Dua minggu lalu, saya diminta memberi pidato di acara seremoni dengan para Profesor mentor dan petinggi Temasek Foundation di NTU. Profesor mentor adalah orang yang ditunjuk untuk ‘menemani’ para peserta LEaRN Programme selama mereka kuliah di NTU. Satu profesor meng-handle 1 - 3 orang. Tugasnya diantaranya adalah untuk memberi advise seputar karier kita dengan mempertimbangkan kemampuan diri dan segala kesempatan yang ada. Maka, jadilah kami-kami ber-60 yang ikut program ini serasa ‘hidup’ kembali, setelah mulai agak bosan tinggal di S’pore.

Kalau soal Temasek, I guess you know who lah! tapi yang datang kemaren itu adalah jajaran eksekutif dari Temasek Foundation-nya, nama CEO-nya Mr. Benedict Cheong. Nahh, mereka inilah yang bayarin kita semua, Sin $ 12,500, dalam bentuk uang kuliah, tiket pesawat, uang saku, dll.

Yang jadi ‘penting’ adalah, di acara itu saya ditunjuk untuk memberikan pidato (tetep ya, Narsis). Entahlah, atas pertimbangan apa saya ditunjuk untuk koordinator acara ini, mungkin karena saya salah satu yang paling ‘berisik’ dan ‘terkenal’ diantara temen-yeman satu program. Huhehehe. Oiya, dua kata itu bisa berarti positif sekaligus negatif lho :D. Akhirnya saya bersedia, dan ternyata saya nggak sendirian, ada Yu Yao juga dari China.

Nih, saya kutipkan speech saya yang lima menit itu

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- Greeting -

Ladies and gentlemen

I still remember a life segment of mine, about 2 months ago

I was starring to the sky, thousands feet above, on my flight from Jakarta to S’pore

I was thinking about what I’m gonna head up here. I was wondering about what type of person I’m gonna meet, what kind of environment I have to live in, and what things I would be doing, as I’d chosen to be here for following 5 months.

I kept thinking whether I’m gonna be survive or not, gonna be fail or succeed.

Off the record. This is the first time I used my passport.

The questions were all answered in a short time. The first LEaRn ceremony introduced me to outstanding students from the region. Not only smart, but also kind, funny, and loveable. 

The community service also teaches me many things. I’m working with the children who are unlucky with their life. We give tutorial for them and keep them up with spirit to be a better person. We are here not only for study, but also for giving something to anybody.

And also I have to mention the delicious food, clean and tidy environment, modern transportation, beatiful sightseeing, and people’s warmth, as reasons to fall in love with Singapore.

In behalf of all my friends, I also want to say thank you to Temasek Foundation who supported this program.

It is true that the tuition fee costs few thousands dollars

Air ticket is some hundred dollars

Stipend, food, living cost is some other dollars.

But I’m sure, we do agree that experience and friendship here, are priceless

Someday, when one of us be a leader of their country, be CEO of multibillion company, moviestar, or whatever, We will always remember this moment.

Thank you

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Nggak perlu diceritakan betapa senang saya setelahnya. Tepuk tangan membahana di beberapa bagian pidato yang memang saya rancang jadi ‘killing sentence’. Saya disalamin dan dipeluk oleh Mr. Cheong. Beberapa Profesor ngajak kenalan, huehehe. Dan yang paling penting, wajah saya sudah pasti masuk DVD dokumentasi LEaRN Programme. Asik asik. Wakakakk