Being Asked Out

So last week someone in my research group asked me out. It was so sweet though, the way he did it.
Oh BTW I told my pacar already, so yea, no worries, no cheating attempt here. LOL.

So yea I have known that guy since first time I joined the group already, but we never really talked or whatever. I think he is somehow cute but it's not like I have a crush on him or whatsoever.
Beside, I feel that I'm a lil bit "jaim" at school. So if I like someone, I'll just be really active on the conversation. But if he didn't do anything, then I'd do nothing either. So yea basically my pacar is the first official guy that approached me. No one from my school yet, until this other guy. But I was quite flattered, since I think he's an OK candidate actually. Hahaha.. But well..

He added me on FB one day and then about a week ago I was surprised there was a message from him.

Isn't it pretty cute? LOL. Anyway I said yes at first, and then talked to my friends about it. Some of them encouraged me to just go on that date with him but some said well that is basically cheating. Haha.. So yea I then messaged him again saying that I actually have been seeing someone. His answer was like this.

And when I replied back, I was trying to really make him feel better. So I told him that I was thinking to still go out with him since I think he is interesting. But I don't feel that's a good idea. So he then said that he actually wouldn't mind if I was seeing someone else. That only means this wouldn't get serious. LOL. Oh well, nah boy. I will get in trouble for that. Ain't no time for me for any messing around again. I need something that I can really hold on, at least.

So yea. But when I was talking to pacar, he actually didn't mind either if that was what I want. Hahaha.. My pacar is crazy! Well he always is and I knew it :)

And then when I was on the phone with mum yesterday, I just randomly made that conversation,

"ma, ada yang ngajak ela kencan loh"

"jangan! orang2 disana itu free sex. nanti kamu bisa hamil, repot. ato tau2 mereka punya aids, kan ngga tau"

When I told pacar bout this conversation, he laughed and said, " oh I love your mom.."

Tuition Fee

It is not something new to know that the education in the U.S is considered really good compare to most other countries, but to know also the cost of the tuition, sometimes I can hardly understand. It is very very very expensive! Even for a public school. Somehow I feel so blessed that I went to undergraduate school in Indonesia, and in a public school like ITB cos I think it was very cheap. Well I don't know for now though.

I was talking with one of my classmates one day about the printer in school. Lately there had been an announcement email to tell us to be more considerate in using the printer cos it is not cheap (like the inks, papers, etc). So when we talked about that, she (my classmate) told me that our tuition fee is expensive, so why they even bother tells us something so small compare to the tuition fee. Well basically I got scholarship, so I can't complain. But then it triggered me to ask her, if she pays for her school by herself. Cos basically for me, a master program especially in engineering and science should be free. Cos not everybody can do that, or motivated enough to do that.
Long story short, she told me that she didn't get scholarship (she applied to one of the research groups at Mines but did not get accepted), but she was lucky enough that her parents are willing to pay for everything. Even more shocking, she did undergrad twice! So she graduated from Math, didn't like the job for Math graduate and then did another undergrad in Geophysics. Annddd now she is taking master in Geophysics. Can you imagine how much money her parents had spent for her? Wow!

Anyywaay so she was also telling me that it is different case for her boyfriend. He basically took a student loan for paying his undergrad and grad study. He ended up owing the bank about $90K and now that he has graduated, he has to pay around $1000/month for 15 years!!! Crazy, eh? It is almost like paying for mortgage. Tsk tsk. I think that's unbelievable, especially if someone is smart enough, why would they need to pay that amount of money for education?
Anyway again, he is lucky enough that he got hired by an oil company. So at least he would get enough income to pay for that. Well, considering he won't get laid off during this oil price crisis.
But this "student loan" thingy is very common in here. Many people have to do that to be able to get better education and end up having to pay for the loan for the rest of their lives. I remember one time my other classmate was telling me that he once worked as a janitor in some building just to pay for his school. He was even shocked that I was shocked. He asked me, "Sheila, have you not ever had to work to pay for your undergrad school?" Err... no? I kinda feel bad when I realized that I was luckier than most people, I guess.

So I started to think, well, I know also that my tuition is not cheap. Every semester I got my tuition paid by my research group and it is around $18K/semester. It is also that expensive because I am considered as "out-of-state" student. If I were "in-state" student, I would be paying around half of it, I think. And I could get that status if I have Colorado residency. So, that tuition times 4, cos I will be here for 4 semesters, it is around $72K. Although I think on my 4th semester I would be eligible for reduced tuition because by that time I would only need to take research credits, no classes. Well consider it around $60K then. Could be more, actually. And then I get stipend for around $1200/month for 2 years (minus summer time) so it is about 18 months time $1200, it is around $22K. Basically the research group ends up spending money for me almost $100K! Can you imagine if I had to take student loan for that? Wow.

Anyway again, I was thinking about it also because one of my colleague at work was telling me that he wanted to go back to school also but he was worried that he would get pushed to resign and not getting any compensation (retirement plan kind of thing). Cos basically the rumor now is that when I finished school ( I am taking Leave Without Pay now), and go back to Indo, the company I am working at won't welcome me, nor they will fire me and give me compensation. Basically they will just making me high and dry for as long as it can be and I file for resign by myself.

Well I don't know about that colleague of mine, but for me, a $100K of education plus experience and a degree, worth getting fired (without compensation) from the company I'm working at now.

Lesson

Living in the U.S has taught me a lot of things, beside of course to be a better geophysicist. LOL.
I learned how to cook, how to clean (the house, my bedroom, my clothes, dishes, etc etc), how to really watch my finance, and basically take care of most things by myself. And it hasn't even been a year now. To think about it now, eventhough I really miss getting a secured finance, I do really really really (did I say really already?) feel grateful for getting this opportunity.

Today I have just successfully made "sambel". LOL. It is because an Indo lady was selling it for $5 (I honestly don't know how much would it be), but I think it is too expensive! Well of course if she would have sold it cheaper, then how come she would make a profit? Hahaha..
Oh well, anyway, this morning I run into Asian Mart to buy Thai chili (the closest one to Indo's cabe) and shallots. I used blender to mix all of it, added a lil bit of tomatoes (stealing my landlord's), a little bit of anchovy and added salt, sugar, MSG (don't judge me!) and fry all of it. Yummy!!! It was very spicy though!! LOL.

But I'm so so so frickin proud of myself. If I was in Indo, there's no frickin way I would make it my own. But maybe I would, next time I live in Indo. Maybe. Will see if everything I have learned here would still be done by me in Indo or not. LOL.

Anyways again, I was also thinking, as what I have written on this blog also, about the story of me applying for school in the U.S, I almost bailed. I almost bailed until my friend told me to APPLY IT NOW OR NEVER! And I did.
I was thinking, man, it is still quite unbelievable. I know it has been almost a year now, but it is still something I can't really believe. Had I not applied, I would not have come here, would not have stayed in this house, would not have known my landlord, would not have known her son, which is my current BF :)

Oh well maybe you would think, "well isn't life like that? You choose one path and you might have chosen different path, it leads you into something else, different. Maybe if you hadn't come the U.S, you would still have met someone else in Jakarta, for example."

True. But I'm really really happy at the moment. And I don't think I have been this happy for the last couple of years. And for that, I thank the path I have chosen :)
I have no clue whatever will happen in the future, like all of us do, but I'm just.. truthfully, grateful for the place I am standing right now.