When One of Your Wildest Dream Come True

Who excited when the election finally done??

Yeah I am soo happy when all the campaign ads is everywhere and make the town looks more trashy finally took down!!!.

But guess what.... the after election rant still theree.. (long sighhhhhhh).

And I also very proud of this country, is totally a demochracy country and I felt my voice and YOUR voice really matter. And based on this year statistic the population who voted were about 80%!!! 

KUDOS INDONESIA!!!

SOOO in this post I want to tell you about my very first time visiting EUROPE!!

GOSH... It was the best thing ever happened to me all the TIME! EVER!

I dont remember that I told you that I was selected as the Kalenji Monitor for Indonesia on last June. And at that time I was the first one who called as the first monitor for South East Asia. I feel so honour and blessed at the same time. But what's the Monitor or Kalenji Monitor? Basically it was like the trainer for the brand of Kalenji.. so it's Monitor task to train all the team in the country about the brand. Also you will become the eyes of the brand. You listen and heard the user then giving the feedback to them. 

I never expected to come to that training as the monitor, I was come only with the excitement will met the people from the brand and learnt from him. Asking as many question as I had and shooted him with my future ( I was really wanted to work at the brand). Have no idea it will be a validation in the end of training. 

So when the invitation to have all Monitors Meeting for Kalenji I was screaming and scared sooooo loud!! I still remember I read the email at the midnight!.

In the morning I forwarded the email to my coach and asking her feedback about the meeting. I asked her what thing I have to do to go to this meeting (and of course I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR IT).

She said that I had to some of this and that send the proposal to the leaders as well. And the same time the deadline for going to France is ticking and I still havent got a green light for it!. Oh did I told you the meeting is at the Lille? A city on North of France.

So yes... of course it will be expensive and while the company was in frugality. And Am so nervous as fuck. When I got the green light I just prepared everything.... searching the flight ticket and go for visa.

Once everything done the only thing that Am worried was the weather. It was on late January... still in winter condition. I checked the temparature about single digit. Well I love mountain so much. I was endure in extreme condition on my last race at Bromo. But it was in a race and in Indonesia. I never traveled that far before. And I never visited Europe before!.

I asked friend of mine that ever studied and lived in France for years. He said that Lille is a rain city. Almost like Bogor of France.... hehehhe. Also lucky there are so many of colleagues who ever visited or lived in France before... so I asked them a lot! :D.

And also on that month France situation not really in a good situation politically. Have you ever heard Yellow Jacket Riots? Also there are several bomb attack recently in Paris lately. So when I arrived and wanted to see my friend in Terminal 2 where the train heading to city is there. After I met him we wanted to buy ticket but we didnt have small cash. So we decided to bought some coffee at Starbucks. Just when my drink ready... Suddelny so many polices come and yelled in France. We just wondered and guessing whats going on. The polices order us to going up or left the Terminal!
What the heck! The only way out was train to city. There is no bus to city or might be there but the signage are not that clear. Even the signange to evacuate was not clear! I look around to see the evacuate signage but can't see anything.

The situation actually really tense. Polices keep yelling in French! While CDG Airport is for international. I was asking to many people they also didn't speak French as well :'( . I texted friend of us who already arrived and they have no idea what's going on actually. I asked to Eric he said... might be the police found bomb.... but still until now I have no idea what's going on actually at the time.
After less than one hour, polices left and the shops also train work like normal. People didnt talk about it and we just wandering. What the heck !
My first impression with Paris just sooo marvelous... hahahaha.

So we met my friends at the Gare du Nord. They waited us there and when I was going out the cold wind really slap my face and body! Geez.... It was 4pm in the afternoon and I already shivering! My feet swollen after long flight (16 hours with one transit). I didn't explore many places in Gare du Nord since we need to catch our train to Lille. Later I knew this place was scary AF! hahaahha.

It was not safe to show your purse in this place. Just DONT!

Friend of mine almost got a pick pocket in this area. And Gare du Nord is a place where pick pockets and scammers are centered ( I guess... :D)

From Gare du Nord to Lille took about 3 hours ish. And we arrived quite late at night at Lille. It was cold as fuck!

Where ever I go in France (well basically only from Paris to Lille ;p). I saw soo many vandalism in many public places. Also I spotted soo many young man when they entered the train they didnt pay the ticket. They just hopped on the gate and just like that. The attituted are quite rebel. Also I saw soo many homeless in big city. Where this lead to become a scammers. Pretty sad this lovely country with long history has a big problem but not well taking care by the government. I might be wrong because this is my first time visiting France. 

So from Lille station we took Uber to our hotel in Villenevue-d'Ascq, about 15 minutes from Lille station. A small town and the people is really warm. Villenevue-d'Ascq means New Town of Ascq.
Ville = Town
Nevue = New
Also there is halal food and the owner is super friendly! On our last day in this town they selfie with us and said thank you. (And now I really-really missed that place.. T_T ).

greeted by Joker in Villenevue D'Ascq

Last sun before the snow come at mid night

On my last day training we had chance to went around this city. We visited the historical castle in this town, Chateau de Flers. I think this chateau has the most remarkable historical point in France history. In the museum I just knew that this place witnessed so many world history! This place survived from World War 1. And Impressingly this chateau also survived from World War II. Where the NAZI start ambushed France. And this town become NAZIs ammunition place (i forgot the name in english! hahhahaa).

Chateau de Flers with Flemmish influence

Inside of the Museum...

I asked to the museum guide "do you still hate German because they really invaded your town and ruined everything there?" And he said "No. of course... It happened long time ago.. Now we are in peace."

I just really like the way he answered.... If you learned back at that time people really like to war and invaded so many places. Killing many people. Not many still feel ok after the war but only the wise and modern people who forgive and move on, we shouldn't forget but we should learn from the past.Visiting Europe or France means like all my favorite history lesson come ALIVE! I really really a huge fans of European history.... so whenever the itinerary is visiting museum I WILL GO! 
But insanely there are sooooo many museum in this country... you just have to choose wisely 😋😋😋.


I still have many story to tell... I just have to devide it wisely hahahaha and motivate me to write again.

See you on next post!

xxx
ello