President

I often think to be a President is one of the toughest job existing. If you ever feel how tough it is to be a President of an organization, or a manager of a department, or a CEO of a company, then that's what it is when you want to get into politic world, except double the effort, burden. That's about the same in most countries, but not always means the more bucks you will get. You have to follow the culture of the country to get into high position before then get a higher power to change the culture.

If I said President is might be the toughest job, then politic may be the toughest field. Even to be a lawyer is tough. When one just graduated from university he will have to compete with others in that field, and there is no senior or junior there. All fields have about the same difficulties to succeed in - given you have a distinctive level of ability in it- but I found many lawyers not recommending their children to be lawyers. People want their children to be doctors, pilots, engineers, scientist, professor, artists, etc - do not consider any kinds of negative professions thiefs etc etc here :) - but not with politicians. It's a special field, it's all about culture, society, and power. When you want to be an engineer, pilot, artists, it's all about how much money you have to spend in (studying, establishing first career), your interests, your ability, your connections with other people, your level of intelligence + hardworking, your working experiences, but politics has more requirements for you to get in, again, depends on the culture.

When it's in America while black and white still exist as a matter, black people suffer in politics, when it's in Indonesia while chinese or native still exist as a matter, waiting for a chinese descendant to be a President is more or less the same like waiting for an Obama to be a US President. When it's in Singapore where chinese or indians or malays does not matter, then it will be different again. No other field has the same situation as this.

Back to topic.

I said it's tough not only because President is the most recognized people, or has the most power, but more than that. When Oprah strongly says an A in society, then it will likely that A will happen then. Everybody will listen everything she does - although not always follow her. However when it comes to President the situation is different.

When Michael Jackson decided to move to other religion and even changed his name people may love him more or even curse him, when Madonna believes in one religion many people disagree with many people will curse her, when Zidane did something huge in World Cup watched by billion people then it's became a huge deadline in media, but for President it's different.

People may chase for celebrities but people have different celebrities to deal with. When they feel tired of Amy Winehouse buzz they will no longer even want to know about it, but when it comes for President, everyone will look at you, no matter they like you or not, no matter what you are doing, good or bad.

When a prominent person in earth died it may be because of a crazy fan or a huge hater but once he deals with politics, the situation will be much different. There are still many rumours of the death of Princess Diana although it's a long long case. After decades, there are still rumours of the death of Marilyn Monroe. Although it's told about suicide, but rumous said her affairs with a much well-known politician contributed in her death. Many people wonder about how long a US President will live - already many cases in it.

Back talking about culture, when it's in Indonesia where many people are less educated, they will not understand what actions a Presidens do. When it's tougher for them - where most likely happens - then they will complain, even when you are right, but it's most likely you are false, no matter. When Indonesia's SBY increased fuel price as high as many people did not predict before, hundred millions people complained without knowing why he did so, but they know that it is not good for them. Then when he lowered fuel price only a bit, people will again complained. This happened when General Election was about to come but he has no other choice. Even this fuel price case will be difficult for him to be elected this year. As long as the decision is tough for society, they will not choose you and it's the nature of Indonesia as they are no longer believe in government and that's what every Indonesian President has to face. The challenge is how to change this society nature. How to make people believe in you.

Still looking at Indonesia - and culture, it is very unique and even extremely too unique to govern. No other countries as high populated as hundred millions people separated in about 10 main islands located too far each another, with extremely too many culture and norms to deal with, not to include it as one to have most natural disasters. It's already a common saying that Indonesia still exists in its common form (although losing Timor Leste) is much much a great miracle. US 50s states are connected each another but Japan's are not, but Indonesia is too large and its islands are separated too far away. To build a Singapore like what it is now is a proud of Lee Kuan Yew but if Indonesia is already what people hope must be a proud of dozens people. Even if we do not consider the natural disasters - it's not sure whether other Presidents around the world can govern it better. Corruptions everywhere for decades still has to be included as one part to deal with.

Now it faces difficulties. Society already considered goverment as rubbish. Almost every actions taken caused demonstrations. Java island as the most populated one may have more or less the same culture in general, but they have to consider others like Sumatra Kalimantan Sulawesi. When they take actions about pornography - something related to culture, it may be good for those main islands but people against it and protest that the action is not good for Bali and Papua. When they have to focus on too many problems in its capital Jakarta - floods traffic - other provinces like Aceh or Papua urged for their independence but they -and most people- hope Timor Leste is the last one to do so. It has an excellent side of tourism but has to deal with the terrorism issue. When everythings are likely to be settled fine in the place where it should be, then a huge tsunami take away thousands of people. It's not a joke but the President is still the person most likely to be pointing at even about the natural disasters. Purely natural disasters.

I'm talking too much about Indonesia but that's only what I know =D

Lucks

Some time ago I got a fellowship activity near here ~ and it's just a bit special for me that I can refresh what I have passed in the past which brought me here. And I sometimes feel my life is very flat (but interesting =D) but actually there's many things make it wonderful, either in good times or bad times.

In short, I shared about how I can get here, to tertiary education. I'm always thinking it's full of lucks. It's like a process and if that process is cut down into many events happened sequentially, and if every events have many possible choices I would go through, then at that time, I passed every events with the best possible choices. So if the events are multiple choices questions, then I score everything perfectly. If there is only one wrong answer, then the result will be much different. That's how I call it full of lucks.

Right after graduating from junior high school I had no choices but followed my parents advice to take an extra course of A' level for preparing to get into the university I may choose. Shortly, I had an intense training for full 3 years, both A' level specially Maths even with more than one teachers, plus a number of experience I got from a small Maths competition in schools with my friends. So I practiced that at both school and home and my life looks like full of Maths for that 3 years and in addition, I never myself gave a break for an English extra course. So Maths and English were to run concurrently and continuously.

Well now after the intro, in the end of semester 5 (last 2 sem) in my senior high I applied to the university. One for it, one specially for scholarship, and one for other university. And as I feared to happen, because of my just-fine grades during senior high I was rejected by the 2 but still waiting for the former one. The bad thing was that the rejection was a rejection for me to join the test. Even I could not join the test. That's fine because I knew the reason, already very clear, no doubt at all, because of my grades. Then comes the result for the former one. But wait these are the first lucks.

Briefly, I am in a small town so for years the entrance test was always conducted outside, so we have to compete with other students from other cities even to join the test. Because of any understandable reason ~ cause it'll be too long the test was conducted in my town (I thought it's city =p ). And this absolutely will be helpful so much for me that I had a bad score. How luck it is that even the bacth after me did not get that opportunity, which is, they will surely decreased the requirements because they could accept more people for having test. I never thought that even I could not take this advantage, I wasn't accepted even for test. I want to say but don't know to whom, why I cannot even try my best first to know that this is really not my fate, not to be my future, not my capabilities, not this not that. I can do nothing but just to support my friends. Only 6 persons including me not approved.

A few days after my instructor kindly recommended me back to the university for the hope of joining the test. After a full of hope waiting for it it's already a luck for me for having approved, together with one friend, even my cousin with grades much much greater than me didn't, while I'm still wondering till now what's the mysteries behind it.

Quickly to the entrance test, again by luck but for this time I was very sure I put whole my efforts in it such that I could do every questions without any one doubt. Although no one knows the score but I could put the lowest boundary of it. After the English test, then comes the Physics test. With that not too difficult question, I never imagined that I could not even score any 1 mark in it. I'm till now half sure that I got zero mark or may be a small bit higher. I thought myself if I were them, how come I approved a student into an engineering course with zero mark of its Physics although good mark in Maths. During the waiting-for-result period I did not blame myself and satisfied with all happen so far but never imagined that extremely bad Physics test. Even I finally find one other kind of scholarship but I could not apply because of its technical requirement.

And as you know -but no one knows the real reason- I was accepted. Even with no scholarship but it's my first choice course. I believe one of the main reason was the first choice of the courses. Without exaggerated, if the first choice was not Computer Science ~ an engineering course but no Physics in it~ then I had not been here right now, typing a blog with a full of spirit to know what's going on tomorrow in my class. I remembered months before I joined an IQ test but the result was so strange for me and didn't help so much for me in choosing courses. And till the end I had to make a final decision. That's around 0320 pm on my bed in my room, in front of a paper written 7 courses I had to cut down to 5 and sort it 1st to 5th. With a head full of uncertainties the arrangement was such that the 1st course is Computer Science and other 4 are 'real' engineering courses. From young till now I still want Architecture but if the university had that course I'm not sure the final result will be the same.

The last thing was about application system. In my batch they offered 3 choices whether we woud like to apply for scholarship only, or scholarship but loan is fine, or full tuition is fine. We suggested it's three levels - high to down- the mark we have to get, if we chose the first one then we had to ensure that we had an excellent mark. I chose the middle one and I would not think they will approve me if I chose the first one and as the result, I got no scholarship but loan, that's another luck.

During first year here and looked back to the past, compared to the present, looked to my other friends around the world, I'm so granted by GOD for having a course I enjoyed so much with a lot of nice friends I hoped I got and I did and a room I enjoyed as well, I thanks Him so much for what he arranged for me. The more I enjoy my life here the more blessed I think He gave me. And because of this I never complained anythings - to myself or Him or parents - when I got any difficulties. I'm already given such a nice set and I just thought what I should do tomorrow to solve every problems and try not to stress myself, because this is a gift from Him.

About 5-10 minutes saying about this, one of friends responded that I'm looking down much to myself. I agree with him and will have to change that nature but for this journey I will still -and always- regard it as a road full of lucks because I know everything happens at that time would not come without lucks and blessings from Him.