A written Q's for Work

It's took me one hour to provide the answer for some Q's below, and I am not really sure how to give good answer for the following Q's. I do my best to answer just what's is it coming in my mind and answer straightly.

I believe no right and wrong answers as it's base on my experiences and the current knowledge I gained. It's just the way for recruiters to shortlist the candidate. I'm ready with my sincere answer, and the consequency if the organization interested or not interested at all.. the point is I did tried my best to get hired.

Here are the Q&A:

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a hard working, fast learner, able to adapt with the current situation change, result oriented and team players. I have good experience in administration, procurement, accounting, budgeting and finance. My knowledge and experiences highly support me in making decision on problem solving.

How did you come to be interested in international development? What do you find most invigorating and most challenging about it?

I worked with international development organization more than 7 years, during my work I have found that it’s challenging to implement our programs and to achieved the goals. I am happy to see that the programs we designed successfully implemented that means more positive impact for the beneficiaries. The challenges working with international development are to help more, educate more the society and to build the self reliance for the needy.

What are, in your opinion, the most important skills a Microfinance Manager should have?

Having good knowledge on business proposal analysis, the nature of the loan, debtors’ behavior and the control of the repayment schedule and ability to take fast decision on the right information provided.

What would you describe as your biggest career success to date?

It’s a team work success and as my field of work in finance and grants, my achievement related with the proper grants that I managed, implemented, monitoring and closing them, and also related the total budget and amount that we spent for our grants and projects.

What would you describe as your biggest career frustration or failure, to date?

My current job in Afghanistan that I have found a little bit frustration. It’s not really a failure of my careers because I can complete the assignments satisfactory.

Can you please comment on your micro-credit experiences, highlighting areas where you have developed processes to make microcredit effective, efficient and successful?

I have some experiences with micro credit on my own effort with my family. In Medan, my hometown many housewives got skills in embroidery, so we provided the machines instead of rental the machines, we gave loan to them to pay weekly after having their wages. So, we distributed more than 50 sewing machines already to the households. Some are very good to settle the loan, and some are failure. In addition, I have big interest in micro finance to find a really good ways to help the needy. I have my research proposal for my study related with the implementation of zero interest microcredit for small enterprises at conflicted areas. How would this possible to develop the small enterprises through the zero interest loan.

Please cite examples of where you have identified external funding and/or networked with public and private donors (if a team effort, please be specific about your role and personal impact).

In my previous personal machinery loan project, I got the funding from some wealthy friends, who has idle fund and willing to lend their money through this rent-purchase machineries. My role is to provide the capital to buy the machines and distributes to the needy. Other ideas, we can send the proposal regarding the portfolios of our lenders to the private sectors or international donors.

Describe a specific time when you faced issues that tested your problem-solving skills. What did you do?

My previous jobs so awesome in solving the problem, as we have clear problem solving channels and solid team work. Almost we don’t have any significant problems and we made quick effective decision. My current work if I can said it’s frustrated, it’s hard to provide advice for problem solving.

Describe your most stressful work-related situation and how you handled it.

The hazard environment and not good management is really made stressful situation for me. It’s hard to handle the upper management as I’m not in that position. So, if my idea not accepted, I entertain myself, and talk with colleague to discuss the situation.

Why are you interested in working in Afghanistan?

Afghanistan is lovely country, if the environment is safe how awesome is that. I like the scenery and the people are friendly.

Describe your ideas on the role of women in international/community development.

Women in Afghanistan are very unfortunate, due to their lack of education and the culture and belief pressures against the women. It make worse situation if they are poor, and this situation will regenerate to their family. Providing good education to the women will create good awareness for the women roles and position in the family so they can educate their children properly eventually have good contribution for the community development.

It is a Christian, faith-based organization. Is that something that attracts you to the organization or does it concern you?

It doesn’t matter for me, the Christian or Moslem faith-based organization, as long as the program is good for human being. Though all religion teach peoples to be good with all the creatures especially human being.

What are some things you do to care for yourself when working in intense situations for extended periods of time?

Good safety working environment and management.

What do you expect as being a fair wage for this position?

? to ?K USD monthly take home salary should be great for me.

When is the earliest you would be able to start work in Afghanistan?

Middle of October 2011.

Goodluck K! and just wait, see and pray for the best! If it's your bless, you'll get it, if not perhaps some others luck! :) All is Well.. no worried be happy!.

My Breakfast - Lontong Medan

Wow.. I'm eating a lot in Medan.. Though Medan is the heaven foods and always make me hungry .. lapar lapar.. Many type of delicious food in Medan.. from Bakso, Lontong, Mie.. etc etc. I have my breakfast of Lontong Medan, just around SMU1 at Cik Ditiro street.

There are many streets vendors selling Lontong around there. I stopped a while and order my breakfast and my tounge start dancing dancing, enjoying the delicious Lontong Medan. Hmm I am eating a lot this morning, after having some bubur kacang hijau, lupis at my friend's warung.. then now.. Lontong sayur, telur and ice tea.. still hungry .. huh huh .. what's next ?? bakso I had planned to have it later in the afternoon for snacks :)

Why do I eat so much in Medan hmmm.. Though because the foods are wonderful palatable taste and the price is reasonable cheap! In addition most of my friends and family complaining that I look loosing my weight :) I don't know, if I'm getting thinner or they are just growing and gaining their weight :).. Whatever it is.. I enjoying the foods while back home! Also the home cooks that prepared by my sis and sis in laws.. all of them invited me to eat eating eating at home! See how wonderful it's having many family, relatives and friends.. Now I back already to Penang and Penang's buddies told me that I gained my weight.. aha.. so eating a lot in Medan is wonderful working.. :) That's COOL.

Medan Medan I'm Home

Medan city ready for Wonderful Indonesia Visit 2011

Just a short visit to Medan. I went home for about 4days to arrange some of my personal things. Then, what's changes in Medan, after 6months away from my lovely hometown city. :)

I woke up early this morning, and do some walking exercise from home to this Sudirman park - Waringin Park. I used to jogging here while I'm I was in my hometown. The place not bad, green and got fountain in the middle of the park. I met the usual fellows who loves to exercise there.. the Indian, english teacher Mr. Mahdi, the rich lecture, forget his name :) and one uncle old chinese man! My old fellows, previously we walking around the park and talking here and there.. Now we reunited.. and still meet them in this park! Then we talked, say hi hi hello and asking news and updated from everybody...

The Sudirman bridge.. that's look great and nicer now. They make some renovation on the Sudirman park as well. It's not finish yet, but this areas will become charming, green and fresh in the future while the renovation complete. Hopefully the Medan's people may be able to assure this bridge and park keep greens, clean and fresh in the future! Yeah.. hopefully and be friendly welcoming our guests, travelers to visit the Wonderful Indonesia 2011.. yeah.. welcome to Medan... Horas Medan!!

A man from HEAVEN

I recopied paste my first blog, that written about 2years ago.. Don't know if others ever has this same unique experiences.. Enjoy it..

Wed, 9 April 08

A man from Heaven
Today, I’m Late Again to Office! (TILAtO )

My mistake, late sleep and late wake up. I am always ignored the shubuh azan, even lately I become deaf.. never heard the God calls.. hmmmmm. The distance of the mosque to my apartment just a few meters, but the Azan calling never wake me up. Oh GOD, I felt very bad. Many times I setting up my alarm, I did wake up, but I sleep again, again sleep, sleep like never enough. The satanic on my eyes, sit on my eyelid made it heavy super heavy to open. My spirit also less.. getting less.. ohggggggg ahggggggg.. why? WHY ? hmmmmm…. Hmmm…. I’m bitting my lips, though hardly about that.

I woke up at 8am, get ready to the office.. take my angkot go to pasar minggu, and wait another bus to Sudirman! Quiet long waiting, I stand up opposite of the road, reading the novel of “tragedy Nadra” the story become more more interesting. I don’t care in shining morning sun, standing up and read the novel, with my eyes sometimes searching for my bus. About 15mnts the bus, arrived.. ahggggg finally, and luckily me I got the seat beside an old lady. I continue my readings, sometimes my minds mixed up with the story of the novels. The road in Pasar minggu well known with the hell traffic jams. I passed by the same roads, this week on a row I late to the office for three days, Oh my GOD! Will I get the notice from the HR hmm..  I don’t care so much.

Passengers keep coming, and getting the bus full. Ladies, Man, boys and girls, are standing on the aisle of the bus. There is one man, with very terrible clothes and flavor just standing beside the lady who sit on my side. I’m busy with my novel, meanwhile I saw the lady sit inconveniently, with her hands covered her noise with her handkerchiefs. Hmmmmm… She tastes the flavor of the man from heaven. Though the man has mentally problem. His clothes dirty, tires anywhere, and looks never get shower for such a long time... The flavors goes anywhere, I saw not only the lady sit beside him close her noise some other passenger do the same. Hmm… I’m sure.. This lucky man has mental problems. He felt no guilty, face plain like baby, saw something outside the windows, he sometimes put his plastic bag on the floor, and take it back.. to release his tiredness by standing.

I’m still keep reading the “Tragedy Nadra”, even the smells also attack my noise, I don’t care. I’m thinking I’m not much better then this mentally man. I called him the man from the Heaven. I think he could be has better position in front of the greatest maker later ….. I believe he will be the heaven man … the man from heaven … Sometimes, I spy on him and observe the people around him.. but I’m still thinking for nothing except on my mind, he is the one, the lucky man – the man from heaven and continue reading my novel.

Due can’t survive with the scents of the obsessed man who standing in front of the old lady, finally she move up, and find a standing place just a meter from the man. Observing an empty seat beside me, that man, who I though has mentally problem decided to take her seat. Finally he seat beside me.. Ahggggggg the man from the heaven just sit side by side with me. His sweating arms nudging my shoulder.. oh no OH OH.. NO.. I tried to give him more space, but not possible with the narrow seat and full of passenger, made it difficult. I attempted to squish my body so we don’t touch each other, but still not possible. Eventually I back to my novel, the bad aroma become more intense, but I don’t care and keep reading.. I am still though he is the man from the heaven… still and continue my reading.

Occasionally, I tried to watch the man, what he is doing. I saw him made a movement like people who do praying while sitting. He move both his hands up and enfold them on his stomach.. I didn’t observed too much, but I noticed he did it quiet offend. A slight curious comes in my mind about what is he doing – is it praying or he just react like that. Any chance I still spy him, and he still do that, make a move like somebody praying, “Takbiratur Ikhram” hmm… see.. is it a sign for me ?? Oh GOD.. Even your mentally creatures still praise on you. My vanity, I still don’t care so much what the man from heaven doing. I didn’t even see his face or mouth moving saying something. I’m so deaf with him.. and back to my novel..

About twenty minutes he sat beside me, his wet sweating shifting on my long sleeves shirt. Oh oh.. I felt the scents.. hmmmm.. some of the aroma transferred to me. I still don’t care! To entertain, I still said that he will be the man from the heaven.. yeah he will be the one. So I don’t so much concern about the flavor – the bad aroma! I hope someday the bad scents will change into the best fragrance, the most soft smell scents that whoever smell it will try to come close and find the source. Yeah.. I’m expecting that happened.

Later the man, standing up and get ready to get down. The scents again get more sharpen as he is standing and leave his seat. I’m survive, I manage to control that scents, without covering my noise.. hmmm eventually he step down from the bus. In a minutes my seat still empty even though some passengers still standing up. Perhaps they understand the situations and still felt the aroma of the man from heaven.. Yeah I believe that. Then a young girl seat beside me, after firstly offered the old woman to seat there, but the old woman refused it. She still prefer to standing up. Yeah .. Yeah.. I still smell the bad scents.. if I look to the left I still found the bad scents remain on my shirt. But I still don’t care.

The girl just seat a half of the chair, we are really not seating side by side. I don’t know why, perhaps because she can manage it, as there are not so many passengers standing now. Some passengers already step down to their stop by. I continue reading my novel. That experience sitting with the man from heaven, doesn’t concern me so much. I don’t think so much about that even the flavor remains on my shirt. Further my stop by getting closer. I’m putting my novel on my bag, and get ready to step-down.

I arrived in my office at 10am. Crazy traffic.. I don’t need wasting my energy to complain about it. It’s a routine a continuous history about traffic in Pasar Minggu. I believe people surrounded with this situation. They are exhausted to complain about that, and manage to enjoy it .. just enjoy.. ENJOY.. spent about 1.5hours just enjoy.. oh oh .. I’m late again to the office .. my mistake.

I enter the office by greeting good morning to my receptionist with big smile, shy to be late again coming to my office, but she looks such a nice receptionist answering my greeting with a big smile too  oh .. you are so lovely Marina by replying my morning greeting with hearty smile. Thank you my receptionist you make my DAY today, with your smile.. I already forgotten about the man from heaven and do focus on my paper work. WORK WORK WORK…I love Wednesday!!

Padang Culinary in Penang - Mamamiyah Lezato :)

Yearning for my Padang Cuisine abroad ?

Anyway Padang food become an International cuisine. Where there is Padangness, there will be always Padang food restorants ;) (I'm thinking to open 3 resto here ;)

Is it hard to find Padang cuisine in George Town Penang? No, No problem at all. It's very easy. There are two well known Padang restorants here. One a bit expensive with many variety of menu choices located around Transfer road. The other one is located at Lebuh Tamil just beside the traditional market around Penang Road, It is called "Pusako Restorant"

The later is my favourite place to eat my Padang food at "Pusako Restorant". They already start the business for 12years at that premise. Their culinary taste fine FINE for me, and reasonable price. By spending around 4-5RM for the lunch set that included: vegetables, curry, fried fish and one glass of warm Padang tea drink. For Me The Padang Tea drink is a good accompany for my meals as its' a normal tea served warm and no sugar. While I enjoy my drink, my memory back to Minang Kabau.. my descendant hamlet.. :)

As the seller of this restorant originally come from Indonesia (West Sumatera), so most of the clients also from Indonesia, with some bule bule tourists who loves mamamiyah Lezato Padang Food :). This restorant start open the business from 10am until 8pm.

For my appetite of food I still taste that "Cambodian and Thai rice" is premium, it's a bit of sweet rice, and always good to mix with whatever extra menu. I can eat gluttonously that Cambodian's rice with simple crumble eggs, hot chille and vegetables :) hehehe.. rakus apa lapar yeee

Anyway, I'm now in Penang, and nothing so much worried to find good and healthy food here. From Western food, Thailand, Indian, Malay, Chinese cuisines and Indonesia also available here. There are many choices of culinary here and in the hearth of George Town some restorants open for 24 hours. Crazy enough rite? People are hunger for the food.

Just a little note to promote my ancient food, well blog readers.. if you come to Penang, your journey will not complete yet before having the Padang food and Tea Padang here :).. Really yeah ?? hehheh.. just a promotion..anyway but no harm to try this mamamiyah lezato Padang food...