Practice makes perfect

As a native Indonesian speaker, we sometimes don't feel confident to speak or write in English. Although we might have learnt English since we were in the elementary school, yet English is not our mother tongue.

I still remember when I was in the university, I took an English course at English Learning Center to improve my skill. My teacher gave me a writing homework and scored me 85/100. One random evening, a boarding-house mate who majored in English Literature went in to my room and found the paper on the desk. My English teacher is her friend, both of them were smart. She said, "How come your teacher give you 85? If I were your teacher, I would just give this kind of writing less than 60."

*slapped*

I said to myself, see from another point of view...if I was an English literature student, you may score me like that. I think my teacher tried to see from another way different with my friend. She looked at my background, too and she scored the effort I did.

Another day in Busan, accidentally I met the wife of San's professor on the bus.
After talked for a while, she said "Dita, you can speak English well."
"umm...but my accent is Asian accent..."
"Of course, you're Asian! Nothing's wrong with that!"

*blushed*

We often feel not confident enough to speak, do presentation or discuss with others in English. We worry too much with our grammar and accent which hold us to step further. We are Indonesian, or Asian who speak with Indonesian/Asian accent. That's all right! The most important thing is that your partner can understand what do you want to say. Don't make language hold you back!

Practice makes perfect. Do it regularly. Learn from your mistakes. Study hard.
You will see the difference!

Image is taken from http://www.everythingcounts.com/practice-makes-perfect/

Study and Generation Gap

I always agree that we have to study all the time through out our life. 


Some people think that after graduated from High School or University they can stop study. 


Study is not only the matter of academic study where you are required to sit in the class, listen to teachers and do exam. Study can be anywhere and anytime. It doesn't need you to go to school or do your homework to get good point or score.


What I mean with study here is to update yourself with any new information, technology, method, design or any news around the world. Listening to radio, watching television, reading newspaper both online or hard-copy, browsing internet, attending seminar or training can be several ways to equip yourself to aware with today's world.


San and I were discussing about this subject when we were having dinner yesterday. He noticed that many parents stopped 'studying' and just focus on their job which cause them not aware with their children's world and their way of thinking. It is so called 'generation gap'. 


Parents don't want to know about new technology such as internet, blackberry, online-game, facebook, blog, etc, which are popular these days. Parents are far behind in their knowledge of new scientist invention or medical research. 


San told me about his professor who always read the latest published books and share to his students. He can just share any famous books he has read that were written by famous author in the past 5, 10 or 20 years. The content of those good books might be relevant on those era, but not exactly for today's era. So, it will be great if he can share a new book which is relevant for today's situation. That's why he doesn't stop reading.


We were reminded to keep studying since we are going to be parents. We have to equip ourself and aware of any changes in the world. Our child's world will be different from ours, that's why we have to reduce the generation gap to be able to understand our child better. 


Let's study!

Wide or narrow road?

Last week, I went to Busan Station to accompany two friends who wanted to take KTX train to Seoul as part of their journey back to Indonesia.

We took a taxi to the station. It's not too far, just about 15-20 minutes. I sat in front next to the driver.

Last year, San usually took me to his campus at Yeoung-do by bus and transfered  to another bus right on the opposite of Busan Station. So, I know the way to go there quite well.

Suddenly, the taxi driver took another direction other than what I used to know. Instead of driving on the wide road (which is about 6 lanes), he chose a one-direction and narrow road. The road was just enough for two cars if no cars park in one side of the road. So, he couldn't drive as fast as if he took the wide road.

I was curious to know why he chose this road instead of the wide one which I also knew. But, I kept silent and just saw where he wanted to bring us.

Finally, I could see the open area in front of Busan Station! I then realized that he took us to the right way. He chose the narrow road so that he would not need to find a u-turn which is probably far away from the station, he chose the shorter distance even though it was slower a bit than the wide road.

Many times in our life, we ask God why we have to walk in such a way. Why He doesn't permit us to walk on the wide and easy road just like other people? Why He lets us to walk in a small, narrow, bad, road where we have to be careful and could not run?

He knows the answer! He knows which way is better for us. He is the Creator which means that He knows everything and He would not let His children in danger.

Just trust His heart!

"For I know the plans I have for you, " declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Picture is taken from http://images.google.co.kr/images?hl=ko&newwindow=1&gbv=2&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=narrow+road&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&start=0