Books Written by My Students: The Launching Event

I couldn't be more happier. Yup..March 6, 2016 marked the day when finally my personal journey of "rigorously" and "patiently" usurping my students' lives...paid off.  

^^ yup....'usurping'...'violating' in the positive sense....I did come into their lives...asking them to share their stories to be compiled in a book. 

As a member of INAKOS (International Association of Korean Studies in Indonesia), I've been ...lunatically ㅋㅋㅋ hahaha....going after my students, Indonesian migrant workers, student/workers in Korea......to share their stories ....to the public. 

Yeaah...we did it. 

Yup, the book titled "Sensasi Seru Jalan-Jalan di Korsel" was finally re-published in Korea. (After it was published in Jogja last year. It's republished after as many as 23 writers (who are mostly the students of Indonesia Open University in Korea or UT Korea) joined in.  

The event of the launching itself was made possible by the great cooperation of all of the students and tutors at UT Korea. 

We invited the students to the auditorium where we had the event...so as to give a chance for others to see what their peers have achieved. Right. Writing about one's experiences is no easy feat. It takes time and courage and determination...even just to write or retell one's stories into an essay. So the fact that as many as 14 students of UT Korea joined in....indeed overwhelmed me...(being said: I'm proud of them)

Just like last year's event. This year's publication was made possible by a partial support from the Senior Public Diplomacy Group, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea.

We managed to have a pose in front of the event venue....^^

Since we re-launched the book in Korea, of course...only those residing in Korea could attend this Launching Event. Those in Indonesia could not...unfortunately. But..surely enough..they knew about the event.

Thanks to Indonesian Embassy in Korea for their support...

Some of my students...proudly...showing off their books. Yup, their stories, life stories, traveling stories, occupational experiences...are all jotted down in this book.

Bravo, guys. We're proud of you.

Folk Music & Dance Concert

Yup....I got like 60 free invitations to share.

It's at the National Museum of Korea.

Our colleagues at KTTI or Traditional Indonesian Dance Team represents Indonesia at the concert. 

So....let's go and enjoy the show.

Busy, eh? Sure...I am. But.it's worth-it

Yes..some of my friends were wondering as to why ...despite the fact that I've been busy with my school work, research, job, family...I still have time for one more thing, i.e. teaching Indonesian migrant workers who are studying at the Indonesia Open University in Korea. Well, that's easy to answer! I've been busy involving myself in lots of endless possibilities wherever I am. 

For the past 1.5 years, I've been teaching our friends, Indonesian migrant workers, at the university. I love them so much since they are the cream of the cream...^^

I mean..they've been working hard during a whole week,even until Saturday night, yet...they decided to use their time on Sundays to study at a university level. 

So...it's been such a privilege to be able among them. The ones who see their future by not only 'pursuing' material gain (money or remittance) they send back home to their loved ones, but also pursuing something else: knowledge.

That's why...thanks to our close association with one of our professors (Prof. Yang Seung Yoon) who happens to be serving his term at the Senior Public Diplomacy Group, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea...., we managed  to seal a deal of distributing --I mean..donating books on Korea written in Bahasa Indonesia...written by Indonesian students and scholars...and dedicated to all Indonesian students at this Open University.

I am simply glad that I am a part of it.

it's not much...but at least..that's what we're trying to do to keep on doing our goal of sharing knowledge...wherever and whenever.^^

Arirang Concert

Not many pictures that I took during the Concert last month, March 21 since it was prohibited to take any pictures during the show. It was during an intermission. 

Got some invitation for as many as 30 of my friends. We went to the National Gugak Center of Korea to watch the Arirang: The Soul of Korea Concert. 

Hosted by Senior Public Diplomacy Group, MOFA, this concert was to cater the need of Korean people and foreigners alike in embracing 'Arirang'.

Thanks to our friend, Nong, who were kind enough to share the pictures she took on the encore or the last performance. 

What I like most about the show...?  

how all of the artists mingled and took turns to either sing or play the instruments-which was quite impressive. They sure had some high-energy pumped up.