4 Days Encounter of Indonesian Creative Youths; ARKI 2015 Batch 1

Text by Alifia Afflatus (13,5 y.o homeschooler)
Image by Didik Ristanto

Have you ever imagine if smart and creative youths from provinces in Indonesia assembled in the same spot, being in the same activities, built a best-friendship even when the chance for meeting was sorely short, and did not letting them go on the last opportunity for seeing each others? Have you ever? I never did, but I unexpectedly knew the answer of this that this occured to me. I faced a beautiful short lifetime unpredictably, and sure it was worthwhile, when I was in an encounter with creative teenagers from 25 Indonesian provinces. 

We spent overnights in the same hotel, trained in the same ballroom, and did activities in the same place for almost 4 days. Occured on the last 9-12 of December 2015, the encountering-media was organized by publishing group of Dar!Mizan and Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, and was being a place where me, and creative writers nor comicus from (scarcely) the whole provinces in Nusantara, met.

And yes, being one of those teenagers was something to proud of. It was ARKI 2015 or Akademi Remaja Kreatif Indonesia (the first batch), the event I deemed as the cause of these teenagers could meet where we made team, trained by awesome mentors, competed in a wholesome way, discussed, and wasn`t conscious that soon there emerged such chemistry between us, which made us bestfriend just in four days. Being in ARKI 2015 was not an expectation every teenager can achieve that only the chosen 100s could be in this academy, so yeah... Thanks Allah, I`m feelin` lucky! 

In this post, I don`t intend to write serious articles like usual. I just now write it in the most relax language that, I can put my heart in the story because, you know, the ARKI 2015 circumstance`s still being in my mind nearly in my whole day and the memories just made my day. So... I just hope you guys enjoy, especially my huge family (friends and license officers) of ARKI 2015. 

So, started from the moment when I first see you guys`s faces.

Initially were us, the academias or ARKI 2015 contestants being so shy and tactless in the first met. And gradually it changed that as more friends coming, more riddles and jokes were thrown between us, which brought us getting closer. Just like what happened to me in my team, which was the 5th team. 

And here are my hued journeys in ARKI 2015. Semoga menikmati, kawan-kawanku semua! 

Discussion and Solid Friendship

After the amiable license officers escorted me to the ballroom with several luggages of mine, I`ve gone to one round table where the fifth team sat, several members, the three of us didn`t come yet and I was like... "Hey guys, it`s me Alifia from Semarang and how `bout you?"

When these youths spelled theirs names and hometown, I inevitably forgot them faster than I expected. But as we frequently summoned each other`s name, I could remember their names. And as the night went sootier, I finally could see a distinct impression about them, and perhaps, the other ARKI academias did so.

This team was shy at first that sooner entailed us into interesting topics.

Remember guys, jokes are the needs to fulfill

Teenagers in Indonesia frequently seemed as those who waste time for entertainment and don`t make time for creating something. Different with these academias, I saw them as creative youths which were innovative and had the remarkable way of speaking, creating and throwing ideas. Here, I could wish that as ARKI organized, there`d be more creative youths born in Indonesia. Knowing that some of these academias had some interest of conversation, I used to take every opportunity to discuss with them as gratifiying as we could.

Guten morgen, der Morgen Plaudern

What had been special here, that was we could discuss in the most relaxing way, without any egoism or too much seriousness. Well that`s the great part of this meeting. We discussed everywhere like the discussion was only a simple conversation, sometimes about education system, or it came into world politic and social like zionism (wow it`s awesome to scrutinise), and more (we did gossip too about artist and so on, but not too much, and just for fun); in the bookstore, in the hotel resto nor inside the ministry building. Well, that`s kinda making me realize that I`m not alone, many teenagers had the same interest with me, many teenagers in Indonesia were actually potential, talented and could hold the guarantee of 'repairing' this tangled nation`s future... and yeah, that`s great.

And you know what? Out of expectation, out of prediction... We turned out into bestfriends (some assumed as bro and sist) faster than we thought before. It`s nice that, perhaps induced by the effect of appreciating the various dialects, cultures and some, face types between us, it could become easier, we could 'construct' a solid team. Not implied by how we won every game or award, solid team is only can be felt and cognized by the members themselves. And I just knew that my team was one of those teams in ARKI which was a solid one. 

Ummm just cheer up :/ :p

Listening to the instruction of.... OUR CHALLENGER!!! :v ya` seemed nervous, guys

Guess the song challenge!

To make it became way more awesome, we didn`t just make friend with those who`re in the same team. We made bestfriend with the other teams too. You obviously know that vast friendships is a thing that could be a life saver, believe in me! (y) :D

A selfie with my friend who`s a writer, Sherina.

Some paying attention to the coaching held by animator, Wahyu Aditya. But the others... uhmmm just don`t take it serious and, keep live chatting, haha!

 

 

Surviving The Troubled Hotel Room

Being ARKI academia means getting paid for accomodation, transportation, allowances and in many aspects. Well, how lucky I am to sleepover in a plush hotel with the rating which was not cheap (min. Rp. 600K), i mean, not cheap for 'traveler bolang' like me. But, do the expensive ones were always the ones who could give the best customers?

Uhmmm, let`s see.

Not really, not really, guys... It was so scary.

It was so scary...

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Yea it was SO SCAREEEEEHHHH!!! When I needed to flush the room toilet but the water wouldn`t come out at all, even after I waited for almost an hour, and the jet shower too, was leak so the water gushed out everywhere and damped me. So that time, I used to 'flush' the toilet only with two mouthwash glass until I got my hand was weary. 

Some of my friends also mumbled about the trouble of their bathroom shower, or the mineral water which are only served when we tell the receptionist (some other hotels offered the mineral waters before we order), and  not because Im spoiled. Just... just... water is the main need of body, good people!

Actually surviving in difficult situation was not new for me. If I could survive in the harsh and wild nature (in my periodic and frequent survival family camp) even if I faced difficult things, how came I couldn`t survive in a hotel where everything is easy? Bwuhh, of course I could. So the hotel trouble was not a big trouble, just a little bit exhausting, guys. Including when... I was lost in the wrong lift, and arrived in the wrong floor a.k.a the 12th floor, and I...

i was alone. And I survived! :D :p :v If you`re curious, I`m telling you at the end!

Mentored, Competed, and Received The Result

Of course one of the session of ARKI 2015 is competition, writing and drawing (comic) competition. But before the competition, there, was also the session for mentoring which was, for the fiction-writing, mentored by the writer of popular story Anak Kos Dodol -----> Dewi Rieka, hahaha, just really glad to meet this awesome author again. In fact, we`ve met in some occasions too, before. 

Some aspects that were taught here, were of course some tricks of writing appealing story, like, making appealing sentences in the first two pharagraphs, and more.

After getting mentored, we turned into the competition. The theme for fiction was anything about the special and specific uniqueness of zones in Indonesia, anything. And for the poem competition, I heard from my friend that the theme was about teenager`s life. Don`t know about the comic one :/ 

The winners were announced in the next day in the education and culture ministry building, where we also watched the performance of traditional dances and speech from important people who made this event proceeded. And the twelve lucky winners got a chance to have a photo with the education and culture minister of Indonesia, Mr. Anies Baswedan, and, getting his signature on the book authorized by him. So lucky. 

One candid, the day when we went to the ministry building was exhausting. No wonder, our friends layed down in the most relax way like relaxing in the beach :p

My silly face in the screen while writing seriously :D

 But I think, the academias who didn`t win yet, didn`t have to be down! Because, they took photos too with this popular and idolized minister, even few selfies which was funny to see *we`re coerced not to be sad, coerced not to be sad, coerced not to be sad...*

Anyway, the competition was not the reason for us to stop struggling here, for the winner nor for those who were not. It was just one media to dig more experience, and learn from it. Even, it seemed that not much that notice about the win-or-lose case. Nobody seemed to be scornful here for seeing their friends won the competition. Instead, almost accurately we were proud of our friends who won. Wish we could be the better academias and winners in the ARKI 2016, guys. Just pray it could be held again, and pray we could do a reunion. 

 Bookhunting At Gramedia Central Park

Every academia of ARKI 2015 should`ve been feeling lucky if they joined the education trip to Gramedia Central Park, the one of those GramediaS who`s the first getting its newest and most unique design with several themes in each chamber (woman, kid, sport, fiction, sport and health and more).

The trip was held in the third day of us in ARKI 2015 on the afternoon. By the buses, we finally could get in the central park. Being guided, watched a talkshow about the proccess of making and distributing books (or in short, book bussiness) and Gramedia`s experiences while opened to customers.

Was a cool performance before the talkshow.

 But the best part definitely was when each academia will get 20% discount for shopping books. Not to miss this chance, I bought a hidden-history book by Jonathan Black and National Geographic Traveler, that I`m a 'mbolang traveler'.

What? A sleepy and dizzy candid of my face while queuing, taken by my father

Graduated! But... Lost My Friends

Now, in the last part of this post, I`d like to write about the moment we`re graduated in the end of the night. After the announcement of the ARKI Choice Award winners (in such funny categories like the most caring, the most popular, the most calm, and more), the ARKI license officers or organizers just took us to a heartwarming moment, in the last night of us being in Twin Plaza hotel, really heartwarming...

It was the graduation night for all academias. We`ll be off from the degree "academia" and instead, we`ll be alumnus. It was something to proud of to be an ARKI 2015 of 1st Batch alumnus. But was also sad to be separated with friends which had been a big family here, when I`m far away from home *cieilehhh* 

The moment of afterthought, which made us cried

Well, really heartwarming.

 

Seeing my friends cried, and seeing them went home one by one (most went home on the next day, but some of them checked out tonight) was a reason for my patethical cry too. 

No wonder. Having good friends from provinces in Indonesia with different accents, culture and sometimes language, was a special thing. Moreover that we could turn into bestfriends in just four days. My next expectation, is just to make this friendship becoming perennial.

Not to spending time in sadness, me and two of my friends, Tata from Jambi dan Rahmah from Madiun used to put ourselves in a short but spooky adventure tonight. What`s that?

Yes, it was the spooky 12th floor. If you`re asking about what happened in this floor, I`ll tell you.

Like I have been telling about my sillyness in twelfth floor, I invited both of my friends to join the second time to go by lift to this floor. The floor where statues and realistic classic paintings were all around the room. The room was nebulous and a little bit sooty with red wall restricted it. It was also narrow and gave no fascia to get into any hotel bedroom. The situation was really spooky.

Like I`m telling you at first, I`ve survived alone in this spooky spot when I took the wrong lift. That time the lift stopped for many times on its way fetch me up so I was insisted to wait alone. Feeling 'accompanied by someone' in this room, I just spelled my prayers (I have fears too) and I was sweaty. But what happened when I did this with two friends?

The situation was still the same, spooky. But the good part, me and Tata was brave enough to take a selfie with one of the scary statue with my friend, Rahmah, kept concerning about us. #lol. This moment even made her saying, "oh my gosh I hate you guys, really hate you guys" and whined about this at night while we slept over (me, Tata, mbak Rahmah dan kak Najla) in their room. Haha :D *sorry mbak Rahmah... even though this is scary, it`s fun, right? :p 

And after we got trough this creepy spot, we finally could go back to our room, and did the sleepover that I`ve mentioned! It was so fun sleeping with three friends in a bed. Feeling narrow, but feeling the togetherness before we would be separated tomorrow.

Yes, tomorrow on our last morning here...

On the last morning in Twin Plaza Hotel with several friends left, Niar and Salsabilla from Kalimantan, Fida from East Java and Anya from Central Java.

  

Message and Thanks for My Friends in ARKI 2015

Do you realize, guys? If you guys don`t exist, this story won`t exist. So I`m thanksful to you all, my friends in ARKI 2015 batch 1 (my new big family). Also thanks to the license officers and oganizers, Twin Plaza Hotel, Dar!Mizan publishing group, Kemendikbud (education and culture ministry), and not forgetting to praise and thanking Allah SWT. and both of my parents who support me in my whole way reaching my dreams. Thanks alot, love you all. 

Friends, living in different states definitely made us could not always be together like we did in ARKI 2015, guys. But here, I would like to put on my message for you all, my friends. First is that, I hope we could build the closer friendship, not only with our team but with the whole 100 academias. And I hope we could support each other in being #TheNextCreators, keep struggling in reaching our greatest dreams, and insya Allah could encounter in the next ARKI 2016, despite I know some of you couldn`t be academia anymore that you`re going to be graduated from highschool. Anyway, I wish we could be reunited someday. Just pray, guys...

And the most thing you didn`t have to forget... Keep praying and become religious, respect and love our parents, caring others and this nation`s future... and of course...

Being as the motto we shouted out in every ARKI 2015 Batch 1 occasion. What`s the motto? Hakuna matata? Oh, no. Because our motto is to be

THE NEXT CREATOR!