station, where I am standing now. I still watch that view, ironically. It’s 5:25 AM in Depok Station. I’m with my white and grey national high school uniform, still waiting for my train, it’s in better class, and not where we can stand on the top of it, and this is how I start my day everyday.


I love the commuter train. It’s fast and comfort, but you can’t get convenience in the economy class, you will feel like a canned sardine. I’m talking about my favorite class, the AC Class, yup, Air Conditioner. You will feel like you are in Japan because Japanese train labels, warning and even award still stick on the train interior. Whether stand, sit or sit on the floor near an unopened train door, it will make you comfortable, as long as the train is not fully loaded.

I’m in Duren Kalibata Station, South Jakarta, nine stations from mine. I get off from the train and find the green Kopaja bus number 57. It’ll bring me to a small road of my school. I just walk through that road, if I’m lucky, I won’t find road-killed frogs or rats. It should be more than one road-kill happen there.

I’m now at school, nearly 6:10 AM. School still quiet, just a few students and teachers already there, I see the caretaker still sweeping our basketball and volleyball field. Today’s first block is Economy, which is sucks. I’m starting to not really care about that, because I will be in America soon enough. I sit in the third line, second row, waiting for my tablemate to come. I see my friend playing with her Blackberry in front of the class, while charging it. I look on my iPhone, she’s on the Twitter timeline, she might be playing that social network now. I open my bag, I take off my exchange student pre-departure paperwork. I’m so excited. I have to continue my third copy of this. I’m really excited. “What’s that for?” ask my friend-that-still-plays-on-her-Blackberry. “Umm… student exchange,” I replied.

It’s already May. Everyone in school questioning me, when will I depart? Had I been to America yet? Are you kidding me you’re going to America? How much I pay? Friends start to ask about gifts from America, even I still don’t know where I’ll be hosted, and that’s exhausting. In the other side, I’m so excited to leave this kind of hell place. Where I study 17 subjects in a week… err, no… because I’m now an eleven-grader in social studies major, I just study 14 subjects in a week, where the teachers are really conservative and looks a like a bad lion because they think they always right. They think that they are the kings and queens.

I never feel I’m at school since then. I’m kind of a strange teenager in my school, when they are thinking for national exam ahead, I think about my jobs and student exchange opportunity. I had enough on Jakarta. The Big Durian. Full of motor vehicle, pollutions, mean people, crowdedness, people that love bule culture than their own culture. I really need a new world, a world where no one thinks that I’m a strange person, a world where I can get peacefulness and not many people around.

However, behind all that, I knew I would miss some of Jakarta’s sides, because it gives me deep memory, of my friends and families, my life.

I know I will miss my commuter train, and how mess is the station or the train.

I know I will miss my beach, in my favorite island in the north of Jakarta, who knows I’ll be placed in Midwest and will never meet beach in the whole year.

I know I will miss Universitas Indonesia. My dream university, that lies not far from my house in Depok. Where I can hang out with my friend in that college, planning new social projects and get some big portion of Chicken Noodle plus drink for only $1.00 total.

I know I will leave my jobs, I will take a break from my cheerful-but-hectic activities. I have to be ready to leave them all. Although I know, my jobs will still hire me after I got back.

Three months left. I will use my three months left to prepare my mental.

Next week, I will have the visa interview in U.S Embassy of Jakarta. I’m super excited but I’m really nervous too. I can’t wait to tell my friends from another city about Jakarta and how beautiful it is… umm… and also how painful it is too.

Three months left.

I have to do what I never do, I have to try to think what I never think and do something memorable for my family and friends, here.

It’s 3:30 pm. I’m on my favorite AC Class train, meet Varinta, my best friend from different high school, who takes the train from Tebet station, second station after Duren Kalibata. She usually go with Raken, her friend from school that lives in the same city as we are, but I don’t see him anymore since last week, “Where is Raken?” I asked my best friend, she replied me, somewhat looks sad “You know, he’s now moved to West Jakarta, he’s not in Depok anymore,” I’m shocked. He never told us about that, I never heard that news from Varinta too. “He told me at school this afternoon,” she continued. “Oh, we will never had fun again in this railway coach, I’m really sorry about that,” I replied.

“I will really have a multiple loss,” she said.

“Why?”

“After Raken moves to West Jakarta, my boyfriend will go to college, and you... you will go to America. Remains me here. I will really miss you. You are really great. You can get that scholarship and You’re the farthest one who will leave me,” she then laughs with me, but I see the sadness in her eyes.

What Varinta said to me, makes me think. Maybe, I’m not that strange like people think. I’m sure that, I’m precious for my friends and family. I’m an extraordinary person for what I am, no matter what people say.

I promise myself, I will be the new person after I get back.

I arrived at my home. Never this early, 4:50 pm. My mother is here and I tell her about my day and next week’s visa interview. She starts to remind me about my luggage preparation. I won’t do that this soon, because I know I will miss my mother so much, I don’t want to leave her.

It’s 10:00 pm. I just wrap my paperwork up in my study room. My father calls me, “You haven’t sleep yet?” and I said, “I will, I just finish,” When I get off, I see my mother already in the deep sleep, I go to my room, I see my little sister’s already sleep.

I have to prepare for tomorrow. I will wake at 4:30 am. Just as usual.

But the one that not usual is, I know I’m getting ready to face the new world and ready to became a new person.

Cerita 20 Mei part 1: Graduation

Tanggal 20 Mei, which is hari Kebangkitan Nasional Indonesia adalah sebuah hari besar buat gue, kenapa? karena ada dua 'hal terakhir' yang gue kerjakan hari itu, satu Graduation, dua my last exchange student meeting, jadi yang satu hari terakhir resmi sebagai anak kelas 12 Amerika, yang kedua hari terakhir ketemu sahabat-sahabat baru dari seluruh dunia. Sungguh, Minggu 20 Mei 2012 merupakan hari paling bittersweet sejauh ini, nggak menyenangkan tapi nggak bikin sedih juga, di tengah-tengah gitu. Tapi gue gak berhak untuk galau karena apa, karena ini adalah bagian dari proses hidup gue. Ada pertemuan pasti ada perpisahan dong :')

Graduation 

Benton Community High School Class of 2012

Pagi-pagi gue facing myself on the mirror, gue bilang hari ini gue graduation untuk pertama kalinya dalam hidup gue, dan gue baru sadar kalo gue akan mengalami graduation seenggaknya 3 kali seumur hidup gue. Gue mandi terus makan sarapan terus dress up, terus pake toga biru dan topi wisuda. Terusnya foto-foto deh sama keluarga angkat gue di taman rumah. Om-nya Sarah dateng dan ngasih kita kartu plus hadiah gitu, lumayan men gue dapet Target Gift Card $30, Alhamdulillah, and I LOVE TARGET! terus, host family dan gue heading ke sekolah lah, buat Commencement alias upacara wisuda yang bakal digelar di gym sekolah. Sebelumnya, gue dan Sarah foto-foto dulu lah di monumen nama sekolah. Ini hasilnya.



me and the school name

Setelah itu, Sarah dan gue harus nunggu gitu sejam lebih buat upacaranya, sambil nunggu, semua anak-anak kelas 12 nyari temen dan foto-foto, gue juga ikutan dong foto-foto~ tapi most of the photos are in my mom's camera and she will post in on Facebook. Jadi gue gak dapet banyak foto deh. Banyak banget foto barengnya ampe gak bisa daftar siapa-aja yang udah foto sama gue...

Pas udah jam setengah dua, semua senior mulai settle down dan duduk di auditorium buat nunggu baris dan acara di mulai. Jam dua kurang, kita mulai baris sesuai yang kita latihan hari Jumat sebelum Graduation. Habis baris, kita nanti jalan ke tempat duduk masing-masing, ritual-ish gitu jalannya, harus pelan tapi pasti. Terus harus berdiri dulu sebelum diinstruksikan duduk sama Class Speaker.
Karena gue anak choir, jadi gue harus ikut nyanyi, eh pas gue jalan ke choir gue jatuh... sedih banget kan, jatoh pas wisuda, gak papa sih gue pura-pura aja gak kejadian, selow aja, orang-orang juga pada lupa ;p

Kita punya 2 class speakers, Kierstin, yang bareng ke prom sama gue di satu grup dan Kendra, temen gue, sering ngobrol especially pas 3 bulan pertama sekolah gue, dia pinter dan aktif gitu. Di antara dua speakers tersebut, kita nerima diploma gitu, tapi gue gak dapet diploma, gue dapet exchange studnet certificate yang fancy gitu dari sekolah~ pas gue naik panggung dan nerima certificate, anjir, banyak banget yang tepuk tangan dan bersorak gembira di gym, termasuk temen-temen senior gue, dan gue ngerasa itu yang paling rame (dibanding sama sorakan/tepukan individual keluarga anak kelas 12 lain) ini tuh kayak hampir semua, dan gue merasa spesial :')
Apalagi pas Kendra naik panggung dan ngasih pidato, ada quote begini:

"Congratulations for all of you Class of 2012, for you that I know since five years old or for just a year through a foreign exchange program from Indonesia...."

terus temen-temen yang duduknya deket gue tuh pada ngeliatin gue senyum-senyum, yah gue ikut senyum-senyum aja, habis ini mengharukan sekali pidatonya.

Our class gift is a scholarship program untuk diberikan kepada Benton Scholarship Foundation, it's a simple gift tapi sangat berarti dan membantu buat future students.

Setelah kita semua keluar dari gym, kita masih foto-foto gitu, terus Jackie, adiknya host dad ternyata dateng juga buat graduation. Terus tetep foto-foto lagi deh. Tiba-tiba, Ashley, teman junior gue datang, disertai Cole dan Kenzie, eh terus Kenzie nangis.. berikut percakapan gue:

Gue: Kenzie don't cry, I will be back to school until next week, remember?
Kenzie: Yes, but after that you will go back to Indonesia, don't go back to Indonesia...

terus dia nangis, terus gue gak tega, terus gue, Kenzie, Cole dan Ashley group hug :')\
selesai semua itu, kami sekeluarga heading back ke rumah, karena gue harus jalan ke Mt. Vernon buat last PAX meeting....

TO BE CONTINUED.


(Yah, dan sekarang, gue nekat untuk kembali lagi ke sekolah, karena gue belom siap meninggalkan sekolah ini dan gue masih perlu foto-foto kece sama people dan things. dan Cerita 20 Mei lanjutan akan datang setelah post ini :'))

Prom Night Magical

Mungkin cerita ini sudah kadaluarsa, tapi gue rasa gue harus menceritakan ini, karena semua orang penasaran tentang bagaimanakah prom night yang legendaris dan hampir di setiap film SMA Amerika pasti ada scene promnya gitu.


Katie and I at Ruby Tuesday, dining



Sebenernya Prom gue udah terjadi tanggal 14 April kemaren (bener kan kadaluarsa) tapi detil-detil ceritanya tuh gue udah tulis di diary Amerika gue, foto-fotonya dan segala macem. Tapi masalahnya, foto-foto dari kamera gue tuh lame semua jadi agak mengurungkan niat gue untuk cerita tentang Prom di blog.

Cerita kegegeran Prom di sekolah gue berawal dari awal tahun, yah sekitar Januari-Februari gitu, cewek-cewek single udah mulai ribet nyari date buat prom, terus nyari dress segala macem, juga dari jaman November-Desember mereka mulai ngomongin tentang bagaimana bakal ngegegerin soal prom, gak bohong deh gue.

Setelah dapet dress dari Dillards dan jebe-jebe groupnya Katie dan selain sama Katie, gue satu grup juga sama Adrienne-Kevin, Justin-Heidi, Talon, Gabby dan Kierstin. Sebelum prom, gue dan Katie ikutan Grand March, itu ajang pamer dress dan pamer pacar/date gitu di catwalk di sekolah, nah gue jalan di Grand March sama Katie karena kita sama-sama gak punya date dan kita adalah bestfriends, jadi jalan aja sebagai bestfriends, bodo amat cewek sama cewek juga hahaha. *panjang ceritanya mengapa saya gak punya date, dan seriously, gue hampir punya date sampe akhirnya cowok itu ditanyain sama cewek lain duluan dan saya memutuskan untuk gak 'move on' (serasa ditolak sama cowok gitu padahal nggak)*. Habis Grand March, Katie and I heading to Cedar Rapids buat ketemu grup kita, terus ikutan prom photo session gitu, habis photo session, kita makan di Ruby Tuesday (by the time I write this post, all Ruby Tuesday in Cedar Rapids are now closing). Sampe jam 8-an gitu, di luar ternyata hujan men. IT'S RAINING ON PROM NIGHT. 



Cole and I before Grand March



Prom night diadakan di Atkins Elementary (karena High School dipake buat Grand March dan Post Prom) dari jam 8 sampe jam 11 malem. 3 jam cukup lah buat ngedance dan gegilaan sampe hampir semaput, gak bohong deh gue, tiap berapa menit sekali gue keluar gym terus ngadem di pintu uar karena kan hujan di luar, jadi lumayan bisa ngadem. Baru sejam ngedance, peluh membasah, gak cuma di tubuh gue tapi tubuh semua orang di ruangan. Hampir all prom night gue ngedance sama Cole dan a lot of juniors, terus kadang ngejebe sama grupnya Sarah-Colton, AnnaClaire-Jonathan dan Megan-Ryan, asik-asikan aja ngedance malem itu, tapi parah, DJnya sucks abis, gak bisa diajak kompromi, gak bisa request lagu dan rese deh pokoknya, sok asik gitu, tapi bodo amat lah, asik-asik aja ngedance, kadang gue gak peduli hahaha. Yang paling nyebelin adalah, gaka ada slow dance! ada sih paling cuma 2 lagu, satu lagu cinta, satu lagu country, tapi lagu cintanya michael buble, which is not slow, dan pissing me off huaaa. Insiden curi date orang terjadi juga malam itu, dan gue duduk aja ngeliat semua orang nge slow dance, and reviewing my lovelife, and that's sucks. I always hate slow dance because of it.


Sarah (my host sister) and I in the middle of Prom Dance

Selesai prom, Katie dan gue heading ke High School buat ikutan Post Prom, itu after party gitu, ada game, ada makanan gratis, ada minuman gratis, ada money machine (lumayan gue dapet duit gratis 2 dolar) terus ada hipnotis~ iya hipnotis macam Romy Rafael gitu, temen-temen gue yang kena hipnotis kocak semua, terutama Kenzie, itu gila banget deh, kalo gue inget0inget aja masih pengen ketawa. Hipnotis show mulai jam 1 selesai jam 3 pagi, terus habis bagi-bagi door prize, kita semua yang anak Benton yang ikut post prom dapet bag yang isinya souvenir-souvenir, snack sama dua gift cards! GIFT CARDS! gue dapet $5 Orange Leaf sama $20 Applebees, lumayan (ampe tulisan ini dibuat gue belom pake tuh Applebees), dan lalu gue ikutan sama Sarah nginep di rumahnya AnnaClaire (gue tidur nearly jam setengah 6 pagi dan belom sunrise) dan pulang ke rumah besok siangnya. Aduh weekend itu gila banget deh. Pertanyaan? silahkan saja comment.




Should post again, before time expires

I definitely should post something again about my experience, my Prom, my soccer 'sufferings', my Graduation, which is this Sunday, my final PAX meeting and my east coast experience with my aunt, gosh, I'm so lame, but I'll catch it soon, although I put all my stories and photos, completely in my beloved blue journal. I also already start to pack my suitcases, and it's beyond expectations. I got my comfort zone already here, so I better get ready to get out of my comfort zone again. I miss my old life in Jakarta, but I love Benton, but I miss my home and my family and my friends, but I got new family and friends here, ah, so confusing, at least I got two life to 'attend' in two countries now, and I deel like home in two countries, and I love it.

Tonight I gotta sing in talent show, in jazz band, again I accomplish my 'obsession' to sing jazz with a jazz band, although just in school.

But like I told you, I'll catch all of the ol' posts later. I don't mean to be busy-assy, but I really am. so then, see ya in other real posts!

Countries I want to visit

So I have a big list, what countries that I want to visit in my life, I want to visit before I die. It's important for me because I found myself as an explorer and living in another country for almost a year, alone (yeah not really alone though but sort of alone) as an exchange student, it opened up my eyes to make my world wider to explore. Other than United States.

1. Thailand

Why: because I want to study their language, because it's close to my home. I just found them interesting and I feel like my culture and them are pretty related

2. New Zealand

Why: because for me it's a unique country, where early settlers and English descendant live together in islands of South Pacific, and also their landscape are beautiful.

3. United Kingdom

Why: who doesn't want to go to UK?! especially after the Harry Potter phenomenon and stuff, but for me I want to know how the original land of English looks like

4. France
Why: who doesn't want to go this 'romantic place' thingy?! but for me I want to learn their language further more, like activate it, for real, parceque j'aime francaise~ also also, I love French movie and I heard that France is a good place to start career for cinematography

5. Saudi Arabia
Why: I need to go to pilgrimage and knowing more about my religion as part of me *angel mode: on*

6. Nederlands

Why: after reading an Indonesian novel titled Negeri Van Oranje, it just inspired me to get there. Leiden especially, they had my country's history, and I really curious for being there.

7. Norway

Why: yes, it's a beautiful northern country. not to mention Kings of Convenience, but there's a magnet that pulls me that I want to go there someday in my life.

8. Australia

Why: it's my neighbour country, it's close to Java, and my cousin was there for her study, and I want to go to the Opera House.

9. South Africa

Why: same like Norway, there is a magnet that pulls me and make me want to go there. maybe because its culture and diversity and, I want to experience the longest flying fox in the world there :D

10. Japan

Why: Japaneese influence had been entering me since I was little. I watch a lot of cartoons, series and stuff. I want to learn their language further more too, and I want to experience those things I watch in TV

other countries worth to go for me too: Turkey, Greece, South Korea, Egypt, Brazil, Italy, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Panama.

El Spring Play: The Hound of Baskerville

 Berminggu-minggu lalu, ya sekitar tanggal 29-30 Maret kemaren, gue involved di drama musim semi, yes semacam yang gue lakukan November lalu, tapi bedanya ini tanpa musik dan lagu-lagu, tapi ada sound efek lah jelas. Gue nekat audisi berbulan lalu (yah sekitar Januari gitu), optimis dan pede banget, tapi akhirnya.... GUE DAPET PERAN~ dan masuk ke main cast list, walau cuma appear, originally di 2 scene gitchu hehehe.
Cerita drama ini adalah ceritanya Sherlock Holmes dan John Watson di The Hound of Baskerville. Tapi ini parodinya. So, gak ada Sherlock sama John, adanya Shirley sama Jennie, soalnya paman-pamannya lagi berada di Eropa buat syuting film sama mecahin kasus lain (oke yang syuting film itu hanya karangan saya). Ceritanya, ada satu keluarga kaya yang punya mansion, keluarga Baskerville namanya. Pada suatu hari Sir Charles Baskerville mati, katanya sih dimakan hound atawa semacam serigala di deket mansion mereka, yang notabene deket sama moor (empang rawa-rawa berkabut di Inggris gitu) Nah suspectnya itu ada butlers di mansionnya, mantan pacar Sir Charles sama Stapleton's siblings.
Peran gue adalah Maid. Ya, pembantu. Tapi bukan sembarang pembantu ya enak aja, emang ogut cewek apaan. gue ini pembantunya si mantan pacarnya si Sir Charles namanya Laura Lyons. Nah gue cuma appear 4 lines di scene tersebut.
Sukses kita semua sukses.
Hari pertama cast party di rumah Kevin kita nonton film Bridesmaid dan ketawa-ketiwi sampe tengah malem. Hari kedua cast party di rumah Karly, tapi gue gak ikutan :')

Intinya: SUKSES :D

    ini gue minta lines, di scene 3 act 2

thank God, temen-temen exchange gue dateng loh buat ngedukung gue koordinator gue juga dateng. (ki-ka) Gunay (Azerbaijan), Yuliya (Ukraine), Halima (Tanzania)

Spring has come so...

1. I join Girls Soccer, although the practice still 'killing' me, I enjoy it. I'm gonna be a goalkeeper and/or defender~

2. I'm in the Spring Play, the Hound of the Baskervilles, not legit Sherlock Holmes but the parody, where the main character not boys but girls and all change the name to Shirley Holmes and Jennie Watson. Pretty ace. I'm the maid and I got lines (there will be post of it)

3. It's warmer, awesome, and all flower are blossoming and grass growing :')

4. Prom is coming for 2 WEEKS, it's in April 14th and I will be so crazy like animal because I'm a totally different and became a super crazy person if I'm in a dance (example: Homecoming and Cast Party)

5. I'm pretty sure, I will love Spring, for heavens sake, it will be as fun as Fall. Springa nd Fall are officially my favorite season :D

It's....

SPRING ALREADY
I LOVE IT!!

IF THERE IS A WAY, I WILL CATCH UP FOR YOU.. VISIT THE SPRING...
WHERE THE ICE ARE MELTING, NEW PLANTS ARE GROWING, FLOWER IS BLOOMING AND LOVERS ARE KISSING...
-Today is No Sunday by White Shoes and The Couples Company

Get Some Lose Some: Countryside

Di post ini, gue bakal membahas bagaimana enak dan gak enaknya tinggal di countryside selama gue di Amerika. Foto di atas diambil waktu Summer (dan waktu rambut gue masih panjang), waktu gue kurang lebih baru sebulan di sini, dan di belakang adalah frontyard host house gue, batasnya cuma sampe 5 pohon cemara itu, sisanya peternakan tetangga hehehe.

Get Some:

1. Pemandangan asri setiap hari

Nih gue kan asalnya dari Jakarta nih, yang namanya pemandangan kayak gini kan jaraaaaaaaang banget gue dapetin setiap hari, eventhough gue tinggalnya di Depok dan kanan-kiri rumah gue, tapi scenenya beda banget, kerasa banget desanya karena ada peternakan dan lahan terbuka yang kalo di Indonesia cuma bisa ditemukan di Papua *ngaco* Setiap malam juga gak ada kata nggak bisa liat bintang kayak di Jakarta, di sini tiap malam bintang bertabur bagaikan ketombe di kaus hitam*euw* Lalu di sore hari bisa jalan-jalan sama anjing deh~

2. Tenang...

It is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo relaxing! First impression gue di sini adalah, mungkin tempat ini adalah tempat paling pas di dunia untuk orang-orang retire dan hidup tua bersama keluarga :3 juga, temukan burung-burung legendaris yang anda hanya bisa temukan di Amerika Utara, seperti Cardinal, Blue Jays even Pheasant! Jangan ditembak, tapi difoto saja, itu akan sangat membantu siklus kehidupan, oh iya kalo lihat kalkun mungkin halal untuk di tembak dan di goreng.

4. Ini lahan gue!

Most of countryside people seenggaknya punya 1 hektar lahan (3 acres), buat rumah dan sisanya terserah, biasanya sih buat ladang atau gardening, enaknya tuh karena ada lahan terbuka kalo summer, bisa guling-guling di padang rumput, bisa camping di rumah sendiri, kalo winter bisa tidur-tidur-tiduran di salju, dan juga gak dempet-dempetan tanah sama tetangga sebelah~

Lose Some:

1. Aksesnya.... aduh...

Bukan, bukan masalah graval road atau bagaimana, tapi kalo tinggal di countryside, nggak bakal ada warung deket rumah ataupun pusat entertainment lainnya kayak di town, nih kayak di kota sekolah gue, Van Horne, atau kota domisili gue, Norway, di pusat kotanya tuh pasti ada mini market, perpustakaan, restoran dan lain-lain, nah yang begini susah di cari di countryside apalagi kalo lo gak bisa nyetir.

2. Bosan

Kalo udah melakukan hal-hal diatas di poin 4, terus karena gak ada akses ke kota tanpa jalan kaki, lo bakal meras bosan, lalu jadi couch potato nonton TV dari jam 7 pagi sampe 9 malem

3. Money matter?
Yes, mungkin, menurut hipotesa saya sendiri, tinggal di country lebih mahal daripada di kota, kenapa? karena kalo tinggal di kota kecil macam di Benton county, kita bisa aja ke mini mart atau ke grocery terdekat dengan jalan, atau ke post office pake jalan, nah kalo nyetir kan sama aja harus beli bensin, segala apa buat mobil, kalo aksesnya gampang, pengeluaran juga gede, ini menurut perkiraan saa ya