2013 caleidoscope

better late than never...
in these new days of 2014, I still want to share His blessings in every moment that I still remember, every day in 2013 was important to me, there was always 'first-time' for some things and I still wonder how He compiled every person, every place, every time and every moment in my life as one year that changes my 'lucky' life to be a blessed life.

January

I am still struggling for thesis making, believe or not, I started to wonder where will I be in next year... *worrisome for placement*

February

It might be my last Chinese new year with my family for next 3 years, I thought I would be placed far away from home. -_-''

To 'enjoy' my senior year in college, I joined UPH AWARDS 7 committee, it was too bored only with thesis stuffs...ehehehe... I joined it with my 'committee-mates', Irena, Mely, Alex and Joe. We were in some other divisions, but me, irena and joe in one division which was registration. They are the best in administration hahahaa.. I got a solid team surely!
in there, I really did enjoy the co-workers, leaders and event. Even though it was not as 'success' as the previous committees, but I believe that it was not a coincidence that me and Irena enlisted as nominators of Senior of the Year.
I knew that I am not as good as the other nominators, but I leisurely enjoy it, to get the privileges as a nominator before leaving this luxurious campus  ;p

March

 YEAAAH! Finally I made it! thesis submission! This is my first and might be the last thesis that I submitted as undergraduate student!
I really enjoyed every moments of boring, excited, and nothing to write with my MR. S! I realized well that I had not done my best, but in all my lacks, weakness and  sloppiness in typing each word in my thesis, I thank God, He enables me! :) <3

Celebrating Easter at home, I treasured each time I spent and the people I spent time with.

April

That was so 'heartbeating' moment for me, I had my first thesis defense on April 4. I prepared all the materials and presentation by my best. I learned to lean on Him alone. My panelists are Dr. Dylmoon Hidayat, Mrs. Janine Allen, and Ms. Mery Fuji Siahaan. One of my panelists in thesis defense was from Corban University, USA, my university partner that gave my bachelor degree. She was Mrs. Janine Allen, she appreciate my hardwork much, it made me an ease.
And thank God, even I was so trembling, He enabled me to pass it on. I am graduated as a Bachelor of Science in Indonesian Education and as Sarjana Pendidikan!

Melisa Apriyani B.Sc., S.Pd. 

 that would be the biggest present that I could give for my father's and grandma's birthday on April 5 and 12!
I spent the rest of the day before being 22 by revising my thesis. It was easier to make it from the beginning than to edit and revise the thing that I certain to be perfect (i'm a perfectionist hahahaa..)
I got some surprises party threw by my room-mates, schoolmates and besties in college. Since I was a 'surprise-maker' I used to know when my friends wanted to make a surprise for me...hahahaa...

May

the most worrisome moment came up in May 8, that was placement announcement day! As I had been guessed, I am placed in a far away land.... Papua.
In that paper was written I would be a teacher in Sekolah Lentera Harapan Kampung Harapan, Kabupaten Jayapura. It is a public school that managed by Yayasan Pendidikan Pelita Harapan. I hadn't known anything about the school, but since some of my seniors were there, I heard some 'interesting' things from them.
The first person I met? my counselor, Ibu Debby Melanie.
I thank God for her, she was so nice and comfort me much. I talked to her my worries and even I didn't get any solution for my problems, I felt a bit ease to tell her and listen to her sharing.
I cried a lot at that day, not because of the place, but to be separated from beloved ones. I knew technology could do much, but I couldn't imagine how could I be not having a quality time with my 'families'.
The key is, TRUST IN GOD!
Being separated in place and time like this makes me even more trust in Him. Trust Him that He could keep my families and teach my family to trust Him that He will keep me there.

I spent May with so many meetings about placement and commissioning service preparation. Yeah, every year, my faculty held a commissioning service for student-teachers who will be placed as a teacher in all over Indonesia. I was experienced as a head of committee of this event last year and became a committee for previous 2 years and in each time, I was so touched. I couldn't believe that I was the one who commissioned in this year!
There must be something special in every commissioning service and in this year, they prepared some students to be the representative of our future-students in each place. Since the students were came from my previous practicum place I was so touched and grateful to Him, I will be a teacher, who touches their life and has a never-ending influence for their future.

June

every June in my college life was a farewell time and I hate it the most. I spent my time to have so many quality time with my beloved ones, I even thought that I shouldn't have any resting time since I would be able to be with them as much as I had. My melancholic personality came up :"(
I didn't cry a lot, I remembered that I couldn't cry, I still figure it out why was my tears couldn't fall at that time even I saw that my friends were crying because they had to be parted.
I got back to my hometown after commissioning service and met up with some of my schoolmates, they were so shocked when I told that I would be a teacher in Papua. I thought that they imagined Papua as a scary and forest-only land hahahaa... I had small reunion when one of my best friend in high school was married. Her name is Febriyanti. I remembered that she was so spoiled to some of us in our gank, but at that time I saw she was so beautiful in white. Congratulations my dear, Ebi :)

I had so many to do list for my holiday, I made passport and went to my dentist. I searched many things about thingies that would not be had in Papua, that's why I ate a lot and shopped a lot.hahahhahaa...
After I came back to UPH, I had my first work training.

July

After the training was over, I headed to Sentani, Papua. It was in July 6. My feelings was so mixed, I couldn't think properly, but one more thing that I grateful for, friendship. At that day I escorted some of my friends who headed to their placement places and I was escorted with my family and friends. I was so sad, but no tears fell.
And after about 6 hours flied in the plane I woke up and saw a beautiful Sentani Lake. I was falling in love with this land.
There were so many unforgettable things that happened at the time we landed in this land and try to organize our 'new life' there. I thank God for sending Pak Djarot and Ibu who have been became our family there.

I started my first officialy day work in July 8. I was so excited to know where I teach and how the culture there. My senior was accompanying us in our first walk to school. The timezone there is 2 hours earlier than in Jakarta or Cirebon, I was a bit jet-lagged.
The first day of school? July 22! I was so excited and nervous to meet my first homeroom students, since they are 8 graders, they would be as tall as me hahaha..
I tried to be as calm as I could. Some silly things came up, but I keep thanking God for His guidance in my words and deeds :)

august 

I visited a very beautiful beach in Sentani, the name is Harlen. The beach was so beautiful with the sea corals and bright colored fishes. Thanks to Yayasan! ahahhaha...
I tried to explore this land as much as I can, that's why I was so excited when my seniors wanted to accompany us to get there :)
I was so sun-burnt! ;p
August 17  was my first independence day as a teacher in a new land.
Interesting tradition in Jayapura is 'makan bunuh' or killed by eat! ahahaa.. it is a kind of visitations to colleagues or relatives who celebrate Ied Mubarak. Yeah, Indonesian are so multicultural nation :) I appreciate this tradition, that is a good thing, even though we have different religion we could respect each other.

september 

I think I know one of the reasons I am here. Learn how to supervise student organization. Even though I have been known about OSIS or student council organization, it was very different when I am being the teacher who guide the pupils. I am pretty sure that they have leadership potentials, they just need chance and time to explore it and experience an organization and it's "complicatedness"! hahaha

october

WOW! another first time came up when I had to write narrative reports for 20 of my students! What is narrative report? It is a description of each aspect in learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. DESCRIPTION! When I was senior high I did have experienced a report card by description, but I didn't think that it would be as simple as I had. And the most complicated was, I am the teacher! I am the one who will type each word!
I enjoyed the process much, start from recording the grades, comments from teachers, queuing the printing, and checking each error that happened! That was my first time to meet my students' parent :)
They are so kind and friendly to me, even though I look too young to be their teacher, but I thank God that they support my kiddos much. I pray for them that their trust to school might be a solid bridge to connect student to teacher, teacher to student, parent to teacher and student to parents :)

november

Okay, it was the moment that I waited much in my 4 years of college. UPH GRADUATION? why?

1. UPH's graduation gown is the coolest and unique in Indonesia, it is red and so elegant!
2. I hoped I could be the best student (but I haven't)
3. The ceremony solemnly and elegant.
4. I graduate from a prestigious and luxury campus!

hahahhaa.. those might be a silly reasons for me to push my father to pay my plane tickets Jayapura-Jakarta-Jayapura. It was expensive for me, more than 3 millions rupiah :(
I spent a lot for 5 days trip Jakarta-Karawaci-Jakarta-Cirebon-Jakarta-Jayapura.. but I think that was worth for the moments and memories that I got.

It was the first event that held by OSIS, Bahasa celebration and National Heroes day! I am so proud of their hardwork, eventhough there were so many weaknesses and difficulties, they worked as much as they could. They entered the phase of exploring and experiencing!

december  

The month that I waited: holiday season!
had been so busy when I became the secretary for school final exam committee. There were so many tasks that I had to make before final exam and report card distribution.
Me and some teachers spent our spare time to have Christmas celebration in a charitable institution. I really learned so many things about how celebrating Christmas in a simpleness. Doesn't matter if we doesn't have anything if we have Christ in our heart :) They come from Pegunungan Bintang a highland area in Papua. It is such a remote area because there are not plenty transportation that can reach. They learn diligently and love one another. They know Gospel well, better than me.
Then my first final exam as a teacher came up. Pray for my students much.
Because 8th graders are using KTSP different than curriculum 2013, I have to think about 2 different ways of report cards. I did have to write my homeroom students report card by my handwriting, but in grade 7, I have to type all the description of each student grades. I still learn how to make it easier and faster. It needs plenty time and concentration! *sncaksalso* ;p
Then I proudly presented my second time to meet my kiddos parents. I was a bit nervous, but it was not as nervous as in the mid term semester. ehehhee...

I deeply treasured what family means. I thank God for Brenda's family who have became our host during Christmas holiday. Brenda's mom cooking is the best! hahaha.. *it made me miss my grandma*
I enjoy the beauty of His creations a lot there. Bosnik Beach, Tanjung Saruri, Wari Beach, Warsa waterfall and many more!
not coming home was not bad at all ;p

Last seconds in 2013, I spent with my closest persons there. Debby, Ibu Djarot and Bapak Djarot, they are sooooooooo lovely persons... I am so grateful to have them. I even had Holy Mass together with them in Sang Penebus Catholic Chruch.
New year eve in Papua? fireworks and barbeque-ing jazzed up my first year there.

Thanks God.