Quarantine Diaries — Press Pause

2020 had passed. As we enter 2021 with new hopes and dreams, one thing we can't ignore is our state of life at the moment.

I have always been a hopeful, optimistic, glass half full kind of person. However, there is no denying that 2020 was such a bleak year. Even though I managed to fulfil some of my new year resolutions in 2020, it still feels like I'm not accomplishing enough.

There is a lingering guilty feeling each time I scroll through social media. Strange things are happening every day. And if we were to push pandemic aside, 2020 was not kind either. I was so hopeful at the beginning because I thought 2020 would be the year where I began my career. Not that it was bad either, but I wish it could've gone better. Now I am unemployed; working as a content writer freelancer and managing a small online business. Well, I guess I'm not fully unemployed.

I turned 23 last year. If you ask my 13 year old self, I would have said, "10 years later, I think I already have my life figured out". Well, guess what? I still have no idea what my life would be. I still have no idea what I want to achieve in life. I know I have goals, but they are temporary and may change as I get older. Honestly, sometimes I have no idea what I'm doing, at all.

They say, living through 20s should be the time where you are lost and still trying to navigate life. I guess that's what I'm doing right now. I may not know what I want, yet, in terms of professional occupation, career, marriage, etc, but leastwise I know that I just want to be happy mentally and physically. 

My current situation now? I am still looking for a job, recently broke up with my boyfriend, tired and unable to focus on work, mind scattered all over the place. This is a post to remind me, maybe a year from now, that things will eventually be okay. I am such a believer that I am where I am right now because God put me in this position to learn. If it all worked out, alhamdulillah, if it didn't, then I learn my lesson. This is the journey I have to live. I may not have control over things that happened in the past, but I have control of what will happen in the future. I hope everyone who reads this also feels the same kind of assurance I've been telling myself for my whole life. I hope we all will be okay, one day, soon. 

Hello! (again)

Greetings from me! It's been a while since the last time I posted something on this blog. My last post is actually intended to fulfil my Public Diplomacy mid-term test. I got an A, by the way. *grins*

As an editor-in-chief for the student magazine community in campus, I feel like I have the responsibility, and the necessity, to have a platform where I'd be able to show my writings. Hence, this blog. I love to write, anything, mostly stories, however, it is often I am way too shy to show my work to other people. Especially on blogs, where literally every person in this world can see and read. Until one day, I read a Buzzfeed article. It said on the article if someone were to be a journalist sometime in the future (it's only a matter of time until I finish college), they should, at least, have a stepping stone. It can be anything: do freelance work, start a blog. It has to be from the bottom. Feed your passion and groom your skills, so when an opportunity pops up, you can show out. 

And being the professional slacker that I am, oftentimes I always find the right excuses not to write. Often inspirations come at a very inappropriate time: when I am going to bed. Too much reading generates endless voices in my head that won't stop talking. It is true I find it most comfortable to do things and hobbies at night, in tranquil atmosphere. There are only me, my laptop, and a hot cup of coffee or tea or hot chocolate on the bedroom desk. I'm, too, sometimes confused finding an interesting topic to write. My life is not really that interesting, to be totally honest. And most of the time, my introverted-self would deny the urge to write something on this blog, let alone on other social medias I own.

I think I write enough for now. Perhaps on my next post, I would have found something to write. Meanwhile, have a good day!

Coffee as Indonesia's Tool for Nation-Branding and Public Diplomacy

What comes first to your mind when you hear the word 'coffee'?
Or more precisely, what country comes first?

Photo credit: @tiarautm's Instagram

You might think some, like Brazil. Sadly, Indonesia rarely comes to mind, even though it is one of the world's largest coffee producers. The foreign public is more familiar with the specific regions where the beans come from, such as Java, Toraja, or Sumatra coffee. For instance, generally, Americans use the word 'Java' to describe coffee from any origin. Indonesia is currently the fourth largest coffee producer in the world, after Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia. Agriculture Minister of Indonesia, Mr Amran Sulaiman, has stated in 2017 that Indonesia is aiming to become the second.

Indonesia is starting to use coffee as a strategic diplomatic effort. The country to ever experience the so-called "Coffee Diplomacy" is Malaysia. Indonesia promotes its specialty coffee at the Indonesia-Serawak Coffee Festival that was held in Kuching, Malaysia, on July 28-30, 2017. The coffee presented at the event came from the country's best and finest coffee producers. The event is expected to become a regular event as the countries share similar taste and coffee culture. The use of coffee as Indonesia's tool for nation-branding can be considered as public diplomacy.

Hans Tuch (2005) defines public diplomacy as a government's process of communicating with foreign publics in an attempt to bring about understanding for its nation's ideas and ideals, its institutions and culture, as well as its national goals and policies. One of the three concepts related to public diplomacy is nation-branding. Nation-branding accentuates a country's identity and reflects its aspirations as well as promotes the country's image to the foreign public.

In the case of Indonesia's "Coffee Diplomacy", it is important to note that Indonesia conducts such diplomacy in order to create a good image for Indonesia as the heaven for both coffee connoisseur and producers. The growth of global coffee consumption, mostly among Millennials, has led to betterment of coffee itself. Indonesia is home to many variety of quality coffee and is increasing the production to one million ton last year. The 'coffee diplomacy' must be supported by the government and the people so Indonesia can gain the reputation as a country with the best and high quality coffee.

References:
Hariyadi, Didit. (August 1, 2017). Indonesia Aims to Become World Largest Coffee Producer. Tempo. Retrieved from https://en.tempo.co/read/news/2017/08/01/056895984/Indonesia-Aims-to-Become-World-Largest-Coffee-Producer on January 1, 2017.
Jakarta Globe. (August 6, 2017). Indonesia Conducts 'Coffee Diplomacy' in Malaysia. Jakarta Globe. Retrieved from http://jakartaglobe.id/features/indonesia-conducts-coffee-diplomacy-in-malaysia/ on January 1, 2017.
Melissen, Jan (ed). (2005). The New Public Diplomacy: Soft Power in International Relations. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
The Place Brand Observer. (May 31, 2016). Gadis Ranty on Public Diplomacy, Coffee and Indonesia as Country of Origin. The Place Brand Observer. Retrieved from http://placebrandobserver.com/public-diplomacy-coffee-indonesia-country-of-origin/ on January 1, 2017.