Fasting + Practice = Makes You Hardcore

Why hello there.

Apparently this month is the fasting month for Muslims. Which means we are going to refrain ourselves in doing any act dealing with letting out desires especially refraining desires to devour foods. This way we would learn how it feels to be like our brothers and sisters out there who don't even have any penny for buying edibles.

Not devouring foods, it's fine with me, but my world evolves around fencing and I just need to go to practice.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Some people are complaining and ended up making "Lagi puasa (is currently fasting)" as the top excuse for the month. Yet, once all the hard work is done during fasting, it would feel like conquering the entire universe already.

You. Yes you. Stop right there.

In London 2012, Egypt made its first history to gain a fencing medal from the olympics. Not only Egypt was involved in this peculiar phenomenon, but the entire Africa too. 

In fact, Africa gained its very first fencing medal from all the hard works done by the 22 year old, Abouelkassem.

The Egyptian student literally beat the legendary Andrea Cassara of Italy before ended up losing to China's Lei Sheng in the gold medal bout.

I recall clearly that time, around July - August 2012, it was the fasting month for Muslims.

"I'm from Africa and nobody thought I could win." Said Abouelkassem (via Bloomberg).

It turns out that no matter where you are from, what blade you are holding, how old you are or what title you are holding, nothing beats hard work and will power.

Good job Abouelkassem, you are a true inspiration.

Dadah,

Unchivalrous Douchebaggery Acts

I was browsing through fencing.net's articles and came through an article concerning a sportsmanship-related experience that was written by a coach. The article was written by Mr. Damien Lehfeldt about his experience in encountering his student's behaviour towards a ref during a competition. Do read the article in here, it immediately became a reflection for me towards my behaviours all the time during practices and competitions.

Back in the regionals, although I had so much fun in competing in it, I remember that I cussed towards one of the referees there.

Oddly enough, he did not give me any card or even warning for my ignorant behaviour towards him (any methods regarding scornful abuse towards the referee is supposed to be fined by card... right?). Instead, he just took everything like there was nothing happened. I clearly remember the ref seemed to be smiling by himself after I cussed at him. I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions I ended being reckless, it was a complete idiotic act that I just did.

Yes it might look like something trivial but now, after I read the article made by Mr. Lehfeldt, I'm feeling so aroused by my own behaviour during the regionals.

And so I began to act all-awkward every time I came across the ref because it turned out that, he was one of the coaches for the Jakarta Fencing Team.

Fencing may be a sport and I do find letting out stresses and emotions after one intense period as reviving but... I don't find cussing as a chivalrous act, I mean, was there even any dignified knight back in the Middle Ages who was actually cussing because he couldn't defeat his opponent?

One of my teammates (left) with our coach.

Friends', coaches', and parents' involvements in developing the future seedlings of fencing regarding sportsmanships are very much important. Our sport is not made to be some sort of a gala to show who's more superior than who, who's got the most medals, who's got the most touches, and the like.

"The real difference between what makes a good fencer and a world-class fencer is how they are able to control their emotions." - Jed Dupree, "Olympic Fencing Prodigy: Race Imboden" by THNKR

"Everything is Better in Hijab"

Before I moved to sabre, I discovered this particular athlete from google images. At first I was quite ecstatic about my new discovery. This lady has a rather 'peculiar' way of dressing but it seems that coincidentally, fencing is actually accommodating her needs in terms of dressing.

Yep, Ibtihaj Muhammad lately has been gaining reputation as the first Muslim woman to represent the US in fencing. Her headscarf makes her noticeable among her comrades. They are none other than the 2008 olympics medalist, Mariel Zagunis, and Dagmara Wozniak.

Ibtihaj Muhammad began to fence as a cadet, based on several articles that I read about her, Ibti's mum managed to get her daughter to take a glimpse at fencing as she said "I don't know what that is, but when you get to high school, you're doing it." Also, she managed to went through some sort of a rather awkward demo fencing session after her coach asked for her father's permission "if he could touch her" in order to correct her.

Ibti would gradually become a trigger for Muslim women to achieve what they want without letting their faith to compromise them. I, for one, am really motivated by her and she became my rolemodel instantly after I discovered her.

 I think Ibti should really come to Indonesia one day and see how many girls who have the same 'appearance' as she is. Seeing that the numbers of hijabi fencers are gradually increasing too in Indonesia. It's just that I think she is a little bit underestimated by the world, because I personally think that our fencing seedlings are still in need of influential individuals like Ibti.

Diversity is the thing that makes us stronger, we may be a bunch of individualists on the piste but in reality we are one big family because we have the same passion. If we managed to overcome that  particular barrier, then our bonds will just become even stronger than ever.

Pictures don't belong to me, they belong to their respective owners.

Dadah,

Politics Are Evil

So apparently I got qualified to play in the Nationals as I had won a medal in the Regionals, but that's just because of the fact that for Cadet Women's Sabre, there were only 2 candidates in the whole Jakarta. I don't quite know why girls aren't so particularly interested in sabre but the competition only left one of my teammate and I to reach the final instantly in the Cadet Women's Sabre.

But I am so gutted right now.

Maybe because of the fact that the original Jakarta Fencing Team stepped down from the Nationals.

Which means my very first Nationals was a complete fail.

The technical meeting was in June 22nd, I remember we were all waiting for the outcomes of the technical meeting when suddenly I heard people around began to speak of 'another' team that was going to represent Jakarta. 

I, for one, was present in the Regionals, it was June 15th and 16th in Senayan (some sort of a famous sport centre in Jakarta). This so called 'Jakarta Fencing Team' was clearly not signed up for the Regionals but somehow they just got the opportunity to hold their very own Regionals. This is where everything is getting so complicated. No one even knew where these people of the fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team' did their practices.

My coach, being the person who knows his fencing comrades in Jakarta and all that jazz, decided to abandon the invitation sent to him by this fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team.'

Clearly the original Jakarta Fencing Team who always held the practices in Senayan outnumbered the athletes of this fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team.' Not only that,  the original Jakarta Fencing Team outnumbered the fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team' in terms of athletes whom constantly represent Indonesia in international-rank tournaments. In short WE are far more superior than they are.

I heard that the head of this fake 'Jakarta Fencing Team' had once associated herself with the All Indonesian Fencing Association (IKASI). From this, I just had the feeling that politics would be involving in this sort of matter. It is always like that in Indonesia no wonder everything we do in sport is always so shitty.

The head of the original Jakarta Fencing Team told us that they offered us some bargain about sharing a half of our athletes to them so we would still be representing Jakarta. But no.

Sometimes in fencing, fencers who would win the medals would be the one who got the first, second, third, and fourth place. Making the bronze medals to be gained by two people. In this case, if they offered us to share a half of our athletes to them that means 4 divided by 2. They would take the skillful ones and use them to 'represent' Jakarta.

Then left the other 2 who had done their very best in winning a place on the top 4 to mourn.

That is not All for One and One for All.

Now please die IKASI. You are useless after all.

Wait. That rhymes. I guess.

Dadah,

"Panggil Akoe Kartini Sadja" - Kartini Day Appreciation Post

"Kartini's hart sloeg warm de toekomst tegen,

Aan't garen van blemen, haar zielgewijd,

Reikhalzend uit teedere droomen ontwakend,

Tot heil van heel haar zachte volk,

In lijden en strijden met velen verbonden,

Na duisternis wijzend naar 'schemerend licht,

In blij ontluikenden morgenstond."

(Courtesy of "Kartini dari Sisi Lain")

***

Today is the 21st of April, in which Indonesians celebrate one of our most famous national heroines in history; Raden Ajeng Kartini.

To start this, let us all go back to the time where Indonesia was still a part of the Dutch colony, in the 19th century Dutch East Indies.


At that time, inlanders (another term for the native Indonesians in Dutch East Indies) were very much limited from the chance to be well-educated. While some children struggled to work in order to fulfill their family's needs, some inlander children who were recognized as a part of higher society families at least got a bit of chance to be educated. Lady Kartini was one of them.

Kartini, born in Jepara (a region in Central Java) to a noble Javanese family on 21 April 1879, managed to go to a Dutch school. But when she was 12, she was prohibited to continue her education because of her tradition commonly practiced by the Javanese (Indonesian would call this as 'pingit'), in which young girls are to be 'isolated' in order to prepare for their marriage in the future.


In her isolation period, because of her ability to speak Dutch, she then gained several Dutch pen pals. One of them was named Rosa Abendanon. She wrote letters to her regularly and then in the future, someone collected her letters and compiled them into a book called "Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang" (Out of Dark Comes Light).

Not only that, after her marriage with a Javanese nobleman, Kartini managed to build school for women. It was a kind of school which taught women simple things like how to read, count, and sewing clothes, but it brought great change to a lot of people.

Kartini then was starting to be recognized as the woman who lifted Indonesian women status and taught people that anyone can have education, no matter what gender, race, religion, or even cultural background they have.

It was a sad thing though that Kartini didn't manage to live a long life. She died in the age of 25 after giving birth to her son. After Indonesia independent, Soekarno declared her national day to be set up on 21 April. So that people would never forget how a certain woman could fight to raise her people's status.

***

Talk about Kartini, the Dutch actually also gave some little appreciations for her

(courtesy of www.rnw.nl)

They said that there are several streets that are named after her in several different cities in the Netherlands. What thrilled me is that not only Kartini, but there are several Indonesian heroes names too that are being set up as street names in the Netherlands.

This is beyond amazing.

Dadah

No More Thrusting For Me

Hey you guys, I know it has been quite some times I posted something here. Lately, I've been thinking of taking a 'greater step' in my fencing 'career.'

Anyway

It was all started because of playing a certain game called 'shadow fencing' with my fencing mates. It was all because of one of my coaches who suggested us playing this sort of game to teach us the 'priority (right of way) rule.' Basically, shadow fencing is just an ordinary game of fencing in which we will have a bout with our opponent.

In a shadow fencing bout you WILL NOT need your blades, but you will use gloves instead to replace our sharp and pointy blades. The next step would be the ref shouting "PRET ALLEZ!" and the first one to slap his/her opponent using the glove may get a score. It is optional if you wanted to use a mask or not. I tried not to use masks with my friend and then we had a bout and slapped each other very hard on the face, it awfully stings.

In short. It is a glove-slap duel game.

This game is very useful to practice the infamous 'priority (right of way) rule' in fencing (which I personally found as a huge problem when having a bout). You have to move and think fast, make some analyses about how your opponent is moving. Be the leader of the bout, don't let yourself to be led by your opponent. Be fast, be aggressive. *ahem*beasabreist*ahem*

Since it's all about slapping your opponent with your glove, there will be no such thing as thrusting right? It wil be all about slashing and 'cutting' your opponent <--- both are sabre's things.

I found myself as a very temperamental and impatient foilist I suppose... and so I've been thinking lately of moving... to sabre.

Ugh. The dilemma that I'm going through... it's just horrible.

In my case, it's a foil

I mean I love my foil very much, It's the very first blade that I could handle since fencing had ever been introduced to me. Another thing is because it was my only companion when I faced my very first bout in an official competition. I broke the very end of my foil's blade a few months ago though <--- (result of too much force in thrusting). So children, don't let you emotions get over you when you're fencing because your blades will face the consequences later on.

I've borrowed a sabre from my coach and so I think I'm going to compare it with my foil for some times, just to make sure if this is the right decision that I want.

Have any of you guys experienced what I'm currently experiencing?


As usual, pictures & gifs (and the tumblr post) don't belong to me.


Dadah

How Animation Affected Me

Ever felt wanting to visit a particular destination because of some animation works?

I was merely addicted with Disney Pixar's Brave, and so I fell in love with Scotland immediately.

It all started when I was randomly surfing through tumblr and encountered a page explaining about Disney Pixar's upcoming movie several months ago. When I did some research about it, I finally found out that the movie will be set on Medieval Scotland. The main character in the movie is a girl with an insanely curly red hair called Merida. 

What's interesting about the protagonist is that SHE is playing as the main hero in the movie, replacing the oh-so famous prince charming in several fairytales. 

In summary, Merida is really bold and tomboy and always wanted to be free of her mother's control, a queen in her clan (Clan Dunbroch) and at the same time also being a diplomat for the Clan Dunbroch named Eleanor. Her father, Fergus, is the source of Merida's wittiness and quirkiness. He's the one who taught Merida to use bows and arrows -- which is something that is always being opposed by his wife, thinking that Merida should always be the 'stereotypical' princess.

And nananananana~ #shot okay, that's just about it for the Brave session. The movie is pretty much about relationship between a mother and daughter, and the rest, you have to find out for yourself hohoho...

Anyway, about Scotland, I was thinking aiming Edinburgh University for college.

Concerning my interest in biology, I guess Scotland would be the perfect place. Although I've never been there myself, I heard that the condition there is quiet different from England. Since it is also geographically in the northern Great Britain, so I think the weather would possibly be much colder than in England. 

I've talked about Scotland with several people and many of them mentioned several things about its spectacular landscapes.I like traditional things too, after went to some Highland games event in Jakarta last year, I saw men in kilts everywhere. It was awfully amusing for someone like me who never even saw men dressed in kilts that only reaching their knees along side with their high socks.

But I felt that Indonesia and Scotland could be identical too sometimes.

Yes, kilts and sarongs.

        

Scotland. Scotland is everywhere.

In summary, Brave has pretty much changed my life now. 

Dadah

How I advertise fencing...

ACTUAL FENCERS LOOKING FOR FENCING NOOBS

STOP RIGHT THERE

YES YOU

Just so you know, FENCING IS NOT ALL ABOUT MUSKETEERS AND CHIVALRIES.

And we certainly don’t fight with light sabers.

MPH Building 1, Monday & Wednesday

3.15 PM – finished

                

Or Go to Mr. Sugi (head coach) in PE Room, 
Building 1

We welcome everyone, students, teachers, whoever you are, whatever grade you are in. Publics are also accepted


***


I've always felt that fencing is just one of the many most invisible clubs in my entire school. Football here is too dominating. Therefore the idea of making a poster in order to advertise fencing popped up in my mind.

Sometimes I brought my foil to class and one of my friends asked me "where did you learn to fence?" and then I said that our school has a club for fencing. She was quite shocked about it and admitted that she never heard about fencing ever exist in our school. Hm.

And about publics being accepted in our club, I think it was my head coach's idea. Because when you fence, there's no such thing as barrier.

After all, the more the merrier.

Dadah

-Nibras Sakkir

More about EF International Academy

These are just several videos I got in youtube for EF International Academy. I'm so glad that there are actually many students from Indonesia who are also helping to support the Indonesian students to come and experience life in every EF International Academy campuses, everywhere, whether it'd be New York, Oxford, or Torbay.

These are the official videos made by EF. To be honest, at first I was very very doubtful about my decision to study abroad, but when I watched these videos, there was this spark inside of my saying "what are you waiting for? This is a really good chance. Get out! Go get a taste of the world." 

These ones, if I'm not mistaken, were made by one of the many Indonesian students who are currently studying in New York and Torbay. 

This is a video they made in the New York campus, Tarrytown. I saw the girl at the beginning in one of the EF International Academy seminars. She was pretty nice and I think she really do have fun studying in New York.

Well congratulations, you made me even more excited now xD

I love that part where one of the students said "Come to EF! Come to EF!"

Another one was made by the Indonesian students in the Torbay campus, the admission people showed me this video once. From the video, I assume that Torbay itself is quiet a good city when it comes to studying there.

 Unlike London, which is the capital of the UK, it tend to be a bit noisy I guess (no really, I have this... particular issue when it comes to capital cities) and maybe the possibilities of me getting lost in the big city and traveling constantly instead of studying... would be big. I guess. Ahahaha...

If some of you wanted to know more about EF International Academy, this is the official website for EF International Academy:

www.ef.com/academy

That's it for now, I hope by reading this post some of you would like to join EF International Academy too. Get to experience live in another country and live in an international environment really makes you feel proud of your own country and heritage (personally, I will be really missing the Indonesian traditional cuisines, because this is 'not the Netherlands', I mean this is the UK. So... yeah.).

Especially since we are going to be in another country, we will get to experience how life is, when it's just 'us.' As in everything in our life is being managed by us, no parents, no family, just us. 

Then you're also going to take responsibility to be one of the many representatives of your country, because people would automatically judge your country by your own behaviours there.

Everyone will be different in their very own ways. I guarantee you will want more, more, and even more of it.

Dadah

-Nibras Sakkir