2012: year of hope, maturity and determination

Tonight is a new year eve. We will leave 2011 soon and welcoming 2012. For me 2011 was an awesome year, an extraordinary year that I felt my life just like a sailing boat in the middle of stormy sea. A lot of things happened, big decisions are made and some confusing moment has passed.

In 2011 I graduated from college with my final project about medical instrumentation, "Development of Low Cost Electrocardiograph as a Non-invasive Heart Monitoring Device for Mice", cool title hah? I want to join medical school after senior high but then I decided to choose engineering over medical school. But finally I still can learn about medical instrumentation in college. It was like have a combo dream that comes true, became engineer and learn about medical things. Then I graduated.

Right after I graduated, even before graduation ceremony, I join Apprenticeship program from IBM. 4 month apprenticeship session and have a life changing experience. Learn about how big company work and learn to understand about customer requirement. We need to think both in technical perspective and business advantages perspective. Met with new friends, new family. Have a world wide working experience and team up with people from around the globe. Such a extraordinary experience.

After 4 months, the result from my apprenticeship session was good. They extend my apprenticeship session with 2 month internship program while preparing hiring ticket for the next year (2012, yes we already in 2012). But then here comes the crazy moment. I decided not to take the offering and risk my future for following my passion and purpose, engineering and healthcare. I love the company, they have extraordinary environment and many nice and talented person there. But I just follow my heart.

For me 2011 just like a year with the speed of light. Graduated from college, join an apprenticeship for one of the biggest MNC in the world and then decided to leave a secure job position to take the risk to follow my passion in engineering.

Now we welcoming 2012. 2012 that means a new hope for me. A year that will give me a maturity after took a life changing experience and a big decisions in 2011. A year that hopefully show my determination toward my dream, passion and purpose.

What a year. Hope for the best for 2012.

Amazing Weekend

Saturday, 26 November 2011, I went to Bandung to participate in HMFT event at Cilengkrang. They have Softskill Development Training for the youngest member of HMFT. That event took place at Nuruzzaman at Cilengkrang, near Manglayang area. Such an amazing place with beautiful scenery.

Laughing with friend, enjoy a starry night sky, look at firefly and luckily, see a shooting star.It was such a great moment.

Shooting Star (just for illustration)

It's reminds me that life is a long run. Just like a marathon, you need to manage your stamina to reach the finish line. You can't sprint all the time. Sometime you need to take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. So you will have fresh energy and good mood to continue the marathon. And all of the moment will be perfect if you enjoy it with friends. ^_^

Hope all the best for all my friends, FT 2007. See you later guys.

It's About Dream, MY Dream

"You can't connect the dots by looking forward...."

-Steve Jobs-

Yes you can't. After go to European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) at JCC last Saturday, once again I want to pursue my dream as soon as possible. A lot of people looking for scholarship and the next thing in your head is, "Damn, there are so many competitor here". but on the other hand, you feel that everyone in that room have the same dream and somehow it encourage every one else to pursue their dream as well. Dream really contagious.

There are some universities participate in EHEF and some scholarship organization such as Erasmus Mundus, DAAD (for German scholarship), British Council, and Nuffic Neso (for Holland). They have their own booth and so many people asking about scholarship, and there are some presentation from some organization that provide scholarships as well. Honestly, that is the first time I came to this kind of event. When I was in college, I just attend some presentation about scholarship that came to my college. So, when I saw so many people from many countries and scholarship organization, it's amazed me. In this event I got some facts that worry me about my dream.

First one, Nuffic Neso is government to government cooperation, event they have a list which government institution that have cooperation with them. Or, you can take scholarship for people that work for any private company EXCEPT.....multinational company (MNC), S-H-I-T!! Currently I have an internship at Big Blue. And if I continue to work here, that means I can't take that scholarship. That make Engineering Policy or Management of Technology in DELFT seems soo far away.

Second one, DAAD only offer some program only, It doesn't like Nuffic Neso that you can apply to the universities than after you got the scholarship, you can apply for the scholarship. In DAAD, there are some specific program that changes every year with definitive requirement for the applicant. And most major that I want need Business or Economy background as a bachelor degree (for some program even we need to take GMAT).

Last things, you can apply Chevening scholarship even if you come from MNC companies. But, the program that you take NOT the MBA program. Ok, and most of program that I wish to take are under management or business department do some of them will counted as MBA program.

One thing that maybe is my last chance before decided to have 2 working experience is Erasmus Mundus program for Global Innovation Management. And I will need to prepare everything quickly. And maybe, I will do the craziest thing in my life, take 2 TOEFL iBT withing 20 days. Spend more than 300 USD for TOEFL instead of buy an Android or an iPhone without take any preparation course.

But one thing that I always remember, I have a dream and that dream not only for me. But to change my country to be a better country.

I wanted to become connector between research and business. So people won't do useless research, their research will be used by people, and with business we will get profit so we can continue the research process. Today we can't see the direct effect of our research. Even the biggest innovation event (ex: PKM, Pekan Karya Tulis Mahasiswa) in Indonesia seems useless because it just an event, without implementation or can't become the final product that people can feel the benefit from the research. If we can connect research, business and market together hopefully, Indonesia not just mere consumer country.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

-Apple campaign-

Wish me luck.

The Crazzy Ones

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy.

How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

We make tools for these kinds of people.

While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

-Apple Inc.-

Apple campaign about think differently. It always remind me to keep push the boundaries and to do the innovation regardless what people around me think about me.

It's Time to Set Sail

One chapter of my life has ended, 4 months of Apprenticeship. I learn a lot of thing from that Apprenticeship program. About culture, how big company run their businesses, how to handle customer and communicate with a lot of people with different background. It was a great moment. Now I will face another chapter of my life maybe as a transition period, since I will "continue" my internship here.

For a moment and some reason, I thought I hate this job. Too many administrative job and I think I'd love to work as a field engineer than this silly office work. I love creative and innovative way of work. Kind a "We have problems and how to solve it" things or "We have this process and how we optimize it" work. Not only this office work and do some paperwork. But, when I see the bigger picture and my long term goal, in this company I can get what I really wanted to learn. Of course I want to apply my engineering knowledge but I think that thought just pop out because "I have done something (in this case: learn engineering) so I want to do something (engineer things)" not because "I want to do something (long tern goals) so I need to do something (short term goals)". See the difference?

So, the question is "What I want?" so I decide to continue have my internship here?

I want to learn about many different kind of business process. I want to learn about everything that they (business owner) need to expand their business. I will build my own business in near 3 or 4 years. And my business will integrate technology innovation, business and community.

I wanted to become connector between research and business. So people won't do useless research, their research will be used by people, and with business we will get profit so we can continue the research process. Today we can't see the direct effect of our research. Even the biggest innovation event (ex: PKM, Pekan Karya Tulis Mahasiswa) in Indonesia seems useless because it just an event, without implementation or can't become the final product that people can feel the benefit from the research. If we can connect research, business and market together hopefully, Indonesia not just mere consumer country.

We can make it if we want it.

Here, I can learn about so many business process from different kind area of businesses. I learn what they need to expand their business especially in IT area. I hope this is the right choice.

Kombinasi Mematikan

Galau dicampur bosen itu adalah kombinasi mematikan. Terutama apabila Anda adalah freshgraduate dan sedang di penghujung masa magang perusahaan multinasional yang bukan dibidang keilmuan Anda dan mungkin saja bukan minat Anda atau bahkan Anda baru tahu perusahaan itu sesaat sebelum proses seleksi magang dimulai dan itupun hanya tahu melalui google yang dibuka dari handphone di waktu senggang.

Wow, pernyataan kegalauaan yang panjang bukan saudara-saudara?

Engineer, satu kata berjuta makna. Bagi saya, kata itu berarti problem solving, desain, field visit dan berhubungan dengan instrument, sensor atau komponen-komponen lain. Jelas sekali bukan tipe yang duduk di kantor dan berkutat dengan excel dan produk-produk low level document processing lainnya.

Terlebih lagi dengan mindset saya bahwa "Jadi engineer kalo ngga ke lapangan itu berasa makan sate ayam ngga pake bumbu kacang." Bosen dan berasa ngga nikmat deh. Ngga tau ya bayangan ketika masuk jurusan teknik seperti apa, tapi tiap orang jelas punya keinginan dan gambaran berbeda.

Greget dan ngga bosen. Di satu sisi, dari "sambel kacang" itu mungkin sebagian orang bilang "Ngapain ke pedalaman, suram, apalagi kalo ngga tidur sampe beberapa hari atau ngurus project seharian. Amit-amit deh."

Tapi di sisi lain, ketika bisa hidup di tengah kota. Arus informasi selalu berputar di sekeliling kita. Bahkan naik lift bisa melihat kondisi dunia internasional lewat bloomberg. After lunch bosen bisa ke periplus, aksara atau tempat-tempat lain.

But, that's life isn't it?

Life is about choices. And we need to choose between what we want and what we want most.

Ditengah masa-masa ngga jelas dan makin galau ini orang-orang sesama maganger yang saya liat justru terlalu menggantungkan cita-citanya dan menganggap aneh kalo mungkin gw akan berusaha lebih untuk at least menyediakan opsi untuk masa depan gw.

Hey, lo ngga tau kan 3 bulan lagi bakal dimana. Tapi lo udah bisa mulai mencari pilihan 3 bulan lagi ada dimana. Ya ngga?

Memang kalau gw magang di sini terus pasti dapet tempat kerja? NGGA
Memang kalau gw coba apply-apply di perusahaan lain pasti diterima? NGGA
Memang kalau gw nyoba seleksi beasiswa gw pasti dapet tu beasiswa? NGGA

We just do our best, right? And we will let God do the rest.

2

Apa tuh? Kenapa 2? Emang ada yang pertama atau nomor 1-nya?
Oke, jadi itu sebenarnya adalah judul novel yang baru saya beli dan selesaikan (bukan baca gratisan). Judulnya cuma "2", bahkan covernya cuma angka "2" gede ditengah halaman. Hum,menarik. Awalnya saya agak (sangat sih sebenernya) takut beli ini novel. Secara judulnya ngga jelas dan warna covernya merah darah yang "agak-agak" gimana gitu. Tapi setelah lihat bawahnya ada nama pengarang dan tertulis "Donny Dhirgantoro" dan juga terkesan dua baris terakhir dibagian sinopsisnya, akhirnya saya beli.

Cover si "2"

Memutuskan untuk berani mencintai,
dan mencintai dengan berani...
(2 kalimat baris terakhir pada sinopsis bagian belakang)

Bagi yang belum tau atau lupa, mas-mas yang ke-PD-an (percaya diri) dan berani nulis judul ngga jelas ini adalah pengarang novel 5cm. Novel yang pernah ditulisnya juga judul dan covernya ngga kalah misteriusnya, hanya bertuliskan "5cm" kecil ditengah cover warna hitam. Novel itu berisi tentang kehidupan anak-anak muda dan perjuangannya dalam pencarian jati diri. Novel 5cm waktu itu berhasil mempopulerkan asal muasal judul 5cm di chapter-chapter akhir novelnya dan bahkan saat ini (denger-denger lho) dalam proses pembuatan film layar lebarnya (bioskop ya, bukan layar tancep). 

Cover 5 cm

 

"Setiap kita punya mimpi atau keinginan atau cita-cita,kita taruh di depan kening kita ,jangan menempel,biarkan dia menggantung ,mengambang 5cm di depan kening kita ,jadi dia nggak akan pernah lepas dari mata kita.Biarkan keyakinan kita itu mengambang 5cm didepan kening kita,setelah itu yang kita perlukan hanya kaki yang akan berjalan lebih jauh dari biasanya,tangan yang akan berbuat lebih banyak daripada biasanya,mata yang akan menatap lebih lama dari biasanya,leher yang akan lebih sering melihat ketas,lapisan tekad yang seribu kali lebih keras dari baja,dan hati yang akan bekerja lebih keras dari biasanya serta mulut yang akan selalu berdoa" (Prinsip 5 cm)

Berbekal rasa percaya saya terhadap nama pengarang dan kalimat di sinopsisnya maka (dengan mengucap Bismillah) saya beli novel ini. Awal-awal baca, ngga jelas. Alurnya agak lama dan starting point-nya dari masa kecil. Agak mengagetkan karena saya kira bakal berbau anak muda seperti novel sebelumnya dan bukan jenis "family drama". Yaudahlah ya, daripada buang-buang uang mending bacanya dilanjutin. Baca lagi dikit-dikit, eh, malah ngga bisa berhenti. Malah dalam 2 hari novel ini sudah bisa diselesaiin.

Jangan pernah meremehkan kekuatan seorang manusia,karena Tuhan sedikitpun tidak pernah. (2,Donny Dhirgantoro)

Seperti novel sebelumnya yang menyimpan misteri tentang judulnya hingga saat-saat terakhir, novel kali ini pun kurang lebih sama. Namun sesuatu yang saya rasakan sangat berbeda adalah proses dan alur cerita yang berisi tentang mimpi dan perjuangan. Berbeda dengan "5cm" yang banyak berisi kutipan quotes atau lirik lagu yang bagus dan bermakna sangat dalam, novel "2" mempunyai kekuatan dari kata-kata yang diciptakan penulisnya. Memang, dari alur dan pemilihan kata-kata, penulisnya terlihat sudah lebih "dewasa". Kekuatan dalam kata-kata dan alur cerita menjadi salah satu daya tarik dari novel ini.

"Ke setiap diri di depan saya...hari ini, saya bilang...
jika kamu punya impian, impian besar dan begitu bermakna,
kekuatan imajinasi manusia yang luar biasa,
tetapi kamu tidak sedikit pun bekerja keras,
tidak sedikit pun meneteskan keringat untuk memperjuangkan impian kamu,...
buat saya..., kamu...hanyalah pembual nomor satu bagi diri kamu sendiri."

"Juga...ke setiap diri di depan saya hari ini,saya bilang...
jangan coba-coba bekerja keras, tetapi tanpa impian,
tanpa impian yang membakar diri dan benak kamu setiap hari,
berkeringat, lelah,...tetapi tanpa makna,
melangkah tetapi tanpa tujuan,
bangun di pagi hari menyesali apa yang kamu lakukan,
bekerja keras tanpa impian,
buat saya..., kamu...hanyalah pembual nomor satu bagi dunia"
(2,Donny Dhirgantoro)

Mengenai isi ceritanya saya ngga akan ngasih tahu di sini. Garing dong kalau ada bocoran. Hehehehe. Tapi, sekali lagi, novel ini adalah novel yang patut untuk dibaca dan diresapi. Hampir setiap bagiannya menceritakan tentang perjuangan menggapai impian.

cogito ergo sum, aku berpikir maka aku ada
certamen ergo sum, aku berjuang maka aku ada

Dengan kerja keras, tinggalkan bukti di dunia nyata bahwa impianmu, Ada

(2,Donny Dhirgantoro)