Adi's Visit

Adi (my former student) just graduated from Graduate School. I'm proud to say that he finally finished his Master Degree in Linguistics. Since he knew that I was in Jogja for 3 weeks, he'd told me that he'd wanted to meet me. 

Oh, Adi was also the one who taught Eyra 'Hangeul' prior to Eyra's departure to Korea back in 2011. Congrats, Adi.

We Met Again Finally

 

After more than 3 years, we finally met again.  

Ms. Han, Ms. Kang, and Ms. Park (all of them used to be Korean teachers dispatched by KOICA). They were teaching Korean language and culture at our university (UGM) back then in 2008-2010). 

Well, I met ms. Park in Daejeon a couple of montsh ago, but the other sonsaengnims...I haven't met them for like more than 3 years.

So, it's indeed a reunion for us when they visited us in Seoul.

What could be better way to celebrate our reunion than having Indonesian food and added with some touches like 'birthday-like' party for the kids, though none of us were celebrating one.:-) 

Then, it would be a great way to enjoy the night while we're talking about nostalgia we had back then.

so many things to catch up among us. I am glad that all of them have secured their jobs in Korea.  

What would be a 'gathering' like this without games?

Well, it was sort of a  coincidence that Freya tossed her toy while she's playing with them...and then we started off....playing along with it. 

One thing that surely struck them was the fact that Eyra and Freya communicated with them using Korean language. Sure..it must be a shocking revelation for them who's never met both of our girls for quite some time. 

As for me, it was also a good chance to remember again..the good old time we spent together in Jogjakarta. 

Thank you, ms. Kang, ms. Park, and ms. Han for visiting us in Seoul.

Daejeon: Meeting with Friends of Mine

ms. Park, ibu Park or simply Park sonsaengnim..or 박 쌤..yes..lots of students called her 'ibu Park' back then in UGM (when she was on 2-year assignment from KOICA). Yes, after more than 4 years..I was finally able to meet up again with ms. Park (the woman in the front). 

She's working in Daejeon now --her hometown. I called her telling her that I was in Daejeon for a meeting. So, I sneaked out of the seminar room and met her at a cafe inside the KAIST campus. ^^ 

We were catching up with what we've been missing for the last couple of years. Of course, Facebook sort of helped us out to sort things out we'd already known about:)

A conversation over a glass of fresh mango juice was a great way to talk about everything we've been wanting to know about each other. 

Ibu Park, hope you're always happy and healthy. 

Keep the smile on your face. 

Head up! 

Been a great day to meet her again.

The Then-Big Family of Pusat Studi Korea UGM

Yes, it was back then. All of us have gone separated ways now. Some still stay at the same office while most of us have gone either to other offices or like me and Seonhee...in Korea. And like Ms. Kang, she's in German now. well... 

I could not help but relieved to find this old pic back. It kinda brought me back to the memories I had at the office back home. 

Mr. Yuda, the guy in purple (the back row, the first guy on the left) is now the head of Korean Studies. 

Ms. Kang (the one on the left) is now in German. While ms. Loeloe (the one on the right) is still at the office as well as at the Pacific Asia Studies Center. 

Wachid (the green guy at the center) is now teaching at Korean Dept. back home. He graduated from Chulalongkorn Univ. Thailand and Seoul National University, Seoul. 

Ms. Seonhee (the white girl on the first row on the right) is now at the same university as I am now (HUFS) pursuing her Master Degree in Teaching Korean for Foreigners.  

The girl in red jilbab and hanbok is Dewi who is currently in charge of administrative affairs at the Center. and the woman right behind her is Ms. Novi, the former director of the Center for Korean Studies. 

Meeting my former students

The world is getting smaller. Well, who never thought that I would meet Firman and Chiko. 

Firman, me, and Miko...

Miko, Chiko, and me..

Firman, me, Miko,  and..Chiko..

Well..all of them are now working at Korean companies. Firman and Chiko were on a 2-month training program in Korea. So, we had a chance to meet again after several years had passed since the last time we met in Jogjakarta.

Back home (part 1)

Just got two hours in between my chores back home..to visit my alma mater. I guess it was on Tuesday (March 26) when I visited Korean Dept. I met my colleagues: Sani, Hesty, Fitri, Lee Jin Hwa, me, and Wahid. 

What could be more exciting than meeting my fellow colleagues back home? 

The office looks different from the last time I left Jogja about one and a half year ago. 

With mas Zam-Zam and mas Nardi. They are the dean's secretary. Well, some say that Zamcha and I are twins--simply seen from our clean-shaven heads 

Back to the office with Lee Jin Hwa ssnm. Just never thought that she ended up staying and teaching in Jogjakarta more than two years. 

What a dedication she has.