Orang Asing di Taiwan disebut Alien, Nah lho...

Yap begitulah paling tidak sebutan kita di kartu tanda pengenal keluaran pemerintah Taiwan buat para penghuni Internasional, baik itu pelajar maupun pekerja. 

Setiap orang luar Taiwan yang datang ke negeri asal Bubble Milk Tea ini (Zhen Zhu Nai Cha) diwajibkan mengurus KTP versi Taiwan khusus untuk pelajar ataupun pekerja yang menetap lebih dari 6 bulan di sana. Kartu ini sebutannya ARC atau Alien Residence Card awalnya aku dapat kartu ini ketawa sendiri, ajegile nih negara, kita-kita disebut alien, dikira Keroro Gunsho kali yak! haha Buat yang penasaran gimana bentuk ARC, begini ini nih:

setelah di edit beneran kayak alien gw (-.-")

Trus buat kamu yang mau datang ke Taiwan dan mau ngurus ARC terutama buat pelajar, caranya gampang aja, kamu cuma perlu siapkan beberapa hal sebelum datang ke kantor imigrasi mereka:

1. Isi application form 

2. Pas photo warna ukuran 2 x 2 inch (sumpah kamu kudu poto paling manis disini, soalnya 

    kartu  ARC ku versi sebelumnya, ada poto gagal ku yg dikenang sama satu jurusan 

    sampe saat ini*memori gelap

3. Pasport asli dan copy an

4. Residence

5. Tanda kamu diterima masuk perguruan tinggi alias LoA (Letter of Acceptance)

6. Sertifikat akomodasi dari universitas (biasanya dibantu urus sama petugas kampus)

7. Biaya NTD 1000 untuk 1 tahun

Pastikan kamu mengurus kartu ARC ini dalam kurun waktu 15 hari setelah kedatanganmu ke Taiwan, jangan sampe kena denda nanti harus bayar NTD 2000 - NTD 15000 (di kali aja dengan Rp 400,-  per 1 NTD).

Nanti di OIA (Office of International Affair) masing-masing kampus pasti ada kasih kamu kertas yang satu ini buat ngurus ARC, isinya kira2 kayak yg aku tulis diatas juga deh.

Okay deh sekian kira-kira penjelasan tentang alien nya semoga bermanfaat dah. See you again 

Greenship Assosiate Training Bikin Kangen Taiwan

Kenapa bisa begitu?

Karena waktu aku ngambil S2 di sana thesisku ada hubungannya dengan Green Building atau istilah beken di Indonesianya Bangunan Hijau. Hijau disini bukan berarti gedungnya warna hijau yak, tapi bangunan yang dibangun dengan konsep ramah lingkungan dari mulai material hingga metode yang digunakan sejak persiapan hingga selesai sebuah proyek bangunan. Ibaratnya makin hijau gedung yang kamu bangun, artinya kamu makin beken and cakep deh (maksa :p)

kondisi ruangan kelas GA

Nah kenapa bisa tiba-tiba aku ikut training hijau ini? karena dibayarin ma kantor dunks..hahahahah kalo gk, mana sanggup bayar pendaftaran nya men! Jadi ceritanya aku sama bos ku ikut kegiatan ini yang diadakan oleh Green Building Council Indonesia di Jakarta pada 27-28 Maret 2015 lalu (Alhamdulillah aku diajak ma pak bos! makasi ya bos yang baek hati dan pintar menabung hehe). GBCI ini adalah lembaga yang tergabung dari beberapa orang yang berasal dari konsultan atau kontraktor besar di Indonesia juga merupakan lembaga yang mengeluarkan sertifikat Greenship sebuah bangunan. Mungkin kamu pernah dengar LEED punyanya Amerika, BREEAM nya Inggris? nah alhamdulillah Indonesia sekarang udah punya Greenship Indonesia yang juga menjadi rating toolsnya bangunan-bangunan yang ingin mendapat sertifikasi hijau.

Iya itu aku...bukan! bukan yg didepan yak!

Training ini buat menambah ilmu dan konsep pelaku konstruksi agar lebih peduli terhadap efek yang diakibatkan jika kita membangun tanpa memperhatikan atau mempedulikan tentang efeknya pada lingkungan sekitar kita. Trainingnya ada dua tingkatan, tingkat umum atau tingkat dasar namanya Green Associate Training sedangkan tingkat lebih emejingnya lagi itu namanya Greenship Professional.

1. Greenship Associate Training (GA)

Disini kamu diperkenalkan konsep hijau, fakta-fakta tentang pencemaran lingkungan yang terjadi di dunia selama ini yang tidak kamu sadari. Serta istilah-istilah hijau lainnya. Ibaratnya mereka kasih kamu materi dasar nya supaya kamu kenal dan tau. Ibaratnya tak kenal maka tak sayang, kalo kita gk kenal apa yang sedang kita hadapi sekarang, apa yg kita rusak. apa yg kita sia-sia kan dari bumi kita yang cuma satu-satunya di seluruh galaksi ini, maka kita bisa-bisa gk sayang sama si bumi ini dan akibatnya kita gk peduli dengan kehacuran bumi yang kita lakukan perlahan demi perlahan, trus ntar gimana dunk dengan anak cucu kita yang harus menanggung akibat dari ketidakpedulian kita?

Biaya pendaftarannya lumayan mahal, sekitar Rp 3.000.000,00 tapi kalo menurut aku sih worth it! Disini kamu akan mengikuti 2 hari training dari mulai pagi jam 8 sampe jam 6 sore dengan pemateri yang penuh dengan pengalaman dan ilmu yang luar biasa yg mereka sharing dan bagikan pada kita semua. Setelah training kamu dikasih waktu 1 minggu untuk membuat paper yang temanya bisa apa aja yang berhubungan dengan materi yang udah diberikan. Setelah kamu ikut training 2 hari full + submit paper nah kamu bisa dapet sertifikat GA dan kalo udah ada seritifkat ini, kamu bisa ikuti training lanjutannya yaitu GP.

2. Greenship Professional Training (GP)

Disini kamu akan di training secara intensif dan diberikan konsep lebih dalam seputar ilmu praktis yang bisa kamu terapkan langsung dilapangan. Nah namanya juga intensif, trainingnya bisa sampe malam dan kamu juga akan diberikan tugas besar (kalo istilah tekniknya Tugas Rancangan) dimana kamu akan di bagi dalam beberapa tim dan diberikan sebuah contoh kasus untuk membuat gedung tersebut mendapat sertifikasi Greenship Indonesia. Pokoknya kalau kamu bisa menyelesaikan tugas besarnya yang diberi waktu selama 3 bulan, kamu bisa dapat sertifikasi GP , nah kalau udah dapat sertifikasi ini  kamu bisa di hire dalam tim khusus GP oleh beberapa proyek yang membutuhkan sertifikasi hijau untuk gedungnya berdasarkan rekomendasi dari GBCI tentunya. Keren ya? ya iya dunks, bayarnya pendaftarannya juga keren, Rp 8.000.000,00 huahahahahahahaa (ketawa putus asa).

Pokoknya selama kegiatan ini, materi yang diberika merupakan materi-materi dasar yang harus aku pelajari dalam menyusun thesisku dulu, jadi banyak banget istilah-istilah hijau yang lumayan familiar di telingaku dan meurutku training ini jadi sebuah review dari ilmu yang sudah pernah aku dapatkan sebelumnya.

Tertarik untuk mengikuti trainingnya? langsung aja kunjungi website mereka disini. Kalau udah ikut training GP ntar bagi-bagi ceritanya ke aku yak !

Elegi TAWA

Tertawa lah secukupnya,jangan berlebihan

karena di akhir hari,kamu akan menangis sendirian

#sebuah kisah dan momen setahun lalu yang terulang kembali dan lagi lagi menjadi pengingat diri 

Enjoying Hot Spring Waterfall in Semolon, Malinau

March 19, 2015

 

Rare experience happened again when I had a chance to go to Malinau for one of my job here to assisted some people from Jakarta to survey about the flood happened here last January. This trip was unprepared and really sudden.

 

Malinau Regent Office

 

Ulin wood (with a real skull hanged on top) and Alligator Sculpture

Landmark of Malinau Regency

I went here for 3 days and I got a chance to visit Semolon just because the last day, my plane was postponed for 6 hours and the crew noticed me on 8 o'clock and I just could not imagine how I spent all day long in this city without being so bored. I decided to call the driver I knew here and asked him whether I can go to some exciting places near the city before I went back to Tanjung, and he gave me a good suggestion, "why don't we go to Semolon, miss? there is a hot spring and waterfall there, only 2 hours to go there, I can guarantee you to go back here without getting late for the flight schedule" he suggested, and I gave him a big YES. hahahaha. 

So there we went, although the mountain road very tortuous, and the road is still not paved but I enjoyed all of it because this is my first time to go there alone without my friend with me. It was really excited! I managed to see Dayak community (one of the tribes in Kalimantan who are still living in the jungle and mountains), they used to live in a cave but lately some tribe get a relocation houses because the last flood took many casualties of their kind. The driver said that every weekend, many people go to Semolon and will pass this teritorry, so at those times, all the Dayak tribe will wear their traditional clothes and dance in front of their house to get all the attention of the visitor.

 

find another Alligator which is owned by private property

you need to get permission to take a picture here, the owner was an ex-village thug

 Dayak relocation houses entrance area

 

the government even built school for Dayak children

standard houses for Dayak Tribe

Around 15 minutes from Dayak relocation houses, I finally arrived to the final destination, hot spring and waterfall, yeayy. The scenery can only be explained by pictures , I guess. So here they are:

 

 

we need to cross this bridge to get to the waterfall

 

 me and the driver

 

exciting me haha :p

 

I really happy and thankful to God that I can visit this place and enjoyed the warm water of the waterfall. I didn't go to the hot spring because it took 30 minutes more to walk up there and I am afraid I cannot catch up my flight. 

So if you guys have a chance to visit Malinau, you should try to visit this place. It is only 2 hours from the city compare to the other places which can take 6 to 8 hours. So why not try this destination, isn't it?

I am Big Big Girl in a Big Big Flood…. (using a lyric from Emily – Big Big World)

Today I would like to tell you my experience for a big flood happened last February at my new residence. Actually I already wrote it in advance exactly at the flood day but I only have the chance to upload this story now.

February, 10 2015

Woaa who knows that heavy rain these days ended up with being a big flood! It was only one month after I moved to my new residence to the youngest Indonesia’s province. I was just moving to my new boarding house a day ago, cleaned up and settle everything, but now look here! Aww man it was a big flood out there and water threaten to come in to the house. It was only in the yard in the morning, and then slow but sure the water began to rise to the front steps.  On the same day, I got text messages from my chief division to gather around the main office and formed 2 groups of people to measure the water level. Actually this is not my division but since we have lack of member here so all division need to help each other let alone it was emergency situation. Each division rode one double-cabin car (a ranger car) each carrying a measuring gauge, a GPS to mark territory, paper and stationery to record the measurement results. We took three points in every way (start, middle and end point).

I was a team with mas Ali, Afiq, Singgih, Suwito and Ms. Eka. After performing measurements on four roads, turns out the water began to increasingly high so it cannot be passed by cars. Finally we decided to walk for the sake of completing the rest of the measurement which was still a long way to finished.  Funny phenomenon that I noticed from this flooding along the way Tanjung was this society truly is excited at this flood event. They are busy playing and making flood water as if it was an extra large swimming pool and make this moment as a means of recreation and they went walks around the town to see flooding in various places. Though the water looks cloudy and dirty and just imagine all the water in the ditch were mixed in this flood but they seemed did not care about it and casually swim and enjoy their pool. 

Semangka Road, the highest flood level

According to some friends who come from this city, a city famous for its hornbills, previously they had experienced a major flood like this, probably about 10 years ago. Since in this small town, there are rare things that horrendous the city, so even for the flood moment they made it as a special event to be enjoyed. I could only shake my head only to realize  this phenomenon and think, Did they not realize that this is a disaster and must immediately evacuate? Well that’s a thing for a small city like this.

Finally after a sore foot, toe blisters (I wear sandals in the water, kind of regret about this) as well as experience itching due to unsanitary water, finally we finished the measurement and then headed to the main road (near the monument of peace) while waiting for a car shuttle to return to office (at that time the water on the main road is not as high as in other road).  In this activity we get the highest measurement is on Semangka Road with water elevation around 95 m height. Noted that that was only the first day and water was still  continue to increase up to 3 days ahead. 

After joining the other teams we were invited by the team leader, Mrs. Pelmi, to eat noodles, dumplings and meatballs, and all on her .. yesss I've just heard  free food and my spirit went up again hahahaha. After I got home, my feet sore already and feel really itchy, so I had to rush to get cleaned up and then afterwards packing all stuff (again) as a precaution in case of the increase of water level again. 

The 2 team regroup together after an exhausted walk

February 11, 2015

The second day of the flood and the water has risen to the top of the front steps, leaving only a distance of as high as 2 knuckles before inundating the patio as a whole. This day is still as usual, we did shoping and cooking. it was the most exciting shopping activities ever, because I finally have a chance to ride a Ketingting (a small sized water transportation modes) used by local people every day if you want to cross over to the next town, but this time the boat was used inside the city road because the water was high enough and only can be passed by this type of transportation. 

Originally, we intended to charge our gadges at one of my coworkers because earlier we heard from him that there is a backup electricity machine at his home and his house was not waterlogged yet. But unfortunately when we arrived there, turned out his house was almost the same condition with us and the machinery cannot be started because it was slightly submerged in water. As a result we went straight to the market and did the shopping. I took some photograph during the ride though hehe

 

 in front of my boarding house

After shopping and cooking activities, I just lie down at home because there was nothing else I could do, mobile signals was off and it was really hard to have communication and sending news to others. Water still increasing and at the dusk, heavy rain began pouring Tanjung city. I just can expect flooding to subside because this disaster reminds me of similar events in my hometown of Banda Aceh in the year 2000. Flood reached 3 meters high and I still remember how difficult it was to get clean water and food are only dependent on outside assistance channeled through Getek and Ketingting. Hopefully this flood will subside soon. Amen.

February 12, 2015

After heavy rain overnight, Thank God when I woke up this morning the water had receded. Water already passed its highest point overnight and began increasingly recede. But the problem today was clean water. We have a shortage of clean water, only use it  for primary purposes, just enough for BAB, BAK and ablution for 2 days only. But thank God the clean water began to flowed back again at 9 am and our home was filled with gratitude. We live again!!!!!!!!!


note:

I realize something after this disaster happened that whenever I come and live in some cities, I always experience the most tremendous disaster ever happen on earth (or at least in that city). 
I lived in Aceh and I experience flood (2000) and earthquake and tsunami (2004)
I lived in Taiwan and I know how it feels to have the biggest Typhoon on 2012
I live in Tanjung selor and I (again) experience the biggest flood ever happened there on 2015

What a life :P 

The Last Knot

My days in Taiwan as master student already over. I spent it as fully as I could. I even managed to go around Taiwan before going back to Indonesia thanks to my Taiwanese friend. Most of my to-do-list for 2 years in Taiwan already ticked or checked. But at that time, I still felt that I was in NCU, not going anywhere, feel like woke up in the afternoon, lined my friend and asked them out to have something to feed our hungry stomach and roaming on sidewalk beside our G14 dormitory to find a good canteen to eat. Even when I say goodbye to all my lab-mates, junior, senior, professor, I still can smile and say goodbye properly. I saw several of my friend even burst out the tears when saying goodbye, but then again I didn't feel like to do it. Because I feel that I am still here, I am still a part of NCU, like I am not going anywhere. 

Even after that I went back to Indonesia, I traveled to Bali, Malang and Lombok with my lab-mates, I still feel full of joy, enjoying everything, feeling like some travelers, together with my awesome partner-in-crime; Mommy, Kappa, Hongkong Girl, Minion and Local people. What the heck? you should confused about those weird name, shouldn't you? hahaha that was the nickname we got along the way of our journey in those 3 cities I mentioned before. I even managed to get one, Ursula (if maybe you don't know who she is, check Disney's movies 'Little Mermaid' then you should find which one this character is).

Starring:

 Mommy and Hongkong Girl

 Minion and Kappa

Local people and Ursula

Firstly, that empty feeling suddenly appear when the time to say goodbye to my Taiwanese friend is coming closer. That was the last 8 days we spent together, after we got back from Gilih trawangan, that they will be back to Taiwan. I remember I used my sunglasses and laughing together, but suddenly my tears are just coming out from nowhere. I was shocked! Why? And it can't be stopped, just bursting, thanks to my amazing sunglasses, nobody knows at that time. But still, although the tears already fell down, but my heart felt just ok, not in that sentimental way. But just ok, because I still can handle it.

Finally, We separated in Lombok International Airport, Indonesia. Their flight is to Denpasar-Hongkong-Taiwan. Me and minion were going to Jakarta. Mommy is staying at Lombok, coz that is her hometown. Tears began to struggle out on my eyes when Mommy say farewell as she hugged us with welling tears. But I managed to held back mine. The hardest part was when it's time to say goodbye to my Hongkong girl, Kappa and Local people. We were in the waiting room sit together, and when the time for us to boarded to each of our destination gate. Hongkong girl hug me and saying some cute thing , like " I will miss my pillow very much" (she can sleep soundly in a moving car when she laid her head to my arms since it was so big and comfy :3, so does Minions). The tears started to fell down. But once again, I really really tried to held it. Next is Kappa, I looked at his face and I know how sad he was and trying to held back the tears exactly as I did). I shook my hands with him and he tries to say goodbye while he put his hand on my shoulder while saying "Goodbye Ima", my tears almost slipped at that moment,but again, I handle it very well with my gesture. Quickly I change to Yuhan to shook my hand deeply to say my grateful for him that already helps me a lot during my life in Taiwan until now. And there they goes, come back to their life. That was when it hit me, this was the last time I could meet them directly. I wonder when we will get the chance to meet again.

I and Minion are ready to boarded on our plane. I can still saw three of my friends on the other gate waving their hands at us for the last time. That moment was the moment when the emptiness started to build inside me. That was the moment when I realized that my 3 lab-mates from Taiwan is the last knot of my life in Taiwan. They are the last pieces that binds me to the ups and downs there, they are the reason why I can still laugh and feel like a part of Taiwan's life. And now, that pieces are gone. The last knot already unraveled. It left me with sudden deep sadness. I can't explain it well, but suddenly my tears fell down on my cheek and I started to cry like a baby, I can see all the people at the queue staring at me even the stewardess, but I didn't care, I can't hold the tears anymore, it flows like a river. I was still crying until we sat down inside the plane and still went on even when the plane start to took off. Later on, Minion also cried because of my nonstop crying. 

Yes, Taiwan, I didn't know that you leave a deep impression and lot of memories in my heart. Let this time I express to you my gratitude as well as my farewell. Thank you for teaching me a lot of things about science, life, friendship, happiness, sadness, loneliness. Goodbye friends, goodbye part of my life, hopefully we can meet up and reminisce back someday in the future. 

But for now, it's time to say goodbye. 

Thank you and farewell Taiwan.

Unforgettable journey with my beloved friends

"Thanks for being such a lovely and funny companion during our travel days in Indonesia"

Lombok, August 11, 2014

Mugiwara Shop in Ximending District, Taiwan

Yes you need to visit this place for sure, but I warn you in advance, beware of your wallet health condition, ok? I already warn you, so next time don't blame me XD

What can I say? I was the first victim :( 

*pat pat my wallet

That is the shop! if you see that logo and you are on the right place. They sell lots of One Piece stuff that will make you dig your wallet deeper. Action figure is for sure one of a-must-sell item (although it's so expensive there, I prefer to buy it on Taipei Main Station though, so much cheaper there), they also have manga, card, pin, key holder, towel, bed cover, clothes, slippers, etc and human-size figure of Luffy, Chopper and Sanji! Yes! of course I took pictures :3 

 with my beloved Luffy! Ore wa naru!

 with Serious Sanji? :p

with cute Chopper XD

I buy some stuffs and met 2 people here, they are costumers like me but they asking me whether I am a big fan of One Piece (and of course I said yes! or else why should I come to this shop wasting my money like a speed of the wind mahahaha). I spent some time to talked with them in mix mandarin and english because the guy who really a fan of Ope Piece cannot speak english, so I start to mix all the words, amazingly, we understood each other #LOL. 

 Luffy puzzle

How to get here:
From Taipei main station head straight to Ximen station and use exit (I forgot what number) but the direction is to Ximending. Look for a Movie Theater there and the Mugiwara shop is a cross that building.