Flash Back 2015

It is my first post in this year, 2015. I was so lazy to write something, even though there are a lot of things happened in this year. Before 2015 is going to end tomorrow. I want to make a flash back here, about what i have done living here in Stuttgart.

Academic life 

Now i am in third semester,it means i only need one semester more to get master degree. However, i have some doubts to finish my study in incoming semester. I worry that my skills, especially my German is not sufficient to get into German labor market. I decided to secure an internship for next semester to gain more experiences and to make my CV. My grade was not bad and I satisfied about it.

Professional life

since January i have been working at FESTO as working student. a part time job. In first six months i worked for Product management and now i am working for standardization. I am glad, i could maintenance my professional portfolio. my story how i got this job. i will write letter.

Travelling

As a student who relays on part time job for living here, I did not travelling so much around Europe. most of my free time i spend for hiking around region Stuttgart. here is quite nice place and so many awesome places especially nature to be explored. might be it is also be nice to write hiking trek around here which are reachable by using public transportation. however, this year i also did hiking in Switzerland.

Reading list

I read some books, here the list:

• Rosie project  (Novel) —Finished 
• Rosie effect (Novel)—Finished
• Api Tauhid (Novel)—Finished
• David and Goliath (German translation)—on going
• How Google Works —on going
• Thinking Fast and Slow —on going

I think I read much more books during when i was in Indonesia. but most of them are in Indonesian.

German language

Im diese Jahr hab Ich viele Verbesserung gemacht. Ich vorstelle mich dass mein Deustch letztes jahr  nicht gut ist. Gerade kann ich generel verstehen was die leute sagen. sogar wenn ich Youtube, die dokumenter anschaue, verstehe ich auch. Ich habe auch selbewusst auf deustch zu sprechen und zu schreiben. Mittlerweile kann hier ohne englisch leben und versuche auf deutsch sprechen. nachste mal werde ich hier am diese blog auf deutsch schreiben.

 

It’s a WASTE

Since i have this blog for some years, I rarely wrote about what I studied. Even though, I have some several quite diverse education backgrounds. Well, I grew up in small village in central java I studied there until high school. I can say that my school is just standard typical public school in Indonesian village. Old building, next to the paddle rice field and not many facilities compared I saw in big cities in Jakarta or here in Germany. However, I am quite happy to get this kind of experience.

I moved to the capital Jakarta for bachelor. It can be said I get better access of education. Many friends of mine from my village didn’t get this opportunity. I was being lucky. At that time I quite satisfied about what I got. Until one time I had experiences to do student exchange in Seoul, South Korea. I realized that it is needed to be improved for many things. Okay. I won’t to discuss it. This kind of stuff is my past experience and I am not affiliated on it. There are already thousands people wrote about comparison on it especially with our lovely neighbor in ASEAN countries.

I am not a waste student, but I study in WASTE Program.

Well, I am going to write about what I am studying here in Germany. I studied WASTE at the University of Stuttgart, an international master program. Even for German students at University of Stuttgart don’t know about this major and what it will be about. Actually, this master program is multi-disciplinary master program. From the abbreviation it can be said that it is belongs to Environmental Engineering. WASTE stands for Air Quality, Solid Waste, and Waste Water Process Engineering. It is obvious that the waste and this kind of stuff belong to environmental engineering. But, wait in moment. When I look up on the university website, I study in Faculty number 4: Energy, Process, and Bio engineering. There is also German master program in Environmental engineering but it belongs to Faculty 2: Civil and Environmental engineering. Therefore, it can be said this program belong to Environmental engineering.

Yes, again it is multi-disciplinary program. In some universities, like in South Korea, multidisciplinary program has their own faculty name or normally they called it with Graduate School of something. Like at Seoul National University there is several Graduate schools that I forgot some of them, like Graduate school of public Adms, Graduate School of International studies, Energy policy etc.

We have a joke here, at the university, since master programs in English have their own abbreviation e.g COMMAS, GEOENGINE, MIP etc. for this program we call it as WASTE. So, sometimes in many classes the professor asks who are WASTE student? So again..we are not a Waste student but we study in Waste program.

I studied more about chemical stuff in First semester.

WASTE program accept several educational background such as Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil, Environment Engineering, Mechanical engineering. So the first semester it is kind of basic study that every student must to know and in same level of understanding. However, this module or course is more likely of chemical engineering in the bachelor e.g. Thermodynamic, Heat Transfer, Chemical and Biological stuff, Combustion, and sanitary engineering. For the last one I think it is environmental engineering course.

I have to choose two main areas of three specializations.

After completed this program, student is expected to solve the environmental problem in term of its process. In this course normally we don’t talk much about the policy and social aspect. We love to talk about how technology can be made and implemented in order to make better quality of water, land, and air. In the second semester I have two chose in two area which one is more likely I want to study: Air, Solid, or Water. I can say that it is about the process of treating and minimizing the waste whether in Industry or municipality.

Germany is the right place for it.

As we know that European countries are leading on environmental protection. Germany is one of leading country on it. How the waste can be treated we can see directly in the next door of the university. Therefore, the study about environmental stuff in Germany is not only about sitting in the class room, but we can see directly in the daily life how it is implemented.

One month as a foreigner

From now I have been staying for one month in Germany (in Stuttgart). Many stories to be told, but sometimes it is quite hard to dance in the keyboard and write my story. In short, I can say that my activities right now are learning German and of course adapt with the German culture and system. I am adjusting my life, from tropical-communal life to four seasons and more individual spaced life. At the end, it is a learning of life, how I can find who I am and accepting other people value. It is not a lecturing or course in social science class. But it is the true learning that as a human and a life as myself. For sure I have to accept other value which sometimes we need more time to do it or accepting who we are, and our background as a value that equal to another.

I am going to tell what I already seen in my class, In German class actually. But I won’t to discuss about German culture or German people since honestly I don’t have Germans friend here in University (until I wrote this). It is quite silly but it is true. Anyhow as a foreigner it is quite easy to have friend with another foreigner compare to with the local one. Lucky you if you can make a friend with the local people as fast as you arrived. But I think most of us actually already have friend before we arrive in your destined country.  Let’s take an example I have a German friend (maybe they call me as bekannt since they need time to be as your friend) when I was as exchange student in Korea. At that time as foreigner (again), it was easy to make friend with German or any other nationalities compare to Korean. However, right now in Germany, maybe it will be much easier to make a friend with Korean.

As a foreigner we have unspoken language, same a feeling that we are as a new comer. We have a fear as well as a hope. We have worry we can be accepted or adapted. We have some feeling that we make a block to the local. We= foreigners and they = locals. Every single problem that we face, we always compare to our culture or discussing with another foreigner. Actually it is just simply, we don’t have enough friends of locals so our discussion is never balance.

In my German course we don’t have any German over there. Since the teacher is a Greek. We , all of the class member can be closer since we are in the same boat, as a foreigner. We learn a language that in almost every day we rarely practice it into the reality. It is normal if we use in supermarket or office with the contact less than five minutes. But again, as an international student we need time to gel a local friend or sometimes we don’t know how to make it.

Until now I am trying to get a way to use my German skill in the casual activities. So, I decided to apply for Multicultural training in International office that the arrange event to get closer with the local people. I also made it in virtual way such as finding a language partner or meet up that I can interact with.

Today, as one month anniversary for me in Germany, is also sign that next week on 13 October, my “real study” as an engineering master student will be started.

Herzlich Welkommen in Deutschland !!! Hallo Frankfurt.

Today is my third day in Germany. I have adjusted my body and life with the time and condition here. Like many other four season countries, this time is beginning of fall. For me, as a tropical boy it is so cold. Even though it is not my first time living abroad in four season countries but I can’t enjoy this weather.

Let’s flash back to my story when I flew from Jakarta to here. I booked the Malaysia Airlines, as we know that Indonesian is afraid using this airline due to the double accident of it. But for me, I felt OK about this since every flight has same chance to be safe or not. I thought at that time those accidents not because the careless factor of MAS but it was more likely a “X” factor.

I flew from CGK to KUL at 19.30, and transit at KUL for around one hour. From this magnificent airport I flew to FRA directly. I would say that everything was perfect, Food, punctuality, hospitality of flight attendant and definitely safe. Now, I am in Germany without any problem.

Previously I booked this airline since it offered the cheapest airfare and good time for me to landing in the morning. From CGK to FRA include transit at KUL was only around 16 at night flight with the price around 490 USD. It was awesome right??

Moral Story:  don’t be afraid using MAS, everything is OK.

First Day in Germany

A friend of mine introduced me a Turkish Muslim Brother via KaTalk in a couple of days before my departure to Germany. His name is Sait. He also did exchange student at Korea at Ehwa Women Univeristy for around one year. at that time, he was active in Masjid Seoul as well. I made a some conversations with him by KaTalk, and he welcomed me, and he offered sightseeing around FRA before my train to Stuttgart depart. As you know, since I had limited budget for this study I booked flight  to FRA and ICE train (it is like KTX in Korea, CGV in France, or shinkanzen in Japan), I got promotion ticket from Frankfurt to Stuttgart only 24 Euro. As consequence, it must be an afternoon ticket , it means I have to be at Frankfurt around 5 Hours. Therefore, I was so happy about Sait offers.

In Short, I would say Sait is amazing friend. He picked us (since we were two, I was with one of Indonesian student who will study at Stuttgart as well) at FRA airport, bought one day ticket for us to go around FRA, helped us to keep our luggage at his place, guided us around FRA, and treated us a nice Turkish cuisine at one of famous Turkish restaurant at the foreigner area in FRA. We were like a VIP guest.

We went to some area around city center of Frankfurt. Sait told me everything that we must to know about this city, his way to explain reflected the he enjoys living as a Frankfurter. As an economic city Frankfurt has many skyscraper buildings that won’t be found in any other cities around mainland of Europe, so we thought that the icon of Frankfurt is about Euro. As our first destination we went to the old Bank Central of EU with the symbol of Euro Currency.

Euro Symbol, in front of Old European central Bank

As a skyscraper building, Frankfurt would be nice if we can see from the top of building. The best spot to see it is from the top of building. We want to the top of  Ziel, one of Shopping mall in Frankfurt. Compared to Indonesian Shopping mall or typical Asian mall this place is quite small. 6 floors malls, with standard facilities of malls.

Frankfurt Skycrapers

The next spot of ours are museum of Parliament. At the past, it was a church and then into the first parliament of Germany. This museum is situated next to the Rathaus of Frankfurt and next to the old traditional house of German during the Roman Empire. The call it with “Romer” or it is simply Roman. When Germany part of Holy Roman Empire they built this houses. This kind of houses reflected the history of it, the design was influenced by the tax’s policy at the time. Tax was count by number of stairs they have and the large in square meter the house occupied the land. So that’s way Romer has little bit smaller size of ground floor house, without stairs and the land going to the house is a slope.

Romer Haus, reflected German cultur at the past.

We went to Main river, the favorite place of frankfurter to escape from busy life. It is look like hangang river in Korea, but smaller. And there is also some river cruise. Most of passengers is senior citizen. They make trip around German river or even European river.

Finally, our clock was around 11.45 so it is time to enjoyed lunch. Sait treated me in Turkish restaurant in foreigner area in Frankfurt and sent us back to the Frankfurt Flughafen station until we got our ICE to Stuttgart.

Me and Sait, an amazing turkish friend

Kebohongan Seorang Ibu?

Entah kenapa malam ini saya ingat ibu saya saat membaca komen salah satu teman di Facebook. Saya lebih memaknai tulisan tersebut kita jarak saya (sekarang) dan ibu saya ribuan kilometer.

Saya jadi ingat masa-masa saya kecil dahulu, SD, SMP, SMA, dan awal-awal masuk UI. Semua begitu cepat berlalu, dan ibu saya hadir dalam setiap frase  hidup saya. Sebagai anak terakhir di keluarga, ikatan emosional antara anak terakhir memang begitu kuat. saya yakin setiap ibu (mungkin) pernah mlalukan  hal-hal dalam tulisan di bawah ini :

 

 

Seorang ibu dlm hidupnya membuat kebohongan.

1. Saat makan, jika makanan kurang, Ia akan memberikan makanan itu kpd anaknya dan berkata, “Cepatlah makan, ibu tdk lapar.”

2. Wkt makan, Ia selalu menyisihkan ikan dan daging untuk anaknya dan berkata, “ibu tdk suka daging, makanlah, nak..”

3. Tengah mlm saat dia sdg menjaga anaknya yg sakit, Ia berkata,
“Istirahatlah nak, ibu msh blm ngantuk..”

4. Saat anak sudah tamat sekolah, bekerja, mengirimkan uang untuk ibu. Ia berkata, “Simpanlah untuk keperluanmu nak, ibu masih punya uang.”

5. Saat anak sdh sukses, menjemput ibunya utk tinggal di rumah besar, Ia lantas berkata, “Rumah tua kita sangat nyaman, ibu tidak terbiasa tggl di sana.”

Saat menjelang tua, ibu sakit keras, anaknya akan menangis, ttp ibu msh bs tersenyum sambil berkata, “Jangan menangis, ibu tidak apa apa.” Ini adalah kebohongan terakhir yg dibuat ibu.

Tidak peduli sebrp kaya kita, seberapa dewasanya kita, ibu slalu menganggap kita anak kecilnya, mengkhawatirkan diri kita tp tdk prnh membiarkan kita mengkhawatirkan dirinya.

Smoga smua anak di dunia ini bs menghargai setiap kebohongan seorang ibu….karena beliaulah malaikat nyata yg dikirim TUHAN untuk menjaga kita (♥ U Mom)
Aku kirim cuma pengen Ibuku tau aku cinta sama mama
Berbahagialah orang2 yang memiliki Ibu, dan bahagiakanlah Ibumu ”

Belajar dari Korea Selatan

Korea Selatan (Rep. of Korea) adalah negeri yang dinamis. Negeri ini pun mempunyai tagline, Dynamic Korea. Tagline ini bukan hanya sekedar tagline tapi merupakan  representasi dari sejarah panjang negeri ini.

Mungkin tidak banyak yang di expose oleh media tanah air tentang kehidupan rakyat korea, kemujan, dan kebangkitan ekonominya. yang kita lihat adalah Korean Drama yang diputar nonstop di salah satu TV swasta, kalaupun bukan drama mungkin koleksi K-Pop video punya teman sejawat kita. namun, syah-syah saja selama itu membawa ketertarikan memahami budaya positif bangsa ini.

Jika dibandingkan dengan negera tetangga (Japan), Korea masih kalah pamor dinegeri kita. Tekecuali untuk masalah K-POP dan K-Drama. Kiblat pendidikan, ekonomi, dan Potret budaya “semangat dan kerja keras” masih didominasi oleh bangsa matahari terbit . Namun, bagi saya Korea mempunyai nilai tersendiri. elevator kemajuan bangsa ini cukup cepat dan dinamis.

Jika kita melihat sejarah,  Korea adalah salah satu jajahan japan. Korea merdeka pada bulan agusus 1945. sama dengan negara kita,  indonesia. setelah merdeka bukannya mereka dapat langsung hidup makmur. Sama seperti kita yang harus mengusir penjajah kembali, mereka harus merasakan Perang saudara. Semuanya hancur dalam perang tersebut.

Namun, apa yang kita lihat sekarang. Korea menjadi salah satu negara dengan perkembangan yang mencanangkan. Negara no.1 untuk Shipbuilding, Semiconductor, dan Teknologi layar. Banyak Brand ternama yang tidak asing di telinga kita seperti Samsung, LG, Hyunday, KIA, Daewoo, dll. Tidak hanya itu, Korea juga telah mampu menerbangkan satelitnya keluar angkasa.

 Secara pasti Korea juga menunjukkan tanduknya di bumi garuda, Join antara Krakatau Steel (perusahaan baja nasional) dan POSCO (perusahaan baja raksasa korea) merupakan salah satu buktinya. bagaimana sebuah perusahaan besar bisa tumbuh namun hampir 0% SDA di tempat beridirinya perusahaan itu. Retail Korea “Lotte Mart” berhasil mengakusisi jaringan retail “Makro” di Indonesia, dan berniat membangun lebih banyak department store di Indonesia. Hampir tidak ada barang di rumah kita yang tidak ada tulisan di produk tersebut “Made in Korea”.

Mungkin semuanya juga sudah tahu bahwa inti dari semua kemajuan yang dicapai adalah kerja keras. Korea telah berhasil mentransformasi dirinya dari salah satu negara miskin di dunia pada tahun awal 60-am menjadi negara yang cukup di perhitungkan di mata Dunia. Nilai- Nilai luhur bangsanya telah berhasil dipadukan untuk kemajuan negerinya tanpa menghilangkan nilai-nilai luhur dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Budaya menghormati yang lebih tua, budaya antri, budaya bersih, dan disiplin adalah nafas dari Budaya Korea. Di Kota Seoul, Sebagai ibu kota negera ini dengan arus modernisasi yang begitu kuat, nilai luhur budaya masih jelas di pelupuk mata. Bagaiman dengan bangsa kita?? Jakarta???

Saksikan melihat tayangan video berikut ini :

2nd month at SNU

Hampir dua bulan saya tinggal di Kampus Seoul National University, namun belum banyak kisah yang saya tulis di blog ini.  Bulan ini adalah oktober dimana daun-daun mulai berwarna dengan indahnya. ya, semuanya siap untuk Autumn. Di tengah suasana autumn yang indah ini saya harus berjuang untuk midterm exam. 3 midterm exam : Introduction to Catalysis, Geothermal Energy, and Introduction to Industrial Eng.

Bagi saya ini adalah Autumn yang indah, dimana banyak Festival di Kota Seoul dengan tajuk Hi.Seoul!! Seoul of Asia.  dan tentunya lingkungan kampus yang nyaman dan Indah. kampus SNU terletak tepat di kaki Gunung Gwanak sebuah gunung (lebih tekatnya disebut bukit yang  tinggi) di wilayah seoul selatan. jadi, dengan mudahnya saya dapat mengamati banyaknya pohon-pohon yang menyambut musim gugur.

Sebagai anak Exchange tidak banyak study yang saya pelajari , hanya 3 Mata Kuliah dan Kelas bahasa Korea di Lembaga bahasa korea milik SNU.  3 mata kuliah itu mempunyai sejarah panjang kenapa saya memutuskan untuk mengambilnya, mungkin di lain kesempatan saya akan tulis di blog ini. untuk bahasa korea cukup menarik dengan beberapa teman di kelassaya, setidaknya saya bisa membaca hangeul (korean alphabet)  walaupun sering salah dan tidak teliti, sampai-sampai saya tersasar dalam Bus. i hope i can write this story..

Terinspirasi dari kisah “9 Summers and 10 Autumns” saya juga ingin mendapatkan pengalaman tersebut. Setidaknya sekarang saya telah menjalani 1 Summer dan 1 Autumn di Kota Seoul, dan berharap melengkapi sisanya di Bumi Allah yang lain. (amin)