25.10.09. Turn my humor sense back into me!!

Well, I dunno what is happening to me, apparently my sense of humor is now decreasing. I was funny actually, but it's gone no where..
I dun want to be so serious coz I want to make lot of friends.

I reckon it's such a phenomenon when I am focusing into certain things.

In Australia, people love funny person, not only in OZ I guess, but it's around the world. Maybe, I have a trick..I want to memorize silly thing that ever done to get me tune in humor...hehe

I want to share my old funny stories..

When I was in high school, I was sitting in the table where the arrangement was male students and female students and so on repetitively. My back chair was 2 female students named Hana and Laily..my friend "rudy" and me often teasing Hana just for fun..Hana is silence typical modest girl..I think she was a virgin girl coz she is very innocent.. :)

It's started by guessing her underpant's colour ...
"Han..are you wearing yellow today?" I asked to Hana..then Rudy reply "I think she is wearing blue this time, is that right Han?"

Then Hana respond: "OMG...O lord!!...you're impolite.."
and she squezze my back with her tiny fingers as a response to us
"..ouchhh!! It's hurt".."hold on!..don't get me wrong..I am only asking to your bag's colour"..

"no..you don't ..I know what you're asking"..and she squeeze my back again.."you deserve it!" she replied..

However, It won't stop us to tease her, since we like the way she respond to our teasing..
What a funny!!.
On the other day, we ask again the same thing with different type
"Han..we reckon that you are not wearing today?"
"OMG..you're so dirty!"
"What are u talking about, we only ask you whether you wear jacket or not today?"
"no..I know what you're talking about..you're so dirty!!!"..then ask you guess that she squeeze our back again.."

Eventhough our back was hurt, but we never stop to do it again and again..
It's so fun to tease innocent girl like her..

Now, I am growing, it's was 11 years ago..
Today..we almost never meet each other anymore..wish she grow to be a happy woman and all my high-school friends as well..I miss that moment so much..and may be that one was the most ridiculous moment that I am still memorized till now.. :) it's always make me laughing myself, how can I do such a conduct...but I won't regret coz it's funny!!.. :P

Cheers,

written in the shower of Randwick, NSW on Spring season

Can't wait for my Virgin European Trip

Hoohooo...I feel excited although it even hasn't been started..this euphoria is really, I dunno why I feel so happy to receive this wonderful experience.. Thanks GOD..

My friend POP given me his European pictures, it is making me more curious about France, Spain & The Netherlands.

I will update my trip through my blog, day by day..please follow me if you are interested to know more :D

I will specifically focus on Urban Design & Architecture perspective, because it may bring more contribution to my readers...

Thanks
See ya..

Schengen Visa Application

I applied for Schengen Visa on Friday morning, 9 Nov 2009 by appointment in 31 Market Street, Sydney with other UDES3 fellas. Although with some confusions of our personal detail fulfillment, we finally submitted. Consulate officer said that they will call if there is missing information on the form..thanks GOD.

One step is relief, though we still need to come for payment. I hope it will be issued before my trip on 1 Nov to Paris. Otherwise, I would cry like a river or getting restless... :(

Interestingly, other nationalities do not need visa to enter Europe. For example, my friend from Malaysia, USA do not need it. What a lucky!..therefore, Indonesian government should have agreement with European Union for free visa, vise versa.

This is my third visa application actually, the first one was for my Osaka-Japan visit in October 2004 and Australian Student Visa a year ago.

It is interesting that I am applying from the third country, Australia, to apply this. Some says that it is easier to obtain visa from here than from my home country...well let's see..

Wish me luck! :)

26.09.09 My imigination for the future of Surabaya

It is the fact that our neighbor countries such Malaysia, Singapore or even Vietnam have undergone very rapid changes in term of their city development.

However, kinda sad when I mirror this situation with Indonesia, especially Surabaya (its 2nd biggest city). When many big cities in the region are competing to be the best, while we are probably not.

In term of Urban Design, Surabaya needs to explore more possibilities to enhance its image, such as in the following:

• providing more accessible parks, community garden in neighborhoods.

• enhancing the pedestrian access, disabled access, parents with baby stroller.
• preserving biodiversity of the city, such as local birds, which are rarely found these days, are they extinct already?..where's the frog when raining, morning birds, etc..

However, I still appreciate several impressive achievement in the Surabaya Public Park development by redesigning and installing free public wifi. In fact, Surabaya become the pilot project of smaller Indonesian cities for city vegetation design, as it won several government awards due to its awesome designed parks.

There are couple things that we should have such as drinkable water tap in the park, pedestrian traffic light for crossing the street as I experience here in Sydney, garbage management by separating organic, non organic/ recyclable wastes.

Moreover, we should have a singular model of Surabaya Architecture. we should have one strong character that speak our personality loudly. So, what's Surabaya Architecture?

According to me, Surabaya Architecture is the fusion of Traditional Javanese Architecture and Modern contemporary design, which covers the materials selection or space arrangements.

Why Architecture is so important?... all well-known cities around the world have their own characteristics which are reflected by its composing buildings. Let's take a look in Paris, Rome, Kyoto, Madrid, etc..Can you find out the similar line of those cities?.. it's the architecture that become their cultural symbol and contribute to the tourism developments.

No matter how hard the Surabaya tourism board, if they don't have something to 'sell', tourists won't back for second time, they may see it is enough to experience Indonesia once, nothing more!..

Back to Architecture and Urban Design, we should position ourselves as part of regional developments, which means that everything that we wanna build should be based on regional standard. For example, if we wanna build a theater or museums, we should see whether other people will see it nice or if it meets the standards regionally or even Internationally.

Internationally??? yup it should be. If we reflect Surabaya in term of population, we are as big as Sydney, but are we well-known enough in the global role?..I don't think so, please do not make the developing countries issues as the excuse.

The problem is that we do not want to address how strategic our position in the world map. We should emphasis that it is good opportunities. I believe that by improving the bureaucracy we could do more. For example, positioning Surabaya as air-hub in the region scale to Australia and pasific islands..why not? we can take this position before other Indonesian cities do it. The good example now is that Bangkok, KL or S'pore are the hub of international flight destination to regional cities. If Bali is near with us, why we do not take this advantage?.. and add other eco-tourism as part of endorser, like Mount Bromo.

We have to strengthen the position of Surabaya as business city in Indonesia. we can say that people coming this city is only for business purpose, convention, shopping.

If this so, how we make them feel convenience then, that the question?

• Improve the infrastructure; build the rapid transport from airport to station gubeng.
• Make Station Gubeng as the central station of Surabaya, redesign it by competition so the result will be signature building for Surabaya, the new landmark, as it is strategic location in the of Surabaya Business District. I know it needs lot of money, but according to independent survey, we are the 2nd richest city in Indonesia, so where the hell money goes?
• Build internal CBD bus network and car-parking building in the outskirt, so it will encourage the use of public transport. Make sure that the bus network will prefer membership and prepaid payment with card identification to avoid crime in public transport.
• If the government really want to relocate the CBD. then prepare the infrastucture, by connecting the airport to the new CBD by toll highway. So the concept will be triangle; old CBD (pemuda)-new CBD (Surabaya Barat)-Juanda Airport.
• No doubt that our people love sheltered or shaded place, since living in tropical is very hot especially during mid-days. Therefore, plant more trees and sails on the traffic light, which are dedicated for motorbikers and bicyclers.
• Enhance the internet connection, if Surabaya really want to strengthen and grow its business assets, because internet is the blood of modern activities.
  
• Allocate new places for industries, especially in the border to other neighboring towns, such as Gresik or Sidoarjo. The reason is to enhance the employment and the growth of GDP. More importantly is connecting the industry areas with seaport by integrated road infrastructure.
  
• It's the time to implement green building standard in Surabaya, as the benchmark of building appraisal in municipality and part of mandatory building code.

The idea of returning the tax to public by providing more public amenities is fair for us. Now, should we wait them to implement it to us? or we want to struggle it to happen?

*pic taken from www.skyscrapercity.com

Thanks for reading, contents will be reviewed soon.
Randwick, 2.27am

12.09.09. Ramadhan in Sydney

Today ramadhan (12.09.09) seems very different with the other ramadhan days this year..it's so peaceful and sunny. I dunno what sign it is, but I guess it contain of clues, may be Lailatul Qadhar.. yup..it's not impossible that today is the sign, coz so many things happen to today to test whether I am qualified or not to be granted Lailatul Qadhar.

I guess I am fail..my ego defeated my kindness. Now, I am questioning myself how maximise I fulfill my days during Ramadhan. To be honest, I have no goal at all this year. Isn't it shame for me!.I should learn to be better in every year..

Then, what I should I do? 7 days left and I still have time to make it.. It is testing to my ability to conquer my ego and to learn giving something from me to others..

You know... actually ramadhan this year is full of compliments, such as; good weather-not so cold-not so hot, short timing coz we are in Fall now-compared to friend fasting in the Summer of Netherland...wuuhh..must be hard!

I should gratitude by contributing to myself and ramadhan itself..not just like regular months..it should have a meaning!..

Am I too judging myself?..so sorry bout that but I need to emphasize that I am in the edge of loser (in my own standard)..

thanks for reading anyway
So..what about you during Ramadhan?

-sydney-fbe design lab-11.38pm-

20.09.2009 | 1 Syawal 1430H

This is my first experience to celebrate Ied al Fitr overseas. Lucky me the situation in Sydney was very lively with many supportive Indonesian students here. Although I could not meet my family directly to address forgiveness tradition, a tradition where Indonesian seeking for apologies during last year mistakes or misconducts. I just realized that this tradition may be practiced in Malay Culture only, since other ethnicity did not do the same, only congratulating that's all.

Anyway, I am so lucky that Ied Al Fitr this year is on Sunday, so I have more time to enjoy the atmosphere of peacefulness of Ied Al Fitr. No matter where I am, this feeling remains the same, dunno why? May be it is such a blessed from The God to us..Alhamdulillah! Moreover the days was only 29days, quite rare to happen, normally 30 days..it depends on lunar appearance.

Talking about celebration, this year it began from Doncaster House, where they cook delicious cuisine with cute lontong 'rice cake' and rendang...thanks for the hospitality, if only I knew that they would invite for stop-over lunch, I would prepare to make prawn crackers :D After that, I managed to come to Teh Dewi invitation, I taste very nice sio-may!..yummy! Then, I went to Wisma Nusantara with ADS 2009 fellas (meet them on the street while waiting a bus heading to Rosebay)... This is my first time going to WN, I can feel Indonesian culture since from the gate, coz many Balinese sculptures lining on it. Like we predict before that there will be so many Indonesian foods there..I taste Chicken Satay and Risoles (it's from Holland though!)..again in WN, I ate, making me so full!..

The good things were I met lots of new friends, coz this is the essence of Ied Al Fitr, which is friendship and family togetherness.. After that we are heading home by Ferry via Circular Quay, it's wonderful experience, where we passed Sydney Opera House from front facade.. hope to see dolphin but I didn't..hehe..

Now, it's Monday where the life should back to normal with many exciting assignments I should do as student.. I wish I could meet Ramadhan again next year, and looking forward to my Ied Al Adha in Barcelona, November 21, 2009.

Thanks for reading, written in my randwick unit, 7:59pm
Wassalam