Couchsurfing Experience

Hosted a guy from Spain who wants to be called 'Agus'

Ok guys.. let's continue the story... well it looks like this blog will be fill with a lot of couchsurfing story from now on.... Yup as I mention before, couchsurfing is an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals. It means when I am about to go traveling around the world, I need not to worry about the accomodation, because our couchsurfing mate which is happened to be local people in the country that I am about visited can provide the accomodation for me. At least, I can surfed their couch. It is also means that I am able to host travelers that happened to traveling in Bandung. This concept is amazing and really attracht me from the very first time. Well.... until today... even though I haven't surfed any couchsurfer couch, but I have hosted several travelers to live in my house. Thanks to Pandu that I am able to host them and feel new experience in my life. For sure, couchsurfing has been enriching my knowledge about the world and also about people and cultures. So far, I have hosted 8 persons in my house. 6 persons are couples and the other 2 are individuals. And along with Pandu, we have been traveled and hosted 10 persons in total.

My first experience in hosted and traveled with foreign travelers, which is caucasian, began on January 2010. I was receiving a text message from Pandu that says there were spanish traveler who asked to be hosted and traveling in Bandung. Pandu asked me wether I am able to join him or not. At the same time, He is also asking our friend, Bagus, to join in. Without any doubt, I directly say 'yes I can!' Well... then the following days, we promise to meet at treehouse, which is a restaurant that used as couchsurfing Bandung community new years eve party. We promised to meet at 8 am. I woke up really early and I said to Bagus that we should meet up at my internet cafe first, before going to treehouse, at 7 am. Welll.... it was unusual that I was already there, on time, and ready to go to treehouse....but... When we were about to go to treehouse, my motorbike was hardly turning on... it really pissed me off.... and then I just asked Bagus to go ahead without me..... I was really pisssed and blame my motorbike for crushing my precious schedule.... I keep trying to turn it on... and finally after more than an hour trying, my motorbike was able to turn on. And at almost the same time, Bagus came back to my internet cafe, along with Pandu and a guy from Spain. Ahhh.... I am so happy that actually they still have an intention to asked me to accompany them. Then.... the introduction begun, Pandu introduce his guest from Spain named Agus. His complete name is Agustin Gusi Martinez. He prefered to be called Agus, because it is more local... hehehe... very interesting guy.... So... we decided to go to Cimahi Waterfalls, that located near lembang. Since it would be a tough journey, I decided to hitchike Bagus's motorbike for savety.

About couple of minutes, we managed to arrive in the waterfalls. And to be frank... it was my first time visiting the waterfalls, even I were a local person. The first time I saw the waterfalls, it was really enchanting. I was really excited. Because too excited, I was careless and my sandals were slip and I was felling down. My neurosurgeons is displaced. Damn..... I need to massage my feet for a while and taking a break. Afterwards, I have to walk slowly and step carefully....ahh...in terms of being happy there always be a sarifices... anyway....after struggling to walk and step carefully going down the stairways, finally we arrived to the heart of waterfalls. There we can swim and taking pictures. Before we go swimming, Agus need to take a break and eat some snacks. While taking a break, He teached us how to play 'escobar'. It is a card games from Spain. I have never knew about the games, so I need to learn. This game can be play by a group. So, me with Pandu were joining forces, while Agus and Bagus became a good team. And I don't know why........ we win the first game... but we lost the second and the final game... DAMN !!! Agus really happy to be able to win over us... damn... after winning.. he happily open his clothes and go swimming..... hmm... I would be happy to accompany him.. but... I didn't bring any changing clothes and my leg's hurt. We were taking pictures as well and that day we were really happy.

From the waterfalls... we arrange to search for launch. Bagus told us to try 'Punclut' as a place for launch. Sadly... it was raining and the plan was almost failed. Thank God the rain finally stop, then without hestitate we continue our journey to Punclut. Punclut is actually a named of an area in Bandung which is located on the hills. From there, we can see beautiful landscape of the city of Bandung. That's one of reason why Bagus insist to have launch on that place. Punclut is also famous with many traditional restaurants with delicious taste. It was almost afternoon when we arrived. Without thinking so much.. we directly order some food. The way we order the food in the restaurant is like self service, which means we take the food that we want by ourself and then give it to the chef to be cooked. I knew that it was the first time for Agus to eat sundanese food. That's why I recommend him to eat 'pete'. Hehehe.... It is a vegetables which is loveable by some of sundanese, but not for me. It feels good in your mouth, but it stinks. You will have a bad breath after eating this vegetables. Not only your breath, but also the smell of your pee. I recommend this vegetables to Agus and said that it is good for his health and help him to increase his testosteron, which means the vegetables has a function like viagra did... hehehe.... all of it is bullshit... just for fun and to convince him to eat the vegetables. Finally our food is ready and we eat it. And it was remarkable that Agus loved the food. He even eat the vegetables.. hehe.... We eat a lot until our stomach is full. It was so much fun when seeing Agus learning to eat the rice by his hands....hehee... He never did it before... but he has to do it, because.. that's the way to eat sundanese food. After the launch, we decided to go to our home for cleaning ourself, taking shower, etc. and in the night we arrange to play billiard.

You know... that day was really interesting …. it was my first experience hosted a foreign travelers. I can have fun and learn at the same time. I learn some spanish words, especially the bad one...Mierda! joder!.... hahaha... this is done by Pandu, He always asking for bad words to his guest for a souvenir.. hehe..... Yeah.. it was so much fun, and I hope I can be able to fly to Spain to pay his visit to Indonesia.. hehe... see u again Agus...

To be continue...

Couchsurfing

coucsurfing

Hullo guys... back to write again, while I have the mood on it... hmm.. this time I'm gonna write something about a community that recently I'm joining in.... it is Couchsurfing..... from couchsurfing.org.... it has been a long time that I wanted to write a story about this community with all experiences and passion that I feel... Joining this community totally given me a new life experience and new vision... so many things that wanted to do and so many passions that I got..... This community is like opening the door for the dreams that has been laid for a long time in my heart.... Really glad that I am able to know about this community and being part of it...

Before I go with the story of my own, I would like to give you a brief description about what couchsurfing is. I take it directly from their site, http://www.couchsurfing.org.....

What is CouchSurfing?

CouchSurfing is an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals in over 230 countries and territories around the world. Since 2004, members have been using our system to come together for cultural exchange, friendship, and learning experiences. Today, over a million people who might otherwise never meet are able to share hospitality and cultural understanding.

Our mission as an organization is to create inspiring experiences: cross-cultural encounters that are fun, engaging, and illuminating. These experiences take many forms. CouchSurfing's initial focus was on hosting and "surfing" (staying with a local as a guest in their home). Alongside these core experiences, we now also facilitate a growing array of activities and events.

We have a vision of a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter. Each CouchSurfing experience shared by our members brings us closer to that vision.

It was on December 2009 that I got the information about couchsurfing.org.... we know each other from local newspaper... yeah... the newspaper provide a big article about couchsurfing.org..... the title wasn't that much appealing.. but the pictures that come along with it for sure is attracting....... the pictures taken when there was a couchsurfing gathering in Indonesia.. in Jakarta maybe... and.. well... the whole picture is almost full with d girls.... even there is an indonesian actress on it... ahaha.. so stupid right....but well.. from that stupid little thing I knew that there is a community that similar with hospitality club, called couchsurfing, which is able to provide a free accomodation for anybody who travel around the world..... this things is like opening my mind and unleashed my sleeping desired to travel around the world.... I see that it wasn't impossible anymore to visit many different countries, feel different cultures, meet different races, enjoying natural beauty of many different places, meeting different kind of beautiful girls, taste foreign delicious foods, freezing in high latitudes countries, burned in middle east or Africa, ahhh... so many things that I wanted to do and couchsurfing make it possible. Then.... without any hestitate, after reading the articles, I opened the internet and log in to http://www.couchsurfing.org.......... hmm.... my first impression was like... ahh.. this site is just like any other social networking site.... but then I realize that I was false after I tried to become their member... hmm.. so many forms that I have to feel in and it is not that easy to add a friend to our friend list... hmm.... it's interesting.... first experience with the site is just usual.... ok.... I became their member... then what??? I tried to explore a little bit and I found that there is something like a forum... and this forum is divided into many groups...... ahh... I found a group that is belong to my hometown....then I straightly join the group and started to read it to look for better information about couchsurfing......... After several days playing with coucsurfing web site, in Bandung's group discussion, I see that they are planing to celebrate the new years eve 2010.................... ahhhh this is it.... an opportunity for me to get deeper with couchsurfing community..... then...I persuade my friend which is also my neighbour, Bagus, to also join in the party...... hell yeah... he is interested.. very unusual..... heheh..... then.... on 31 December 2009, before 12 am... we went to TreeHouse, a restaurant where the party taken place.......... When we arrived, there were already so many people doing barbequeing, having chit chat, laughing, telling story, so much fun.....I was actually have no idea in how to get drown to the crowd and be part of the party.... thanks to Bagus that he previously had contacted Bandung's group discussion moderator, Riri, that we would like to join in the party.......yeah... that's how we get involved with couchsurfing community....... from new years eve party 2010....that's how I started.... and maybe I should thank to this guy that has brought me a lot of experience in hosting a travelers from other countries. He is Andhika Pnaduwinata Sahabat.... I met him on new years eve.. yeah.. on that party.. and it was also his first experience to join in couchsurfing community gathering... so... he is also knew no body there.... this guy is the first guy that I talked to in that party.... after several chit chat, I found that he is an amazing guy with quite a lot of traveling experience..... we share a lot of things and changing cellphone number..... well I thought our friendship will only last for that night, coz... I don't know when and where we will share an experience together again..... but who knows.... in the end we become a really good friends and always hosting foreign travelers together.... and there is something funny about us... well...me, bagus and pandu is actually living nearby... .. yup... we are neighbour.......And I just found it after going out with Pandu for several times.....ahahahhaa.... funny isn't it...... so couchsurfing is not only a site for finding a host for you to stay, but also a site to find your neighbour !!!

To be continue....

A Story ..... (just ignore this... u will be sick of me)

Hullo guys…

It’s been a long time since my last post on this blog…. Fyuhhh…. I was too busy with unimportant things… and as usual… too lazy to write and thinking……. Well anyway…….. Many things happened… but most of them are not good news…. I have a target that every year I should be able to achieve something. Achievement is really important for me as it will affected myself to be more anxious in life and give me a courage to keep on dreaming and moving forward. This psychological behavior has been resided in me since 2007. It was the first time that I succeeded to achieve something that based on my own will. It was the chess tournament “ITB-Galamedia National Chess Tournament.” At that time I was the initiator as well as the Chief Production Officer. And the event was the most successful event that my organization ever held. From that moment of life…. I have courage to dream more things. And I can feel that I can achieve it. Then…. The next achievement comes from my academic. I successfully making my dreams come true, to have a straight A for all study program that I take. Even it was only for a semester. I am so proud of it. And finally still in the same year, I was able to graduated from my bachelor degree. I was graduated in the time that I have predicted. That was another achievement that encourages me to move on. And then …. In 2008…. Another big dream has been coming true. It was the realization of my very own internet café, which has been planned since 2007 with several friends of mine. Although in the end, I was the only one left in owning the internet café. Building this empire has been giving me a lot of experience and priceless moment of life. Started from how it feels becoming a boss, and then having a business partner, and then having an employee, and then interacting with priceless customer.. I luv all of them although some are the bad guys that never paid the rent…. And of course having fun together with my employee and some stakeholders of my internet café…….It was one moment in life that I will cherish…

After 2008.. it comes 2009… I was having a big hope for 2009… it was a new year and a new hope. I was hoping that my biggest dream can be realize on that year. My biggest dream is able to study abroad and continuing my study to master degree. I work so hard and spend so much money to be able to get the scholarship to study abroad. But then.. I failed…. I have applied for monbukagakusho, ADS, Erasmus mundus, Depkominfo, DAAD and Fulbright but none of them gave me a statement that I got their scholarship. It was frustrating… really frustrating… while at the same time, my cousin is able to achieve it. I wasn’t jealous on him.. I just got angry with myself….. “hey Ilman.. what’s wrong with you?” I keep on thinking why did I fail?... and what I found is random answer…… soo…. 2009 is passed with nothing….. I achieved nothing…. Maybe the things that cheer me on that year is only a trip to Singapore and successfully manage my internet café to be a profit one. Well… still it was frustrating and making me down…. I was mentally broken when I see some of my friends has married and step into their next life, while me… still fighting with my endless hope. Some of my friends has been becoming very successful…. And I was down because of it. But once again.. it’s not because I’m jealous with them…… I was once a person who sit on top ranks among my friends…. And in the end, ideally still I am on the top.. I was mentally down if I sit behind them…… It was like.. Oh GOD.. why did I lose to them? Why did I left behind? I do what I want to do and I work for it… but why???

Without achieving anything.. then it comes 2010…. Even tough I was mentally down, but still I have a hope to achieve something. Today’s… after long time of thinking……. It was maybe because I haven’t ready enough to be place out of my country. And the most important thing is maybe myself has not had a clear vision about my own future. What kind of path that I would living in, is it being an employee, a businessman or an educator. Still I can’t decide which path of life that I would take. But one thing for sure… my passion to study abroad hasn’t disappears. I hope I can achieve it this year 2010………. And if then I fail….. maybe I’m gonna work as an employee and started my boring life… or struggle to be a businessman… or both…….. ahhhhh… I still can’t see how my future will go…. No girlfriend and not working or having training……. Ahhhhh… I’m doom…………..’please somebody help me and brighten my life!’……….. I wanna say that.. but it looks really pathetic………… ahh.. c’mon Ilman.. you are not that weak….. You are strong and will lead the world!

Nihon no Matsuri 3

Nihon no Matsuri 3

In the end of the days in 2009, happily there is a Japanese event in my hometown. After very long time not attended this kind of event, I am very anxious to attend it and hoped to have a good show. And WOW……it wasn’t only me…..i think every japans lover has been waiting for this event… there are a lot of people gather on the stage… this is unusual for a Japanese event, considering it hasn’t been very popular though many people already know about it.

I came to the event at 2 pm and ended the party at 9 pm. It sure very interesting… there are a lot of people doing cosplay… far more than last year event. I am so excited and started to take my photos and shoot on some pretty objects…. So here they are….

And this one is my favorite... as usual.... hehehe...

What do you think about all those photos??? Great isn't it (exaggerating)???

Well beside all of the cosplayers, this event becoming very hillarious by the performace of cosplaye cabaret. In this show.... a group of cosplayers doing a cabaret. The theme decided by their own and also the story. This show is amazing and able to make me standing still for about 3 hours.....

I really love japanese event.... well... because I am a fans of japanese entertainment... hehe.... I hope there are more to come so I can have fun..

Happy Birthday !

Happy Birthday !

Ahhh.... finally I am 23 this year... shitt... getting older from time to time while there is not soo much things have been done. I feel like really useless and non productive. But more importantly.... I have no motivation in doing anything. It is magnificently make me lazy and bored with my current life. Hell yeah i am bored right now..... but anyway2.... there is always something good and something bad in our life. And yepp.... stilll.... there is something good in my current life. Started with my internet cafe and my social life. Thank God .... by creating an internet cafe I found many new friends. Many new friends that supporting me and share happiness and sadness together. This internet cafe gave me many new experience.

The story of 2008

Hullo guys.....how r u??? hope u r still at your best.....

OMG it's 2009...... the time flows so fast......

What have we done in 2008 and what will we done in 2009???

For me... almost most of the month in 2008 is filled with emptiness and ineffectiveness. However, 2008 is also the time where I put my dreams to become realization. 2008...hmm... what should I say....it is so much fun at the beginning of the year, nothing that I can accomplish in the middle of the year, and full of challenge at the end of the year. Simply said, the things that is interesting in 2008 is in the beginning and in the end. In the beginning of the year, alhamdulillah I have finished the fifth pillar of islam, which is going for hajj. And also I was really enjoy to have an experience working in Saudi Arabia and traveling around Saudi Arabia. I was also having a good time traveling from Saudi Arabia to Singapore, visiting my cousin and watching some babes wearing hot pants ….(OMG I am hajj already.....ehehehe...)... and then traveling to Malaysia... also to visit my cousin and having fun. So much fun in the beginning of the year 2008, although I was celebrated the new year in Jeddah International Airport with my red uniform and sit in front of computer, waiting and serving the customer. I was earning so many experience and also confidence in dealing with people.

Once I get back from my long journey in Saudi Arabia – Singapore – Malaysia, I got the news which is quite bugging me. A friend of mine who consider joining me to build an internet coffee is resigning. He said, her mom needs the money to strengthen her business. I was quite frustrated at that time, but soon I can handle the problem. Create an internet cafe, is one of my dream. The things that I shouldn't give up before I can accomplish it. After failed taking my friend as my partner, I met my elementary friend. And amazingly he is in photography business and internet cafe business. At that time I was feeling so lucky to be able to meet him, but later it was only wasting of time for me. Yup... this elementary friend who almost join me in creating our new internet cafe is also turning his back and failed me. I was filled with anger at that time and also almost desperate in realizing my dream. But then... my dad keep on supporting me and ask me to go open the internet cafe with a few money that I get from the bank. Thanks to my cousin who made this happened. So... one after another happened, so many obstacle, but finally I was able to open my very own internet cafe on 25^th of September 2008. I named it Miyuki.net..... well....you knew why did I put that name didn't you? Ehehee.....

Then..... the story goes on..... I still remember how much did I earned for the very first time I opened miyuki.net. It was around Rp.20.000,- … hmm... cruel wasn't it??? That's business..... but now days our brutto a day can reach 10 times greater than the first time. But still... that did not satisfied me. We haven't reached our target. It was all alone the fist time I built the internet cafe. And very much tiring. But above all, I was really happy and optimistic that I can gain success from this. It was only 6 computers for the client at first. I need investors to grow up my business. I still believe that someday there is an investor who invest his/ her money in the internet cafe. And thanks to Allah in the second month, I met my neighbor and an angel who decided to be my investor. The greatest thing is I am still be the majority above them. By the way, before my neighbor and the angel invested their money on me, there has been several person who offered me to be my investor. One of them is Bubun. He is a great person with great characteristic and great history of life. He is really an interesting person. One of a kind that rare to find in my life. When he was young he went through the dark side of the life. Amazingly he can escape from it and able to manage himself to the shining world. He is a big guy who love to laugh and always speak with a loud voice. He is also a big guy who experienced a complicated relationship. He is party maker. An easy going person who love most and hate most by people around. He is the fist customer who offered himself to invest on me. But then, because of many things, rather than investing for the computer, he choose to invest a refrigerator and put many softdrinks to sell with some compensation with me. He also put some cigarettes to sell in miyuki.net.

When I create miyuki.net, I have a big hope that I could create a community who loves japanese entertainment where the member loves to stay at miyuki.net. Slow but sure, the dreams is about to happen. Beside Bubun, there is another customer who always come to miyuki.net and I acknowledge them as miyuki's knight. Currently there has been 5 knights. Knight of 1 is Bubun, knight of 2 is Bram, knight of 3 is R, knight of 4 is Tuba and knight of 5 is Aboyz. I have told you a little bit about bubun, now I wanna tell you about our knight of 2, Bram. He is a person that I met after I go back from my long journey. An ex-girlfriend of a friend of mine who introduce him to me. The first expression about him is a filthy rich big guy. But then, later, I knew that He is just the same person as me. He is like bubun, a big guy. He is a big guy who has a big dream in this big world. He is an interesting person with good personality, and currently is one of my best pal. He experienced working in Japan for about 2 years. He is the only knight that able to speak japanese language fluently. He is also a fans of Manchester United that I hate so much. In my point of view, he is a simple minded person. The other knight, knight of 3, R, is the only female among us. She is a tall girl. She is a girl who loves her family than any other things in this world. Ooopppss... sorry I was wrong... there is a boy whom she loves soo much.. hehehee... her life is full with dilemma. Our first met was ordinary, but the next time she went visiting me was extraordinary. She can't help herself to talk about her boyfriend. And the following time she visited me, the topic always started with the story about her boyfriend. And then it happaned to there was the time that knight of 1, knight of 2 and her came to miyuki.net together. And that was the beginning of our happy life at miyuki.net. Ok... now let's talk about knight of 4 and knight of 5. These 2 knights are a friend of knight of 2 who also loves japanese things. Knight of 4 is also a big guy. He is a guy who able to talk properly. With Bubun and Bram, I named them 'BBB' which stand for 'Badan Badan Besar' in english it is the same with 'Big Big Guy'. 'BBB' is also an acronym of 3 of them. Bubun Bram and Bagus. When 3 of them gather at one place, no matter how big u r, u will feel that u r small.... ehehehee.....That's our 4^th knight. The last knight....even tough we knew each other only in a short time, but I feel that he is a person whom I can get along with. He is interesting.

I have so much fun at miyuki.net. And it was like a blessed for me in the end of the year 2008. Oh yup.... there is one story left...... of course it is still about miyuki.net. One day, there is a person who came to miyuki.net when we were about to close. He was asking about how the internet is able to give him a wide information about cooking, airplane, and tourism. He talked much and I knew that all the things that he talked is a lie. Yup.. that was our first meet with this region virus called win32.adnan. He always talking big and bothering other person. He is a type of person that simply annoying. But people consider to be patient about his presence because people knew that he is sick. Rumor said that he has been sick since he was in high school. And when we met him, he was already 44 years old.... wow..... great isn't it??? people see him as a crazy person. But for me... he is just an autism. I feel pity for him. People see him as if he is not a normal person and also garbage of society. Yup, I admit he is not a normal person, but I don't think he is a garbage of society. He is just a victim of a rotten society. Since he was in junior high, he has been introduce into alcohol and the night life and might be drugs also. Since a kid he himself admit that there is something wrong with him plus.. he has a great pal named alcohol. That things really disappointing his parents. And it cause a big fight between his parents and him almost everyday. That's affecting his psychological behavior. Well.... yes he is annoying and consider not normal, but sometimes he can bring a good time and bring a good story to talk with, in miyuki.net. Now.. he is taking to hospital for proper hospitalization, so he will not bother other people anymore and did not disgrace his family anymore. Hope he will be cure and be a normal and good person.

anata dake

yeahh.. finally.. one of my dream becoming true..... I was always dreaming to create my very own internet cafe that reflect myself and my interest. And thank GOD finally I can make it. It is hard to realize that dream.. I need more than a year... and.. even after I am able to open the internet cafe, I face a lot of problems.... started from the unexpected numbers of customer, the electricity, the software, hardware, water resource and the building......pyuhhh..... I'm so exhausted.... but sure.. it is much more fun than working under someone....

Anyway2... this internet cafe is dedicated to someone that inspire me in this cyber network ... hope we can meet someday....

Miyuki.net - Jl. Cigadung Raya Timur No.41 PVJ