We Are Indonesian Youth

Thursday, October 28, 2010 Posted by Jyestha Bashsha

There's a story about a man who never stopped commenting on government. A man of rebellion. A man of revolution. A man who lighted a candle in the dark. A man who brought changes for people. A man who never stopped criticizing on government.

Then, I reckon a government was born to tell people about the right to speak, about the possibility of revolution, about the time to be as one. A government invites people to produce thoughts.

28's youth could really use their right to speak, their chance to declare something that they believed in. They used their time to unite RI. They could use the opportunities arose from the politics condition in 1928 and were very thorough & keen in understanding it.

“A person who cares is a person who gets.”

Guys, it's simply because they cared to Republic of Indonesia (RI). It's because they concerned and were willing to unite Indonesia. They gathered and spoke in the name of Indonesia. Their concern opened their mind to see that the government needed them, that the government gave them a chance to unite Indonesia.

Government has its latent-respective functions that we all can see it, as what I've said before - it was born to tell people about the right to speak, about the possibility of revolution, about the time to be as one. If we care, we can make Indonesia better.

We don't have other pledge nowadays than Youth Pledge (Sumpah Pemuda). Let's start to commit to the pledge & care to the nation. We are Indonesian youth!

Labels: | 0 comments

Titled Australia

Thursday, September 16, 2010 Posted by Jyestha Bashsha

It's been 4 months since I came back here from Australia for a short student exchange program (thanks, Tom! dreams do come true!). So many things happened before I could really fly to Gold Coast, so many lessons too I got from them. All you need is just keep faith and go ahead.

Ten days in Australia - three days in Sydney and a week in Queensland. Stayed with a home stay family, had 5 days school at Park Ridge State High
School, and walked around. Such a beautiful week!


Welcoming tea

Park Ridge promotion at Yugumbri Primary School


I was a bit afraid first because, you know, it's not the common community I've been before, but everything was so okay. We also wore our traditional custom clothes there. Don't ask, yes, the students once glanced at us but then they kept staring at us. Followed math, chemistry, geography, bahasa class as well. If we have English immersion program in Central Java, they have Indonesian immersion program there in Brisbane.

Never miss a chance to watch movie! Watched Robin Hood in theater with Manwaring family a night before I fly to Sydney, tried Red Chicken since my home stay family pretty didn't like it. Red Chicken was nice!

Caught Sydney in one and half an hour from Brisbane. Seven of us plus Miss Apituley. Sydney was great and not as cold as Brisbane at that time so we really had fun. Cold was a prior problem when I was there as I went there on the end of May, once had sinusitis - so torturing!


St. Marry Cathedral

Sydney Reptile House

Sydney Harbour Brige under


So bad we left Avatar on iMax. We've had to go back to Brisbane at that day, and we simply left Avatar. Don't blame on me, I deeply crazily truly regret it. Bought some gifts for family and teachers. Then packing (again), couldn't handle this thing. And I accidentally ate pork on Qantas flight back to Brisbane anyway. It's pure an accident.

Brisbane! Looked back to the schedule again. Few activities left until the farewell dinner. Attended BBQ party as it's an annual immersion program. Went down to Gold Coast: dropped by to Currumbin Sanctuary, fed kangaroos, birds, and met Aborigin. Then had a BBQ party & bonfire on Fergus' house - he's the students and senior captain at once!


bamboo dancing - immersion program BBQ party

Currumbin Sanctuary, Gold Coast


My home stay family is the coolest! Hanged out at much, chewed lollies, played AFL and touch the ball, what else? Euphoria! Madeline and Stephani walked around with me everywhere, they're twin! Cool, ain't they? They both are such sporty girl. AFL girl players, runner, etc. I stayed in Madeline's room and it's full of trophies, yeah, pretty much kewl.

My favorite time spent with my home stay family is went down to Gold Coast - apparently Gold Coast is my favorite place. Rode AquaDuck; looked around Gold Coast coast, gave a try to Sling Shot in Adrenalin Park, had steak for dinner, and bought some gifts. They give me a lot, indeed!


Me and Madeline on Sling Shot!


You gotta give a try to Sling Shot, it's extremely thrilling! You are about to be catapulted vertically at over 160 kilometers per hour, whoohoo! Feel how it feels when you're dying, ha ha.

Sadly I didn't take so much pictures there, I used my friends' cameras and it's profoundly bad. Sydney, Gold Coast, billionaire things to be captured, don't ever leave your camera. Wish I can be there soon, bringing my own camera. Other pictures may come soon. Happy ied anyway!

Labels: , , | 2 comments

#Indonesia65

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 Posted by Jyestha Bashsha

Beberapa bulan yang lalu, tepatnya bulan Mei, aku dan beberapa temanku menyempatkan diri untuk berpartisipasi dalam program pertukaran pelajar ke Australia. Perjalanannya cukup singkat, hanya 12 hari, tapi yang kami dapatkan bisa dikenang 12 tahun ke depan, bahkan lebih.

Pertama kalinya aku merasakan benar-benar bangga menjadi bagian dari Bangsa Indonesia dengan segala hal yang dimilikinya.

Pertama kalinya aku tergetar menyanyikan lagu Indonesia Raya, benar-benar tergetar.

Berada di Australia meyadarkan aku betapa kurang ajar-nya aku sebagai rakyat yang lahir dan tinggal di Indonesia selama 16 tahun (pada waktu itu) tanpa menyadari bahwa Negaraku, Bangsaku, dan Tanah Airku adalah Indonesia yang luar biasa.

Aku mencoba belajar dan memahami Indonesia, tidak secara keseluruhan memang, tapi aku terus mencoba mengenali Negaraku. Kondisi politiknya, kebudayaannya, kekayaan alamnya, karakter & mental masyarakatnya, dan beberapa hal yang serabutan aku pelajari.

Semakin banyak hal yang aku dapat, semakin aku merasa memiliki Indonesia. Memang lebih sering merasa kecewa dengan hal-hal negatif yang terjadi di Indonesia, tapi diam dan malah berpaling bukanlah jalan untuk menghilangkan kekecewaan yang aku rasakan.

Coba sejenak kita meninggalkan segala keburukan Negara ini, meninggalkan sejenak apa yang masih belum selesai dan harus diselesaikan, menghilangkan sejenak rasa kecewa pada diri kita terhadap negara ini. Menikmati 65 tahun kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia, menghayati, dan memahami wujud 65 tahun negara ini.

Menikmati, menghayati dan memahami secara dewasa akan mengarahkan kita pada refleksi kemerdekaan yang sebenarnya. Mengantarkan kita untuk berintrospeksi dan sadar akan kekurangan kita terhadap negara ini. Siapa yang mengarahkan kita? Siapa yang mengantarkan kita? Diri kita sendiri dan nasionalisme.

Kita bukan bangsa yang apatis. Kita bukan bangsa yang skeptis. Kita bukan bangsa yang pesimistis.

Kita adalah bangsa yang optimistis. Kita adalah bangsa yang peduli. Kita adalah bangsa yang percaya akan perubahan. Kita adalah bangsa yang menghadirkan perubahan.

Kita bukanlah bangsa yang primitif. Sosial media bukan lagi hal yang bisa dianggap remeh. Perubahan bisa lahir dari situ. Bibit Candra, misalnya? Prita? Mari berperan dalam pembangunan negara, dalam perbaikan negara, dalam menciptakan perubahan.

Jangan mengeluh tanpa beraksi. Bangun dan lakukan sesuatu. Banyak media yang tersedia bagi kita untuk ikut serta dalam membangun negara. Kita adalah generasi muda yang bertanggung jawab terhadap negara kita.

Dirgahayu Indonesiaku.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!



PS - Read me in English

Labels: | 4 comments

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)