Kartini’s Day Giveaway Cherish Writegram

Rising and fighting for women’s right need continuous effort to get the equality across gender. Kartini was national heroine and prominent female pioneer breaking the silence to women’s emancipation, being at the crack of dawn line-leading girls’ further education.

Indonesia commemorates the 21st of April as our most influential woman in Indonesia for emancipation movement. R.A. Kartini shared ideas and ideals about women’s roles as their contributions toward both nation and world. 21st of April has been recognized historically as Kartini’s day. #BWAMTRIP and I held giveaway composition program where participants listed could write their inspiring woman in life. The selection process got through tough and hard within 2 days with numerous writers as we did not expect. Getting tired of considering and reconsidering having sent with hundred posts and tags in was all paid off. We proudly announce the lucky winning writer;

Special Kartini’s #bwamgoshgiveaway story by Anita Louise

Who is the inspiring woman to me? I would say she’s my mother! As for me, my source of inspiration is none other than my beloved mother. My mother is someone who will do anything for her children. She has always been very patient with me, she always gives me advices and support whenever I need her. She’s always by my side during good and bad times and to lend her shoulder for me to cry on during the bad times. My mother is my everything. She is my best friend, my confidant. She is my shoulder to cry on and my laughter to pick me up. My strength when I’m weak. I’m grateful to have her at her 80.

I’ve been quite a champion at being independent. Speaking of woman solo traveler, it’s like telling the story about myself. Traveling is one of my biggest passions. Sometimes, people ask: “Anita, wouldn’t you have more fun traveling if you had someone to go with?” And my answer is always both yes and no.

Traveling with a friend or someone close can be a really rewarding experience. You don’t truly know someone until you travel with them, and getting to know someone like that can be a lot of fun (or not!). When I started telling people I was going to Europe for 3 weeks, everybody’s first question was the same: Who are you going with? When I said I was going on my own, their reactions were all very similar. “Wow, that is very brave of you!” “Aren’t you scared?” “Will it be safe?” “Alone? I could never do that.” Or sometimes when I tell people how often I travel, I frequently met with the famous “oh gosh, you’re so lucky” comment.

Well, I HATE that comment because it’s usually implied, with a sly hint of “you must come from money” or somehow I do not have to work as hard for this lifestyle. I have waxed poetic enough about lame excuses for not traveling, but for different reasons I do believe I am very lucky to be able to follow my dreams.

 It is a different experience, but no less enjoyable

What makes me lucky is the fact that I was born in a country with the opportunity, I have an incredibly emotionally supportive mother and I have been surrounded myself with friends who share my dreams and are encouraging. Not everyone has that. Traveling around (the world) and seeing people in all sorts of circumstances makes me appreciate my freedom more and more. I don’t think people can truly appreciate what they have until you travel somewhere and are faced with abject poverty, or to a place where people don’t have the same freedom we are blessed with going back home. That is where I consider myself lucky and I don’t think I would have ever come to that realization without traveling far and wide.

But I have just as much fun traveling alone.  It is a different experience, but no less enjoyable. When I travel alone, what I learn about is myself. I learn about my own strength, and I learn about my own weaknesses and insecurities. I’ve never come home from a trip feeling anything less than a better, stronger person. Traveling is not the only time being alone, it is a valuable experience. It can be powerful in any aspects of life.