On August 31, 2019 my daughter Sheva joined picture coloring competition held jointly by Pamela 9 Wonosari and SGM milk. She was so enthusiastic to take part since it was a good moment for her to hone her artistic skill. Besides, it was a chance for her to learn independence, improve her confidence in public places and and social skill. She was appointed by the committe to sing on the stage as she could sing SGM chant the loudest. She got a new bag with SGM brand for her effort.

Though she didn't win any place in the coloring competition, I was so proud that she was so confident to mingle with other kids she never met before. She is also brave enough to sing on the stage. She will join another event like this in the future. As her parents, I was glad that she enjoyed social event like this. This isa rare opportunity for personal growth.

Wednesday, October 5 2016 was a special day for me and my family. After five year of hard work, my pain was paid off. I managed to finish my masters' degree program in English education. Thanks to my whole family members who support me through prayer and care.

Fancy costumes to join yearly cultural carnival in Karangmojo District, Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta

Me, my daughter and the mascot of Gembira Loka Zoo, Yogyakarta (photo description)

It never came to my mind that being a father will turn my world upside down. I have to make a lot of adjustment in my first year as a father in order to learn to share and care with my family needs. During the process, I grow and develop as an individual from self-seeking person to more of a care-giving person. It was hard at the beginning but in the end it's a self-fulfilling role. One by one my social, professional and personal problem is resolved during the process of my attending my wife and daughter's needs. 

Now, I come as a new individual with wider perspective and richer friendship than before. Life is no longer stagnant and depressive. Thank you Lord Jesus for all your blessings, progress and solution You bring during my process of adapting to new role as a father and husband.

As a child I never dreamed of becoming a teacher. I had always wanted to be a soldier, a job which is upheld highly by my extended family. Soldier is regarded as an asset for society and family in my neighborhood. When I was in the first year of university, a friend told me that the Indonesian military academy opened recruitment test.
I thought that was an opportunity to make it in the social and career ladder. I managed to pass the local test and make it to the national level test. One night before the announcement of the recruitment test, I saw the doors to the study room of the barrack where I slept opened by itself. I thought my next future career would be related to study. My hope was shattered when I failed in the health test.
In the same year I was accepted in Yogyakarta Institute of Teacher Training majoring in English education.

I like English since I was 12 but the idea of teaching English never crossed my mind. I prefer translation to teaching and have had very successful record as a translator. Nevertheless, I had a low self-esteem due to the failure of my family and community to appreciate my profession and had only few friends.

However, things turn to the better when I passed the government teacher recruitment test in 2009. At first, I felt it was a very burdensome job with students getting bored and restless in my class. I had no clue how to deliver an interesting lesson and made my students get more organized. Little by little, my students help me a lot to be more relaxed and self-confident. My fellow teachers also help me a lot to improve my attitude and skill. in 2012, my school established cooperation with an Australian school and I managed to be one of the key person to bring the cooperation a success. I felt great pride when the Aussie teachers showed their appreciation of my hard work.They thought that my English level surpassed the average skill of English teacher in Indonesia. I keep cherish their positive encouragement to this day and believe that I have got everything I need to be a high-class English teacher and no longer entertained the wishful thinking of being someone else with different career.

On March 20, 2015, my school was celebrating the inauguration of Yogya as a special province. All teaching and administration staff in my school as well as all students were wearing Javanese traditional costumes. Me, in the photo above wear 'blangkon' (traditional hat), beskap (traditional suit), jarik (saroong-like covering for lower part of the body) and 'keris' (symbolical traditional weapon worn on the back). The beskap I worn is typical of that of upper classes.