Japan Part 1 : When We Arrived, Let’s Have Some Fun!

Now come to the part that I've been waiting for: sharing about my trip to Japan! Actually, I have no idea where do I have to start to share to you guys. Too much, too much exciting moments to be told J

When it come to a (will be) long blog, I think I will divide this blog to several parts, reminded that I went to Japan for 6 days, I've got so much pictures and stories to be shared J

Actually, been busy for about 2 weeks before the departure. The visa’s application that really exhausting and thrilling since I have to wait for the invitation documents from the company from Japan itself (and not to mention the bureaucracy here, unexpected things sometimes happen, like, suddenly your visa don't pass, or else), until winter wardrobe hunting. Since I've never been to another country when its winter in season, I have no proper clothing to wear to fight the cold. I've bought some coat, shawl, and stuffs. But it’s all worth it!

Here is the full team from Indonesia for AJE 2012. Taking our first photo at Narita and yes, we get to know each other quite fast J

From left to right:

Arya (Idemitsu), Andi (Bandai), Tiara (Muji), Yosaka (Idemitsu), Azhar (Bandai), Ezra (Muji), Me (Muji), Andreas (Bandai) and Dendi (Idemitsu)... In case you all forgot that the AJE were held by 3 famous Japan companies. For full information click here.

We are from Indonesia are lucky enough to be arrived in early morning in Narita, so for the first day, It was a full day for us to travel around Tokyo. Full day free time!!

First breakfast in Japan. We had breakfast directly on the airport while waiting for the shuttle bus to arrive to pick us up to our hotel. The breakfast is quite expensive:

Introducing Hiroki, the main protagonists from Japan (He’s applying for MUJI, see the man on the right side) who had lived in Indonesia for 10 years due to his father’s work and came back to Japan about 6 years ago. He speaks Indonesian very, very fluently so we have no significant barrier to get along with each other.

And notes to you (and myself): this man played significant role here during my trip to Japan. It’s like, he was the unpaid travel guide that always forced us to go somewhere at night even though we have several tasks for the workshop on the next day have to be finished. He mostly get along with us Indonesian.

Enough with Hiroki. Move on to the next trip.

During the way to our hotel, I am amazed by Japan’s environment. Definitely, in my opinion, Indonesia cant be compared with Japan. Japan has a very developed and higher civilization than Indonesia. The regularity, hygiene, everything is set beautifully. Indonesia really, really have to work like 10000000x harder to reach this kind of civilization (a little hyperbolic but its true!) Anyway, my words cant describe, you have to see it for yourself. Even I am more amazed more and more after I travel to several famous sites in Tokyo!

This is several pictures I managed to take from the bus:

This is Disneyland.. to bad I still didn't have a chance to go there during this trip.

After checking in and storing our baggage in the hotel in Odaiba, we rushed as soon as possible to start travel around Tokyo! The first place we visited was Asakusa, the famous site for its souvenirs, big shrine and Tokyo Skytower, the highest tower in Tokyo (higher than Tokyo Tower).

We went there by monorail and train. Didn't forget to take photos J :

Had my first lunch in Japan. The BEST OYAKODON I HAVE EVER HAD. Really. For your info, I am even not in a hungry state that time, I have no appetite at all due to the tiredness from the flight but still this Oyakodon taste like heaven! Im not overstating it.

And here is Asakusa, taking photos on the front gate (It was very crowded, because it was Sunday at that time):

And then Asakusa’s Souvenir Road:

Lots, lots of souvenir to be picked! Because of that, on the first trip to Asakusa (I went there again on the last day for your information), I didnt manage to buy lots of souvenirs. Too much option, and not to mention the price that kinda high for us Indonesian (1 yen = about 120IDR). For the broad picture, small handphone strap costs about 350yen and up, small dolls and accessories costs about 500 yen until around 2500 yen.

Yes it is costly, but I am always amazed of how a Japan product were presented and packaged: for dolls/figurine there are no paint leak (colored/drawed neatly), every souvenirs packed beautifully, its attention to details and stuffs. Really, Japanese are very concerned about the packaging and details (and I think that is why the price are kinda high)

The Shrine where people can pray and have their fortune told. They pay for around 100yen or 500yen (forgot!) and get the fortune paper. I didn’t get one though, kinda afraid for what will be told and REALLY GRATEFUL with my decision at that time now ’cause when I saw several of my friends fortune, most of them didnt turn out well. Really *sigh* . Lucky I didnt buy one I could cry.

From Asakusa we went to the next site. Akihabara, the heaven of electronic gadgets and otakus. Here are some photos:

AKB48 cafe, heaven for boys. Still have no idea why people making cafe with this concept. I didnt want to discuss the concept here guys but if you are curious then just google it then!

Noticed several unique events here, there are lots of store that sells adult stuffs such as adult mangas, adult *ehm* sex toys and so on and they were completely used to this kind of stuff. Everything looks normal and (wajar) for them to go in and out to this kind of store. And there were other people that are really obsessed with anime or mangas, they dedicated their life to it reflected by so much store here selling stuffs of manga/anime.

We went to Don Quijote too, where AKB48 always perform. The building consist of several floors that sells all stuff (from food, to toys, to several stuffs that are too weird to be mentioned) and finally AKB48’s stage at the top floor. Not too mention there  is maid cafe too.

and makeup heaven for girls.. Really, Don Quijote selling random stuffs from food to shirt to accessories to whatever it is I can't describe..

Lots of One Piece action figure shown I can't resist to take photos of em..

Tired of browsing the store, waiting outside the road, buying takoyakis and hotdogs.

From Don Quijote, we were divided, several of us want to go back to hotel, and others want to go for Nomikai (means drinking, which I learned that this is some kind of Japanese culture where they usually went for drinking to celebrate something or just to have fun. Maybe in Indonesia are kinda the same with karaoke. No wonder Japanese are mostly so good at drinking). This is us who went to drink at that night:

The nomikai was so fuckin fun! Although it was a little bit expensive (2000yen per person for unlimited beer and some food)  alcohol effect are really are amusing and it was really worth it. Several of us speak retardly after some glasses WTF. Yotaro, Ezra and Viet were busted and totally drunk, really. The worst is Ezra, he puked on the toilet LOL. Luckily he gained most of his consciousness after he puked, so no significant problem on going back to hotel.

Laughing heavily at monorail on going back to hotel while (didn't forget to) take some pictures:

This is the end of the first day. Fuckin fun? Isn’t it???? Despite of a fuckin unusual cold weather and strong wind, the first day was aweeesome!!!

Since I think that this post is already long enough, I will continue the next days trip stories on several divided coming blog! Stay tuned alright! Will update this as soon as possible!

To be continued...

Jakarta Fashion Week 2013

Helloo again friends! I’d like to share some of my experience as an intern in Jakarta Fashion Week 2013 on last November (yes I know it's a little bit late, very late, but somehow I finally managed to get all this photos from my friend just a while ago so I have been able to share all this stuff finally this month, guys. Sorry!!).

Really?????

Yeassss!! I was a media relation intern on JFW2013 from 3-11 November, 2012. This is my media relation team:

Consist of 4 people, Herlina, Me, Arin and Icha.

Our job is tough, I can say. We were a mediator between the press/media and designer. The simple explanation is like this: when the press want to interview the designer/specific people about some topics, they contact us to arrange the time of their meeting, according to the designer preferences. So, our job next is to contact the designer directly to explain the request and arrange the meeting.

Simple? Absolutely not.

So far We've done our work, only 50%, no, 40% of the arranged meeting goes well based on plan. Most of the time, the meeting was canceled or rescheduled. Mostly because of several things:

• The shifting of show/press conference schedule (basically like this: each designer have their own fashion show and press conference, and most likely they prefer to do the interview meeting before/after the fashshow/prescon) so sometimes it was not enough time for the designer to prepare for the fashion show after the conference because the conference were started and ended late. So, the designer took off as soon as the prescon finished.
• The designer was fuckingly forgot about the meeting. That’s another job for me to keep reminding them through their assistant.
• The interviewer/press forgot the meeting. This was the most fucked up reason. Hey! Wasn't it you who requested the interview session and now you were the one forgetting? Jeez maan. Of course the designer also fucked up knowing that they have to wait for the press instead of the press that must have wait for the designer. In the end it was me / my other media relation friends who took the blame from the designer.

But overall, it was a very distinctive experience for me individually! I, whose background is accounting, entering the world of media and communication which were so different (but, simpler). In the end, there are lots, lots of new things I can learn from this intern, such as the flow of press conference, the importance of media, press conference/fashion show reality (good, and bad), press release, connection of media, and so on, and so on.

I’d like to share some of my unique experience there:

• Of course, seeing the real designer or actor/actresses/entertainer with my own eyes! Standing in front of me! Even taking photos. I saw Atika Hasiholan (and took a photo with her), the great kebaya designer Anne Avantie, Ivan Gunawan, Musa Widyaatmodjo, Dhea Ananda, Aming, Kimmy Jayanti (so drop dead gorgeous), Kleting Titis Wigati, and others that maybe I’m not aware of. On the fashion show itself, I saw Dian Sastro, Bunga Citra Lestari and Ashraf Sinclair, Donna Agnesia and Darius Sinathrya, Roy Marten and Anna Maria, Krisdayanti, Harvey Malaiholo, and others. Aside the JFW2013 (means that they were visiting the mall, not JFW 2013, I saw Ruben Onsu and Wenda, and Cici Panda. Jeez. Long list of spotlight people, isnt it? This is my photo with Atika Hasiholan.. She is so drop dead gorgeous!

• Transgenders everywhere. I've seen lots of transgender. In a cool way of course. Some of the designer itself were transgenders, a fashionable and talented one. I’m not judging but they were indeed cool! And of course, I’m fucking start of being used to the topic of  gay/lesbian/bi (related to the sexual orientation of transgender) when I was there. It was like an ordinary topic when me and my friends talking about it. The world of entertainment of course, everything possible.
• Fashionable people. From a cool to an awkward one. Ombre hair, purple hair, sheer clothes, awkward sarong, tattoo, skinned hair, neon clothes etc etc was very normal here. Everyone try to be as distinctive as possible. Anyway, it’s fashion week of course.
• Different characteristic of designers. There are several designer that were so drop dead kind and humble, such as Kleting Titis Wigati. Although she is a widely known designer and a successful entrepreneur  she is very, very humble. On the other side, there were several newborn designer (especially from specific designer school) that were as snotty as hell. Of course, I’m not randomly judging this, but I am a media relation, remember? So I know their characteristic based on their respond to our request/when we communicate with them about the interview. 
• Not every media interested in some designers/events. You know what? For a newborn designer, It was such a burden to get media’s attention to them. Sometimes, even the conference was drop dead deserted because either the media were not interested on them or were covering other stuffs. Tragic, huh? While on the other hand, a widely-known designer’s conference will be so crowded. The more you are famous, more easier for you to attract media.

Here are some photos from the events. Actually it’s not me whose taking photos but I got it from my friends’ camera.

My Coordinator at that time, just say Mrs X and Mr Y.

Us Internees helping on packing the goodie bag on the first day:

Us! Internees (well, just a little bit of us):

The goodie bag:

Press Conference looks like this:

JFW Committee full team (too bad this was taken on the last day and I didn't take any shift on the day):

Actually, there are still lots, lots of interesting moments that I can’t described here, such as my adventure to sneak into the backstage and main privilege fashion show, my horror of seeing how the fashion tent collapsed due to heavy rainstorm, the rage of chasing the designers and so on. There are so much (well, not THAT so much) things happened during my internship. Besides meeting new friends, seeing extraordinary events, and having new experiences,  there are not anything really special and memorable during the internship. In fact, In the middle of the internship I’m getting quite bored and have a diminished motivation even to get on the venue on time. After all, I think I’m not suitable for this kind of job. I’m too used to work on something linked with “office”, “finance” and all its friends.... But still it didnt decrease my eagerness to always try something new J

Dear My Wishlist

Yeah, remember that I would tell you guys what I’ve been managed to get from my wishlist? Actually its not so happily as I thought It would be. Only several things I manages to buy:

The first is Coat. I managed to buy coat from Zara that looks definitely like this.

This is me wearing the coat in Japan:

Yes it was a little bit expensive but really worth the money. It is very warm and wind resistant, although it is a little bit heavy. But really, i love this coat.

The second item is Kitten Hat. Unexpectedly I’ve found this hat in Takeshita Street for just only 500 yen! 

*Sorry for lousy picture lah, ok? bare faced, poor resolutions*

Yes it is not definitely the same as what I wanted but really this is cute I can’t resist J And guess what, several days ago I’ve found a hat in one of the mall in Jakarta that looks definitely like  in the magazine but priced for 360.000IDR. Very fucking expensive lah and I’m glad I buy that 500 yen hat. The price difference is so far!

I’ve decided not to buy several things though. The red Ted Baker hat definitely off my list because I’t is so fuckin expensive and I thought that I will have much more less expensive and models more when I am in Japan (and yes I managed to found the cute 500 yen one at last, just as I expected J). And Chopper’s Hat? 

When I am in Mugiwara’s store in Japan, the store unfortunately didnt have any stock on that, they only stock the Old Toni’s Hat one, while I wanted the New World Model one. And for Luffy’s Hat?? 2100 yen for only one simple straw hat with red ribbon on it? Definitely off my list once I see the price. Hahaha. I've fulfilled enough just taking its picture. 

And yes, I still want but don't have any time to search for the lipsticks and nail lacquers that I want. After coming home from Japan, I can say that most of my money ran out to buy most of this: 

This is all the souvenirs I bought when I’m in Japan and for all of this, it costs me for about 5.000.000IDR. Really! Japan is so fuckin expensive maaan. I have to save the rest of my money and resist to not to buy useless things such as lipsticks and other stuff that maybe not so urgently needed now. Need to prioritize more, eh? Maybe I will still buy them, but not on this near time.

However, one thing that cures my disappointment for not succeeded on realizing several of my wish list is...

The Thousand Sunny Miniature from One Piece!! 

Maan I’ve wanted this for a long time but never really came to my mind as a wish list because I thought that this miniature must be expensive as hell. But hey, It was sold on Mugiwara store for only about 1700 yen. Cheaper than the damned hat. So I just grab this thing without much thought and finished making all of this 2 days after coming home J

My Thousand Sunny..... J Glad to FOUND and HAVE you!

Maybe I will buy another ship miniature when I go to Japan again? We’ll see!

A Whole New Year

Kind of screwed up actually, I forgot where did I put/write my 2012 resolution so I really have no idea what to review. Sorry. However, I remember some, though. I remember I wrote something like finishing organizations well, internship target, body weight (duh), something about trying to be a vendor or seller, and about my graduation test.

Actually, I’m glad that several of my targets were achieved. I've finished my part on my campus’ christian organization (as well as I could, because I know I’m not giving my 100% focus on this, sorry God), still on the finishing process of my cooperation organization but it went well for the whole year, I've got the best internship place, I've tried to be a seller of nail lacquer but somehow got bored because fluctuative and tiring selling method, and so on and so on.

And then the surprising one! I've never imagined that this year I have the chance to stomp my feet on Japan, my dream country since I was a child. Started from a happy-go-lucky business lan to a dream come true. Really. Even I have the chance to go there again next March 2013 for the final interview for the job itself, in Muji. I have, have to do my best on this one. I really wanted to live and work in Japan whatever it is, I will be so happy. And the other one, I've got my new cutie, Ino <3

However, in spite of those predicted and unpredictable happiness, there are several targets that I can’t achieve though. I've never (ever) even reached 50 of my 48 kg body weight target. Furthermore I think I've gained some instead of lose some. And then I haven't graduated yet on this year due to my cluessness on final test of my thesis application. Damn birocration. Predicted I will be tested on January 2013. I still have no commitment on how I want to force myself to do daily prayer with Him, sit-up every day before sleep, wake up before 9, and so on. I still have a louse lifestyle to be honest. Sleep late, wake up late, envy-ing people, lazy, and so on and so on. I know somehow I have to change to make it through, to make the best of my life.

So, in order to achieve that, I think I have some simple yet repetitive resolutions and some new targets, a detailed and realistic one. My new resolutions are:

• Have to have my daily prayer with Him (pray, and write the essence), everyday, 365 days of year, without excuse. I’m kinda screwed up of this thing this year, so I’m trying to hear more from Him. I want to hear more.
• Wakes at max 09.00 morning. No excuses. I feel like I am lazier and lazier everyday :(
• Exercise more
• Pay attention on what I eat and consume
• Less envying people, be more positive, humble, and love myself!

And here are my humble targets for 2013:

• GET A FUCKIN JOB and start saving.
• Get my blog redesigned. Kinda pitiful looking at the current design TT
• Work in Japan!!!!!!!!!! TARGET OF THE YEAR
• and I hope this list will be longer and longer as the time goes by..

Actually, i’m not exposing all of my detailed resolutions here, but I committed to myself to be a better person everyday.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 guys! Have a blessed New Year everyone!

(UN)IMPORTANT POST to Read.

SHORT Notification.

After 2 weeks calling my bunny for Sasuke, I just realized that my bunny is a female. FUCKIN FEMALE.

And I changed the name as soon as possible to Ino. Not Sasuke anymore.

Simple as that.

But hell, this bunny still resembles Sasuke in any way! I will not delete my post of Ino’s resemblance to Sasuke, I’ll still remember this funny (and stupid, and irrelevant) post.

OK Ino! Come to mama.... *hug*

Welcoming! SASUKE!!!

(IMPORTANT NOTE: This post will makes all of you who doesn't read or know Naruto at all to be bored to death, beware :D)

Are you falsely read the title?? Nope. Hehe. 

Yes! I’m welcoming Sasuke, as one new member of my family! Wohoo!!

Hello! I am Sasuke! A 3 month ultra hyperactive rabbit.

He’s so cute!! And I think he is really similar to Sasuke from Naruto manga!! My lil' bro actually suggested that name first, and I instantly agree with him just because the name quite suitable for him. Sasuke (in my mind) resembles “black” (dunno, pitch black hair, eyes, and maybe in the manga Sasuke are so gloomy and antagonistic thus dispersing black aura? Hahah. What a joke.) 

HOWEVER!! This sickly hyperactive rabbit is really are Sasuke!! Some characteristic I found similar between Manga Sasuke and Bunny Sasuke are:

Manga Sasuke is:

• Hyperactive in a cool way. Train his body as much as possible to surpass Itachi.
• Show little emotion yet can be so adorable! Sasuke is cool, maintaining his image, on the other hand every girl longing for him.

"Am I cool? Yes I am! I'm sexy and I know it dobe!"

• Clever. Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu. Say no more.
• Focus and persistent on goals. Kill Itachi, kill Itachi, Kill itachi and become fuckingly annoying to other people.

• Perfectly hiding himself. Running and hiding, always makes Naruto lose his track.
• Proud of himself. Showing always his skill and never want to get beaten especially by Naruto.

And Bunny Sasuke is:

• Hyperactive in a cool way. Manages to lightningly (fuck verb!) run and escape from my brother and me. Including escaping from the cage even with the slightest chance.
• Show little emotion yet can be so adorable! Doesn't like to be held, however liked to be stroked and becomes very cute when he is relax.
• Clever. Know how to hide perfectly, can open his own pellet jar (WTF) and doesn't want to be closed in his cage. Guess what? He knows already what time I’ll put him on the cage (we let him out all day except at night when we are all going to go to sleep, we put him on the cage just to be safe) and cleverly always run away at the time I’ll start to catch him to put him in.
•  Focus and persistent on goals. Became very trashy when he is caged, spilling his own food and water, making noises so he can get out. Hah! For proof, see below.

The mess he made INSIDE his own cage, and outside the cage, desperately want to runaway! Oh, I made the photos b/w so you all don't gross out.

• Perfectly hiding himself. Behind TV, AC compressor, organ, etc. Hard to find!!
• Proud of himself. Doesn't embarrassed on shitting and peeing in random places without guilty feeling.

Proudly eating while shitting at the same time. See small dots on the floor?? Yea, its his. Fortunately, it doesn't smelly at all, and not sticky (normal rabbits' poop are mostly dry), so still no problemo.

See see see??? I think the only difference between them is about species. One human and one rabbit. But they are very look alike. Jesus.

And I think that my Bunny Sasuke really ARE clever. Bunny Sasuke knows his master(s) (me, lil bro) and start to obey us in just 2 days span! How fast! Hehehe. Kinda cute (but somehow kinda annoying like hell). He start to feel comfortable around us and finally brave enough to walk toward me and my lil bro, licking, climbing, munching and so on.

Oh despite his (somehow) naughty characteristic, I love, love, love him!!! So much.

"just bear my cuteness, baby!"

And I hope u don’t get very naughty like Sasuke does, okay bunny Sasuke???!?! I definitely don't want to be like Naruto who always chasing you all around and fail. No catch-me-if-you-can, overly attached and probably-gay issues like Manga Sasuke and Naruto got, understand??!?!

Shishishi.

Love you! and will post lot, lot, lot more about you in the future!

Nb: I think I already have issues here, seriously. Who the fuck seriously compares bunny with manga character? Me. Oh My.