before I land on another corner of continent

Uh, umm...okay. Check!

So today, I took a day off. I slightly am ill for heavy cold. Slowly cured by the way. But, no this is not my malady I intend to scribble here. For all of the mateys, don't be surprised! I am going to Abu Dhabi tomorrow. Family vacation? No. Then...what? Long story yet I'll make short for you to read.

I applied for one college called New York University of Abu Dhabi last month. Hmm... I'd been knowing this college beforehand and I was so pumped to do the admission for this college yet procrastinations subdue myself all the way till the day of deadline. It's all good though. I was officially verified as an applicant.

It was exactly three minutes after my school bell rang that I had an email notification popped out on my berry. I thought it'd be another spam that haunted my mailbox almost every goddamn day. I looked on the email's subject diligently and it said something about 'NYU Abu Dhabi Candidate Weekend'. I shook myself up and tried to read an email that said just the same like below :

Dear Arief,

I am delighted to formally invite you to take part in the NYU Abu Dhabi Candidate Weekend that will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from February 3 through February 6, 2011.

You have been selected because of your strong academic credentials and your global outlook. Through Candidate Weekend, we hope to learn more about your qualifications and your interest in NYU Abu Dhabi, while you explore all that NYU Abu Dhabi has to offer.

During your visit, you will have the opportunity to spend time with NYU Abu Dhabi Vice Chancellor Alfred H. Bloom, New York University President John Sexton, and current NYU Abu Dhabi students. You will get to know fellow prospective students and be exposed to NYU Abu Dhabi’s signature honors curriculum by participating in sample classes and meeting members of our outstanding faculty. There will also be ample opportunity during the weekend for you to have fun and experience the vibrancy of the local community...

I can't stop putting grin on my face all day. I know that it doesn't mean I'm admitted to this university. Still, who can resist being so happy when you get the chance to 'escape' from the grueling phase as twelfth grader? Lol, that's not my main intention anyway. But, yeah I love that idea.

See you soon, eh?
(taken from : sciencereligionnews.blogspot.com)

I will depart tomorrow. Still have that mixed feeling of nervous, excited, happy and whatnot. Hopefully this feeling drives me to the right place. FYI, I'll be meeting with 80 or so other students from every part of the world. I can't wait to meet each one of them. I promise, I'll be hitting you guys about what it's like in Abu Dhabi and perhaps sharing what I've got during the candidate weekend.

Thus, I kindly request for the prayers from you guys. May this journey would be my great start for me and in the future (nearest one), I'll come back there carrying mightier luggage to spend my next 4 years over there. Wish me the very best luck, k?!

:))
(taken from : nytimes.com)

Jack Byrnes remix

If you have ever watched Little Focker, you might see this remix just before/at the credit title. I found this pretty snazzy to laugh about. Stare this one out!

You guys shoulda watched the whole movie

*roll my butt off* De Niro and Ben Stiller are the starz!

"Byrnes....Jack byrnes....Jack byrnes.... My father in-law!"

Edge of 2010

Before I start my post, I'd like to congratulate everybody who made it till today, year 2011 has been officially here since a day ago. Not much different. I've decided not to make any resolutions this year. I'll always make mine everyday, so a year-long resolution wouldn't do any good.

Referring to the title of this current post, Imma tell you what I did on the year end holiday. Words are so boring, pictures are not. So I made some collage (or montage?) of pictures. Why still wait?

AFS Christmas Dinner and 'Nobar' AFF Final League (12/26)

What I did there?

1. Decorating the place. That's hell lot of work. We finally made a good-looking-Christmas-tree-after-a-tornado-hit.
2. Exchanging gift. I got a green notebook in return of my Detroit hat. I sensed unworthiness at that moment.
3. We watched an awful football match between Indonesia-Malaysia. I'm proud, but I can't help when my heart sunk THREE times when Malaysian scored goals. I was hoped at the moment we could catch up the score and secure the cup for the very first time.

XV Karaoke Session

Same question asked. I miss these bithces like for freaking real. Initially, they all made the plans to spend NYE together somewhere downtown, but then I insisted them to make another plan since I couldn't make it for NYE. My wish granted. Ooyeah. As seen on the picture, we spent two hours sang couple songs that reminded us of almost everything we've been through (?) Then , we continued to watch the second leg of AFF Final Match. We lost......with dignity though. Anyway, we also watched couple movies and made it to a sleepover. It was elated after all.

New Years Eve with my International Family

"Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to" ~Bill Vaughn

I spent my NYE with my International fam. We had a karaoke time at the PM and we spent a night at Willy's crib. It wasn't that bad, spending your very last second ofthe year at suburb. We set a bonfire, made s'mores, lit the fireworks (one of them almost killed us, literally) and watched a movie. Too bad, couple friends we expected to come couldn't make it. But 'sall good.

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, let me say it again :

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~Edith 'Lovejoy' Pierce

menutup tahun

Untuk menutup tahun ini, tiba-tiba saya teringat sama blog yang saya dan teman-teman sejawat di AFS buat setahun yang lalu. Isinya kurang lebih sharing pengalaman dari keluarga di sana sampe curhatan. Sayang, maintenance kita kurang banget buat ngerawat blognya jadi postnya berhenti sekitar bulan April.

Awal tujuan kita sih sebenernya pure pengalaman aja, karena kan gak semua yang ikut program punya blog untuk cerita-cerita. Terlebih sih, kita promosi kecil-kecilan biar banyak yang termotivasi untuk ikut program AFS. Link untuk blognya : klik disini

Check them out! Witnessed our written memories.

leave it untitled

Sesuai judulnya, saya biarkan post kali ini tanpa judul. Titling makes use some energy that I can't afford right now. So leave it just the way it is.

Semester pertama di tahun keempat saya di SMA sudah menemukan ujungnya, tepatnya seminggu yang lalu. Bisa dibilang performa saya di bidang akademis pada semester ini cenderung menurun. Tentu saya lelah beralasan mengenai perjalanan saya di tahun keempat yang sulit karena adanya gap dari tahun sebelumnya. Tapi saya punya determinasi kuat untuk berubah. Yes, I am eager to change, please somebody read this carefully that I solemnly swear to change my way of doing things, a lot of them. Full stop.

Menutup semester ini saya sedikit merenung tentang beberapa hal, terutama masalah tujuan saya di penghujung tahun ajaran. Pertanyaannya sederhana tapi menggelitik, “Saya mau ke mana?”. Opsi sudah bertebaran di mana-mana. Mereka berbaris membuat saf berhadapan dengan saya. Tapi menentukan pilihan tak semudah melempar telunjuk di jendela toko yang menjajakan barang dagangan. Ada yang saya pertaruhkan di sini. Masa depan.

Pernah terlintas di pikiran saya untuk memantapkan langkah menuju bidang kedokteran. Dalam beberapa bulan, saya menimbang lagi lebih jauh keputusan ini dan saya dengan lantang bersuara tidak. Seiring dengan keputusan itu, tentu harus ada pilihan lain. Lagi, saya membuka ruang untuk berpikir dan akhirnya pilihan merujuk kepada satu hal : take a step to go abroad.

Sampai titik ini, saya masih berusaha keras untuk mencapai keinginan ini. Doain aja semoga pilihan-pilihan yang sekiranya tadi dan saat ini berbaris bisa saya pilah dan pada akhirnya, gerbang kampus apapun nanti dapat tersenyum menyambut saya.

definitely miss these days

it's been awhile yet I know time flew so fast, but let me recall some good memories cause indeed they were good that made me the way who I am now :)

try to make a comeback

So yeah, again

Saya lalai. Harusnya menjadi wordsmith itu bukan sebagai kewajiban tapi sebagai ketertarikan. Entah kenapa selama berbulan-bulan ini saya cenderung untuk meninggalkan beberapa hal yang saya anggap 'kurang' perlu. Soon, regret ate me alone, alive. Saya menyesal sudah membiarkan ruangan ini jadi berdebu dan dijangkit jaring laba-laba. Saya gak mau sesumbar lagi bakal ini itu, mau posting tiap periode tertentu. Guess I'll be happy with just letting this nifty occasional journal in its flow, ayt?

Kalo ditanya apa kabar saya hari ini, jawabannya masih sama. Jadi siswa SMA lagi. Getting back behind the desk and do so much tasks and subjects all the time, 'till we graduate for sure. Saya gak menyesal kok, cuma kadang-kadang selentingan pikiran kecil suka bikin hati mandek plus kecewa ngeliat used-to-be friend of mine udah jadi mahasiswa, pake baju bebas ke sekolah -kampus, red- etc etc etc. Huh, semuanya emang pahit kalo gak ada yang namanya syukur.

Sekarang saya sedang berjuang buat ujian akhir semester. Berhubung ini ujian semester terakhir sebelum saya perang di ranah pertempuran, jadi ha-rus-nya saya lagi belajar, tapi kenyataannya jari-jari saya gak berhenti loncat-loncat di keyboard dan nerjemahin kode-kode kecil ini ke blog. Nevertheless, welcome here a lovely procrastinator.

Udah ah daripada makin ngelantur, untuk selanjutnya doakan aja supaya blog ini masih bisa keurus dan bisa disapu, dipel dan make-up sesering mungkin.

Peace out, folks!