July-August Department of Foreign Affairs Internships (Part II)

Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. people have always said that it’s not easy living in Jakarta, it is ridiculously hard. Living in Jakarta is either make you or break you. It’s going to make you should you choose to have a motivation of hard work and focus on whatever you are doing, and it is going to break you if you are lazy and do not have a constant focus on whatever you are doing.

I have elaborated my experience working on a daily basis at Deplu before, now let me share a little glimpse of myself living in Jakarta for two months. Before the day I decided to take this program of Internship, being away from home and to live in a completely new surroundings was definitely a concern for me. But as they say, a man will have to eventually stand up for himself, so, not only that I decided to take it to get the internship subject done, i too want to experience living on my own, and find out if I really tough enough to live in this mean city, ultimately.

The first three weeks was definitely a challenge, because I found it so very difficult to be enrolled as an intern at Deplu, but at the end of third week, I was finally accepted. And I have said it, it was all a blast, being an intern at Deplu, I enjoyed every minute of it. But on the other hand, i have never felt a sense of loneliness in my life, I know that is absolutely the consequences of living too far apart from family and friends, but I think I have managed to control it. It was ironic by the way, because I had a partner living with me, but it did not matter, because I felt like I was all by myself. Well, a visit of friends from Makassar like Dea, Citra, who were there for a vaca, and Uq, Aldy, Cucan, Achie, who visited Jakarta to collect more sources and materials for their researches, Yido and Ridjat, who were also friends from IR Hasanuddin Univ, who were also got enrolled at Deplu, and the fact that the hilarious Ruli also visited, and decided to live with me at the last week, was an absolute fresh air. But aside of those, it was an absolute mind-torturing, it was a mental challenge, and it was a frustration not having someone to cling into.

I have always had focus on my mind that I was in Jakarta to get this internship done, focus on it, period. And also, how am I going to gain experiences, make friends with co-workers, who are so unbelievably competent and smart… ultimately, I was there to learn first and foremost. So it annoyed me, when there was someone who did not give it the a real focus at this, who focus it all on how to get as much fun as possibly could, instead of focusing on this internship, it was so obnoxious that at one point I felt like I have had it. I was so disappointed that I felt like myself is the only team-member. Well eventually, I just put it in my mind, that I didn’t have to give shit about another one’s problem. Just go have fun as much as you possibly could, after all, I found out that it was really down to you and yourself.

So, finally, it was an amazing time working at Deplu, To Pak Muis, thanks for helping me get enrolled to be an intern, Pak Budimansyah, chief of Sub-Directorate Visa at Deplu for his kindness and support and the huge opportunity you have given me to be working in the sub-directorate that you lead, Pak Eddy, he’s a great person who have always helped me and encouraged me, and he really was, like a parent of mine. Pak Basuki, Mas Jimi, Mas Prima, and Mas Jopkie, thank you for all the laughter and fun you all brought, you have all always cheered me up, and last but absolutely not least, to Senor Kurniawan, who always share experiences to me, always open for discussions with me, thank you so much for the Spanish lesson.. Muchas Gracias Por Todos, and thank you for the call the other day.. Working at Deplu, it was, a blast. I will look forward to be working with you all again in the future.. Thank you so much, and God Bless you all…