I'm Gonna Miss You, G!

My voluntary year in Germany will be over soon. I know it must be so hard for me and all volunteers to take this step but we don’t need a choice unless we should come back to our country.  Sad but I’m sure we are all also happy about it.

For sure there are a lot of stories that I've experienced here in Berlin, Germany. Those stories are divided into different genre; drama, thriller, comedy, even romance. I won't tell you the detail what are those but in this special article, let me brief all those stories to be a nice and wonderful thought and memories to be remembered.

All memories that I've had is not only about the things that related to my job, as a full-time volunteer, but it'a also about myself. Some points that made me change a bit, even a lot!

For almost 1 year, I've made these :

1.      I could manage my time better, much better than before. Well I'm still late when I meet somebody, but at least, compared to my life before I came to Germany, I was always procrastinating everything. I woke up late because I couldn't hear my alarm somehow. When I sleep, I used to become a deaf, I didn't really awake cause of the alarm. However in Germany, everything is better. Nowadays, I can hear my alarm rings from my phone and I am awake easily. So, I would say I've changed to be better at that point.

2.      I became better listener. In Indonesia, I would say that I am selfish when having conversation with bunch of friends or with my family. But in Germany, people speak different language so it made me realize to listen more than talk. My German is also still poor, so every time I speak to people in my workplace for example, I speak and talk very less than usual. While I am trying to start to listen more and more.

3.      I can be more independent here. I used to study in another city in Indonesia as well which made me also learn about being more independent. But there is nothing change when it's still the same country, with the same language, even it's in the same island, in Java island. So, I would say for five years studying in a university 450km away from hometown it didn't helpful at all for me. However, when I landed in Germany, I realize, I couldn't be so spoilt ever again since that. I should start to be more independent and being more "me". One thing that changed so significant is when I am having health problem, I didn't go hurry to the doctor as I used to do in Indonesia. Even I have a health insurance but see the doctor in Germany is totally different. Then I tried to use herbal or natural medication to solve the health problem, for example when I got cough or flu, I drink Ginger Tea. The next thing that quite extreme, when I got stiff muscle, I used to call masseuse to massage me and take care my body as good as possible. But in Germany, that is big no no cause to go to massage therapist costs 30-50€ and I cannot afford for that. Thus, I am trying another alternative such as doing exercise more, swimming or running as my favorite sport and the simple one is bathing in the bad tube with warm water.

4.      I walk more than ever. Yes, I always ride my motorbike when I was in Indonesia. But in Germany, everywhere I go, I walk almost every time and everywhere. Go to the closest train station or bus stop, I walk. Far or near, I walk, and I need to. There is no words for "Let's use Grab or Uber Car/Motorbike". In Germany is no no no. Do I like it? Of course. Because I really like to help the environment more green and to make less pollution. So, I’ve learned that I shouldn’t use private vehicle instead of public transportation. And that is what I was looking for since I was teenagers. I could be healthier, I save to reduce air pollution, etc. These are going to be missed by me a lot!

5.      I could know more about another culture. Not only German cultures, but also other cultures. Because I am one of (about) 80 volunteer who come from another part of the world and for sure I did an exchange cultures to other volunteers. To Latin American volunteers, African, and the same Asian as my continent. And that experiences are so great! I will never regret to have this kind of opportunities like this forever!

6.      I've learned to love more my mother language, Bahasa Indonesia. Beforehand, I was really into the English. In my social media, make new plan in my calendar, everything, English was more involved rather than Bahasa Indonesia. But in Germany, maybe I got enough foreign language in my head, English, French, and German, then I decided to change a bit my habit, put new plan or activity in my calendar in Bahasa Indonesia not English anymore. Because I realize how miss I am with my own mother tongue when I am away from home. So I think everyone feel the same thing as I do.

7.      I can be more “me”. In Indonesia, everything that I want to do is still getting involved by my parents. Of course I am fine with that, but in Germany I could be more “me” because every time I got a problem, I should solve it by my own. If I have some interesting to do something or simplify to do something that I want, I can say yes to myself and let myself do that without asking permission first. It doesn’t mean I don’t respect my parent or other older people, but sometimes I need to focus just with myself and do anything I want and take also the risk by my own.

And what exactly do I will miss about Berlin and Germany :

1.      The public transportation. Most of the journeys are on time. You can plan exactly based on the schedule in BVG (Berlin public transportation Company). 

2.      The way I do shopping in supermarket. It feels great and a lot of fun. Somehow I feel that anyway hehehe.

3.      See the scenery through window from ICE or any other trains. Especially when I go traveling by ICE from Berlin to other cities. It's really beautiful and always amazed me. Windmill, wheat field, or cows in the meadow. I call it "I've just seen the Europe thing which I've been watching in movies". What a great!

4.      Collect bottle to collect money. In Germany, people can collect money from finding bottle because for some specific bottle in Germany has deposit and it costs 0.25€ per each. So, when you found a bottle that has a symbol of recycle, you can take it and return to deposit bottle machine in supermarket and make money from that. I did it almost every time I found those kind of bottle. It’s not only about collect money from that, but also the way Germany take care the environment which is super duper cool! I also like every time I put the bottles to the machine, the sound that it makes is so fun!

5.      Living in the apartment. I have been having a dream to stay in an apartment since I was child. Maybe because I’ve been living in a house, so I was always curious how does feel to live in an apartment. It feels really good because you can get more privacy and just seeing neighbor very rare. I mean, you can also make friends with your neighbor and being more social but personally I’ve been looking for some stuffs like that and when I live in an apartment in Berlin, my dream became true. I really like it!

I hope nothing but the best for myself in the further after I go back to Indonesia. I wish also the best for all ICJA volunteer batch 2017-2018. Enjoy your time with your friends and family back in your country. I really hope I could see them again sometime, either if they go traveling to my country or I do a trip to their countries.

I don't really have specific plan when I get back to Indonesia. For sure, I will have good time with my family and friends who I didn't meet for 1 year. And maybe find a job but not too serious one like work in office etc. Because actually I need to focus on my ultimate dream to continue my study in the USA. The most important thing is that I should elevate my career in writing stuffs higher and getting those stuffs more professional and serious.

Well, don't say farewell for Germany cause I know I will come back here soon. Just give me time to make myself more successful and earn a billion Euro so I could come and visit Germany again as much as I want.

Thank you, Germany!

I'm gonna miss you goddamn so much!

Special thanks to :

1.      Allah SWT.

2.      Mom and Dad, and all family members especially The Sutjahjonos

3.      ICJA and ICYE

4.      Dejavato Foundation (ICYE Indonesia)

5.      Freizeitzentrum für Kinder und Familien Upsala, Berlin

6.      Former host family; The Rickensdorfs

7.      Latest host family; The Neumanns.

8.      All friends and ICJA volunteers in Germany.

9.      Berlin!

10.  Germany!