2015 is a year full of joyful, happiness and love.

2015 is not just a year.

I meet a lot of people who made me who I am today and where I stand.

It’s the year I learned to say goodbye to my Maryland fam and also the year when I was so happy to see my indonesian family again after a year journey in US.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention it is also the year i got to know Tzu Chi Class of 2016 that is also my class now!

I am thankful for you all.

This photograph was taken candidly by a friend of mine when i was just coming home for couple weeks. I was doing the storytelling (again) about my exchange year memories in Maryland.

Geez, i was so happy.

Less than an hour to say goodbye to 2015!

2015, u da realest 🙌

Dear folks, It’s been a month since #YESmendukung first movement! We had met hundreds amazing kids accross the nations, from Medan, Bandung, Bogor, Surabaya, Jogjakarta, etc.

We love seeing these kids who are cancer survivors smile and laugh. These kids from Rumah Cinta just released wishing baloon with #YESmendukung volunteers.

Join us to make a change! Help us grow!

We are in Instagram @YESmendukung !

⠀⠀

YES Mendukung (Youth Exchange & Study, Meningkatkan Edukasi dan Lingkungan) is Indonesian YES Alumni Association Project (IYAA) 2015. Our goal is to increase people’s awareness of education and environmental issue 🌿📚

#nyanyiantanahair

Melepas wishing lantern bersama teman-teman dan harapan kami yang terbang ke langit 🌌

Kenangan memang bisa dibuat lagi. Terima kasih kalian

❤️ PS: If you want to get a sky lantern like this one, just send me a private message 🎐🎐 I had a plenty of wishing lanterns 🙌 (at Yulicious)

friends' Birthday

Hidup setelah pulang exchange, kembali ke realita akan mimpi yang di angankan.

Today is the 94th day since I went back home. It's been a tiring week, so far. 

Saya menyukai melihat hubungan antar individual. Itu mencerminkan jati diri manusia yang sejati. Sangat menarik bahwa ketika saya menjalani masa exchange saya di Amerika Serikat, saya menemukan suatu fakta bahwa bahasa juga dapat mengubah sikap seseorang. Ketika saya berbicara bahasa Indonesia, saya cenderung menjadi "Ellen" yang bebas dan asal nyeletuk. Ketika saya berbicara bahasa inggris, saya cenderung lebih sopan dan menghargai hal kecil. Ketika saya berbicara bahasa Mandarin, saya cenderung kalem (karena kemampuan Mandarin saya masih perlu ditingkatkan). 

#tbt i miss those white stuff called snow. March 7, 2015.

I was attending a conference in Hilton Hotel, Virginia. I remember it was a beautiful yet cold morning. There was a St. Patricks parade along the King Street. So we hop out to the street. A good friend of mine, @kadekvn took this pocture while we were exploring downtown Virginia.

At that moment, i didn’t like the cold that i got from snow. And finally i got to the point where i miss snow so bad.

#ciamique (at Hilton Alexandria Old Town)

A year ago i was there waiting for my departure to US with Naya.

So did this guy. Today is another beginning of Alen’s life in US.

I’m so happy that you will be in ‘Murica (again!)

Good luck pursuing your education in college!I know you’re going to be that swag indonesian fella rocking your not-so-so-american-life chapter 2 🙌

#AmericanSquad (at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport)

Cheers! 🎉🍷

Life is complete when you have food, friends and family!

Yesterday we celebrated those things.

I’m in love with Bakwan Jagung. So yesterday we had what’s so called as Bakwan party. When american had spaghetti dinner or pizza party, indonesians have Bakwan party.

We had indomie, nutella chocolate pudding with choco chip and Bakwan.

Cheers to the goodlife that we had so far! And welcome to an amazing experience that we are going to have.

#Team_Tegan

Sept 12, 2015

tegan (read: teman ganteng)

 



Our basecamp: library

 



This weekend i’ve been spending my time mostly with my family and my friends.

Glad that i had them. We went exploring the building where I used to work. The building is still the same, its kinda nostalgic but it was fun anyway! We took some pictures and saw a beautiful moon up in the sky, from a beautiful building.

 



The last picture was the first time i hang out with Rey and Richrd.

 

I guess i could say my senior year part 2 gonna be awesome with these peeps! (at Central Park West-Jakarta)

Today is Leon's birthday.

Throwback to superbowl party at his house when we made nutella German brownies together!

Can’t believe you’re finally get older!

Thanks for being the worst and the best friend when i was in US. I miss everything we did in US. I knew someday im gonna see you, either in Germany, US or even Indonesia!!

Guten Geburstag dumm arschloch! (at Leon’s Kitchen)

Mau berterima kasih dengan teman seperjuangan selama kelas XI - IPA dulu, namanya Yosef. Biasa di panggil Mas Santo atau Akang Yosef.

Baru-baru ini mengajar paskibra adik-adik kelasnya yang masih di SMA.

Dia pengamat, pendengar dan teman yang baik. Akang yang #ciamique!

Terima kasih waktunya,

Have a great year ahead! (at UPH Architecture Fair)

Today is Indonesian 70th Independence Day!

Throwback a year ago I celebrated it in Columbia, MD. I remember mom drove me and i asked her if we could stop by at Oakland Mills and took a picture with Indonesian flag, and we did it! Now im home and i am going to celebrate it this morning.

Anyway, I wander what OM looks like now in the summer!

#ciamique #AFS #klYES #nyanyiantanahair (at Oakland Mills High School)

My ankle was injured yesterday, meanwhile i'm in Paskibra and i gotta bring the flag Wooooooo 🙌

Then the wind will set me racing

As my journey nears its end

And the path I'll be retracing

When I'm homeward bound again

 I realize that it is different now. Like people won't think that I miss another home, they knew that  I am home already. This is my home. But I knew that I had another home.



Thanks those people who made me stronger day by day.

Farewell Party AFS YES 2015-2016 (8 Agustus 2015)

Selamat untuk #LangkahAnakBangsa, 140 (mohon koreksi jika salah) siswa-siswi Indonesia yang baru berangkat senin lalu menjadi duta muda Indonesia ke negara-negara lain. Teringat satu tahun lalu, kami berangkat dengan penuh harapan dan impian untuk menginjakkan kaki di negeri lain. Membawa satu nama dalam benak, #NyanyianTanahAir. Terasa asing ketika menapakkan kaki itu, tapi kami tahu bahwa petualangan akan dimulai.

Waktu itu, mama saya naik ke panggung Teater Kautaman TMII menyematkan pin bendera merah putih dan burung garuda di dada saya, menandakan restu untuk membawa nama negeri ini.

Kini saatnya kalian untuk melangkah, berbakti sebagai anak bangsa. Semangat #langkahanakbangsa!

Photo Credit @binaantarbudaya (at Teater Kautaman TMII)

A friend of mine texted me in the morning talking about going to random places in the city and wandering around and i said “yes let’s do it this morning”

Guess what, we found a new place to chill.

picture credits to @jafarorrell_

Crew: @yosefsusanto (at Waktu adalah Ruang)

Ketika masih kecil pernah ditanya, “Bellen kalau udah gede mau jadi apa?”

Astronot.

Kenapa?

Biar bisa keliling alam “semesta”.

Sekarang hanya bisa menjawab

“Saya itu penikmat alam, semesta itu tanpa batas. Biarkan saya tetap di sini dan melihat alam yang memang tiada bosan untuk di pandang”.

Last friday i went exploring Central Jakarta with these 2 girls, Vici & Ivana. The statue behind us is Diorama Sejarah Indonesia.

We went to Pasar Lenggang and ate a lot. Both of them were very excited drinking Coconut water from the coconut itself because they never did that while they were studying abroad a month ago. (at Diorama Sejarah Perjalanan Bangsa Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia)

2 days ago i went to Monas (Indonesian National Monument) in Jakarta. It changed a lot since the last time I visited Monas a year ago. No more street vendor, they moved to Pasar Lenggang Jakarta about a 2 months ago. I couldn’t handle my self looking at a lot of kinds of indonesian food in Pasar Lenggang. It was a great day! (at Monas)

Ini

Ini sawah mama, di kampung.

Aku jadi norak pas pulang, dan baru menyadari bahwa alam Indonesia luar biasa indahnya

#26Ciamique the kind of running that I did when I woke up. Get lost at the rice field. (at Bandung)

#Day306 tuesday, June 16, Day 2 of Pre Return Orientation, how to rock the american squad pose with no american squad.

We went to Capitol Hill and US Department of State Office. We talked to the US Dept of State Staff. We also met Kal Penn, one of an actor from How I met Your Mother. It was a good day. I am glad i was an exchange student to USA. US is a very diverse country with a large group of different races and people from different country. The people are nice. A lot of people said that American are individualist. Yeah, that is true but they also really good to work as a team. That’s the reason you have squad pose in ‘Murica ;) Show your squad pose, that is how to strike a pose with your team!

#NyanyianTanahAir #AFS #ciamique #KLYES (at hOMe)

#Day305 June 15, Sunday. literally that was the last day I saw my host family this year. They took me to La Palapa, Mom’s favorite restaurant in Old Elicott City. It was actually my favorite Mexican restaurant. I was thinking it’s gonna be the last Enchiladas i ate in ‘Murica. True that. This family has been there for me everytime. Support me everytime in the states. Thankyou for letting me be part of The McGarvey family. After that, dad and mom took me to Hilton Dulles Airport hotel, the place where i would have a 3 days return orientation before going home. Some exchangestudents that is hosted in the states that is far away from DC have said goodbye to their family at the airport. I lived close to DC, so my host family took me to the orientation place. They also gave me a farewell gift to remember, and Maryland & USA flag. On the way to DC, i did not fell like i was leaving. I had my maryland flag wrapped around my shoulder. I have been to DC so many times that I felt like I was going back to Maryland soon. But i was not.

I haven’t posted anything about my last couple weeks in the states because I wasn’t ready to post or write things like this.

My host family is amazing!

Things I miss so much from my exchange year in USA are : Family, Friends, FOOD

#NyanyianTanahAir #KLYES #ciamique #AFS #WhyHostingMatters (at hOMe)

#Day304 sunday, June 14 was the last full day in Maryland.

Brittany came over to my house in the morning and took me hiking to Savage Park. It was one of the best summer day ever, we picked up Sarah on the way there. That day was super fun, it’s not just a normal “fun”, it was really fun. We were hiking and swimming in the river. Woodcoppin is a beautiful place, we don’t really see a lot of people, it was a nice park. I feel sorry that Sarah broke her finger. But the adventure is out there. So I and Brittany went to the mall to get some Maryland Souvenirs, got some coffee and went to Hoco summer fest, and riding a carousel.

Our adventure started with jumping into the river, playing ukulele, get lost, hoco art fest and ended up riding a carousel.

One day we are going to have another adventure day!

Thankyou for another #ciamique summer day!

I love you!

#NyanyianTanahAir #KLYES #ciamique #AFS (at hOMe)

#Day303 Saturday, June 13.

I went to DC, explored DC a lil bit. I’ve been to different places that I haven’t been before. They have DC Summer Fest with a bunch of food and drinks. I went home and went to Jasleen’s going away party. I always love going away party because i could see some people that i was not going to see anymore for couple years. But it sucks that i have to say goodbye. One of the things that I miss so badly is Cross Country team. OM XC team has been a big part of ny exchange year in the beginning. It’s fun when you have somebody that want to have fun with you, cheer for you, and support you.

shoutout to OM cross country team!

#nyanyiantanahair #KLYES #ciamique #AFS (at hOMe)

#day302 Friday, June 12 we went to Philadelphia, PA. It was a beautiful city. I love the landmark, the museum, the food and the people. We explored the Franklin Institute, crash a graduation ceremony (whoops!), walking around the city hall, and went to the Love Park. Love Park is literally a park with a bunch of loves. A lot of kids were swimming in the water fountain. It was a hot day.

I’d like to thank my awesome American parent for taking me everywhere for a new journey. We always filled by love, one love.

After that I crashed Leon’s going away party with a face mask of his face.

#nyanyiantanahair #KLYES #ciamique #AFS (at hOMe)

#Day301 Thursday, June 11. Another pool day with Sam & Jasleen. It was a hot day that i didn’t think I would go for a hot tub. I was not feeling well that I thought i wasn’t going to swimming pool. But i did. Jasleen got lost on the way to the pool but she made it anyway. We spent most of our day chilling at the hot tub. After a day in a pool. I, mom and Jasleen stopped by at a garden to do geocaching,

We didn’t find anything but we found a beautiful garden. We got some mint leaves for us to make mint tea.

it’s never been wrong to go to a hot tub in the summer.

at Steven Forest pool

 

#NyanyianTanahAir #KLYES #ciamique #AFS (at hOMe)

#Day300 Wednesday, June 11 I had BBQ with some friends, i tried to cook indonesian soto ayam, which sucks because Leon never had a chance to taste that. It was still bright out there. So we decided to walk to Dunkin Donuts and get some ice coffee. We took a walk for a while and it brought us to Atholton Park and an open theatre in the middle of a forest. It’s always fun to do something with them.

I remember the sound of the river. The summer breeze in Maryland.

#NyanyianTanahAir #AFS #KLYES #ciamique (at hOMe)

So happy that I could see her. Lidia is my sister. I went to US for a year abroad. It surprised me that the fact I left her for a year abroad in US made her more mature and wise. It has been 4 days since I arrived home. I had a week orientation in DC and Jakarta. It was worth it. I didn’t post anything in 2 weeks. But I promise i will catch up with the last 2 weeks that I did in the States and on my way home. Thank you for the McGarvey (my awesome host family), AFS, Bina Antarbudaya, YES program, Oakland Mills High School (my host school) and all the people that I have met during the year.

I would say so far this year is the most #ciamique year for me! ✈️

#nyanyiantanahair #KLYES #AFS (at home ✈️🏡)

#Day299 Tuesday, June 9.

I went for running & geocaching with Mom. We ended up arriving at a playground. After that we did geocaching again. The app took us to an old family cemetery from 1800. Running always bring us to a cool place.

It was a beautiful day. After that i had a good time with Ivana, Jasleen and Hanna 🌳. #nyanyiantanahair #AFS #ciamique #KLYES

#Day297 June 8 was a national best friend day. I decided to post this picture with my biggest little brother. Never wrote about Kilian, but he deserved one! Kilian is a young energetic boy. He is that sarcastic guy that you wouldn’t understand (or it’s just me) and somehow could make you laugh. We are like a troll and a dwarf. The dwarf hates troll because troll is giant and mean. But somehow troll is funny and loveable.

I remembered that day. When @mapinusi was still around us 💕

I was jumping from the giant tree behind us and he catched me gracefully, unexpected. Or i was just too light for a troll. Haha #heisafriend
Shoutout to the my foreign babes @saljamcdyer @mapinusi @97jasleen & Andrea.

#nyanyiantanahair #AFS #ciamique #KLYES (at giant old tree 🌳)

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#Day296 Sunday, June 7. It was my going away party, Ellen’s Happie Goodbye! I gotta say goodbye to some people that I’m not going to see anymore. Living in ‘Murica is an awesome experience. I am not saying you will live happy ever after in US. It’s not like living in the world with rainbows and unicorns. There are ups & downs. There are things I like and things I dislike. But overall the journey itself is worth it and I figured out i am going to have a new place to be called home. I figured out when i go back i will feel homesick about Columbia, MD. I have those people around me that I will keep; Friends.

Christine and Mom helped me before the party started. Thankyou so much!

During the party, I and my friends made henna tattoo. It will stay until i went back home to Indonesia. In the end, we went to Oakland Mills Middle School field to release some goodbye lanterns that carry our wishes. I thought it was too heavy that the first one couldn’t even handle it, the first one flew away without even carrying our wishes. The second one flew with our wishes. I was glad it worked. The wishes were too heavy. Lol.

Then we made a pyramid with me on the top, and all of us were falling down. Leon told me that i didn’t need a lot of people. One is enough. Then he carried me until both of us were falling down. He was not strong enough, or I was too heavy. I guess the other german wanted to show who was stronger. Kilian carried me on the way home. He carried me upside down too. I was feeling like i was kidnapped. The night was ciamique. Thankyou so much for coming and having me in 'Murica!

Hmu cuz i have 5 days left in Columbia.

#nyanyiantanahair #AFS #ciamique #KLYES (at 🌻 VW 🚐)

#Day295 Saturday, June 6. It was Samantha’s Day! And also her mom’s birthday! She is a sweetheart. We went around Maryland with a limousine. First stop was her house. The cookie cake is my favorite cake! And then the limousine took us to Centennial Park, where we took this picture. This brought me a memory of me doing Jingle Ball Run with baenix and Mom! I have never thought that I would come back there. It was a beautiful lake. It looked so different in the winter. Now it’s spring! After that We stopped at Annapolis Waterfront. That brought me in tears. I saw some buildings that I, Jasleen, Mariam, Ivana, Hanna, Bobba went ; Kilwin’s ice cream, The silly hat store, the crab restaurant that Jasleen hates, the boat etc. I also saw the place where I brought my guitar and sang along tried to be a street musician a while ago. That was a beautiful night. I am glad Sam took us there.

Sam is a sweetheart. She isn’t 16 yet! But she will be. I am pretty sure God has a beautiful plan for her. Have a great year ahead Sammy!

#NyanyianTanahAir #KLYES #ciamique #AFS (at Centennial Park Maryland)

#Day294 Friday June 5, it was a national donut day. Baenix came over to my house early morning and showed up in my room. I was on my bed. It was early for Ellen’s time! Haha, anyway we got Sarah at the perfect time too! We went for a donut run, geocaching and having an adventure out there. We ended up jamming and crashing Jeremiah’s pool. I went home barefoot and all was wet. My hostmom was kind of surprised and i told her i was having fun. Probably baenix parents also wondering why the seat in her car was wet. In the night i went to Leah’s party.

I didn’t post anything since that day cause It was just a lot of fun things happen that I couldn’t choose which one could be my highlight of the day.

I thankful for all of them!

#NyanyianTanahAir #AFS #ciamique #KLYES (at Jeremiah’s pool)

#Day293 Thursday, i went to OMHS as a visitor. It was worth it, even though i got kicked out from the lunch. But i was still trying to get in anyway. I met a lot of my friends and teachers. A friend asked me if I ready to leave. I said if I am ready, i wouldn’t be at school that day. I went home and cooking an indonesian food for my family and friends, Kari Ayam.

It was a good day. In the night I went to my friends house and had a good time there. I decided to bring a lantern. Because that was the only night all of us were together. It was bittersweet and fun. Lantern has a big meaning for me. We wrote our wishes and things that I want to let it go. The last time I did it was Mariam’s last night in US, and my birthday night. Last night we released the lantern in a rainy night, and we ended up running and “catching fire”, following the lantern until it get lost.

I learned that releasing things is one of part of growing up and moving on. I can not be selfish and keep things forever. There will be a time where you have to decide what you are gonna do with your life. This exchange year taught me a lot of thing. I might lose friends, a year of high school. But i gain more; friends, confidence, a year of high school, memories and a new place to be called home. I’m settled in.

However, I could keep the memories here.

#nyanyiantanahair #afs #ciamique #klyes (at Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine 🎶)

#Day292 wednesday, we went to six flags. USA bucket list checked! It was a rainy cold day. Fortunately, the line was very quick! Thankyou Beth, Jasleen, Sam and our three little friends for a fun day in Six Flags! That day was F-U-N! I spelled it!

#nyanyiantanahair #afs #ciamique #klyes (at Six Flags America. Maryland.)

Hai!

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#Day291 Cute boy Vs. Hot guy.

This is the last day I met her, Auntie Katherine, a.k.a Ms Kitty. She came here and visited me Yay! I had fun with her and Sasha and Ashley when we were in Florida last spring break. She is the sweetest and coolest auntie that you will ever have. I’m glad after the things that we did together.she decided that she will try to be an AFS liaison next year for the exchange students.

She gave me a lesson about how to keep positive energy in our daily life and be happy. No matter when people leaves you or try to put you down, just be strong and keep the positive energy.

This is one of the lesson from her that made my day when we were at Starbucks drive-thru. She is so funny.

#nyanyiantanahair #afs #ciamique #klyes (at a cute boy vs. a hot guy)

#Day290 It was a rainy day, thunderstorms and lightning were pretty much it. The days are getting shorter. Anyway, I had a good time with the strike squad. We went bowling and checking our summer bucket list. I wasn’t good in bowling. But it was really fun. I’m glad I have them that I could get to know them better before I leave. The kind of friends that would suddenly show up in front of the house and kidnap you. Lol I am just kidding. They are nice friends. And you know what, last night I gotta see some videos of my cute little @itspompom1 ;)

#nyanyiantanahair #afs #ciamique #klyes (at Brunswick Columbia Lanes)

#Day289 thinking about our life. Lol

Yesterday i had a blast with my friends. Seeing them for the last time of this year. And seeing this dude for the last time too. Have fun for your summer West Coast trip.
And happy birthday @mariie.leah! I had fun contra fancing with you last night!

#NyanyianTanahAir #AFS #KLYES #ciamique (at Dancel Family Center Y)

#Day288 found some caches today while walking around lake elkorn. I went for a breakfast run; Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks and Lake Elkhorn were my stops this morning. Left some polaroids picture over there to be found. It was a nice morning and then Mom ended up picking me up for lunch. She made Indonesian noodles and We headed to Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. It was tribute to John Williams. They played different soundtrack that written by him. My favorite one is Home Alone! It reminds me of Christmas.

Tonight we just saw Jeremiah and friends jamming at the coffee house. The song was catchy, something like Ølivia 😎. We closed the night with Korean Food and Rita’s Gelati. Can’t be any happier than today during this whole week.

Happiness is when you don’t waste any seconds that you have, just keep yourself busy.

#NyanyianTanahAir #AFS #ciamique #KLYES (at Lake Elkhorn)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcYOIXIMfJQ

#Day287 Contra Dancing at Glen Echo Park. After a long day in DC, i went home and go straight to Glen Echo Park. It was an old amusement park back in 1900. They had an old carousel, poetry place, trail and folk festival and a dance studio!

Contra dancing is a folk american dance. Where you dance with a partner. It was really fun. I met a lot of people here. From the youngest kids to seniors. I came with my friend and hostfamily. My hostbrother come here often because he is a dancer. This was my first time and i definitely would like to come again. I came earlier because they had lesson in the beginning. It was only $5 for 18 and under. I’m officialy a friday night dancer! The people were really nice. I learnt Contra Dancing, Square Dancing and Waltz. But my favorite is contra!

I cant help to post 2 things from yesterday because i can’t help this was really fun!.

You don’t need a partner to come with. There’s always somebody who will ask you to dance. Last night, hundreds people were there. And i met a lot of new friends! Tonight and tomorrow night they gonna have Folk American Festival for free.

If you’d like to come to any event there, tell me! I’d like to go together!

#NyanyianTanahAir #AFS #ciamique #KLYES (at Glen Echo Park, Maryland)

#Day287 went to the zoo today, summer bucket list checked 👌.

On the way to the zoo after picking up Brittany & Sarah, we went to Jeremiah’s house and knocked the door, without asking him where he was and we were gonna grab him to the car and leave. I liked the old-fashioned way of asking somebody out when you just stand up in front of the door and ‘Surprise, let’s go out and take a walk’. But He wasn’t there, our effort was worth it anyway. He showed up in a zoo.

“mama panda has no chill”

“Yea it’s hot”

“…..???”

—

#NyanyianTanahAir #AFS #ciamique #KLYES (at Smithsonian’s National Zoo)