111th Week at ANU: Keeping My Spirit Alive!

Canberra, 22 February 2012

The last two months have been very busy.  We moved to the house next door (my dream house in Canberra, actually);  I have also presented my thesis update at MMIB PhD seminar on 13 February; and I accompanied Rifqi for his audition to contest for a spot at ACT Badminton Team (he got it!).  Fortunately, Rifqi is very independent in terms of managing his transition to his College education.  Overall, hectic but grateful!

As for my PhD dissertation, I am in the process of translating my field work interview transcripts.  Those transcripts have been neatly done by two graduates of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Indonesia, Widita Diah Kustrini, and Iqbal Saputra.  I have 593 pages of transcripts in Bahasa Indonesia in font 11, and space 1.15. If I translate it into font 12 and double space, it means I have more than 1,100 pages to be translated.  Well, that is part of my PhD life, I have to play different roles to get it done, and my role now, until mid of March, my role is a translator.

106th Week at ANU: Rifqi and I being away from each other for four months.

Canberra, 19 January 2012.

“I have never imagined before that when I am just 16, I should be able to survive in a foreign country for 2.5 months without my parents.  Now I really understand and appreciate your roles as parents in empowering me to be an independent person…” Rifqi, 4 January 2012.

During the last five months, Rifqi and I have been away from each other for about four months.   On 23 September 2011, I left Rifqi in Canberra with our housemates, Titik and Victor,  to start my fieldwork in Indonesia; then we met in Jakarta on 12 December 2011 to overlap for 3 weeks before I left again to Canberra on 6 January 2012.  I will see Rifqi again when he returns to Canberra on 1 February 2012 to start his school at Dickson College.

It is our annual ritual that my husband, Rifqi and I do our yearly resolutions to evaluate what we have done and to plan what we want to do during the year.  This year, we had a dinner at Midori Bintaro to conduct our discussion on 4 January 2012, two days before I left for Australia.

104th Week at ANU: Concluding my fieldtrip; sharpening my research design

Canberra, 9 January 2012

Time flies.  I returned to Canberra on Saturday, 7 January 2012 after a very productive 3.5 months in Indonesia.  No place like home.  I am so rejuvenated and thankful. Besides doing my fieldwork, being in Indonesia in the last few months have allowed me to reunite with my family and rebuild my professional networks and friendships after being away for two years.

My fieldwork at Astra ended on 23 December 2011.  Astra has provided me with insightful experience and understanding about the mechanisms by which CSR programs build social capital that contributes not only to sustainability of the company, but also to the prosperity of the society.

I have been so inspired by Astra’s commitments in achieving its very patriotic corporate aim: “to prosper with the nation”.  Being at YDBA office has allowed me to observe and experience how the company’s aim is being operationalized into actions.

95th Week at ANU: Sharing my passion on sustainable development

Jakarta, 25 November 2011

At the beginning of this month, my thesis proposal on corporate social responsibility (CSR), social capital and corporate sustainability were featured on Gatra Magazine, 4 November edition and AusAID’s Focus Magazine, October – December edition: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/focus/Nov11/focus-on-indonesia.pdf.

In the nutshell, I believe that CSR programs are the investment where the companies build social capital that will contribute to corporate sustainability.  As Elkington said, sustainable companies are the ones who care about people, planet, profit.

91st Week at ANU: Conducting my fieldwork; resettling nicely

Jakarta, 26 October 2011

No place like home.  My first month in Indonesia has been very rewarding although it is not easy for me to leave Rifqi in Canberra to finish his year 10 at Lyneham High School without my direct assistance.  Fortunately, we have two friends sharing our house with Rifqi: our housemate, Victor Wibisono, an undergraduate student at ANU, and my dear friend, Titik Anas, who is submitting her PhD at Crawford School of ANU. I am looking forward to seeing Rifqi again in Jakarta on 12 December 2011.

87th week at ANU: Beyond My Thesis Proposal Review

Jakarta, 26 September 2011

For the last two and a half months, my activities revolved around my thesis proposal review (TPR).   TPR is one of major milestones of my PhD.  It was indeed a serious business that I had to prepare really well.  My TPR was scheduled on 5 September.  To prepare, I have revised my proposal 12 times, wrote my presentation scripts, and practiced my presentation with my PhD colleagues, my housemates, and my supervisors. 

My speech at the Old Parliament House for the international student roundtable dinner

Canberra, 22 August 2011

The Australian Government Department for Education, Employment and Work Relations (DEEWR) invited me to speak at the dinner for the international student roundtable at the Old Parliament House on 22 August 2011.  The roundtable brought together 30 international students from around Australia to discuss issues around their experience of studying and living in Australia – and to identify solutions.  Students had been nominated by state and territory government as well as some of the key student bodies. They represent about 20 countries and are studying in a range of sectors. The dinner was also attended by representatives of the key international education peak bodies.  The Vice Chancellor of ANU, Professor Ian Young was also present. 

Leadership Qualities for Emerging Leaders

Distinguished guests, friends,

Good evening.

It is a real honor for me to have the opportunity to deliver this speech, and to share my journey with such a distinguished audience.

Leadership.  This is the topic that I will share this evening.  I will connect six leadership qualities with my leadership experience.  These leadership qualities are: confidence, integrity, connection, resilience, aspiration and faith.  Leadership is a never-ending learning journey. The more complex the environment, the higher level of leadership qualities is needed.

I will start by saying that leaders lead.  And the most difficult part is leading our own selves.  Because once we have leadership qualities within ourselves, then those qualities will sparkle to people around us.  We can motivate others only if people respect us as a leader with qualities.

82nd Week at ANU: From Indonesia with Love

Canberra, 29 July 2011

Rejuvenated!  Ah, it felt so good to be in Indonesia again after one and a half year in Canberra. My four-week (22 June to 19 July) trip back home has been very productive.  Personally, it has been good to spend good quality time with mas Ikong (my husband) and accompanied him to some of social functions as husband and wife… Really, some of our families and friends have been wondering how we manage our long-distance relationship, and it was nice for us and for them to see us as a couple. 

74th Week at ANU: Bouncing Back!

Canberra, 10 June 2011

I can’t tell you how happy I am when finally my supervisor and I agreed on the conceptual framework of my thesis.  The first draft that was discussed with my supervisor on 9 June was actually my 15^th working draft!   It took me more than four months to produce this 10,000 words document, consisting of literature review, theoretical framework and research methods.  Although there are corrections here and there, I am so relieved that now I can move on with my actual research plan. 

72nd Week at ANU: Quotes on My Gloomy PhD Days…

Canberra, 24 may 2011

“Getting a PhD is like getting pregnant for three to four years.  During this first one and a half year, on and off, I have been in labor pain for at least three months!”

 

“Sometimes PhD almost destroys my self confidence and self esteem.  Face it and deal with it! As long as I am not totally ruined, I can still win this PhD game!”

“There are times in the PhD process where I’ve done my best, but my best is not considered good enough. I just hope that this pain that I have to endure will create a better me…!”

Risa Bhinekawati, on her gloomy PhD days ….