Letting Go

We should never be together on the firsthand

When two broken souls are still trying to mend down previous sorrows

They said I should be happy on my own company

But I like it with yours



But when you take me to swim in the ocean of uncertainty

I knew that I should pull myself from this temporary excitement

It is unreal and my heart starts beating too fast again

We both know that you are still yet to do discover many things in life

And I ought to fix my ‘state in mind’

That none of us are ready



So I think it is once again applicable that things happen for a reason

In this case, for the betterment



Denpasar, 19 October 2017

Olivia

I Choose To Be Strong

I have been dealing with my anxiety for the past few years. I think the first time I notice the symptom was in 2011 when everything about life was uncertain. However, it became more obvious in 2013 when I was diagnosed with a non-life treating illness that postponed my graduate study for 6 months. The past three years I spent in Australia, I realise it was an anxiety all these time that I am having.

Having moved to Bali and recently broken up (again), I thought everything was just ok until my short romance collapsed and I started having panic attact during our stressful conversation. It was not even too stressful. I was just worried too much.

But you know what, I would not let my anxiety paralyses me! I will stay strong.  I will keep my performance up for my work, contribute to the society and try my best to inspire other people.

I have some strategy to cope with this that I will practise and go through. I will be fine. I choose to be strong!

Love,

Olivia

Christmas 2016 at Home in Sumatra

Christmas, home, family, classy. I have been home for almost three weeks now. By home I mean Sumatra, the place where I was born and where my family lives. Its been great here. I have been spending a lot of my time eating delicious Indonesian foods (the best part of it), reunion with old friends, playing around with my dogs, doing spa, saloon and skin care (because its so expensive in Australia to pamper myself) and working from distance. I decided to be home for my sista’s engagement and spend xmas with family as for the past two years I spent it somewhere in a far away land (Nepal and Colombia)

2016 has been good! I did not achieve much this year but I would say I am happier this year. One definitions of happiness is the ability to overcome storms in life. I managed to put together pieces of me from last year despairs. I also feel more content this year. A great part of it is my relationship with my good friend. I have been dating my good friend since May this year. I am a person who is driven by achievement. I always crave for the feeling of satisfaction every time I reach my goals. However, being with someone who is simple like him has transformed me into a better person. I become a more grateful person and less ambitious person. I also focus more on for what is in front of me instead of chasing the never-ending dreams. Although I still think a good balance of it is important: be ambitious and contentment. I am still working on it.

I also grew up as a person this year. I realise what matters for me more and what are not. I tried different things. It helps me to reshape my goals in life and understand myself better.  As a travel addict, I move to different places every time I could.  People said I am trying to avoid something. But it is not true. I just like to discover. However, after I returned from my globe-trotting trip early this year (where I traveled to five continents), I decided to slow down my path. And I did. It was a good decision as I could focus more on my long-term career goal and spending time with my love ones.

Coming up in the next post, more details on 2016 reflection.

Daniel and I in Hyams Beach, NSW, Australia November 2016

Lots of love,

Olivia

What I have decided in my life lately

1. Not too drink alcohol too much

2. Not to eat meat (I am a pescetarian)

3. To practise yoga and mediate regularly

4. To take my camera everywhere I go

Ps. I just recently discovered Snapchat! LOL

Distance

Unlike most Indonesian, I think I never have a problem with distance

Hopping from one country to another country, I don’t have problem making new friends

Build my comfort in the most strangest places

Adjusting with the culture and their way of living

Exploring the foods

Learning a new language

Falling in love with the city

And leave with teary eyes and one promise that I will be back

I left home when I was 17 to pursue my study in another island of Indonesia

Three years later I went to Australia for the first time as I was awarded a full scholarship for an exchange study

Since then there is no turning back

I keep hoping from one country to another country

Even when I had my full time job

Even when I have to risk my relationship

As once I left a freshly new relationship to travel for 2 months

I also had a 5 years long distance relationship

Distance does not matter for me

Traveling is my life. It makes me happy. It keeps me alive

Its been 7 years, more than 30 countries visited, lived in 5 different countries

Australia for almost 3 years now in total

Thousands of friends, hundreds of flights, dozens of flings, few boyfriends and uncountable tremendous memories

I guess there is a time for everything

I feel incredibly grateful that I could go to so many countries (most of which sponsored)

Not everyone have an opportunity like I do

Not everyone got a chance to see beautiful places I have been to

I have to admit that I am blessed

But there is a time for everything

It strucks me lately that the idea of traveling does not tickle me that much anymore

I guess I am saturated

I used to be a person who likes to travel to see touristic objects

Then I turned into a person who travel to explore culture and broaden my knowledge and perspective

And then I travel only if I have strong reasons where I could contribute to society (volunteers, conferences, presentations).

This morning he said ‘I cant bear my heart broken if you decided to leave. Distance is harsh.’

I have got a list of things I ought to do which of course involves a lot of traveling

But probably I have to write down settle down on the list too

Maybe if I decided to settle, it is not for forever because I know my heart will always ponder to explore and to be out there

We crave to understand what else the world could offer to us

The beauty that we have yet to see

But settle for the time being sounds ticklish

Daniel and I during the first day of Spring in Australia

Canberra, 7 September 2016

Olivia

My Personal Biography out of Ethnographic Interview

We had this Ethnograhic narrative assignment for my research methodology course. It is funny to see the result of the interview. What other people perceives of me is not what exactly I perceive myself because everything, again, is subjective matter. But here it is if you have time to read my personal biography kinda. :P

Ethnographic narrativeTime of interview: 1819pm – 1915pm
Venue: Seminar Room 3, Crawford school
Date of interview: 21/04/16

IntroductionThis ethnographic narrative explores the adventurous journey of a young and determined lady, Olivia Purba around her career, life and experiences she had. Her journey starts since her first university life, work experience with the government and other multiple organizations she engaged with, and where she learnt enormously about environmental management. With challenges she encountered throughout her life experience and career, both have determined her to pursue her career in consultancy work in policies and international relations.

This ethnographic interview was initially organized through email correspondences, texting and calling, where time, date and venue were properly picked. The interview questions were open-ended to facilitate active and engaging conversation. The mapping of ideas was the second step done in this process reflecting on ‘Maps are theories’ facts that provide practical opportunities in connecting stories of the past, present and exploring the future (Turnbull 1989).

BackgroundMs Purba, a very sophisticated lady of 27 was born second to a liberal family, in Northern Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Family responsibility to a second child is less expected than that from her eldest brother and youngest sister. This made her very independent, explorer of different areas of interests, world traveller that exposed herself to different stakeholders domestically and abroad, of which her family has been supportive of. She is proud as Indonesian by origin, whilst her culture is an important part of her life everywhere she goes.
Northern Sumatra is an island of a tropical climate, with natural beauty of the environment, oceans and natural resources. Tourism is the main source of economy earned from abroad visitors and domestic neighbouring islands. The recent developments around land rehabilitation, agricultural landscaping and amusement parks have caused economic, social and environmental challenges. Coupling that is the regular occurrences of natural disasters and climate change. 

By profession Ms Purba hold an International Relation qualification acquired from the University of Indonesia, majorly looks at diplomacy and internal issues touching on elements of environment and gender to name a few. She started work at the age of 22 engaging with the National Council on Climate Change, the focal point of the UNFCCC. She undertook a role of an assisting staff in the selection process of national representatives for Climate Change negotiations and dealing with logistics. At the Environment and Energy Department she worked as networking staff given her background in international relations. Challenges around conflicting ideas within the Government bureaucratic system is a common place, she thought twice of her job. This has motivated her into furthering her study. She quit her job later, worked with USAID.

Given her desire to be specialized on a specific issue she therefore diverge her interest into environmental management where economics is an important but left out element in her previous study area, and this has brought her into Australian National University (ANU).

Now and Into the Future…Ms Purba’s specific interest and great passion about environment have led her into advocating on climate change. Her being part of Youth Ecoprenureship project in West Java-Jakarta which promotes green business through sustainable development best practices and elevating youth’s social livelihood, have deepen her advocacy work on climate change.
Further, her insight on environmental issues and climate change impacts on welfare and amenity have attracted her attention so much that convince her to advocate in Australia about climate change. Given her exposure to various social networks at ANU she managed to get a grant of 5K from the Student Extracurricular Enrichment Fund (SEEF) through PARSA (Postgraduate and Research Students’ Association) with the help and support of her mentor in her Vice Chancellor program.  This is really an initial step in promoting her youth project in Australia which maybe a gateway to go global.

From then on Ms Purba, with her energetic spirit, climate change advocacy work has not just become part of her life but more of her voluntary contribution to environmental management and sustainable development. However, what lies ahead is still a mystery especially when she further look into her unpredictable life in future, she said “I do not want my married life to suffocate my career, dreams and future plans” she asserted.  So far I am happy with my life and so as my family who are very proud of what I am doing”.

Ms Purba, a positive and determined lady dreamt to become a consultant in the future. Her dreams has exposed her to many consultancy and policy work, meet different stakeholders, and motivated her to further her study in natural resource management.
“Through my consultancy work I may able to implement broadly on climate change policy in Indonesia or at international level”, and added, I also want to write a book about myself, my world journey, my work on climate change, career and experiences I have had.
Apart from that Ms Purba wants to start a private hotel business to sustain her life, but career wise environmental management and climate change will remain with her.
All of Ms Purba’s experience, work and dreams may contribute directly and indirectly to environmental management and sustainable development at global, country and island level.

Love,

Olivia

My 2015 Reflection

Just like previous year, I like to write reflection of my 365 days journey in one writing prior to embracing another year with full joy, expectation, worry and hope at the same time. I have to admit 2015 was not the best year of my life but I learn a lot from it. Here are some highlights:

1. Travel

If you know me (even not so) long enough, you will know that my biggest passion is traveling. I travelled a lot in 2015. I lived in 3 different countries, visited my home country Indonesia few times and mostly spend my time in Australia.

January
I started the year of 2015 in Kathmandu, Nepal doing my summer internship there, went back to Sumatra, Indonesia my home town for few days before heading back to Canberra, Australia by 29 January.

March
I travelled to Shanghai, China for a week to lead ANU delegation for HULT Prize Challenge 2015. We did not win but had a great experience and learnt a lot from other participants and the competition.

April
Summer break I travelled to Sydney and Wollongong with some of university peeps.

June
I went back to Indonesia for a week to visit my family.

June-July
I travelled with my then boyfriend across Queensland, Australia for 13 days by bus. Cairns-Townsville- Airlie Beach- Rainbow Beach-Brisbane-Gold Coast-Byron Bay. Finally visited Great Barrier Reef although I had a sea sick the whole trip.

July
I travelled to South Korea for a week for a MIKTA conference as I was nominated by my university to represent Australia. I went there directly from Byron Bay right after my winter trip finished so it was pretty odd that I brought my bikinis and all the beach clothes to the conference.

November
I started my globetrotter journey one day after my birthday (16 Nov). So I started from Sydney to pick my Schengen visa for Europe, went to Brisbane the same day and stayed there for 4 days, travelled to Fiji for a week (flight was from Gold Coast airport), back to Sydney for a day and went to Bali for 3 days.

December
I flu from Bali to Paris where I had a presentation in Sorbonne university in conjunction with COP21. It was a great highlight; I reunited with some lovely old folks there. After a week in Paris I went to Ghent, Belgium, to visit a friend and stayed there for four days. I went to Medellin, Colombia directly from Europe. The most direct and cheapest way was from Madrid, Spain. So I booked my ticket from Brussels to Madrid. And here I am now in Medellin and has been here for 3 weeks. So far so good. I met a bunch of cool people, visited many interesting places, eat a lot, socialize a lot and learn a lot from Colombian culture.

 

It feels weird to see my face in the university page.

2. To Let Go

I broke up with my boyfriend by middle of the year and will never turn my head back to see the past relationship. Forgiving him and me is the best deed of all. A quotation that I put as my phone wallpaper for long is strongly applied here “No matter what it is job, friendship, relationship, if it does not make you happy, just let it go.” I also learn from the relationship that there are people that you want to keep in touch forever and there are people who you just need to cut off from your life.

3. Achieve

I like to keep my self-busy. I involved in many organization this year including 180 degree consulting, Indonesia Student Association ACT and Australian wide, PARSA, and CSSA. The book that I co-write was published. I went to China, South Korea and France to represent my university for different conferences and all paid by the university or the organizer. I worked as a bartender and also did some volunteer works including for Canberra Multicultural festival and SEAT4ANU program, not to forget being an MC for environmental seminars and welcoming party. As I am blessed with many opportunities to go abroad, I had a seminar in my university where I spoke on my experience on how to seize the opportunity. 

Me giving presentation in Crawford School of Public Policy.

4.  Health

Most of all, I deal with my general anxiety problem and it seems that the external stressors compounded it. I used to think that my constant feeling of worry was not a big deal but I was not feeling so happy that year. So I started visiting counseling centre, practise meditation and yoga and also tried to regularly go to gym. By the end of the year, I feel way better. I am happy now and although sometimes I feel blue but it was not the same like when I was in Canberra. I learn that there are many people who deal the same thing with me and it is never too late to seek help because no matter what type of mental issues you are dealing with, it could happen to anyone, anywhere regardless of social status.

This helps me a lot through my hard time, really.

5. Friendship

I met some people that became good friends of mine. Some cool people who are not only there when I am happy but most importantly when I am sad. Help me dealing with self during my tough time. Those are people who I randomly met through random events, a new friend I met in my hostel during my trip in Fiji, old friends that I reunited in Paris and Belgium and also new friends in Colombia. So here you go, friendship is not about how long you know the person but how connected you are to each other. Thanks for being with me when I was dealing with my personal problems. You know who you are. ;)

Friends on my Birthday!

I hope the best for 2016 ahead. Happy New Year from Colombia everyone!

Lots of love,

Olivia