Proficiat

Mr&Mrs M.Si and M.Sc

This post is dedicated to the man I always look up to.
When it comes to my dad it is always personal.
The man whose heart is the kindest.
The man who fights for people's right
The man who pretty much knows everything
The man who has a really good sense of humour
The man who is a leader in the office and in the family
The man who is really humble
The man whose life is about service, humanity, justice and truth
The man who I adore the most,
My dad. 

Congratulation on your graduation, Papa! I'm extremely proud and frustrated at the same time because he graduated his master with 3.7 GPA from University of Indonesia. It is so hard to be your daughter because you have a really high standard for education, I know you want me to get a P.hD degree and I will do what you want -- but that's also because I want it too. And I know you still want to get your P.hD soon! Let's race who is faster.

With Love,
Your daughter

P.S: Now everybody in the family has a master degree (mom&dad), God what am I putting myself into??

(Not) Another Friday

I am planning of having an afternoon tea session while reading this newspaper, thing that I used to do at home

The printed version of my first profesional article in The Jakarta Post just arrived - ten days ago I remember my father posted a photo in our family group written "Two copies of JPs have been sent to UWCAd, will arrive in 10 days". And it arrived. It arrived actually on 6th, two days ago, but since I have been ill I didn't go out anywhere but staying in my room.

Dad sent me two copies of the posts. Right after I got it I texted him back basically asking how many copies my parents have back home, because I just gave a copy to my Photography teacher, Max, in case they don't have any left - I will keep the other one, because I really want to frame it. And know what my father said "Papa sudah frame, baru tadi ada tukang frame lewat di kantor (Dad has framed it, apparently there was just a frame-maker passing in front of my office." What a coincidence, no matter how far we are, as father and daughter we always have this kind of connection.

I have seen the online version, the PDF version but not the printed one. Indeed, there is this natural satisfaction of seeing the first professional writing that I produced. And it's huge, 2/3 of the first front Page of the Section 3 is my article and the photos I took. I am so happy for myself. This is just the beginning!

p.s: Gotta prepare for my Indonesian oral!

yours,
Rut

Venice Carnival 2011 is Published!

THE JAKARTA POST
Venice Carnival: A tribute to women
Ruth Setio Nastiti, Contributor, Venice, Italy
(click here to see online version)

This weekend has been really fabulous. After a great prom last night, finally at around 2 in the morning my mother post a photo into Mama&Papa group written "Congratulation My Daughter as a Jakarta Post Contributor from Venice/Italy" - which officialy marked that my article has been published in the Jakarta Post, Sunday's edition, here is the link of the online version. I am really happy. Ever since the first time I wrote it and getting some messages on how the article is going to be proceeed and the feeling of waiting whether the article is going to be published ot not give me this kind of sensation. I really took it as a big deal, it has something to do with my future career, a journalist, or writer. Most importantly this is my first English article and immediately qualified to be put in the nation's largest English-language newspaper in Indonesia!! The targets are expatriates and Indonesians who work in English environment working place in general.

Two years ago, before coming to the college, we subscribed to the Jakarta Post, because my father thinks it is really important for me to read English newspaper to get used with English reading, and it was also useful to support my activity in English debating - when I was in high school. I always want to write an article about Italy (this country is very beautiful - you know beautiful things need to be shared), ever since I have been to so many cities here for example Naples, Sardegna, Padova, Rome, Mantova Venice and some European countries (Germany, Spain, Croatia - should really go to Slovenia tho) in general regarding my whole experience as scholar, however tho I never really managed and had time to do so. My father always encourages me, once after coming back from Project Week in Naples, or any places I have been to.

This time was just so right, Venice Carnival was a real celebration of the Italian beauty, also the fact that this year Italy celebrates the 150 years of unification, which also talked in the article (and I did not go last year). Moreover since I was given a camera by my parents as Birthday and Christmas gift and started using it properly or seriously last year after the Naples Project Week. Oh, the Chief Editor of the Jakarta Post once texted my father basically said, it was not a waste to give me the camera, because the pictures were just great, the editors love them. He also said "Well done to your daughter, she deserved it." Nothing can make me happier than hearing a press-elite in country said such things. This kind of details give me confidence and the willingness to take on more challenges for my future.

I was also offered to write a story, still in the same newspaper but different section, in Youthspeak - about my journey and experience here as a scholar, and also next Fall in the United States, however it is still discussed by the editors! It is a really good grip - a way to express my hobby and train my journalistic skill.

These weeks I have been so happy. A Sardinian Project week, a Roman vacation, a new crush, a prom, a publication, a cultural visit to Mantova and tomorrow a Sport Festival! I am so grateful and thankful. My life is beautiful and it is always good!

Yours sincerly,
Nastiti

This how it looks like in the paper. This was posted by my mother in our family Blackberry's group :) You see the article on the right-side? It is an article about the Unification of Italy in Rome from a Reuters journalist, somehow feel proud that my article is put next to it, I mean he is a professional!

Posted by daddy. I sent 4 photos to them ( I have 36 great pictures from 600 something). They put the four of them finally!

This is how the online version look. I prefer the printed one tho. It's classy.

Menikmati Pantai dan Gua di Pacitan

Wow, I found this! The article that I wrote 5 years ago when I was in Junior High School. Basiacally my Bahasa Indonesia teacher announced to us if there any of us who could made an article and made it published in a journal (could be magazine and all) we would get a extra mark, the highest one in our report. And I made it, I got 9 for my Bahasa Indonesia subject, from the maximum 10. Love it! http://www.sinarharapan.co.id/berita/0606/01/sh05.html

Oleh:
Rut Setio Nastiti

“Selamat Datang di Pacitan, Kota Seribu Gua” tulisan itulah yang menyambut kami ketika memasuki Kecamatan Punung, Kabupatan Pacitan, Jawa Timur, dari arah Solo.
Kabupaten Pacitan memang memiliki banyak gua, karena wilayah ini memang terletak di kawasan pegunungan kapur. Menurut penuturan penduduk, pada zaman penjajahan Jepang, gua-gua itu dijadikan tempat persembunyian para pejuang dan pelarian. Selain itu, banyak di antara gua-gua ini yang dijadikan persembunyian para gerilyawan melawan Belanda.
Berbagai objek wisata alam di Pacitan ini letaknya berjauhan, sehingga kalau ingin menjelajahi kabupaten ini kita memerlukan kendaraan. Objek wisata yang paling dekat dengan Kota Pacitan adalah Pantai Teleng Ria yang berada di timur kota.
Pantai Teleng Ria masih alami dan sepi, dan hotel belum banyak di kawasan ini. Satu-satunya hotel, lebih tepat disebut losmen, adalah Happy Bay Beach Bungalow, yang bangunannya langsung menghadap ke pantai. Hotel ini berjarak sekitar 300 meter dari bibir pantai. Sementara hotel-hotel lain berada di kota Pacitan, yang berjarak sekitar 2 km dari pantai.
Selain paling dekat dengan pantai, tarif hotel kecil ini relatif murah. Tarif sewanya sekitar Rp 65.000. Penginapan ini sederhana tapi relatif bersih dan tenang, sehingga banyak turis asing memilih menginap di losmen sederhana ini. Tetapi jangan berharap fasilitas macam-macam, karena di penginapan ini hanya terdapat satu televisi di ruang makan yang menghadap ke pantai. Makanan di sini pun rasanya cukup enak.
Pantai Teleng Ria cukup bersih, berpasir cokelat keputihan, dan panjangnya membentang lebih dari empat kilometer di Teluk Pacitan. Ombaknya besar. Maklum, laut selatan. Namun pantainya landai dan tepiannya bisa dipakai untuk berenang-renang, asal Anda hati-hati. Selain hari Minggu atau hari-hari libur nasional, pantai ini sepi pengunjung. Jadi bagi yang tidak suka berramai-ramai menikmati pantai, tempat ini cocok.

Ombaknya Ganas
Di sebelah barat Pantai Teleng Ria, sekitar 15 km dari Kota Pacitan, juga ada pantai lain yang tak kalah indah yakni Pantai Srau. Pantai ini terletak di Kecamatan Pringkuku. Di sini pasirnya putih dan halus dan pemandangannya indah. Namun, Anda jangan coba-coba berenang karena ombaknya sangat ganas dan pantainya langsung menghadap ke laut lepas. Kalau Anda hobi memancing, Anda bisa melakukannya dari tebing-tebing karang yang ada di situ.
Pantai Srau bukanlah satu-satunya pantai yang menawan. Selain itu, ada Pantai Klayar yang terletak di Kecamatan Donorojo, yang berjarak sekitar 35 km dari Kota Pacitan. Di sini pemandangannya juga sangat cantik. Pasirnya putih halus, airnya biru dan bening. Tebingnya gagah dan menjulang ke pantai. Namun ombaknya juga sangat ganas, bisa setinggi dua hingga tiga meter. Kedalaman lautnya mencapai ratusan meter, sehingga tidak bisa dijadikan tempat berenang. Keunikan pantai ini ialah adanya seruling laut, yakni desiran angin yang sesekali terdengar dari antara celah batu karang dan semburan ombak. Jalan menuju Pantai Klayar agak berliku-liku dan sempit, naik turun, dengan sisi kanan dan kiri berupa jurang, dan letaknya di antara hutan-hutan jati.
Pantai Klayar, yang masuk Desa Sekar, Kecamatan Donorojo, biasanya menjadi tempat masyarakat setempat menjalankan tradisi leluhur, yakni menyerahkan sesaji kepada Dewi Sekartaji, pada bulan Longkang, hari Jumat atau Senin, setiap tahun.

Wisata Gua
Anda belum dianggap ke Pacitan kalau belum mengunjungi gua-gua yang ada di sana. Gua Gong adalah yang terbesar dan paling indah. Selain memiliki stalagtit dan stalagmit yang luar biasa indah dan besar, di dalam gua ini banyak terdapat empat sendang (sumber air) yang oleh mereka yang percaya dianggap punya khasiat.
“Kalau mau buang sial, menyembuhkan penyakit kulit, mau terlihat awet muda, dan supaya sehat dan murah rezeki, Anda bisa mencuci kaki, tangan, dan muka di sini, monggo,” kata pemandu kami setiap kali berhenti di tiap sendang. Memang di depan gua ini banyak pemandu wisata, yang selain menyewakan senter, juga akan menemani Anda dengan kisah-kisah seputar gua ini.
Senter dibutuhkan karena untuk menuju dasar gua, yang ada di kedalaman 30 meter, Anda harus meniti jalan-jalan kecil yang licin karena basah oleh tetesan air. Untuk menyewa senter dan membayar pemandu, mereka tidak memasang tarif. Serelanya saja.
Di dekat Gua Gong, juga ada sejumlah gua lain, seperti Gua Tabuhan, yang konon berbunyi merdu seperti gamelan kalau stalaktit dan stalagmitnya ditabuh.

Suvenir Batu Akik
Karena banyaknya gua yang terdapat di Pacitan, oleh-oleh yang khas dari daerah ini adalah batu-batu mulia dan hasil kerajinan masyarakat setempat. Batu akik sampai batu mulia ada di sini. Warna dan bentuknya beragam dan unik. Harganya ada yang Rp 3.000 (cincin), namun ada juga yang sampai Rp 65.000. “Batunya kami dapat dari gua. Nanti tinggal dibentuk,” kata seorang pedagang di dekat Gua Gong. Namun kalau ingin mencari batu yang lebih mahal dan bagus serta bernilai seni tinggi, Anda bisa pergi ke para perajin batu mulia di Kecamatan Donorojo.
Sebagai sebuah daerah tujuan wisata, Pacitan cukup menarik untuk dikunjungi dan dinikmati. Dari Solo perjalanan ke Pacitan bisa ditempuh dua jam, lewat Sukoharjo dan Wonogiri. Sedangkan dari Yogyakarta Anda bisa lewat Wonosari, Gunung Kidul. Namun rute ini jalannya sempit dan sepi, melintasi perbukitan hutan jati, sehingga Anda disarankan tidak lewat pada malam hari.
Sarana dan prasarana pariwisata yang ada di Pacitan tidak bisa dibandingkan dengan tempat-tempat lain yang lebih maju, seperti Bali atau Yogyakarta. Namun, bagi yang suka bermain di pantai, Anda disarankan tinggal dua atau tiga hari menikmati atraksi-atraksi yang ada di kota ini. Anda dijamin puas.

Penulis adalah pelajar kelas 2 SMP St Vincentius Jakarta.

(translated using Google translator pardon the super improper grammatical mistakes)

"Welcome to Pacitan, City of Thousand Caves" that writing is what greeted us when entering the District Punung, Kabupatan Pacitan, East Java, from the direction of Solo.
Pacitan does have a lot of caves, because this region is located in the area of limestone. According to residents, the Japanese colonial era, the caves used as hiding places and escape the fighters. In addition, many of these caves are used as hideouts of the guerrillas against the Dutch.
Various natural tourist attraction in this Pacitan located far apart, so if you want to explore this district we need a vehicle. Tourism object closest to the City is Teleng Ria Beach Pacitan is located in the east of the city.

Teleng Ria is an unspoiled beach and quiet, and not many hotels in this area. The only hotels, more appropriately called the inn, is the Happy Bay Beach Bungalow, a building directly overlooking the beach. The hotel is located approximately 300 meters from the beach. While other hotels located in the town of Pacitan, which is about 2 km from the coast.
In addition closest to the beach, this small hotel rates are relatively cheap. Rate it cost about Rp 65,000. Accommodation is simple but clean and relatively quiet, so many foreign tourists choose to stay at the inn this simple. But do not expect the kinds of facilities, because in this inn there is only one television in the dining room overlooking the beach. The food here, too, felt pretty good.
Ria Beach teleng quite clean, sandy whitish brown, and long stretches over four kilometers in the Gulf of Pacitan. Large waves. Understandably, the southern ocean. But the sloping beach and edges can be used for swimming-pool, as long as you are careful. In addition to Sundays or national holidays, the beach was empty. So for those who do not like berramai-busy enjoying the beach, this place is suitable.

Malignant waves
On the west coast Ria pupil, about 15 km from City Pacitan, there are also other beaches that are not less beautiful namely Srau Coast. This beach is located in District Pringkuku. Here the sand was white and smooth and beautiful scenery. However, you do not try to swim because the waves were so fierce and the beach directly facing the sea. If your fishing hobby, you may do so from the cliffs there reefs.
Srau beach is not the only captivating beaches. In addition, there Klayar Beach, located in District Donorojo, which is about 35 km from the town of Pacitan. Here the landscape is also very beautiful. Of fine white sand, blue water and clear. Stout and towering cliff to the beach. But the waves were also very violent, could be as high as two to three meters. The depth of the sea to reach hundreds of meters, so it can not be a place to swim. The uniqueness of this beach is the sea flute, the occasional breeze that came from between the cracks of rock and blast waves. The road to Beach Klayar somewhat tortuous and narrow, up and down, with right and left side of the ravine, and situated among the forests of teak.
Klayar Beach, who entered the village of Sekar, District Donorojo, usually a local place run ancestral traditions, which gave offerings to the goddess Sekartaji, in Longkang, Friday or Monday, every year.

Cave Tours
You are not considered to Pacitan if you have not visited the caves there. Gong Cave is the largest and most beautiful. Besides having the stalactite and stalagmite are extraordinarily beautiful and large, many in this cave there are four spring (water source) that by those who believe it is considered a virtue.
"If you want to dispose of bad luck, cure skin diseases, want to look young, and so healthy and cheap food, you can wash your feet, hands and face in here, Monggo," said our guide each time stopping at each spring. It's in front of the cave is a lot of tour guides, who other than renting a flashlight, will also accompany you with stories about this cave.
Flashlights required because to get to the bottom of the den, which is in the depth of 30 meters, you should pursue the small streets were slick with wet by water droplets. To hire a flashlight and pay the guide, they will not charge. Serelanya only.
Near Cave Gong, also there are a number of other caves, such as the Cave of wasp, which supposedly sounds like a gamelan musical stalactites and stalagmites if beaten.

Souvenirs carnelian stone
Because of the many caves located in Pacitan, souvenirs typical of this region are precious stones and local handicrafts. Agate up precious stone is here. Colors and shapes varied and unique. The price there is a USD $ 3000 (ring), but there are also up to USD 65,000. "The stone we can from the cave. Formed will be staying, "said a dealer near Gua Gong. But if you want to find a stone that is more expensive and nice and high artistic merit, you can go to the crafters in the District Donorojo precious stones.
As a tourist destination, Pacitan interesting enough to be visited and enjoyed. From Solo trip to Pacitan can be taken two hours, passing Sukoharjo and Wonogiri. While you can pass from Wonosari Yogyakarta, Gunung Kidul. However, this route is narrow and quiet road, across the hilly forests of teak, so you should not pass in the night.
Tourism facilities and infrastructure that exist in Pacitan can not be compared with other places that are more advanced, such as Bali or Yogyakarta. However, for those who love playing on the beach, you are advised to stay two or three days enjoying the attractions in this city. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

The writer is a junior high school second grade students of St. Vincentius Jakarta.