#Wonderful Eclipse di Balikpapan

Tidak pernah terpikirkan sebelumnya bahwa saya akan tinggal di luar kota kelahiran saya, Surabaya, apalagi di luar Pulau Jawa. Namun takdir berkata lain, di sinilah saya, tinggal di satu-satunya kota metropolitan di Pulau Kalimantan, Balikpapan.

Ketika mengetahui bahwa saya akan tinggal di Balikpapan, saya mencari tahu apa yang menarik di sini. Makanan khas, tempat wisata, atau pertunjukan apa yang tidak boleh saya lewatkan. Satu minggu, dua minggu berlalu tanpa ada hal yang menarik bagi saya. Apalagi, saya yang sudah biasa tinggal di Pulau Jawa dengan segala kesenangan dan hiburan yang mudah didapatkan. Sampai akhirnya salah seorang teman memberikan informasi bahwa Balikpapan akan dilewati Gerhana Matahari Total (GMT). Baiklah, ini baru, pikir saya.

Saya mulai mencari tahu kapan dan bagaimana caranya saya bisa melihat GMT. Kebetulan, peristiwa tersebut jatuh pada hari libur nasional, yang juga bertepatan dengan Hari Raya Nyepi, yaitu pada tanggal 9 Maret 2016. Karena jatuh pada hari libur, saya bisa menyaksikan GMT dari mana saja saya mau.

Hingga H-3, saya belum tahu saya harus menyaksikan GMT dari mana. Sebagai salah satu kota yang dilewati GMT, tentunya Balikpapan telah menyiapkan acara untuk momen langka ini. Pantai Manggar, salah satu pantai paling terkenal di Balikpapan, mengadakan acara nonton bareng GMT dimeriahkan artis ibukota. Lapangan Merdeka, lapangan paling hits se-Balikpapan, mengadakan sholat gerhana bersama. Bahkan Badan Usaha Milik Pemerintah seperti PT PLN (Persero) memanfaatkan momen ini untuk mengadakan Lomba Foto Gerhana yang diadakan di PLN Transmisi dan Gardu Induk Manggar Sari. Saya memilih untuk mengikuti event yang diadakan oleh PT PLN (Persero) sekalian cari spot bagus untuk foto.

Hari yang dinanti-nanti akhirnya tiba. Pukul 05.30 saya sudah siap di Kantor Wilayah PT PLN (Persero) untuk mengikuti event tersebut. Hari masih gelap, tapi peserta lomba foto sudah berdatangan. Akhirnya pukul 06.00, kami berangkat ke lokasi hunting foto dengan bus yang disediakan oleh penyelenggara.

Sampai di sana, ternyata lokasinya dipenuhi peralatan kelistrikan PLN. Mulai dari SUTET sampai transmisi listrik. Kami pun diberi kacamata gerhana, helm keselamatan dan dibekali briefing sebelum masuk ke dalam kompleks Transmisi dan GI PLN. Cukup mendebarkan juga masuk dalam kompleks tersebut, karena dipenuhi transmisi yang bertegangan. Penggunaan selfie stick alias tongsis juga tidak diperbolehkan untuk menghindari terkena setrum listrik. Fiuh.

  

(Lokasi  PLN Transmisi dan Gardu Induk Manggar Sari)

(Beberapa Saat Sebelum Gerhana Mulai)

  

(Suasana Nobar Gerhana)

 

Sekitar pukul 07.00, kami sudah siap untuk menyaksikan gerhana. Awalnya, sang surya tidak terlihat karena tertutup awan. Kami mulai cemas, apalagi sebelumnya ada isu bahwa Balikpapan akan berawan saat gerhana. Beberapa menit kemudian, untungnya si awan berangsur pindah memperlihatkan sang mentari.

Akhirnya sekitar pukul 07.30, penampakan bulan menutupi matahari mulai terlihat. Hingga puncaknya, pukul 08.30, gerhana matahari total terjadi. Seperti deskripsi buku ilmu pengetahuan alam waktu saya masih sekolah, saat terjadi gerhana matahari total, langit benar-benar gelap. Cahaya matahari hilang. Panas yang dirasakan ketika ada matahari juga hilang. Rasanya seperti malam, gelap dan dingin. Matahari berbentuk seperti cincin karena semua bayangannya tertutup oleh bulan. Tidak hanya membuat saya terpana, keindahan tersebut membuat saya tidak henti-hentinya menyebut nama Tuhan. Momen gerhana matahari total tersebut benar-benar salah satu momen paling ajaib yang pernah saya alami. Momen tersebut terjadi beberapa menit saja sampai matahari muncul kembali.

(Penampakan Gerhana Pukul 07.58 WITA)

(Bayangan Bulan Menutupi Matahari pada Pukul 08.24 WITA)

 

 

(Matahari Berbentuk Sabit pada Pukul 08.29 WITA)

 
Setelah momen tersebut, saya menceritakan momen tersebut kepada teman-teman dan keluarga saya di Surabaya. Sayangnya, mereka hanya bisa melihat gerhana matahari parsial. Saya yang bisa menyaksikan gerhana matahari total merasa sangat bersyukur karena diberi kesempatan langka ini. Bagaimana tidak, gerhana matahari total yang akan datang kabarnya akan terjadi pada tahun 2042. Seperti yang sekarang, tidak semua kota akan dilewati oleh gerhana tersebut.

All of a sudden, I am feeling so lucky. Tidak disangka, meskipun baru satu bulan di Balikpapan, saya sudah mengalami hal yang luar biasa. Saya tidak perlu mengeluarkan biaya lebih untuk melihat gerhana karena saya bisa menikmatinya dengan mudah. Ternyata tidak tinggal di Surabaya tidak seburuk bayangan saya. Masih banyak juga yang bisa saya eksplor di Kalimantan, khususnya Balikpapan.

Hello 2016

Never have I known that I could get through 2015 with so many lesson learned.

I thought it was gonna be another normal year. Me, staying at my city, living with my parents, doing all the things I've been doing. But it wasn't. For me, 2015 is all about getting out of my comfort zone.

It was all started when I've graduated college in September 2014. I was planning on studying abroad. I took an English course at April where I met some new cool friends. We have the same dream of studying abroad. That was when I try hard to be open-minded and encourage myself to talk to new people. From this course, I knew that I need to improve my English and I need to be more friendly towards people.

And then, in May, I was interviewed for a scholarship. Did I make it? No. Did I regret it? Not at all. It was also a lesson. From this interview, I realized that there were SO many people that were much smarter, braver, and more passionate than myself. I realized that I needed to improve so many things because if I wanted to be succeed at an interview, at least I have to conquer all my fears in social encounter, I have to be brave on speaking, I have to take my introversion away so that I can produce a good answer in an interview.

However, despite my failure in interview, I believe that God always have a beautiful plan for me.

During my course, I was also applying a job in a one of the biggest company in Indonesia. From May until June, I had to go to Yogyakarta for the recruitment test. It was nothing serious, because I wanted to take the test so that I could visit my best friend in Yogyakarta. But then, it was like my mother's prayer, I actually succeeded in the recruitment test (including interview which I have failed before). And it was a very good thing for me and of course my family that I got into this company.

After that, in September, I started to join a training that required me to leave Surabaya for God knows how long. I went to Yogya, Bandung, Bogor, Jakarta, and back to Bandung again in 4 months. This was where I learn a lot. I met so many people with so many different background, and I am now so lucky to be a part of them all.
And this is where I really moved out of my comfort zone. I tried to be as social as possible. I got out of Surabaya and didn't live with my parents for the longest time (so far). I lived alone for the first time. I did a mandatory military training. I sang in front of crowd. I had my own salary. And so on and so on.

And I am blessed. Beyond blessed.
Welcoming 2016, I of course know what to expect but all I can do is to try my very best so that I can make myself and everyone around me happy.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Human Needs to Work

Minggu lalu, orang media sosial lagi rame tentang perempuan harus kerja karena laki ga ngerti bedanya lipstik 50ribu dan 500ribu. Ada lagi yang bales, laki harus kerja karena penampilan pasangannya adalah lambang kesuksesan suami. Whatever, but this is my opinion.

I trust that woman has to work. Why? Let's see.
First of all, human has its own basic needs. Di Indonesia sendiri, kebutuhan primer terdiri dari pangan, sandang, papan (makanan, pakaian, rumah). If you can't get it by yourself, who would get it for you? Your spouse? Ok, I agree with that. But you have to be aware that not everyone decided to build a life with a significant other. Jadi, apa yang harus dilakukan? Ya kerja. Untuk memenuhi kebutuhan diri sendiri. At least, untuk tidak merepotkan dan tidak bergantung pada orang lain. However, this opinion is NOT only for woman, but for man as well.

Secondly, after the fulfilling of primary needs, human has secondary needs. Let's easily call it tertiary needs. Handphone model baru, koneksi internet (or is it primary needs?!), new garment and tenderloin steak every month? Singkatnya, sebagai manusia kita pasti butuh hiburan. Apapun hiburan yang kita mau, we can't deny that we need the money. And those who said that money can't buy happiness is shitting themselves. Well yeah, there are things that money can't buy such as time, friends, family, love, etc, etc, but what would we do if we don't have the money to spend it with the love ones? And this, also not only for woman, but for man as well.

The third reason is that I believe we are not working only for the money. Dari kerja, banyak sekali, I repeat, banyak sekali keuntungan yang bisa kita dapatkan. Networking, new colleagues for instance. They will not only help you in your workplace, but also help you find new perspective in life. Coba deh, luangkan waktu ngobrol dengan kolega, klien, atau mas-mbak cleaning service. And don't forget to LISTEN. They might have something interesting to say that can help us learn. Misalkan dengerin kisah sukses atasan. Hilangkan jauh-jauh dulu pikiran iri, dengki, dan menganggap kalo somebody's success story is only to show off. Well, this can motivate you if you take it the right way!

And the last reason I can think of is that working can help you develop yourself. Dunia ini akan selalu berkembang, termasuk dunia kerja. Dulu mah orang kerja ga perlu pake laptop, nulis di notebook, udah. Bikin tabel pembukuan pake kertas folio, udah. Sekarang? Everything goes digital. Kalo kita ga mau belajar, kita ga bakalan bisa maju. Kita cuma akan jalan di tempat ngelihatin orang-orang yang makin kesini makin jago dengan keterampilan dan skill yang beda-beda.

So, do every woman has to work? Definitely YES! But so does man.
Tapi jangan terkungkung bahwa bekerja harus menjadi pegawai di perusahaan. Jaman sekarang sih udah banyak banget yang bisa kita lakuin. Udah sering kan dengar "Kerjalah sesuai hobi / passion-mu, maka kamu ga akan merasa kerja seharipun" or something like that. Kalo kamu hobi masak, so be it, be a cook! Sekolah masak yang benar dan mahal (kalo punya dana). Kalo nggak, buka google, cari video cooking tutorial, coba-coba resep di internet. Kalo kamu hobi nulis, so be it, be a writer! Or blogger! Or buzzer! Kalo kamu hobi bisnis, so be it, jadilah wirausaha! Jualan baju kek, jilbab kek, brownies kek. Kalo kamu hobi ngurus rumah, so be it, buka jasa bersihin rumah! Ga tau mau kerja apa? Bingung passion atau hobi kamu apa? Googling coba, siapa tahu nemu pekerjaan yang seru, asik, dan menghasilkan.

Yang penting adalah, pintar-pintar cari informasi dan kesempatan. Baca banyak buku! Use the Internet wisely! Cari info lowongan pekerjaan! Anything, that keeps you WORK.

In conclusion, do I think woman has to work? YES. But so does man. Or any gender or role you play. HUMAN needs to work. Or else, you might as well be dead. Sorry to say, but that's what I think.

Don't give up, folks!
With love, Kamelia Widyati

Ojo Dumeh

Tidak bisa dipungkiri memang bahwa manusia selalu tidak pernah puas. Ingin ini, ingin itu. Punya ini, punya itu. Masih kurang. Mau lebih. Lebih bagus dari ini, lebih banyak dari dia.
Namun sebagai manusia yang tidak hidup sendiri, hendaknya kita sadar bahwa kita memiliki dua pilihan. Untuk melihat ke bawah agar kita merasa 'cukup', atau melihat ke atas agar kita merasa 'kurang'. Merasa cukup dengan apa yang telah kita lalui, capai, dan miliki. Dan sebaliknya, merasa kurang dengan apa yang belum kita lalui, capai, dan miliki.

Sejatinya hidup itu bukan hanya tentang diri kita sendiri. Percayalah bahwa dunia itu adil. Ketika kamu cukup, bantulah mereka yang tidak. Ketika kamu kurang, sadarlah bahwa bukan hanya kamu yang harus diurus.

Growing Up Is Easy

I vividly remember, when I was a child, I hope I can grow up quickly. I hoped when I was reaching my twenties, I will have figured out what I do, a career, a love-life, simply a future. Now I'm in my early twenties, and I realize, everything is not that easy. They said being old is mandatory while growing up is a choice. Well, if I could choose, I think I'd still want to grow up.

The thing is, we thought that people younger than us are whiny and peevish. They complain a lot. About how they needed more time to work on their school project. About how they were sad ending a relationship with their partner. About how they could not solve problems we, older generation, think is easy to be solved.
If only we realize that we think it is stupid because we've been there, done those things the younger generations are currently experiencing. We think their problems are nothing compared to ours because we have passed it. We have passed the time when we were 6, trying to read fluently and write neatly. We have passed the time when we were in third grade, trying to solve a multiplication and division in maths. We have passed the time when we were in our 12 facing new friends in junior high school, competing with each other who's become the coolest, the prettiest, the most famous. We have passed the time when we were in our 17, trying to reach our dreams to become a band member, or a school president, or a doctor. After high school, not many of us understand what to become, what to do. To work or to pursue higher education. To stay single and be free or to be in a relationship and committed. Did you know what you want to do when you were 17?

I did. I totally did. I thought I'm going to study psychology, learning about the mystery of human behavior and their personality. I thought I'm going to have a boyfriend who has the same interest as mine, watching movies and football match once in a week, meet up every Saturday night having a proper dinner. I thought after twenty, I would figure them out. I would figure them all out. I didn't.

Now I'm just getting older and older, trying to take any opportunities I have. Applying for a scholarship to study abroad? I've tried, I've failed. Applying to have a job in a magazine? I've tried, I've failed.

I'm now facing it all. The fear of being alone and miserable forever. The fear of not being successful. The fear of disappointing people we love most.

But growing up had me realize that, I am now facing my phase. This is the part people older than me had experienced. This is the part of growing up I have to encounter in order to be succeeded in the future. This is the part that I am going to pass and be grateful for it because I will have been surviving this position. This is the part that I am going to say "I've been there, done that. Nothing to worry about, because everyone and everything has its own time and place." to people younger than me when they're experiencing it.

Growing up is scary. It may seem hard at times. But when we realize what we've achieved, we will be thankful and saying that growing up is easy. You just have to have faith and keep working hard.

My Favourite Music Of All Time (Part 1)

For I don't know how long, whenever I have a blog, I always try to create this list and it's remained unfinished. Now I will try to make a new one. I am not a music expert and I don't listen to a wide range of music genre, so this list might have a very subjective taste. Please notice these two things: 1) This list can go on and on, because I will keep listening to music so if there's any new cool music I will put it here; 2) This list is not by order, so the first is not the best and the last is not the worst. It is only based on what song I could remember.
NOW LET'S START!

Clean Bandit - Rather Be (Feat. Jess Glynne)
I discovered this song from radio at first. I've always loved electronic songs, but this one really caught my ears. After did some search on youtube and listened to all of their songs, then I started to fall in love with this band and hopefully I can watch their concert someday. I could only sing "No no no no no, no place I'd rather be" aaaaall over again till I sang this song on karaoke and it has this catchy lyrics:

"But as long as you are with me, there's no place I'd rather be / I would wait forever, exalted in the scene / As long as I am with you, my heart continues to beat"

John Legend - Ordinary People
The song that made me fell in love with John Legend. With his subtle piano play, his gentle voice, and his heartfelt voice, basically all of John Legend's ballads are VERY good. I used to love All Of Me so much till it got overplayed and I got bored of it. Everybody Knows is always SO good but you can't forget what you've fallen in love with.

"Maybe we'll live and learn / Maybe we'll crash and burn / Maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave, maybe you'll return / Maybe another fight / Maybe we won't survive / But maybe we'll grow / We never know baby you and I / We're just ordinary people / We don't know which way to go"

Alicia Keys - If I Ain't Got You
I mean, who doesn't love this song?! At least, who haven't heard this song?! I'm sure everybody is familiar with this song. One of Alicia Keys' best. Played on the radio for however many times, sang in a cafe by however many bands, If I Ain't Got You. This song can give you two perspective, a fall in love song, or a heartbreak song. This one is romantic, yet agonizing song. I can't choose any lyrics from this song, because all words in this song is perfect.

Well, I decided to divide this post into some parts because I don't think I can finish it any soon in one attempt. Soooo, catch ya later!

To the Old Self

When you're older and being a parent, please remember, that you are not always right.
Well, yes you have more years experiencing the world than the younger, but it doesn't mean that you are always right. You might be wiser, but not always. You might give good advice, but no one doesn't have to listen to you. Let you be a good observer. Understand what others don't. See what others don't. You might know the secrets of the universe, the life hack, but you are allowed to remain silent, because not everything you know is relevant in every situation.

When you're older and being a parent, please remember, that you set an example.
Not only for your children, but also for your family. You will be an example to your daughter, you need to be strong, patient, caring, and stable. You can't let your emotions cloud your judgement. You will be an example to your son, you need to be kind, loving, smart, and confident. You have to show your son what qualities he needs to find when he is looking for a mother for his children. You have to take your personal matters aside to take care of other important things in your family

When you're older and being a parent, please remember, that you still need a lot to learn.
The world is always changing. What you used to believe, might change. What you used to perceive, might be mistaken. Your children might be smarter than you. Your spouse might be wiser than you. Others might be better than you. Just. Keep. Learning. You ARE still the change you want to see in the world.

When you're older and being a parent, please remember, that you can not be selfish.
This is a cruel, finicky, ruthless world. Everyone can be selfish. But you can't. You have your family to be taken care of. You need resources, a lot of them. But you have to do things the right way. Don't use others for your own entertainment. Don't outshine others for your own spotlight. Everything has its own place and time. You have to believe that.