Hi my fellow AFS/YES 07-08 Indonesian students in Europe and USA...


How are YOU??
How is this February winter memorable for you?
Or... are you now trapped in boredom? Or, maybe the other way, are you now finding something new to have fun?
Whatever you do, I really really hope that you guys are doing great!
I'm actually now writing this post, addressing it to you all, as a response to those previous letters from our friends who have shared us about their experiences here in USA.

First of all, my beloved friends,
I wanna say... from the deepest of my heart.. that..
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME ..

No kidding, you are those among the greatest people I've ever seen in the world..


Why? There are so many reasons...

But first thing for sure, is because you own a huge courage. Living in a brand new society is totally uneasy. Especially when you have to maintain your own basic principles, and promote your country to people. It's totally uneasy, when you are still 16-18 years old, and you're expected to speak up to the world, about what you believe and what you don't. It's totally uneasy, when you are still young and passionate, to be oppressed mistakenly by the prejudice & discrimination caused by those superficial propagandas. It's totally uneasy, to be different, and to turn people to like us at the same time. We are young aliens, abandoned in a new planet, and maybe some planet people look down to us, but we are expected to live our life to the fullest at the same time, and stand on our own feet as well. And you guys have proven that you are brave aliens! That's why you still can smile eventhough life is not as easy as flowing water.


Secondly, I'm so proud of you guys, because every experience and story that you told us, are personally, an inspiration for me. Thank you Ghina, Raka, Rasis, Tessa, Taqia, Alfian ....and the unmentioned ones, for those beautiful stories you shared.... I just can't express how impressed I was when I figured out how you survived from your calamities. Some of those stories burst my tears out. And I am sure every single of us have various stories which are as tough as theirs. But still, I love those stories. It lifted up myself to work on things that I haven't accomplished yet so far. It awoke me, whipped me, and pushed me to run, as quickly as I can, towards my aims here. It took a moment for me to reflect. It reminded me to read my report card for the last semester of being an exchange student.

However, regarding to those posts, it is not impossible for envy to find fertile soil in our heart's feelings of incompetence. And I've been reading a lot of rensponses from some of other friends about their jealousy upon these success stories. I myself, to be honest, used to be trapped by this green-eyed monster too. How come? When Ghina, Citra, Widya & Azkia could attend this CECF Youth Leadership and Interfaith Conference in Disney Orlando, FL, I am still here doing some crappy things, such as checking friendster and facebook too often in front of the computer, or chatting too much. When Raka has chosen as The Best Presenter for Kids in 2008 in Mequon, WI, I am still here realizing that I haven't done much yet for my presentations about Indonesia. When Tessa was beautifully able to analyze the similarities between Soeharto's regime and Hitler's one, I am still here partying too much with friends and forgetting that I should update my brain again with logical analysis about what is up with the world. And when Rasis--who live in the same state with me--struggling for his tough new family and intense school/neighborhood, I am still here taking too much time to sleep, spending too much time to do something for my own comfort. When Taqia has successfully opened the eyes of some of us who has forgotten our main aim, I am still here, being one of those whom he awoke. And when Alfian and now Tila are making such a great video of our AFS/YES generation, I am still here selfishly thinking about myself and enjoying my own life.

My fellow Indonesian exchange students, these people, I'm not kidding, these people are so special to my perspective. These people are ones of my role models. Seriously. I'm not gonna stop asking, "How did these people achieve success? What are my deficiencies, and how can I work upon them?" I am not preoccupied by those success and tough stories but, in contrast, I have found my spirit back to do more and more for myself, and for what I represent. I am not gonna complain about my life anymore, because now I have already known there are people out there who have less than mine. And from Rasis, I've seen the importance of remembering that any misfortune could have been worse. From him, I am reminded that deliverance may not always happen as we would prefer. Rather, God brings relief according to God's wisdom.

That's why my fellow Indonesian exchange students, let's celebrate these people. Let's thank God for God's blessing upon them and enabling them to succeed. Let's even ask God to increase these people's success! Some of us are like a weight lifter who, although knowing the proper technique, sometimes lacks enough strength to lift the bar. But these people, they are strong enough to uplift their life and even to motivate us. I am also certain that there are more of success & tough stories from you which are not written in this mailist. No matter you'll share it or not, I am sure, all of your stories are more than just great!