Firstly, I wanna say, from now on, I’ll post English texts. Although my English isn’t good enough, but lemme try :D
#latepost
Did you remember my article about PCMI selection 2013? Did you forget it? The one that I told you about Sail Komodo 2013! Aha… do you remember?
I joined PCMI selection this year. Southeast Sulawesi got 5 quotas, 3 quotas for men (Malaysia, Australia, and ASEAN-Japan) and 2 quotas for women (Canada and South Korea). What happened this year? Did I pass or be a reserve like last year? Let’s see…
Saturday, March 29, 2013. That day was the first day of the series of PCMI selection. Based on our agreement at technical meeting, at 6 a.m. all the participants should gather in Lakidende Field, Kendari. Rubber time (I’ve just found this term hahaha)! The agenda was begun at 7 a.m. Same with the previous selection, the very first test was physical test. We had to run around the field. 1 round = 400 meters. WOW! But it’s okay, “I can do it!” I hypnotized myself by saying it again and again.
After warming up, the committee divided us into some groups. “Okay, this is my turn.” I took my position.
Ready…
Set…
GO!!!
I ran slowly at first. I imagined that I was jogging in Taman Kota, hahaha… I finished my first round well. At my second round, I started feeling tired. But I didn’t wanna give up. At least I had to finish 3 rounds, so I’ll have a good point. I kept running. Finally, I was in my third round. I was exhausted. I couldn’t control my breath well. My throat was dry like in I was running in desert. Last minute, I’d been running for 300 meters. 100 meters left, I’d finish my third round.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, priiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttt!!
It’s finished! God, I passed my third round. I ran for 425 meters in 10 minutes. As an ordinary girl, I was proud of myself :D
After took a rest, we’d face the next phase. We’re divided into 20 groups. I went to the group 10. But we had to pair with group 11 as our rival.
There are 10 games. First was relay race. This one was unique. We didn’t use sticks, but balloons. So, we had to squeeze the balloon between our knees and then we gave it to our friends. Interesting, wasn’t it? We won it. Second was ‘I didn’t know the name’. We had to work together to bring a glass of water on a napkin. The napkin couldn’t be wet. The fastest group and had much water was the winner. We lost. Third was arranging puzzled words. We arranged 10 words, but group 11 arranged 11 words, so we lost. Fourth is sarong game. We had to pass it through our body without touched it. It’s difficult but we won. Fifth was tug of war. We lost. The members of group 11 had bigger body than us, hehe… Sixth was rearranging the map of Indonesia. We won. Seventh was whispering secret message. We won. Eighth was making a good sentence. We won. Ninth was pretending something to be what. We’re given a plastic bottle. We had to pretend it to be another thing, for example microscope, pillow, camera, etc. We won. The last game was demonstrating a term without saying it. WE WON!!! Horray… *plok plok
The next phase was interview. We’re asked many questions. They asked me general questions. Why I joined the program? What’s my goal? Which one I wanna choose, Canada or South Korea? Why? And blah blah blah.
The first test was closed by performing each group’s yelling.
They said that they would announce the participants who passed the first test in Facebook that night. I waited until late. Just about 80 participants passed the first test. And tadaaaaa….. I was the one of them :)v
Sunday, March 30, 2014. That day was the second day of the test. We’re really waiting for this time. The agendas were group dynamic and culture performance. I’d taken practice for my culture performance. I was going to perform a traditional dance from Tolakinese, one of the tribes in Southeast Sulawesi.
Based on our yesterday’s groups, we discussed about community development. We made a plan called My Darling Community (Komunitas Masyarakat Sadar Lingkungan). My friends chose me to represent our group’s project. I didn’t wanna do it at first, but they encouraged me. I did it. They said that I was good.
After group dynamic, the committee asked us to prepare ourselves for culture performance. Every participant got dressed and practiced. I change my custom. My friends said I was cute *ulalaa :D Titi (my friend) and I helped K’ Syari (also my friend) to practice our performance. K’ Syari didn’t know what she should perform. Titi and I suggested her to perform ‘musikalisasi puisi’. We’d be her backing vocal.
It’s time…
Among us, I got the first turn. I was very nervous. Although this was my second time to join this selection, but I was still shaky. K’ Syari said, “Nervous is natural, but it’s not me!” is it nice, isn’t it?
I went forward, introduced myself, and told a lil’ bit about my dance. The music sounds. I dance…….
*sigh
I did it. I was very happy, although I couldn’t finish it, because the time’s over. The next turn went to Titi, and K’ Syari was the last among us. Our ‘musikalisasi puisi’ sounds good. Everybody likes it :)
Yeah, that’s the second test. We closed that day by getting picture together.
I waited the announcement at night. I didn’t expect much. I didn’t know. I felt other participants were good. I couldn’t predict who’d pass the second test. Hey, this was the result. I couldn’t see my name. Why I felt my heart was broken up? Was I disappointed to myself?
But, wait! These were men’s name. Oh, hahahahaha :D the names of men and women were separated. Now, I found my name among women’s name :D
Monday, March 31, 2014. It was the day off. This was the last day of the test. We had to deliver a speech and get interviewed. There were 6 themes, such as education, economy, politic, tourism, health, and gender. We must take a lottery to see what theme we’re going to deliver as a speech in front of juries and other participants. I got tourism. I was very happy, not because it was easy. I thanked because it wasn’t economy, politic, or gender. If I got one of them, I was going to die. I didn’t know what to say. At least, I knew what to say when I got tourism. I just had 5 minutes to deliver my speech. It wasn’t satisfying. But it’s better than economy, politic, or gender, hehehe…
After that, we’re going to be interviewed (again). This was a kind of very deep interviewing. There were 4 aspects. I got the last turn. There’re 35 participants and I had to wait all of them :/
As I said before, there were 4 aspects. Current issue: they asked me about general election. General knowledge: they asked me about Pancasila. Motivation: they asked me about my motivation and private things. Moral and value: they asked about ‘oh… sorry, I forgot!’ I answered all of the questions well and clear. Good job :)b
We closed the last test by delivering our advices and impressions for the program, also taking picture together.
A few days later, there was a message from the committee. Beyond my prediction, they still need one more selection process. They wanna interview best 11, 6 men and 5 women. One of the women was me. I was very happy. I didn’t give much expectation at first, but now I have 100% confidence that I would pass the selection.
At the day, I prepared myself very well. Even, I predicted some questions that they possibly asked me.
Hufft… I didn’t feel nervous because I believe myself and I didn’t wanna disappoint all of the people who supported me. I felt like I wanna cry. I remembered my struggle to get my parents’ blessing. They forbade me to join the selection this year at first, but I really wanted to. It’s very difficult to convince them.
A week later, the announcement came out. Were you curious about the result? Me too.
I read the announcement carefully and slowly, very slowly. I just felt afraid that I couldn’t find my name.
Yeah, I couldn’t believe it. Mine was included. But not as the person who’ll go to Canada or South Korea. Again, I was a reserve and this time for South Korea.
Since then I learned one thing. Never trust yourselves 100%. Because you never know, may be other people trust their self 101%, 1% more than your trust. It’ll just hurt you.
But I don’t mind it. I’ll join the selection next year. This time I don’t wanna say that I’ll pass next year’s selection for sure. But I say, “I WILL PASS THE SELECTION FOR SURE. I DON’T CARE WHEN IT IS. BUT ONE DAY I WILL PASS IT AND GO ABROAD. I WILL!!”
Congratulation for you who are going to Malaysia, Australia, ASEAN-Japan, especially Canada and South Korea :) This time they’re yours, but next time they’re mine!!!