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.

Back from Den Haag

Hello...!!
I just got back from Den Haag on the 26th of May.
It was super fun. Details and pictures: soon.


I'm currently busy finishing my thesis and organizing Abang None Jakarta Selatan 2009.
The finalists are already chosen. Hope they're the best. *Fingers crossed*

My thesis defense is on 11th of June, so I have to finish it by 4th.
And here I am, having the time to revise my thesis, which is rare, but writing on my blog instead.

This girl needs to learn about prioritize.


*Special thanks to Abimantra for the lovely pictures

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!

My Perfect Birthday Part Quatre

Birthday lunch with the kidnappers, plus M.S.
We had a buffet lunch. Most of us had 4 plates of meal.
One of my kidnappers had to loosen her belt.

.




We also went to the karaoke..

My Perfect Birthady Part Trois

My Birthday Dinner with the people who love me most...

My Perfect Birthday Part Deux

I celebrated my 21st birthday on April 7th.
I thought it was going to be an ordinary birthday, considering my friends already gave me a surprise last year. I was damn wrong..

M.S. came to my house in the middle of the night. He didn't stay for long because he had exams in the morning.
I went to sleep after that, though I was still expecting my friends to come.

Then, around 3.30 A.M., when I was already asleep, I was kidnapped from my bedroom.
I was sure it was my friends, though they pretended to be professional kidnappers by wearing sarong's used as masks and didn't spoke at all so I can't guess from their voices.
They tied my hands and feet, blindfolded my eyes, and carried me to the trunk of my friends car. I screamed my loudest scream that night. That was the only thing I could do at that time.
Thank god his car was Honda Jazz so I didn't die of suffocation.
My friend drove like a madman, I even bumped my head several times.




The car finally stopped and I was carried out from the trunk. I was so afraid they were going to plunge me to a lake or something and started to scream even louder. (My friends told me later that the people who heard me screaming thought I was possessed).
They finally laid me down on a cold and hard surface and left me there.
Thankfully they didn't tie me hard enough so I could free myself and open my blindfold.



It took me a while to realize that I was taken to Taman Ayodya, Barito.
After chasing my friends around that garden (they ran sporadically when I managed to free myself), laughing, hugging, and eating the birthday cake, they did one more thing to me.



They tied me to a Stop sign, poured cold water all over my head and body (it was freezing cold), and made my hair and face dirty with the birthday cake. As if that's not enough, my friends and their car left me there all alone.
I managed to free myself for the second time and chased their cars around Taman Ayodya in 04.00 A.M.






My birthday was crazy. And I Love it.
You guys do know how to be really great friends.
(Again, in no specific order)
Amy Tyas
Citra Kartika
Danar Tri
Andika Pradipta
Aditya Mahendra
Dhira Narayana
Titis Arba defita
Shaskia Yasmin
Hario 'Pio'
Girikharis

I would never trade them with anyone else in this world.
Cheers!

My Perfect Birthday

MY BESTEST FRIENDS ARE AMAZING

BIG HUG FOR YOU GUYS...!!!!!!

(Dhira Narayana took the Picture)

HUGHUGHUGHUGHUG


Details of my Birthday on the next post..