the future is near

short textes
indeed i know you're busy
cuz the future is near
we can't stuck in one point

and me, yes me
looking at you that way
yet you pushed me further
to my own near future

because me, yes me
will go away too
far away
without looking at you

There's Only Smile

for every single day goes by
just let it be mine
mine to protect and nurture
but even though it is human nature
I won't give up

and for everything that I've got
there's only smile
even if it is not enough
sometimes I could laugh
truth is such a dance!

but for you...
no need to reveal the real one
the time will come
so just let it run

Achieving Global Understanding

(I wrote this proposal to join 2009 World Civic Youth Forum in South Korea. But I didn't pass the selection. After all, it was fine because it was fun =D. My proposal main theme is peace and culture. )

According to Wikipedia site, there are 25 wars from 2003 until now. Some of them are still on going. Discrimination also exists in all over the world. Sometimes they develop into wars. What happen to this world? What things are we lacking so that wars erupt so easily?

A war might occur from the inability to make an agreement that satisfied both sides. In the same time, we have to keep in mind that people will never be satisfied. Mr. A agrees on something after understanding Mr. B’s conditions. Mr. B should do the same thing to Mr. A too. Discrimination comes from people who can’t understand why others are different from them.

In the worldwide context, this understanding means global understanding. How do we achieve that? Realizing that the world consists of different people from different cultures, my suggestion is by strengthening multicultural friendship and partnership.

Multicultural is widely described as a term that includes people of all races and ethnic groups (Figueredo, 1993: 32). Multicultural friendship and partnership means friendship and partnership between multicultural people. In the progress, there shouldn’t be any domination from any side. Each person should be able to bring up their cultural identity and view freely without hesitation as long as he/she doesn’t humiliate others.

The college youth can take great part in this case. Since they are in the state of developing themselves, it will be easier for them to implement new things in their life. But, despite of the well-developed technology that enables us to make contacts with anyone in other parts of the world, why are we still lack of understanding?

Well, saying hello and a little chit chat will not make they understand others multiculturally. They have to experience it themselves through student exchange program, long-term multicultural correspondence, or multicultural international project. Each of them can give students chances to improve their cultural empathy, open-mindedness, emotional stability, social initiative, flexibility, and self-efficacy (Van Oudenhoven, Jan Pieter).

In student exchange program, students live in a new environment with different norms and habits for one or a half year. It doesn’t only allow them to learn foreign language, but also to learn about other culture very closely at heart. By having friends from other cultural backgrounds, they will learn to see the world from different perspectives. They will know how to interact better with people from other cultural backgrounds. Increasing the numbers of student exchange program will help more students to be like that.

Not all students have the chance to experience student exchange program due to financial account and opportunities. The long-term multicultural correspondence is cheap and simple. Students can use the internet to do this from their home country. The correspondence should be intensive and emphasizing global issues that will stimulate different cultural views. Sharing these kinds of thoughts will broaden their mind and understanding. Learning an issue by discussing it with your friend will remains longer in your mind rather than seeing it on the television. Of course the students would be more motivated if the colleges and universities make this correspondence obligatory.

The multicultural partnership could be actualized from multicultural international project. Students from different countries (ideally from different continents) gather to do a project, such as running business or children development volunteer work in a developing country. They will have a chance to work together as a team with students from other countries. They will also learn many things from the host country society.

Those experiences will lead students to build full personality. In the end, they will be people with global understanding. We can also expect them to have positive contributions to the world. It is because their experiences and knowledge support them to figure out how to make resolution and peace-building needed for conflict. If we have more people like this, we have one step closer to the world without war and discrimination.


References

“Community Development Volunteer Work.” 20 March 2009.

“Culture War.” 20 March 2009.

“List of Wars 2003 on.” 20 March 2009.

Ahida, Ridha. “Justice Concept in Multicultural Society Seen from John Rawls and Will Kymlicka’s Perspective.” Doctoral Dissertation, University of Indonesia. FIBUI: Depok, 2005.

Bennett, Chritine I. Comprehensive Multicultural Education: Theory and Practise. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1986.

Cifuentes, L., and K. L. Murphy. “Promoting Multicultural Understanding and Positive Self-concept Through a Distance Learning Community: Cultural Connections.” 20 March 2009.

Figueredo, Danilo H. “Developing Media Collections to Serve Multicultural/Multiethnic Communities.” Multicultural Acquisitions. Ed. Karen Parrish and Bill Katz. New York: The Hawarth Press, 1993.

Hirst, Paul. War and Power in the 21st Century. Jakarta: Murai Kencana, 2004.

Kahn, Joel S. Culture, Multiculture, Postculture. London: SAGE Publications, 1995.

Sunarto, Kamanto, et al. “Multicultural Education in Indonesia and Southeast Asia: Stepping Into the Unfamiliar”. Journal of Indonesia Anthropology (2004).

Van Oudenhoven, Jan Pieter. “Predicting Multicultural Effectiveness of International Students: the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire.” 20 March 2009.

Faith

Faith... is Better than Any Plan

It is stated by a character named Nagato in one of my favorite manga (Japanese comics), Naruto written by Masashi Kishimoto. This manga's essential message is about peace and the dreams to accomplish it. The story is still on going. So the the truth of the message is still unrevealed. But how the characters struggling to seek for peace and their own dreams encourage me to seek for my own.

It feels funny as thinking about how I've been learning about faith. I learned from books, comics, movies, friends, even video games.

Comics? I bet some of you'll be surprised. Comics are not all about fun. I read mangas a lot. And lately I'm reading great mangas that teach me so many things in life.

Another favorite manga of mine is Bakuman written by Obata Takeshi and Ohba Tsugumi. The story is about two boys (from 9th grade and now 11th but still on going) fighting for their dreams--becoming prominent mangakas (manga writers). It is such a powerful story that I can feel their spirit and strength when pursuing their dreams.

Both mangas have young main characters. In the beginning, they're just ordinary kids with a piece of dream. And then they grew up so much that many people acknowledge them. How did they do that? Talent is something but it only gives small contributions. The most important thing is they have faith.

FAITH

When you have faith, you believe in yourself. You will do your best to make your dreams come true. You won't let anything make you down. And you know that you will make it eventually.

So having a dream is how you start it. Then put your faith in it. I knew it because I'm doing it. Trust me =)

(Naruto: Chapter 448, Page 06)

(Bakuman: Chapter 34, Page 01)

I'm Free and I Will Flee

(A few days ago I've had a beautiful correspondence with my friend as I wrote the note "Starting My 20s". I want you to check this one out ^^)

From Christina:

I know you have some anxiety about starting your 20's, but this is the best part of your life. You are young and in your prime, but old enough to be smarter, have a better idea of who you are and what you believe in, and you can also do more things and explore more of life than you could as a teenager. This is the time to travel, explore, and meet new people! Don't worry about things - everything will come into place, you will see. Here is a quote for you which is one of my favorites:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
-Mark Twain

So don't be scared, just be excited! I am sure many good things await you Melody :)

My Reply:

Christina… thank you sooo much for your beautiful message ^^

I received many supports lately, and I’m so glad to have yours today.

As writing the note (starting my 20s), somehow I felt like releasing all my fear. I’m growing stronger day by day ever since. Maybe writing it was some kind of therapy for me.

Now I feel grateful to know that I’m able to start my “life” earlier and with more opportunities than most people in my country. And yes, this is time to travel, explore, and meet new people. Next week I’m going to submit my scholarship application to study a master degree in USA. Even if I fail, I’ll be ready to submit other applications to Australia and Netherlands. I also have some projects and some exciting upcoming projects. Right after those projects, I will start a definitely new stuff next year.

And yes, everything will come in place. My cultural environment is a bit tightening but I won’t worry about it anymore. I’m free and I will flee.

Peace and Love,

Melody Violine