Yoan is typing…

I don’t really remember when or even why I like to write. I think it began when I was still in middle school. I liked to write about how I felt. Not in a full story, not even in a sentence. It was just a doodling of words. Some kind of calligraphy, but of course in a font that a middle school student know of. When my friends like to doodling or drawing on the corner of their text book, I write instead. Some words like “Boring”, “Haha, funny!”, or “OMG! So cute!” (this must be when I saw my crush across the class room. HAHA!”). But, It’s just that. I can’t remember when I start to write for myself.

Yes, I write for myself. It could be about any kind or anyone. But I never meant to publish it before I knew about blog. Even when I started blogging, I didn’t really care about blog traffics, comments, or likes. And it doesn’t change that much now. The only reason why I publish my blog is just that I want to share about my thoughts, without worrying much how the thoughts will suit others. I mean, I don’t mind if anyone’s disagreeing with me about things I wrote. I just need to release some burdens.

I kept a note book that I always write on. I think it’s started when I was in high school to write every time I feel confused, sad or stressed. Most of my journal filled with my negative thoughts back then. I guess, until now, I write to calm myself. It’s my way of sorting out my thoughts. When I’m filled with negativity, my mind is always a mess. Somehow, when I write, my mind is getting clearer. My heart beats slower. I’m getting to know myself. But now, I write almost when I feel everything. When I get too excited about something. When I think I need to list all of my plans. Or even when I feel inspired after reading books or watching movies. I’m getting to know a complete version about myself. I know what I want, what I need and how to fill the life with purposes.

I wrote once that when I read, it feels like I drop off in a rest area where I can finally pull the hand break, take a deep breath and have a short walks enjoying the views. But in writing, it’s like a pull over and think to sort everything out. It’s not a short getaway. It feels more like a pit stop. A break to prepare more of life.

Vidya Dahana Patra

Or what we dearly call Vidatra. It’s my school name.

I went to school there since kindergarten. I went until 12th grade. So it’s basically the only school I have in my life other than my university. Well, it’s normal if you lived within a company housing. It’s quite common here, especially for oil company. So yeah, I have exactly same friends since kindergarten to high school.

My memory from kindergarten still quite strong. I remember my house that time was walking distance from my school. My maid, or mom, or even my grandma when she visited us, took turn to walk me to school. I still remember I was in class A6 and B6. The class located at the back side, where it’s facing directly to school pond and playground. It’s close to the yard. I remember we had a kind of sand yard. We used it for Monday ceremony, or simply just playing around building sand castle or anything. I still remember my class pretty well also. There was 4 big tables to accommodate all of us. On the right side of the class there was cupboards to put all art supplies. And on the back side of the class, there were toys to play house. I remember there were baby cribs, small sofas, tables, and small tableware. Cute isn’t it ?

My elementary school was soooo big. It’s so big that we have 3 gates to enter the school. Each grade has about 6-7 classes. It completes with a huge hall and our own football field. Our school yard can accommodate 1000 students for Monday ceremony. The class can accommodate up to 30 students. It has no AC but has big windows on both side. We didn’t move around during schools, we stayed at 1 class and the teachers came to us. We only move to other class for music, math or religion class. When I was still in elementary school, the canteen was so small and they only sold snack. We could only buy the meals for take-away. We ate in our corridors. It’s an open air corridor though. What I like about my elementary school is the way they arrange school bus. We relied on school bus so much because the school location is quite far from the housing area. The school made marks on the parking yard, to where each bus for each of housing area has to park in dedicated area. So it ease the students to find the bus.

My middle school and high school are 2 different yet similar buildings. Funny things about these school is that we shared some facilities. The basketball court is located at middle school, but the computer lab is at high school. We didn’t have football field, so we need to go down the hill (there was stairs to access it) to go to our main stadium. Middle school’s canteen was same like elementary school, where they only sold snacks. But my high school has some menus that is ok for lunch. Though, we rarely ate lunch at school. Because it’s located only 5-10 mins from home, we always had lunch at our home. What I love from my middle school was its library. It’s small, but complete enough. Sadly, my high school’s library wasn’t managed well. They only had books from former international school that we had long time ago.

It’s an uncommon school. But, still it’s the best school in East Borneo. We even managed to get into best 100 schools in Indonesia, where we rank above some good schools in Jakarta. We always have 100% rate of graduation and most of the students went to the best universities in Indonesia. ITS and UGM have a great relationship with my school that they give us a special track for colleague scholarship submission. Each year, the students either graduate with the highest score in East Borneo, or there’s 1-2 students that graduate with perfect score. Not me, though. hahah!

Anyway, because we only have that same friends from kindergarten until high school, we learned how to appreciate a friendship. After we graduate, sometimes it’s difficult to find friends we can truly trust. We become more grateful as we understand by heart how a friend could be our family. So, yeah, thank you, Vidatra!

Postcard. Why bother?

A friend of mine who often travel with me always asking the same questions “Why do you bother sending all of those postcards?”. He’s always questioning my motive, although he always voluntarily accompany me in a quest to find a nice postcard and stamp, to accompany me in a coffeeshop writing it one by one (sometimes he even helped me writing the address), and to remind me to ask the receptionist to post it for me. He’s right tho, so many efforts, yet why bother?

I always spend time to look for postcards. I have list of friends whom I’ll be sending it to. I even chose the postcards carefully, which one to which friend. Why? because each postcard will have a story. A story that I know I can only share it to these particular friends of mine. It is a personal message for their eyes only. Thus, the picture in the postcard will be aligned with this mission. When we were still dating, I sent a postcard to Abang, telling something that I didn’t tell him when we’re texting or calling. It’s always started and ended with a native language on how to start and end a conversation. Now that we’re married, Abang and I send each of us postcards that we’ll only read it when it’s arrived already.

Postcards board that I set in front of my working desk at home

Mostly, I tell about the my unique findings in that particular trip. If I found something that reminds me about my friends, I’m telling them that. When I eat the favorite food of my friends. Or when I went to same places that we went before. Or about a cute guy I met during the trip, whom I know we’d be talk about. Sometimes I write funny things. Once, I wrote a price list of every foods Abang and I ate during the trip. When we read it again once it’s arrived, we’re shock. Not on how much we spent, but on how much we ate!

I’m not really sure why I bother to do so much effort and make each of the postcards very personal. I guess it’s just my way to show how I care my loved ones so much. I want to share, not in a formality, but in a way we’re talking to each other directly. Or it’s also a way for me to reminiscing every trip I’ve made. A fun reminder to make life counts and be grateful.

30 Facts of Mine in 30 Numbers

Not chronically, and for sure not Alphabetically. But honestly, this is 30 facts about me in 30 numbers.

Was born on 1988. (Bonus fact, I never mind people knowing my age. So what?).
0 Sibling.
17 years living in small town, called Bontang.
Joined in total 8 clubs within 9 years during K12 as an extracurricular activities. (Hey, there’s 3 numbers! Take it as another bonus!)
2 years in a row as President of English Conversation Club in high school.
I was 8 years old when I finally could ride a bike.
I was 25 years old when I finally could swim.
Spent 4.5 years in Bandung during university time.
1 out of the chosen 14 assistants of Ergonomics and Work System Design Laboratory from Industrial Engineering’06 ITB.
Actively played 4 kinds of sports during university.
Won gold medal for Women’s Doubles in Tennis number in 2011 ITB Olympic.
Been working in 3 (multinational) companies (a lil bit brag here, sorry).
Total working experiences is more than 9 years (hello, any recruiter here?)
6 out of 9 years of working experiences spent in 1 company.
This is number 15, 0.5 of the way to today’s topic, and in fact, I’m starting to lose any idea what to write. (it’s fact! accept it!)
Having 2 Instagram accounts. (Please follow @coretoan for my current painting project! haha!)
Getting married when I was 25 years old (last 2 weeks before turning 26. haha!)
Having a 6 years and counting of happy and dreamy marriage.
Currently learning 2 languages at a time, Japanese and Spanish.
In Total can speak 3 foreign language in daily conversation (survival mode) and 1 foreign language fluently.
Currently read 22 books in 4 months. 2 more books for this year reading challenge.
Been a fans of Onitsuka Tiger/Asics/Asics Tiger shoes and currently having 10 pairs of it (and I want moooore)
Have 96 apps in my mobile phone. (Tbh, I just found out about it when I write this)
Ever been in 2 surgeries in my life.
Collecting 17 Disney tsum tsum (and I want moooore)
Often set additional 2 hours of sleep in the morning before working around 9.30 am during pandemic.
Have a plan to publish a book before 40.
Have visited 22 countries so far (and I want moooore).
Have 7 lifetime best friends. Read about them here !
Been living in 3 cities entire life.