Saturday, May 31, 2008

Foto-foto Farewell Soccer

Some photos from the great event of farewell soccer:

PERMIAS Masih Terlalu Tangguh Bagi E-12

Sabtu 31 Mei 2008, Permias mengadakan pertandingan indoor soccer persahabatan melawan E-12. Pertandingan ini juga merupakan farewell game bagi E-12 karena minggu dini hari, 1 Juni 2008, mereka harus sudah kembali ke negara Indonesia tercinta.

Pertandingan dimulai sekitar pukul 3.00 pm waktu Athens. Sebelum pertandingan tim Permias dan E-12 melakukan pemanasan terlebih dahulu melawan tim "multinasional". Pada pertandingan kali ini ini E-12 diperkuat oleh tiga pemain asing asal Amerika, sedangkan Permias masih mengandalkan pemain-pemain lama mereka. Namun, Permias memperkenalkan salah satu pemain muda Permias, Abdul, yang merupakan pemain masa depan Permias yang memiliki talenta besar dalam sepakbola. Tepat 15 menit sebelum pukul 4.00 pm, pertandingan indoor soccer antara Permias dan E-12 dimulai.

Peluit babak pertama dimulai, E-12 langsung menggebrak dengan serangan-serangan mematikan ke gawang Permias. Terbukti hanya dalam beberapa menit E-12 mampu menjebol gawang Permias, 1-0 untuk E-12. E-12 tampaknya sangat serius menghadapi pertandingan ini. Berkali-kali Sayed, Muluk dan Joe melakukan serangan bertubi-tubi ke gawang Permias. Terbukti, hanya dalam beberapa menit penjaga gawang Permias harus memungut bola dari gawangnya sendiri sebanyak dua kali. 3-0 untuk E-12. Pertengahan babak pertama, pemain Permias mulai menemukan bentuk permainannya. Hal ini terbukti dengan jebolnya gawang E-12, 3-1 Permias mulai memperkecil ketinggalan.

Di tengah babak pertama, Sayed, pemain E-12 mengalami cedera setelah bertabrakan dengan Farid, pemain senior dari Permias, dan harus keluar lapangan. Selang beberapa menit kemudian, Valhan, pemain Permias juga didera cedera ketika sedang mengontrol bola. Hal ini membuktikan bahwa, walaupun ini hanya pertandingan persahabatan, namun kedua tim menunjukkan keseriusan dan kemampuan terbaiknya.

Walaupun e-12 kehilangan Sayed, mereka masih mampu melancarkan serangan-serangan ke gawang Permias. E-12 mampu mencetak dua gol disisa babak pertama. Adapun Permias, hanya mampu memperkecil selisih dengan satu gol. Skor 5-2 untuk E-12 diakhir babak pertama.

Babak kedua dimulai. E-12 masih mempertahankan komposisi pemain-pemainnya. Adapun Permias mencoba pemain muda hasil binaan Sekolah Sepakbola Permias (SSBP), Abdul, menjadi penyerang. Di babak kedua ini, pemain-pemain Permias tampil lebih tenang dan percaya diri. Terbukti mereka mampu memperkecil skor menjadi 7-6. Pertandingan berjalan sangat ketat. Kedua tim menampilkan permainan terbaiknya. Akibatnya, penjaga gawang kedua tim harus jatuh bangun untuk menyelamatkan gawangnya. Dimenit-menit akhir babak kedua, skor kedua tim imbang, 8-8. E-12 kembali membangun serangan dan mereka berhasil mencetak gol kemenangan. Skor 9-8 untuk E-12. Kemenangan sudah berada dalam genggaman E-12, namun memasuki injury time, Abdul mencetak gol penyelamat bagi Permias. Skor 9-9. Skor tersebut bertahan hingga akhir babak kedua.

Dengan hasil imbang, pertandingan dilanjutkan dengan adu tendangan penalti. Kedua tim menyiapkan eksekutor-eksekutor terbaiknya. Kedua tim terlihat sangat tegang. Ini terbukti dari gagalnya pemain-pemain senior Permias, seperti Anton dan Il dalam mengeksekusi penalti. Ketegangan juga meliputi pemain-pemain E-12. Beberapa tendangan pemain E-12 melewati mistar gawang ataupun menyamping. Namun dengan penuh ketenangan dan pengalaman, eksekutor terakhir Permias mampu menjebol gawan E-12. Sebaliknya, tendangan pemain terakhir E-12 berhasil diblok oleh penjaga gawang Permias. Skor akhir adu penalti 4-3 untuk kemenangan Permias.

Adapun susunan pemain kedua tim adalah sebagai berikut:

Permias: Il, Farid, Anton, Gugun, Brian, Valhan, Arin dan Abdul.
E-12: Sayed, Joe, Muluk, Luthfan, Kenny, Lindsay, dan 2 orang Amerika (sorry ga tau namanya).

Fotografer: Eko Junor

Pertandingan diakhiri dengan perpisahan antara Permias dan E-12. Namun, sangat disayangkan karena tidak semua anggota Permias dan E-12 hadir dalam pertandingan tersebut.

Selamat jalan teman-teman, semoga kita diberi kesempatan untuk bertemu dan berkumpul kembali. Sukses selalu...!!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Prof. Suraya Afiff Gave a Lecture in OU

Reported by Muhammad Chozin

Athens (May 29, 08)
An Indonesian visiting scholars at the University of Washington, Prof. Suraya Afiff, came to OU to give a lecture entitled "Claiming the Grounds for Reform: Agrarian and Environmental Movements in Indonesia." The lecture was held by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies on May 29, 2008 at 3-5pm in the Friends of the Library Room (3rd Floor), Alden Library.

In her lecture, Prof. Suraya Afiff, who is also a lecture in the Department of Anthropology University of Indonesia, talked about the dilemma of strategies between land reform movement and environmental movement. According to her, the land reform movement used to avoid the environmental movement's strategies since both of them often have a contradict agenda. However, currently becomes trend to collaborate between environmental movement and land land reform movement.

Some students taking class of Development in Southeast Asia also join the forum as well as some Indonesian students at OU. Permias had a chance to take a picture with Prof. Afiff after the lecture.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Chozin, Maru dan Farid: Melangkah untuk membuka pintu lainnya

by Nelly Martin

On Monday, May 26, 2008 at 7.05-9.00 P.M, located in Seminar room, Yamada house, Muhammad Chozin a.k.a Chozin defended his thesis entitled Illegal but common: Life of Blast Fishermen in the Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi,Indonesia. Chozin explained confidently his one-year research. He looked so confident that made him respond the questions flawlessly and knowledgeably.
The chair committee and the adviser is Dr. Gene Ammarell and the committee members are Dr. Yeong-Hyun Kim and Dr. M. Iqbal Djawad.

This defense was something new for most of us due to the fact that one of the committees, M. Iqbal Djawad, Ph.D, was in Makassar, so they had to do the tele-conference. In spite of the technical problems, everything was done flawlessly. Chozin could answers all questions given by the advisers flying colors. He knew what he was talking about and could respond to the queries asked. Additionally, the advisers gave him some insight suggestion which is necessarily required for an academic paper. Dr. Kim even directly asked Chozin to pursue his doctoral degree and told him that it was a good work.

Not only did the advisers ask the questions, the audience that consisted of 10 Permias students, 1 Malaysian and 1 Pilipino, was given a chance to ask a question. Tsuy asked a very thoughtful question that inquired Chozin about the job opportunity if he really does some action to eliminate the blast fishing in that area. Additionally, Farid asked whether having some researchers in that area is necessarily benefited the people there.
The session took about 2 hours. Then, the committees asked Chozin and the audience to leave the room. Five minutes after that Chozin was pronounced that he passed it.
He looked very happy and everyone congratulated him.
His hard work paid off.

Berikut adalah kesan Chozin:
Wah..waaaah...terima kasih semuanya..
Terutama untuk Sandra dan Efka yang sudah bantu persiapan sound system, phone conference, dan makan siangnya. Farid dan Valhan dengan jepretan-jepretan mautnya. Arin dengan pekikan-pekikan semangatnya. Nelly buat encouraging comments dan reportasenya. Tsuy dengan pertanyaannya yang penuh menggugah kesadaran. Manda dan Citra dengan senyum manis dan easy goingnya (kalian selalu menjadi adik2 manis yang menyegarkan suasana). Wakil E-12, Muluk dan Said yang selalu curious ingin banyak tanya (eh..Muluk, nanti saya pasti copy hasil video rekamannya)....Mmmh..sapa lagi ya....? O ya, ibu Suri dengan text messagenya ! Pokoknya buat semuanya dech..."kontribusi besar kalian membuatku tidak bisa menolak untuk tidak mencatat nama-nama kalian dalam buku harianku!"
Kedatangan kalian benar2 menjadi semangat tersendiri buat saya !


Tidak lupa, Maryani, aka Maru juga sudah mempresentasikan Proseminar Papernya yang berjudul : Identifying a core vocabulary for teaching English to Indonesian pre-school children based on a mini-corpus of Indonesian Children’s storybooks, pada hari Sabtu, 10 Mei 2008 pukul 4.25-4.55 sore. Beberapa teman Indonesia seperti Brian, FK, Arin, Nelly, dan Mila pun turut hadir. Maru tampak sangat lancar dalam memaparkan karya ilmiahnya. Beberapa pertanyaan pun dijawab dengan penuh percaya diri dan tepat sasaran. Juga, teman kita, Farid Muttaqin, baru saja melaksanakan sidang untuk kelulusannya dengan thesisnya yang berjudul: Progressive Muslim Feminists in Indonesia; from Pioneering to the Next Agendas. Bertempat di Baker Center, tanggal 23 Mei jam 10-11, Dr. Elizabeth Colins dan Dr. Loren Lyberger memberikan pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang dapat dijawab dengan lancar oleh Mas kita ini. Sayangnya sidang ini tertutup sehingga tidak ada anak Permias yang menjadi saksinya. Sandra, menunggu di luar sampai Mas Farid dinyatakan lulus dan berhak menyandang gelar MAIA pada pukul 11.30 AM.

Luthfan dan Muluk: Pahlawan Kami hari ini

Mendengar suara sirene pemadam kebakaran atau polisi di lingkungan kampus OU itu sudah biasa. seminggu terakhir ini saja barangkali 3 atau 4 kali kita dengar suara sirene pemadam kebakaran masuk wilayah kampus. yang tidak biasa adalah kalau kita sendiri yang "dikunjungi" oleh pemadam kebakaran itu. celakanya, itulah yang terjadi pada pagi "buta" ini.

Sekitar pukul 7 pagi lebih sedikit, suara sirene pemadam kebakaran membahana mendekati tempat kami tinggal. yang mengherankan, malah salah satunya diparkir di depan rumah. dengan penuh tanda tanya dan rasa penasaran, saya pun ke luar. di depan Islamic Center (IC) terlihat satu lagi pemadam kebakaran dan mobil polisi OU dan nampak beberapa petugas pemadam kebakaran lengkap denga "fire gear"nya memasuki gedung IC...saya lihat beberapa penghuni IC "kelimpungan" berada di luar, di antaranya mas Chozin lengkap dengan dua rangsel menggantung di bahunya, sebagian masih dengan mata sembab karena masih mengantuk...maklum mungkin beberapa di antaranya lagi enak-enaknya "bermimpi" sehabis begadang semalam suntuk mengerjakan tugas-tugas akhir atau thesisnya.

Dari beberapa informasi yang sempat dihimpun, ceritanya bermula dari mas Luthfan dan Abdul yang malam itu tidur di IC, setelah begadang di Alden sampai larut malam. sehabis sholat shubuh mereka mencoba tidur lagi (saya sendiri langsung pulang ke rumah, tapi sempat saya katakan kepada mereka: "kalau mau meneruskan jilid keduanya, silakan"), tapi rupanya kelenaannya terganggu oleh asap yang keluar dari lubang ac/heater...karena curiga dan khawatir terjadi kebakaran, mereka naik ke lantai dua (tempat para penghuni IC) membangunkan mas Chozin, juga penghuni lainnya. lantai dua ternyata telah penuh asap...smoke detectornya rupanya tidak berfungsi sehingga para penghuni itu tidak mendengar adanya peringatan dini dari alat itu. mas Chozin pun menelpon 911 melaporkan kejadian itu dan dalam hitungan beberapa menit saja sirene pemadam kebakaran pun meraung-raung melaju memasuki kompleks IC yang notabene berada di tengah-tengah kampus OU...

kesigapan petugas pemadam kebakaran itu berhasil mencegah kemungkinan malapetaka yang lebih besar. dari salah seorang petugas diperoleh keterangan bahwa asap itu berasal dari "furnace burner" yang "koslet." maklum kondisinya sudah tua sekali dan letaknya berdesakan dengan fasilitas lain (listrik, gas, ac/heater dll. di satu ruang yang sempit): "there are too many things in such a small place," katanya. dia sarankan supaya segera memanggil tukang dan menggantinya sesegera mungkin...

alhamdulillah, berkat keberadaan 2 warga E-12 di IC pada saat itu, IC tidak jadi musnah terbakar, dan mas chozin beserta sesama penghuni IC tidak jadi "barbeque" ...it could have been worse!

terima kasih mas Luthfan dan Abdul...you're our hero today!!!

wassalam,
yosur
tetangganya IC

berdasarkan email Pak Yojo,
hari Selasa, 27 Mei 2008

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Sate Party untuk Perpisahan dengan Mahasiswa Baru

Usai Acara Sate Party Permias Athens, Ohio (Foto oleh Adrian Budiman)

Athens, Sabtu 24 Mei 2008, telah diadakan potluk dalam rangka 'mengantarkan' sebagian warga Permias yang akan kembali ke bumi Indonesia tanggal 1 Juni nanti. Farewell Potluck anak-anak E-12 (mahasiswa Exchange Bahass Inggris) tersebut diselenggarakan pada hari sabtu (24/5) jam 6.30 PM di West State Park, tepatnya di taman setelah University Commons dan Athens Garden Apartment.

Acara berlangsung dengan sukses dengan ketersediaan makanannya melimpah ruaah, cuaca cerah, dan susunan acara yang meriah. Anak-anak gang E12 sebagai host acara tersebut mampu membuat acara berjalan dengan semarak. Ditambah dengan kedatangan kedua orang tua dari Ibu Suri Permias (Mbak Lina) yang secara khusus datang dari Indonesia untuk berkunjung ke Athens.

Keluarga Pak Yojo dan keluarga Pak Fauzi menyediakan sate dengan bantuan anak-anak E12 sebagai penusuk dagingnya. Semantara warga Permias lainnya bertanggung jawab pada makan an dan minumannya. Mas adrian dan Mbak Tiwi mempersembahkan masakan khas opornya yang jadi ngingetin suasana lebaran. Mba Mila membawa masakan makaroni yang eunaak luar biasa. Penghuni 402, Efka-Brian-Gugun, maju dengan masakan bakso-rianya. Semntara Maru membawa Bala ala Bandung, serta Farid dkk sebagai pasukan pembawa nasi. Acara makin semarak dengan dengan gonjrengan gitar Mas Rudi yang mengiringi seluruh warga permias menyayi lagu-lagu Indonesia. It is "part of my greatest gratitude for all that makes this wonderful time happen", kata President Permias, Arin.


Monday, May 19, 2008

A Quick Update on the Burma Fundraising Efforts

Athens, 19 May 08
Supporting by Permias Athens, the team for Burma fundraising already collected more than $1000 to be given to Burmese people who suffered by disaster recently. Today Lauri Hlavacs from International Student Union (ISU) and Muhammad Chozin from Permias Athens just returned from the Red Cross to send the first deposit. The deposit will be transferred directly to the Myanmar Red Cross so they can purchase food and aid locally - was $874.10.

The Burma fundraising team will continue their efforts by giving out grilled cheese for donations (not "sellling") Friday night 5/23 from about 7~8pm to 2am. The table will be at the corner of Court St. and Washington (by the Courthouse). If you have a card table, or something similar to lend for the night, please contact Molly Roth mr172705@ohio.edu.

Lauri will make another drop-off at the Red Cross office on Tuesday 5/27, so if you can get in touch with her next weekend she will get the donations from you then. Remember to tell people donations can be tax deductible if they write a check! The donations can be dropped off any time at the Athens County Chapter of the American Red Cross at 100 South May Avenue (turn right at the Speedway on East State Street).


Sunday, May 18, 2008

Winie dan Permias Bungsu Tampil Memukau dalam Telent Show

Athens, 16 Mei 08.
Nama Indonesia semakin berkibar seiring dengan semakin seringnya mahasiswa Indonesia tampil dalam acara-acara di OU. Tadi malam (Kamis, 15 Mei 2008) mahasiswa kembali berpartisipasi dalam acara Telent Show yang diselenggarakan oleh International Student Union. Dalam acara yang diselenggarakan di Baker Center tersebut, Winie dengan telent menyayinya sempat mempersembahkan lagu-lagu melankolis kepada para penonton. Sementara tim Indonesian Traditional Dance yang diisi oleh adik-adik Permias bungsu (maksudnya anggota muda permias, para mahasiswa Indonesia yang sedang pertukaran belajar bahasa Inggris di OPIE) juga mempersembahkan tarian Indang khas dari Sumbar.

Winie seperti “American Idol”, kata Arin mengomentari penampilan Winie malam itu. Sementara, atas kesabaran pengurus Permias dalam mendidik Permias bungsu sehingga berhasil tampil dengan cemerlang, beberapa perwakilannya menyampaikan beberapa ucapan terima kasihnya kepada Permias. Sabarniati Arni, salah satu mahasiswa asal Aceh mengungkapkan sebagai berikut:Mewakili E12, makasiiiiiiih bwnyak bwt Arin (Permias-red) yg dah bersedia menguras wktu n tenaganya bwt ngajarin kami ya....!“Tak ada kata ataupun ungkapan yang dapat kmi haturkan selain arigato gozaimas. Ungkap Satriya Wijaya yang asli Jawa.

Thank you to all of you who performed last night in the lSU talent show. Without your help we could not have hosted the talent show last night. Bravo Permias !!!!

Berikut link video performance Winie oleh Anton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JYJe7-PSZE


Video tari Indang oleh Anton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCeyjUGuZig


Saturday, May 17, 2008

2008 Student Research and Creative Activity Expo: Chozin Won an Award

More than 550 undergraduate, graduate and medical students and post-doctoral fellows presented their original work at Ohio University's annual Student Research and Creative Activity Expo. The event, held at the Convocation Center each May, marks the biggest exhibition of student talent and showcases how students are closely involved in Ohio University's research endeavor.

This year's Expo was a great success!! Over 550 students and over 80 judges participated in the festivities. 85 session winners were awarded 1st or 2nd place prizes and recognized for their acheivement by President Roderick J. McDavis, Associate Provost Marty Tuck, and Interim Vice President for Research Jim Rankin. Dr. Rankin was also accompanied by Dr. Rathindra Bose, incoming Vice President for Research.

Students participating in the judging were grouped into 43 sessions according to department. A team of judges from a discipline other than the students' area of focus were assigned to each session. Students gave ten minute presentations and were then judged based on presentation skill, professionalism, research methods, and creativity. Judges selected a first and second place winner or in the event of a tie, they chose two first place winners.

Fortunately, a member of Permias Athens, Muhammad Chozin, won as the first winner in Sociology and Anthropology category. Chozin was awarded with $300 by presenting his research titled “Illegal but Common: Life of Blast Fishermen in the Spermonde Island, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Source of the main news:
http://research.ohiou.edu/grants/index.php?section=269

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Student group asks for help in providing relief to Myanmar

May 15, 2008

On the evening of May 2, 2008, a cyclone with winds of 120 mph hit the most populated and most vulnerable part of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Unofficial estimates put the death toll at more than 100,000 people, with almost half of those being children. The daily downpours of the monsoon season only serve to exacerbate the situation. Between the death, flooding, damaged crops and disease outbreaks, this disaster is quickly approaching the scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that affected millions.

Unfortunately, the Myanmar government has been blocking much of the food and aid offered by foreign countries. Only a few non-governmental organizations have been allowed to operate within the country; the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Myanmar Red Cross are among these few. A small group of OU students have come together to raise money that will be given directly to the Athens County Chapter of the American Red Cross located at 100 S. May Ave. (just off East State Street). The IFRC and the Myanmar Red Cross currently have teams of local Myanmar volunteer aid workers on the ground distributing a variety of aid, including water-purification tablets, tarpaulins and mosquito nets.

Because these Red Cross volunteers have been able to operate where others have been denied access, and because of the relative logistical ease of transferring the money from Athens to Myanmar, we have chosen to send all money collected to them. We have been distributing collection cans and boxes throughout the Athens area – both cash and checks are welcome (please make checks out to the “American Red Cross” with “Myanmar Disaster Relief” in the memo line). A receipt will be mailed to the address on your check.

One of the many collection locations is at the help desk on the first floor of Alden library. Your donations will be collected from the various sites on Monday, May 19, after the International Week Street Fair on Saturday where collection boxes will also be available. After that, we plan to collect the donations on a weekly basis. You can donate to our cans/boxes or send your tax-deductible contribution directly to the Athens County Chapter of the American Red Cross at the above address.

The OU student organization leading the disaster-relief collection efforts is the Athens Chapter of the Indonesian Student Organization, also known as Permias. In 2006, we were able to collect over $3,000 to send to Indonesia in support of relief efforts following a deadly earthquake in Java. We are again reaching out to the Athens community to help those who are in the most desperate need.

For the most up-to-date information on the Red Cross cyclone relief efforts, go to www.ifrc.org/what/disasters/response/myanmar-nargis/index.asp. If you have any questions or comments on our efforts in Athens, you can e-mail us at MyanmarDisasterRelief@yahoo.com or Dyah Ariningtyas Hening (Arin) at permias@ohio.edu (www.permiasathens.us).

Please help us help the people of Myanmar.

Lauri Hlavacs, on behalf of the OU Students for Myanmar Disaster Relief
Athens


Source: http://athensnews.com/opinion/letters/2008/may/15/letter-student-group-asks-help-providing-relief-my/

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Disaster aid efforts under way in Athens

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Brooks Jarosz
bj186905@ohio.edu

Local and international relief efforts continue after two recent major natural disasters. In Myanmar, thousands of people were killed after a major cyclone ripped through the country of Myanmar, also known as Burma. At least two million survivors are facing starvation. Meanwhile, China's death toll soared above 12,000 after a major earthquake struck. The quake could be felt as far away as Vietnam and Thailand. It measured a magnitude of 7.9 and is believed to be the worst quake China has faced in three decades.

Local student group sends aid

The Indonesian student organization at Ohio University, Permias, is heading up the local disaster relief collection. Following a deadly earthquake in Indonesia in 2006, the group was able to send more than $3,000 in support. Lauri Hlavacs is the chair of the group and is working with the local Athens Red Cross chapter to send relief to those affected. Sandy Shirey, executive director of Athens County Red Cross said,"She [Hlavacs] asked about the possibility of doing a collection, of course, we need to collect funds because everything the Red Cross does is done with donations so this is a perfect opportunity to let the community play a part in helping the people who were so badly hit."

Source: http://athensmidday.blogspot.com/2008/05/disaster-aid-efforts-under-way-in.html

Saturday, May 10, 2008

HELP US HELP THE PEOPLE OF MYANMAR

On the evening of May 2, 2008, a cyclone (hurricane) with winds of 120mph hit the most populated area of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Unofficial estimates put the death toll at more than 100,000 people, with almost half of those being children. Up to 95% of homes were destroyed in the rural areas and more than 600 villages were submerged in a tidal wave estimated to have been up to 15 feet high. This tidal wave alone killed livestock and destroyed the rice growing region in the fertile south. Further increasing the death toll, outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, and malaria are now being seen.

This disaster is approaching the scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that affected millions. Unfortunately, the Myanmar government has been blocking much of the aid offered by foreign countries. Only a few non-governmental organizations have been allowed to operate within the country; the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC) are among these few. A small group of students have come together to raise money that will be given directly to the Athens chapter of the American Red Cross located at 100 South May Avenue (just off East State Street). The ICRC currently has a team of local Myanmar volunteer aid workers on the ground distributing aid such as water purification tablets, tarpaulins, and mosquito nets to the victims of this tragedy.

Because the ICRC has been able to operate where others have been denied access, and because of the easy logistics of transferring the money from Athens to Myanmar, we have chosen to send all money collected to them. We have been distributing collection cans and boxes throughout the Athens area – both cash and checks are welcome (please make checks out to the “American Red Cross” with “Myanmar Disaster Relief” in the memo line). Your donations will be collected from the various sites on Monday May 19, after the International Week Street Fair where collection boxes will also be available. After that, we plan to collect donations on a weekly basis. You can donate to our cans/boxes or send your tax-deductible contribution directly to the Athens American Red Cross at the above address.

The OU student organization heading up the disaster relief collection efforts is the Athens chapter of the Indonesian student organization, Permias. In 2006, we were able to collect over $3,000 to send to Indonesia in support of relief efforts following a deadly earthquake (http://www.thepost.ohiou.edu/Articles/Opinion/2007/06/01/20375). We are again reaching out to the Athens community to help those who are in the most desperate need.

For the most up to date information on the cyclone relief efforts, go to www.irrawaddy.org. If you have any questions or comments on our efforts in Athens, you can e-mail us at MyanmarDisasterRelief@yahoo.com or Dyah Ariningtyas Hening (Arin) at permias@ohio.edu (www.permiasathens.us).

Please help us help the people of Myanmar.

Signed,

OU Students for Myanmar Disaster Relief

Monday, May 05, 2008

Student Organization Collecting for Myanmar

Welcome to Athens : Ony Jamhari (IIEF) and E-12

Foto peserta IELSP di Ohio University, by Sandra Nahdar:
Barisan pertama: Satria Wijaya (Univ. Mataram, NTB), Sayid Yusriansyah (UIN Sahid, Jakarta), Lutfan Sinatra (ITS, Surabaya), Abdul Muluk (ITB, Bandung). Barisan kedua: Imelda Golda (Uncen, Jayapura), Mitra Sari (UNRI, Pekanbaru), Rina Rahmi (UIN Ar-raniri, Banda Aceh), Yenisa Rivera (Unlam, Lampung), Isyatul Mardiah (Univ. Mataram, NTB), Sabarniati (UIN Ar-raniri, Banda Aceh), Ananda Astralia Loesi (Unpati, Ambon), Tika Satvikawati (Undip, Semarang)

Athens, 4 April 2008.
Dengan diantar langsung oleh staff IIEF, Ony Jamhari, 12 orang mahasiswa peserta Indonesia-English Languae Study Program (IELSP) menginjakkan kakinya di bumi Athens damai. Rencananya kedua belas mahasiswa tersebut akan tinggal di Ohio University untuk belajar bahasa Inggris selama dua bulan di OPIE (Ohio Program for Intensive English).

IELSP merupakan sebuah program baru yang diperuntukkan bagi mahasiswa S1 di Indonesian untuk belajar bahasa Inggris di Amerika. Dalam tahun ini ada empat gelombang yang diterima dalam program IELSP dengan total mahasiswa tang diterima lebih kurang 150 orang dari seluruh Indonesia. Mereka ditempatkan diberbagai universitas di Amerika, termasuk di Ohio University. Informasi lebih lanjut mengenai program ini bisa dikunjungi di website berikut ini:
http://www.iie.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Programs7/IELSP/IESLP.htm

Meskipun hanya dua bulan di Athens, mereka sudah langsung diangkat sebagai anggota Permias Athens. Oleh karena itu, dalam dua bulen ke depan, mereka akan secara langsung terlibat dalam kegiatan-kegiatan Permias Athens.

Foto lebih lengkap by Sandra Nahdar di: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandranahdar/tags/onyjamhari/

Friday, May 02, 2008

Indonesian Dance Menghibur anak-anak SD di Athens, Ohio

Athens, Kamis, 1 Mei 2008
Tim kesenian Permias semakin mantap menunjukkan eksistensinya di bumi Athens, Ohio. Setalah berhasil tampil dalam beberapa acara di kampus Ohio University, Athens dan Ohio State University, Columbus, kini mereka kembali menampilkan kebolehannya kepada masayarakat umum di Athens. Kemarin sore meraka diundang oleh salah satu Sekolah Dasar, tepatnya di East Elementary school untuk menghibur para siswanya yang sedang punya hajat merayakan International Day. Acara tersebut digelar setiap tahun sebagai wahan untuk memperkenalkan anak-anak sekolah dasar pada keragaman budaya Internasional.

Permias kali ini menampilkan dua group keseniannya yang terbagi dalam tim Saman Dance dan Indonesian Folk Singer. Meskipun dengan jumlah penari yang lebih sedikit dari biasanya, tim Saman Dance Permias bisa tetap tampil prima dihadapan para murid SD dan orang tuanya. Tak ketinggalan, tim Saman Dance juga memperkenalkan dua penari barunya yaitu Audri (Malaysia) dan Mark (USA).

Saman Dancers: Kristin, Arin, Maru, Tsuy, Nelly, Audri, Brian, Mark (foto oleh Adrian Budiman)

Sementara tim Indonesian Folk Singers diisi oleh anak-anak baru Permias, mahasiswa exchange yang sedang belajar bahasa Inggris di OU, atau lebih dikenal dengan group E-12. Mereka menyayikan lagu-lagi nasional dan lagu daerah Indonesia. Selain itu, untuk lebih menunjukkan identitas ke-Indonesiaannya, dalam menyanyi mereka juga mengenakan baju daerah masing-masing.

Group E-12 tampil menyanyikan lagu-lagu Indonesia (Foto oleh Adrian Budiman)

Ini foto2 acaranya:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrians/sets/7215760485507291 1/

Imam Prasodjo Gave a Lecture in Ohio University

Athens (April 30, 2008), the Southeast Asian Studies program presented a talk by Dr. Imam Prasodjo entitled "Building Participatory Community Development in Indonesia." The tal was held in the Friends of the Library Room, 3rd floor Alden library at started at 7 pm. Students and faculties were enjoying the talk a lot because it brought a lot of new sight of how participatory development works at the local context. Prasojo gave a lot of information regarding his direct involvement in leading some development projects in Indonesia, including project post tsunami in Aceh and project in slum areas surrounding Jakarta.

Imam Prasodjo is director of Nurani Dunia, a non-governmental organization committed to participatory development in Indonesia. He is also director of the Center for Research on Inter-Group Relations and Conflict Resolution at the University of Indonesia. Currently, Dr. Prasodjo is a Senior Fulbright Scholar at Monmouth University in New Jersey. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Brown University.