The Aftermath
It feels extremely strange to be back. It almost feels like I should be back in Indonesia. I spent so much time there with Kipp and nobody else except the office that it feels odd to have the option to see my parents or friends leaving for school.
Being back after constantly being busy has changed my attitude an entire 180 degrees. I went from aggressively working for IIEE and trying to plan out enjoyable activities to sitting at home watching TV and applying for on campus jobs. At first, I felt guilty because I wasn’t being nearly as productive.
I am extremely thankful and lucky to have been able to go all the way to Indonesia to represent the Global Fellows program. During the trip, I experienced a wide array of people, sights, and foods but after the trip did I realize how much I have changed in my attitude. I knew during the trip some of the differences between the Indonesian and the American cultures but I didn’t quite understand the severely unlike ways that the people looked at everyday life. For example, the Indonesian people were generally just happier people. Now you might say that isn’t true, but you can agree that Americans are never truly satisfied with what they have.
This idea of never being satisfied can be looked at in two ways. One way is to think “I am constantly trying to better myself and I want more. That is why I am never satisfied.” OR “Wow this just isn’t good enough for me. I totally deserve more.” These two differing mentalities clash and can sometimes be overlapped but the fine line between the two has to be seen. Back to the main point that Indonesians are much happier people because of the APPRECIATION that they have for life. They truly appreciate what they have and make the most of their situation no matter how good or bad. Some of the “poorest” Indonesians I met are actually some of the “richest” people because of their amazing character and personality that I felt lucky to just meet them. Being back can be offsetting because I hear about my friends problems which don’t even compare to some of the problems experienced in Indonesia but do the native people complain? No, they don’t! They strive to work hard and keep pushing because quoting a native “the next generation or our kids deserve better.”
On a more business level, the saying “ it’s a small world” has never been so true in my entire life until now.” Kipp and I went to an Anglican church every sunday to meet and hopefully speak english with people of the Christian and Catholic nature. There we met a man who’s son was an engineer in San Jose! Someone from the city right next door and we met them in Indonesia! How extremely coincidental and amazing is that? Globalization has changed my view completely. At first I thought, everything I do is just a small part of a much bigger world that it is rather insignificant. After this summer, all I could think was, “wow, any little person can make a humungous impact.” That’s where globalization becomes a connecting factor no matter the situation. How crazy is it to think THE Tanya Bunger would just happen to meet an Indonesia energy sector member at a conference and then appoint interns or global fellows from Santa Clara all the way across the world to Indonesia? Absolutely unbelievable but it happened. Business is now not about who you actually know. It is about who will you know and who you may have the chance to meet. It is in human nature to be attracted to similar people. Business resembles this model by having driven and strong leaders be attracted to similar people who share the same passion and compassion. Talk to me in person and I will give you entire run down detail to detail.
Being back, as a person I realized I changed in many ways. Obviously, if you didn’t notice throughout my blog, I am much more appreciative of everything I have now. No matter how insignificant a detail, I make sure to be thankful. Also, while in Indonesia, I noticed how much I truly need people to fully strive. I am a very independent person and I can thrive in a lonely setting but nobody can reach their full potential without others. Kipp and I were great buddies there but not being best friends going into the trip, put a bisector between us. Him and I love each other and we are really close in our own ways, but there were times where him and I felt an empty loneliness. We both had people we missed and at times, we struggled. He missed his parents and girlfriend, and I missed my best friends from home. The loneliness might not have been as bad if we hadn’t left right after school ended. I finished school and then three days later I was off to Indonesia. No time at all to prepare or even catch up with friends. What I will admit though, is that I found a newfound strength and confidence in myself. Being in a country with only one friend, I realized I became more daring and sociable because I wanted to make new friends there also. This helps me develop my people skills and now I am even better at talking to friends parents. Overall, couldn’t ask for a more blessing experience and I hope to go back someday in the coming future.
