Chris is my teacher. He is from the UK. He graduated in Development Studies from the University of Westminster, ya, it’s my favorite major in England. The other favorite is the Development Studies in SOAS, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
My personal impression about Chris is, he is smart, honest, firm, often
awkward, haha. If he shows and talks about the arguments, he is so
hard-straight, and on the point. I love his honesty. That’s my shallow summary
because the man is really complicated, right?
Yesterday after the class, on the way went to the home, I asked him about
his school background and experience. Here are our conversations, not too
precisely, but I just want to show you the main idea:
“You want to go to home?” asked Chris.
“Ya, in my dormitory, in Kos.”
“No the dormitory, dormitory is the rooms which many people live together. Like pesantren.”
“Oh, oke.” I show my agreement. “So, you learned from LSE too?”
“Ya.”
“What’s your major?”
“Development Studies.”
“I think SOAS is good too for that major, and also Sussex University.”
“Ya, it’s good too.”
“Why did you choose Development Studies?”
“Because I want to be an economist.”
“Your dream becomes true?”
“No, I switch my goal, I don’t want to be the economist again.”
“Oh, oke. So, why did you choose to live in Indonesia?”
“Indonesia is the most beautiful country in the world.”
“Hmm, maybe. I like Jogja, and I think, I more enjoy living in Jogja than in Jakarta. Jogja is more peaceful and Jakarta so crowded, but Jakarta has a lot of potential economics.”
“But, Indonesia is not about Jakarta and Jogja, right? Indonesia has many beautiful places.”
“You like traveling around Indonesia, Chris?”
“Ya. Sometimes.”
“What place do you visit?”
“I have visited from Aceh, Sumba, until Papua.”
“That’s cool. But I have a dream I want to go to England.”
“Why do you want to go to England.”
“Because it’s my dream.”
“Why?”
“Hmm, it’s been my dream since in Senior High School.”
“No, you don’t answer my question. I need your reasons ‘why’ you choose
England?”
“Maybe because England is an advanced country.”
“You have to research any more for that. You should have enough reasons to choose something.”
“Okay, and Chris, I’m sorry, why you choose Economics?”
“As I said before, I switched my major.”
“Why?”
“Because I think I just learned about theories, and it is not interested me. It can’t solve any problems in reality.”
I was shocked because I have a big interested in abstract ideas.
“So, what’s the major which you choose?”
“I choose Geography.”
“Why is Geography? Can Geography solve our real problems?”
“Ya, Geography can give answers for floods, the way, sanitations,…”
“And poverty too?”
“I think yes.”
“So, can you tell me about LSE, Chris?”
“What do you want to know?”
“About circumstances, lecturers,….”
“In LSE is more orthodox….”
“Oh, but you learned about Marxist theory too?”
“Ya, I learned it, but it’s just ideology, I’m not interested in.”
In the middle of the way, we have the other way, Chris goes on straight, and I turn to the right. “Bye, Chris!”
This brief talking with Chris opens my mind. I have some reflections after that. Thank you, Chris!
Jakarta, September 23rd, 2022
Ideopraksis 
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