Fitness

Last Friday, I had so much fun doing fitness because there was a special dance lesson on that day. So I joined and was able to follow all of the movements. I thought it was really energetic, fun and pretty challenging. Dancing is always motivating for me and I feel really glad joining the class. Also, I don't get tired that easily after going to the gym for five months. I feel more healthy and my stamina is pretty good. 

These days, I go home using a public transportation called "Angkot" after fitness because I don't really like my driver waiting for me when it gets late. Angkot is like a mini bus and the door is opened the whole time. I think it is pretty dangerous because it moves fast too. However, the best part of angkot is that it is really cheap compared to taxi or cab (it only costs around Rp.2,000 to Rp.3,000). So me, as a student feel really great about it and don't have to worry. With angkot, I learn a lot about different perspectives. Usually I ride car but with angkot, I feel and experience as other people feel. In angkot, sometimes it is hard when it is really hot or raining. I also learn how people in Bogor socialize easily with others, they greet each other, they share some snacks if they have some and so on. I learned a lot about difficulties in riding public transportation but I really need these kinds of lesson because I will be graduating next year and in Japan, I would need to ride public transportation the whole time. I am already spoiled enough. I really want to be independent and not relying on others every time. 

Dance performance! and Galaxy performance!

         Last Thursday, there was home concert and my dance group performed. We have successfully performed for the closing session. Most of the audiences liked it. From this performance, I learned a lot how being a leader is not easy and simple. Behind the scene, I had so much trouble controlling the dance group especially in time management and motivation. It was really hard to arrange things since I had seven people in total. Some couldn't join practice much, some were stressing out because of tests and homework, some were not motivated because they were tired, and some were distracted easily. Me myself also had troubles in managing the schedule because I had so much things to do last week (tests, projects and homework). However I am still happy because I have achieved my goal again, which is to dance together with my team, learn how to choreograph and to perform together as a team. I had so much trouble, I even thought of giving up so many times, but I couldn't because I wanted to do it so badly. So now I am satisfied with my result. (In the picture, I'm the one with the grey shirt with blue scarf)

 

         Last Saturday (May 22nd), I performed with the galaxy big band jazz at Barcode in Kemang. I had so much fun in this last performance. I had to be there at 11am to practice and have last rehearsal with the group, had lunch and changed clothes. At 4.30, the door opened and at 5pm, we started the performance. There were so many audiences watching us (around 300 people). Even the Japanese Ambassador from the Japanese Embassy came to watch us, so we were all nervous. Later on we performed around 21 songs in total (yes, it was tiring). Another new experience for me was that my sister and I was the MC for the third part of the performance. I was nervous at first but looking at people laughing and enjoying with us made me less nervous and gained more confidence. Becoming an MC was my first time and I think I did pretty well because I was able to make the audiences laugh and pay attention with us. However, in the middle of the performance it rained really hard so I had hard times talking loudly. I spoke in both English and Japanese so that everyone would understand.

         Later on, I joined the after party celebration. Everyone said that they really like how we did the MC and I was really grateful about that. Now I’ve gained more confidence in talking in front of many people. I also told them that I wouldn’t be able to join practice often anymore because I want to focus on Aikido. They said that they would be sad but they are supporting me. From here, I learned how working in team is very important and powerful. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to perform, and with their support, I’m able develop. Like what my old music teacher said that band is like a chicken soup. Without the vegetables or chickens or the soup, it won’t become a chicken soup, just like a team.

Also, the galaxy jazz band group was on the Jakarta Shimbun (Japanese Newspaper in Indonesia) on 24th of May, 2010. We were also uploaded on a website of Japanese community in Jakarta.

site: http://www.j-people.net/info&topic/010/0100522galaxy/index.html

After party picture (I'm the one in the middle)

Four Days Holiday

I had four days holiday starting last Thursday to Friday (May 13th - 16th). I still did my CAS activities. I did dance and jazz band practice.

On Wednesday, I slept over at Joo Eun's house (one of my dance group members) and spent one hour to choreograph our new dance which will be performed for the upcoming home concert (a talent show at our school). We were successful in covering 40% of the whole dance.

On Friday, I invited the boys member and taught them the new movements, then we practiced. The boys weren't that successful because they struggled in memorizing the movements. I had to be patient while teaching them. We practiced for two hours. After that, I went to fitness and joined the friday jam hop class again and was able to follow most of the movements (I came 30 minutes late)

On Saturday, I slept over at Samantha's house (also from dance group member) and we were able to cover 80% of the dance performance. So today, I am going to meet my dance group and have rehearsal for the final (we only have four more days left!). I spent one hour this day.

On Sunday, I joined the band rehearsal for four hours. It was my last rehearsal because next week, there will be the concert at barcode cafe. After this concert, I am going to change my CAS activity to Aikido (Japanese martial art) officially.

April 30 - May 2

April 30

On Friday, I went to the gym and worked out again. I did 150 sit ups and then I joined the dance class again. It was a bit different from the previous one (hip hop class) and this one was called jam hop. It is more into street style and I thought this was very very challenging. I struggled since the first step of the dance. It was really hard to follow the steps of the movements. Unlike the hip hop dance, this one was much faster and confusing. Overall, I couldn't follow the steps perfectly. However I had so much fun and didn't feel embarrassed because the dance coach was really nice. He was very patient although he teaches very fast. I thought that I wanted to be a caring person like him. At the end he said that it is only my first time and the first time is always hard and confusing. He told me to keep practicing so that I can do better next week. 

May 1

On the next day, Saturday, I did Tai Chi for one hour in the morning and Aikido for two hours (4-6pm). The teacher was different from the last one. For the last lesson, I had to learn the basic moves such as omote (forward) and ura (back). I had to learn how to fall, how to roll and how to defend. This one was very challenging. I tried many times but I couldn't do it perfectly. So I kept on telling my self how to do the right way but I guess I wasn't brave enough to do it. Sometimes I still struggle and afraid to fall down or break my neck. It looks really easy and simple when the trainer did it. I need to learn how to be brave. In other hand, I thought Tai Chi was easier although it was pretty tiring. My neighbors invited me to do Tai Chi with them and since I like to move my body, I joined them. It was my first time and was a new experience to me. I really enjoyed doing Tai Chi in the morning with the sunlight. 

May 2

Yesterday, after I had my piano lesson, I went to the gym again in Jakarta. My purpose was to join the class again and while I was waiting, I did 150 sit ups. I thought using the materials in that gym was very easy. I could feel the muscle ache now and I thought it was very effective. After that I joined the modern dance class. This one wasn't as challenging as the class I did on Friday. This one was very easy I thought. Although the movements were easy, it became my inspiration again for my dance performance. Now, my goal is to be fit by the end of the month because I am helping with my sister's fashion show. I am helping her by becoming her model and wearing the clothes that she designed. Hopefully I will look good and make my sister proud and make feel everyone to be proud of her. 

One thing I am very happy about now is that I found out that I really like energetic activities, especially dance. In my own definition, dance could be called as the mixture or combinations of sports, music and art. Since I like all of these activities, I thought dance is the best thing to do so far. Sometimes it is hard to follow or even embarrassing because I am really bad at it. But I really enjoy it and I would like to continue dance as long as possible. I also enjoy Aikido because once I do it, it makes me sweat a lot and make me feel healthy. After the last galaxy concert on May 22nd, I might want to quit the band and focus more on these activities. Hopefully I could teach someone how to dance for my service next year. During the weekend, I also bought a proper sports pants for fitness/ dance. Overall, I thought being healthy is a very thankful gift. So I wouldn't want to waste it and do everything as active as possible while I'm still young and healthy.