There was an interesting wisdom story. It was the last year’s "LKS" or Student’s Leadership Training. Some people said I was not a leader, because they thought I had no concern for togetherness only considering I did not shed any tears. For me, a leader need to be strong. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”. That’s a good quote from John C. Maxwell. But the people wouldn't change their mind at that moment...
It's been a long time since my first participation in AFS-YES exchange student program in May 2008...
I have been through so many obstacles...
The story started here...
At the very first point, I was not sure to join AFS-YES program (from now on, the terms are shortened as "program"). My family convinced me to decide it by myself. Do it or don't do it.
In the last closing minutes of the program registration, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life...
A LONG JOURNEY HAD BEGUN...
In the so-called "Multimedia Room", Mr. Aji interviewed me and asked my motivation about joining the program. Without further ado, I got my copies of registration form. On the next day, I was very busy to complete the registration terms. I had to travel miles on foot either for making copies of document or looking for hard-to-find old documents in my home. Yeah, it was demanding. On the next day again, I was surprised that some of my fellows aborted their participation on the program. They said that they can't met the terms for collecting so many documents. They had given up.
The first test was coming fast. Me and 10 other students went to the test venue in Bandung. Including me, there were only 2 boys. We were using a bus transportation from Singaparna. When the traffic got jammed near Bandung City, incidentally I shared my seat with an unknown pickpocket! He acted very suspicious for me and then the other passengers caught him in the act. The crowd got panicked for moments, and the perpetrator fled away.
After 3 hours journey from Singaparna, we arrived in Bandung City. We stayed at Pesantren Darul Falah. We were treated well. At that time, Indonesia was in the middle of "Red SMS Alert" issue. But I don't believe it. For me, it is a cheap hoax. Next morning, we were ready to enter the first test...
The first test was really challenging...
When the test had been finished, we went to Ciwalk. I bought "Stunman: Ignition" for my PlayStation 2 console. Yeah, I like cars and crashing cars in the game is really fun. Then, we were going home. Unfortunately, the other boy participant wanted to stay in Bandung at his sister's home. So, there were only one boy remaining (me). Aware of the previous "Bus Incident", my friend asked her brother to accompany us. "The brother" shared the bus seat with me.
We arrived back in Singaparna at 9.00 PM. The "Bus Incident" was not occured again. But "the brother" and his sister "checked-out" the bus earlier than remaining of us. So, I had to be responsible for accompanying the girls under the dark night. Suddenly, there were some drunken teenagers approaching. I was rather strained. But the girls did not aware of the drunkards. Fortunately, we reached my home soon enough. Then, my father drove a car to accompany the girls either to their home or dorm.
On the next day, we were back to school...
Several days later...
During a Biology class, the teacher accused (and humiliated) me of daydreaming of going to America... Unexpectedly, many students in the other class discussed the "incident". As a consequence, my Biology score for class graduation was terrible and my class rank was dropped from 3rd rank to 13rd rank...! Can you imagine that? That's 10-place drop!
Things were messed up...
Will I survive…?
(TO BE CONTINUED...)
It's been a long time since my first participation in AFS-YES exchange student program in May 2008...
I have been through so many obstacles...
The story started here...
At the very first point, I was not sure to join AFS-YES program (from now on, the terms are shortened as "program"). My family convinced me to decide it by myself. Do it or don't do it.
In the last closing minutes of the program registration, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life...
A LONG JOURNEY HAD BEGUN...
In the so-called "Multimedia Room", Mr. Aji interviewed me and asked my motivation about joining the program. Without further ado, I got my copies of registration form. On the next day, I was very busy to complete the registration terms. I had to travel miles on foot either for making copies of document or looking for hard-to-find old documents in my home. Yeah, it was demanding. On the next day again, I was surprised that some of my fellows aborted their participation on the program. They said that they can't met the terms for collecting so many documents. They had given up.
The first test was coming fast. Me and 10 other students went to the test venue in Bandung. Including me, there were only 2 boys. We were using a bus transportation from Singaparna. When the traffic got jammed near Bandung City, incidentally I shared my seat with an unknown pickpocket! He acted very suspicious for me and then the other passengers caught him in the act. The crowd got panicked for moments, and the perpetrator fled away.
After 3 hours journey from Singaparna, we arrived in Bandung City. We stayed at Pesantren Darul Falah. We were treated well. At that time, Indonesia was in the middle of "Red SMS Alert" issue. But I don't believe it. For me, it is a cheap hoax. Next morning, we were ready to enter the first test...
The first test was really challenging...
When the test had been finished, we went to Ciwalk. I bought "Stunman: Ignition" for my PlayStation 2 console. Yeah, I like cars and crashing cars in the game is really fun. Then, we were going home. Unfortunately, the other boy participant wanted to stay in Bandung at his sister's home. So, there were only one boy remaining (me). Aware of the previous "Bus Incident", my friend asked her brother to accompany us. "The brother" shared the bus seat with me.
We arrived back in Singaparna at 9.00 PM. The "Bus Incident" was not occured again. But "the brother" and his sister "checked-out" the bus earlier than remaining of us. So, I had to be responsible for accompanying the girls under the dark night. Suddenly, there were some drunken teenagers approaching. I was rather strained. But the girls did not aware of the drunkards. Fortunately, we reached my home soon enough. Then, my father drove a car to accompany the girls either to their home or dorm.
On the next day, we were back to school...
Several days later...
During a Biology class, the teacher accused (and humiliated) me of daydreaming of going to America... Unexpectedly, many students in the other class discussed the "incident". As a consequence, my Biology score for class graduation was terrible and my class rank was dropped from 3rd rank to 13rd rank...! Can you imagine that? That's 10-place drop!
Things were messed up...
Will I survive…?
(TO BE CONTINUED...)
