If I could incorporate two things (personal objective and work agenda) that felt dear to my heart… is this project.

Starting from this deck =)

When I was searching for a way to familiarize young people (or the tech savvies) with the product and brand I’m currently working for, I started to think… maybe this could work. Not just introducing the how-to of the product itself, but serving the bigger picture—how to change your life financially… for beginners.

Where theory isn’t just a theory. A formula where it works for everybody. Leaving room for changes and singularity. Starting more opportunities with inclusivity.

I wanted the participants to feel like I felt the first time when I did KonMari, small steps done yet huge long-term impact.

One of the e-flyers my agency made.

There you go, I presented the idea to the management, and it came out as bluAcademy. The tagline I created is #AntiTanggalTua to resonate with the majority of the people. 

Opening the 101 Basic for people who had no idea about personal financial management; from college students, housewives, and freelancers to early-stage entrepreneurs; and deaf friends #TemanTuli 

I wanted this to work and foul proof. So, the curriculum was tried first among the employees of BCA Digital to ensure that before we change the lives of others, we ensure ours are already in the right way.

The curriculum should be easy to understand, relevant, and no stereotype. We consider that there is a lot of people who are stuck as Sandwich Generation, therefore, nope you won't hear anybody from us say, "Oh you're single, so you can save 50% from your saving. It's still easy for you, you should be able to do it."

As a learning needs process, the whole curriculum consists of 3 webinars (yes, it was all online so that we can cater to the whole nation) and 3 Whatsapp Classes to keep supporting any questions that arise during the progress. For each webinar, I got help from bluSpeakers (blu’s offline sales representatives) to present how they actually benefit blu’s features based on their personal cashflow management habit—this is where the brand and the product fit in and act as the tool buddy that could assist them.

The feedback I got from the participants

After 6 batches (1 batch lasting 1-2 months) running through 2022-2023, resulting in 2,700 participants (including +140 deaf participants), and catering to 204 cities in Indonesia, I have to say goodbye to this project.

Thank you to my partner FINANSIALKU (mba Yusi and mba Silfa). I am personally grateful that I run this project with you girls. And I’d also like to extend my gratitude to the bluSpeakers, Certified Financial Planners, and Sign Language interpreters. Thank you for all the late nights, juggling work hours, and weekend mornings sacrifice. All the fun and learning of ups and downs won't be the same without you all.

It was the travel I needed most. The tickets were booked months prior and I was surely impulsive when I decided to go. Bangkok, it is. 

My last visit to Bangkok was right before the pandemic. In December 2019, I was just onboard a new firm, headquartered in Bangkok. I went there for the summit, meeting everyone from (almost) across SEA region. I was happy. Everybody was nice. Yet, there was always something and someone that bothered you and spoiled the fun. But overall, I was super happy. The city and the people (including my colleagues in Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam) were very nice. They left such a good impression that I couldn't wait to go back to Bangkok again.

And the pandemic happened. 

And, here I was in February 2023. Bangkok! A short trip after such turbulence in life. I only wanted to have quality talks and other than that... I just wanted to be alone.

I remembered having a night stroll like any other trip I had, in the foreign streets of Bangkok back in 2019, hoping to get into any market, buy local spices to bring home, and take some street pictures. I didn't find much but it was a beautiful and adventurous stroll. Fearful but rewarding.

On my visit in February 2023, I managed to have an accidental stroll in the afternoon after a long day exploring the cities and searching for Michelin places and Erawan Museum. It was Books & Belongings that made me find the maze of calm Soi Sukhumvit 95.

But snort not, maybe you won't find anything to do, to eat or anything. It's just a complex of housing, with Books & Belongings in the middle of it. Well, yes, like I have shared in the previous post, you might find some home grocery shops, homemade snacks sold in front of the house, etc. Quite a random scene that made me think... it might be only locals who know this place and who actually are the customers of those home shops?

I really want to try their snacks and have a chat but sadly I didn't have much time left to be in the area as I had to move on to another schedule. Well, seeing those houses and shophouses with their serenity enlivened, opened up another side of the city to me. Yes, I felt like a local like I always want myself to feel. 

Nevertheless, the stare of the habitants when they spotted me, the stranger, the foreigner, reminded me that I am not one of them.

My soul and the energy I gathered while I was strolling in the middle of the area then become halved into another kind of self-awareness that kept my strong façade stayed bold and thick, yet its safe vibe signaled my trust to slow down and look deeper through what has been shown to me.

There's openness and boundaries set among these houses and the people inside---something I couldn't explain.

Thus, the calmness allows me to feel a massive amount of different feelings and room for my thoughts.

I have always been thinking and rethinking about my life choices. Being alone, traveling alone, going out alone, having lunch alone, shopping alone. And the loneliness set me in a free mode of expressing myself in the most convenient ways. Yet, I cannot lie anymore that sometimes I yearn for warmth from the people surrounding me. I want people to be with me, to flock around me with surprises and support.

Candid Looks of Soi Sukhumvit 95

The moment takes me to take a deep look at myself, on how I put myself on others. And how I want to change things forward. 

The deeper it takes me... it leads me into branching thoughts about the mystery of the universe and re-learning what is happening in my life, cracking the answer. I can't help but ask myself, why am I always at the intersection of inconvenient choices?