Half Year Experience in Berlin, Thank You AIESEC TU Berlin!

Honestly I am writing this with a mixed feeling, happy, sad, weird and some unexplaineble things. I remembered when I got my first email that said “Berlin is waiting for you, Andes!” and that made me so happy at that time. Arrived in Berlin on 19 February at 13:30, I was expecting somebody who would pick me up. Everything was ok until a big tall guy waved his hand to me, indicated that he is my buddy, Max Fresino. I really didn’t expect to have such a very tall guy to be my buddy since I am so small (haha), but really, he is an amazing guy! He did his job very well as my buddy. We both like to eat and share something cool. Overall I am satisfied and glad to have him as my buddy because we can talk about anything within hours until finally we realized that we need to stop to get some sleeps. I love your German accent because you are truly German guy! It’s amazing and funny, especially when you say “Frischkäse” hahahaha!

The first day I arrived I was staying in Jasmin’s place, the LCP of AIESEC Berlin TU. Funnily she would go to Indonesia for vacation 4 days after my arrival. We were kinda exchanging the room although not really exchanged the room. She went to Indonesia for a month and I used her room for a month. Quite a nice deal! She is also very responsible and nice girl! She brought me to her favorite kebab café for my first dinner in Berlin with Max and I had very big lachmachun mit hünchen. Satisfied and went back home with full stomach.

My experience in Berlin was too good I think. So many nice people that I met here. I feel I just cannot leave Berlin that fast but I need to go. Sad and weird feeling but happy because I will finally meet my family. Thank you AIESEC people, because I am gonna miss everybody! Sandra, the one that I feel like she is the mother of all interns because she was taking care all of us. You’ve done a great job Sandra! I am gonna miss you so much! Be my sister!! Lol. Tobi, VP Reception who always say “Heeey” to everybody with too much expression hihi, I am gonna miss you too buddy! The stammtisch and every kind of activities in Berlin was amazing! Ann who is always hugging me so tight because of my previous Polish experience, maybe, I think you like me because of “przypawa do kurczaka” and “Ona tanczy dla mnie”? You always so cheerful everytime we met each other. Alexis, who was always having great party invitation, this was cool actually because I could come to Annabelle and Goya cloud party pillow fight! Thank you for giving me the chance to go to the most absurd, craziest pillow fight party! It was amazing man! Mirja who is always talk with her typical German accent, nice girl to talk with and she is always in a very nice mood when I talk with her. Phil, although I rarely talk with you but it was nice to have every conversation with you everytime we met.

I also remembered during carnival of Cultures, Marta and her OCs were doing such a great job! I love the events and it was so much fun dancing Tunak-tunak in front of thousands people. I will also miss you so much Marta! You are such a nice girl as well. I also found my new sister from Poland, Kasya. We just met but we became friend so fast. We were kinda like brother and sister because of the “flag” reason! So funny but true. Nils who is always being nice everytime I met him, I was thinking that he had Polish blood because I thought he looked like Polish but actually not. Connie from Erfurt, a German girl who has British accent everytime she talks, really nice and always had nice conversation as well with her. Oh, actually Marina from ICX was the one who helped me a lot through every process before my arrival in Germany. Thank you for Potsdam tour and spicy currywurst! Jub who helped me with the visa extension, really thank you man! Thuy who always so cheerful and smile all the time. You are quite very active and talkative ;) Marco who drunkly lifted me during take over party with Tobi. I just had no idea what was he doing but whatever, it was also fun! Amna the Pakistani girl, who also talkative with her Pakistani accent which sometimes I need to ask her several times, to make sure I got what she said hahahah! Thank you for the Berlin trip with some of your friends! I think I owe so much to our lovely AIESEC finance guy Tilman! without him I will be a poor intern ahhahaa! thank you so much for arranging every "money" that I need haha. He was a very cool finance guy! gonna miss him!

The Zoologischer Garten group (Haitam, Lidia and Rikke) we finally went to Berlin zoo! It was also nice to spend time with you guys! Elina the lovely German teacher, I am gonna miss you as well. You are so nice and so calm. Katharina who finally met her twin sister Sandra during the stammtisch in Irish Pub! I was glad that at that time I found Sandra’s bracelet from New Zealand so she didn’t loose it. The new incoming interns that I knew like Cagla, Mariana, Evgeniya, Terehe who always so active in the chat for some invitations and initiatives ;) thank you for connecting each other, I am sorry I never could join the event that sometimes you girls arranged. Alice the Brazilian girl who is also very nice companion to Dresden and also in GLG!

For the new EB team: Felix, Connie, Julia, Jasmin, Huy, Yannick, Henni, Rushka good luck for your new term! I wish the best for everything guys!

This actually my random thoughts about some nice people who made my stay much more cooler in Berlin. For the one that I didn’t mention it doesn’t mean that I don’t love you guys. It’s just too many nice people in AIESEC Berlin until I couldn’t mention one by one. I am gonna miss everybody! This one lifetime experience, I will never forget it. This exchange was really created amazing impact for my self. I could become a better person and I developed a lot of skills. I got so many amazing networks from those people. Sometimes it’s just undescribeable how amazing my experience through AIESEC Berlin. Now it’s almost time to say “See you guys in the future!” because I have to go back to Indonesia. Let’s keep our friendship long lasting and be happy! Ich bin ein Berliner and I am proud to say it loudly! See you guys! ;)

May Day in Berlin

Labour Day, we always celebrate this day in the 1^st of May around the world. In Germany especially in Berlin, Labour Day is celebrated in fun way and by the way it is holiday in Germany. I actually wasn´t sure about the celebration of Labour Day in Berlin, would it be so many people went to the street for demonstration or it would be so much fun? So yesterday I went to Kottbusser Tor, one of the area in the district of Kreuzberg Berlin. If we are talking about Kreuzberg, we are talking about the hip area in Berlin because usually this area becomes the center for the big events, like the May Day. There were bunch of people went to Kottbusser Tor to see what happened there. On the way to Kottbusser Tor I was thinking about demonstration all the time, ¨would it safe if I go there?¨. I wouldn´t know until I saw what happened there.

May Day Berlin, Kreuzberg

The crowds of people

So I arrived in Kottbusser Tor and yes, I saw thousands of people in this area, in the street around and I would like to know more about what actually the people are doing here. After I walked deeper into the crowd, I found something really interesting. People were chilling out, they were dancing, they were enjoying the crowd, bringing their children, friends and family. All of them wanted to enjoy the day of May Day and I didn´t see the demonstration. Here was so much different from what happened in Jakarta during May Day. I read the news about May Day (Labour Day) in Jakarta that people were doing demonstration, blocking the roads which made worse traffic jam in Jakarta. Here in Berlin you could expect the differences because people here were celebrating this day in much fun ways. 

I was in the middle of the crowds and I saw many food sellers beside the street. I bought one of the cake and it was delicious. The cake that I bought was with cheese and spinach. If I had more money I would buy more food but one food was actually enough to satisfy my stomach. In every corner of these crowds, there was a stage which were used for people who wanted to do musical performance, rap, and even dancing together. The atmosphere here was so much excitement and fun. I was happy going to this district of Berlin to see the crowds of people and their excitement. It was the right day as well to try different food in Berlin and all of the food looked really delicious. It was the perfect day to spend with your friends or family together in this crowds, eating the food and enjoying the walk between thousands of people. 

Me, eating the delicious cake

Food sellers and their food, the food looks yummy!!

Kenapa Exchange?

Kali ini saya ingin share pengalaman tentang ¨Exchange¨ atau istilah di bahasa kita terkenal dengan sebutan ¨pertukaran budaya ke negara lain¨. Kali ini konteks yang ingin saya bahasa bukan hanya menyangkut pertukaran pelajar saja tetapi konteksnya lebih luas yaitu pertukaran budaya. Ada beberapa teman saya yang berkomentar ¨kamu ngapain exchange? atau habis duit berapa sih, atau wah takut nanti biayanya mahal¨. Terlepas dari semua itu, mari saya tekankan bahwa ¨Exchange tidak selalu harus menghabiskan uang banyak, atau bila harus membayar dengan harga yang kamu pikir mahal maka tolong buka kembali pikiran kamu. Mungkin kamu kurang menjadi orang yang open minded sehingga berfikir bahwa biaya untuk melakukan exchange itu mahal. Saya merasakan selama hampir 5 bulan tinggal di Eropa melakukan kegiatan mengajar bahasa Inggris dan bekerja di kantor untuk menjadi editor online, merupakan pengalaman yang tidak bisa dibayar dengan harga berapapun itu.

Saya dua bulan tinggal di Polandia dan mengajar bahasa Inggris ke orang Polandia dari umur 10 tahun hingga 55 tahun, jadi bisa dibilang murid saya mulai anak-anak hingga orang tua. Tantangannya tentu banyak sekali karena beberapa murid saya ada yang hanya bisa mengucapkan ¨my name is, thank you dan hello Good morning¨. Apa yang saya lakukan? Ya saya memaksakan diri saya untuk belajar dan mengetahui bahasa Polandia sehingga saat murid saya tahu saya bisa mengucapkan beberapa kata dalam bahasa Polandia, mereka lebih tertarik untuk belajar bahasa Inggris dengan saya. Ini salah satu bentuk dari saya untuk mengapresiasi mereka sehingga dengan begitu mereka akan lebih tertarik untuk belajar dengan saya karena saya pun sangat tertarik dengan bahasa Polandia itu sendiri. Saya bahkan pernah diajak murid saya untuk ke Tropical Island di Jerman dan saya tidak mengeluarkan uang sepeserpun! Kenapa? Karena tujuan dia mengajak saya adalah, dia hanya ingin praktek bahasa Inggris dengan saya selama perjalanan, sehingga bisa dibilang dengan modal bahasa Inggris, maka saya bisa traveling secara gratis. Naik mobil ke Jerman dan disupiri murid saya merupakan pengalaman yang tidak akan pernah saya lupakan. By the way bebebrapa kata di Polandia yang bisa saya ucapkan adalah ¨przypawa do kurczaka (ini kata-kata favorit saya!) kluc do kuchni, pralnia, dzien dobre, przepraszam, dziekuje, prosze¨ dan masih ada beberapa. 

Saya di Tropical Island bersama murid saya, istrinya dan anaknya yang masih kecil.

Hal menarik lainnya tentang pengalaman saya di Polandia adalah saya tinggal di kota yang kecil sekali bernama Koszalin dengan penduduk sekitar 100ribuan orang. Kota kecil ini terletak 10 kilometer dari laut Baltik, jadi berada di Polandia bagian utara antara kota Gdansk dan Szczeczin. Banyak teman saya dari Polandia Selatan yang bahkan tidak tahu dimana Koszalin itu. Sebagai seorang muslim tentu saja saya harus beradaptasi disini karena 99,99 % penduduknya beragama Kristen Katolik (Saya hanya bertemu satu muslim penjual kebab di pusat kota hehehe). Makanan halal pun tidak ada (kecuali kebab kali ya) tetapi saya alhamdulillah bisa melalui semua dengan baik. Saat disini juga saya mulai belajar memasak sendiri, mengatur finansial saya (gaji saya disini lumayan gedhe lho hihihi), nyuci sendiri dan belajar hidup mandiri. Pokoknya semua harus serba mandiri lah, sangat beda sekali saat saya masih mahasiswa di Surabaya (Saya mahasisawa Unair, promosi nih wkwkwk).

Craziness in Dom Studenta Koszalin (Adrian, Pawel, Me, Adrian)

Koszalin saat bersalju

Saat saya pindah ke Jerman untuk melakukan hal baru yaitu bekerja di kantor untuk menjadi editor online, tentu beda sekali pengalamannya soalnya dari guru bahasa Inggris pindah ke pekerjaan kantor. Selain itu saya juga pindah dari kota kecil di Polandia ke kota terbesar di Jerman yaitu Berlin. Bisa dibayangkan atau dibandingkan mungkin saat anda pindah kerjaan dari Wonogiri atau Pacitan ke kota Jakarta hihihi. Dari sini saya bertemu beberapa rekan kerja dari Jerman, Rusia, Ukraina, Turki, Prancis, Spanyol, Meksiko, Argentina, Brazil, Italia dan tiga orang Indonesia. Apakah pekerjaan saya menyenangkan? Jawabannya fifty-fifty. Terkadang menyenangkan tetapi saat saya merasa bosan ya bosan tetapi pengalaman kerja di Jerman membuat saya menjadi lebih mengerti dan bersyukur untuk mendapatkan pengalaman ini. Betapa menyenangkan saat saya merasa bosan dan pelarian saya adalah bertemu dengan teman-teman Jerman dan berbagi cerita yang saling menginspirasi satu sama lain. Disini saya bertemu juga anak Pakistan yang menceritakan detail tentang Afghanistan dan Pakistan (sumpah ceritanya gaul banget dan menginspirasi!). Selain itu di Berlin saya merasakan peradaban yang sangat maju (saya memang anak desa jadi menurut saya Berlin itu canggih ey). Transportasi lengkap mulai dari metro (kereta bawah tanah), kereta atas tanah yang nyaman, tram, bus yang kadang tepat waktu dan kadang telat, kereta dengan kecepatan 200km lebih, konstruksi bangunan yang canggih dan beberapa peradaban Eropa yang mengagumkan, semua terangkum di Berlin. Atmosfir kerja dan lingkungan yang sangat internasional disini membuat saya mempunyai banyak peluang untuk membangun banyak relasi, selain itu tentunya membuka pemikiran saya menjadi lebih luas. Saya juga menjadi lebih bisa menghargai waktu (tahu sendiri lah orang Jerman gimana) dan juga hidup sangat mandiri. Rasanya sudah malu kalau minta duit ke mama papa soalnya disini sudah dapat gaji yang alhamdulillah bisa mencukupi kehidupan saya. Saya belajar banyak hal disini dan lebih menghargai apa arti hidup dan pengalaman setelah bertemu berbagai macam orang dari bermacam negara dan budaya. 

Brandenburger Tor, ikon kota Berlin

Bersama rekan kerja kantor sebelum Barbeque party!

Ini hanya sepenggal dari kisah saya selama melakukan ¨Exchange¨ di Polandia dan Jerman. Saya sendiri merasakan sungguh berharganya pengalaman ini dan saya tidak menyesal menginvestasikan uang saya untuk pengalaman yang sangat mengagumkan ini. Bila orang menginvestasikan banyak uang untuk bisnis, maka saya menginvestasikan uang untuk masa depan saya melalui ¨Exchange¨ ini. Toh modal akan balik karena saya disini digaji. By the way saya mengikuti program exchange yang ditawarkan organisasi internasional AIESEC di Local Committee AIESEC Surabaya. Jadi, jangan tunggu babibu, langsung saja daftar untuk exchange dan rasakan sensasinya! Trust me it works and worth!!!!!

My First Time Experience Abroad

This is the experience that I would like to share to everybody about my experience abroad for the first time which was not only for travel but also for gaining new perspective and knowledge. I remembered it was October 2010 when I got an offering to join international conference AIESEC Unleash Asia Pacific Manila, Philippine. I was thinking ¨Hmm...I just need to try this one!¨. At that time I didn´t think too much about financial thing because I would like to try to gain some sponsorship, so I could go with less money. Another reason was because I am an AIESECer so I really want to step my feet in the land of Philippine, Manila. So I started my step by making a new passport and arranged many things for going abroad. At that time my age was 20 something, not too old for the first time going abroad.

Then my journey in looking for sponsorship was started. I asked many questions to the head of department in my major and fortunately she is so kind. She helped me and gave me some perspectives how to get sponsorship and endorsed me for going to the rectorate for gaining sponsorship. After hard work for two weeks finally I got some money which was really enough for this conference. Besides that, my passport was ready so I just needed to prepare everything before my departure. It was my first time going abroad so I didn´t even know how to buy flight ticket abroad. Fortunately my friend helped me lending her mom´s credit card for buying the flight ticket and I got reasonable cheap price for round trip Jakarta-Manila!

This was my first time going abroad, alone! But I believed I would survive for this. The learnings that I got from this experience was arranging everything by myself before going abroad, started from making a passport, looking for sponsorship, registering myself in international conference until buying the flight ticket by myself. I felt more independent and proud of myself.

On the month of November 2010 night (I forgot the date) I was waiting in Soekarno Hatta airport for check in into the plane. I couldn´t wait for this trip. Mixed feeling between happy and anxious because I was alone going abroad to Manila where I would meet the differences of the human characteristics, cultures, language and food. I could only smile when I was inside the plane. I felt all my hard work was being paid after I sat down inside the plane. The plane started to take of to the sky and I saw the lights of Jakarta city started to disappear. 

Me, inside Philippines Airlines

Around 5am I woke up and the plane started to land in NAIA airport Manila. I saw the lights of Manila city and it was unbelievable, ¨God! I will step my foot on Manila!¨. The city looks so beautiful from the sky. This dream will be realized soon! Manila, here I come!

to be continued

for Indonesian version you can click here 

Pengalaman Pertama ke Luar Negri

Sebenarnya sudah lama saya memendam rasa untuk menuliskan pengalaman saya tentang bagaimana rasanya keluar negeri yang bukan hanya sekedar jalan-jalan saja tetapi sekaligus menimba banyak ilmu. Masih ingat saat itu sekitar bulan Oktober 2010 ada tawaran untuk mengikuti konferensi AIESEC Unleash Asia Pacific di Manila, Filipina. Saat itu saya berfikir, ¨Hmmm...kenapa nggak nyoba aja ya, kan Filipina deket, kalo masalah duit, hah bisa cari sponsor lah¨. Jadi saat itu saya bertekad bulat untuk mencoba agar bisa menginjakkan kaki di Manila. Karena kebetulan saya anggota organisasi AIESEC, maka saya tidak ingin menyia-nyiakan kesempatan ini. Maka kali itu juga saya mulai membuat paspor dan segala tetek bengek yang lain. Umur saya saat itu sudah 20 tahun keatas, belum terlalu tua lah ya buat pengalaman pertama ke luar negri.

Akhirnya perburuan sponsor pun dimulai. Saya saat itu mulai bertanya-tanya sama ketua jurusan saya yang kebetulan sangat baik hati sekali. Saya langsung diarahkan untuk ke rektorat untuk mengurus sponsor. Setelah mandi keringat dan bolak-balik dari fakultas ke rektorat dan perjuangan selama 2 minggu, akhirnya sponsor pun turun. Alhamdulillah usaha keras membuahkan hasil. Selain itu paspor saya pun juga sudah jadi sehingga tinggal mempersiapkan segala hal untuk berangkat. Karena pertama kali keluar negri, maka saya belum tahu bagaimana cara beli tiket pesawat. Sungguh saya merasa katrok sekali, tahun 2010 tapi belum tahu cara beli tiket pesawat ke luar negri. Untungnya ada teman saya yang berbaik hati menawarkan bantuannya meminjamkan kartu kredit mamanya kepada saya untuk beli tiket pesawat secara online. Alhasil saya bisa mendapatkan tiket pesawat yang lumayan murah untuk terbang pulang-pergi Jakarta-Manila saat itu.

Ini merupakan pengalaman saya pertama keluar negri, sendirian lagi! Tapi saya yakin bisa survive setelah sampai disana soalnya ada yang menjemput di bandara. Jadi pelajaran yang saya pelajari disini adalah saya mengurus semuanya dari awal sampai berangkat sendirian, mulai dari mengurus paspor, mencari sponsor, mendaftarkan diri di konferensi internasional, hingga membeli tiket pesawat. Jadi merasa lebih mandiri dan bangga juga sih hehehe.

Akhirnya saya pada bulan November 2010 (maaf tanggalnya lupa) malam saya menunggu di bandara Soekarno Hatta untuk check in ke dalam Pesawat Philippines Airlines. Hmm, saya tidak sabar merasakan perjalanan keluar negri yang penuh dengan kejutan ini. Saya tidak sabar untuk menginjakkan kaki saya ke tanah Filipina, ke tanah antah berantah dimana perbedaan budaya, bahasa, watak manusia dan makanan akan saya rasakan. Saya hanya bisa tersenyum saat saya sudah masuk dan duduk di kursi pesawat. Semua perjuangan yang telah saya lakukan terasa terbayar saat pesawat mulai lepas landas dan saya merasakan keindahan lampu malam kota Jakarta malam itu semakin lama semakin redup seiring dengan semakin tingginya pesawat.

(Me, Inside Philippine Airlines)

Sekitar jam 5 pagi saat saya bangun dari tidur saya saat itu juga pesawat akan mendarat di Bandara Ninoy Aquino Manila. Saya lihat dari pesawat gemerlap lampu kota Manila yang terlihat sangat indah ini. Saya hampir tidak percaya dengan apa yang saya lihat dan perasaan tak menentu ini terus berlanjut karena sebentar lagi saya benar-benar akan menginjakkan kaki di Manila. Ya Tuhan, ini bukan mimpi setelah tidur, tetapi ini kenyataan yang sebentar lagi akan terealisasi. Manila, here I come!

Bersambung 
English version click here! 

Tips persiapan ke negara yang sedang mengalami musim dingin

Bagi sebagian besar orang Indonesia, bepergian ke negara lain, terutama apabila dinegara tersebut sedang mengalami musim dingin, tentu merupakan hal yang spesial mengingat negara kita “so warm” dan tropis. Saat tinggal di Indonesia kita tidak pernah merasakan yang namanya suhu dibawah nol derajat. Lalu bagaimana cara persiapan ke negara yang saat musim dingin suhu rata-rata antara 7 derajat hingga minus 0 derajat? Nah disini saya akan berbagi banyak tips yang sangat berguna untuk persiapan barang bawaan dan segala “tetek bengek” yang diperlukan untuk menghadapi musim dingin dan salju hehe. Semua yang saya berikan disini berdasarkan pengalaman pribadi selama 2 bulan lebih saat tinggal di Polandia dan beberapa hari di Jerman saat kedua negara sedang mengalami musim dingin.

Usahakan membawa beberapa baju lengan panjang, sekitar 2 sampai 3 biji lah. Nggak perlu banyak-banyak toh musim dingin baju bisa dipakai 2-3 hari soalnya ga bakal bau. Lagian juga kebanyakan baju lengan panjang dipakai di dalam ruangan. Segaul apapun baju lengan panjangmu ga bakalan kelihatan saat kamu pakai diluar ruangan soalnya kalau diluar pasti pakai jaket winter kan, jadi ga bisa pamer dong hehe :p.

Penutup kepala ini wajib hukumnya. Standarnya seperti kupluk “gunung Bromo” lah. Harus bisa menutupi telinga juga ya. Pengalaman pribadi, saat suhu mencapai minus, telinga terasa sakit saat dibiarkan diluar ruangan tanpa penutup. Kalau perlu beli penghangat telinga yang bentuknya mirip headset bulu-bulu. Kalau mau lebih hangat lagi silakan memakai “topi Rusia”.

Ngomong soal penutup kepala, kita lanjut ke jumper hoodie. Hoodie juga bisa berfungsi sebagai pengganti kupluk. Saya sangat sering memakai hoodie, jadi kepala dan telinga terlindungi secara baik. Oiya, jumper juga jadi pelapis kedua tubuh kita setelah kaos lengan panjang. Jumpernya beli yang kainnya bisa menghangatkan badan ya, jangan yang kualitas saringan tahu alias tipis. Jumper bisa juga kamu ganti dengan sweater, yang penting bisa buat anget2an. Beli yang ngepas dengan tubuh ya biar angetnya tambah sip.

Selanjutnya jaket winter karena benda ini sangat wajib kamu pakai saat winter. Pengen murah ya beli di second hand market di Indonesia banyak. Kalau di Jakarta mungkin di tanah Abang (ga pernah beli di jakarta). Kalau di Surabaya di TP Pagi (Tugu Pahlawan) hari Minggu. Saya dapat jaket winter merek Prada di TP Pagi hanya dengan 40.000 rupiah. Murah kan hehe. Jaket winter ini sebagai pelapis ketiga setelah jumper atau sweater.

Sarung tangan jangan lupa. Beli yang tebal sekalian jangan yang tipis. Pengalaman pribadi saat suhu dibawah 4 derajat, tangan mulai keriput dan terlihat mengerikan saat nggak pake sarung tangan saat diluar. Kalau dibiarkan maka tangan akan terasa sakit sekali. Menjaga tangan tetap hangat saat musim dingin wajib hukumnya.

Untuk bawahan, sebaiknya pakailah long john atau celana thermal. Berhubung saya tidak punya long john, jadi untuk bawahan saya ganti pakai celana harian yang panjangnya hanya sampai lutut. Sudah cukup hangat menurut saya. Selanjutnya bisa memakai jeans. Jujur sih dingin tapi lama-kelamaan terbiasa juga. Intinya kalau tidak tahan dingin di bagian kaki, memakai dasar long john itu wajib ya.

Untuk bagian kaki tergantung kondisi diluar ya. Kaos kaki hangat pastinya wajib tapi tak usah terlalu lebay lah ya tebalnya. Saya pakai kaos kaki biasa sudah cukup kok. Yang penting sepatunya harus ngepas dan nyaman di kaki. Saat kondisi diluar tidak bersalju, saya nyaman aja pakai sepatu buat sport yang biasanya untuk jogging, tetapi saat bersalju, usahakan pakai sepatu yang tahan air dan salju (sepatu winter). Jangan lupa untuk mengganti kaos kaki tiap 1 atau 2 hari sekali atau maksimal 3 hari kalau kepepet nggak punya kaos kaki lagi karena kalau dipakai lebih dari itu, maka aroma telur busuk akan menghinggapi kakimu, wueeek hahaha. 

Untuk perlindungan kulit usahakan setiap kali sebelum keluar rumah pakai lotion untuk kulit kering. Jujur sebagai orang tropis, kulit saya sangat buruk untuk cuaca winter. Kulit kita tidak sebagus kulit orang bule saat winter. Selalu kering dan nggak enak dilihat. Makanya untuk melembabkan selalu pakai lotion for dry skin setiap saat sebelum keluar rumah. Beli Nivea for very dry skin sudah sangat membantu. Nivea di negara tujuan pastinya lebih ampuh ya, tetapi Nivea dari Indonesia for dry skin juga sudah oke dan bagus kok tapi tak sebagus di negara winter hehehe. Dalam waktu 2 bulan saya sudah menghabiskan sekitar 300ml lotion buat wajah, tubuh, tangan dan kaki.

Buat bibir usahakan beli pelembab bibir macam lipbalm. Banyak kok di supermarket. Pakai juga setiap saat sebelum keluar rumah. Bibir itu sensitiv juga kalo berhadapan dengan winter. Pengalaman pribadi coba-coba membiarkan bibir ga pake lipbalm, alhasil saat saya menjilat bibir saya, ada rasa sedikit darah yang kering. Hiiiy kapok deh akhirnya.

Penghangat leher atau syal ini juga penting sekali. Belilah yang benar-benar bisa menghangatkan leher karena leher juga bagian yang sangat sensitiv terhadap cuaca dingin.

Itulah hal-hal pokok yang perlu dipersiapkan untuk menghadapi musim dingin dan salju. Ini baru sebagian saja karena untuk tulisan selanjutnya saya akan membagikan obat-obatan apa saja yang perlu dibawa dan bagaimana cara kita menjaga kesehatan tubuh dan kulit saat winter. Mau nanya lebih lanjut bisa hubungi saya lewat facebook.

The Bromo Adventure

Well honestly I was too lazy to write this story but I think I should share my travelling experience. This happened last year in the end of summer September 2011 in Indonesia (well I call it summer although it was the end of dry season hahah) when my friend from Italy visited me in Surabaya. His name is Emanuel, his nickname is Ema (looks like a girl name but that's how we call him eheh). He is an AIESECer from Italy and had internship in Jakarta for 6 months. We plan to go to Bromo and dont know how to get there because ususally I went to bromo with my friend with car and usually my friend drove the car (I can't drive the car). We got some problem before going there because no one could join us together to Bromo, no one could lend us the car, sh*t just got real and no one really could help us. Using travel agency service way too expensive, for one person it could cost Rp500.000 and I said no travel agency!!!

Finally we came up with the idea that I never do this before, yeah...using my motorbike. I really never use my motorbike to Bromo, it's Supra Fit and I doubted that this motorcycle could really go there in a good shape. I said, sure this motorbike could survive more than any motorcycle because I used it to went through a hell way back then in Pacitan, so Bromo is nothing compared to that hell way in Pacitan. I went to Honda service center and told the technicians that I will use the motorcycle to Bromo and make sure that the technicians made it in a really good shape.

Next morning on 17 September 2011 we went there using motorbike, I drove the motorbike and my Italian friend sat behind. Sure after two hours riding motorbike our ass felt really hot and we took a rest in a "warung" beside the road. We continued the journey and finally at 1 PM we arrived in "Yoschi" hostel after two hours (total trip Surabaya-Bromo: 4 hours). I said to Ema that we need to find another "bule" so we won't get bored waiting for Bromo trip. Lucky us!!!! there are three young British stayed in front of our room (I'm sure that their British accent is exactly the same with what I heard in Harry Potter movie). They are Guy, Olie and Alex.

After several bla bla bla we got into fun conversation, went to "Bat Cave" and spent the time until night. We talked about everything, played some stupid games, played cards and fun just got real (this time no shit :).

                                                  Me, Guy, Sanne, Olie, Alex and Ema

We promised to meet in "Pananjakan" a high peak of mountain to see beautiful sunrise and Bromo mountain. The british went with jeep, me and Ema with my motorbike and something wrong happened to my hand. I forgot to put gloves on my hand and the result both of my hands were freezing on the trip to Pananjakan. You could imagine in a very cold mountanious area, and it is 3:30 am without gloves. No problem, I made it to Pananjakan wih Ema, so we tried to find the British between so many "bules" in Pananjakan. This is the result of our trip in Pananjakan to see Bromo and we finally met those British :D

                                          Beautiful sunrise from Pananjakan
 

                              Friendship photo with Bromo mountain background

                                 Olie planking beside the cliff, LIKE A BOSS!!

                      White pure mist with Bromo mountain background, ME GUSTA!!!!

                                                 Bromo crater, so scary

Finally we finished our traveling with happy ending. I was so glad could meet the British and listen to their unique accent :) and could help Ema to fulfill his wish to Bromo. The trip was amazing and I learned a lot from this Bromo adventure. The learnings and advantages are:

1. Dare to use motorbike to Bromo, it shows that if you have a will there is a way. If you have bravery to go very far with limited thing you have, sure you can do it if you believe you can

2. Meet awesome friend from the other side of the world, listen to their traveling stories so it gave me more perspecive about traveling and meet new people

3. The happines that you can't imagine when you see your friend is happy too because of your help

4. Because I met those British new friends, probably I will have place to stay if I go to London :D

5. You will get addicted to travel more :)

Ciao,