Continuous Learning

I was thinking to write about one issue that out of personal life, like I used to do before. I want to write about Myanmar chairmanship for ASEAN, as it becomes the trend topic for us who especially concern about this issue. But unfortunately what I think and what I want don't compromise each other. I found it's very difficult to write about Myanmar this time.

Anyway, I have decided to choose Japan over New Zealand. To some extent New Zealand is too attractive to be missed. I imagined to spend time on the shore so often when I live in New Zealand as well as get another job while I am on my study. But that image has swiftly changed. Japan has won more points when I was on the consideration to choose between the two.

Nagoya will have me by the early of April. That time when sakura trees are flowering. I will start my class after one week of orientation. Until now, everything that related to my occupation and enrollment have been prepared well by the organizer in Japan.

Seeing my friends experience who got the chance to study overseas, I saw some people have some different objective when they take a degree outside the country. Some want to gain a better knowledge, some confess to get a  prestige, some think they will get a better job when they back to the home country, and some want to get more life experience. I appreciate that and of course I am part of them - the one who pursue a degree in overseas with some reasons.

But my desire to go outside the country, taking 2 years of master's is more - to get a life. Thing that I have found and learned during my occupation in Jakarta, especially in the last 3 years, and will be continue. Life to the fullest, not only for gaining the joy, but for the goodness of all.

My friend once asked me, where I am going to work after graduated from university later. I actually have no clue nor I have imagination about it. All I want is take my time in Japan, live it to the fullest. I want to study hard, gain more knowledge, travel, make more relationship with people, do aesthetic things, and do something for my 'body' goodness.

So let say I have make a bucket list for my 2 years in Japan. But actually this is not bucket list. I prefer to name it a continuous life learning. Many things that I will develop and improve in Japan, as the result of the things I learned and observed through the years before, in Jakarta or beyond.

So in my imagination NOW, what I am gonna do in Japan.

 1.  Studying still being the priority. I am taking International Cooperation Program and wish my knowledge can be useful for my future life.

As I am an ADB scholar and got a chance to back to school, I will study harder, being excellence in the class and gain broader knowledge. I will learn how to be excellent without feeling so excellent. I want to make good discussions, make a better paper work, increase the standard of writing paper, while on the other hand I will try to listen well what other say in every discussion, without judging, and try to know it as other human perspective. Achieving new lessons from others argumentation. I will also try not to feel exclusive, just because I am a scholar (oh man, this is really hot issue!).

2. Travel. The opportunity to travel more seems get closer. I am in Japan for 2 years, and I will have more time to travel. I will see many Japan's areas and sense it in my heart. I also plan to visit neighbor countries (Korea and China). I hope it's ok to eat the best bibimbab in Seoul and do meditation in the middle of great wall of China. Or seeing running horses in the morning when I open up the window in Mongolia. Moreover I have planned to celebrate Christmas and new year somewhere. I have thoughts to go to Europe in December 2014. I will save my money for this! I believe that travel would enable us to learn and see more about the life, open up our mind, and there's no regret in being closed with nature.

3. Dance. Dance lately become a booster to go to Japan soonest. I believe that dancing can make people happier, healthier, and releasing positive energy from the body. Moreover, Ruth St Denis said, "I see dance being used as a communication between body and soul, to express what is too deep to find for words".

I have contacted one of dancing school in Nagoya couple days ago, asking about Jazz dancing lesson. I was happy that they have a good program for non experience like me.  I will learn how to dance, how to sense and learn the expression.

4. Physical exercise. One thing that I regret during my days in Jakarta is the lack of exercise. I am swimming, but I am not doing it every week.

After a chronic gastritis that happen to me since a year ago, I have got difficulties in doing an exercise. It's not easy for me to run, or do other exercises except swimming. So I hope that I can start it in Japan. I want to run as much as I can every week, playing badminton or tennis every morning before starting the day, and swimming.

5. Make good relationship with people, have a lot friends. Most people call it building a network, but I am not. Build a network sometimes feels like make a friend with benefit. I don't know, but I am not too comfortable with it. I want to have more and more friends. I have a lot of friends in Jakarta and it's very exciting. I want to continue it. It sounds fine to have a good relationship with others, regardless they are cool or not, they are smart or not, they are hipster or introvert, or they are too young or too old. Build a relationship will help you to know yourself better. Come to them and be the bless for them, as I believe that some people coming to our life for some reasons, some come to learn and others come to teach.

I will let myself joining beer party when the time is right, as well as fulfilling somebody's request to accompany them to pray if they need me.

6. Take a 'bonus' of being a master's student: Being a presenter in the conference, student exchange to other University, getting a job in the university, and the most important: taking internship before graduation. Talking about internship, I will put my effort to intern in the place I like. I hope there will be a chance to intern in London, or NYC, or somewhere in Africa.

7. Fall in love. Share the love. Love what I know is the noble thing, soften the heart, make someone better, make me closed to God. I want to fall in love and always be in love, just like everyday.

8. Happy, Happy, Happy. No regret, no insecure. Happiness basically comes from our faith to the almighty God. So to get the real happiness we have to strengthen our faith to God first. I like Elizabeth Gilbert's statement about happiness: “You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight.”

Lately I like the  trending slang words: YOLO. People use YOLO (You Only Live Once), to indicate something like living in the moment or life to the fullest. I like YOLO! Be YOLO, people. YOU have a good good life to celebrate!

9. Kind, kinder, and kindest.  kindness is too deep to elaborate here. what I know is I want to be a forever kind people. Never see the kindness by performance or  outlook.  It can be lying. Be a sincere people is truly cooler than being someone who always look for fame. And of course kindness is closed to the happiness.

If I am allowed to put another quote or statement, I will take from George Saunders's statement when he brought a speech in one of the university in US:

"Do all the other things, the ambitious things – travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop) – but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial. That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality – your soul, if you will – is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly."

There are a lot of good things that people can take or do in their life. But still, kindness must play the most important role. 

As the finale of this writing, I want to share you with the beautiful prayer. The one that was written by a friend. I hope he never be objected if someday he looks his prayer is posted here, as this one is really move me.

I want God always present in my life. I wish I always be reminded when I almost lost, when my mind go to the wrong direction. I hope He also help me to find my way and help me to be a better person. Thank you God for blessing me everyday. I surrender every plan I made to you. 

In the name of God, the most merciful and compassionate…

Please protect me from myself first, then from other people.

Please protect me from my vindictiveness and the vindictiveness of others

Please endow me with faith, strong willingness, and temperance.

Please endow me with courage and compassion.

Please endow me with the ability to be positive

Please endow me with the ability to make wise decisions

So I could weather out all your tests and rigors in life

So I could learn not to hate when I feel pain

So I could learn not to prejudge others

So I could be responsible for myself

So I could let my loved ones to not worry over me

So I could be responsible for others when they are in need

Dear God, I am not perfect, nor are any of your mortal creations

Give me humility, so I am never too arrogant to not hear advice

Give me pride, so I am never too unconfident to share my knowledge

Give me knowledge so I can see through superficiality

Give me wisdom so I am never jealous and always happy in rich and poor

Give me all these so I can learn

I want to learn to listen

I want to learn to know

I want to learn to be a gentleman

I want to learn to be gentle and patient

I want to learn to know when to be firm

I want to learn to know when to keep distance and when to be friendly

I want to learn to be serious but to not take myself too seriously

I want to learn to remember everybody’s names

I want to learn to remember compliments

I want to learn to forget the insults

I want to learn to live

I want to learn to love and not to hate

And lastly, I want to learn so that eventually I would die in your grace

Amen