TYO RAHARDJO

Today at dinner my host mom told me I’ve changed a lot since I first met her. I thought to myself “really? have I changed? Am I not the same person the first time I stepped my foot on this foreign country?”. Looking back, I think she’s right. It’s been a food for thought for me thinking about what would I become had I not gone from my homeland, leaving my childhood friends and family I cherish, even with my baby brother who I don’t really have a great relationship with. Will I have the same personality, way of thinking, and attitude? I mean, I was timid, I was always the one whom got his dreams laughed at, and I was never the one who owns himself. All of a sudden, a bright light strikes through a long dark alley of my mind and I said “I am a changed man!” I’ve never been this confidence my whole life, I’ve never been this daring and my brain just works in a totally different manner than say 3-4 years ago. But that’s what you call “growing” right? But will I grow in the same fashion had I not left? I learn how to own myself in here, become more independent and have a lot bigger responsibilities than most of my peers. I am exposed to a whole lot of knowledge and experience having the easily-accessible internet connection and from living around people with different backgrounds and life experiences. I think that I am totally blessed to be a privileged kid with supporting parents who would do anything to help live their son’s dreams. But now, I still have goals that I haven’t even thought of start working on yet, and that would definitely be my homework to keep fight for everything I have set for.