Amsterdam: Tropenmuseum

Hi you all! Another thing that I want you all to know about me: I love museums. Like a lot a lot. Well, in December 2012 I got a chance to visit one of many museums in Amsterdam, it is The Tropen Museum. It is really worth time to wander around and look at everything. But always remember, one day is never enough for visiting one museum! There were a lot (literally a lot) to see and plenty details written on the wall. Unfortunately I have to skip many things due lack of time but at least I took some pictures (of everything I enjoyed :p).

View of Tropen Museum from second floor

As usual, I took the elevator to the second floor intending to visit the museum from top down. The second floor presents many interesting things about Latin America and the Carribean, and Africa. Here are some pictures of them:

Lifelike Bar Teatro Los Héroes

Latin America hits feature on the jukebox

Hi, it's me inside the bar! :D

You can also find Music World on second floor. This part is favorite for many people and you could spend hours in here, listening to audio samples of exotic instruments or voices. You can also record your own voice by singing the Forgotten Songs to leave for posterity in the museum. 

Then I moved down to the first floor. Three of the permanent exhibitions on this floor are Round and About India, South East Asia, and the Netherlands East Indies. What interests me most is Netherlands East Indies of course. It's all about Indonesia! 

Wayang golek figures from the Menak cycle (Amir Hamza stories)
Yogyakarta, Indonesia - late 20th century

One of Netherlands East Indies lifesize manequins

It feels like going back home for a moment... 

   

 

So, back to reality. Generally I skip over many things. I suggest you to take at least two days if you really want to appreciate the full experience. This museum is a really stunning place to explore in any terms, either the spaciousness, lighting, color or even sound. Finally I can say, I'm glad I went there. What a wonderful experience :)

Last but not least, I got into this Jeepney!
Imagining of driving off the African savannah in a thunderstorm
O.O

Photos by: Isabel Budianto

The Official Website of Tropen Museum

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Today is the 3rd March and it's my daddy's birthday! Though we've been through a lot but I've had an relationship with him which has laid a solid foundation of character and personality  in my life. Thanks for walking that extra mile for me, dad. I love you! Wishing you a very loving and warm Happy Birthday! Kiss and hug from Germany <3

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!

I just realized, that this is the first post in 2012. What a bad blogger... -.-

Btw I was accepted in Studienkolleg Halle and I passed the exam for the first semester. And I really thank God and my parents so that I can extend my visa to stay here in Germany. Now I still stay in Halle to go through the second semester, hopefully I can start studying in university this October. Woohoo I'm so excited! I really want to focus this semester, to do and to get the best of the best that I can. 

Well because I got into second semester, now I have a project that I have to do from my Biology and my German teacher. I have to do a PRESENTATION about sickle cell disease (SCD). Fyi, SCD is usually characterised by chronic anaemia and also blockage of blood vessels by the sickle-shaped red blood cells, causing bone and chest pain and damage to other organs, failure to thrive, repeated infections and painful swelling of the hands or feet. It is also caused by changes in the structure of the beta-globin chains of haemoglobin, ie. a haemoglobin variant, that result in red blood cells that form an irreversible sickle shape. SCD affects millions of people throughout the world and is particularly common among those whose ancestors came from sub-Saharan Africa, Spanish-speaking regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, the Caribbean, and Central America), Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. It's horrible, isn't it? I can show you a picture:

Do you guys see the difference between these red blood cells? Have you ever heard about this before? 

Tell me what you think!

And wish me luck, I have to explain it to the whole class and the teachers next Tuesday 28/2.

*finger crossed*

Halle: Aufnahmeprüfung

After Greifswald's thing, I went to Halle to do another entrance exam. It was very very veryyyyy exhausting!!! Saarbrücken is so far away from every city in Germany o my God I couldn't believe it. Thanks to Chila, Diani, and Kak Mica who helped me and gave me place to stay for one night! And at that time I couldn't even study anymore. I did my test in the next morning, I did my best, I prayed, that's all. And I've seen a little bit of Halle city too, it's quite nice. It's not too crowded of people too. I kinda like it. Well as long there is H&M, New Yorker, Saturn, and Galeria Kaufhof, I think the city is good enough :p

And then while waiting for the announcement until 5th September, I went to Hannover and Hamburg with Shinta, Stephanie, Hana, and Jansen. It was totally fun being with them there together!!!

Greifswald: Saarbrücken

Woww it's been two months since I wrote in my blog. It's really quite a while. By the way I have already got my result from Studienkolleg Marburg. I was in their waiting list but in the end I've got no place either in their Studienkolleg. Of course it's disappointing, but it's okay and I've got to move on. And this 2 months really drive me crazy, especially the entarnce test (Aufnahmeprüfung) that I've got to do in Greifswald and Halle. It was 21st August 2011. I have to go to Greifswald by train and it took around 10 hours to get there!! It was even with the fastest train in Germany and it was like forever. OMG it was unforgettable. I was alone too. Greifswald is somehow a small city and it's located in north of Germany. Literally north. Far faaaaar away from Saarbrücken. All along the journey the only thing I saw was corn field and another field. I thought, where the hell I'm going. But still I keep this on mind: "It's okay Olla, it's okay. You have to do this. This called sacrifice. You won't get Studienkolleg if you're not facing it."

Finally I arrived in Greifswald. I was very very very tired. I couldn't help it. Thanks to Kak Gaby and Kak Vina who help me to find a place so that I can stay in Greifswald for one night. I called Kak Vina and I went to her place by bus. Well I've got to say Greifswald is a small city and it was very..... quiet. I was a little scared that someone's going to rob me or what (well I'm exagerrating) and finally I arrived in Kak Vina's place safely. I had dinner with friends from Indonesia, who were going to do the test too. I read some texts for a while and I fell asleep.

The next morning I woke up and got ready for the test. I was soooo nervous. There were A LOT of people who wanted to do test too oh my God. Well I couldn't do anything but pray and work my as* off!! And it was actually going realy good!! All I could do was to wait for the result and thank God and I had a little bit of hope. After the test in Greifswald, I went directly to Halle to do another test. It was horribly tiring but I had to keep my spirit, I believe that God's always by me and I have full support from my family and my boyfriend!!

P.S.: I didn't take any photos, I totally forgot!! Sorry guys :p

Zweibrücken: The Style Outlets

Two days ago I went to a city called Zweibrücken. This city is located in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Well I know nothing about the detail of this city, but what I know is that this city has a place called: The Style Outlet. It's a God d*mn shopping world!!! I went there with my friends Shinta, Hana, and Jansen. It's about half an hour with train, and then it's continued with another half an hour with bus. There are around 120 international brands and shops and also the price is reduced until 30-70% from the original price. Nike, Adidas, Body Shop, Mango, Versace, Esprit, etc etc etc. A lot. Literally, a lot. I think one day is not enough when you want to come into all of the stores! Well... you guys don't need to know what I bought. It's gonna make you like, shock. It's not recommended too for you who assume yourself as a shopaholic. You'll go crazy. Trust me.

I am Leaving

March 13, 2010.

10 more months to go.

I will be leaving,

and I will miss my lovely room, for sure.