ichbinindah

Languages  as Nokia always says connecting people. A new language is one of the most rewarding experiences for anyone, but even more so at a young age. “During the first three years of life, the foundations of thinking, language, visions, attitude, aptitude, and other characteristics are laid down. It would be a waste not to use a child’s natural ability to learn during his or her most vital years when learning a second language is as easy as learning the first,” says Ronald Kotulak, author of Inside the Brain. Also, my Turkish teacher once said, “If you understand 2 languages, then your third, fourth, fifth, so on will be much easier.”  And I couldn’t agree more! I find people with 3 or 4 languages are faster to learn Turkish or any other languages than people who speaks just 1 language. It also happens to German course. I can memorize words by connecting them to other languages, for example, I have the word ‘kirsche’ means cherry. I mix up kiraz (Turkish) and cherry (English) to become Kirsche (German). So does Spanish, the word ‘Zapato’ (shoe) which sounds similar to Indonesian ‘Sepatu’ (shoe). Isn’t it interesting?

Why learn  languages? 

I would like to tell you my stories. I come from Kalimantan and speak Banjar. When I was in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia I met some students from many cities in Indonesia. Mostly they don’t understand Banjar so I should speak in Indonesian. Sometimes they speak in Java or Sunda or any other languages. Yeah, Indonesia actually has up to 700 languages and it makes Indonesia becomes second most languages spoken country (742). Number 1 is Papua New Guinea (820).  

In 2013, I moved to Turkey for higher education. I made friends from other countries. One day I sat next to my friend from Ghana. He asked me something about Turkish lesson, but I couldn't understand anything because he spoke in French. But thanks to Google, I could finally  answer his question after googled it. Even though the pronunciation was totally wrong (Lol).

In the other day  when I was in Turkish preparation class, My friends and I were talking about world issues. We’re talking in English, suddenly changed into Arabic. They might not be Arabian but they could speak Arabic fluently. I couldn't understand what they were talking about, so I asked them to speak in English or Turkish. One of them said, “Are you a Moslem?”

I said, “Of course I am, don’t you see I’m wearing hijab”

"You know  in some religions, they are also using hijab. Anyway, if you are a Moslem, why don’t you understand Arabic? It’s your religion language. “

It’s like they gave me a punch right on my face. Instead of giving an excuse to myself, “They were lucky cause they had learned at Madrasa.”  I said, “Thanks for reminding me, I will learn it one day.”

In fact, learning a new language is not easy. For example, some people say Turkish is a hard language. According to the table below  my answer is yes.

These are real  and grammatically correct. Yes, bewildering grammar strikes! Grammarphobes may consider finally dropping to their knees to  defeat  the complexities of Turkish.  Other hardships that we should overcome are distinctive and melodic. I live in Kayseri and Kayserililer (Turkish who live in Kayseri) have a different accent than Turkish who live in Istanbul. I found Turkish has a unique tongue, they sound different than other countries. I have lived in Turkey for 3 years and I couldn’t get the accent though. But it’s Ok since they understand what I’m talking about.   

How to conquer the problem of learning new languages?

 The most important above all is your desire. If you have the desire you can overcome the hardships.

In some ways, we are all the same. We all have human bodies and minds, we all have human thoughts and human feelings (unless you are a cat, you don’t have them). 

Yet in the other ways, we are all completely different and unique. No one can ever have the same experience of life, perspective, and mind. Even identical twins are different from each other.  

What makes them different? It is because they have a different personality. Personality makes us thinking, feeling and acting differently from others. Personality can be defined in different ways, depending on whether we focus on the individual or on people in general.

The most popular personality types are these.

• Introversion (I) or Extraversion (E)

• Intuition (N) or Sensing (S)

• Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)

• Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)

According to the Myers-Briggs model, the first letter determines the attitudes of the dominant and subsequent functions, while the last letter shows which function is dominant. For Extraverts, the dominant function is focused on the outside world. J means that one of the Judging functions (Thinking or Feeling) is dominant; P points to one of the Perceiving functions (Intuition or Sensing). For Introverts, J and P show the auxiliary rather than dominant function -  the dominant function itself is internalized.

 “Is it possible to change my personality type?”

According to most personality type theories, the individual’s type is inborn and does not change. However, individuals can develop traits and habits that differ or even directly contradict the description of their type.
How does that happen?

Let’s use an example. Imagine that lights in your flat suddenly go off and you are in complete darkness. You may be able to navigate your way to the door, but what senses are you going to use? Touch? Hearing? Smell? It would be anything but vision, your preferred sense. However, as soon as the lights come back on, you will switch back to using vision again as it makes it much easier to navigate around the flat.

The way your personality works is very similar. The environment you are in shapes your personality in a certain way, forcing you to develop traits and habits that might be foreign to your type. For instance, if you are naturally casual and spontaneous (Prospecting), but your work schedule is very structured and your manager is obsessive about schedules, your preferences are likely to change. However, you will probably switch back to being a Prospecting individual as soon as you leave that job. The same rule applies to other traits as well.

Your basic personality type cannot change – however, you can and should change the aspects of your personality that you are unhappy with. By doing this, you will strengthen your shadow traits and become a more well-rounded individual, even though your dominant traits will still remain the same. Such a change could be triggered by either the environment you are in or your own will – to each his own.  In our societies we sometimes see changes in an individual’s personality over time, right? So, don’t worry be happy. As time goes by may be subtle developmental changes during adolescence. 

The Rainbow Troops  is a book I grow up with. I read it since junior high school. I know it’s 2 years late since it was been published but never to late to read a great book. Why do I love the story so much? It’s just because the stories. It told you  Indonesian cultures, a pursuit of education, and social issues. Indonesia may have big cities but in the other hand, most of the cities in Indonesia are rural.  Moreover, education is not important as nowadays. The majority of people were illiterate. A school was just for wealthy. Through this novel, we were told to look at different points of view from 10 children.

There was a dilapidated school, SD Muhammadiyah (Muhammadiyah Elementary school). The Government told the headteacher, the school would be closed if student less than 10. The teachers and headteacher were waiting for students. But they just got 9 students. At the crucial time, someone came up. The hero named Harun. Finally, they could continue the teaching-learning activities. Bu Mus, the teacher of 10 students called them 'The Rainbow Troops' because they all adore rainbow. Who are these 10 kids? They are Ikal, Lintang, Sahara, Mahar, A Kiong, Syahdan, Kucai, Borek, Trapani, and also Harun. 

Lintang is very rational, Mahar is a daydreamer. Mahar was easily inspired by just about anything. Like Lintang, Mahar also was a true genius—just a different kind of genius. This kind of genius isn’t easily understood by most people and is rarely considered 'intelligent' by ordinary people’s standards. Sahara is one and the only girl in this gang, she is very independent.  A Kiong is a Chinese little guy, he is not handsome in the face but heart. Syahdan is more like Joy in Inside Out movie. Kucai is their class leader. Borek is typically a macho man who obsessed with his muscles. Trapani is a handsome and smart kid, he loves his mother the most. Harun is a nice guy, even though he has mental retardation, it won't interfere him to study. The last is Ikal. Ikal is our main character in this novel. He is not as brilliant as Lintang but he is not bad. He comes second after Lintang.

Hirata writes touchingly about hope, even in the midst of numbing poverty, and the tragedy of wasted talent. The book’s most compelling character is the brilliant Lintang, the son of an illiterate fisherman whose passion for school sees him cycling an 80-kilometer round-trip journey every day, past crocodile-infested swamps. Despite his obvious mathematical genius, Lintang is forced to give up his education and take over the role as his family’s breadwinner when his father dies in an accident. (This part is the most emotional, my brother and I were crying reading it).

Like one of Glee's song, "don't stop believing."

Hope your dreams come true pals and have a great holiday too! :)

That sound comes from my phone. Friends of mine in Indonesia sent me a Happy-new-year-sticker. My family sent me pictures of them having dinner and watching fireworks. Me? Maalesef, I'm struggling with exams. 

Talking about New Year eve, in Turkey they don't really care about it. Even there is a mall in my city, Kayseri they have a poster said "Don't forget, you are a Moslem, we do not celebrating new year"


Once I asked one of my Turkish friend, why they don't celebrating noel and new year? She said because Turkish are Moslem. If she/he is not, then she/ he is an atheist.
I remember, last christmas it was Friday, 25th december. I had a quiz and my classmate, he was a christ he couldn't go to church. He wanted to but it's not a day off.

Recently, people are talking about 2016 resolutions. Some of them are don't take any attention to them but I do! It is my annual activity. Resolutions for me mean I have plans about my future, hoping a better year and optimism!
It not kind of New-year-new-me-quote but making goals.

So, what are your resolutions for this year?