A Different Kind of Holiday

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-->Published in ASK Anggi column, Speak # June # 2013

Yogi is busy cutting down  a tree. It’s  taking him lots of time to cut the trunk and the branches, and he doesn’t know why. Stepping back to figure it out, he realizes that the chainsaw has gone blunt because of overuse. An old man who passing by stops and tells the young worker to take some time out to sharpen the chainsaw.

“I don’t have time to take a break old man!” says Yogi. Can’t you see that I’m busy cutting this tree?” The old man just smiles. “If you take few minutes to sharpen your tool,  you will be able to cut down that tree a lot faster.”

Peace Festival 2013 : Let's Celebrate Diversity

Thanks to Nunu Nuramanah,  I had a wonderful time last Saturday, Juni 15, 2013. Along with FOSCA (especially with GN team, Grosteen Neasta - FOSCA Jakarta Timur) I attended the "Peace Festival 2013 - Let's

Celebrate Diversity" at Singapore International School,  Jakarta. The event was intended for teenagers who want to know more about what bullying really is and how we can stop it.
Bullying is something unwanted; aggressive behavior among school children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors,
attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

There are many other types of aggressive behavior that don’t fit the definition of bullying.
This does not mean that they are any less serious or require less attention than bullying.

So glad I could meet personally with many inspirational persons, especially Inayah, the youngest daughter of Abudrrahman Wahid, the Wahid Institute's founding father as well as the the 4th President of Republic Indonesia.

At the closing sesion, all participants made handprints in a 3x4-meter banner to spread the promise of stop bulying and create Peace start from  ourselves!

Meaningful Trip

Still on a jet-leg, and dunno what to do, I decided to update my blog.

Lot to say, though. About the flight from Jakarta to Geneva that took 18 hours (and vice versa). About elegant mosques in Turkey, historical places in Germany,

beautiful gardens in Austria, and of course about the UN Conference followed by a field trip in Switzerland. In fact, it was the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction hosted by UN-ISDR that granted me a session to deliver a presentation on the IGNITE Stage.

Feeling Under the Weather

(Published in  ASK Anggi column,  Speak!     # 11 # May 2013)

Have you ever been so sick that you developed a nasty sore  throat, unbearable  headache and runny nose all at once? If that nauseating feeling sounds familiar, know that you’re not alone. This unpredictable weather has resulted in many people coming down with the flu, including yours truly.

In the past couple of weeks, I have not been in the best of health. While the doctor said that I needed more rest, my nosy personality made me determined to find out more about this common illness and how to best deal with it.

The Power of Speaking up

(Published in  ASK Anggi column,  Speak! # 10 # Januari 2013)

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April 21, known as”Hari Kartini”, is a special day in this nation. It is observed as the anniversary of the birth Raden Ajeng Kartini in Jepara, Central Java, 134 years ago.

From an intellectual, aristocratic family, Kartini herself showed an interest in education from an early age. She went to school until she was 12, when she “schedule” at home in preparation for marriage – a common practice among Javanese nobility.

But Kartini’s Dutch language skill and thirsts for knowledge led to her becoming pen friends with young Dutchwoman Rosa Abendanon. Through her correspondence, Kartini kept abreast of the emancipation movement in the West.

She also educated herself by reading cultural and scientific, magazines. Her knowledge fostered herd desire to improve the social condition of Indonesian women.

Kartini was ahead of her time. She recognized that women didn’t have the freedom, autonomy and legal status of their male counterparts, and that education was crucial to empower women.

A Super Duper Award Party

another great moment

The award ceremony to celebrate the 300th edition of Sonny & Zap was held at Patio, Central Park, West Jakarta on Saturday April 20, 2013.

My family (special coming from Karawang & Serang, West Java) and I really enjoyed the game, Fancy Dress Competition and the cake-cutting ceremony with The Jakarta Post editor-in-chief Meidyatama Suryodiningrat and along with Sonny & Zap community. It was fabulous. Especially because my previous article won another Muse Award, again.