Moving Forward

Jakarta, 3 o'clock in the morning.

I cannot not sleep, as my head cannot stop to spelling words inside

So decide to write it down.

..

..

The Battle Field

I came to that building maybe around 1.30 o'clock. Founding there were 2 securities at the check point gate. "Selamat siang", I said. "Lantai 9." The security guard then asked for my ID card. As I already prepared how to respond this query, I asked him if I can give the other ID card, such driving license, because I will need my ID card up stair. He said okay, while when that short conversation, I heard 2 peoples came and said to the guard "**** embassy, she is with me." He pointed out the woman that walks with him.

I then remembered that I just passed them while I was walking fast through this building couples minutes ago. Uhm...first fortuity...I thought. So, I went to the lift and pointed out 19, then I suddenly arrive at that floor. Little bit confusing for a while, I looked for some word to be read, and then I saw:

"<-- Finland Embassy"

"Sweden Embassy -->"

I just suddenly smiled at that time, when I was walking through the lift door. Another such fortuity again, because this flag just presented my condition at that time, until now actually. Which one ? Finland or Sweden? Uhm...but I think, that is not really important at that moment. “There is only one thing need to be focused right now, the interview session”, I said. Yep…actually, that was also my first phone interview session too, the first interview session from abroad, for the most important purpose of my target.

So, I walked through the left side, and saw glass door with security machine waiting in front of, that ask for every person to define some numbers before enter it. Little bit confusing again, I saw there were 2 women, Indonesian, actually were talking inside. The one of them -maybe- realized there was a confusing person outside, when she stood and opened the door for me, asking: "Yang mau interview ya?”.. "Iya buk", I answered her. Then she welcomed me, asked me to wait and take a sit.

There were 2 round tables in the left, with receptionist desk board at the right. I took my sit, backed the front main door and faced to the other door, which I predicted as the door where the embassy advisor will come out. I saw an interesting campaign leaflet, seems to support Nobel Prize nomination of Finland scientist. At my back, I saw bookcases, contain guideline leaflets about Finland. That was around 2.00 pm o'clock at that time. Well, my interview session still 1 hour further, at 15.00 o'clock Indonesia time or 11.00 o’clock Finnish time (09:00 GMT + 1). That was what I read at the letter from Ms Niina, the international coordinator that contacted me several weeks ago.

Actually, my schedule should be at tomorrow, not today, Tuesday. But, I asked to Ms Niina, if the selection board could change the schedule because I cannot make it up if this interview conducted at Wednesday. Actually,  it  because my boss already arranged me to attend 2 days course from Forum Nokia APAC, *I did not say this reason lol :p*.

Around 15 minutes of waiting, a woman came from the door and walked fast through me, said  

"Hello... you are the person that has been arranged for phone interview today?”

I stood and responded her,

"Yes, my name is Laili Aidi. I have appointment with Secret University for phone interview at this 3 o'clock". 

At that time, what I worry about came out, when I was not quite sure how to spell xxx :p.  

"oh well, ****** (the university's name).”  She repeated it again, to correcting my spelling :p  

“Actually it should be tomorrow, don’t you ? But the university just confirmed to arrange the time again so it can be today. So your name is Laili ? Nice to see you, well my name is Leila. We almost have the same name." She laughed. hee...well..well.. Such fortuity again.. Already 3rd with this one, I though.

When heard her first couple words, at that several seconds, I just suddenly realized that I should use the moment of talking with her as opportunity to get use of hearing and responding such English -little bit- Russian dialeg.  I wonder, my Interviewer would have big possibility to have such the same dialeg with her.

"Well, how the interview will be held ?", she asked me. He.. ? Surprising by this question, I tried to spell uhhmmm word a little while, because there was no detail has been told by the university. I though they already set up the detail with the embassy, then I just need to bring my ID card and my body :p. "well.." I said, "Ms Niina, the international coordinator that contacted me before, just instructed me to bring ID card, and come in advance because I need to pay the phone bill to the embassy".

At that time, I thought that the embassy that will make that international call to the University. "She informed me that the fee is 500.000 rupiahs an hour, but the interview itself will be no longer than half an hour. Is that means that I should pay 250.000 rupiah ?" I asked her.

"Uhm, I’m not sure about that, let me check that for you. But you don't know how the interview will be held ?", she asked again. "The university only told me to attend and prepare for interview at the embassy at 3 o'clock", I answer her with little bit not so sure *lol

"Okay, do you have her number with you ? Do you bring your mobile phone ? I think you need to call them in order to make sure".  oh gosh... I wonder how much phone pulse that I have in my account to make international  call to Finland right now.. T_T

Then I said to her, "I wonder, maybe we can wait until 2.30 pm and wait for them to inform the advance information ?", tried to save my face and gave the best idea that I have at that time. 

"Uhm okay, that is better. Now I will go inside, check the fee detail for you and several administration purposes", she said.

Fighting session

Then, I waited for that almost 1 hour. It was okay, I though. Because the longer I get use and familiar with this place, the more I will get relaxed with the interview session. So, I enjoyed my time, go to the toilet, read as much article that I could read at the bookcase. The most exited booklets that I pick were about the Finland’s culture, their country, their economy, government, the wealth.. And of course the education system. 

At that time I only brought with me my note, contain several reasons why I choose this program, why I choose this university, what do I know about the purpose of the program, and so on. I though at that time, that all facts were already inside my head. But. It was not, especially when you get very nervous and hard to realized what have been asked to you :p

Yep, it began when suddenly Ms Leila came out from that door again, said to me that the connection in the embassy was very poor and she asked me to bring just my mobile phone with me inside, because the university will contact me through my mobile phone.. Haaaa ???

How can ? I was quite surprised. first, she did not allow me to bring my note with me, which contain all my ammunition to the interview. second, I will use my mobile phone to this my international phone interview test. how can ???

I was still thinking when she guided me inside the embassy room, and tried to make me comfortable by showing me the view of Ambassador Mall, Mega Kuningan road and park from the window.   

"Please take a sit", she said. 

I said, "Okay, thank you very much", but because  I was still confusing and cannot breath, I kept stand, pretending to see the view outside. Well, that was actually the first time I faced the Finnish hospitality. I read that Finnish tend to be quite person, when they said something or offering you something, that is what he/she really mean to. It's not like Indonesian culture, when you sometimes should figure out, if this person really offering you something or “just” offering you :p

So, I assume, when Ms Leila saw that I did not take a sit at the chair which she offered me, then she asked me to move to another room that more comfortable :p Actually, that is a meeting room.   

"Uhm, I think we can use another better room… Okay, let’s just wait there, the university will call you in a couple minutes. You already make sure your mobile phone working right ? Is that the signal is okay in here ? Okay.. So I wish u good luck." She then left me there.

krik..krik..krik...

Then I heard Michelle Buble's song rang from my sonyericsson phone. *see ? it's not Nokia, it's sonyericsson *lol"

+35814.. that was the first numbers that I could read

Me : “Hallo..good afternoon”

A woman voice : "Hallo.. good afternoon, this is Laili Aidi ? How are you ? I’m Niina, The international Coordinator of Secret University, we have been talked through email. You will be interviewed by Mr. xxx and Ms. yyy around half an hour. Are you ready? Now I will connect you with them.”

My gosh.. so fast, my heart was beating faster, I felt like cannot breath, and I could not think as fast as I need to. *lebay*

Then I heard voice of a man, "Hallo..this is Laili Aidi ? My name is yyy , how are you ? can you hear me clearly ?", he asked me. I was still thinking and tried to get comfortable with his dialeg.

Me : "Yes sir, I’m Laili Aidi. yes, I can hear you clearly enough. I’m fine, how are you too sir ?"

A man voice (Mr. xxx) : "Oh well, good.. we wait for Ms yyy join with us"

A woman voice (Ms. yyy) : "Hallo.. halloo.. hai Laili, I’m yyy..okay, everybody already here, can we start the interview now ?"

Me : "Yes, that would be my pleasure"

So there I was, not quite sure with what I have answered.. or questioned. all the things that I have learned and remembered inside my head just suddenly disappeared. I did not know what I said, and little bit panic when I could not interpret what has been asked, with English Russia dialeg.

But as I said before, Finnish people are just the nicest person I’ve ever met. My interviewers just keep patient while repeating, sometimes 4 times, for what has been asked because I could not clearly enough to hear that, or could not interpret the English words. I’ve been asked couple questions that surprise me. This such questions are common, such as 

Ms. yyy : “Why do you want to study Secret program ?”, or 

Ms. yyy : “What do you expect in your life in 5 years?”, or 

Ms. xxx : “Why do you choose Finland ?”, or 

Ms. yyy : “How much the living cost there?”

Well well well.. those were still okay, but what about these : 

Ms. yyy : “Do you know how big the city of "Secret City"?” or

Ms. yyy : “How many people life there?”, or

Ms. yyy : “How do you know about the way to reach the city from Helsinki ? How many hours is that from Helsinki ? ”, and so on…??

But, 30 minutes later, the man said,

"Okay, I think that is enough for the interview session. Ms Niina will get in touch with you sooner to announce the result. We expect to launch that before the end of the month."

Me : "Yes sir, I’ve read that information. I will wait for that announcement, as I read that the university only accept around 25 students from 40 candidates"  *sotoy

Mr. xxx : "Yes, we are interviewing 40 candidates at this moment, but the 25 is the maximum number, we might be only accept less than that, depend the interview review" * T_T

Me : "I get that sir, I hope I am one of them, as I will wait for announcement" *ngarep :p

Mr. xxx : "Of course, we all hope for the best. okay, that is a nice interview with you. On behalf of the university, I thank you for attend to the embassy for this interview."

Me : “You are welcome sir, and I also thank you for the opportunity that has been given by the selection board for me to get to this interview Sir."

Mr. xxx : “Okay, we wish good weather there for the whole week. see you”.

Me : "See you sir”.

tiit..tiiit.. tiiiiit.. tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit...

So it was done. That was it. 

Ms Leila came to me, gave big smile and said,

"Okay, already done ? how is the voice ? it is a little bit rrrr..rrrrr..rrrr.. don’t you ?"

Me : "Yes, since that is international call, and I only use cellular connection bla..bla..bla" *Anyway, thanks to indosat :p

Ms. Leila : "Okay, I will take you out, so we can talk about the payment. I just confirm that the payment is a hourly session, so it will be cost same even if you make phone call for half an hour"

I wondered, that is me that receive the phone call, not the embassy make the phone call, so why should I pay? Then I just understand that, that payment is for university as they make that phone call. In conclusion, it is me actually keep pay for that, no matter who make the call :p

So, I have a couple minutes conversation with Ms Leila again at the front desk. The interested thing was that she did not want to straight forward and immediately asked for the payment from me, even when the receipt was already in the table. She kept asking me about questions or gave me new information; even I've already given that 500.000 rupiah and put that to the table. She asked me, why I choose Finland, when will I arrange visa because it need to be arranged as soon as possible as it will take couple of weeks even for student visa's purpose. *Well it's not visa, but Resident Permit lol*

"Well, I will do that, but I need to wait for the acceptance letter first and make passport", I responded her.

Ms. Leila : "Owh, you don’t have passport yet ? well.. You need to make it immediately because you will need that to arrange visa" lol

So there I was, walking out through the Finland Embassy and saw Sweden Embassy's door at the other side. 

I smiled inside my heart, tried to understand and guessing where the destiny will bring me, as I  at that moment , was still waiting for another admission result from KTH The Royal Institute Technology for several weeks after that.

"I don't know. Let’s keep run and move on", I answered my own question, wondered how far the dream have took me. 

So I find the ojek for 5000 rupiahs, tried to catch up the transjakarta bus way at kuningan timur shelter. 

That was Tuesday, 6th April 2010. 

One of the best days in my life, because it  then gave me the greatest and the hardest choice i've ever made.

And yes, It is, I make that choice, and thankful for that.

subahanallah..

Al - Kahfi

Jakarta, 5th May 2010 at 04.00 am

Interview Test part for round 2 of Admission Selection, Secret Program 2010