My Summer Project: Beyond Brisbane

Please pray for me as I am going to be involved in a project held by Student Life (a.k.a Campus Crusade for Christ) in the end of this month. This is an outreach project as well as a time where students walk their faith and grow more in God. I really need support in doing this, and I need to train myself to be confident as well.

Student Life considers me and other students in the project as volunteers – I personally consider this as a faith training project, and exciting way of showing God’s love! Anyway, students interested in the project applied, and if we are accepted then we go to the next round which is to fundraise. There are several projects going on hence the amount of money should be raise is different one to each other.

For me, I applied for Beyond Brisbane. This is an outreach to international uni students around Brisbane. I choose the project because I think that this is the most relevant one for me, as I am an international student myself. And I do have the heart for them. I even strongly believe that God brought me here to ‘train my hands’ to love Him more through my loving my intl friends.

It is for two-weeks training and accommodation for the project itself and for the volunteers needs. I may not know you, the one reading this blog posting at the moment. But thank you for reading about what I am doing. I would also like to invite you to partner with me to respond of Jesus’ Great Commission. We could be partner in prayers.

Please do not hesitate to contact me and ask things that you might question about Student Life or Summer Project.

Contact Melinda about the Summer Project on:

kameraku77@yahoo.com

or message me on facebook, my account name is: Melinda Barus

I really appreciate your attention and partnership. I will update any info related to the project on this blog of mine. Feel free to explore

God provides, and He rocks!

Regards,

Melinda

Beasiswa Dikti 2009

Tadi sempat mengintip website Dikti yang sudah pindah ke www.ditnaga.dikti.go.id. Pengumuman terbaru mengenai beasiswa luar negeri untuk para dosen sudah sampai tahap pengumuman hasil wawancara. Pengumumannya mencakup 2 tahapan, tahap I dan II/2009.

Ada 414 pelamar yang lolos seleksi, dari berbagai universitas se-Indonesia ke berbagai universitas di berbagai belahan dunia (ada yang ke Griffith Uni nih! hehee..).

Selamat Bapak dan Ibu.. Semoga proses administrasi dan pelengkapan persyaratannya lancar..

Kalau ada yang bersedia share pengalamannya mengenai proses beasiswa Dikti tahun ini (bahkan tahun lalu) monggo loh Bapak, Ibu.. Siapa tahu bisa jadi ajang bagi2 pengalaman, sekalian ngurangin uneg2 mungkin..

Sekali lagi, congratulations!

my new class.. real class!

Hahaa.. yeah, im feeling kind of ore comfy with my new class.. it’s a ‘real’ class. By real class i mean it doesnt form circle (that makes me very nervous). by real class means that the lecturer stands in front of the class, near the whiteboard. so oldschool, but it makes me just..relaxed

This is how the new class looks like, I took the pic just after it finished today at 1.30pm..

 

While this is the class I had last semester (Intl Journalism).. it’s kinda messy thee, but usually it would form a circle.

 

Soo.. I’m looking forward to really being IN the class.. and today I choose to having a presentation next week. Something crazy, I suppose, from my perspective.. But it’s better to do it sooner, hey..

 

Oh I want to have this semester in hand

What we do secretly in a class..

Today I found out something unique someone does at a classroom.. LOL.. A new friend of mine revealed that he will attend most of all the workshops in the library to gain as much as possibble the info there, to then share the info n knowledge in his office back home. How does he do thet? He recorded it.

I have a similar weird thing I do in a class. Hwhhw.. I like to taking pictures of new things I experience. Sooo.. I have several snapshots of my lecturers. And..to be honest, I recorded my Italian course back in Jakarta as well, Giuseppe’s class. I recourded it like from the very beginning until te very end (if I wasn’t late, of course). I collected them and I listened to them once. Didn’t reach the initial purpose.. but I have the satisfaction that the memory of being somewhere (that i find very interesting) is in my hand.

Funny thing related to this habit of mine happened in my previous summer course down at the Gold Coast. It’s hillarious. I really liked this class, right.. And I really don’t want to forget about it. I need a ‘proof’ that I had that kind of course once in my life. LOL, seriously, it’s a very interesting class, Writing for the Web, 1802ART (now you know, Griffith-ers :p).

The lecturer was very funny and attractive. He’s kind, but crazy, but amazingly, respectful. So what he does in his classes (oh yeah, my friend’s the witness, he is such a person) are: talking loudly, walking on our tables, chewing gums and put the gum on the roof, encouraging people to bring food and share it with others (cool, hey..).

So one day, a beautiful sunny day, I put my cellphone on my table, and recorded the audio activities. Yap. I recorded Mr. JN talks. It was going well. In terms he spoke clearly and quite near to my desk. So the ‘production’ should be fine.

Until that moment happen. He suddenly jump on to the table in front of me, and started to act crazy! He TOOK MY CELLPHONE (and making me my face turn into reddish) and asked why it didnt ring at all (because before that day, my phone ’sang’ Third Eye Blind’s Semi-Charmed Life!) He looked at my phone intentively (I hoped and I hoped that he wouldn’t press anything and saw my recording process!!). And he put it on the roof just upon my head. OH!!! I really hoped that’s it. Later on he told me that he hoped that the cellphone would ring, wouldnt that be awesome, he said.

After about 30minutes, he was bored, and he opened the roof again, and… (my heart beat sooooo sooo fast!) and took the phone..and… gave it to me. OOOWHHH… Such a relieve!!!

THis story was only shared betwewn me, Fei, and Khalid.. and now this blog. Fiuuh.. At least it passed..  **OH MY!! just now i got a phone call from khalid!! HAHAHAAA**

 

So..next time I’m doing secret thing in my class.. I should be aware if my lecturer is similar with Mr. JN or not. Dangeroussss!!! :p

Di Balik Meja Australia..

Mulai dari Senin, February 16, 2009 lalu, saya resmi merasakan melayani orang (baca: internasional) dari balik meja di sebuah negara bernama Australia. Such an experience yang saya syukuri banget.

Saya ingat pertama kali kaki saya menginjak Griffith Nathan Campus di minggu kedua perkuliahan semester 2/2008, 6 7 Agustus lalu. Melihat pemandangan baru dengan segala tetek-bengek di otak saya bikin saya takut, ga nyaman, bingung, dsb. Saya nanya letak gedung N12 setiap kali saya berjalan 20 langkah dengan bahasa inggris yang lalilulelo. Semua orang yang menjawab saya bener-bener semangat menolong, dan itu ga akan pernah saya lupakan. Perasaan dihargai dan mendapat pertolongan di saat saya helpless, what a feeling. what a help. What a memorable moment.

Dan semenjak November lalu saya menanti-natikan tanggal 16 Februari kemarin, jadi GI MATES!! Can you imagine that.. Me? Jadi GI MATE? Wuiiih..luar biasa. Saya yang masih ga kenal setiap gedung di kampus, masih terbata-bata berbahasa inggris, tapi miracle happens. God empowers. Saya ditawarin Intl Advisor saya (tempat curhat dan sekali menangis soal dana kuliah, hehe) menjadi kru-nya Intl Office griffith Uni di saat orientasi mahasiswa baru tiba. APA!! Saya mau lah!  Anyway, ada dua arti nih jadi GI Mate  yang berarti Griffith Intl Mates (temen2nya Griffith’s intl students) dan ada juga arti sebenernya, literally; Griffith International Making Arrival and Transition Eeasy for Students.

Saya pernah jadi orang linglung, saya pernah sebel banget karna kampusnya Griffith itu aneh banget bingungin gitu. Dan saya mau banget kalo ada kesempatan untuk bantu orang-orang yang baru dateng di sini feel easier. Jujur ni, soal dibayar emang menggiurkan juga. Tapi soal jadi GI MATE-nya itu loh, ga terkira menyenangkannya.

Minggu lalu 2 hari saya kerja di depan N12, mendistribusikan Enrolment Pack pada mahasiswa internasional yang banyak banget tipe-nya. Ada yang bener-bener baru sehari di Australia, ada yang dah lama kuliah di GELI, ada yang masih 18tahun, adayang dah 30an.. Macem-macem. Dan semuanya itu dah kita pelajarin gimana teknik melayaninya. Seenggaknya dah kita bahas berbagai background para mahasiswa internasional. Di GI MATES training (Tanggal 11nya) kita ngebahas tentang mentoring dsb dari jam 9 sampe jam 3 sore. Haha..belajar melayani cara Australia. Santai, ceria, dan helping with all your heart.

Temen-temen yang ikutan GI MATE juga keliatan banget willing hearted nya, emang tujuan mereka (selain cari duit, hehe) ngebantu mahasiswa baru. Emang keliatannya gampang ngebantu orang. Tapi perjuangan juga sebenernya kan. Salut deh sama mas-mas dan mba2 ituh. Ada beberapa yang emang dah pengalaman di semester2 sebelumnya. Saya banyak belajar dari mereka.

Dua hari di minggu lalu, dan memasuki hari terakhir di minggu ini, fiuuh.. saya akan merindukan kegiatan GI MATE yang membuat saya being an authorithised helper ini.. Menyapa orang yang lalu lalang di depan meja saya dengan senyum dan kalimat “Hello, how are you?”, “Hey, how’s it going?”, “Hi, can I help you?” dsb.. I was in their position..bingung ngeliat tu mba-mba kok pake nyapa2 segala gw cuma lewat, hahaaa..

         

Ah, senangnya.. I’m gona make the most of today. My last day working as a GI MATE!

 

*tunggu cerita-cerita seru lainnya tentang d balik meja australia

Let the week begin!

16 February and above..

The mid of February is here, is coming, is now!

I can’t remember since when have I been thinking about these ’special’ days.. Maybe since November last year.

All the internship thing was the beginning. Then the GI Mate interview. Then the Summer Semester schedule. Then the Student Life’s program Andrew once informed about.. The Inter-Faith summit plan (as I started working as casual for Multi-Faith Centre). What a complex month it would be, that’s a thought back then.

And it becomes to reality.

It is the ’season’ . Tomorrow, approximately 11 hours from now, I will experience GI Mate-ing! What a wonderful job, hey.. I will get the chance of meeting new friends, and hopefully will be able to make hard-things easier for them in terms of having new environment here in Griffith Uni, Nathan Campus, Brisbane, Australia..

We had an orientation last Thursday, and hopefully we (well, I ) can make it from tomorrow on! And not to mention the summit,, and the Dan Murphy’s thing, and the payment thing.. Haaaaaaaaa.. mana I left my schedule book at Multi-Faith Centre pula, hikss..

 

But sure is, this is the week I’ve been waiting for jeeeeng.. So Im gonna love it! God will help me do the things He percayakan for my hands to hold

 

I give my heart for the purpose. Love the weeks ahead, love the short days I have here in Brisbane!! Yeahh!!

 

melinskiss-ditemani lagu Tinggikan DiriMu/GMB dari album Rise Up, di atas karpet di tengah barang-barang yang berserakan di suatu kamar di Coopers Plains :O

Sports Journalism The Last Day

Hari ini kuliah terakhir kelas musim panaskuuuh.. tadi dijelasin gitu soal blog.. dan untuk pertama kalinya akuh ngomong di tengah2 kelas dan blog melinskiss-ku dipertontonkan di depaaan
heheheee.. caiyo melinskiss.wordpress.com!!

New Day New Sunshine.. part2

okeyh. mari kita mulai.

berawal dari bener2 kerennya pelajaran ini, si writing for the web ini, untuk saya. saya kan dari dulu pengen banget belajar hal-hal teknis, tapi ga pernaaaah..sempet. entah masalah wktu ataupun sarana dan prasarana. sofwer mahal bok! saya dateng ke aussy kan dengan cita2 yang lumayan gampangan,hohoo..(tapi ini satu di antara banyak cita2 loh..) yaitu memiliki banyak cerita di blog ini, yang semoga aj bisa memberi inspirasi para pembacanya (iih.. gampang apa malah susah sih ni cita2?)

waktu tau nilai saya bagus di first two assignments, saya sukaaaaaaaaa benget! heheh.. mana dosen2nya kan so real n supportive gitu. duh jadi tambah ber-misi: I GOTTA GIVE MY BEST FOR THE FINAL ASSIGNMENT!! apalagi denga prinsip idealisme saya, hohooo..membawa pencerahan. kan lewat website (baca: final assignment) sangatlah efektif, ya kan?

jadilah saya mengolah-olah. apa ya topiknya. kata jason si yang penting kita minatin, dan berguna. menurut saran dia,yang paling mencakup kedua hal itu adalah portfolio, website yang pure ngomongin diri kita sendiri. Halah, saya pikir..itu mah blogging..bukan designing website.. so i thought about a topic that is actually my desire of my research someday. how to make children of indonesia become tv literate.

ok. i decided, that’s the topic, dengan titel: Mari Baca televisi. Saya mulai bikin banner pake flash. atraktif dan colorful. hohoo.. malah sempet dipuji jason di depan anak2, malunya..tersipu2nyaa..hihihiii.. trus saya gabisa lepas dari komputer. 6 hari saya habiskan di depan komputer lab gold coast, G.31-2.18, HAHAAA.. kadang sendiri, kadang bareng fei, sama kadang bareng khalid. kadang mengkopiket ciri khas jason dengan ‘hey kids..’-nya, jalan-jalan di atas meja, ngetawain kelucuan-kelucuan bodoh selama pelajaran,  atau apa lah yang lain, dan yang pasti: bagi-bagi makanan. kayanya cuma kami ber3 deh penghuni setia ruangan itu.

hal berhadap2an dengan komputer itu sepertinya menghiasi 80% dari kehidupan 24 jam saya. lah boong banget, kan saya bolak-balik brissie ke coast? huaaah.. not at the last days.. saya beberapa hari nginep di rumah fei yang baik hati tu, dan kadang tidur di bawah meja komputer. demi membuat hal yang bener menyenangkan: a full website of my own hand!!!

secara beberapa dari kami mahasiswa master, (yang lainnya undergraduate berusia 19-21 tahun sodara-cateeet..) kami dapet tugas extra  annotated links project, jadi ngumpulin website informatif yang sesuai dengan topik penelitian yang diminati. 25 links disertai penjelasan untuk masing2 link. sounds cheesy? well, kalau saya ga mengalami sendiri, saya akan tetap menganggap hal itu gampil, gampang kaya ngupil. ih, jorok. hehe..ga manner yak, maaaf..

well, iya, saya kan fokus ke website, jadi ga sempet mikirin begitu2an, links2 ituh.. hwhwhwww.. dan itu sangatlah salah. kerja pake perasaan gabisa euy..gabisa assuka hatinya mulu..pake schedule, itu baru bener.. huh, kaya ga pernah ngejar deadline on air aja. extension umum yang dikasi jason (3 hari) saya lewatkan. saya sediiiiiiiih banget. anak2 pada ngumpulin hari senin noon, tepat jam 12, kaya kata jason, n saya gabisa kaya mereka.

yang saya upload di server cuma halfdone website n penjelasannya aja, huhuu.. links-nya belom sama sekali!!! atas encouragement-nya fei, sayakirim email ke jason, bilangin kondisi pertugasan saya. ga dibales2 sampe due time plus 6 jam.. soo.. i went home dissapointed. apa yang saya lakuin sepanjang 3 minggu itu sia-sia, gitu pikir saya. capek2, semangat2, ehhh.. cuma bisa nyerahin 40% tugas, yang kalo dinilai n ditambah sama nilai bagus say di ass1 n ass2, hampir bisa lulus. hampir! huhuuu… saya takut ga lulus.. biarlah nilai tak sempurna, pas2an ja, P, tapi lulus… 2000dollar masa sia2..

malam itu saya tidur nyenyaaaaak banget, capek dan sedih jadi satu dalam kegelapan malam yang nyaman di kamar yang sangat menumbuhkan rasa kangen.. wuihh,,kalimat macam apa itu barusan! hihihii….

paginya saya bikin roti pake butter. jam 9.30an saya inget, kebangun karena miskol dari mba mel.. saya langsung tersenyum. saya tau dia kuatir sama saya. hmm.. nanti saya telp dia, saya pikir gitu.  banyak banget malaikat2 yang perhatiin saya..even without im hoping and longing for them.. saya diperhatiin.

sambil makan roti enak itu saya buka laptop, buka imel griffith. OH NO! ada imel dari jason! apa katanya. kata2 pertama ada tanda serunya. apa dia muji website saya? apa dia.. apa.. apa..

isinya bikin saya sontak girang. dia kasih extension tambahan buat saya!!! sampe jam 9 malam hari selasa, katanya. huaaaa..saya langsung mandi n ke kampus (sampe lupa hp n chargeran laptop, coba).. ngerjain links di library, ketemu bang lawin n mas ferry, n ngerjain links, DAN MELENGKAPI WEBSITE ITU sampe jam 9 malam. done. dan saya upload lgs, dengn berbagai masalah pelik pula itu, huhuuhuu..thank God banget corrrupted file yang satu itu sempet saya save as di desktop!!! gileeeee… kayanya peringatan banget supaya ga melulu konsen sama website assignment.

Jam 9 saya berjibaku dengan links project, tentang pendidikan untuk person with down’s syndrome.. hoajhahahahaaaa..sampe jam1pagi-nya baru saya kelar! ciamiiik.. dan saya sadar banget itu saya masih berada di kampusa hutan itu, tanpa ada transportasi oulang. lagi2 ajaib, mba oce yang dari tadi ga ol, ol loh! saya nginep deh di flat dia, sampe sekarang belom pulang, secara dari rumah dia saya ke the hub (nanyain biaya flat yang saya rasa NO WAY, MAN!!) n atm n berusaha ngompile video2 c4k.. well, dan blog ini pencerahan yang menyenangkan!!! serasa sinar matahari yang hangat di ahri yang baru, duuuh.. i gotta make my lifelebih menyenangkan hati Tuhan, hwhwhw,, He makes everything soooo wonderful!

 

The Source,

N16 room…??

 

psa: hari ini mas asanto n bang hadi pulang kampung. dadaaaaaaah.. kapan ya ketemu lagi..huhuuu..