Happy Exam

To the two weeks onward, the silence does exist in the uni. Of course, the silence does not appear as a consequence of having no academic societies or events in the campus, but rather as the exam period comes. In this context, the term "silence" does not substantially mean as similar as quiet or producing no sounds, but it denotes the "less heterogeneous" events which is held in the campus.  Due this "homogenous happenings", then it is referred as the silence.

Generally speaking, campus is believed as an institution in which both of academic learning and social-ethical-emotional skills should be thought. The academic side contributes in building one's logical sense and academic integrity while the latter play significant roles in shaping communication, teamwork and networking competency.  For this reason, now there is no need to question why collections of social interaction in various form apart from academic matters take place surrounding the uni. At least, that is what I see in my point of view towards the "vibrant life" in my uni, University of South Australia.

However, this vibrant seems turning into its nadir point since the last two or three weeks to the two following weeks. Indeed, the due date that should be met is one of the reason behind, though the preparation for the exam is claimed as the main cause of this turning point. Some of the students view the exam period as the "holocaust" which cramps them with many academically things to do particularly in memorising and understanding the concept. This view truly does not resolve the issue, it works the other way around instead. It is true that exam period is tough to deal with, indeed it is getting worse once viewing the exam as "horrifying image".  

Action management which means a methodology of improving and managing operational actions to drive better performance in achieving excellency is obviously needed to address the issue above. This action may range from simple things such as doing the task little by little, having activity lists to forming group discussions. In addition, having exam tips from an expert such as learning and teaching unit is quite useful to solve the problem. Moreover, self contemplating and spiritual doings are always essential in order to overcome the exam period gently and calmly.

Leaving aside the debate between advantages and limitations of having exam, perhaps the most beautiful things after the exam is the semester break itself. As one said that there is always rainbow after the rain, there is always joyful semester break after the exam moment!

Keep calm and enjoy your exam and most essentially happy holiday all!

SIKAP ANTI MAISTREAM

Hasil penelitian yang dilakukan oleh National Research University Higher School of Economic (NRU HSE) menyebutkan bahwa para orang tua di Rusia menginginkan anak-anaknya kelak bekerja sebagai pengacara (24%), dokter (21%), ahli ekonomi dan akuntan (19%), pengusaha, polisi/tentara dan programmer (14%), enginer (13%) dan yang lainnya. Hanya 3% responden yang ingin melihat anak-anaknya bekerja di bidang kreatif seperti pelukis, penulis, jurnalis, fotografer, dan lainnya. Lebih lanjut, salah seorang peneliti dari lembaga tersebut menyatakan bahwa pendapatan yang stabil dan jenjang karir yang lebih cerah merupakan alasan utama mengapa orangtua memimpikan anak-anaknya menjadi seorang pengacara, dokter maupun ahli ekonomi/akuntan.

Semua sepakat bahwa seorang pengacara lekat dengan kehidupan yang glamour dan penuh kemewahan, memiliki mobil trendy dan sporty, rumah dan perhiasaan yang elegan, serta berada dalam lingkaran kaum elit. Kita juga tahu bahwa profesi dokter memiliki kedudukan yang tinggi di masyarakat baik dalam perspektif materi maupun non-materi. Demikian juga dengan pakar ekonomi, seorang ahli ekonomi diyakini memiliki prospek hidup yang lebih cerah seiring para pemilik perusahaan bonafid dan kelas dunia berlomba-lomba merekrut orang-orang dengan kualifikasi ini sebagai chief excutive officer (CEO) di unit usaha mereka.

What about our beloved country, Indonesia? Well, keadaannya lebih kurang tidak jauh berbeda dengan cerita di atas. Coba lihat saja, hasil survey terhadap kampus yang paling diminati oleh pelajar di Indonesia. Sebagai contoh, survey yang dilakukan oleh Litbang Kompas terhadap 680 siswa SMK/SMA pada 15 sekolah di lima wilayah Jakarta menyebutkan bahwa jurusan yang paling diminati adalah ekonomi (akuntansi, manajemen dan bisnis) di kelompok non-eksakta dan fakultas teknik untuk kategori eksaksta. Tentu saja preferensi ini bukan tanpa sebab, selain seperti penjelasan salah seorang peneliti di atas, ini juga dikarenakan pembentukan pola pikir dan mental yang cenderung mengikuti kebiasaan (mainstream) dan tidak berani mengambil resiko serta lebih memilih berada di zona nyaman (comfort zone).

Well, semua itu memang tentang pilihan. Setiap orang tentu saja bebas merdeka terhadap pilihan-pilihan di dalam hidupnya. Tentu saja setiap insan yang ada di muka bumi ini menginginkan yang terbaik untuk dirinya dan melalui pilihan-pilihan yang diputuskannya. Siapa yang tidak ingin punya kehidupan yang aman dan nyaman? Siapa yang tidak suka memperoleh penghasilan di atas rata-rata, rumah bagus, mobil mewah, tanah yang luas, kedudukan sosial yang tinggi, dihormati dan terpandang di dalam kehidupan masyarakat? Siapa yang tidak ingin memberikan rasa nyaman dan aman kepada orang-orang yang dicintai dan disayangi, memiliki kebebasan untuk liburan yang menyenangkan bersama keluarga, asuransi kesehatan kelas 1 bagi setiap anggota keluarga, pendidikan anak yang terjamin serta beragam fasilitas lainnya? Rasanya tidak ada manusia yang tidak menginginkan itu, namun sebaliknya mereka siap berjuang dan berkompetisi demi menjadi manusia dengan “kriteria” itu. Berbagai macam cara pun dilakukan, yang salah satunya adalah  dengan  mengimitasi jalan hidup orang-orang yang memiliki “kriteria” tersebut (baca : menjadi lawyer, dokter, dan profesi “generally speaking” kelas atas lainnya).

Bahkan, demi memenangkan “kompetisi” itu, tidak sedikit praktek persaingan tidak sehat berlaku. Apapun rela dilakukan dan dikorbankan demi menggapai puncak kemenangan. Bukanlah hal yang tabu jika kemenangan itu diraih dengan cara-cara yang curang. Sebagai contoh, demi mengamankan satu jatah kursi di kampus tertentu, seorang  tamatan SMA yang sebenarnya memiliki kemampuan di atas rata-rata, namun karena tidak percaya diri akan kemampuannya, rela menyewa seorang joki ujian untuk memuluskan langkahnya kuliah di fakultas yang diimpikannya. Tak ubahnya dengan kisah orang tua yang melalui kekuatan finansial dan status/jabatannya suatu instansi mampu mempengaruhi staf fakultas atau yang lainnya  untuk “mengamankan” satu jatah kursi pendidikan untuk anaknya di kampus yang diinginkannya. Persaingan tidak sehat seperti ini, tidak saja “memaksakan” sesuatu pada tempatnya, tetapi juga menghambat orang lain yang seharusnya “ditempatkan” pada posisi itu. Maka benarlah, apa yang dikatakan oleh Viru Sahastrabudi – tokoh rektor dalam film 3 Idiots bahwa “life begins with a murder” dan “everything is fair in war and love”.

Itulah sedikit gambaran tentang iklim kompetisi pada kelompok mainstream. Jika sedemikian “ngerinya” praktek  untuk mencapai tujuan di kelompok mainstream, mengapa tidak memutuskan untuk menjadi kelompok anti mainstream? Sebagai contoh, ketika orang-orang mainstream berlomba-lomba untuk menjadi manajer dan CEO perusahaan kelas dunia, orang-orang anti mainstream akan lebih memilih pekerjaan “kelas dua” seperti pelukis, fotografer alam liar, penulis dan pekerjaan kreatif lainnya. Setidaknya, pada kelompok ini, persaingan lebih objektif dan sehat. Kelompok ini lebih menghargai ketulusan dan apreasiasi bukan sebaliknya mengejar popularitas dan ambisi. 

Well, ini sekali lagi merupakan sebuah pilihan. Antara mengikuti arus kebiasaan atau sebaliknya menjalani hidup dengan cara yang berbeda atau paling tidak dengan cara pandang yang berbeda. Tidak ada yang salah untuk menjadi kelompok mainstream, juga tidak berdosa untuk memutuskan pilihan sebagai pihak anti mainstream. Manusia di radian Mainstream adalah mereka yang menyukai kehidupan yang teratur, terencana dan terprediksi, sementara kelompok anti mainstream malah menyukai kehidupan sebaliknya. Mainstreamers- kalo boleh disebut demikian, lebih memilih untuk berada di zona nyaman, sementara para anti mainstream lebih menyukai tantangan, kehidupan penuh resiko.

Menjadi anti mainstream memang mengandung resiko, karena menjatuhkan diri pada pilihan hidup yang tak populis yang acap kali bertentangan dengan kebiasaan. Orang yang anti mainstream akan melihat sesuatu dari cara pandang yang lain. Keliatan aneh memang, dan terkesan “nyeleneh” kalau tidak ingin disebut gila. Mereka yang pada kelompok ini memiliki pemikiran yang kadang kala 180^o berbeda dengan orang kebanyakan, karenanya tak salah mereka dilabeli dengan sebutan anti mainstream. Mereka mampu menginterpretasi sutau gejala atau fenomena dari cara yang paling mustahil sekalipun. Menganggap kebahagiaan sebagai suatu penderitaan serta meyakini bahwa kekayaan merupakan pangkal kemiskinan. Mereka itu unik. Keunikan itulah yang menjadikan mereka berbeda.

Menjadi anti mainstream memang tidaklah mudah. Akan banyak halangan dan rintangan yang dihadapi. Merasa terbuang dan dikucilkan dalam pergaulan. Bahkan tidak sedikit mereka ditentang dan di kecam. Bukan hanya itu, bahkan nyawa pun bias menjadi taruhan. Nicolas Copernicus, pencetus teori heliosentris, seorang anti mainstream di zamannya, harus dihukum mati karena mempunyai pandangan yang berbeda dengan pihak gereja. Meski menjadi anti mainstream tidaklah mudah, tapi itu setimpal dengan balasan akan kegigihan dan perjuangannya untuk bertahan pada zona tidak nyamannya. Lihatlah Copernicus, meskipun harus dibayar dengan nyawa, pada akhirnya teori yang dikemukakannya dapat diterima masyarakatan luas dan menjadikan dirinya sebagai salah satu ilmuwan besar dan sebagai tokoh dunia yang selalu dikenang sepanjang masa.

Di negeri ini tidak sedikit orang yang menjatuhkan pilihan sebagai kelompok anti mainstream yang kemudian berhasil mengibarkan “bendera” di langit tertinggi. Tirto Utomo misalnya. Sang pendiri Aqua. Dia merupakan salah satu anak negeri dengan label “antimainstream” paling klasik. Seorang penggebrak yang berani meninggalkan kenyamanannya dan menanggalkan jabatan dari perusahaan pelat merah nomer satu di negeri ini. Alih-alih bertahan dengan kemewahan itu, dia nekad “berjudi” sebagai “penjual air” di negeri yang kaya akan sumber daya air. Lebih gilanya lagi, dia memasarkan “air” tersebut jauh diatas harga bahan bakar minyak yang value­-nya lebih tinggi daripada air. Kenekatan dan kegilaannya memang menjengkelkan dan tak sedikit mengundang cibiran, namun berkat kegigihan dan keunikannya itu, Aqua menjadi merek dagang dengan penjualan nomor satu.

Ternyata, bukan hanya manusia yang bersikap antimainstream. Fauna pun tak ubahnya begitu. Paus dan kelelawar misalnya. Paus merupakan hewan anti mainstream yang berani menentang rantai makanan. Hukum ini menyatakan bahwa makhluk hidup tertentu merupakan sumber makanan bagi makhluk hidup lain yang tingkatan lebih tinggi. Semakin tinggi tingkatannya, semakin besar ukuran tubuhnya, maka semakin besar pula ukuran tubuh mangsaanya. Namun paus si anti mainstream ini tidak bertindak demikian. Meskipun dia merupakan yang terbesar, namun makanannya hanyalah plankton yang tak lain adalah penghuni ekosistem laut terkecil.  Demikian juga halnya dengan kelelawar, yang memilih jalan berbeda dari makhluk hidup lainnya. Jika makhluk hidup lainnya menjadikan malam sebagai waktunya “mati”, sebaliknya kelelawar menjadikan waktu itu saat yang tepat untuk “beraksi”. Dengan keunikan dan perbedaan tersebut, kedua jenis hewan itu diklasifikasikan sebagai hewan ultrasonik, hewan yang anti mainstream,yang memiliki kedudukan yang berbeda dengan yang lainnya.

Singkatnya, jika anda ingin “menang dan dikenang” maka cobalah bersikap anti mainstream!

AKU DAN PARA GEMBALA

Pulang sekolah, aku langsung menuju dapur untuk menyantap makan siang dengan lauk seadanya. Selalu, dudukan setinggi 15 senti sebagai pengganti kursi kuseret ke arah pintu belakang rumah.  Aku makan dengan pintu dapur kubiarkan terbuka, dengan demikian aku bisa merasakan segarnya udara berhembus sambil sesekali memperhatikan orang yang lalu lalang di jalan setapak belakang rumah. Kalau beruntung, aku bisa menyaksikan gerak jatuh bebas buah pala dari pohonnya. Dalam kecepatan normal, buah yang menjadi primadona ekonomi kampung ini akan mendarat di bumi dalam waktu kurang dari 5 detik. 

Aku menjadikan pintu dapur sebagai venue santapan siang bukan tanpa sebab. Selain karena dapur kami tidak memiliki meja makan, alasan lainnya adalah di tempat ini aku bisa makan sambil "berbagi" makanan dengan ayam-ayam piaran. Entah apa sebab, batinku merasa begitu puas kala berbagi dengan mereka. Mungkin itu karena dilakukan dengan ikhlas, tanpa harus ada yang memelas. Ketika sisa-sisa nasi atau tulang kulemparkan, ayam-ayam itu saling berebut dan adu sikut.   Menyaksikan peristiwa ini, tak ada alasan bagiku untuk tidak mensyukuri hidup ini. Dilihat dari segi manapun, kehidupanku jauh lebih baik dari ayam-ayam ini. Meski dengan menu seadanya, menggunakan pinggan plastik yang sisi dalam dan luarnya terkelupas karena dimakan usia, tanpa meja makan, tanpa kursi rotan, nasibku tetaplah jauh lebih beruntung dibandingkan mereka. Hal-hal seperti inilah yang secara alami mengajariku arti bersyukur.

Kata orang, sehabis makan sebaiknya berikan waktu  untuk tubuh sejenak. Biarkan nasi turun terlebih dahulu,  demikian orang awam mengatakan. Namun itu tak berlaku bagiku, setelah urusan perut selesai, aku langsung menggelar tikar untuk melaksanakan kewajiban sebagai umat islam. Setelahnya, aku segera mengenakan seragam "dinas" serta langsung bertugas selaku anak gembala. Tas punjut sudah diselempangkan di bahu, lengkap dengan botol minuman bekas yang sudah berganti warna, topi merek Tut Wuri Handayani dan sandal jipang sudah dala posisi, tak ketinggalan instrumen paling penting dalam pekerjaan ini, yakni sebilah parang yang sudah bermata akibat beradu dengan kerikil dan batu-batu.

Aku berangkat menuju ujung desa, tepat dibawah kaki bukit yang berpucuk pada hutan rimba. Orang-orang kampung menyebutnya geunteng. Disana, aku telah ditunggu oleh rekan - rekan sepengembala. Sama sepertiku, mereka juga tak kalah lengkap membawa peralatan perang, masing-masing mengenggam sebilah parang di tangan. Saat ini adalah musim meugoe, dimana sawah-sawah telah ditanami padi. Musim meugoe, juga disebut musim troen blang merupakan periode terberat bagi kami para gembala.  Betapa tidak, tugas dan tanggung jawab kami menjadi lebih bertambah. Di luar musim bercocok tanam, pagi-pagi sekali kerbau-kerbau dikeluarkan dari kandang dan dibiarkan lepas semaunya. Mereka dengan sendirinya akan kembali ke kandang pada sore harinya. Praktis, yang perlu kami lakukan hanya menambatkan tali kekang pada tali hidungnya. Berbeda kejadian pada musim meugoe ini. Setelah dikelurkan dari kandang, kerbau - kerbau ini harus terlebih dahulu digiring melewati geunteng, kemudian baru dilepaskan menuju hutan rimba. Siangnya, di ujung geunteng,  kami para gembala harus menunggu kerbau-kerbau kembali.  Dan ini tidak boleh terlambat, karena jika sedikit saja telat, maka sawah-sawah pak tani lah yang akan menjadi korbannya. Dan kamilah yang akan memikul hukumannnya.

Celakanya, dasar kerbau tak tahu diri. Mereka tidak selalu pulang dari jalan yang sama dan saling terpisah satu sama lainnya. Adalah kecil kemungkinannya kami mendapatkan kerbau-kerbau dalam satu kelompok yang utuh di kaki bukit. Kenyataannya kami harus menyisir paling tidak 4 titik untuk mengumpulkan mereka sebelum digiring kembali ke kandang masing-masing. Paya surunting di sebelah selatan, padang kereuleh di sebelah barat, serta paya saha dan carak masing-masing di sebelah barat laut dan utara. Kesemuanya titik itu merupakan medan yang berat untuk dilalui untuk ukuran gembala kecil seperti kami. Jalan yang berbukit-bukit serta dipenuhi semak belukar. Merupakan rumah bagi beberapa satwa liar seperti ular, kera dan babi hutan. Saat tiba musim nek - sebutan kepada harimau, tak jarang si raja hutan ini menyisir ke lokasi.

Menjadi sang gembala kau tak perlu takut bajumu kotor, faktanya baju teman sepengembalaanmu tak lebih bersih dari pakaian yang kau kenakan. Menjadi pengembala, kau tak perlu cemaskan kesehatan karena minum air mentah dari selang-selang yang bersiliweran, karena faktanya itu jauh lebih sehat dari kerbau-kerbaumu yang mandi dan minum di kubangan. Kau tak perlu kuatir kulitmu menghitam karena disengat matahari, faktanya dilihat darimanapun juga, warna kulitmu tak jauh berbeda dengan teman-temanmu yang lain. Kau tak perlu minder dengan bau tubuhmu yang berkeringat, karena bagaimanapun juga, bau kerbau-kerbaumu baunya jauh lebih menyengat. Kau tak perlu takut dicap sebagai tukang loh punggong keubue karena pekerjaanmu menggiring kerbau yang memungkinkan kamu melihat pantatnya setiap hari karena pekerjaanmu itu jauh lebih mulia daripada mereka-mereka berkantor dan sudah haji tapi tetap masih korupsi . Satu-satunya hal yang perlu kau cemaskan adalah kala teman-temanmu sudah mendapati kerbau mereka dan kau belum memperoleh petunjuk apa-apa. Pada kondisi ini, kau harus lebih gesit berlari, melihat kemungkinan disana-sini. Kau juga harus lebih giat bekerja, menyisir setiap lokasi yang ada. Bila hari menjelang senja, dan kau belum menjumpai kerbaumu juga, tak perlulah rasa cemasmu itu berubah menjadi takut. Karena dasar memang tipikal orang desa udik, teman-temanmu meski kerbau sudah di tangan, pantang bagi mereka berpulang, sebelum lengkap semua rombongan.

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Sabtu, 7 Maret 2015 aku dan rombongan menyempatkan diri berkunjung ke Cleland Widlife Park, Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Kunjungan ini sengaja dilakungan dengan tujuan melihat si kanguru dari jarak dekat. Nyaris genap dua bulan aku tinggal di Australia, tanpa sekalipun berjumpa dengan spesies  fauna yang identik dengan negara ini. Rasanya belum sah tinggal di negeri ini, jikalau belum berkenalan dengan makhluk  berkantung ini. Sesampainya di lokasi, kucoba mempraktikkan "ilmu" gembala ku yang sudah lama tak terpakai. Dulu, aku terbiasa mengatakan "dong" pada gembalaanku. "Dong" dalam bahasa Aceh berarti perintah untuk berdiri/diam ditempat, dan seketika itu juga kerbauku turut dan patuh pada perintah sang tuan. Dengan begitu, aku dengan mudahnya membersihkan sesuatu yang tampak asing di badannya, melepaskan lintah-lintah raksasa yang melekat di sela-sela kaki dan pahanya, atau hanya untuk sekedar mengelus-ngelus kepalanya agar dia menjadi lebih tenang bersama sang tuannya. Sekarang, di "no worries" country ini perintah yang sama kututur pada kanguru-kanguru mengemaskan ini. Tentu dengan redaksi yang sudah ditranslasi, by simply saying "come on baby". Perkara kanguru ini patuh atau tidaknya, biarlah gambar ini yg menjelaskan semuanya!

Every Cloud Has Silver Lining (Part 2)

What could I do? Blaming and condemning? Did those two things are able to relieve my sorrow? Of course they would not help anything, wouldn't they? Don't beat yourself with the stick! that was one phrase that my cross culture  teacher used to say. Get helps, find another alternatives and solutions! Look at from the big picture! Do not be hopeless, do not be frustrated! Every cloud has a silver lining! Be positive the you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Your story might not have such a happy beginning, but it did not mean you could not find something sweet at the end. It was your choice for the rest of your story.  I was pleased to close this story with happy ending which I mean t that I had to be sincere and candid due to this difficult and sorrow time. I remembered Allah saying through the holy Qur'an that "perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you and you love a thing and it is bad for you, Allah knows while you know not" (Al-Baqarah : 216). In this case, I did believe in Allah.

Having said that I lost my chance to get an inexpensive text book, I kept looking for that book due its importance. I had to be sincere if I had to spend a lot for that academic stuff. I had been ready to look at a brand new book which might cost for US$ 311.33 and if I was lucky I could get the book on that price without an extra cost such as shipping and so on. It did not take me a lot of time to be awaken after that such unhappiness. Having realised that I was out of bid, I directly started to find another  that might likely for a brand new one. Before doing so, I simply looked at once again to the most lovely Australian website; Gumtree and wished that miracle might come up to that adorable website.

Thank goodness because there were other two posts  regarding the books towards the website. The first post offering for 55 AUD while the other for 10 AUD. It seemed that the latter was not  so reliable due to its extraordinary cheap price, therefore I put the choice aside and concerned on the former one. I had learned from my classmate that it was essential to be an early bird. Without wasting more time, I called the seller immediately. His response was good but a bit make me disappointed. He said that in five minutes ahead there would someone to pick up the book. In other words, he had just make a deal. Even though it seemed a little unreliable for the second ad, I just tried once again. Who knows that you might found something that you can trust in from the very unreliable one. I tried to call the seller of the second post but somehow I could not reach him due to the voice mail setting. As I said, it might not be a very promising advertisement. I tried to reach him through whatsapp application but was not successful because he was not online at the time. Again, I felt hopeless, I had just lost another chance due to the internet connection problem. Waiting for a while, I was starting to look at  a brand new book. However, I felt anxious for waiting whatsapp response. I did my last trial, to text him through sms, once writing the text, the response through whatsapp came. I read the message carefully and wishing for the victory. Lucky me, that the item was still available and simply i made a deal straight. A like new book had been purchased for only 10 AUD. Thank you God, thank you Gumtree.

This book costed 10 bucks only!

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

The real fight has just been begun as the real course has just been started. In this period of time, the living might not be as same as the previous life  or at least the last two month period of life. Have been residing in Adelaide for almost two months, for settling, adapting and coping with the new system, people and environment in which so called preparation and orientation program. Generally speaking, there is no doubt how essential this agenda is. This program in which you prepare and get yourself ready before jumping to the real life, in this case the real lecture. And now, here i am in my real life as postgraduate student.

Having said that the preparation and orientation worked properly, I have to admit that the challenges and demands in the real course are not easy to overcome.  In the first week of the course, the thought of assignments, academic paper, due date, and so forth "cramp" my mind, not to mention the text books which deeply cost the pocket that every student should own for at least one for each course.  Talking about textbooks, like or dislike, a must or not, though the digitalise resources are in plenty  numbers on the of tip your finger, it is still good choice for the students to possess at least a single text book for every single course.

Due to its expensive price, most of the students prefer purchasing second hand textbook to buying brand new textbook. Lucky us that Gumtree - the most adorable website for Australian and people residing in Australia  does exist. For those people who are not familiar with the website, that Gumtree is a platform where you are able to find secondhand or used items in a very extremely low price. The items in that website may range from real estate products, academic stuffs, to automotive matters. There are plenty of lists you might be happy to look at in that platform for reasonable quality and satisfying cost. 

My first intense interaction with the link was when I was told by my classmate that he had just got the  extremely needed text book  through Gumtree website. The book was titled "Managing for Quality and Performance Excellence" and written by James R. Evans and William M. Lindsay. A brand new of the eight edition of this book costs US$ 311.33 while my fellow spent AUD 80 for that second hand book. Without clarifying for further explanation, I started to surf in that specific link. However, the only posting regarding the book was that my classmate had grabbed. Lucky him, an early bird  catches the worm. He started to find the book early and ended successfully. For me, the struggle keeps going on!

Feeling hopeless on Gumtree, then i looked at the Amazon and Ebay website for finding the book. Amazon listed a new brand of that item for US$ 311.33, shipping excluded! converting to Australian dollar, the number obviously increase. Putting the Amazon aside, then trying to find in Ebay. Thank goodness that it offered the book for 20AUD only. However, I could not simply purchase the stuff straight. The seller administered the item on the bidding list instead of selling it immediately. This meant that I had to wait for the ending while competing with other bidders. Lucky me that there were only two bidders (including myself) and my 25 AUD bid became the leader at the time. It was about 3 days to go to ending date. During the period, I wished that there will no any bidder at all so I could won the book for 25 AUD. Surprisingly, on the day before the closing date I was out of bid, and the number of bidders multiply. The bidding rate raised just over half a hundred  dollar. I kept my eyes on the track, I would raise my bidding rate to the last hour even to the last second of the closure. I wished that my strategy would not be copied by others which meant I was the only person to bid on the last minute of the termination. 

On the last hour of the auction, I managed myself to stay online with the website. Kept my eyes online, wishing and imagining that my victory would come very soon at the end. However the anticlimax story emerged. Somehow the internet connection was in trouble which put me out of connection. The last minutes of the termination had come and I was still facing the connection problem. I started to be panic and worry. The feeling of sadness and dissatisfied did profoundly exist at the time. I had no any idea what to do and what to fix for. I felt a lot of distressful and imagined myself on shame. About 5 minutes after the closing time, the internet connection was running as usual or in normal circumstance. What a very lovely and highly conspiracy if I might say. My anger and distressful doubled having known that I became a loser. If the internet connection had not been in trouble, I would have won my text book and saved plenty of my money and time. I was angry, I blamed everything, I blamed myself for deciding to raise the bidding rate to the last minute, and even the worst the I almost closely to blame the only ONE. Naudzubillahiminzalik!

To be continued....

Sirup Markisa Noerlen

Bak kata orang bijak, perjalanan seribu mil dimulai dari langkah pertama.

Bermula dari  usaha skala rumah tangga, kini menjadi usaha yang mulai mendunia.

Pagi itu udara kota Medan kurang bersahabat, selama seminggu ini hujan mengguyur kota saban hari, hawa dingin mulai menggerogoti, namun itu semua takkan pernah menyurutkan barang sejengkalpun langkah, semangat dan kerja keras yang telah dijejaki guna terus mengeksistensikan usaha yang telah digelutinya sejak tahun 25 tahun silam.

Demikianlah potret sisi kehidupan yang dijalalani Ibu Rachmi Novianti atau lebih dikenal dengan sebutan Ibu Mimi, beliau adalah salah satu potret pengusaha sukses kota Medan yang mulai mengindonesia. Dibawah bendera Markisa Family Group, salah satu produk unggulannya ”Noerlen” telah dikenal tidak hanya dikota Medan dan Sumatera Utara, tetapi telah merambah dikota besar lainnya di pulau jawa seperti Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta dan lain-lain. Tidak hanya itu, ”Noerlen” telah berkesempatan untuk diikutkan dalam Pameran Pasar Raya Indonesia di Den Haag Belanda, Pameran Inacraft di Kuala Lumpur Malaysia dan Asia Food Expo di Singapura.

Produk Sirup Markisa Noerlen

Berawal Dari Industri Rumah Tangga

Sedikit flash back ke belakang, Markisa Asli Family Group awalnya merupakan industri skala rumah tangga yang melayani orderan para tetangga dan kerabat, serta acara perwiridan. Bisnis ini mulanya berawal dari hobi dan kesenangan Ibu Hj.Noerlen akan makanan. Berangkat dari keisengan ini, Ibu Hj. Noerlen melayani keinginan dan permintaan tetangga dan kerabat mengenai aneka makanan dan minuman dalam bermacam jenis. Hal ini terus berlangsung dan lama kelamaan permintaannya makin banyak dan meluas.

Seiring makin dikenalnya  ”tangan dingin” Hj. Noerlen akan makanan di mata masyarakat, ibu berdarah Sumatera Barat ini mulai serius menekuni usaha yang sedang dirintisnya ini. Jika pada mulanya dia memenuhi orderan berbagai macam jenis aneka kue dan makanan, saat ini dia mulai berkonsentrasi khusus untuk produksi sirup markisa dengan nama sirup Noerlen. Hal ini terus bertahan hingga saat ini, produksi sirup noerlen terus meningkat seiring bertambahnya permintaan pasar. Untuk melihat bagaimana proses produksi pembuatan sirup markisa ”Noerlen” kita dapat melihatnya langsung di tempat pembuatannya yang beralamat di jalan Sei Tuan No 7 Medan.

Transformasi Portofolio Bisnis

Di penghujung akhir tahun 2007 merupakan kilas balik Markisa Asli Family Group. Usaha yang pada mulanya merupakan usaha kecil-kecilan rumah tangga yang dirintis oleh Hj. Noerlen. Mengingat usianya yang sudah memasuki usia senja, maka di penghujung tahun 2007 tersebut Ibu Hj. Noerlen memutuskan untuk ”beristirahat” dan mewariskan usahanya kepada salah satu anak perempuannya Rachmi Noviati atau lebih dikenal dengan Ibu Mimi.

Di tangan Ibu Mimi, usaha Noerlen mengalami transformasi dari tradionally bussines minded menjadi entrepeneurshiply bussines minded. Ibu Mimi melakukan berbagai transformasi demi mempertahankan dan meningkatkan eksistensi Markisa Asli Family Group. Perubahan nyata yang dilakukannya adalah dengan ekspansi pasar hingga ke pulau Jawa serta penggunaan media online dalam pemasarannya. Ajang pameran atau sejenisnya yang diadakan di kota-kota besar indonesia merupakan salah satu pilihan favoritnya dalam memperluas area pemasaran.  Perjuangan ini berbuah manis, ini terbukti dengan tembusnya Noerlen di pasaran kota-kota besar seperti Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Batam dan lainnya.

Pasang Surut Usaha

Diakui oleh Mimi, bahwa usaha yang digelutinya kini bukanlah usaha yang berjalan mulus tanpa hambatan berarti. Layaknya sebuah perjalanan sudah pasti jalannya tidak pernah lurus rata sampai ke ujung, kerapkali ditemukan belokan, gelombang serta lubang-lubang yang mengandung resiko. Begitu juga dengan usaha yang dilakoninya, tidaklah semudah dan semanis membayangkannya. Pernah ketika dia mengikuti salah satu pameran yang diselenggarakan oleh salah satu kota besar ia mengalami kerugian yang cukup berarti. Namun hal itu ditanggapinya dengan positif, itu adalah riak dalam berusaha. Dengan itu akan menambah pengalaman kita dalam mengasah kemampuan dan kemapanan strategi bisnis, ujarnya.

Bahan baku yang mahal juga diaminininya sebagai faktor penghambat utama dalam pengembangan bisnisnya. Kita ini kan menggunakan buah markisa asli dan gula murni. Tanpa pengawet, tanpa essence buatan. Markisa saja sekarang harganya 10 ribu-11 ribu perkilonya. Makanya jangan heran kalau harga sirup Noerlen jauh lebih mahal dibandingkan dengan sirup-sirup lain yang beredar di pasaran, ungkap Mimi ketika ditanyai mengenai strategi harga  yang diterapkannya.

 

Proses produksi sirup markisa Noerlen

Bermain di Level Midle Up

Mimi tidak mengelak bahwa sirup Noerlen yang termahal di kelasnya. Meskipun harga yang diterapkannya mahal, dia tidak menganggap itu sebagai sebuah masalah. Baginya itu merupakan konsekuensi dari kualitas yang dipertahankannya. Quality for your Healthy, and Healthy is Pricesless katanya bersemangat. Dia mengakui dengan harga yang diterapkannya saat ini ia sempat mengalami kesulitan untuk memasarkan produknya. Namun dengan strategi segmentasi pemasaran yang tepat usahanya masih bertahan hingga kini dan makin hari makin menunjukkan peningkatan yang menggembirakan. Untuk saat ini segmentasi pasar kita masih di level midle up, namun akan ada sasaran untuk menembus pasar level bawah,   ujarnya.

Finally, I Got My Free Garuda Indonesia Ticket!

On 15 December 2013, I was involved in an event organised by the association of USU Alumni (IKA USU). I took a part in the marching stroll (jalan santai) by encircling USU walking path. All of the events centred in front of rectorate bureau and all of participants were encouraged to gather in that spot once the march finish. There were many activities to do in that event such as social gathering to underpin the relationship among alumni, had a chit-chat as well as lucky draw. The last mentioned was where the participants pay attention at most. 

Besides giving a lucky dip, the organiser also surprised the entrants by providing a small gift such as Garuda Indonesia ticket for Medan - Banda Aceh Flight and some other vouchers. This little surprise was only applied for those who celebrated his/her birthday on December 15th. Lucky me, that I was born on 15 December which means that day was my birthday. MC shouted loudly through the microphone and challenged to come on the stage, show his or her ID card and win the free flight. There were no sign which indicated someone approached into the stage. MC challenged it twice but still there were no signal.  I knew it was could be my turn and be my special birthday gift. However, I felt doubt either to appear on the stage in front of around thousands of people or simply to hide alone. Being nervous of becoming limelight was not the reason of my doubtful. Due to my sport shoes wetness, I wore thongs and felt  discomfort to emerge in front of public by wearing a pair of thongs. However, because the MC called it for the third time, I put my doubtful aside and walk into the stage.

A yell obviously exist when I approached the stage. My fortune that I was not the only person approaching the board which means that the yell was not pointed solely at me. It was very helpful as I could more relax and comfort to dealt with this whoop. There were only two of us who was born on 15 December and come to the stage. I let my birthday mate to come at first on the stage. She walked on the board calmly, showed her identification, had a little chat with the MC and won the free trip to Banda Aceh using Garuda airplane. Soon she finished her chance and backed to the seat, I came to stage to get my turn. On the stage, I chatted with MC, showed my ID and received my special gift. But, somehow the MC announced that there was only a single winner for the free trip, the rest would be given a special voucher for free lunch in one of the branded food store in Medan.

I felt empty and could not make any single comment. I backed to the seat and received the yell from some friends. Some of them congratulate me and wished my better future, and some teased ask me the a treat. To the latter I simply handed on the voucher that I'd got and said that this is voucher is my treat. I emphasised that this voucher is worth enough as you can grab free lunch from the indicated food store. I also strongly argue to whom I handed on the voucher that they were lucky to get that voucher as I did not  need the voucher.

It was true that at the time I strongly needed the ticket as I had to come to Banda Aceh in the following month. I had to come to Banda Aceh to attend an interview for Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS) recipient candidates. I thought it would be my great luck to win the ticket and fly to Banda Aceh as I would foster and strengthen my preparation and confidence to win the bravest ambition of mine, becoming an Australia Awards awardee. I wished I could win that ticket. If I had come to the stage earlier, I would have won my Garuda ticket. Anyway, I would not fix anything by regretting to what was happened. I kept positive, thanked to the Almighty and wished a better future myself. To document this memorable moment I posted a status  in my facebook account by simply writing down "almost getting Garuda free flight, unfortunately, it went away. hahah :D. Thanks God for December 15th". I received some comments about this status from some friends and all them wished the best for me and wished that I would get my free Garuda flight soon. 

View from Garuda

Days passed on, lucky me that I was awarded as an AAS recipient and would fly to Australia very soon. On 15 December 2014, I got an email from one of the officer of AAS Indonesia which attached my QANTAS ticket. This ticket that would fly me from Jakarta to Sydney and to Adelaide. What a very special  birthday surprise and what a lovely birthday gift. My thought came back to the funny and memorable moment last year where I almost won Garuda flight. Allah is the Almighty and the Merciful, He blessed me with this life and experience as well as the journey. He postponed to give me the ticket last year, but He totally endowed me by granting me this scholarship, this journey, this experience and this life. About two weeks after my birthday, once I would like to purchase a refundable ticket from Banda Aceh to Jakarta, my brothers gave me another special ticket by giving me an airline ticket to Jakarta. He asked me what kind of airline do you want to use,  I simply replied Garuda Indonesia. Then, finally I enjoy my Garuda flight before using Qantas services. This is important as it may symbolise that I prioritise Garuda (Indonesia) over Qantas (Australia).

Thanks God, for another December 15th.
Thank you AAS for Qantas tickets and my brother for the very special Garuda flight :)
Thank you for those who had wished my better future!

Seeing The Light, Not The Dark!

Everyone loves weekend. Weekend is always waited by everybody along the week. The reason why it is so special is because it is a perfect time to cheer ourselves up after spending most of the time to work, study or in a duty during the week. Many people spend this special period of time for traveling or touring. Some of them decide to go to the beach, mountain, lake or even to mall for shopping. However, there are some people who only spend their weekend by staying and relaxing at their own house.

Personally, I am very pleased with this weekend time. Besides going somewhere to refresh my mood and release all negative feeling and distressful, I usually utilise this interval to do something labelled as "food gathering or livestock hunting". Becoming an international student in University of South Australia, I should be able to manage myself in order to survive.  Living in Adelaide where I am far away from home forces me to handle so-called domestic work myself including for that food gathering where I wander in market or supermarket for seeking weekly living stock. 

It is commonplace that everybody is fond of buying inexpensive goods. Indeed, the feeling is stronger     for those known as students especially an international student like me.  In Adelaide, the city where I live nowadays, basic needs such as rice, fish, oil, vegetables, fruits, etc are quite expensive. To dealt with, most of Adelaidean - the term which refer to the people who live in Adelaide, have their own unique strategies for getting their needs without having broke. Some of this approaches are to look at   Coles and Woolies (the two leading supermarkets in Adelaide or maybe in Australia) discount schemes, to shop at Sunday market or in the weekend to shop at central market which is famous with its "one dollar" offerings. 

Off course, as a student I should manage my time very well. I should or even must be able to balance my life of becoming a student and an human being. In a simple word, my position as a student should not ruin my human being life and vice versa. I have to able to feed myself, keep my healthy life and participate in social life as well as able to respond all of my duties and responsibilities as a student. This things are all about time management. To shop either in Sunday or Central market in the weekend and keep it as the stock during the weak ahead is one of my strategies in managing the time. Therefore, it is not only buying but also planning.  I have to plot what to cook on Monday, Tuesday and so forth and it will determine what to be purchased.

Last week, I went to Central market and bought several things such as beef, vegetables, fruits, eggs and sardines. I had  planned to make rendang on Monday, sprout stir-fry (tumis toge) on Tuesday, omelet for Wednesday, mushroom soup for Thursday and pumpkin curry (gulai labu) on Friday. everything is running well up to Thursday, but on Friday, a wonderful, fabulous, funny and extraordinary story obviously exist. This story which inspire me to write this posting. Even though this story is a bit foolish and ridiculous, the truth should be uttered and revealed.

The story of making pumpkin curry starts when I had set to make such the food on Friday which means at the end of parts of the week. Therefore, once purchasing the pumpkin in the market, I had to be sure that the pumpkin will last until Friday. In other word, It will not decay before I serve it as a curry. I had to be selective at this stage. Finding the right pumpkin regarding the size, quality and sure the price. I do not live with family, then to buy a whole, a complete pumpkin is not a wise decision because I won't be able to finish that pumpkin myself. If I just use a part of if and stock the rest also seems unwise decision as the rest pumpkin will decay. Lucky me, that there were some buyers who sold the half pumpkin in the market. By this half size makes me possible to finish it at once. however, there is adversity buying incomplete squash. Selecting the "good quality" one became more challenging and demanding. Off course the half size squash will not last as good as the complete one. therefore, I had to be more selective to chose the appropriate one. After struggling and inspecting for a few minutes then I simply picked one up which I believe the "best" one.

Days passed on. On Friday, based on the plan, I would like to "play" with the pumpkin that I had bought.  I opened the fridge and took some ingredients needed to make the pumpkin curry. I sliced tomatoes, chilli, onion and garlic. Once those spices were ready, then I started to handle the pumpkin. But somehow, it was weird with the pumpkin. It smelled as if it was not the pumpkin. From the appearance, it looked like pumpkin. The colour, the seed were like pumpkin. But how could this smells strange? It smelled like melon instead of  smelling like a pumpkin. I decided to slice a bit part of it and tasted it. It tasted like melon and I was sure for 100% that it was a melon, not a pumpkin. I went back to the fridge to look at my pumpkin assuming that i took the wrong one. However, there were nothing left in the fridge. It was the one that I bought  a few days ago. It was melon and not pumpkin. My question was how could I buy this melon? I didn't plan to purchase melon! How should I utilise this melon? How about my plan to cook pumpkin curry? How about the spices which I have prepared? Should I make melon curry? off course not! Had you seen or heard melon curry before??? absolutely not! Lol!

I told that story to some of my friends and all of them teased me with full of intention. I was bullied by this ridiculous moment. Some of them said how could I became foolish as I was not able to distinguish pumpkin and melon. Others tempted me by saying that it was a sign for me to find a girl who is able to serve me the meals. Whatever they said, I just kept silent, no comment.  I know they did not mean to hurt me. They only would like to make an intermezzo by teasing at me. The more I defence myself that I knew how to distinguish those fruits, the more intense they tempted and joked at me. No matter what, they were right that I bought the wrong thing and planned foolishly. Anyway, I kept my confident up, I kept optimistic. Nothing was wrong with my procurement. Though I could not make a squash curry, I still could enjoy the melon fruit. Nothing is useless, isn't it? I believe that every cloud has a silver lining.  Every single moment surely has a meaning.

BUILDING THE AWARENESS

In the government office or other institutions, the term so-called rank or position obviously exists. The people who earn greater position relatively compare to others is usually called as the leader or well-known as the boss. The boss is usually associated with superiority and premium standard. Thus, that people will gain more respect among the colleagues. The people in this sub-class are very confident in their workplace reflected with their dominance. Their distinctive is highly apparent. They earn lot of freedom and power.  They free to speak up and convey any single idea they want to pass for, and in most cases, those people often dictate what thing or things should work be or done.   

Similarly, the "rank" also exists in communication context. Based on this perspective, people involved in communication will be differed from higher or lower rank. This label is invisible and undetected in the conversation. However, experts believe that it happens in the communication, particularly in the communication among the group. People whose rank is relatively high, will gain more power throughout the interaction. They lead the communication and take control of others. This subgroup will get most attention and acquire more confidence and good feeling. They feel comfortable, happy and very relax on the entire interaction. In contrast, people with lower rank are very distressful. They are intimidated and less motivated during the interaction process. Those people get less attention and respect. Unfortunately, they even do not make any contribution to the interaction. They are ruled and dictated, and even worse oppressed.

Some people believe that, the gained rank in the interaction or communication is associated with the social status and often inherited. It is the type which experts classify as socio-economic rank. This view seems to be correct for some instance, for example, people who are born in wealthy family heir their social status due to their parents’ prominence. This also applies for skin colour and belief, for example the lighter skin is more favourable in western while moslem are more appreciated and accepted in eastern. This phenomenon is often found in the real life where people are judged by their socio-economic status appearance reflected with their economic class, expertise, skin colour and religion. However, experts also categorise the other two rank types namely psychology and spiritual rank. These remaining two types are something that someone able to gain, build and improve in his journey of life, for example through education, learning process and experience. 

It is important to have high or higher rank in the interaction in the daily social life. Based on the psychological aspect, people with high rank are more comfortable and relax which in turns it will help them to become more confident in expressing or conveying ideas during the conversation. Confidence is one of the most essential parts in communication. The more confident you are, the more contribution you may share for. However, people with this blesses "gift" should not take excessive control in communication. They should avoid of being dominant in the interaction otherwise the essential part of communication itself will downgrade. A fruitful conversation only happens once the participants take a part in the discussion in an appropriate proportion. Therefore, in order to create a productive communication, one should avoid of being dominant and dictate the interaction.

On the other side, people who possess lower rank in the communication are not as comfort as people with higher rank. They are unconfident to expressing their thought among the group. Unfortunately, in most cases, their ideas might be very brilliant thought, but somehow because their shyness and introvert feeling this useful knowledge may disappear. Avoiding this circumstance, those people should improve their rank level otherwise the problem may never be solved. To deal with this issue, the best thing to do is by jumping in the communication. It means that people in that position should contribute to the forum by conveying his argument regardless the content and the way of presenting ideas. They must destroy their self-blockade, introvert and negative feelings. It may be hard and difficult in the beginning, but the more you risk and challenge yourself in the difficult situation, the more relaxing it will become at the end.  Once this appears, they will not only benefit for themselves regarding personality and character building as well as contribute to others by disseminating a useful information and knowledge.

To sum up, awareness and consciousness are critical elements in the communication of human life. The level of rank may determine one’s contribution in the communication and interaction. People with high rank level should aware of being dominant in the conversation and avoid dictating the communication. In contrast, people whose rank is relatively low should improve their rank by jumping in the conversation in order to create a productive communication in the community.

Build your awareness!