How Different My Life Is

I can't believe it's been 5 months since I left Jakarta and one quarter of my studies have passed. So many aspects of my life changed and I have learned a lot from the experience of living by myself.

Ever since I knew I had the opportunity to study at the US, I felt that I was obligated to make the most out of it. I still do. I have to work really hard, learn as much as I can, get good grades, make people back home proud, and prove that a Psychology major can do good in Business School. Apparently it's far more difficult than I thought it would be.

I used to be a laid back student and felt that getting a GPA above 3 out of 4 is good enough, thus I didn't put too much effort in studying. Now, almost everyday, I study until past midnight even though it's not exam week, I have to do group discussions, read case studies, and do readings. It is indeed typical for a student, but I don't usually do this during college and high school. The student lifestyle change was sort of frustrating to me. During class, I felt that I have to understand and contribute in class discussions. After class, I have to rush through my lunch and go to group discussions, where I also felt that I have to contribute. By the time I'm home, I continued studying or make write-ups, which takes me quite some time because I don't feel very confident with my academic writing. If the above activities are not fulfilled, I feel very anxious, which frustrates me. There were times where I actually cried because my anxiety has taken a toll on me, and eventually frustrates me even more because I feel pathetic that I've become such an ambitious student.

As for my daily life, it has also changed a lot. I live alone, and most of my friends I hang out with live pretty far from my apartment. As much as I like being alone, it gets lonely every once and a while. But most of the time, I like being by myself and have the liberty to do anything I want.
Of course, I do all house chores by myself. Grocery shopping, cleaning, washing, cooking, paying bills, you name it. I thought this part of living alone will be tough for me, but I actually enjoy doing it. I like walking through the aisles in the supermarket, cooking the way I want it to be, have a sparkling white sink, have a clean spoon when I need it or have my clothes smell good. I get to appreciate those little things I never pay attention to.

Other than enjoying house chores, there are other surprises I experienced. Considering that I have always lived with my parents my whole lifetime, it's surprising I have not cried, not even once, because of homesick. Being in a long distance relationship with M.S. is also not as difficult as I thought it would be. Furthermore, living far from home made me understand what my sister is going through this whole time, I feel that I'm closer to her because I feel the need to talk to her more often. It's embarrassing how I only made a skype account after I moved, which is 5 years after my sister moved from Jakarta.

A couple of weeks ago my friend asked me whether or not I'm happy here. I hesitated when I answered that question because I never thought of it. After writing my thoughts on this post, I know for sure what my answer is: I am definitely happy.

Happy holidays!
Greetings from my frustrated-yet-happy-student desk

My Version of 10 Things I Hate About You

I hate how you beat me in Scrabble or the Sunday crossword puzzle
I hate how you sometimes forget to say thank you to the parking guy or cashier
I hate how you're easily sick
I hate how you play the piano better than I do
I hate how you sometimes test me on general knowledge or use medical terms to explain something
I hate how you can tell that I'm playing spider solitaire or browsing while speaking on the phone with you
I hate how you lie and say that you're staying up late to write your paper, though you're actually playing a computer game
I hate how you sometimes forget to hold the door for me
I hate how you sometimes stare at my blackheads on my forehead instead of my eyes when you talk to me
I hate how you complain annoyingly when the traffic gets bad

However

I adore how you let me change the rules of scrabble so I could win
I adore how you're willing to wait for me to finish work for an hour or more at the mall across my office
I adore how you don't mind going to the movies alone because I changed my mind and decided to attend a meeting
I adore how you never complain about my outfit, even if it makes my ass look huge
I adore how you listen to my rants and give comments without being judgmental
I adore how you apologize first because you don't want us to fight
I adore how you let me window shop at Forever 21 eventhough you have a test the day after
I adore how you let me eat anything I want eventhough I'm already gaining weight and have a double chin
I adore how you understand when I refuse to come to your family gatherings
I adore how you never raise your voice when I'm being such a bitch during my monthly bitchiness.

We both don't know for sure whether I will be by your side when your hair turns gray,
or whether you will be by my side when there are wrinkles on my eyes,
or I will one day delete this post because we have both gone our separate ways.
But one thing I do know for sure,
is that in the here and now,
you have a special place in my heart.

My Imperfect Parents

Growing up, I was under a lot of pressure. Let me give you a brief family background.

My mother's late father was in the army, so her late parents had to move a lot. My mother was taken care by her grandmother who had limited money. When my mother was old enough, as the oldest child she had to take care her 6 siblings. Long story short, it was difficult for my mother to do her hobbies and explore her creativity and potential when she grew up.

My father is one of the brightest guy in his extended family. He also happens to be one of the most successful one, career wise. I think this is one of the reason why he thinks education is more important than breathing. Seriously. There was a period where the only topic he's interested in discussing is how we're doing in school.

My older sister inherits most of my father's gene. She was only 4 years old when she entered elementary school. She was a bright student in her school years, there was even her picture in her junior high yearbook, in which the caption underneath it says "Big Five Highest Score".

Since as long as I can remember, my school days were busy with all kinds of lessons. I was learning from sunrise to sunset, Monday to Saturday, sometimes Sunday. I used to envy my classmates because they were able to sleep in the afternoon and watch cartoon in the evening.

Mojacko, the cartoon I can't watch.

I was sick and tired with all my lessons. I cried a lot to my parents, asking their permission to let me quit. I did quit some of the lessons, but they never let me quit my English and piano lessons. I enjoyed none of it, my lessons became a burden.

Moreover, I was doing bad in high school. I had to do remedials in every test I take. My parents compared my grades to my sister's. It was really depressing at that time. I was also told by my conservative father that I have to be accepted at a public university, which is highly competitive and seems to be impossible for me considering my grades was going down the drain. The ultimatum I got is public university or not going to college at all. I studied really hard not because I wanted to learn, but because I was terrified I won't go to college.

This or That. Other Public Universities are too far from Jakarta.

My mother once explained the reason why my sisters and I were given many lessons is because she wants her children to experience things she couldn't when she was young. Furthermore, my father just want his children to succeed. As simple as that.

My parents' reasons are classic, I guess every parents has a similar reason. Nothing special.
I only understood just recently, as I grow older. Right now, I have nothing to regret at the choices they made for me. I'm happy that I can play the piano, I'm happy with my almamater, I'm happy with what I am. I would never blame my parents for my pressured childhood nor change anything in my past.

It took me my whole life to really understand the way I was raised. However, I guess understanding my parents imperfection is a lifetime process. They're human afterall, they sure make mistakes every once in a while. There will always be a time where I question their decision and argue about it.
People who truly love you may depress you in some ways, but they just want what they think is best and never mean any harm. They just have strange ways to express their love.
This is one thing I learned from my imperfect parents.

My Dearly Beloved Imperfect Bunda

My Personal Oasis

I am more than lucky to have a life the way I have right now.

I have a family who will always be there,
I have friends in good and bad,
I have a roof above my head,
I'm financially secure,
my brain doesn't fail me most of the times,
and I'm just grateful.

People around me are also almost always nice to me. I don't know whether it's because I'm nice to them, or they're just that kind of people who don't show their dislike.
I live in my personal oasis where it's inhabited by those I love and love me back.
I used to think there's nothing wrong with this, but as I'm getting older, I start to think about it.

I have just graduated, and the real world is waiting out there to be conquered,
and I'm scared.

The world is starting to show their fangs and suddenly I have to come out from my oasis and face the storm to pursue my dreams.
As much as I want to continue my studies abroad, the thought of living all alone in a place completely new and with people whose first language is different than mine makes me scared.
I was scared when I got a job interview in an international NGO and found out that the interviewers are expats. I'm scared that I won't fulfill their expectations because I don't have much to offer, being a 21 year old fresh-graduate with lack of experience.
Seeing people die, also made me scared if I have to lose someone I truly love in my life.

Then I started to realize,
it's okay to lose someone,
it's okay to fail,
it's okay to live alone,
it's okay to experience storm in your life,

because it makes you stronger, and less things will scare you.

I guess it is important for your personal growth to come out from your oasis once in a while, and experience how brutal the desert can be. Once you get past the storm, there will be another bigger and better oasis out there waiting to be inhabited.

Tomorrow is my first day of work. My first real job.
I must admit that I'm scared.
Good bye oasis.
I'll be seeing you soon, yes?
Bismillah..

Taken from environmentalgraffiti.com

Concert With a Cause

I have been a concert enthusiast since I was still in Senior High School. My first concert was Craig David in 2003. After watching him live, I became obsessed with concerts and festivals. My heart beats faster and I can be caught smiling to myself everytime I find out an International musician I like will come to Indonesia. I can say that Adrie Subono and Peter Gontha are my heroes in music. Kidding.

In 2005, I heard about the Live 8 concerts. There were ten concerts held in industrial countries with performances from more than 1000 top-notch musicians, including Mariah Carey and Madonna. I was really excited to see the show on TV since it was impossible for me to see it live.

I looked for more information on the internet about the artist line-up when I stumbled upon the official Live 8 website. The concert was organized in the intention to support UK's Make Poverty History campaign and watched by approximately 3 billion people worldwide. It succeeded in raising awareness about poverty issues in Africa. Not only that, the concert also accomplished it's goal to make G8 leaders give more money to poor countries.

Growing up in a country where many of it's people live under US$2 a day makes me extremely concerned with poverty issues. I sometimes feel helpless because I couldn't do much when I see people eating from trash cans or children selling newspapers on a school hour. The concept of organizing a huge concert in different parts of the earth for a noble cause amazes me. Live 8 would certainly not exist if the British didn't establish the Make Poverty History campaign. This event is an inspiration for me to apply to UK universities for my master's degree and experience firsthand how it's education can create people who are concerned with humanity issues, and are actually doing something about it. I believe we need more people with qualities like that.

Check out this video of Live 8 concert in London

The Government of Indonesia

If you see the news, Indonesia seems like a fucked up country. With all the bombings, corruption, and poverty, no wonder Indonesia receives so much publicity. Bad ones.
And then, people start to blame the government. The government of Indonesia has a very bad image. But are they actually that bad? Do they actually take care of this country? Let me tell you this:

My father is part of the government.

Objectively speaking, I think this country is in good hands.
My father graduated from the best engineering school in Indonesia. A couple of years after he graduated, he decided to be a government official. He received a scholarship from his office and pursued a master's degree and PhD in one of the best universities in the mid west, U.S.A, and graduated cum laude.
There are many Indonesians who received scholarships from the government of Indonesia to study abroad but decided not to go back to Indonesia. I can understand them, since living abroad offers more chances to have a better living and optimize their knowledge.
But this is not the case with my father. He came back to build this country.

Now, my father is in his 50's, and he's pretty much in the peak of his career. He's also a workaholic. That should be the reason why he's not around much.
Most of the days, he leaves around 08.00 and comes home around 22.30. He sometimes work in the weekends. He manages one ninth of his office, so his staff works as hard as he does.
Thanks to his needy boss, it's very difficult for him to have a day off. If I go for a family vacation, he's only around in the last few days or in the weekend. Our last family vacation was in 2007. It was a pilgrimage journey, and we had to reschedule three times to get a slot at his hectic schedule.

My father and I once had this conversation,

Me : Dad, why do you have to come home so late at night? Is there so much work to be done?
Dad: Yes, there is. I'm constantly tired now. I'm even too tired to take a shower when I get home.
Me : ...
Dad: Do you remember our road trip when you were little?
Me : Yes.
Dad : That road trip is a reminder for me. At least when I had the time and energy, I was with my family a lot. That should be a reminder for you too.
Me: ...
Dad: I feel guilty you know, for being away from you, your sisters, and your mother a lot.
Me: ...(Starting to get teary eyed)..

Maybe some of the government officials are busy making themselves rich, but some of them are actually doing an excellent job. My father is sacrificing his family to take care of this country, but this will never be enough for those Indonesians who keep criticizing the government.
Go ask yourself, what have you done for the good of this country?

It's 23.00 right now, and my father is still not home.

The road trip when I was little.
The time when my father had the time and energy.

I love you, Ayah.

Two Months of Tears and Joy

I experienced lots of things in the past two months, both happy and sad:

- Got back from Den Haag
- Did my thesis defense
- Crowned None Jakarta Selatan 2009
- Almost cried listening the governor's speech about Abang None
- Crowned two None's at Abang None DKI Jakarta
- Went to Singapore for my last None duty


- Jakarta bombings..

I will write about the last one in this post, since I really need to get it out of my system.
I had just finished checking in at the airport to go to Singapore when I first heard about the news. It said that there was an explosion at Ritz-Carlton. There were still limited information so I was not sure how bad it was. I even hoped that it was only a gas explosion from the restaurant and no one was killed.

I was wrong.

It was a bombing, at the most secured hotel in Jakarta. Also the hotel where MU was going to stay. Thanks to being a none, I have become emotionally attached to this city. I was sad, angry, worried, and confused at the same time.
I was sad because people died for nothing. I was also sad because something like this can happen again in Jakarta.
I was angry to whoever people who did it.
I was worried about the impact to Jakarta. Jakarta's tourism, image, and investment will certainly be wounded.
I was confused because I don't know what to explain to potential tourists at Singapore. For the time being, I think it's pointless to promote Jakarta.

This incident really breaks my heart..
May the victims rest in peace, and may the people who are responsible for it rot in hell.
Amin.

Abang None = Priceless...

I had doubts when I decided to apply for Abang None.
I was shorter than the minimum height for the none, I don't have a model-esque figure, my hair was short, I walk like a guy, I have almost zero knowledge about grooming and the likes, and my face is tres Indonesian.
Conclusion: I don't qualify for a typical beautiful woman (fair skinned, tall, slender, long hair, etc, etc)...

...yet I applied, and am having one of the best year of my life.
Abang None opens so many doors, some of them are:
1. I became the MC for Gado-Gado Jakarta. It was performed at the gala dinner of JakJazz 2008 at Istora Senayan. I did it in English, watched by DKI Jakarta's high government officials and international musicians from around the world.
2. I became the MC of WWF's Earth Hour main event at Balai Kota. Again, there were DKI Jakarta's high government officials, including the governer, national and international media, ambassadors, and representatives of the national and multinational companies that supported the event.


3. I get to be the tour guide for US Marine corps. Spending the whole Sunday with 40-ish Americans and explaining what Jakarta has to offer.


4. I get to travel to places I've never been before.
5. I was offered jobs, plenty of times. Some of the job offers were from the biggest government-owned bank in this country, TV's (plural), and government department.

Other advantages:
1. I get to be on a super cool stage, and perform, at Jakarta Convention Center. The stage is even better than Putri Indonesia's stage, no offense.


2. I won cash money (lots of it), a laptop, tickets to Hong Kong and Yogyakarta, vouchers, and products from the sponsors.
3. I get to save an 8 digit amount of Rupiahs from prize money and from duties as a None.
4. I have a new family, Abang None family, which is amazing.


5. I get to know many government officials, which is great for my network.


6. I made Bunda and Ayah proud.
7. I personally think I became a better person. I now know about grooming, I became more hard-working, It became easier for me when I meet new people, and the list goes on and on...
8. I got a boyfriend. A great one. = )

One more thing, I'm going to Den Haag on the 19th of May to promote Jakarta, and get paid for it.
How 'bout that??

Those are only some of the advantages of being a None, and I only won 4th place at the province level. Of course there are some downsides of being a None. But really, it doesn't matter when you have more reasons to be happy.
Never in a million years I thought I would experience all of the above. It's priceless.
With all my flaws, I managed to go this far.
Stop assuming, we never know what kind of girl, or guy, the judges are looking for to be an Abang and a none.

So, what are you waiting for?
Don't hesitate to apply. So many doors are waiting to be opened.
You can e-mail me at deasy_748@yahoo.com for more info.
Or check out http://abnonselatan09.multiply.com
Or add our facebook at abnonselatan_09@hotmail.com

Just give it a try, there's nothing to lose..
Looking forward to seeing you, future Abang's and None's..

Cheers!

Something I Can't Afford

I'm expecting to graduate this semester, and I already have plans for my future.
One of my plans, which I have stated in my earlier post, is pursuing an M.B.A. degree.

I dream to be a successful businesswoman one day, so I can make jobs for people in Indonesia. With my own money, or my company's money, I can also give to the people who are in need. It breaks my heart every time I read the newspaper or watch the news that so many people are starving to death and children died while studying because their school's rooftop collapsed.
I also must admit that having a successful business equals to comfortable life and loads of money, something I dream to have as well.

After browsing obsessively on the internet, I found out that the tuition cost of the universities I'm planning to apply is extremely expensive. My father told me that I should forget about expensive schools and gave me a budget for my 2-year master's program. The budget is less than half the estimated total cost for tuition and living in the expensive universities I wish to apply.

At first, I was kind of frustrated because I can't apply to any university I want. I was even in denial and assured myself that my father will still pay for my tuition even though it's way beyond my budget. Then I started to be realistic and look for other cheaper universities. M.S. helped me realize that most people can't afford to go to university, let alone study abroad.

Now I'm working really hard to juggle between finishing my thesis, increasing my GMAT score, and saving money. I've even started to control my spending and credit card usage. I saved all the money I got from my parents and None work. I know my savings won't make me afford the expensive universities, but at least I'm helping my parents.
I want this so bad. The last time I was this determined was when I applied for University of Indonesia, and that's 4 years ago.

So now I know how it feels like to not afford education.
Reality hits hard.

We CAN help, without money

So I watched Kick Andy a couple of weeks ago. The host was interviewing this very unconvincing man who said that he's a teacher. He was only an elementary school graduate, but he is determined to educate children in his village so they won't be poor like him. He said something like this:

"Back then, I dreamed to be rich so I would be able to build a school where children can learn for free. I am far from rich, but I have pursued my dream."

That sentence, which was said by an elementary school graduate, made me think.
Do I have to be rich?
If I had all the money I want, would I still be thinking about helping?
It seems that life with no money, in his case, seems so peaceful.

Oh Mr. heart-of-gold, I'm sorry I said you were unconvincing and underestimated you just because you're an elementary school graduate. I'm no better than you are.

O Ambassadors

Today, I nearly cried while watching two inspirational TV shows. The first one is Oprah and the second one is Kick Andy. I'll speak about the latter on my next post.

This episode highlights the journey of O Ambassadors.
Ten years ago, Oprah invited a 16 year old boy named Craig Kielburger to her show. In such a young age, he has volunteered to teach children who are living in poverty. Now, with Oprah's Angel Network, he has built around 60 schools in third world countries.

Based on this, Oprah decided to make a program called O Ambassadors. They have so many creative ways to raise money for the needy, like making kissing booths and festivals.
For the first project, Oprah chose 12 ambassadors who are students from across North America to build a school in Africa.
What amazes me is that these 12 teenagers, helped by a couple of African students, actually built the school from scratch. Literally. They dug dirt, mixed concrete, made windows, and everything you need to do to construct a building. With only a 2-hour course in construction work given by their mentor in Africa, they managed to build a 1-classroom school in 3 weeks.

Other than that, they also had an entire evening playing with local kids, visiting their houses, and visiting the river which is the only water source for that village. They bathe, take their cattle, wash their clothes, and drink on that same river. The ambassadors also saw how the local kids only have cereal for breakfast, corn and water porridge for lunch, and tea for dinner.
After seeing how they live, one of the ambassador said something like this:

"It made me more grateful with what I have right now. People here are still smiling even though they are living like this; they are fortunate they can live until this present day."

One thing Oprah and Craig Kielburger kept saying over and over again is that we are not too young to make a change.
It really touches my heart, and make me feel ashamed of myself at the same time, how someone voluntarily traveled halfway across the world to do social work for other people.

It makes me realize how my presence in this world hasn't make any significant difference for people who are in need.

A Letter to God

Dear God,

Another year in my life has passed. The year 2008 has been magnificent. You gave me so many blessings since day 1, starting from my trip to Paris, my unforgettable 20th birthday, Abang None, meeting M.S, and other things which I cannot write one by one.

Thank You God for giving me such a beautiful life. It is true that my life has not been all ups. You have given the downsides of life for me this year, but I took that as a process for me to be more mature and realize that I should be more grateful for what I have right now.

I am sorry I still do things that You don't like. Despite all the kindness You've shown to me, I still don't touch my head to the floor 5 times everyday. I am also more afraid in making my parents sad than making You sad every time I do something wrong. I really am sorry dear God.

I hope next year will be better. I can not promise You anything, but I will be doing my best to not make You mad. I also hope that there will be peace on earth. I am sure You do not want people to suffer any longer with all the war in Palestine, Africa, and other places on earth. Please take care of my family, my loved ones, all of the good people, and the environment which I sometimes take for granted.

Last but not least,
Thank You God for being extremely nice to me. I am truly blessed.
I love You God, I really do.

Sincerely,


Deasy B. Priadi

Maybe We Should Stop Expecting

I haven't met my sister for 8 months, and a couple of days ago she arrived at Jakarta. It's her first Lebaran here since the last 4 years.
When I found out she was coming home, I already thought about all the things I was going to ask her to buy for me. This is what I usually do everytime she comes home. I sometimes wonder whether I'm more excited to see my sister home or the things she bought for me.
This time, I planned to ask for a pair of ankle boots.

(Yeah.. yeah.. you can judge me all you want. I'm pretty much a fashion victim)








Eventually, I changed my mind and didn't ask for anything from her. I know how difficult it could be to look for random stuff.

I didn't pick her up at the airport, so by the time she landed she gave me a call. She said she bought me a pair of shoes. Since I wasn't expecting anything from her, I was pretty surprised.
When I arrived home, I was too excited to see my sister and completely forgot about the shoes. After all the euphoria, I went to my room and my sister showed me the shoes.



It was even better than I thought it would be. I've been looking for it obsessively on ebay a couple of months ago but I never found any. I never told my sister before, but somehow she bought it for me.





Maybe that's how it is with families and people who loves us unconditionally. Eventhough we don't expect much from them, the things they do for us are way beyond our expectations. I think that's proof of how big their love is towards us. We sometimes forget how lucky we are to be surrounded by people who love us. I sometimes forget.

Cheerio...

Amazing experience

Hi!

Abang None DKI is finally over. The finals was awesome. Alhamdulillah, I was chosen as None Favorit and None Harapan 1 DKI Jakarta.

(I still can't believe I was on this stage)

Thank you so much for all of my family and friends who have supported me from start to finish. I can't tell you guys how thankful I am. It means ssssooooooooo much to me. I heart you guys..

Here's the lessons I've learned after Abang None:
1. The meaning of hard work. I worked my ass off in this competition. I experienced firsthand what 'no pain, no gain' really means.
2. Be a risk taker. I have done my best in this competition, but one thing I regret the most is the Q and A session. I should've answered it in English, but I didn't because I was too afraid to do so. Damn damn damn.
3. Competition isn't always ugly. Seriously. I made really good friends even though we're aiming for the same thing.

This whole Abang None experience, starting from Jakarta Selatan until DKI Jakarta, is truly amazing. I was really sad everything has come to the end. I even cried when I had to say goodbye to all of my friends. If given the chance, I would be more than happy to repeat it all over again.

Read More

Hellow!

Yesterday I watched Bill Gates' lecture at TVRI. There were so many people attending that lecture, including Pak SBY. It amuses me how the government succeeded to invite him (Bill Gates, not Pak SBY. hehe) to Indonesia. Bravo!

Anyway, there was a question from a UI student if I'm not mistaken. He asked Bill Gates' secret of becoming successful. He answered that graduating from school is very important. He doesn't recommend quitting school the way he did. The other thing he said that I remember the most is about the importance of reading. He's always curious about things so he read a lot. He also said he was lucky to have parents who supported his love of books and let him quit school to pursue his dreams.

Will Smith also said something like this in his speech when he won an award as the best celebrity role model or inspiration in Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in 2003. He said that we must not let people tell us what we can’t do and read at least 3 pages a day.

I am a true believer of this idea. I think people who are knowledgeable are more fun to talk to. Probably some of them aren’t very smart academically, but people like this are living proof that smart people isn’t always people who get straight A’s. Even my genius sister (who is taking her doctorate degree in the age of 23 with a scholarship) agrees that people who are school smart aren’t always smart.

So, why don’t you lift that lazy ass of yours off the couch and start reading instead of watching sinetron’s.

Here's the video of Bill Gates' speech

Make a change for the environment

Hai...
My sister once said that global warming has been some kind of a pop culture. Ever since Al Gore with his 'an inconvenient truth' went out, everyone is talking about global warming even though some of them still thinks that greenhouse effects is caused by greenhouses. Many people also started to do things to save the environment, like using canvas bags instead of plastic bags. Even Anya Hindmarch took this as an advantage and made that famous "I'm not a plastic bag" bag. Al Gore successfully raised awareness to the world and made people change their habits. I think he's proved of what Baba Dioum (a Senegal environmentalist) once said:

"In the end, we will only conserve what we love, we will only love what we understand, and we will only understand what is taught."


I sometimes consider myself as an environmentalist, even though i've never done anything drastic to save the environment like going to Kalimantan to conserve orangutans. I also can't deny that air conditioners, aerosol sprays, and styrofoam has made my life easier.
In junior high (about 6 yeras ago), I was given an assignment to do a science paper and chose global warming as the topic based on my concern for the environment. Fast forward to college, I always try to do all sort of things I know to save the environment. I sometimes get mocked on for doing the things I did to save the environment because most of it aren't very convenient, like taking the public transportation (if it's possible) instead of driving my car. But I don't really care. What makes me really happy is that some of my friends started to always throw garbage in it's proper place, print on both sides of paper, and reducing the use of plastic bags. One lesson i've learned from this is that all you need to do is raise awareness, make a good example, and you don't need to be as powerful as Al Gore to make people change for the environment.

Quoting Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror:

If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.

Ciao!