God has plan (part III)

I was no one.

I applied for several (3 or 4) scholarships in 2014 and they all got rejected (:sad)

But wait, I had a dream.

Remember when I told you I wanted to study abroad? I mean it.

What doesn't kill you make you stronger

My previous failure of applying for an exchange program taught me to be more prepared. From the very beginning of the 5th semester, I noted all information about exchange programs that I could apply. I made list of them (name, link, application deadline) and put it on the sticky note on my laptop as reminder. But, in fact, of dozens of programs I noted, I only made application for 3 of them. And due to my deadliner habit I only succeeded to apply for only one :)))

The first one was Erasmus Mundus AREAS+ that I applied on mid December 2014. I almost failed to apply since I had just realized I still had not completed the document 4 days before the deadline. And it was because I didn't know what 'secondary school diploma' meant due to my bad English :')) But after googled it, I found that it might be my 'ijazah SMA' LOL. It was Thursday almost-midnight and I hadn't had the translated diploma yet. I don't know how and where to translate it and how much time it will take. I almost gave up. I already called my mother. There was my high school friend stayed at my room that night but I didn't think she knew me crying :))) But, in the next morning, I try to find a way out of that problem. I remembered that Kopma provided translation service and I also looked for an alternative place. Unfortunately, Kopma couldn't finish it before Tuesday so I went the alternative one I found which was near UNY aaaand Alhamdulillah Allah always gives a way for one who's trying :') My application was completed and I had to wait for 3 months to know the result.

You may guess that the other two were failed, right? Definitely, yes. And it's because of my foolishness. The second program I applied for was YSEP (Young Scientist Exchange Program)  held by Tokyo Institute of Technology. I already knew about the information since October 2014 but UGM hadn't opened the call for application. So, I prepared the documents required but the recommendation letter. I already requested it to my lecturer and she agreed. But since there wasn't any certainty when the application would be opened so I told her I would inform her again soon. Before I left Jogja for Kerja Praktik in Jakarta on January 2015, I entrusted my documents to my friend, Rifqi. And one day, I looked at the OIA UGM website, I was surprised that the YSEP application had already opened for one week  and it was only one week left till the deadline! (One of OIA's bad side is they often inform something when it's close to the deadline). Finally, I hadn't got the recommendation letter and due to my fault as well, there was a document that should be reprinted by my friend. And because it used Japanese (actually there was the translation as well) and my friend got confused to print it so he couldn't give the documents to OIA in time :")) such a futile work :") 

AND the last one was Erasmus Mundus LOTUS+ that had deadline on March 1, 2015. The one that I had already applied last year. But due to my foolishness I was late to apply because I still uploaded the documents required when the application was closed :") so close, you know, I suddenly got silent and laughed at myself. Got shocked for minutes, then rolled on my bed and finally cried (sorry if I often cry) :v  Well, lesson taught by those cases was there is also time when "better late than never" is not applicable.

It was already March, which meant that AREAS+ result was going to be released. I checked the website daily but there was no clue when exactly they would release it. I was so impatient that I sent the the consortium an email asking for the date but they didn't reply it. Then, the next 3 days, March 18, it was 2.30 pm and I was about going to college when I suddenly thought of checking my email first. I turned on my laptop and opened my email and got surprised by my new inbox from AREAS+ with subject: the result outcome. I clicked the the email with my hand..shaking. The email directed me to open my account. I logged into my account with my holding breath and then saw this:

Couldn't believe my own eyes at first but then....... I cry, again :"))) 

After all, Allah had His plan to answer my praying. All these struggles were priceless. And until now I still can't thank Him enough for the opportunity He gave me. Living in Italy for 10 months was never be in my childhood dream. And it won't be as well since it's already become true. I will be able to step on Europe with my own feet, see it with my own eyes, and feel every part of it with my own body. I thought I was the one who convinced myself not to give up. But I was wrong. It was Him.

Alhamdulillahirabbil'alamin. May this opportunity will benefit me (iman, ilmu, amal) and people around me. Thank You for the precious present. Please, keep protecting me on Your right way :)

written in Yogyakarta