#DutakesIndo Day 5 & 6

So for the last two days we (as in our USINDO 2016 group) have been busy either exploring Yogyakarta or learning Bahasa Indonesia and attending networking events for USINDO. Yesterday we had our first official day on campus at Sanata Dharma (USD) and got to meet everyone that was either teaching us or was a part of the group that was involved in putting the collaboration of USINDO and USD together for us. They gave us some Indonesian snacks to munch during break and throughout the day we went through tutorials of the cultural classes we get to choose from to do for the next five weeks.

There's gamelan (music), dancing, martial arts, cooking and batik (clothing). We had a lot of fun going through each one and learning about the Indonesian culture because of each tutorial. We didn't do gamelan yet because that's for Wednesday on the schedule. I had lunch at a "warang", which is a spot where a bunch of different food vendors are there outside. I actually got sick right after eating there and will definitely not be coming back. 

Today I went to the Hartono mall with some of my USINDO friends. I was told that this mall will be the biggest mall in Southeast Asia. After that, we went to a networking event for the possible internships that we will be working for. It was fun talking to all of the different non-profits and companies and discussing my experiences and their expectations. 

Amazing race adventures!

I didn't get to talk about it yesterday, but our USINDO group went on an awesome amazing race scavenger hunt all around Yogya and we learned a bit about the transjogja, which is the metro system here in the city. We went to Sanata Dharma, the university we'll be studying at and went to the museum and had some amazing food at an Indonesia restaurant, family style. We also practiced some traditional Indonesian dancing which was great, but tiring after a while. After that we went to the traditional market, which is pretty similar to Chinatown in Downtown LA. 

Took a horse carriage back home to the hotel. 

This is my awesome tutor, Lea.  

The traditional market! 

Delicious coconut drink with berry syrup.  

#DutakesIndo Days 1- 3

So its been three days so far (including an entire day of traveling) Jet lag is too real right now. I fell asleep in one of the presentations because we had another amazing buffet at the hotel. I knocked out hard at 7 pm, woke up at 3 am and could not sleep at all. I'm here with my new roommate Michelle and she's pretty awesome. These last few days have been pretty tiring, but awesome. The moment we arrived in Jakarta I could feel the heat wave and smell of smoke in the air. I thought I would be prepared for this kind of weather, but I know it will take a few weeks to acclimate. I'm still editing videos for my vlogs to start everything going so there's at least some visuals for my experience here. Here are some photos to give an idea of what i've been seeing these last few days. :D 

Graduation

So it's official. I'm a graduate of California State University, Northridge and it feels unreal.  It honestly hasn't hit me yet even though I had to go through two graduation ceremonies. Being at CSUN has been such a phenomenal experience because of all of the involvement on campus and also because of the amazing people i've met. Walking across that stage has made me realize that there's no routine anymore, no running across campus to clock into my shift right after my class. No more going to the pub for some $4 chicken strips and fries or farmers markets in the middle of the day for some horchata, pupusas and corn in a cup. Its been an unbelievable college career and I wouldn't have wanted to spend my time any other way.

Working for student housing and the university student union has given me so many opportunities these last five years. I don't know where I would be right now without these two organizations. I've learned so much about diversity on the campus and understanding and respecting it to become a respectful human being. It may sound cheesy, but these jobs I had on campus educated me not just through work ethic, but common sense to be a better person to anyone no matter what. I have reflected on myself and learned about myself through others because of the experiences of working and getting involved on campus. Being a part of CSUN as a fellow student, mentor and employee has pushed me to do such much more in my life, to work harder, to always be positive and see the greatness in others. 

I just want to thank my family, friends, mentors and people i've worked with for all of their support throughout my college career. I don't know where I would be without my support systems. Whether it was a great job or even small conversation, these last six years have taught me and given me the strength to never limit myself or feel embarrassed about how long it will take to accomplish a goal. Every decision I have made has been worth every risk and unforgettable moment that I will cherish forever.