wrong

Feels so wrong when u have to attend a meeting in bali..
Bali has this holiday vibe all over its place..
Feels so wrong to have a shariah-related meeting in bali..
Bali is far far away from shariah-compliant..

And it's wrong in so many ways when I am the one that's attending this meeting..

Feels so wrong when u're getting stuck between the wants of two different institutions..
And u end up doing a job that's supposed to be done by the other institution..

A job which was not for u to do in the first place..

A job which makes your head aches..
A job that you will never get credit for..
A job that u have to do by yourself with nobody else neither helping nor caring..
A job that takes away all of your time..

Another person’s job..

It's so wrong.. while u're so busy finishing this job, u're slowly being left out from the rest of your own team.. 

Coz they're doing the job that they're supposed to do, the one that is in their job desc..
Unlike you..

So..

how're u supposed to stay positive..

how're u supposed to stay positive..

Well, I'm fully aware of all the "positive thinking" theories..
How u're supposed to concentrate on the benefits u can get out of this chaos..
How u're supposed to find the "happy" amongst all those head and heart aches..

But hey..
I'm really not the positive type..
I'm just human..
So I say.. all thoses positive theories are easier said than done.. It really is..
And even though I already tried to stuck so many positive words in my mind, still deep down inside, I still feel like sh*t

Pullman Legian, Bali.. 15 nov 2014.. 10.33 AM.. room 1325

Togean

Togean Trip

30 july – 3 august 2014

Rita. Yana. Yadhi. Mas Ian. Shinta. Tiwi. Yayuk. Ganesh

There’re several ways to go to Togean from Sulawesi island, i.e. from Gorontalo, Marisa, or Ampana. We chose the easiest way: flight from jakarta to gorontalo, drive from gorontalo to marisa by car (3-hour) and charter a speedboat from marisa to malenge which is a part of the togean islands (3-hour).

Day 1

We spent the whole day to get to malenge from jakarta. Stayed at malenge lestari at malenge island. 

Day 2

Went to see the cute jellyfish at mariona lake. Yes, you can also see the stingless jellyfish here (the more famous spot to see these jellyfish is at Kakaban Lake, Derawan). For my Derawan Trip, u can click here

it's me!

cute! 

danau mariona

We made several other stops after mariona: karina beach, wakai, kadidiri paradise resort, taipi island (snorkeling), and bolilanga resort. 

mencoba berbagai gaya :D

pantai karina

pantai di kadidiri resort

pantai di depan bolilanga resort

Day 3

Snorkeling time at the very famous Reef 5. It’s beautiful. We snorkeled for around 3-hour, enjoying the amazing underwater world. We hopped on and hopped off the boat so many times that I forgot to wear my life jacket once. I don’t know how to swim! I panicked. Thank God my friend came to the rescue :P

In the afternoon, we went to papan island. A few years ago, there was a wooden bridge connecting malenge island to papan island. The length was around 800 meter. Unfortunately, the bridge has become damaged and cannot be used anymore.

view from papan island

We bought some lobsters and asked the local people to cook it for us. They were fresh and delicious!

fresh lobster!

at desa papan

As if we haven’t had enough snorkeling for a day, we did some snorkeling at night at the beach in malenge lestari to see the glow-in-the-dark plankton. It’s exciting to see the glowing planktons especially when you start to move your hands and legs frantically :D

Day 4

Snorkeling time! Again!  :D

This time just in front of our bungalows. We saw a huge amount of fish dancing and making various formations. Wow! We spent around 1,5 hours snorkeling here. 

After breakfast, we headed to kalabatu island and then to tangkabo island. Continuing our seafood saga which started with yesterday’s lobster at papan island, we asked our boatman to cook us crabs and fish. 

Tongkabo

Day 5

Time to go back to Gorontalo. How sad. Togean is so beautiful, we don’t want to leave :P

But we have to, coz there’re shrimps and crabs waiting for us at our boatman’s house in Marisa. Haha.. And the seafood saga continues... 

Follow me on Instagram @rita.san

Bureaucracy at Its Finest

Bureaucracy at Its Finest

This one is from 2013

It was a Tuesday, 8.59 PM

The meaning of the word bureaucracy on my oxford dictionary:

‘’unnecessary and complicated official rules’’

The meaning of the word bureaucracy in my working world?

Here it goes..

The story starts from December 2012, when there’s a letter of invitation to the highest person in my institution to give an opening speech at an event which will be held on 4 July 2013. The date of the letter: 20 December 2012.

So this letter goes step by step to the lower level and the next lower level and the next and the next and the next and then to me! The letter took about two months to reach me. I got the letter on February 19, with the ‘’order’’ to give some consideration regarding the event, whether our institution should send someone to attend or not.

I had a meeting with the event organizer sometime in end of February. And on March 6th, I submit my note of consideration (let’s just call it ‘’the note’’ to make it easier) to the higher level and the next higher and the next and the next and the next. And then it stopped, it hasn’t reached the highest level. And then the note was sent to the lower level and the next and the next..........until it reached me once again, on April 1th. I was supposed to make an exact same note but directly mentioning the name of our big big boss. So on the next day, I submit the note again....until it reached the highest level.

On May 31th, I received the note. Again. This time, I was to wait for the new big big boss to formally be on duty and submit the note again. So I waited for a few days, and on June 5th I submit the note again....

I waited

And waited

And waited some more

While the event organizer keep asking me who will participate

And on July 1th, finally came the decision that our big big boss gave confirmation to attend the event.

Yay!

Wait wait, it’s not over yet. The big big boss changed his mind the next day, because on the latest agenda of the event, there was already another big big boss from another institution who already gave confirmation to give a keynote speech. And this person was set to be the first person to talk. The first person, means the most important, means in the highest level.

Our big big boss cannot be number 2, right? So our big big boss will delegate someone else to attend the event.

Today is July the 2nd, 2 days before the event. And we still don’t know who will attend the event.

Today, I realize, that I am a part of that bureaucracy.

Bureaucracy at its finest.

F.L.I.R.T

31 Oct 2014 9.58PM

F.L.I.R.T

Flirt..

means: behave towards somebody in a romantic but not serious way

Flirt..

Is harmless

Is fun

Is a way to boost your day

And to make you smile all day long

Quote from wikiHow

‘’As with anything else, flirting improves with practice’’

.. Noted

‘’Flirting also doesn't have to have an endgame’’

.. Agree

‘’Sometimes, you may just want to flirt for the fun of it, instead of hoping it will go somewhere’’

.. Yes

I just want to flirt for the fun of it

And I don’t want this one to end anytime soon

Coz it surely brightens up my day

:D

everything

everything

31 october 2014 10.47PM

.. she’s everything

.. she’s everything I’m not

she’s diligent

and she’s all the synonyms of diligent

hard-working.. conscientious.. punctilious.. meticulous.. rigorous

and many more..

.. she’s everything I’m not

she’s bossy

she’s super competitive

she’s idealistic..

dreaming of perfection

.. she’s everything I’m not

she always seems to get what she wants

and manage to have people around her to help her with her work

.. she’s everything I’m not

.. she’s everything I’m not

.. that’s why I cannot work with her

.. that’s why I need to stay away from her

.. and that’s why I need to ignore her, big time!

Back to Singapore

TRRS’s 10th Anniversary

11 July 2014

Got invited back to Singapore to attend TRRS’s 10th anniversary.

It was a one-day event. Morning at Temasek’s office, afternoon at MAS’ office and night at USS for Temasek's 40th anniversary.

Spent 2 nights at Rendezvouz Hotel.

Sure brings back an awful lot of memories :D

For my Singapore experiences, please click here

For pictures of Hong Kong, please see: traveling.. food for my soul: Hong Kong (ritaaza.blogspot.com)

the office

Saturday Morning

28 June 2014

Rita. Tiwi. Yana

A bit gloomy.. but it's okay..

Travel Info : Aceh & Weh Island

Travel Info: Aceh & Weh Island 

SABANG (WEH ISLAND)

How To Get There

Express Bahari Fast Boat

From Ulee Lheue Ferry Port to Balohan Harbour (Sabang) everyday at 9.30am and 4pm

From Sabang to Ulee Lheue Ferry Port everyday at 8am and 2.30pm

Journey: about 35-45 minutes

VIP: Rp95.000, Executive: Rp75.000, Economy Rp65.000

Contact:

Banda Aceh: (0651) 43750

Sabang: (0652) 3324800, 0852 675 43000

the tickets

From Balohan Harbour to Teupin Layeuh Pier: approximately 40 minutes.

Tips:

Better arrive at the ports an hour before the departure time, just to make sure you get a seat. Yes, even when you buy executive tickets, there’s still a chance that you don’t get a seat.

Place To Stay

Iboih Inn

Teupin Layeuh, Iboih, Pulau Weh

iboih.inn@gmail.com

contact@iboihinn.com

+62 811 841 570

+62 812 699 1659

http://welcome.iboihinn.com/

The car from the harbour could only get to Teupin Layeuh pier. From the pier, Iboih Inn will pick you up by a small boat. The journey to Iboih Inn will only take about 5 minutes.

the small boat to iboih inn

iboih inn

the room at iboih inn

Places To Eat at Pulau Weh

Mie Sedap

Jl. Perdagangan, Sabang

Taman Wisata Kuliner

Jl. Malahayati, Sabang

Try the octopus satay at Sate Gurita Minang Tanjung. Make sure you try the different sauces.

taman wisata kuliner

Pulau Baru

Jl. Perdagangan, Sabang

Try the famous Mie Jalak. They also have a coffee shop (Kedai Kopi) next door but usually they don’t serve coffee in the afternoon.

mie jalak

Tips:

The food stalls at Sabang usually closes at 12.30pm until about 4pm. So make sure you get your timing right.

sabang tourism map

Interesting Spots to visit at Weh Island:

-          Seulako Island, Rubiah Island, and Klah Island for a snorkeling trip

-          Tugu Nol Km

kilometer 0 indonesia

-          Pantai Gapang

-          Pantai Kasih

-          Pantai Tapak Gajah

-          Sabang Hill

-          Danau Aneuk Laot

-          Pantai Sumur Tiga

-          Pantai Anoi Itam: try the rujak

-          Piyoh. Jl Cut Mutia No.11, Kota Atas, Sabang, for unique T-shirts

BANDA ACEH

Places to eat at Banda Aceh

Rumoh Aceh

Jl Rawa Sakti V 122B, Banda Aceh

0821-6394-6010
Buka: 09.00 - 22.00

rumoh aceh

Warung Inti

Jl. TWK Mohd. Daudsyah No.57, Banda Aceh

For breakfast. Try the nasi gurih with dendeng or sate aceh.

warung inti

RM Khas Aceh Rayeuk

Jl. Tgk. Imum Lueng Bata, Banda Aceh

(0651) 7409122

Warung Kopi Solong

Jl. T. Iskandar No.13-14, Ulee Kareng, Banda Aceh

warung kopi solong

Interesting Spots to visit at Banda Aceh

Tsunami Museum

Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda, Banda Aceh

0821-6394-6010

Open:

Tue - Thu: 09.00 – 16.30 (break: 12.00 – 14.00)

Fri: 09.00 – 16.30 (break: 11.30 – 14.30)

Sat – Sun: 09.00 – 16.30 (break: 12.00 – 14.00)

Closed on Mondays and national holidays

Lampulo: fisherman’s boat on top of a house.

lampulo

Masjid Raya Baiturrahman

For girls, moslem wear is a must. Long trousers are not enough. But don’t worry, you can borrow a robe to go inside the mosque area.

Keerkhof: Dutch Cemetery.

keerkhof

Pusaka Souvenir Shop

Jl. Sri Ratu Safiatuddin No.78 (samping BRI), Peunayong

(0651) 32988 

Prices:

L300 charter from Sabang port to Iboih: Rp250.000

Pregio for one day at Banda Aceh: Rp750.000 (include driver and fuel)

Kijang for one day at Sabang: Rp500.000 (include driver and fuel)

A big boat from Iboih Inn for a snorkeling trip: for 8 persons: Rp450.000/person (include snorkel mask, fin, and life jacket). Could be cheaper with more people. Itinerary: all the way from Iboih to Gua Sarang and then back to Pulau Klah, from 10am until sunset time.

the big boat for our snorkeling trip

Other info:

For girls, you don’t have to wear a head scarf, but make sure you dress politely at Banda Aceh.

At Sabang, shorts are acceptable. But no hot pants please.

Rita’s itinerary (4D/3N)

Day 1.

Morning flight from Jakarta to Banda Aceh. Lunch at Rumoh Aceh. Tsunami Museum. Get on a 4pm Express Bahari from Ulee Lheue Feery Port to Sabang. Spend the night at Iboih Inn.

Day 2.

Snorkeling day. Start from Iboih at 10am. Gua Sarang, Pulau Seulako, Pulau Rubiah, Pulau Klah. Lunch at Pulau Rubiah, try some octopus satay.

Day 3.

Tugu Nol Km. Pantai Gapang. Lunch at Mie Sedap. Buy souvenirs at Piyoh. Pantai Kasih. Pantai Tapak Gajah. Sabang Hill. Danau Aneuk Laot. Relax at Casa Nemo. Eat some rujak at Pantai Anoi Itam. Try octopus satay at Sate Gurita Minang Tanjung. Try the famous Mie Jalak at Pulau Baru.

Day 4.

Time to go back to Banda Aceh. Express Bahari from Sabang at 8am. Brunch at Warung Inti. Lampulo. Masjid Raya Baiturrahman. Keerkhof. Pusaka Souvenir Shop. Lunch at RM Khas Aceh Rayeuk. Piyoh. Warung Kopi Solong.