I'm Going to Mumbai, India with Garuda Indonesia

Actually I'm more comfortable to start my first blog in Indonesian, but here I am. Already typing the word with English language.

I'm quite nervous about writing again, back then when I was in primary school, I often won writing contest about fiction mostly, like short story, poem and etc. But that's me in primary school. It's almost 8 until 10 years ago. What do I or you guys expect?

But here I am, with all the talent that still remained inside me. I started to write, again.

Hi, everyone! My name is Ilmaa Samara and you already entered my blog, Welcome.

It's already the warmest welcome from me. I'm so sorry guys. I still love you, xo

I'm now studying at Diponegoro University in Semarang, Indonesia. Majoring in Government Science and I'm a freshie (idk this seems more fitting) too not only for blogging but a freshie at my University.

I just entered college this year, 2016. Even as I start this blog, it’s almost 2017. But still, I’m a newbie, whether in this blog or at my university.

You guys could say I’m a wanderer.

Because the fact is,

I actually live in Tangerang Selatan, but currently living in Semarang.

For you guys who don’t know this, they’re two different cities in Indonesia. Approximately within 470 km away.

In Semarang I live in a small apartment, Indonesian used to call it ‘Kos’.

That’s a little fact about me which is not that really important but, yea. I love to share it with you guys. How I’m trying to retain to not calling my mom every 24/7 saying ‘I want to go home’ and stuff.

Speaking about this ‘homesick’ thing I felt every time I’m in Semarang, separated 470 km away from my mom, Hi Mom how are you?

I outsmarted it with some of the organization I joined.

2 benefits, the first one is I’m no longer feeling homesick and the second is, It’s a bunch of advantageous activity for me and others I get there. Like, ‘hey sup I’m doing something real in my life and I never gonna regret it for the rest of my life because it has a lot of advantages going on here’

Kind of

Yea

You know what I’m saying

So far I already joined 2 organizations, the first one is Student Executive Board or in Bahasa is BEM (Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa) , Faculty Level. And the second is AIESEC Organization.

Speaking of AIESEC..

I joined one of the programs they had, it’s called Global Citizens. Or global volunteer, I see no difference.

AIESEC itself is an international non-governmental not-for-profit organization that provides young people with leadership development and cross-cultural global internship and volunteer exchange experiences across the globe, with a focus to empower young people so they can make a positive impact on society.

That’s what I found in Wikipedia. Really helpful. Thankyou, Wiki.

Why I joined this organization? Well I’m not gonna lie about the reason why I joined this organization, because my father is one of the founder of AIESEC in Diponegoro University. Not founder as in the first person to start the organization but the initiator in my campus.

My father is also a graduate from my university, so here we are, sharing the alma mater.

There are some goals that AIESEC would like to pursue in order to help the United Nations. There are about 17 Sustainable Development Goals the United Nations adopted.

Before I continue to share the story, What is actually Sustainable Development Goals ?

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are a new, universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years.

The SDGs follow, and expand on, the millennium development goals (MDGs), which were agreed by governments in 2000, and are due to expire at the end of this year.

According to the YouthSpeak Survey results, only 46% of young people know about the SDGs. However, they are the ones who will experience the consequences of the SDGs’ implementation. The level of engagement of young people in the Agenda today will directly result in the state of the world in 2030.

In Short, one of the Goals is Peace and Justice Strong Institution. It is goals number 16, which I chose.

“Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”

There are several state options, which has links with the Sustainable Development Goals number 16, but I eventually chose Malaysia, Palestine and India.

But why at the end I chose India? In the city called Navi Mumbai?

Because Aiesec in Navi Mumbai, India was the first to email me for the interview. As simple as that.

Hahahaha

No,

I’m kidding

Indian culture is still strong yet unique at the same time. I love how all the different cultures are blended well and the people there is keeping up with them

Do you know that cow is a sacred animal in India? Cows are very respected there. If there’s a cow in the middle of the road, (which is an usual phenomenon there) the motor riders or car drivers must wait until the cows already crossed the road or step aside.

For the Indians, foods are blessings and should be enjoyed by touch, smell and taste. Eating with spoon and fork are considered less enjoyable.

Part of the etiquette and traditional Indian culture is food sharing. Although there are only two people eating in the restaurant, it was customary to order two different dishes to be shared with each other. Despite sharing food is an important part of the etiquette of the Indians, sharing cups, spoons, forks, drinking from someone else's glass, or a bite of bread, chocolate and ice cream from someone else is considered extremely disrespectful for some Indians. This is called Jootha. Jootha at its core is something that directly or indirectly in contact with saliva. Jootha should only be offered to animals or immediate family members.

These things are some facts about India, which I’m going to love further once I arrive there.

So, here I am. Packing my stuff and tomorrow is my schedule to take on my visa in Indian Embassy.

For your information, if you’re an internship student, your visa is in the entry visa category. So it costs more expensive than the tourist visa.

Excited to not only spend my end year holiday or winter holiday (call it whatever you like because I see no difference. The only difference is that there’s no winter in Indonesia.), but also to share the positive vibes and good impact to others.

I’ve contacted my Argentina friend (I have her contact in WhatsApp which all the students going to India were already placed in the same WhatsApp group) who happened to be in the same city and same project with me at Navi Mumbai.

Hope I can share the experience there in Navi Mumbai, India with Garuda Indonesia as the flight I’ve chosen to become a five-star airline which paved the new way experience I’ll get there.

Namaste, India!

#travel #india #navimumbai #mumbai #GarudaIndonesia #fivestarairline #skyteam #aiesec #exchange #experience