WHEN IT
COMES INTO REALITY
After
waking up from my sleep, I then suddenly thought of writing down the journey of
me getting YMAC (Youth Model ASEAN Conference) scholarship in Singapore.
Yeaaaa, I am flying abroad in no time, I couldn’t be any happier than this,
really.I have been dreaming of going abroad since I was a kid, now I made it
happen, with self-determination and God’s help, nothing’s impossible, even the sky cannot limit you, a
quotation by Benjamin Matthias that I would always keep in mind because it
brings changes.
It
happened a month ago, when this friend of mine posted an information on
Facebook and sent it to me on BBM application. First time I didn’t find myself
quite interested in applying for it. Not that I quit dreaming, but I may be
encounteringbunches of competitors who are more experienced and worth selected rather
than me. But, nonetheless, I then remembered song lyrics saying “You’ll never know if you never try”. Its
song is called ‘Fix you’ if I’m not messed up with the title, originally sung
by Coldplay.
Let’s
get the ball rolling. The requirements are writing an essay (it can be about
politics, economy, social, culture or even environment. I wrote about culture entitled
“Preserving Indonesian Cultures through
Cultural Communities by Indonesian Young Generation” which I am a bit
knowledgable at, I suppose), personal
statement and form application. I wrote very thoroughly and carefully only in
one day. I was in hometown that day, the internet connection over there is not
as good as here in Solo. I had come to a decision where I should attempt to go
to the internet cafe to send all the requirements to the addressed e-mail. I
didn’t expect that much I wasn’t too confident about myself. Time flies, the
applicants are narrowed down by the essays and the selected applicants are bound
to attend the interview section which was conducted two days before Eid
mubarak.
I
surprisingly got a text saying that I should attend the interview section of
YMAC in Office for International Affairs (KUI). I bumped into a bunch of
applicants some of whom I kinda know of and am familiar with. They all have
broad knowledge, and already have gone abroad, good at English as well. I was
then sitting on a chair, realising that to be here is already awesome and a
rare thing. Selected or not, it’s not the matter. The only thing that matters
the most is the process I’ve been through itself. I repeatedly said that to
myself and planted it in my brain so I won’t be down in the dumps if I didn’t
smash the interview. But all the thoughts I had in my mind were wrong, I was
informed I was one of the two delegates sent to the programme. How can I be so
very lucky? No one understands how chuffed I was. You know what? When it was my
turn, I stepped to the interview room with all the nerves. Body was trembling,
hands were getting cold all of a sudden, face was a bit pale. It seemed all the
applicants had undergone successful interviews. I was sat there on an interview
chair right in front of me there were two interviewers. The first question is
the common one that I told them about myself in general. The second question
was about my organisation and work experience, and on and on till it came to
the hardest question which was “Why should we choose you?” I was in a moment of
silence. But I think the interview went quite well;)
My turn done! I
packed all my things to bring home and I came over a Javanese souvenir shop to
buy my dad a gift, wrapped, done. I was on the bus back home, the atmosphere
being on a bus will never be good as I want it to be, all the bus musicians,
bus merchantmen/women, it’s so crowded and unorganised. The fact that all the
bus drivers here are so rough when it comes to driving in the street, and the
children’s cries and screams, the hot wheather at noon, no ventilation, they
all add up to boredom and uncomfortability. But what can I say?
Phone beeps. I
thought it was my grandmum messaging me that she’d pick me up. But no, it was
from the Office for International Affairs announcing the two selected delegates
and I was congratulated on being one of the delegates to participate the ASEAN
Conference. I was startled and couldn’t speak anything but Alhamdulillah...
this is again a pure blessing. I don’t know how to say thank you to Allah,
like, ASEAN conference? It’s very huge! I got it all for free. Things which are
covered; plane tickets, accomodation, transportation, meals and etc. I was then
urged to apply for a passport after Eid.
FYI guys, for all
of you who wants to go abroad and still have 0 clue what requirements to bring
to the immigration office to apply for a passport, just chill! I’m gunna tell
you how!
First you need to
bring:
1.
Photocopy of your KTP
(Identity card)
2.
Photocopy of KK (Family-member
card)
3.
Photocopy of your
diploma
4.
Photocopy of birth
certificate
5.
A permission letter from
parents
6.
A letter/proof in what
sort of condition you’re travelling abroad
Don’t forget to
attach the authentic documents as well. The Imigration office here in Solo
opens at 8 am but you need to wait in line to get the queue number. People
usually come to the office at 4am in the morning just to get the first number,
it’s insane. I went there at around 6.30 in the morning and I had to wait
forever to get to my turn. I genuinely got the number at 8 in the morning but I
got called upon at 9 am and my documents were processed at 1.30 pm. How crazy
that was! It took a half day just to make a passport. Much efforts!
I was told by the
officer to come back later in three days to get the passport. Huh? It’s
alright. Been waiting for three days. I came back to the office. Now here it
goes, new passport, the door to explore the world is open and already in my
hands! Chuffed!
Now it’s time for
me to wait on my departure to Singapore on 3rd of October 2015, I have been
thinking out loud about it. I’ll meet up and make friends with foreign people
in a forum disucussing and debating things related to ASEAN matters. That would
be the most interesting experience I’ll ever have. Right now I’m focused on
doing my teaching apprentice here and then my essay. Then graduation!Wish me
every success, guys. #Fingerscrossed
I’ll see you a
bit later on guys, in my next story. Cheers.
