This blog will be undergoing maintenance work for 1 month because the owner will be traveling all the time, haha.

Just for a preview for my lovely readers.

21-23 May - Netherlands - Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Delft
23-25 May - Belgium - Antwerp, Ghent, Brugges, Brussels
27-31 May - Italy - Rome, Florence (and maybe Pompei and Pisa too), Venice
31 May-1 June - Austria - Salzburg
1-6 June - Germany - Munchen, Wittenburg (the start of reformation from Luther), Berlin
6-7 June - Austria - Vienna
7-8 June - Poland - Krakow
8-10 June - Czech - Praque
10-16 June - UK (England and Scotland only) - London, Oxford, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow

16-18 June - France - Paris (back home, stay at Rudi´s lovely place)
18 June - Qatar - Doha (transit for few hours)
19 June - Singpapore - arriving at 3 PM local time at Terminal 3 Changi Airport by QR638, in case you want to pick me up
22 June - Indonesia - Jakarta - finally back at home after about 5 weeks of traveling. 11 AM ValueAir Flight from Singapore

for the whole summer, I´ll bring all of you through the stories of my eurotrip journey, meanwhile let me do the trip first, haha. I´ll keep you all updated if I have anything urgent coming up in the next one month.

This post is being written in my friend´s house in Ghent, Belgium. I met him through Couchsurfing, a website that can change the world, at least some people´s world.

Au revoir.

It's the final one week I'm in HEC Paris now. I'm really busy with everything but to keep my reader occupied, I have this interesting article below. I'm sorry that it's in Bahasa Indonesia but you can use the below part to know the translation. CAUTION, I didn't have time to check the translation because it's being done by Google Translate, hehe. If you know Bahasa better, it's better to read the Bahasa version. You can click on the title to get the original article.

Indonesia Negara Paling Tersenyum

LONDON,KOMPAS.com-Beberapa media massa Swedia selama beberapa pekan terakhir ini menuliskan laporannya bahwa Indonesia berada di tingkat pertama dalam urutan negara dengan masyarakatnya tersenyum paling tinggi di dunia dibandingkan dengan negara lainnya.

Mengutip laporan The Smiling Report 2009 yang dilakukan salah satu Provider Misteri Belanja yang berada di Swedia justru menempatkan masyarakat Swedia berada di urutan ke 24. Demikian diungkapkan Sekretaris Satu KBRI Stockholm, Swedia Dody Kusumonegoro kepada koresponden Antara London, Minggu (17/5).

Dalam jajak pendapat yang dilakukan tahun 2008 yang berisi lebih dari 2,5 juta pertanyaan mengenai Senyum (Smile) dan Salam (Add-Greeting) pada penjualan di 66 negara, Swedia menempatkan Indonesia pada bagian atas daftar.

Media Swedia melaporkan Indonesia sebagai negara yang paling tersenyum sebagai hasil dari pelanggan layanan data dari evaluasi yang dilakukan di seluruh spektrum dan pameran oleh AB Bisnis di seluruh dunia, di Swedia.

Dalam laporan itu disebutkan Indonesia sebagai negara tertinggi tersenyum dengan 98 persen. Selain itu, Indonesia juga merupakan negara dengan ucapan salam yang paling tinggi yaitu 98 persen. Sementara itu Swedia berada di nomor 24 pada daftar untuk kategori senyum dengan angka 77 persen dan urutan 31 untuk ucapan salam dengan 81 persen.

Industri yang banyak senyum adalah di bidang kesehatan dan kecantikan perawatan serta transportasi dengan 86 persen dan nilai terendah berada di layanan bisnis B2B dengan hanya 52 persen. Dalam jajak pendapat itu disebutkan bahwa ucapan Salam tahun 2008 dan 2007 tercatat 81 persen dibandingkan dengan 88 persen pada 2004.

Ucapan salam tertinggi selain Indonesia juga menempatkan Hongkong dengan 98 persen, sementara yang terendah adalah Maroko dengan 48 persen. Ucapan yang terbaik ditemukan pada layanan di pemerintahan dengan 94 persen sementara di kalangan bisnis (B2) hanya 70 persen.

Dalam layanan penjualan, skor tertinggi dicatat oleh Pakistan dengan 82 persen dan terendah adalah Finlandia dengan tiga persen. Dalam pelayanan B2 memiliki nilai tertinggi mencapai 65 persen sementara dalam segi kenyamanan tercatat sangat rendah dengan 40 persen.

Dalam laporan itu terdapat kesenjangan yang besar antara benua Australia memiliki skor tertinggi dari semua benua, dengan senyum sebesar 89 persen dan salam 92 persen sementara Afrika disebutkan terendah dengan 61 persen senyum dan 51 persen salam.

ONO

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This post is originally written on 26/04 in the bus from Lyon to Paris with International students from HEC. As promised, I am going to tell you about my trips. Let me begin with the first.

First Day

In a bright Friday morning on 13 March (I just realized it’s Friday the 13th haha), we (suta, gabriel, michelle, amy, eva) went together from HEC at 7:30 am to Massy Palaiseau to get the car that we rent to embark on our journey.

First is Caen, a city famous for its Memorial Museum, which I myself regard as one of the best museum that I have been too. It’s more expensive than Louvre yet I still like it more. There will be more about it in the next day

We had a nice lunch here... and eat this steak....

We then tried to find a way to caen memorial museum but we couldn't do it, and I'm glad we couldn't because we had way more time to see it in the day after. So, we went to the famous Mont St Michel instead. We walked on what maybe the biggest beach on earth which will be gone by night.

We circled the 'island' because the tide was still low. It was really fun. Some part of it can suck you down but it's not dangerous because it is really slow.

After that we went to some stores to see the famous foie gras (liver of a duck or goose) and local product before heading to St Malo, a famous fortified city (don't be surprised people, even when I say it's famous, I didn't know what it is before). We ate dinner there, but was not really good, so we moved to other restaurant to have dessert (the one with the alcohol and being burnt with fire, don't worry we don't eat fire).

We then moved back towards Mt St Michel to see how beautiful it was in the night,and it was really good,look by yourself if you don't believe me.

We went back to Caen to go back and sleep.

Second Day

In the second day, we first went to Caen memorial museum, one of the best I've seen that I even dedicated a separated photo album for it.

The top left is the campaign material from Hitler, continued clockwise, letter from Einstein to FD Roosevelt, me and all the equipment that a soldier has, News world war declared, a wedding gown made of parachute, and a dedicated section for the first president of Indonesia, Soekarno.

We then went to Bayeux where its famous tapestry was being hosted. I like the tapestry a lot. It is about the tale of the Norman invasion of England in 1066 over 58 remarkable scenes. Made in the 11th century with length of 70 meters, it's also Unesco's memory of the world register. Following that is what I ate there and how the city looks like.




Prochain arrete (next stop) was D-day beaches, the biggest one is Omaha where the American cemetery is. It is so beautiful and peaceful, a great place to reflect. It was the place of the bloodiest battle between ally and Nazi in the D-day operation Overlord. Today, about 10,000 soldiers are resting peacefully here.




Just few kms from Omaha, there is Gold beach. We went to an observation deck above the hill. Here are the views. There are a big cross and a big statue of virgin Mary there.



We then continued our journey to Rouen to stay for one night there.

Third Day

In the next morning, we went to the Notre dame de rouen and the place where Joan d'arc was being burnt which is now Eglise Jeanne d'Arc. Who is she? Saint Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d'Arc;^[1] c. 1412^[2] – 30 May 1431) is a national heroine of France and a Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, claiming divine guidance, and was indirectly responsible for the coronation of Charles VII. She was captured by the Burgundians, sold to the English, tried by an ecclesiastical court, and burned at the stake when she was nineteen years old. (from Wiki, hehe)



We then continued to Amiens where the biggest notre dame in France located and where the head of John the Baptist is being hosted. Anyway, almost every city in France called their church Notre Dame, and believe me, there is no such thing as the Hunchback of Notre Dame here, hahaha. It means "Our Lady," so basically all the churches are dedicated to Virgin Mary.



Next was Lille, where we saw a piscine (swimming pool) turned into world class museum where I first saw the creation of Pablo Picasso and Donatello with my own eyes. To be exact, it was in Robeaux, a small town next to Lille.



We ate dinner in Lille, a local food which I recreated because I don't like cold and jelly meat,ha3, so I asked the waiter to heat it up and it eventually became a soup,haha.



That's all about my first trip, feel free to drop comments, and stay tune for the next posts. You can zoom in the pictures if you click on it.

To be honest, I am not in a good physiological and psychological condition to write a post now since my body has not been in its best shape since earlier this week and I have been having a lot of thought lately. So, wind (msk angin) + thought = pseudo-insomnia for me.

Hence, today post is taken from someone's blog that I read before with the title below. Originally, this posting is made by Linda Lauwira (a friend of my friend's hehehe, thanks Linda), which you can see it here.

It's quite creative thought of hers and it's quite funny too (in case you understand how the real subprime crisis happening,hehe). Credit to her as the original writer. Below is the original writing from her.

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Love Crunch Vs. Credit Crunch

With all the subprimes' bet toppling down even Bear Stern of Wall Street, it makes me wonder if Love is not similar to a subprime loan?

You drove down the highway called life and you see the banner of Love Property offering you cheap down payment and low monthly installments? You got tired of renting out of singlehood; where you can never have a fixed home that can be your sanctuary always. So you said why not?! Let's cut a deal with this lovie-dovey business.

9 months down the road. The rate had hiked up to the roof. You had to pay insurance, property tax plus your monthly payments. Added to that, the economy is not doing so good.. so interest rate is spiked from 1% to 7%; expectations rose. Good bye half of your monthly salary [that goes to your monthly payment]... low loving deposit to your partner. Hellow collection letters... snappy demands from your relationships.

Thus with all the bounced checks, you are months delinquent.. Thus with all the disappointments and misunderstandings, you are running a contest instead of relationship. All the pressure started coming on to you. Your sanctuary became the stone that sunk you to the bottom of all debts; your commitment became the lodestone that hung around your neck.

Thus. The decision.. is it foreclosure or loan modification. is this it or love mod?
What happen along the way? From a new happy beginning of something precious into something that can make you or bankrupt you? Are you strong enough to let go? or are you brave enough to hold on?

So when all the chips are down and you found yourself seeking for a lifeline, any lifeline; is it your fault for not researching and understanding the product that you are buying into? Is it your fault for not thinking through of all the commitments, give and take of a relationship? Or is it their fault for making it looked so easy? Is it theirs? OR ultimately is it YOURS?

Ok, forgive me that I haven’t had time to write about my trips, however my first trip has been written but I need to polish it with pictures.

In this post, I write about what I learned the most during the last two days, especially about what Ci Lily (the evangelist in the Indonesian fellowship in Paris) said in her sermon.

If you saw my Facebook status about two weeks ago you would know that I said something more or less like this “Sutayasa believes everything will be wonderful in HIS time.” Honestly, I still haven’t gotten the wonderful thing I sought before but I become firmer now in changing my orientation. God has several times reminded me in the last few weeks about Matthew 6:33-34:

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

I always love the song Seek Ye first which is based on that verses, but I honestly admit that the reality may not be wonderful at all when we try to do that statement. However, thanks be to God, that He showed me these below examples to strengthen me during these kind of time.

There is no such thing as late in His time

Susan Boyle, a 48 year old woman who just started his career in world professional music industry through Britain’s got talent 2009 about three weeks ago has failed in a lot of her attempts before despite her wonderful talent. She believed that it was because her appearance that doesn’t look appealing that she even joked that she has not been kissed in her life.

Modern society is too quick to judge people on their appearances. [...] There is not much you can do about it; it is the way they think; it is the way they are. But maybe this could teach them a lesson, or set an example. — Susan Boyle, The Washington Post

However, God changed her life from a singer in the choir and a volunteer worker in her church to a worldwide-phenomenon. She initially didn’t want to participate in Britain’s got talent until her mother died two years ago and she decided to fulfil her mother’s wish for her.

Some interesting things in the video:

00:20-00:27 – Never been kissed etc.

00:55-01:03 – she comes from village

01:00 – I’m 47, and that’s just one side of me

01:27-01:31 – I am trying to be a professional singer but I’ve never been given a chance before

01:34-01:35 – a lady grinned when Susan said she wants to be like Elaine Paige

01:44- 04:16 – I Dreamed a Dream by Susan Boyle, things happening during the song:

Simon lid his eyes up only in Susan’s third notes, people started standing on her third line, her last line of songs touched me:

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

Watched out for this, on 04:25 she left the stage after a thunderous applause from the audience, she thought that this would not be different from the other show she has been in, demeaning people just because of their appearance, and she was only there singing to fulfil her mother wish, so there was not any point for her to keep on standing. But the judges call her back, Piers Morgan, who told her, “Without a doubt, that was the biggest surprise I’ve had in three years on the show.” He then voted with saying “the biggest yes I have ever given anybody.”

Amanda Holden said “Everybody was against you. I honestly think that we are all being very cynical and I think that was the biggest wake-up call ever... it was instantly brilliant”

Cowell completed the judging with the third resounding yes. “Susan Boyle, you can go back to the village with your head held high,” he said. “It’s three yeses.”

There is no such thing as too soon in His time too

Hollie Steel, 10 years old, ballerina? Singer? I am not too sure, but I’m sure that she is one of the best talent that God created.

Interesting things in the video:

01:32-02:44 – Her singing

01:46 Simon almost pressed the “no” button before Hillie sang

Amanda: “it’s just ridiculous how much talent you have..I was stunned”

Piers: “we’ve seen a lot of children... I never heard any of them sings as well as you”

Simon:”you got fantastic voice.. the fact that you don’t know how good you are it’s what I really like about you”

Don’t give up on Him, He will not give up on you

Shaheen Jafargholi, 12 year old, chose Valerie by Amy Winehouse because it was his favourite song but even though the crowd like it, Simon stopped the song short at 01:35 and said “You got this really wrong, what do you sing apart from that?” Amazingly, Shaheen looked really calm and said that he want to sing his next song, Who’s loving you by Michael Jackson.

At the end, all the three judges stood up and gave him applause. Simon said “This is how one song can change your life” which I think can be translated to “This is how easy for God to change your life if you don’t give up.” Amanda said “I get a Goosebumps test, I got it with Paul Potts [the winner of BGT 2007]. I got it with George Sampson [the winner of BGT 2008] and I got it with you.”

It's a bit stretching the fact but we can learn from the video that often times the one that we want (like Valerie song in this case) is not something that we need to bring out the best in us.

This condition of having uncertain future (not really future, it's my next 6 weeks) maybe something that I don't really like nor I really want but I have a strong belief that this will be the one that teach me best. Maybe it's just time for me to make a friendly gesture with failure before leaving it for success.