Press B Again Press B Again I Dare You I Double Dare You Motherfucker Press B One More Goddamn Time

This is such a long overdue post, but this Sunday is a beautiful summer afternoon and I've just come back from (possibly) the last place listed on my where-to-go list and I just can't find any other excuse not to pour my overwhelming feelings into writings.

Took this on a cruise along Charles River. Two of the city's most recognizable buildings: John Hancock tower and Prudential Center.

Boston.

Never in my wildest dreams I've ever thought of being an expat at this very young age of 25. And when everyone in my program is supposed to go to Atlanta, Boston was the least expected city to go to. I admit it didn't go very well in terms of the assignment itself, bumps here and there, but I couldn't be more thankful that out of so many cities and countries I could possibly go to, God just purposefully placed me in Boston, Massachusetts.

I took a picture at this very same spot of this very same scenery at the very same time of the year, 6 years ago.

For me, Boston has been a city of firsts. This is the first foreign city I stepped my feet into, back in 2011 (interestingly, it was also mid-February). The city where I first saw snow, my first exposure to international atmosphere, my first flight abroad, and the first time my heart broke so bad until I turned it into a sweet, personally-enriching revenge. And now my feelings can only grow deeper towards this city that has hosted me gracefully for the past 6 months.

I feel like God has pressed a "pause" button in my life from February to August 2017.

Second home

This is the period where I could really be me and focus all the attention to myself.

Boston Common on my first day of 18-hours fasting

I've had a lot of soul-searching and soul-crushing moments before, but these past 6 months have definitely awaken my long-lost spirit. Exploration. Child-like glee of venturing into the unknown. Thirst for knowledge. Appreciation. Self-awareness. Saying yes. Unafraid of uncertainty. Free to be me. Forgive myself for everything that I cannot be. Discovery. Redefining who I am and what I want. Ignore other people's expectations. Surrender into the darkness and lightness of time. Understanding my weaknesses. Allow myself to feel raw emotions. See the best in people. Excited, instead of being anxious, of what the future holds. Be grateful for all the blessings bestowed upon me. And lastly, telling myself that I am enough. That although I can be better,

I am good.

Here, at this very moment of time, I am as good as I can be.

From the top of Prudential Center, July 2017

Thank you, Boston.

I promised myself back in 2011 that I would see you again someday. It never crossed my mind that I would've returned so soon. Thank you for letting me learn from you a lot more. I wish I could share my happiness with the people I love the most next time. I've touched John Harvard's statue for the second time around now, and I hope you are as hopeful as I am that it will not be my last.

Goodbye for now.

Terima kasih, atas segalanya.

From my desk at Beacon Street in Back Bay,

Marsha Faradina

Sampai jumpa lagi!

2016 was a risky year. It was always in the verge of missteps and miscalculations, resulting in one of the most dynamic and unpredictable years that modern human beings have ever seen. True to the global trend, my 2016 was also very risky: it once again threw me out of the safe haven.

Today, at the edge of December, I want to reflect back on the huge risk I dared myself to plunge into, and how taking the road less traveled (literally and figuratively), has made all the difference.

Oh yes. It takes a bloody sharp knife to shape a diamond.

By the way, I always create an annual blog post, but I forgot to make one for 2015. I think more or less it's because 2015 was so flat. I lived my 2015 in an autopilot mode. Turns out that in crafting a career, you need something else that makes you feel fulfilled, even if you have a fantastic paycheck. I kinda had it at the back of my head, but I didn't dare to do anything about it…. until it was done to me.

Ironically, the suicide spot of a Chinese emperor in Jingshan Hill became a witness for a change of direction.

There, there… the dark shadow of Imperial Palace before my eyes. Here in this place I surrendered myself to the Hands of Fate, just like Emperor Chongzhen did when Beijing was invaded by the rebels.

In a sense, I actually took a calculated risk. A well-calculated one. It wasn't like the decision to give up everything for Netherlands 2 years ago. This time, it involved opinions from a wide range of people, which produced a sound judgement.

2016 witnessed the decision to leave my coveralls with a heavy heart.

I cherished everyone I met and life lessons learned. Field life changes someone, in one way or another. It taught me to be a better decision makers, to remain calm in high-pressure situation, to foster teamwork with blue collar workers, to prioritize safety, to be a leader in a man's world, to manage financial issues, and not to mess with integrity. It was a very enriching experience, one that can make you become much, much wiser.

And the friendships made are indispensable.

Last karaoke in Duri, with some of the people who made living in a jungle worth it

In the aftermath of this event, I started a new habit – meditation. I joined some yoga classes, and they always had this 5-10 minutes of sitting still. I didn't know whether I did it right, but there was this one particular session of 30 minutes meditation (I followed videos online) where I was totally absorbed. Then I heard my own inner voice saying,

You are never a failure. You are never a failure.

It touched me so deep until I burst into tears.

From that day on, I revamped my CV, and had this one strong prayer: to be guided into one, only one, right path. I began to question what I would do if I weren't afraid; what I would choose if I only had myself to satisfy. I had secured some offers that I was still reluctant to accept, but learning from past confusions, I wasn't good at being given choices. I'd rather being given a choice by God, rather than deciding for myself. Alhamdulillah, Allah heard my prayers.

The start of my GE careers!

There are so many things that you will feel once you're in the track of being a corporate worker. Sometimes things are tough at the office. Sometimes you wonder what it feels like to work in another company. Sometimes you think the work load is too intense. Sometimes you think it's better if you work somewhere which gives you much more compensation and benefit.

But now, in my 3^rd job out of college, having been in worse situation makes it difficult for me to just give up whenever the work load gets tough. At least I'm not alone here in this position, unlike my 1^st job. I don't measure work satisfaction based on money as the sole criteria anymore, because I've been in a situation where I can get money easily with half the effort, and still feel like there's something missing. I also realize that I LOVE international atmosphere, even with late night (or early morning) conference calls. Plus, I enjoy business trips. :p I think all these lessons extracted from my previous job experiences contribute a lot in making me a happier person, professionally.

Power CLP Class of 2017 and 2018. There are 26 people from all over the world in Class of 2018, and I'm the only Indonesian. In a sense… I have to be a great performer because I don't want to embarrass my country 🙂

2016 was also a year packed with travel times, be it for business or for pleasure. I'm so thankful to be able to step my feet in so many cities this year: Kuala Lumpur, Xi'an, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Seminyak + Ubud (Bali), Dubai, Budapest, Seoul, Surabaya, Sabang, and Banda Aceh. I love the stories through the air, friendships made, bucket lists checked, local food tasted, and that feeling of being a tiny-tiny-tiny dot in this huge universe whenever I travel somewhere I've never been before. I will let these pictures do the talk 😀

Kuala Lumpur. Not the real Petronas Twin Towers… but you get the idea 😉

Checking one item off my bucket list. GREAT WALL OF CHINA!

Science-themed bridal shower for our bride to be -Rea- in Seminyak, Bali

Dubai with my lovely family in UAE

Budapest, Hungary… felt like a dream. My first time ever of going to Europe.

Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. I intended to visit Korea next year (another Twins trip), but who knows I had a chance to visit it this year. Alhamdulillah.

Finally, Sabang and Banda Aceh concluded my 2016 travel journal. Had so much fun with Chevron mates, and got a wake up call to strengthen my faith after learning from so many miracles occurred during 2004 Tsunami disaster.

My favorite trip? Tough question, but I think I'll pick China. It's my first backpacker-style trip, and being able to go to a country without any guide, where you literally have to figure everything out by yourself, is amazing. My twin brother is my best travel mate for sure, and I'm really looking forward to travel together with him somewhere in the near future!

The best travel partner of the year goes to… my twin brother!

The Love Department is the only underperforming part of 2016, which is understandable because you can never have it all at the same time 🙂 But it doesn't mean that this year hasn't brought much improvement: it is, after all, a year when I learned the important fact that I don't have to be sorry for who I am. There are always people who just don't want to be with you, and it's not because you are too much of a good thing. Likewise, I learned that empowerment is also about accepting the fact that you have to let go of someone, or something, who doesn't give you added value anymore. I am so depressed by being a single 24 years old girl, I am so longing to find someone to make me believe that not every man has the intention of hurting people they love, but I finally realize that my happiness is not dictated by someone else who fills a void in me. Allah knows that I will never love someone halfheartedly… that I need to be my whole self before I'm ready to live a life with someone who is destined for me. I'm too fragile – as I've always been – and perhaps having the time and space reserved for myself is the only way to restore the faith that is lost towards the opposite gender.

At the end of the day, 2016 is that one year where you're finally be able to see the big picture, look back through the rearview mirror and understand that everything happens for a reason… and everything that happened actually makes sense. Subhanallah.

2017 is already peeking through my Inbox *wink 😉 and I have high hopes that it will turn into an even more fantastic year for all of us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017!

It is one week before three years.

The last time I ever felt that deep, soothing, embarrassing, red feeling of non-quantifiable warmth seeping, like from afar, yet it inhumed every doubt I ever had in the past 548 days before. It was extremely delicate and light that seemed too perfect to be readily available by my very eyes. I thought that perhaps, the odds were finally in my favor… but what was ethereal, I learned, should be treated cautiously. If it was surreal, it was probably never real.

Of course it wouldn't end in an Eden filled with blooming flowers and colorful leaves. Of course it was doomed. Of course someone ate the forbidden fruit.

Of course I was wrong.

Grief that was carefully concealed, moved to the land of possibilities. The entire performance was imbued with sparkle and elan, until finally someone needed a fresh air to breath. To think. To realize that the malefic seed was gnawing every last drop of confidence that was seriously crafted.

You can put faces outside, soaked in a beautiful blue lagoon, sip the finest cocktails, enjoy the most luxurious box of chocolates. But the hollow, the cavity, that concave little hole of shit, is not to be treated with a drugstore receipt. A profound understanding of why and how it happened, the consequences, the possible treatment, the alternatives, are to be considered in a well, thoughtful manner.

You could be ruined beyond repair.

Until the point that what was once nifty piece of work seems to be dull and outdated. The idea is obsolete. The people are assholes. And everything associated with this beautiful grace is in no way more than cock-and-bull story. It was magical, it is still supposed to be magical, but your senses are telling you that it is all unreal.

Roots of bitterness clasp you hard enough to break your conviction. That at the end of the day, the world is nourishing human loneliness. Just what is the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all in the pilgrimage of soul-searching, tumbled across roses filled with thorns.

Someone will be at the end of this tunnel, waiting to restore the belief that is lost, to show another person that love and compassion are still alive, and very much relevant. Everyone else is enjoying this sweet delicacy — it is not a privilege.

It truly should not be a privilege. It's supposed to be a basic human right that is not too difficult to access.

Only wish for one thing: no more pyrrhic tales. Please. Make real-life halcyon days a reality.

Rest well, lovely souls. If I can, I will put you in my prayers. Good night.

Dua bulan lalu gue pergi ke China tanpa ikut tur, cuma berdua sama kakak. Awalnya sempet takut juga sih karena kata orang-orang, susah banget pergi sendiri ke China. Tulisannya cang cing cong ga jelas, makanannya haram, informasi ga lengkap, dll. Well, personally, dari semua negara yang udah gue kunjungin, China memang salah satu negara yang paling susah buat 'ditaklukkan' 😀 but seriously, bisa banget kok survive di sana. Yaa walaupun mungkin gak segampang Jepang tapi sebanding lah, kalo udah berhasil travelling sendiri ke China pasti jadi pede untuk jalan-jalan ke negara lain, hehehe.

Berikut beberapa tips yang gue pelajarin dari trip kemaren, siapa tau berguna buat yang mau travelling ke China 😉

1. Mau ngunjungin China bagian mana?

Bell Tower di Xi'an

Ini penting banget karena China itu LUAS yah bok! Gak mungkin lo dapet semuanya dalam sekali trip. For first timer sih gue sarankan untuk mengikuti rute gue: Xi'an –> Beijing –> Shanghai –> Hangzhou. Ini kota-kota yang "China banget", dapet wisata sejarah+budaya, wisata alam, dan wisata metropolitan, so I highly recommend it. Gue cukup puas 10 hari muterin 4 kota itu, walaupun jadwalnya agak padat karena pengen dapet semua places of interest 😛

Kota lain yang suka jadi tujuan biasanya Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Huangshan, Yunnan, Harbin, dan Tibet. Tapi ribet ngurus visa nya kalo Tibet.

2. Bikin visa China

Bikin visa China cukup gampang, bisa datang sendiri dan pesen Single Entry – Regular Application dengan biaya Rp 540.000 dan selesai sekitar 4-5 hari kerja. Persyaratannya monggo di-Google 😛 yang paling penting adalah:

• Itinerary (tanggal berapa kemana) harus dilampirkan
• Tiket pesawat udah dibeli dan PDFnya diprint
• Hotel udah dipesen, bukti reservasinya lampirin

Karena gue males ngurus bolak-balik Jakarta, akhirnya pake biro jasa. Worth it sih, gue bayar Rp 575.000 aja per visa di Dwidaya Tour Bandung. Selesainya sekitar 1 minggu.

Oiya visa China itu cuma buat Mainland China. Jadi lo gak bisa pake visa ini untuk ke Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, dan Tibet.

3. Hotel atau Hostel?

Gue pribadi lebih nyaranin tinggal di Hostel daripada Hotel. Kenapa? Simply karena orang China jarang banget bisa bahasa Inggris! Bahkan gue pernah baca suatu blog yang orangnya nginep di well-known chain hotel dan susah berkomunikasi sama resepsionisnya. Hostel di China biasanya memang lebih banyak dihuni sama foreigners, jadi resepsionisnya rata-rata anak muda yang bisa ngomong Inggris.

Dari review-review, kebanyakan hostel disini agak jorok, jadi gue kemaren takut nginep di Dorm Room. But the private rooms juga gak mahal kok, walaupun out of a backpacker's budget. Bagi 2 sama kakak, total pengeluaran gue untuk akomodasi nyaman selama 10 hari cuma 1.5 juta 😛

Private Room di Han Tang Inn, Xi'an

Hostel di China harganya berubah-ubah tergantung musim. Di peak season (April – Oktober), harganya bisa 2x lipat dari low season!

Semua hostel yang gue tempatin kemaren recommended (horeee!). Bersih, lokasinya sentral, <500 meter dari subway/halte bus, deket sama convenience store.

• Xi'an: Han Tang Inn Hostel –> favorit banget! Baca aja review TripAdvisornya
• Beijing: 161 Hotel –> ini bukan hostel sih sebenernya tapi entah kenapa masuk listing di situs pencarian hostel. Di sebelah hotel ada restoran halal lho.
• Shanghai: Mingtown Nanjing Road Youth Hostel
• Hangzhou: awalnya di West Lake Youth Hostel, tapi ternyata dia sudah tutup padahal lokasinya bagus banget deket Leifeng Pagoda 😦 akhirnya ke Mingtown Hangzhou International Youth Hostel

West Lake di Hangzhou

4. Transportasi

Kalo di Xi'an, cari hostel deket Bell Tower. Sumpah lo tinggal jalan kaki aja ke hampir semua major attraction. Cape sih, tapi biar kurus dan sehat 😛 dan ada naik bus dikit paling ke beberapa tempat. Di Beijing, sebisa mungkin cari yang deket Subway dan cari yang gampang transfer ke Line 1. Banyak naik bus juga. Di Shanghai, carilah yang dekat Nanjing Road/The Bund, itu tinggal jalan banget kemana-mana. Naah kalo di Hangzhou ini agak tricky. Berhubung major attractionnya adalah West Lake dan danau itu jauh dari pusat kota plus GEDE BANGET TOLOOONG, option yang paling memungkinkan adalah sepeda dan jalan kaki sampe gempor (hiks). Tunggu cerita gue tentang masing-masing kota ini di postingan2 selanjutnya! 😀

My twin brother and I at Terracotta Warrior

Transportasi di dalam kota

Ketika naik Subway, pastikan keluar dari Exit yang tepat supaya gak muter-muter. Bisa pake petunjuk Google Maps atau liat jalan yang deket tujuan kita di neon board.

Subway di China sangat ketat pengamanannya, selalu ada security scanner kayak di airport. Tapi bawa koper besar masih bisa kok, apalagi kalo tampang kita innocent, ga bakal ribet ditanya-tanya. Hehe. 😀

Kakak gue di dalam Subway Beijing

Untuk naik bus, tunggu di bus station terdekat dan cari nomor bus yang dituju di papan. Kalo ada bus datang, liat neon sign di depan, ada nomor busnya (misalnya 602). Biasanya gue cari dulu di Google Maps, hitung perhentian kita ada di perhentian ke berapa, lalu hitung sendiri waktu di dalem bus. Soalnya semua tulisannya ga bisa gue baca, dan loudspeaker nya juga bahasa Mandarin. Di tempat-tempat populer, kadang ada beberapa bus stop. Selalu cek nomor bus terlebih dahulu di papan petunjuk.

Transportasi antar kota

Dari satu kota ke kota lain, bisa naik pesawat (maskapai lokal) atau kereta. Surprisingly, harganya kadang gak jauh beda lho. Sama-sama mahal. Hiks :(.

Jenis-jenis kereta dan kelasnya bisa diliat di sini.

Stasiun kereta di China ini gedeee banget kayak airport. Security systemnya juga kayak airport, jadi gue sangat menyarankan untuk datang ke stasiun 2 jam sebelum keberangkatan. Karena banyak banget pemeriksaannya.

Stasiun kereta di Beijing yang gedenya kayak airport

Untuk menghemat biaya akomodasi, gue pake Soft Sleeper dari Xi'an –> Beijing dan Beijing –> Shanghai. Dari Xi'an itu gue dapet kereta T (kelas bisnis kali ya kalo di kita), jadi kasurnya agak keras. Kalo dari Beijing gue dapet kereta D, kasurnya empuk, lebih lebar dikit dan selimutnya fluffy~

5. Outfit + Cuaca

Jadi ternyata saudara-saudara, AccuWeather di hp itu tidak akurat! 😦 Gue pergi ke China akhir Maret. Waktu di Indonesia, si AccuWeather bilang Xi'an siang-siang 21 derajat Celcius. Ih gile kayak Bandung jaman baheula kan. Ternyata oh ternyata pas nyampe China, suhunya sekitar 12 derajat plus angin-angin setan yang bikin kakak gue langsung pilek 😦 untungnya pengalaman gue dengan winter mengatakan bahwa lebih baik overdressed daripada kedinginan, jadi gue udah bawa winter coat dan banyak sweater, which helped a lot! Selama masih winter/spring juga sering hujan, jadi bawalah payung.

Kalo di selatan (Shanghai / Hangzhou) lebih anget, pake jaket juga cukup

Gue sarankan liat AccuWeather dari PC biar lebih detail, bisa juga liat ini. Buat cewek, bisa liat ini dan ini untuk referensi outfit.

Kalo di utara (Xi'an, Beijing) lebih dingin, ini gue pake winter coat pun masih dingin :')

Pakailah sepatu dan baju yang nyaman. Trust me, it works. Karena……… (jreeeng)

6. Nyusun itinerary

Taman, istana, temple, museum, dan hampir semua tourist spot lainnya di China adalah SANGAT LUAAAASSSS. Capek, capek banget sumpah ngejalanin semuanya tuh bagaikan menjalani kehidupan ini *tsah. No kidding. Orang China ini setiap Dinasti nya pengen bikin bangunan yang remarkable, jadilah semua dibangun dengan megah.

Temple of Heaven – Beijing. Untuk mencapai tempat ini tuh harus ngelewatin taman gede dan jalan jauuuh….

Untuk muterin 1 tempat aja perlu waktu tidak kurang dari 2 jam, jadi buatlah itinerary dengan mempertimbangkan semua ini. Belom lagi kalo ribet cari pintu keluar, salah keluar subway, nyasar, dan udah keburu gelap jadi takut mau ngeeksplor. Huft.

7. Makanan

This is it! *nyam nyam*

Menurut gue, regardless of Muslim atau nggak, cari makan di China itu gak susah kok. Di Xi'an, salah satu top attractionnya adalah Muslim Quarter yang deket sama Drum Tower. Sepanjang jalan ini, semua makanannya halal. Beijing juga banyak makanan halal (ditandai dengan papan restoran yang warna ijo tua atau ada tulisan Arab nya).

Mie super asin di Muslim Quarter -__-

Tapiii kalo di Selatan (Shanghai dan Hangzhou), memang agak susah cari restoran halal. The best I could do adalah makan KFC/McDonalds/Yoshinoya, dan beli makanan pak yang dipanasin di microwave di convenience store (setelah dengan susah payah nanya pake isyarat tangan sama kasirnya apakah ini daging babi atau bukan….).

KFC di Nanjing Road, Shanghai. Jangan ngarepin ada menu nasi ya, hahaha

Dimsum udah hampir bisa dipastikan isinya daging babi, kecuali mungkin mantau yang manis dan ga ada isinya. Kalo typical Chinese food, kayak semacam sapi/ayam lada hitam, gue sih gak saklek ya, asal bukan babi gue makan-makan aja. Entah bumbunya atau minyaknya pake yang haram atau nggak 😦 Alternatif lain adalah pesen menu vegetarian, biasanya sih aman, tapi jarang ada option ini.

Sharing Chinese food sama strangers di Xi'an

8. Komunikasi

Poin terakhir dan yang paling penting adalah komunikasi. It didn't help that my brother and I looked A LOT like Chinese, jadi diajak ngomong Mandarin mulu, malah ditanya alamat di Shanghai dan diminta KTP China sama security di Xi'an 😦

Orang China itu jarang banget yang bisa bahasa Inggris. And I have to add, mereka tidak terlalu ramah. Bukan tipe yang bisa diminta fotoin di spot lucu, dan jalannya terlalu cepet untuk dihentikan dan ditanya arah.

Kalau lo cuma bisa ngomong Xie xie doang kayak gue, life will be tough. It will. Tapi bisa disiasati dengan cara:

• Selalu bawa tulisan alamat hostel dalam bahasa Mandarin. You'll never know kalo tetiba nyasar dan harus nanya arah pulang.
• Siapkan tulisan "Ayam", "Sapi", "Babi", "Udang", "Cumi", kalo nyari makan dan ragu itu babi atau bukan, tanya pake bahasa isyarat sambil nunjuk tulisan.
• Likewise, tulisan "Bus stop" dan "Subway" juga penting.
• Last but not least, inilah kertas ajaib penyelamat semesta alam:

Kertas ajaib! 😀

Internet Censorship

Ini poin super duper penting yang sering terlupakan. China mensensor hampir semua kebutuhan internet kita… yang without it we cannot live *lebay*. Wi-Fi hotel gak guna dah. Semua produk Google (Chrome, Maps, Gmail, Youtube, dll), WhatsApp, Line, Instagram, dan social media lainnya di-block. Katanya sih Path dan Yahoo bisa, tapi entah kalo sekarang di-block.

Berhubung gue gak se-petualang itu sampe bisa jalan-jalan tanpa Google Maps, gue mensiasatinya dengan cara langganan paket internet dari Indonesia. Gatau ya kalo operator lain, kemaren sih gue pake Telkomsel alhamdulillah lancar, gak ada sensor-sensoran. Mahal memang, selama 10 hari abis pulsa 700 ribu… tapi yah, gimana lagi? Daftar paketnya di *266# lalu ikutin aja petunjuknya. Pas di China, pilih operator China Unicom, koneksinya lebih stabil dan kenceng. KECUALI di Hangzhou. Itu gue udah putus asa karena semua operator sinyalnya E, dan hilang-hilang timbul. Sedih 😦 Kalo di 3 kota lain sih lancar jaya aman sentosa.

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Okee sekian tips jalan-jalan ke China dari gue. Intinya kalo ada kemauan pasti ada jalan, apalagi sekarang udah zaman canggih semua informasi ada di fingertips, asal rajin nyari aja.

Di postingan-postingan selanjutnya gue akan bahas itinerary masing-masing kota. Mudah-mudahan ga males bikinnya, haha 😀 See you!

It's my 16^th month of being single and I've just finished reading a novel titled "How To Be Single", so it's easy to imagine where I might have drawn the inspiration of this post from. But really, I think I've had these thoughts fleeting in my mind for a couple of months now, after I've recovered from all the bad dramas of a broken relationship and endless, sleepless nights where tears stained my pillows almost permanently every night.

After all the crazy break ups with the people I could picture a life with, you would think that I would go crazy and believe that all this hype of love and being loved is just a pure lie, or more accurately, a freaking bullshit.

Well, I did think about it that way.

But then I changed my mind.

So here are some of my thoughts on what I've learned from being single:

1. You are not entitled to have the obligation to live your life alone

A girl can dream. And one of her biggest dream is to have someone who loves her and who stays by her side in going through this whirlwind of life's mischief, together. Yes, it's cheesy. Yes, it takes a shamanic magic to make that come true – what with all the beautiful girls out there that our possible prince charming could choose – but it's a pathetic idea to live a life alone. REALLY. So even though my heart is broken, and my former man has flown away with his own choice to leave me, and my soul is writhing by picturing another possible failed dates, I promise myself that I will love again, and someone will love me back, again. How will that happen? I don't know. I guess it's time to believe in miracles.

2. How will that happen? Treat your love life as seriously as you would treat your professional life

Because things are simply getting a bit serious.

I think that at some points, it just dawns on you that you need to settle down. Especially in this Indonesian (or Asian) culture in general, it's hard to dodge the sad, earth-shattering fact that women are STILL treated differently when they are unmarried. No matter how successful you are in your career, no matter how financially stable, full of achievements, gorgeous looking, I-have-it-all you are, this sick society is still going to pity you. That's the word. But they don't do so to men, not as often and as intense.

(And they're going to suddenly do awkward things to hide their judgments when you tell them you're single, but your instinct works, thank you very much)

I don't want to be pitied for the rest of my life, so I at least have made a plan. When I've reached a point where my professional life is stable enough, which means I have a satisfying job with at least a clear career development plan for the next five years and it pays all my bills and my needs, I will hunt for a man. No kidding. Hunt for a man. I will be in charge of my own happiness and be a high achiever in my love life as well. I will improve my appearances, search everywhere, ask my friends to set me up on dates, enlarge my circle of acquaintances, do religious rituals, and I even think of online dating. I'm not pathetic, I'm just increasing the odds of getting married and having children and being free to soar high in my own professional life without "being feared by men who are attracted to you", and finally letting the society shut up. It's a goddamn free country and I'm allowed to make a personal project.

Well, not now, but not too far from now. Maybe in less than five years.

3. Even so, you still deserve someone who loves you back the way you want them to

That's why I find it odd that some of my girl friends are still in a relationship where they are constantly hurting. What's the point of being in a relationship where there is a constant need to explain yourself over and over again to someone who just don't understand? What I learned from all of my failed romances, if I can learn anything, is that communication is key. Be brave and tell them you're disappointed, angry, and unsatisfied. Explain the logic behind your statements. The wrong ones will shrug it off and tell that you've been overthinking it or you're being too pushy but if they really love you, they are going to compromise for the better. Especially if it's about fundamental concerns. If they aren't, you may be settling for less than what you deserve.

Don't expect men to understand or read between the lines. It never happens.

4. Do not, do not, take your partner for granted

When I was in a relationship, a partner's presence was appreciated, expected, and then taken for granted. But when I'm single, it's just I've been reminded of how convenient it was to have someone ready to hear all your stories, offer consolation and assurance that everything's gonna be okay, and simply be there to give emotional support. Sometimes, we've got so used to having someone spare their time, money, and energy to be with us. We complain about the inability to go to some fancy cafes, the long distance, the "very rare phone calls this week!", less gifts and romantic gestures. Finally, when your partner has flown away to spend 2 days with you, thousand of kilometers away from their workplace, and you complain about not being able to spend the whole week of his days off together, think again.

Think of how sometimes, your partner is underappreciated. When you're single, this is something you're going to miss.

Picture's taken from here

5. And finally, as they say, miracles happen every day

I recall that I could be in a relationship with a new, exciting guy, always at the time when I felt content with myself.

I have always been a desperate romantic, and my everyday state is being mildly desperate about my lousy love life. But there have been times when I got so desperate I even went on being depressed. Then I realized that no one, no one in this world would love me if I hadn't been able to love myself. So I did, and I am still trying to. Because people are drawn to somebody who is enjoying what life has to offer. Somebody who is happy, and has a positive outlook on life. Someone like this evokes a radiant, irresistible glow, and who doesn't want to be with someone like that?

I think I'm perfectly okay and qualified to meet the one. It's just that for now, I haven't been finished with my own life, and somehow that has created a barrier to let someone else's life mixes in with mine. Perhaps I need to let go of my fears, and my unhappiness, and my constant worry and negativity. Only then can I let someone get into this hidden shell.

Only then can I let myself find the love I've always dreamed of.

We don't always get what we want or how we want it.

Everybody tells us to think positively, to keep the hopes and dreams alive. Whenever we encounter any failure, we are told that there is a reason behind every unfortunate event. A better way ahead. A better life to live. A bigger plan than what we've had for ourselves. All the more reasons to keep moving forward.

Rarely in these occasions that we have the sad, hard truth shoved down our face. We naturally do not want to accept defeat. We are born to be brave warriors who bring home the news of victorious battles. It is even a challenge to, at times, not be impervious to losses and compromises. Because we are never born to be the losing ones, we are never born to accept the duality and double sides of a struggle.

But what if hopes and dreams are, in reality, the deadliest weapon of Pandora's Box?

There are sadness, grievance, inequality, unfairness, and cruelty everywhere we look. But all these things don't matter. Hopes and dreams can keep us alive. We succumb to this lovely idea that we are destined to be alright, and everything is taken care of beautifully at the end of the day. We need not to worry.

Bullshit.

I'd like to think that sometimes we have no other logical choice but to retreat and surrender. Sometimes it is just so.freaking.tiring to push through. And sometimes, it is best to acknowledge that yes, I am a failure. I am not as smart as I previously thought I was. That I am a grieving soul that need not to be pitied, and I am forever alone in my own journey of self-sacrificing. This is me, bare and vulnerable and acknowledging my loss, my heartache, my inability to cope with the vengeance that life offers, disguised as a deadly poison in a sparkling red crystal.

Sometimes it is best to understand that love, hopes, and dreams cannot hold a candle to overshadow pain.

It is indeed a pathetic and otherworldly idea. But as a human being, we cannot always live in this halo of positivity. We cannot fool ourselves into thinking that these evils can just be swept under the rug. Negativity is there to keep us grounded, to keep our expectations properly managed, and to show us that yes, this world is not at all kind and compassionate. In a sense, it helps us create sound decisions that are not affected by the promises of fake hopes.

In the end, one will always end up believing. No matter how many times their hearts had been broken, no matter how little of its pieces still left after being menacingly bruised, no matter how each scar irks with endless savagery, no matter how many lonely nights they have spent with tears of grievance.

One will always end up believing, that someday, this will be worth it all. That there will be no more sad story, but likewise no cotton candy of happy endings.

And that is where the story serves its justifications right.

You'll never stop loving someone.

Anyone who has carved their names in your heart can never stop being your someone special. There will always be something that reminds you of them. The particular way of how that person smiles. Their styles of writing. Their angles, habits, and behaviors. They change and morph over time, but there is always something that instantly piques your interest, whether or not they are the people you used to know.

Love is a powerful feeling.

So powerful until one dares to say that moving on is a myth. Or more precisely, there is no moving on from somebody. They live on in your life, more so in your memories. Affecting future decisions, emotional stability, and the way someone perceives the world around 'em. These particular people who have left our lives are the ones who leave their presence eternal — the ones who leave us with their everglow.

Let them go, you may.

Cherish the new people coming into your life. The ones who will stay and the ones who will leave. Time ticks and no one has got eternity for their sorrows at night. No one wants to dwell in the sea of torture for the rest of their lives.

But these people, though they might be gone,

The light that they left us will everglow.

"The light that you left me will everglow"

I got my first US Visa in December 2010, just two months before going to New York/Boston. I've since had this wild dream of going back to America before my visa expires in December 2015. Sadly, I haven't got that other chance… 😦 But just when I thought my visa would end up being a token of memory in my passport, I read about "Interview Waiver Program" for Indonesian citizen.

Basically this program is a "shortcut" to renew your visa. You just have to drop the required documents at your nearest RPX Drop-Off location, and wait until your new visa and your passport(s) are mailed back. You don't even need to come for an interview at the US Embassy! How convenient!! 😀

So, can everyone just renew their visas through this program?

Well, unfortunately not.

You're eligible for Interview Waiver Program if you:

1. Are an Indonesian passport holder
2. Have a full validity visa (a visa that can be used for 5 years), B1/B2, F, J, C, C1/D type visa that was issued on or after June 1, 2007
3. Are applying for the same type of visa as your previous one.
   For example, if you had F (Student) visa and now you want to apply for a B1/B2 (Business Travel), well, you can't do it through Interview Waiver Program.
4. Are >= 14 years old at the time your previous visa was issued
5. Have all the passports since your previous visa was issued.
   For example, if you got your visa in 2007 and your first passport expired in 2012, that means in 2015 you currently use your second passport to travel. These two passports have to be sent to get your new visa.
6. Have not been refused a US visa in the last 12 months
7. Have never stayed in the US for >6 months with B1/B2 visa
8. Have never been arrested or convicted for a crime

If you check YES to all those statements: CONGRATULATIONS! You can now start gathering the required documents.

Just like the regular US visa application process, you have to fill in the DS-160 form. Then you choose "Schedule Appointment" on the Embassy's appointment system.

Wait, I thought you said "no interviews"? Why do I have to schedule an appointment?

As you go through the process, there will be a series of questions (the 8 questions I posted above), and after you've answered all the questions, you will be given the option to renew your visa via Interview Waiver Program. However, if you wish to follow the regular application process, you can click further to schedule an interview appointment in Jakarta/Surabaya.

How much do I have to pay for this?

The fee is just the same with regular process — when I applied in October 2015, it was US$ 160, paid at the nearest Standard Chartered bank.

After you have paid the fee, bank will give you a receipt. Save this receipt. After that, you need to go to RPX Drop-Off Location to deliver your documents. I sent it through RPX Bandung, Jl. Sampurna no. 12, (022) 2031800. Jl. Sampurna is on the way to Hasan Sadikin General Hospital (dude, just Google it up! :P)

What documents do I need to send?

You can ask your parents/friends/relatives to send the documents. You don't need to come in person to RPX. I did ask my mom to bring our Kartu Keluarga, tho, as a precaution. These are the documents I sent:

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

1. DS-160 Confirmation Page
2. Current and prior passport containing your previous visa (I sent 2 passports of mine. Don't worry, they will be safe)
3. One photo size 5×5 cm taken within the last 6 months, adhered to US photo requirements (just go to the biggest photo service in your city, they most likely know what to do). Oh yeah, if you wear glasses, you don't have to take it off in the photo.
4. Dropbox confirmation letter –> you get this automatically after finishing DS-160 form
5. MRV or EFT Receipt –> from Standard Chartered bank

OPTIONAL, BUT I SENT IT ANYWAY:

1. A very rough travel plan to the US
2. Proof of income
   I sent a photocopy of an offer letter from my current company, stating my basic salary per month. You can also sent a "rekening koran" from your bank account. The most important thing is that the examiners know that you have sufficient fund on your own to go and stay in the US for <6 months.

What if I don't have any travel plan yet? I just want to renew my visa because it will expire soon.

It's okay. I don't have  a concrete plan either. I just made a 3-column table stating that I'd fly from Jakarta to New York on 1 June 2016, travel in New York on 2-12 June 2016, stay at ABCD Hotel in Upper East Side, and go back to Jakarta on 12 June 2016.

The exact dates? You bet. I haven't even bought any tickets 😀

Oh, I did enclose the contact details of my relative who lived and worked in US, tho. I don't know if this becomes any factor of consideration by the examiner.

So that's all you need to do!

You send all the documents, and wait for a new visa to arrive at the convenience of your home! 😀

Hope this helps anyone searching for the easy way to renew US Visa. Don't hesitate to ask me in the comments section below — I'd be happy to help!

References:

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/id/id-niv-b1b2iwp.asp

http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/visa/iwp.html

http://rpx.co.id/id/your-assistant/rpx-locator/

When you search the internet, the name 'Marsha' commonly means brave. A brave warrior, derived from the name of Roman's god of war, Mars. Aside from that, when you type Marsha in Urban Dictionary, a description appears:

Nice description.

I've been told by friends and families that I'm an almost perfect girl. People are easily drawn to me, and it's uncommon for me to be told that I am "every good and bad thing mixed in the right proportion". Along with my name, as far as I remember, I've always been a brave warrior. I was that smart girl who voiced her opinion out loud in elementary school, always a teacher's favorite. Head of study groups. Ran for head of student government in middle school. A usual first rank in high school. A national best speaker. Blazingly left a trail of achievements in university. Left the university with a coveted prize.

The brave warrior.

Like a microbial growth curve, my bravery slips down after a stationary phase. When I entered university, I was still a hard-logic gal with very high spirit of achieving, and ambition as my fuel. It started slipping down the curve when I entered ChemE. The first time ever for me to develop doubts on myself. But it was compensated. Boy, how it was compensated. No-brainer in reactors, but a Valedictorian nevertheless.

Looking back at those times, I'm missing the things left of my current life.

I'm now a clueless, loveless, aimless 23-year-old girl trying to build castles in the air. Leaving home, leaving behind a mark that's probably not going to last. Terrified of having a bitter ending, of realizing that dreams do not come true. And on top of that, I'm losing my dreams. I don't even know what to dream anymore. I don't even know what I'm searching for. I don't even know what to fight for.

My option A was lost, and I'm trying to kick the shit out of option B.

I have no direction in my career. No goals to pursue. No life to plan. I've lost my competitiveness, my type-A cells die slowly inside my non-functioning cerebrum. I'm living in an autopilot mode, going wherever the world wants me to go. Let them be my driver, my automatic system. I'm keeping myself warm and work to supply its electricity and its fuel and hoping that it would take me somewhere good. Boondoggling my own life until I can somehow make it. Or fake it till I make it.

I've been hurt, and it is universally accepted that it is not always easy to fix something broken.

The last closeness with a human soul left me detached. As if I am someone not worthy of being fought for, not good enough to spend a lifetime with. It makes my confidence corrode. My overflowing love, emotions, and gentle care I was always so ready to fill someone else with, retires to its own sanctuary, too afraid of going through the windy field, too afraid of mitigating yet another risk, longing for a key to unlock its tightly protected fortress.

Here I am, living my life in a complete emptiness, losing my drive.

I am still that almost perfect girl. A mix of every good and bad thing in the right proportion. Somewhere inside me I still keep that brave warrior mummified inside her battle suit. The only thing that's changed is having a black hole that sucks all my glows.

And I've been doing nothing about this disastrous event, silently waiting for the magic of new beginnings, half realizing that I'm not going anywhere with these frozen feet.

God, help me.

Hujan sore ini, hujan yang sederhana.

Tanpa basi-basi dan check in di tempat-tempatfancy.Tanpa kepalsuan foto hasilcropping.Tanpa tagar yang disematkan berlebihan. Tanpa buah-buah mahal pelengkap diet sehat.

Hujan sore ini, cukup deras untuk mengusir udara kotor, cukup singkat supaya aktivitas bisa dijalankan.

Hujan yang pas. Langit yang mendung, sedikit semburat kekuningan, perlahan tenggelam digantikan kelam.

Hujan yang ditemani hangatnyahomemade brownies sebagai penawar hati yang kelu.

Hati yang diam-diam berdo'a, supaya tidak hanya hujan saja yang bisa sederhana.

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Source: https://marshafaradina.wordpress.com/page/2/