10 travel resolutions to make in 2012

Hi people, these are another 10 things that need to be considered around 2012. This articleis not for information only, but such persuasion from me to you guys to invade the world. I have a great interest in point (5) of these resolutions and I have discovered a bit information from the web which inserted on these article. You may browse it yourself just by clicking the hyperlink attached. Not to mention that I want to pursuit this resolution nearby, since I still have to consider about money and long leaves for the program schedule purposes, as soon as per August 2013 when our 1 month leave will due. But still, another thing that I have to think is friend that could accompany me on this “social traveling”

My dream is Ghana. Would you like to join?

Adapted from Gadling.com

It’s the beginning of a new year and the time when people start thinking of ways to improve themselves in 2012. Instead of just focusing on how to make yourself better, why not think about ways to make your travels more worthwhile? Here are 10 travel resolutions to make this year.

(1) Go green

Eco-tourism is a hot topic in the world of travel right now, and for good reason. There are myriad global issues facing the planet right now, from climate change to resource depletion to land pollution and damaged ecosystems. Instead of just wandering through a region and potentially having a negative impact on the land, educate yourself a bit and participate in environmentally-friendly travel. There are tons of Eco-friendly accommodations, tours, and even entire cities, such as the new Yoyogi Village in Japan. Find a destination and try to educate yourself on how to travel while leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible.

 (2) Learn a new language

Instead of using obscure gestures and stuttering your way through a translation dictionary, why not take the time to actually learn a new language? Going to Spain? Take a cultural immersion class and learn Spanish. Taking a trip to Ghana? You’ll feel a lot more comfortable interacting with Ghanians if you can speak Twi. Locals respect you more when you speak their language, and it opens up the chance to have more meaningful interactions.

(3) Knock something off your bucket list

Most people have bucket lists, even if they only exist in their minds. “I would love to go skydiving one day” or “I wish I could take a trip to see the Colosseum and learn about Roman history”. What are you waiting for? This year, instead of just letting that bucket list grow, why not scratch some things off. Don’t let work and family hold you back but instead, use your vacation days and include your family in your plans. Also, certain activities, like extreme sports or taking a romantic getaway, don’t always require long-distance travel.

(4) Visit an endangered site

Don’t expect sites like the Belize Barrier Reef, the Tropical Rainforest in Honduras, or the crystal glaciers of the Swiss Alps to be around forever. If you want to see them, go now before it’s too late. Just recently, in October 2011, the beloved Cinque Terre in Italy was damaged by flash floods and landslides, and while it is currently being rebuilt at a swift pace, it is a good example of the unexpected disasters that can happen. You can also check out the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are in danger to learn more.

(5) Volunteer abroad

I’m a big fan of volunteering abroad for many reasons. For one, you get to help people in need as well as support a cause you’re passionate about. Moreover, it gives you a unique perspective into the culture, especially since many times you get the chance to live with locals. Each time I’ve volunteered abroad, I’ve used International Volunteer Headquarters as a middle man and found them extremely reliable and affordable. You can also contact NGO’s abroad directly using SE7EN or go on a trip with an international volunteer organization from your home city that plans trips abroad, for example, Habitat for Humanity or UNICEF.

 (6) Go out of your comfort zone

You can learn a lot about yourself and what you’re capable of when you try something that’s out of your comfort zone. Are you afraid of heights? Try bungy jumping. Scared to visit a city where you don’t speak the local language? Buy a plane ticket to Brazil (unless you speak Portuguese…then buy a ticket to China). Think you can’t handle the “strange” foods in Asia or Africa? Go there and eat as many new dishes as possible. It may sound crazy, but it’s really inspirational when you realize you can handle uncomfortable situations, as well as eye-opening to people, places, and situations you may never have experienced. I am actually terrified of heights, and when I was in Australia my friends made me go bungy jumping. Literally, they pulled me screaming and crying. While the jump itself was terrifying, I also realized it was a lot of fun. By the end of that year, I’d gone bungy jumping (again), skydiving, and cliff diving, all things that I didn’t think I would ever do but now love.

(7) Take a staycation

By taking a staycation, you can actually add to your vacation time. Instead of waiting until you’ve saved up enough money for a plane ticket somewhere far, you can enjoy a budget-friendly trip for the weekend. Not only that, but it can help you experience your own city and nearby towns, places that often have a lot to offer but many people take for granted. For example, while I often try to hike as much as possible while traveling, I barely go outside when I’m home. Last summer, I decided to change that and began going on local hiking trips around my home state of New York. It’s not only helped me make new friends, but has also helped me to explore a lot of areas that I didn’t even know existed.

(8) Turn off the technology

Thinking about it, this could actually go under “Get out of your comfort zone”. People are literally addicted to technology nowadays. Not that it’s their fault, it’s the world we live in. Business is conducted via Skype and teleconferencing, singles meet their future spouses online, and people post their entire lives on social media. However, turning off your smartphone, ditching your laptop, and turning off the TV can be a really powerful experience. You will learn about a city in a deeper way, without distractions, and will be able to focus on exploration instead of wondering who texted you in the last five minutes. If it’s something you could lose your job over, try doing it for just a day, or even a few hours, and learn what it feels like to be completely disconnected from the rest of the world while being in tune with yourself.

(9) Stop being cheap

There’s a difference between being budget-conscious and cheap. You don’t need to stay in a 5-star hotel to have a great trip, however, you do need to experience the culture, and that means spending a little cash. If there’s something you want to do or see remember that you’re only a visitor in the city, meaning you only have limited time to see the sites. Don’t let cash, or lack of, ruin your entire trip. If you’re really having issues with money but still want to travel, visit a budget-friendly destination, like Thailand or Ghana, and help stretch your dollar further. When traveling through Germany, I was with a girl who was so cheap she would literally hoard bread from the hostel breakfast and eat it for the entire day, and wouldn’t enter anything, a church, castle, museum, or park, if there was any kind of charge. In the beginning I felt bad leaving her, but eventually decided that just because she didn’t want to spend money didn’t mean that I should miss out on great food and interesting museums. We ended up parting ways, and I ended up having a more worthwhile experience.

(10) Attend a major festival

Burning Man, the Full Moon Party, the New York Film Festival, Calgary Stampede, the Winter Music Conference. Whatever you’re into, find a festival that celebrates it and go. I’ve gotten to attend numerous festivals, from Mardi Gras in Sydney to Carnival in Sitges to Crankworks in Whistler, and they’ve all allowed me to be part of enormous celebrations. You meet all kinds of interesting people and get to attend something that people fly from all over the world to attend, sometimes returning year after year. This year, add being a part of something really big to your to-do list.

So, let’s move on 2012 travel plan!!!

10 signs it’s time to change your job

It has been really long? More than 7 months, no? My thousands of apologies. I had been really busy these days. A quick one. Just wanna share something that happened recently, I’m in a state of galau like ABG-ABG always share in their BBM nowadays This article is not quitely describe that I’m gonna resign from my present job, but such a reflection or perhaps what so called self evaluation for my 2 years experience being a part of this great company, and the result is ……….. (traadaaaa, not for public consumption, haha ). Ok then, no need to wait any longer, here it is, happy reading!!

Adapted from ZDNet UK

ANALYSIS

Having recently just quit a job I had held for nine years and four months, I have given the topic of job-changing a great deal of thought. However bad a job may be and however much you dread Monday mornings, making the decision to leave the job — especially one you have held for some years — is never an easy process. Even if your boss is an ogre, your pay raises haven’t kept up with the cost of living and your skills haven’t been relevant for six years, you know you can handle this job.

There’s a large degree of comfort in your current responsibilities and the company you’re familiar with. Part of your brain knows you’re capable of more, but another part is fraught with self-doubt and wakes you from sleep at 2am in a cold sweat, beaming an image of you in your new job frozen by ignorance, out of your depth, and facing termination.

So how do you know when it’s time to go? Based on my recent experience, here are my top 10 indicators that it’s time to make the change.

#1: You know you aren’t performing to the best of your ability
We all go through slumps, bad days, even bad weeks when we just don’t care, don’t give it our best… but what if that week turns into months? If you just don’t have what it takes to give it your best, something needs to change. This is a common sign of burnout or of being overworked, under-worked, under-challenged or out of your depth.

If lack of motivation is the only issue, it may be possible to effect change within your current company by requesting different responsibilities, more training or another position. But if none of these options is available, it’s time to update your resume.

#2: You start gravitating toward co-workers you can be disgruntled with

Think about the people with whom you choose to socialise at work. Whose company do you seek out? Are you drawn toward the malcontents, the people who derive pleasure from complaining about their boss, the declining benefits and the unreasonable overtime? When people ask you what you like about your job, is it rather like when your uncle asked, “What’s your favourite subject at school?”, and all you could think of was break-time?

#3: You can’t picture your future with your current employer
Do you remember those irritating questions the last time you were interviewed: “Where do you see yourself in three years? Five years? Ten?” Perhaps it’s time to ask yourself those questions again. But this time ask, “Do I see myself HERE in three years? Five years? Ten?” If the answer to any of these questions is no, what is your plan? Where do you want to go? When were you planning to make your move?

As much as we’d all like to simply wake up one day to find ourselves in the perfect job, the chance of it happening is probably slightly slimmer than a one-eyed, polka-dotted aardvark materialising in your kitchen sink. If you know that you want to be working somewhere else at some point in the future, it’s never too soon to make a plan.

#4: You take inventory of your job’s pros and cons… and the cons win
If you’re having a hard time deciding whether to change jobs, try this simple exercise. Create a document with two lists — things you like about your current job, and things you dislike. Next, apply a weighting to the items. This can be as simple as a value from one to 10 to rate the importance of each factor. For example, if the stringent dress code is on your list of cons but it isn’t that important to you, give it a 1 or 2. But if the excellent health insurance is a pro, it would probably warrant at least a 7 or an 8.

Next, add up each list. If the cons outweigh the pros, it’s probably worth at least considering a change. If nothing else, this exercise will force you to focus on what you specifically do and do not like about your current position and give you a more concrete idea of what to look for in a new position.

#5: You look for ways to improve your current situation but you can’t turn it into what you really want
Another useful exercise is to take your list of pros from the previous exercise and expand upon it. Elaborate on the items already on the list and add other items you wish you could claim about your current position. When you’re finished, review the list for items you may be able to make happen at your current company.

If you want more responsibility or more flexible hours, you might be able to work that out, whereas if you work for a missile manufacturer and happen to have developed pacifist beliefs since accepting the position…

good bye dumai, goodbye bumi lancang kuning :(

Waktu benar-benar tidak ada yang dapat menduga. Sama sekali tidak pernah terpikir olehku untuk meninggalkan kota yang penuh kenangan ini dalam tempo yang cukup singkat. Bahkan posting mengenai kedatanganku pertama kali ke kota ini pun belum tertimpa jauh oleh posting-posting lainnya, selain karena aku emang jarang posting, juga didukung oleh waktu yang memang belum lama itu. Masih teringat jelas gimana rasanya aku pertama kali menginjakkan kaki di kota yang damai ini dan kini aku harus segera meninggalkannya. Saat pertama kali mendengar kabar akan di mutasi ke Balikpapan, rasanya campur aduk, mulai dari siyok karena senang tapi juga sedih. Kenapa senang, tidak perlu kujelaskan, tapi mengapa sedih? Karena aku harus meninggalkan segala sesuatu yang telah kumiliki dengan baik di Dumai, mulai dari pertemanan, rumah yang cozy, lingkungan yang sudah dapat kukendalikan dan yang pasti karaoke time with Taufik, Ragil dan Datul (I’ll never forget those guys!!). Sekalipun masalah kepindahan ini pernah terbersit dipikiranku sesekali, terutama kalau lagi penat-penatnya, tapi itu hanya lintas lalu saja, tidak pernah sampai pada titik yang mengatakan harus pindah, harus pindah!!

Dumai memang bukanlah kota yang menarik, bahkan bisa dikatakan “kota mati!” Tapi entah mengapa aku sudah berhasil menaklukkannya, dalam artian aku sudah tidak pernah tertekan oleh keterbatasan keadaan kota itu sendiri. Untuk urusan pasar ke pasar, jangan di tanya lagi, aku sudah tau semua sudut pasar di kota ini dan aku menikmatinya, untuk urusan hiburan, hellooo, hanya karaoke hiburan yang paling tob markotob, pantai?? Jangn ditanya!! Tidak ada pantai yang indah di kota ini, haha, bahkan memang tidak ada pantai!! Yang ada hanyalah teluk, dan itupun tidak indah, air nya berwarna cola, sama seperti sungainya!! Bagaimana dengan rumah, oh helloooo, halaman rumahku adalah hutan seluas 50 Ha!! You named it, segala jesnis insecta dan beberapa reptil pernah mengunjungiku, hahaha. Dari segi makanan, a big woowww!!! Tidak ada yang spesial!!! I’m prefer to cook it myself, selain lebih murah juga lebih kreatif. Mau ke Medan, gampang, cuma 12 jam perjalanan darat, owwwwhhh!!! But overall, over the condition, I already love this town. I love it not because it can give me anything I want, but because it force me to get anything I want by myself, dan itu menjadikanku kuat dan tidak banyak ‘cincong’.

I love y Dumai, semoga ketika bertemu kembali, kotamu sudah semakin maju dan berkembang. Berlayarlah yang jauh, Bumi Lancang Kuning!

corat-coret

Hi lambs (uhuk..uhukk..)

It’s been a long time that I never write any here again. Sejak terakhir kali nulis, so many things had happened, pastilah ya, klo ga terjadi apa-apa, ngapain aja coba gw, haha. Mulai dari hal-hal yang ordinary hingga yang extraordinary, mulai dari yang biasa-biasa (kalau tidak ingin menyebutnya “memilukan”) hingga hal-hal yang fantastis. Btw, akhirnya gw dapet dines setelah 6 bulan bercokol di tanah melayu ini.  It was so amazing when got something that you never expected. I was speechless when heard such disposition, antara percaya dan tidak percaya. Dines nya ga jauh-jauh sih, cuma ke Bandung, but I felt AMAZING! But this note isn’t supposed to tell my “dinas-vacation” storiy since I’ll tell here later on.

Sekarang gw ingin bergosip saja. Sepertinya ga seru juga punya blog kalo ga dikasi bumbu-bumbu gosip, hahaha. Ok, let’s talk about William the prince & Kate Middleton marriage. What a mess!! Just shocked when browsing kompas.com and found this link:

http://internasional.kompas.com/read/2011/03/15/09060925/Mahalnya.Pernikahan.WilliamKate

Ain’t no have any intention to make sarcasm here, but it’s totally a disgusting news whatsoever. Ditengah krisis dunia yang melanda belakangan ini, kenapa pemberitaan tidak penting seperti ini masih muncul. Sedikit berlebihan memang, karena bagaimanapun tentu pasti ada orang-orang yang haus akan pemberitaan seputar keluarga kerajaan, berharap mereka (orang-orang tersebut-red) merupakan bagian dari si darah biru or keluarga angkat dengan si darah biru atau yah sesial-sialnya teman atau mungkin satu sekolah dengan si darah biru itu. Bagi gw secara pribadi, di zaman seperti ini, eksistensi keluarga kerajaan ini sebenarnya tidak perlu di expose-expose banget, karena melihat kontribusi mereka pun bisa dibilang sudah tidak memiliki pengaruh apa-apa lagi di masyarakat. Latar belakang sejarah memang penting, tapi biarlah cukup menjadi sejarah saja. Sebagai contoh, perhelatan akbar yang akan dilakukan oleh William&Kate biarlah menjadi konsumsi mereka saja, karena masyarakat tidak mendapatkan keuntungan apapun dengan menikahnya kedua insan tersebut. Justru akan menimbulkan bias yang sangat dalam antara si ningrat dan si kaum kebanyakan. Akan lebih bermanfaat bila media dapat menyajikan berita yang lebih bermutu seperti kemajuan teknologi, bantuan bencana alam atau hal-hal yang benar-benar bermanfaat, bukan pemberitaan seperti ini. Just a cent.

Hello 2011

In instance, it ain’t suitable anymore to say “hello” for somethin’ that already passed 1 step ahead, but never mind, deemed it as we just have faced this year for today, hahaha

This post is my first post in this year, facing through the rabbit year nearby (tommorow). So far my life is good, not even worse to say it so so, flat whatsoever. Everything was done good so far, nothing extraordinary, but I think that have so many laugh this year rather than was. I don’t wanna talk about my job, since there is nothing to tell you about *sigh

One of my improvement for this year is I have furnished my home with new wood pattern carpet, so it has made my home looks better, a bit humance than was, hahhah.. I’m not covered all the floor, just the part which I thought need to only, the living and family room (there’s no room partition actually, but just deemed it as is as if my house is quitely big and perfect, ha!!). I got my TV and stuff moved to the family room (it was in my bed room) so it has been revived the central part of my house. I already set my sofa with its table which I got from my colleague so it’s been a definately living room now! Presumably, everyone was never put off their shoes, slippers, sandalas whatsoever when came to my home, treat it as a f*ckin floor a**holes. They embarrassed me with such embarrassement act and I got much miserable unto such act. FYI guys, I mopped my home twice a week to keep it clean and they stepped down with their stuff in foot which perhaps just stepped on dung, allegedly, who knows ha!! Now, it has changed already even I have to spent about IDR900.000 for this home improvement T_T.

Such improvement is one of my to do list on this year and I thought it’s been quitely enough for home “money” improvement, beside driving course, 5 word a day, grammar, vacation, etc. Talkin’ about vacation, this is one of my “MUST” to do list that I have to realize soon. Due to my company’s regulation, I must wait until August for getting my due date which allowed me to get my anual leave. I haven’t plan where place that I really want to visit, but I had made some alternatives, which most of them are overseas, WOOWWW!!

India, Oz, Thailand, Bali, or Mentawai. Mallaca is a must, no need much money, time, visa and other difficulties to get that town but for India and Oz, I ain’t quitely sure whether I can get the Visa or not. Dumai has already isolated me to arrange any permit/approval document like Visa etc. I still in progress to find whether I could propose it on Consulate General Office (if they have it) in Pekanbaru or perhaps in their embassy in Malaysia. If i have to go to Jakarta first, it will take a very long time and expensive since I still need to fly from Malaysia at the end. So it would be more easier if I could arrange it in Malaysia while I have a vacation in such country too

Fiuhhh, hope I could fix it as soon yahh. But it’s realljy hard a.k.a rempong, maybe Bali is gonna be my 2011 vacation programme since I never visit such dewata island so far, hahaha