Faizah and Her Enchanting Journey

 

last night was my first meeting of this IELTS private class. one on one intensive preparation program to help me get my desire score of IELTS as a mandatory requirement to reach my dream.

i have been told you before, that i  got a scholarship for this program. so, let me tell you again. this program consist of 12 meetings. one for pre test, another is post test. eight intensives rich content of fundamental IELTS. and two reserved meetings for sharpening aspect which i am struggling for, or for additional meeting to improve some aspect that might be better based on my coach (Betari) perspective. each meeting has 2 hours duration.

this first meeting is about forming perception between me and my coach. like class rules, my target, strategic IELTS overview, and so on.

but, one point that i highlighted from last night meeting is :

wow, i had not expected before. so Betari, has a psychology education background for her undergraduate. and reseach method in social science (qualitative research) for her Master in University of Bristol (United Kingdom).

i really not expected that Betari use her knowledge and skill as a brilliant technique to my classes. she asked me many questions to encourage me to speak all the time. really, i just a little bit surprised that our duration is over and i have additional time for13 minutes. haha.

firstly, Betari learned me that comfortable in English is the basic foundation for a good IELTS score. she tears down my paradigm since i was in senior high school that teach me English as Second Language. i changed my mindset from English as my second language to English is my way to communicate in an English speaking country, and IELTS is about language acquisition. is the same way like when i was continuing my junior high school to Jombang. i must comfortable to speak Javanese language, even though i am a Banjarnese girl.  because it is the only way to communicate to my school and room mates. 

same like what i did in 2006, i acquisi Javanese language as my survival kit to communicate. in 2021, i must acquisi English language as my survival kit too.

every part of IELTS exam is about structure. including speaking part. is not kind of lingua franca session. it exam session. the examiner measures how deep your capability in structural yet substantive way. i agree with that. the speaking practice is so challenging because it's more like the elevator pitch rather than  informal discussion. so many people getting trapped in this part because they only focus on how speak fluently rather than have a unique, multifaceted lens about social issues that usually occur in the speaking test. so, their mentality is drop facing this type of question. so, Betari vanguard me to aware with social issue.

related to speaking part, is about listening part. many people are getting fear with this part. Alhamdulillah beside of them, i really love the IELTS listening part. because the way they speak is clearer than the national geographic channel narrator. my favorite television channel. but, it does not mean that my IELTS listening part is on the right way. i still have a homework to answering 5 more questions correctly while maintaining my listening score right know in order to reach my target score. but yes, Betari's suggestion to encourage me more aware with what content that i am listening to. my homework for the next meeting is to resume every content (podcast, film, video, and other audio related content) to improve my listening part. her astonishing suggestion is so better than my strategic to practice IELTS listening everyday. she told me that sometimes i must make a distance from the test itself. to reflect, evaluate, and continuing my journey of IELTS.

the reading one is so interesting part of me. i told Betari that the cheating so cold tips and trick is no work for me, at all. because my reading score is stuck. and when i changed my reading strategy from cheating to read all the sentences accurately and make some resume beside every paragraph in one to three words. when answering the question, i just need to look at my resume of the paragraph to find the right answer. so, yeah. for me,  the key of IELTS reading is about fundamental. how far you understand the content comprehensively.

another part is my fearful part of the IELTS exam. writing task. again, I got astonish moment. my principles of English academic writing have totally been transformed. before i enter this class. i thought that English writing is about translating my idea in Indonesian to English language. later i know that i was wrong. IELTS writing specifically and English writing generally is about mindset. i must reset my perspective and the way i write. for example, in Indonesia we usually write with so much additional sentence for wider our content. but, in English we must strictly follow the instruction. like IELTS writing task 1. it is about interpreting visual data (chart, table, diagram) into narrative explanation. we do not need to input our opinion as a writer. just focus on the data. deliver the fact without repetition. on the other hand, in IELTS writing task 2. we must answer a question with our honest opinion. thinking clearly, and write an answer in strict limitation. this is so challenging. it measured how deep we respond the question holistically and give exactly what the examiner wants.

so, that's my experience on my first meeting. please pray for me, i wish to write my experience in every meeting to this platform. as the witness of my overseas journey.

thank you for reading, have a nice day !

Balikpapan, 28 of August 2021

Riffat Akhsan -- who write this post while attending Indonesia Mengglobal Anniversary. 

 

  

 

 

i was like, really ?

 

last morning, I went to my monthly routine visit to Dr. Umi. my psychiatrist since I was in Balikpapan. she asks how am I throughout the past month. how di I feel, what my traits, how far I can control my suicide crazy things, and so on.

i read all of my list. from second doses of my vaccination effect. i had a bedrest, there. and doing something looks like self isolation because it felt so hard just for getting up and went to the bathroom. I also told her about my headache after tiring yet frustrating meeting, my ringing ears, and my self diagnosis about vertigo allegation. never ending series of PPKM of government, and Balikpapan who becomes a black zone without any sign to be better. 

it was like five minute presentation. Dr. Umi just heard and at the end of my explanation, she said : you are inputting so many things in your head. curate and subtract it. told her to me. and she is continuing her statement with : control your bizarre mind and train yourself to not think about suicide. 

based on her analysis, all of my point just have one root cause : i am overthinking. nothing left.

i was freezing and re-confirmed it by saying : just it doc ? no vertigo issue ?

while straring and smiling to me, she answered my question confidently. yes. you just need to curate and subtract your mind. everything is not that important to keep your brain. if it's that important, just write it down to your journal book. you still have that book, right ?

"of course lah doc", i am laughing at her and say thank you for the consultation.

then i went to the pharmacy to take my medicine. when my name is calling, i stand up and queue. right before my turn is an old woman who had complicated illness. she receives 100 stick of insuline. 50 each. for morning and night. i was freezing and then the scene is continuing with pharmacist explained with the heart medicine, cholesterol, blood pressure, and the rest of the medication list is out of my mind.

after receiving my prescription drugs, while walking in the parking lot, i did contemplate myself. i tried to walk as relaxed as i can. i tried to walk slowly. heard my breath gracefully. realized and mindful how blessed I am. my problem just to control my mind. not to control my high blood pressure or worrying my cholesterol.

all the way to the office, my mind is full with recorded that pharmacist scene. 

i do not need that much of medicine like her. i just need to consume my one capsul every morning and night. and the rest is about giving myself courage, congratulate myself, saying thanks and happy with all the progress. good and bad. love myself more. and giving a chill for my mind.

my mantra always works. everything in the office stays there. everything about my dreams, stays in my heart. there is no mandatory to make it stress. eventough thrill and fear always tag with a dream. but i can handle it. it's about how curate and subtract things inside mu head.

ya, i just need to be grittier dan before. but do not forget to more grateful than before.

Balikpapan, 26 on August 2021

Riffat Akhsan -- trying to be more mindful and patient 

 

percayalah, skin care saya di kantor saya itu udah persis kayak skin care di rak kamar saya. bedanya, di kantor hanya tidak ada serum.

Micellar Water, Facial Wash, Toner, Moisturizer (Skin Labs dan Citra Aloe Vera), serta sunscreen lengkap ada di tas khusus skin care yang saya tempatkan bersama arsip proyek saya.

ada dua produk yang berbeda antara skin care kantor dan skin care kamar. yaitu facial wash (di kamar saya pakai Scarlett Brightening Facial Wash dan di kantor saya pakai Acnes Creamy Wash). produk lain yang berbeda antara kantor dan kamar adalah toner (di kamar, saya pakai Hada Labo Gokujyun Ultimate Moisturizer Light Lotion dan di kantor saya pakai Mustika Ratu Penyegar Sari Jeruk Nipis. 

bicara skin care, kembali saya ingatkan bahwa kulit saya tipikal normal - to oily tapi kalau kena produk nggak cocok langsung breakout. kalau pas fase menstruasi saya jerawatan banget. jadi pastikan dulu tipe kulitmu sebelum mencoba produk yang saya review. karena apa yang saya alami belum tentu kamu alami begitu juga sebaliknya. review saya buat sejujur mungkin karena prinsip saya adalah saya tidak ingin menukar rupiah nggak seberapa untuk sebuah kebohongan. kalau mau duit banyak, mending saya kejar lemburan proyek aja. sekian.

kalau facial wash, karena alasan packaging. Acnes Creamy Wash ukuran 50 gram itu juara banget masuk ke tas skin care saya. kalau toner ? sis, ini adalah hydrating toner paling cepat menyerah yang pernah saya coba. udah gitu harganya super murah. seharga nasi padang kesayangan saya : 18 ribu sudah dapat ayam goreng seperempat ekor.

mungkin benar kata netizen kalau nama adalah doa. susahnya mencari produk ini benar - benar sesulit mencari mustika untuk sang ratu. perjuangan sekali saya mendapatkan dia. masuk ke toko kosmetik lokal satu per satu. sampai akhirnya saya temukan toner ini di lapak kosmetik pasar Balikpapan Permai. 

perkenalkan, Mustika Ratu Penyegar Sari Jeruk Nipis.

sebelumnya, izinkan saya (hadeh, sudah diizinkan kok) untuk menjelaskan kenapa saya memilih varian jeruk nipis dan bukan varian lain.

jadi waktu saya masih SD, saya kan cuma boleh pakai Facial Wash aja karena kulit saya yang masih dalam masa pertumbuhan. itupun diizinkan pakai baru saat saya SD kelas 6. nah, waktu SD kelas 5 bibit keranjingan skin care ini sudah mulai tumbuh di diri saya. karena masih belum boleh memakai produk kimia, saya diberi tahu tante kalau saya bisa coba pakai skin care organik seperi menggosokkan jeruk nipis ke muka saya. tante saya bilang efeknya mungkin bakal cekit - cekit ya, tapi itu ampuh melawan jerawat pubertas. 

saya coba dong. eh beneran lho efeknya persis kayak omongan tante saya.

suatu waktu saya coba varian organik buah jeruk (bukan nipis). dan di sinilah untuk pertama kalinya saya berkenalan dengan yang namanya breakout. nah, saya mengatasi so called breakout ini juga dengan jeruk nipis. karena selain menyegarkan, ia juga menyembuhkan.

iya sis, makanya saya bahagia banget baca review produk ini di Female Daily. bahan jeruk nipis ini sudah saya kenal banget. saya percaya banget sama efeknya. PR saya tinggal membuktikan aja apakah Mustika Ratu Penyegar Sari Jeruk Nipis ini benar - benar seperti klaim nya.

saya coba lah produk ini untuk mengisi slot toner saya.

wanginya jeruk nipis banget. packaging botolnya semlohay. secara visual, cukup menarik perhatian.  mengandung alkohol. dan teksturnya benar - benar seperti air.

kesan pertama setelah diaplikasikan ke wajah : dingin dan segar. apalagi dipakai waktu istirahat siang. kecepatan menyerapnya itu lho, juara. benar - benar mengerti waktu ishoma saya yang terbatas. kecepatan menyerapnya ini memudahkan saya untuk mengaplikasikan step skin care selanjutnya ; moisturizer dan sunscreen.

efeknya ? 

di saya yang terpenting dia sangat menghidrasi. meskipun nggak seheboh punya Hada Labo ya. tapi untuk base moisturizer dan sunscreen ini oke banget. makanya saya sarankan memakai ini untuk skin care pagi dan siang aja. kalau untuk skin care malam, saran saya jadikan ini sebagai layer pertama toner, lalu dilapis lagi dengan toner yang lebih kuat.

trus efek lainnya apa ?

beberapa bilang toner ini ampuh mengempeskan jerawat dan mengurangi minyak. kalau saya nggak sempat perhatikan ya, karena saya pakainya di pagi dan siang hari, itupun langsung ditumpuk moisturizer dan sunscreen. tapi melihat ingredients dan teksturnya saya percaya aja sama klaim teman - teman di Female Daily.

saya nggak punya kalimat lain selain jangan salah beli produk. ingat mereknya yang Mustika Ratu bukan yang satunya. karena beberapa orang kadang salah beli. kalau salah beli agak nyesek sih. karena penyegar jeruk nipis merk sebelah review nya berbanding terbalik sama yang ini.

harganya murah, efeknya nampol, di pasar Balikpapan Permai ada. apalagi alasan saya untuk nggak beli ? haha

anyway, terima kasih sudah membaca. semoga bermanfaat !

Balikpapan, 26 Agustus 2021

Riffat Akhsan-- yang suka pura pura budeg kalau rekan rekannya yang cowok semua itu kebanyakan tanya soal skin care di workdesknya.

This anonymous quote reflects me about the true meaning of passion. Me, personally, love writing so much and also, managing a construction project. This quote might be right. because, when i looked back. yup, i earn money in this sector and i feel a quiet expert haha.

so, let me tell you a story about my twin sister passion. cooking.

Fatimah, love cook so much. her favorite cuisine is about Asian Cuisine. her Hainam Chicken Rice are tremendously delicious. her sushi with local wisdom accent is nice. her chinese halal kekian and ekkado are amazing.

speaking the last one. Fatimah decides to sell his Kekian and Ekkado in our stall at Puja Jati Alam, Bontang. the price is about IDR 15k for 2 pieces of Kekian and 2 Pieces of Ekkado. the total pieces of one plate of her endeavour cuisine is 4 pieces.

This story about Kekian and Ekkado and why she just sell these two items rather than all varian of dim sum is a little bit interesting for me.

so,  to be honest Fatimah is not exciting in the beginning. but one day, she brought this spesial dish for her loves one. unfortunately, he said that he can not recognized Kekian and Ekkado made by Fatimah because it on steamed version. after his snacking time is over and this dish all the way his stomach, he suggested Fatimah to make fried version of this dish.

wow, sound interesting ? yeah. and Fatimah make it fry until these Ekkado and Kekian become golden, crispy, and of course, delicious.

i lost my words. this fried kekian is beyond words. this is fantasticly delicious. so crunchy, so crispy, so crazy while you eat that with the oriental special sauce made by Fatimah.

based on internet, Kekian is one kind of Dim Sum. a Chinese cuisine made from minced meat and bacoon fat. of course. it's haram. but in Indonesia, we usually made it with minced shrimp and chicken. Kekian usually found in Bakmi Waroong or another Chinese restaurant as an additional item to accompanying your Bakmi, Cap Cay, Kwetiau and any other Chinese cuisine. the savory taste of Kekian is so remarklable.  and its bamboo bowl is so memorable. 

Ekkado, is a kind of Dim Sum (again, like Kekian) made from quail eggs, skinned by shrimp creation and packed by tofu skin.  then it fried with deep frying technique. the unique fact about Ekado is, people oftenly mis-indentify this dish as Japanese cuisine. whereas, this cuisine is from China. 

so what about tahu walik ? i think this kind of dish is another one. perhaps its origin is from Indonesia look out from its name. the method are so Indonesian. local tofu with filled chicken creation, steamed, and fried to make it crunchy. maybe similar with ekado and kekian, but, tahu walik is skinned by tofu. tofu and tofu skin is so different, hehe.

 

Kekian and Ekkado do not need a special reason to eat. when shine day you can eat it with relaxing wind in Puja Jati Alam. when rainy day, you can eat it to warm your heart and body.

and for the founder : Fatimah. Kekian and Ekkado are not just about dish. but also about recipe, history, and memory.

Your Kekian and Ekado : you can meet them in Puja Jati Alam. delivering only with Maxim.

Balikpapan, 26 of August 2021

Riffat Akhsan,-- for her, Kekian and Ekkado is another level of Batagor  

sumber gambar : blog efenerr 

tulisan ini saya hadiahkan untuk diri saya sendiri yang mendapatkan pencapaian pindah jarak di olahraga panahan dan lolos kualifikasi UKP (Uji Kompetensi Pemanah) bulan depan.

menjadi si beruntung karena menekuni olahraga panahan, saya bersyukur bisa mengenal baik cabang olahraga membanggakan ini. film tentang panahan yang rilis untuk mengiringi olimpiade Rio 2016 nyatanya ditakdirkan Allah untuk saya tonton mengiringi olimpiade Tokyo 2020. sebuah film yang menjadi penanda excitement saya atas olahraga baru ini dan capaian ganda campuran panahan Indonesia yang lolos ke olimpiade.

ada banyak fakta nyata dunia panahan dan perjuangan atlet panahan yang coba diungkap oleh film ini. saya semangat sekali membahasnya. apalagi di Olimpiade Tokyo 2020 Tim Ganda Campuran Indonesia berhasil lolos ke perempat final dengan pelatih seorang Lilies Handayani.

Pencapaian Hidup Seseorang Tidak Dilihat dari Prestasinya Saja. Tidak Salah Punya Mimpi, Namun yang Lebih Penting Adalah Apa yang Kamu Dapatkan Setelah Mimpimu Tercapai.

  

scene tentang nasionalisme dalam tekad membawa pulang medali untuk negeri tidak pernah gagal menumpahkan air mata saya. dan film ini berhasil membungkus dengan adegan - adegan dramatis yang luar biasa.

sebagai media hiburan dan komunikasi massa, saya rasa film ini sudah berupaya terbaik dalam memotret sejarah negeri ini di olimpiade. mereka berhasil menyajikan dilema para srikandi ini dalam meraih mimpi. merekam dan menyajikan perjalanan seorang olimpian. komedinya juga masuk di saya. punchline nya segar. timing nya tepat.

saya apresiasi sekali dengan dialek Makassar yang coba dihadirkan film ini. autentifikasinya mendekati dialek asli. untuk tokoh, saya sangat suka dengan karakter Lilies. si bungsu. lucu, segar, namun juga bisa serius. Chelsea Islan sukses memerankan seorang Lilies Handayani. 

namun scene stealer saya nobatkan kepada Mang Ujang. setiap kemunculannya selalu mengundang tawa saya. dan adegan memanah di atas batu karang itu juara banget sih. archery range yang biasanya terpencil dan tenang benar - benar membantu kami untuk fokus dan konsentrasi selama latihan. saya aja suka meleset kalau ada distorsi suara. bagaimana mereka bisa tahan fokus dalam distorsi suara ombak menghantam karang yang menggelegar. saya salut. setabah dan seluar biasa itu menu latihan atlet nasional.

di akhir film ini masih banyak yang bertanya, tim panahan putri kita sudah berjuang maksimal. tapi kenapa kok Indonesia nggak dapat emas ? jawabannya adalah karena udah dari berabad lalu urusan panahan itu Korea Juaranya sista. bahkan presiden Korea Archery Association secara turun temurun adalah Presiden Hyundai Grup yang merupakan sponsor utama gelaran panahan bergengsi dunia.  mungkin itu juga salah satu faktor sejak Olimpiade Seoul 1988 di mana cabang olahraga panahan dilombakan sampai dengan hari ini, Korea tidak pernah kehilangan medali emas di kategori beregu putri.

terima kasih sudah membaca. olahraga panahan itu menyenangkan. kamu harus coba setidaknya satu kali dalam seumur hidupmu.

 

Balikpapan, 22 Agustus 2021

Riffat Akhsan -- fix soundtrack film ini yang dinyanyikan oleh Bunga Citra Lestari - Tundukkan Dunia langsung jadi soundtrack penyemangat saya meraih mimpi.

https://www.reviewsteknologiku.tech/

kalau dulu saya memulai pagi dengan Harvard Crimson atau The Washington Post, mulai hari ini saya memilih untuk membaca The Guardian. media independen asal her majesty country. 

salah satu alasan terkuat saya adalah karena issue ibukota negara Afghanistan, Kabul yang fall into Taliban. sebuah sejarah panjang dari warna darah timur tengah.

pemberitaan tentang hari kemerdekaan negeri ini, untuk tahun ini masih diselingi dengan informasi pandemi. namun, kali ini juga diwarnai oleh Afghanistan.

kontradiksi ini membuat saya berpikir ulang tentang makna kemerdekaan. independency is not a gift. ia adalah buah perjuangan panjang. menjadi merdeka tidak mudah. Afghanistan contohnya.

meskipun angka pandemi masih menjadi yang tertinggi. kesyukuran saya tidak bisa terbendung di bulan kemerdekaan ini, bahwa pemerintah masih peduli menjaga stabilitas dalam negeri sehingga sampai hari ini kita masih bisa hidup damai tanpa ketakutan akan mati tertembak. saya sudah mendapat dosis vaksinasi penuh. senjata saya berangkat ke kantor hanyalah pikiran yang happy, masker, dan hand sanitizer. tidak perlu seperti mereka di wilayah konflik yang harus membawa laras panjang yang terkokang.

dengan protokol kesehatan, saya masih bisa menjalani hobi outdoor saya : panahan. masih merdeka untuk menarik busur dan berteriak bahagia ketika anak panah melesat sesuai harapan saya. kemudian berjalan dengan senyum untuk mencabut anak panah tanpa terganggu suara deru pesawat militer. hanya suara deru pesawat komersial saja dari Bandara Sepinggan.

tim saya di lapangan. meski saat ini beberapa dari mereka sedang isolasi mandiri karena positif COVID-19, saya bersyukur tidak ada konflik horizontal di sana dengan masyarakat adat maupun organisasi lain. saya bersyukur masyarakat di lapangan menyambut baik kehadiran infrastruktur strategis nasional yang dilaksanakan oleh pemerintah.

negeri kita memang bukan yang sempurna. pemerintah kita juga bukan yang terbaik. tapi merdeka, adalah salah satu nikmat terbesar yang tuhan berikan untuk Indonesia.

jangan putus asa mencintai negeri ini. sebagai tanda kesyukuran kita atas nikmat kemerdekaan.

Dirgahayu Indonesiaku, restui jalanku untuk terus menjadi abdi bangsa. mengolah tirta bumi tanah persada. membangun bina marga. mencipta karya wisma. sebagai bagian dari warga pekerjaan umum.

Balikpapan, 20 Agustus 2021

Riffat Akhsan -- yang belajar hal baru ; bahwa kemerdekaan adalah priviledge berbangsa.