Yogyakarta and Indonesia, in Trice

This post is not a scientific review of the city. Also not the commentary from the experts. Sorry for make the unpleasant opening, but at least, i still can offer you something interesting, because this post will tell you about a honest opinion of nowadays real-time actual student of Yogyakarta about the city, and i think it is one of a valid sample to some research about how make the observation of the city of Yogyakarta.

The Steam Engine Monument, one of things that reminds me about Yogyakarta in the first sight. (source: wikipedia)

Yogyakarta, well known as city of student because there is a lot of academic institution here and it has significant difference number of these institution comparing to another district area. Another things that well known about this city is its beautifulness of the nature and Javanese culture, then some people think that it is also a city of tourism. I agree about this two big point, and will give you some description that can at least strengthen the opinion.

The Steam Engine Monument becoming one of the most iconic things for my journey in this city. It always reminds me about Yogyakarta in the first sight, precisely in August 2014. This monument just come to my eyes when i just leaving the Tugu Station, where my trains put me off from Tangerang (my hometown).

What my point in the Steam Engine Monument then? Here we come to the first big point: Yogyakarta as the city of student. Steam Engine Monument will not only be an iconic view for me, but also about 80% (not valid number but describing a lot) of other students. It means (just not as a public secret) that about 80% (again not a valid number) of Yogyakarta's college student are not Yogyakarta civilian. Then demographically Yogyakarta will be so dynamic (i just explain one of its common phenomenon in Period of Students Holiday). (The more valid data about the domination of urban immigrant in some of Yogyakarta colleges can seen in other post that soon i write, this post just purposely describe Yogyakarta in students viewpoint generally).

How it feel to being students and also immigrant in this city. Of coarse it will be so interesting, because i am not alone, i just part of the "big phenomenon". I can find a lot of students that come from a lot difference places in Indonesia (also sometime outside Indonesia). Some people then also say this city as the "mini Indonesia" where you can find the richest of diversity just by in here. Specifically in this 2 years, i have a lot of friends from Purwokerto (Middle-Java) and Padang (West-Sumatra) in my class, a lot of Medan (West-Sumatra) peoples in my Christian community, Jakarta people in some places (as usual, and some people also think Tangerang as Jakarta), and less but not too lack also friends from Kalimantan (like Bontang and Pontianak city), Sulawesi (Manado, Gorontalo, etc.) and 'in contrast' Papua.


Then according to my life (as a good source information for the 'students lifestyle observation' in Yogyakarta), i spend my time a lot in campus for make friends, join the student organization, and just following some interesting events. A lot of top Indonesian universities in low-price (but high in standard), we can find a lot of interesting events freely (some do it as a marketing strategy, but some then nicely do for just some social purpose). Here, one interesting things is the governor do some effort to keep the life-cost as friendly for students in every social class, so they will keep press it as 'cheap' as possible. Then, worth to say Yogyakarta as the city of students.

How about city of tourism? It strongly correlate to Yogyakarta Javanese culture. The wisdom in these value just being life in daily life of every people here.

to be continue in Part 2

39 Fun Facts about Gadjah Mada University

Balairung UGM (source: travelinghematnusantara.files.wordpress.com)

Gadjah Mada University (know as UGM) is a great campus with a lot of history behind. A lot of big figure take part to founding this great campus, in example Soekarno (Indonesian first president). UGM founded to prove the world that Indonesia can stand on his own feet in the era that colonialism just ended. Maybe you are the one of the next part of this great university, here we will present 37 fun facts about Gadjah Mada University.

**actually i translate it from local article in Indonesian language (berkuliah.com), i not write myself because i think that i just here for 2 years and not have enough capacity to describe a lot of things. By the way i study here now, and you may still ask a lot about my campus :D

1. All major has accredited in A score.

2. UGM's main building (known as Balairung UGM) is the first modern building in Indonesia.

3. Balairung's design inspired by old Greek buildings. Designed by Ir. Hadinagoro.

4.  The main building build with concept of Tri Hatta Karana, describing imaginary cosmologic line of Merapi Mountain at the north, The Palace of Yogyakarta at the middle, and the Kidul Sea at the south in one straight line.

5. There are 7 pineal behind the Main Building, symbolize the 7 Main Priest: Agastya, Brihgu, Bhargava, Bharadvaja, Kasyapa, Vashita, and Vismamitra.

6. It being the virtue of honesty, refuse to do bad act, refuse to not keep on promise, refuse to illegal things, refuse compliments, not to like filthy things and not to like luxurious things.  

7. Every Sunday, there is a street festival called Sunday Morning. This market sales a lot of interesting cheap-priced goods and a lot of students love to come in every week.

8. Officially established in Desember 19th, 1949, by Ir. Soekarno

9. Commitment to founding UGM started by prof. Ir Wreksodhiningrat, Prof. Dr. Prijono, Prof. Ir Harjono, Prof. M Sarjono to raise Indonesian value to the world.

UGM Logo (source: kuwarasanku.blogspot.com)

10. There are 3 parts of mening to the UGM logo. First, the center of circle means 'light' or 'sun' (Indonesian: sinar). Second, two circle outside the 'sun', "Gadjah Mada" words are inside the inner circle, "Universitas" and "Yogyakarta" words outside the outer circle, five sets of lights form a 'Kartika' or Five Side of Star. Third, five skull caps means honorary hat of a commander.

11. The beautiful UGM logo inspiring a lot of another logo.

12. In the earliest era of UGM, it is consist of 6 faculty: Dentistry and Pharmacy, Agriuculture, Medichal, Engineering, Literature and Philosophy, and Law.

13. UGM Campus Mosque is not part of UGM's assets.

14. The name of Gadjah Mada was taken from the name of Majapahit Kingdom's governer that have a vision about uniting the archipelago under Majapahit (as the origin of Indonesia).

Gadjah Mada (source: Wikipedia)

15. Soekarno President allow UGM to also keeping Gajah Mada's spirit in “Palapa” and '4 of life principles': Trisna tan Satrisna means there is no favoritism, Haniakan Musuh means there is no enemy, Satya Haprabu means obeying the authority, Ginong pati Dino means doing great everyday.

16. There is also a lot of spooky urban story about the campus. Some of them are ghost in the bridge of Agriculture, the flying head ghost and kuntilanak (local figure of myth) in Geography, Ms. Yayuk as ghost of eternal student at Faculty of Business and Economy, Swaragama's (Campus Radio) Ghost , ghost of South Science (MIPA Selatan) building, the Old Man Balairung ghost, the living cadaver at Faculty of Medical, and many more. One things to remember, it just a common myth without trusty source.

17. There is a lot of interesting culinary around campus. The Mrs. Wiro's Sego Pecel Traditional Restaurant (Indonesian: Warung SGPC Bu Wiro) is the one that very popular around the students by its great taste. The Mrs. Wiro's restaurant also already well-known about 40 years ago.

18. Student with sandals or t-shirt (or both of coarse) are not allowed to get inside most of UGM buildings.

19. UGM just also build Museum of UGM that explain the details history of the university. But it just unmaintained recently.

20. UGM also have an academic hospital that known as RSUP dr. Sarjito.

21. To be part of UGM, there is a super-selective academic test. Students of Gadjah Mada must be good in academic skills as the implication of UGM's high standart.

22. UGM's land area is about 300 ha.

23. UGM have a central food court with a lot of food variety (also facilitated with free hotspot area).

24. Most of UGM's facility are open for citizen of Yogyakarta, although they are not students or staff of UGM.

25.  UGM Residence is a dormitory that build for students. There are several location around the campus with different name: Bulaksumur Recidance, Cemaralima Residance, Darmaputra Residance, Klebengan Residance, Ratnaningsih Residance, and Kinanti Residance.

26. Cost for the dormitory is about Rp.350.000,- untill Rp.800.000,-.

27. Medical studies is the one of the prospective student favorite.

28. There are a lot of achievement collected by academician of UGM. As the newest example, Abdul Rohman as lecture of Pharmacy just getting the ProSPER.Net Young Scopus Scientist Award in sustainable agriculture development.

29. There are about more than 300 laboratory at the 18 faculties, 1 vocational school, and 1 postgraduate school.

30. UGM also providing students with campus bicycle. It purposely do for campaign the green act and reducing pollution and the use of non-renewable fuel.

31. In its international status, UGM keep the go green spirit as a principle.

32. UGM alma mater have a very good image in the society.

33. UGM also known as one of the best campus in Indonesia.

34. In spirit of populist, UGM keep make effort to allow everyone to can learn here without any doubt in cost. There is a lot of scholarship programs to help students survive in the city.

35. Bodhisatya Tree is the oldest and first tree at UGM. Bodhisatya just stand since about 50 years ago.

36. There is a couple of 80's Ford buses that still robust and used. There is also a lot of history about UGM founding story by this buses.

37. UGM located at the west side of State University of Yogyakarta (Indonesian: Universitas Negri Yogyakarta or UNY) campus.

38. Faculties are separated to several area and merged with the civilian houses as the uniqueness of UGM.

39. There are a lot of seniority principle between students. The seniority positively build as the teachings of Javanese culture to respect the older. Some of another Javanese teachings also being maintained as a precious principle of societies life.

There is a few of Gadjah Mada University fun facts. Every another campus also has itself uniqueness and history. They must be have reason and spirit behind every act that going in the academic life. Hopely can give a few of description how the campus life inside.

As translator, i also find a lot of subjectivity that maybe unpleasant, and sorry for that. You have another expirience or some another question? I will so glad to try to answer (but sorry for the subjectivity, i also just have been 2 years here). See you here!

Period of College Students Holiday

5th Kilometers of Kaliurang Street (as one of Gadjah Mada University main access) in Holiday Season

Okay hi, this is my first post in English, when Indonesian being my main and mother language. Not very nervous, because it just a blog. Some post in this blog purposely to share what happen around Yogyakarta's students society, especially around my campus.

Okay (you will find a lot of "okay"), this time i will take some description about "Period of College Students Holiday". What period referred here? It refer to about a couple of months (usually start on July and January) after the final term examination. It become an interesting period in Yogyakarta because some of students will leave the city and going to their hometown. Demographically (what a diction! haha), there will be a big decreasement of students, but also followed by increasement of holiday-maker.

I will give more detail information about the period. So where are demographic change happen almost? As Gadjah Mada's student, i can say some area in Sleman district like Pogung, Karangwuni, Klebengan, Sendowo (where i live), and Blimbingsari will be the most contrast. In these areas, a lot of food stalls (that provide my daily eating-need) are closed and the rest of students (who are not going back to their hometown) will suffer a lot in this condition.

Is the areas then will be so solitude? What i see is it isn't. That's why i said that there is a demographic change, because some of tourist from another city and also another country will come here. When this period is coming, i will see a lot Australian, European, East-Asia peoples and some another foreigners at churches, hotels, and also streets.

Is the campus being solitude? Hmm, i can say that it will be have a significant drop in students quantity (it is so normal, no lecturing activity!), but there still a lot of activity seen. Like some of student-orientation committees, students in competition business, and students that have a too far hometown, will spend their holiday in Yogyakarta. But in quantity, we can say that they are minority.

So for now, thats all that i can tell you about "the period". Want to ask more? Just give a comment below, gladly to answer it :D.