A new dawn…

… that stings your eyes and burns your skin. The agony eats you inside out.

My sixth semester officially starts tomorrow. Blurgh. It will be a long one, with four six-weeks modules before another break. The Special Senses module (indra in Indonesian) is set to kick things off. Guess what my first day will be? A lecture-a-thon from 8 AM till 3 PM.

Despite my previous post, I haven’t moved a finger to get me back on track for a sound academic life. And for that reason, I am giving myself a pat on the back.

By the way, I got my hair cut today, which is predicted to speed things up in the morning quite considerably. Now I’m just hoping that people can still recognize me.

Which reminds me I have to get up early every-freakin-day for the rest of the semester. Then, the image of Jakarta’s abysmal traffic just ran through my brain. Add the current random stormy weather to that chaos. FML.

On a positive note, Glee is coming back this week :D My wish that the traitor Kurt will get eaten by a troll is not coming true anytime soon, but I am still very eager to watch the new episodes. Along with that, I have a safe supply of 30 Rock, SNL, and The Simpsons to prevent back-to-school blues. Not to mention the steady stream of CSIs in AXN and the new season of American Idol.

Oh yeah, I am also very excited to work with the new “season” of AMSA-UI (the AMSA chapter in the University of Indonesia). We shifted the day-to-day leadership towards our juniors; hence, I am looking forward to even more fresh ideas and clever executions. At the same time, we starting the recruitment process for new AMSA members. Ah, new addition to the family :))

And, in three weeks, I will be going to Yogyakarta for yet another AMSA Indonesia event!

Wish me luck and pray for my sanity.

EAMSC 2011: Sights

Bangkok is a beautiful city, you gotta give’em that. There is barely a corner not adorned with Thai culture. Wondrous wats, small shrines, all a pleasure to see. It probably helps that the Thai language has its own script, making everything feel much more exotic *LOL*.

The EAMSC organizing committee treated us to selected essential Bangkok sights. Amazing sights + wild friends = we’re making scenes everywhere.

We all went for a dinner cruise on the Chao Praya river on the second night. Exceptional food followed by pounding music got the river rockin’! Thank goodness we were on an exclusive boat; can’t imagine how other tourists would have reacted to the riot we cooked up. For a night, there was Lady Gaga on the Phraya!

By the way, the title of this post obliges me to tell you that the cruise passed by the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, several bridges, and … some other buildings. They looked so elegant at night, but alas, my camera (or rather my photography skill) wasn’t enough to capture all the glory.

Wat Arun, Temple of Dawn

Somewhere along the river, we passed by another dinner cruise ship, which looked like a snoozefest compared to ours :D

The third day was spent in the Grand Palace complex, which includes Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of Emerald Buddha. Everything inside does the word “Grand” justice; totally marvelous. The temple itself was closed for visitors because apparently there’s a mass prayer for the King of Thailand’s health that day. It was touching how hundreds of monks and laypeople come together to wish him well. I don’t even dare to imagine such thing happening here.

This guard’s gonna give Buckingham Palace a run for its money 

Another bit of info, all 30ish Indonesian delegates wore batik that day because we had a country exhibition session. Our booth, showcasing traditional customs, snacks, arts, and crafts, was a hit! A friend even brought a batik-making set.

After the exhibition, we batik-ed up the Grand Palace and … the ladyboy cabaret show later that night o_0 Let’s all come clean, everybody enjoyed the show (although I would prefer a beter word rather than “enjoy”. “Enjoy” simply doesn’t sound right in this context) because we knew they were ladyboys and we were ready to accept their shortcomings in the, let’s say, female anatomical proportions. Otherwise it would’ve been a cheesy batshit-crazy show.

Let me save you the trouble of shouting: “WTF!?”

 Wonder”Girls”, or perhaps QuestionableGirls

Our last sightseeing trip took place on the last day. After the closing ceremony, we went to the Bang Pa-In Palace in Ayutthaya, which is supposed to be the summer palace of the Thai royalty, if I’m not mistaken. Apparently, it is a sprawling complex full of various magnificent buildings of different styles. A Chinese palace (or a temple, really couldn’t tell) on one corner, a Thai building on another, and European houses here and there; complete with a lake, a lookout tower, and a bridge with Roman statues . Stunning place, but sadly not enough shade from the scorching sun.

A good thing about the heat was that we decided to rent golf carts to explore the vast area. I took a turn driving it, Jakarta style!! And I assure you, we didn’t have to do CPR on my passengers – or reconnect anyone’s limb, if you are wondering.

This is LJ from South Korea, who became an impromptu cart driving instructor

Thank you for putting up with my less-than-perfect economical photography ;p and here is another group picture, this one in the Grand Palace court.

EAMSC 2011: Academics

AMSA conferences, be it the AMSC or EAMSC, always have an interesting academic component. The topics chosen are very relevant and close to medical students. The theme for EAMSC 2011 was Adolescent Health with the tagline "Embrace the Future, Better the World”. The academic program included a lecture, group discussions + presentation, site visits, and competitions.

As a whole, the program was interesting and painless – we learned so many new stuffs without realizing. Well, mostly because we spent so much daytime in snooze mode; but trust me, we actually gained tons of knowledge to share.

The academic program was opened with the keynote lecture “Global Overview on Adolescent Health” by Dr. Maureen Birmingham, WHO representative to Thailand. (Now that I’ve just realized how important her lecture was, I feel so bad not taking a picture of her :( She’s in the photo below, on stage wearing the white jacket).

 She presented adolescent health problems by the numbers, putting them into perspective. The usual suspects are there: maternal death, infection, NCDs; but what caught my attention, despite forgetting the numbers, was how high the mortality rate of injuries is. Traffic crashes are taking the lives of so many teenagers, especially guys. Indonesian stats went on screen when she highlighted the results of Global School Health Survey regarding injuries, bullying, and smoking. For these, I wrote down the numbers but they are too depressing for this blog. This is a happy blog!

The group discussions were very informative since each member shared the perspective of his/her own country. The 20 groups were divided into 7 topics, ranging from the “traditional” issues (sex abuse, tobacco) to “modern” issues (eating disorders, obesity). My lovely group 15 discussed about alcohol addiction. It is an intriguing topic but I don’t know where Indonesia stands there. We seriously need to tickle more data out of this huge population.

The results of the discussion was presented in the last day. Groups were free to choose how they will share the results, and my group opted to perform a role play. My creative friends concocted an light-hearted alcoholic version of A Christmas Carol complete with the three Ghosts of Alcoholic Past, Present, and Future. Everybody had a good laugh during our performance. By the way, I starred as a drunk-driving grandma-hitting “Scrooge” of the future. Pretty violent and so much fun :D

 

In the scientific paper competition, my team and I represented Indonesia with our paper on sexual abuse victims in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. Before the conference, we had been selected into the Top 10, which meant that our presentation would be judged. It was a nerve-wrecking experience, especially the Q&A session. We didn’t place in the Top 3; but scores aside, I think we did surprisingly well. The presentation went without a hitch and the questions were all answered, more or less. In fact, I was very proud of myself, I learned a lot from the experience, and I am looking forward to represent Indonesia again in the next conference. Insya Allah.

There was also a poster competition. My friends from Pelita Harapan University represented Indonesia with their poster on teenage pregnancy. Their scientific and public poster won them 2nd place, congratulations :) And again, I feel bad for not taking a picture with their poster T_T

My favorite public poster was Hong Kong’s, which brought the issue of gaming addiction. Another poster that left a good impression was Singapore’s poster about teenage depression.

The site visit took place in Rajavithi Hospital. There was a lecture on how bad the effects of alcoholism are on an individual and on the society as a whole. It was quite compelling if the professor didn’t try to cram a phonebook-load of statistics into a presentation right after lunch. So, instead of enlightening, the lecture was sleep-inducing. I would be very grateful if I can grab the handout, though. This is our group picture before the ordeal.

And once again, words will never suffice in sharing the wonderful experience of EAMSC 2011. Joining AMSA is definitely one of my best life decisions :))

EAMSC 2011

Happy New Year!

I can’t be happier that my 2011 started with a loud bang! I just got back home from attending the East Asian Medical Students’ Conference (EAMSC) 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand. EAMSC is one of AMSA International’s two conferences and it is held annually in the beginning of each year.

The theme of the 5-days conference was Adolescent Health: Embrace the Future, Better the World. Like previous AMSA conferences, there was the perfect mix of academic, social, and cultural activities – sleeping is so not in the agenda.

I was put into Group 15 with Ju and Peace from Thailand as our group moderators (GMs). There had been only 9 out of 18 group members in the opening ceremony, but everybody finally got together in the opening dinner. And that was the birth of our friendship :)

I, with my team from Indonesia, represented the country in the scientific paper competition. It was definitely a first for me, and as terrified as I was back then, I am looking forward to doing it again. We placed in the Top 10, but did not get into the Top 3. Congratulations to the Malaysian team, who won the paper competition.

Besides the competitions, the academic program also included PBL-style discussions, site visits, group presentations, and community service. The community service program took me by surprise. After learning many issues on adolescent health, delegates to the EAMSC paraded with banners and flyers around MBK Center and Siam Paragon to raise awareness. We certainly turned many heads that day, although some looked more confused than aware. Nevertheless, I think we did a pretty good job for an exhausted bunch of random Asians.

AMSA conferences end with a cultural night, in which each country performs their bits of traditional and modern culture. Indonesia certainly rocked the night with our noisy combination of acting, dancing, and singing. Do I have to say sorry for introducing the dreaded dangdut in EAMSC? LOL.

 

The last picture is the full member of Group 15, with only one person missing :(

Stay tuned to this blog because there will be more of EAMSC, and me!

AMSC: Jakarta upside-down

Life has been extremely good to me. Right now, I am currently on a long holiday. I’ve had 3 weeks and I still have another 3 ahead. If the absolute number is not that spectacular, let me put it in perspective. Other unis, especially the med schools, have shorter holidays than I do; in fact, some of them only get two weeks of time off. However, holidays are but facts of life. I need something more, something monumental. Thus, to top my happiness, I had the privilege to be a part of Asian Medical Students’ Conference (AMSC) 2010 in Jakarta Indonesia.

AMSC2010 is held by Asian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) chapters of University of Indonesia (UI) and Pelita Harapan University (UPH). It was a week-long conference, from July 25 to July 31, with Geriatrics as its main theme. Participants come from countries with local AMSA, most of them in Asia. In Jakarta, they are treated to a vast array of scientific, social, and cultural activities; not to mention the opportunity to build connections and, most importantly, friendship. Many submitted their entries for the paper, poster, photo, and movie competitions; all of them are wonderful, some emerged as winners.

From Southeast Asia, there were delegates representing Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Other Asian countries in the conference are Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Palestine. Additionally, we were more than happy to welcome delegates from Australia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

So what makes the title of this post?

It comes from my personal experience during the conference. First, the conference required me to be in parts of Greater Jakarta I have never known that well. If it wasn’t for AMSC, I would’ve never been to UPH’s campus in Karawaci. The second day took place in Sapta Pesona building, which is the office of Tourism Ministry and in the Balai Kota for dinner. I knew the places, but that was the first time I went there. On the third day, I accompanied delegates to Kelapa Gading Mal, a giant hunk of a supermall made up of 5 malls. I’m not familiar with the mall, so it kinda felt like trapping them into a maze. And the most surprising discovery is…that there is a nursing home for the elderly very near to my house and I’ve been passing the location for as long as I’ve lived. I have to thank the organizers of the social visit.

Second, I was trained to see Jakarta in a very different light. While following the delegates everywhere, sometimes they ask me about the things they see: traffic jams, huge shopping malls, the capricious weather, strange foods, and all the little bits. I’ve been to Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the UK so I can see where the question comes from. For example, the girls are just blown away by the sheer number of shopping malls in the city because Australia simply does not have half as many. On the other hand, I gained new insights from other delegates like Mongolia, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

Last, there was a lot of movement. My house is in South Jakarta, almost at the southern tip of the province. Each morning, I have to outrun the delegates to the venue of that day. After the day is done, I tag along as they return to Mercure Hotel in Ancol. Ancol is in the very north of Jakarta. Heck, the hotel is by the beach! Not less than 3 times did I ride a taxi from north to south, at midnight the earliest. I once got home at 2AM and had to wake up again at 5AM.

Despite the ‘hardship’ I had to endure, AMSC is truly an unforgettable experience. New friends, great times, amazing activities, and tons of fun! Thanks to Facebook, it is even easier to keep in touch with people from all corners of the shrinking globe. I was in a deluge of friend requests, comments, and photo tags. Nothing more I could ask.

A short pause in Palembang

 Last weekend, I took a very brave break from the ever-increasing studyload: I went to Palembang, South Sumatra, for AMSA Indonesia’s 25th national meeting. A bit of background first. FKUI has a vast array of student organization with a gamut that runs from the scientific to the stark raving mad. I chose to go easy on myself and picked only one to join. That happens to be the Asian Medical Students’ Association. AMSA-UI is the local chapter of AMSA-Indonesia, which is a member of AMSA International. I survived the year-long selection, and long story short, I genuinely enjoy being a part of the AMSA family.

I took off to Palembang on Friday, right after the last plenary session in the second year of med school. I arrived at about 4.30 PM and was picked up by the committee from AMSA-Unsri (Sriwijaya University). The opening ceremony was held at Griya Agung, kinda an equivalent of the state palace. Delegates were asked to don traditional costumes, a request I resourcefully fulfilled. I’m not the kind of guy who dress up, so instead of going all fancy, I opted for a white shirt, black pants, and a sarong for accessory. It was Jakarta enough for me.

Saturday was mostly filled by the meeting itself, over which I presided. On that task, I was accompanied by two other delegates, one from host Unsri and another from UGM (Yogyakarta). Half of the meeting was spent for yearly report from each university with AMSA. AMSA Indonesia had 20 members, 18 of which attended the meeting; the meeting also welcomed 3 new members. Therefore, there are now 23 univs in AMSA Indonesia. The meeting ended with the national leadership’s report and the election of advisory board.

The fun part of the day was dinner. We were treated to a feast at Riverside Restaurant on the waterfront of Palembang’s famed Musi River with a view of the Ampera Bridge. The whole span of the bridge, and also its two soaring towers, were lit up to crown the night sky. The program for the night is quite entertaining. In spite of Along with some singing, there was a presentation for Makassar’s bid to host the national work meeting in September and open campaign for the next AMSA Indonesia’s top post, Regional Chairperson (RC). The campaign was heated but friendly, like the atmosphere in a real family debate.

On Sunday, we had a meeting in the morning and an excursion after that. The meeting continued the previous night’s Q&A session for the candidates and then voted the new RC. Right after the meeting, delegates were taken by bus to a pier in the Musi River near the dinner venue. We were then spread to a number of wooden motor boats to go to Kemaro Island in the middle of the river. The island is somewhat far from the pier, and as we approached the island, the Musi gets wider and wider. I have already known that the Musi is big, but I had no idea that it was so big that huge ships can be anchored in the middle.

 The Kemaro Island is a small island with a pagoda and Chinese temple. We had a picnic in its park and savoured Palembang’s renowned cuisines: pempek, martabak HAR, tekwan, model, and mie celor. It was a real picnic where we sat together on a mat, enjoying our meals. The trees provided a welcome shade from the blazing sun, and wild chickens are closely spying on us – or our meals, they didn’t say which. It was undeniably the best meal during the whole weekend. Another highlight of the island is the Tree of Love. Despite its name, couples are advised against taking pictures there as it may, let’s just say, predispose them to breaking up. Don’t ask me why.

 

I flew back to Jakarta that evening, and exams are ‘eagerly’ waiting for me. Well, at least the trip refreshed my mind and motivates me to work hard so I can go to Makassar this September. But seriously, I have to work on my exams. I have an acid-fast bacilli staining for M. tuberculosis lab test and clinical skills quiz tomorrow (Thursday). Next week, I must brace for a storm of three exams: anatomy lab test, the integrated lab test, and the second summative test.