Quarter Century Reflection

I will turn 25 next week. Many things happened during 2011 that make me different with who I used to be. I had changed a lot. I would list what had happened one by one for my reflection.

January 2011

I was busy preparing my bachelor's thesis submission and some final exams. It was quite hard for me since I took 14 credits in my last semester. I worked hard to finish all and alhamdulillah, all praise to Allah, I made it. I was supposed to attend the Kohaku Concert held by IPLANET, a committee of international exchange in Faculty of Economics, but unfortunately I couldn't attend it since I went to Osaka to take Osaka University's master entrance exam. In the end of the month, I turned 24. Got some surprises from best friends on my birthday. Love them!

February 2011

I got announcement that I passed Osaka University, so I went to Osaka to find an apartment and had a trip to Kansai with mbak Ima. The weather was so nice, it was warmer than Sendai. The trip was wonderful. We went to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe as well. I was excited to start my new life in Osaka.

March 2011

I graduated from Tohoku University as Bachelor of Economics! I was relieved cause my duty in Japan, which is studying in a college as undergraduate student, has completed. I planned a trip for my family. They would come to Japan to attend my graduation ceremony which was supposed to be held in March. 

Unfortunately it had been cancelled due to the Tohoku Great Earthquake. I experienced the great earthquake, but not the tsunami. I was so scared because of the earthquake. That was the second time I felt that death is so near. There's nothing we can do, no capability except from Allah. I went to Sendai mosque after the earthquake. Riding bicycle in snowy weather, I met uni and mbak Ima on the way there, we then spent time together staying in the mosque for one night. 

The next day, we moved to Sanjomachi junior high school and met other Indonesians who were evacuated there. The time I spent in the refuge areas was like a nightmare. Maybe I am exaggerating, but we had difficult time living there with limited food stocks. There were no water, electricity and gas, made it more difficult to stay there since Sendai was still extremely cold in March. What's more, the aftershock occurred many times. It gave me a fright and bitter experience.

However, I was so grateful since Indonesian embassy took a quick movement to evacuate us to Tokyo. The condition of refuge area in Tokyo was much better. After we spent one night staying in the Indonesian School in Tokyo, we went home to Indonesia to meet our families who are worried watching bad news from Japan. I was so glad to see my mom again. It was the first time I saw her crying to see me going home safely. I couldn't help weeping to see my family again after the earthquake.

April 2011

I wanted to go back to Japan soon since my enrollment started in early April but I got some visa problems, so I could not go back soon. After struggling to obtain new visa, with help of Osaka University staffs, embassy staffs, and my family and friends, finally I could go back to Sendai to pack my stuffs and move to Osaka in short. 

May 2011

Finally I arrived in Osaka! I missed some classes since I came one month late and it was difficult to catch up all the classes. I also had a trouble with financial condition. I became private student with no scholarship and no income. I was waiting for the result of one scholarship I applied in February. While waiting, I tried to find a part time job but I found nothing, so I managed the cost of living with my savings. Suddenly, one of my best friend decided to quit her master's program because of no fund, that really made me shocked but on the other hand it made up my mind that I should be prepared and ready to go home quitting my study in case I run out of money. 

June 2011

Still catching up the classes and struggling with the adaptation. Gradually, I was getting used to my new life in Osaka. Got some new friends.

July 2011

The announcement came out. I got the scholarship I applied in February! I breathed a sigh of relief at last! In mid July, I participated in a badminton competition held by Indonesian Students Association in Japan (PPI Jepang) in Tokushima, Shikoku island. It was my first experience to be in Shikoku island. Nice to play badminton and meet a lot of fellow Indonesian students from other regions in Japan. The other thing I remember is, I had a crush on someone I cannot mention here. 

August 2011

The first semester finished. I barely made it. I also find a part time job in a Web-based company as an Indonesian translator staff. The holy Ramadhan came. It was quite tough since the fasting time was long in summer. Sofya came to meet me. So glad to meet her again after a while. We talked about our dreams and problems we faced.

September 2011

Hanifa came to Osaka. We spent Eid ul-Fitr praying in Kobe mosque. Adeline, Rushanti, and Linda also came. We went to Kobe and filming a short movie with Shao Ting. I also met Rachma and her family who were on trip in Kansai.

October 2011

The second semester started with taking 18 credits. My part time job's working hours decreased.

November 2011

I was doing part time job while taking many classes. Leaving home early in the morning, taking rush hour train, having part time job for a couple of hours, then going to the campus and staying at lab until late at night to do lots of class assignments were my daily activities. I never bring assignments home, that's why I always stayed up to finish everything in the lab before going home.

December 2011

I went to Kanazawa for year-end trip with Amel and Dhisa. I went to a trip to see snowy Japanese villages, tried snowboarding, and had a party on new year's eve with fellow Indonesian students in Kanazawa, etc. I made new friends there and got new experiences. I also made some new year resolutions and hopes.

January 2012

My sister, Rari turned 22 while I will turn 25 soon in the end of the month. People say in 25 human will be more mature. However, I am still growing, learning and contemplating my future. Hope I will be a better person this year. Many things I should accomplish this year including finding a job, doing the research, and probably finding my soul mate. Hope I can achieve lots of thing in my 25.