Reflection of my thesis research

Here I am, with my laptop who is nearing the end of his lifetime but still hanging on for the sake of getting me through the research and writing of final report papers for 2 academic degrees… I am still painstakingly trying to get this thesis report done, knowing that I am falling waaaay behind with this but I have no other choice but to go on.

As I was reading about Lerner, Schramm, and of course Rogers with his diffusion of innovations… my mind was brought back to one year ago when I first started studying this program. I was in the Community Media and ICTs (COMU7014) class, and the session was given by a guest lecture, a prominent communications scholar from University of Ohio (I hope that's right), Professor Drew McDaniel. He was explaining about Rogers and diffusion of innovations, and I remember drawing the innovation vs adopter graph (or something like that), and noting to myself, "I do not understand any of this… but it seems interesting."

Community Media and ICTs were one of the first classes I went to, and it was conducted in extensive mode for 2 weeks in Week 3 of Semester, so it was still pretty early to finish all 3 assignments in one time. That class was memorable to me, because of the workshop mode which I found uncommon, because of the nice lecturers – Martin Hadlow, Pradip Thomas and Drew McDaniel, because of the telecentre presentation assignment, and the 2 1500-word assignment expected to be completed at the same time at the end of the 2-week workshop.

The telecentre presentation assignment was the most impressive assignment I'd ever done, besides Social Impact Assessment. It was hard finding a telecentre case study in Indonesia that was well-documented on the Internet. And the ones that were documented seemed to be too boring to be analysed. Until I came across Qaryah Thayyibah. Qaryah Thayyibah was a community offering alternative education for children in secondary school (SMP to SMA). It was one of the case studies documented in a World Bank report on telecentres in Indonesia. I was familiar with QT before because my mother told me about them. So I did the presentation, and I think I impressed the lecturers because I got 19/20 for that presentation. Martin even suggested Pak Bahruddin, the founder of the school, to be nominated for the prestigious Communication for Social Change Award presented by UQ's Centre for Communication for Social Change. I was so inspired that I made a note to myself that I would do a thesis research on ICTs and social change in Qaryah Thayyibah.

One year later, I was in Indonesia, still hadn't decided my thesis topic and went there merely "to be inspired". I figured QT which was located in Salatiga was too far away, and I know nothing about Salatiga, I don't know anyone there. I would rather do community radio instead, there was one near my grandma's village. But I didn't get any response from them. The first day I got to Jakarta, coincidentally, my mother was going to Salatiga the next day. So I told her about QT and how it was a potential research site. My mother then offered me to go with her there since I had nothing to do in Jakarta anyway. On our way to the airport she called Pak Bahruddin and amazingly he answered and we were to go to QT in a few hours' time!

So there I was, actually in QT, really being amazed at the place, and asking Pak Bahruddin's permission to do research on his school. He was very accommodating then, and he was even more accommodating when a few weeks later I came back, all equipped but dead nervous. He talked straight away, even offered me a room to board. But since I wasn't comfortable living in a house by myself where the person is no relative that I didn't know very well, I turned down his offer and stayed at a guesthouse in Ungaran, an hour's drive to Salatiga. But he did offer me a room to let me lie down on the first day, because I was exhausted (mostly from the nervousness of doing field research as an amateur on my own…). And during the whole course of my field research, he would greet me every morning, talk to me, and see me leave every afternoon. He gave me books and documents, files, photographs, videos, anything that would help me with the research. And of course, he paved the way of me getting interview respondents.

And now I'm back here, reporting what I've found from that short visit to that amazing place. I admit I had been careless, wasting my time trying to make sense of the data I found, trying to be a real social scientist but too scared to ask for help (not even from my supervisor!). And now I haven't even had a complete draft finished. One whole chapter on literature review is still in conception and not written yet. I only managed to give 3 chapters to my supervisor. I hope he doesn't get offended or disappointed that I forced him to read so many in so little time, because I'd be handing it all in by 4th November.

I guess I'm just trying to remind myself that this has been a journey that started right at the very beginning of my studies. It's been something that I wanted from the start, and now I am half-believing that it actually came true. I could actually go to that place, meet the inspirational founder, and still be in awe until now of what is going on in that place. It really gave me hope, that the people of Indonesia are really smart and able to adapt to any condition given to them. The QT community has appropriated technology to suit their environment, culture and tradition… all done in the concept that technology plays an important role in their development – personal and consequently for the whole community. All the theories that I had learned in the course of studying communication for social change, came resonating back to me in QT. QT was the perfect laboratory.

I hope I get to finish my thesis on time, and that the examiners are content with what I have written. I am now reminded of my goal, that this thesis is not for my personal fulfillment to become a Master of Communication graduate, but to provide a voice for the voiceless, the voice of the QT community who has great ideas but did not have the networks and significant platforms to publicise these ideas in the international development communities. All I am doing is for the betterment of the rural people of Indonesia… for the farmers, for the teachers, and for the children.

May Allah be with me every step of the way. Amiiin….

Riverwalk - adventure along the Brisbane River

The Brisbane River always fascinates me. I love going on the Citycat, and is always thrilled that it is the best mode of transportation to get from my house in St Lucia to my workplace near Riverside in the City... I mean I could never, in any city I know of, take a catamaran to work every day! But in Brisbane you can, at a very affordable cost considering the service they give.

While on the Citycat I can clearly see there is a path for cyclists and pedestrians all the way from Toowong right up to the City and even beyond that. I made a mental note that I would take a stroll along the Brisbane River with those runners and cyclists. On one sunny spring day, I finally conquered the Toowong to City walk (called the Bicentennial Bikeway) and went further as far as the Story Bridge (as comfort since I couldn't attend the Story Bridge Climb with the other Ambassadors).

;According to Brisbane City Council on this website the RiverWalk connects more than 20 kilometres of pathways, roads, bridges and riverside parks along the Brisbane River. Currently the walk stretches from St Lucia to Newstead,but in future years will be extended further to include more parts of St Lucia as well as Highgate Hill and Hawthorne.

I myself have a few times taken a stroll in the St Lucia part of the RiverWalk, which stretches for about 4 kilometres along the University of Queensland campus. On another occasion I did take the Bicentennial Bikeway path but only as far as the City, because I got too hungry and suddenly had the urge to shop so after we got to North Quay we went up the Queen Street Mall for lunch then took a bus to DFO Brisbane Airport :p

A few weeks after that, I decided to get daring, put on my running shoes and started a 9-kilometre walk from St Lucia to Story Bridge.

The walk started from my house which is about 2 kilometres away to the start of the Bicentennial Bikeway in Toowong. Then we walked through the 5.7 km path to the City. The path was lined with grass and trees on one side and rocks and bits of mangrove on the riverside. There were plenty of places to sit and rest with water taps provided. In the City, we went up in North Quay and walked through the City to the Botanical Gardens, where we started the RiverWalk again alongside the Botanical Gardens. There was a wooden path that went through the mangrove forest in this part, that was nice. After that we arrived in the boardwalk at Eagle Street Pier. The famous Riverside Markets was on, the stalls were selling arts and crafts and lots of goodies and food that I was eyeing but we had to keep going otherwise we wouldn't arrive at Story Bridge ;) So we left the markets and walked through past the iconic Customs House where you can see the view of the Story Bridge. At this point I was exhausted since it was midday already.. but we had to keep going. The hardest part was the climb to the Story Bridge.. no, not to the actual construction of the bridge, but the walk through the street from the river to the Story Bridge pedestrian path. But it was all paid for, the view from there was amazing!

After that we walked to Chinatown in Fortitude Valley and took a bus to the City for lunch, then took a bus home because our feet were crying not to let us walk anymore. Hehe.

When I spoke of this experience some people's reactions were "What were you thinking???" but I am very proud to do that walk.. I could really experience Brisbane and understand why the river has become so important for the City.. it really was worth doing the walk. The next target is to go through the floating walkway to New Farm.. and maybe beyond. Or take the CityWalk, from Roma Street Parklands and around the City all the way to South Bank through the Good Will Bridge... whaa... there's so much to see and do in Brisbane! Can't wait to put my walking shoes back on and conquer another walk ;)

RiverWalk - petualangan jalan kaki menyusuri Sungai Brisbane

Aku selalu kagum dengan Brisbane River. Apalagi Citycat-nya.. di kota manapun yang aku tahu tidak akan aku bisa ke kantor dari rumah di St Lucia sampai kantor di City naik catamaran keren. Tapi di Brisbane bisa lho, murah lagi :)

Pas lagi di Citycat aku bisa lihat ada jalur untuk pejalan kaki dan pengendara sepeda dari Toowong sampai ke City. Jadi selalu ingin bisa jalan kaki menyusuri Brisbane River bersama orang2 yang lagi pada lari atau naik sepeda. Akhirnya di suatu hari musim semi yang cerah, keinginanku terwujud dengan berjalan kaki dari Toowong ke City (Bicentennial Bikeway nama jalannya) dan terus sampai Story Bridge (sedikit menghibur diri karena tidak bisa ikut Story Bridge Climd bersama para ambassador lain).

Menurut Brisbane City Council di situs ini, RiverWalk menghubungkan lebih dari 20 kilometer jalur pejalan kaki, jalan biasa, jembatan dan taman pinggir sungai disepanjang Brisbane River. Sekarang jalur ini terbentang dari St Lucia sampai Newstead, tapi di masa yang akan datang akan diperluas mencakup lebih banyak bagian di St Lucia dan Highgate Hill dan Hawthorne juga.

Aku sendiri pernah jalan kaki di bagian RiverWalk di St Lucia yang terbentang sepanjang kira-kira 4 km di kampus University of Queensland. Aku juga pernah menyusuri Bicentennial Bikeway dari rumah sampai City tapi cuma sampai City saja karena sudah lapar dan tiba-tiba ingin pergi shopping jadi sampai di North Quay kami jalan ke atas di Queen Street Mall untuk makan siang lalu naik bis ke DFO Brisbane Airport ;p

Beberapa minggu setelah, aku memutuskan nekat, pasang sepatu kets and jalan kaki 9 km dari St Lucia sampai Story Bridge.

Jalannya dimulai dari rumahku yang berjarak sekitar 2km dari awal jalur Bicentennial Bikeway di Toowong. Lalu kami berjalan 5.7km sampai City. Di satu sisi jalan bisa dijumpai rumput dan pohon dan di sisi sungainya terdapat batu-batu dan pohon bakau. Banyak tempat untuk duduk dan istirahat dimana tersedia juga keran air minum. Sesampainya di City, kami naik di North Quay dan jalan menyusuri City samapi Botanical Gardens, dimana kami mulai lagi menyusuri RiverWalk kali ini di sisi Botanical Gardens. Disana terdapat jembatan kayu yang menyusuri hutan bakau yang mengagumkan. Kami tiba di Eagle Street Pier dimana sedang berlangsung Riverside Markets yang terkenal, pasar yang menjual berbagai macam kerajinan dan makanan yang menarik tapi tidak sempat kubeli karena harusterus berjalan. Jadi kami meninggalkan pasar itu dan jalan melewati gedung Customs House dimana bisa terlihat pemandangan Story Bridge. Sampai disini aku sudah capek sekali karena matahari sudah terik, waktu sudah menunjukkan pukul 12 lebih. Yang paling berat adalah tanjakan ke Story Bridge... bukan naik ke bagian jembatannya tapi naik dari jalanan di sungai sampai ke jalur pejalan kaki di Story Bridge. Tapi semua terbayarkan begitu melihat pemandangan yang begitu indah dari Story Bridge!

Setelahnya kami berjalan kaki ke Chinatown di Fortitude Valley dan naik bis ke City untuk makan siang, lalu naik bis pulang karena kaki sudah tak sanggup lagi berjalan. Hehe.

Saat aku bercerita pengalaman ini beberapa orang bereaksi "Kurang kerjaan amat sih!" tapi aku bangga bisa melakukannya... Aku jadi bisa benar-benar merasakan pengalaman luar biasa di Brisbane dan mengerti mengapai sungai itu begitu penting bagi kota ini... Tidak rugi sama sekali menjalani jalan-jalan ini. Target beriktnya menyusuri jalan terapung ke New Farm.. dan mungkin lebih jauh lagi. Atau ambil rute CityWalk, dari Roma Street Parklands dan keliling City sampai South Bank melalui GoodwillBridge... whaa... banyak sekali yang bisa dilihat dan dilakukan di Brisbane! Tidak sabar rasanya mengenakan sepatu kets-ku dan memulai petualangan jalan kaki di Brisbane selanjutnya! ;)

Selamat Datang di Brisbane!

Hallo, nama saya Wichi. Saya adalah salah satu Duta Pelajar Brisbane (Brisbane Student Ambassador) yang akan memberitahu kalian tentang asyiknya belajar di Brisbane, Australia.

Saya akan berbagi pengalaman saya belajar dan tinggal di kota Brisbane.


Selamat menikmati!