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From my internship at WIN News Bendigo

Published on The Jakarta Post

The Jakarta Post •

Terartai helps special-needs students find a purpose in life

“Imagine Stephen Hawking,” Amanda Maringka said, describing the designers behind Terartai, a scarf business she recently launched.

The 27-year-old Bentley University graduate described Terartai as a social company, its scarf collections cocreated by people with special needs. “These children have a big will, but I felt like they are sort of stuck in their own body.”

Amanda told The Jakarta Post the story of how back in late 2018, she asked the question, ‘What’s next?’ after working in a market
The Jakarta Post •

Mental health issues to cloud the Year of the Rat: Expert

Legend has it that once upon a time, the Jade Emperor - one derived from Chinese folklore - held a race to determine the animals that would represent the 12 Chinese zodiac symbols.

The rat, agile and quick-thinking, hitch-hiked on the ox’s back, jumped off at the last moment and sprinted toward the finish line, thus securing first place.

“The year 2020 is the Year of the Metal Rat or the Golden Rat,” feng shui expert Jenie Kumala Dewi recently told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta.

“This year is c
The Jakarta Post •

'Knives Out': A stylish, nostalgic murder mystery

As the screen turned black and the end credits began to roll, the whole theater started cheering and clapping, even though the Indonesian premiere wasn’t attended by anyone who contributed to the movie’s production.

Knives Out is just that incredible. I was left silent in my seat, as people started walking to the exit while singing the detective film’s praises.

As much as I loved the idea of watching a vintage-themed film with Frank Sinatra’s "I’m Gonna Live Till I Die" in its soundtrack, I wa
The Jakarta Post •

Roll the credits: Has Gen Z abandoned the cinema?

The cinema business in Indonesia dates to the Dutch colonial era. The first movie theater in the country opened in 1900. It was run by Dutch proprietors in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. Watching a movie was a luxury then; the price of a second class ticket was worth 10 kilograms of rice. Fast forward over a century and watching movies is a common hobby for many people. Cinemas vie for the public’s favor by offering seating options, the latest sound systems, better screens, innovative ticketing s
The Jakarta Post •

Kyriakon School: Guiding special needs students toward acceptance

“I saw Victor raise his head today; it makes me really happy,” Untje Gunadisastra smiled as she chatted recently with Kris Sri Rahayu and The Jakarta Post.

Untje is the founder of Kyriakon School for Special Needs Children in South Jakarta, while Kris is the principal.

Responding with a huge smile, Kris explained that Victor, one of their high school students, has autism and would look down most of the time. Autistic children usually have difficulties making eye contact and have very short att
The Jakarta Post •

Indonesian couple taking country on motorbike tour around the world

Thirty-three-year-old Mario Iroth is known to his 149,000 YouTube channel subscribers as an Indonesian traveler touring the world on a motorbike.

But taking his followers on a journey far away isn’t the only thing he does.

Mario and longtime partner Lilis, 32, are "on-the-road ambassadors" of Indonesia, promoting their beloved country to coffee buddies and friends they meet on the road.

Manado, North Sulawesi-born Mario has always been a big fan of motorcycles and traveling. In 2013, after ye
The Jakarta Post •

Young rapper Angan DaHooman talks about racism in 'Trumpet’

Ten-year-old rapper Angan DaHooman released his second single “Trumpet” on Wednesday.

Available on digital music streaming platforms, the single features the young rapper speaking about racism and injustice, mentioning George Floyd and protests in the lyrics.

“Racism upsets me,” said Angan in a statement. “‘Trumpet’ crossed my mind when I saw injustice.”

In one of his Instagram posts, Angan explained the inspiration behind the song. “I made this because it was a school project, […] this song
The Jakarta Post •

'Bombshell': A juicy recount of how women helped take down Fox News’ Roger Ailes

"Will Megyn, won’t Megyn?" is the question that runs throughout Hollywood’s newest #MeToo film, Bombshell.

Semi-fictionalizing the story of how women brought down Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, Bombshell delivers a juicy and insightful peek into the media world and how vicious it can be.

Charlize Theron portrays Megyn Kelly, the strong and ambitious news anchor for conservative network Fox News. In the opening scene of the film, Megyn leads an office tour, seemingly allying with the audience by sho
The Jakarta Post •

'Such A Fun Age': Eye-opening, contemporary fun read

Kiley Reid’s debut novel, Such a Fun Age, was released earlier this year and has gathered mainly positive reviews from contemporary-adult fiction fans.

Set in the year 2016, the novel centers on the issue of race and class in the United States, but being written in a light and almost comedic manner it serves as a genuine reminder that the issue is more than what meets the eye.

Such a Fun Age begins with a classic "caught being racist" moment, which has lately garnered attention in the media.
The Jakarta Post •

'Charlie's Angels' a flirty-fierce, passable reboot

Feminism is undeniably a trending topic in Hollywood these days. Some love it; others consider it overplayed.

This year’s Charlie’s Angels reboot starts with the (rather cliché) line, “I think women can do anything.” A flirty-fierce fight scene ensues, sending a clear message that women are not to be messed with.

Elizabeth Banks is the director, writer and star of the film, and judging from Pitch Perfect 2 and 3, which she directed as well, Banks is making “girl power” her trademark. Her scrip
The Jakarta Post •

Young Jakarta-born researcher nominated for Global Citizen Prize in London

Now 27, Nashin Mahtani is one of five finalists for the 2019 Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award. The annual award recognizes the world’s most inspiring activists aged 18 to 30, who have worked toward ending extreme poverty by 2030.

Nashin, an architectural researcher and designer who advocates for environmental justice, is also the director of PetaBencana.id, an open-source platform that provides real-time information and transparent communication between residents and governmen
The Jakarta Post •

'Jumanji: The Next Level' a laugh-machine sequel done right

Dwayne Johnson and the gang return to the screen for another adventurous trip to the video game land of Jumanji, this time taking not one but two grandpas with them.

The story opens with Spencer (Alex Wolff), now in college and broken up with Martha (Morgan Turner). Juggling a college-life crisis and an awful job at a grocery store, he willingly reenters Jumanji after finding the game tossed at his basement.

Spencer does not show up for a brunch reunion the next day, prompting his friends and
The Jakarta Post •

'Frozen 2' lures you into the unknown

It’s hard to believe that Frozen was released six years ago, as the “Let It Go” anthem is still frequently heard around the world today.

The winter-themed film was a global hit, earning US$1.33 billion worldwide. It was the highest-grossing animated feature of all time until The Lion King remake surpassed it earlier this year. With Frozen being such a success, the sequel is expected to hit big as well.

Frozen 2 starts with a flashback to the childhood days of the beloved Queen Elsa and her sis
The Jakarta Post •

‘Ip Man 4: The Finale’ delivers decent farewell to our beloved kung fu grandmaster

We thought Ip Man 3 (2015) was the finale, but that wasn’t it. Four years after the last film and one year after its spin-off, Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018), Donnie Yen’s Ip Man decided to return one last time in Ip Man 4: The Finale.

Read also: Action-packed ‘Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy’ delivers enough punch for a spin-off

In 1964, five years after the events of Ip Man 3, Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man struggles to raise his rebellious teenage son, Ip Ching (Ye He) following his wife’s death.
The Jakarta Post •

'Nagabonar Reborn': A shallow yet enjoyable comedy

The majority of Indonesian films are one of two genres: horror and romance. However, the story of Nagabonar, written by the late author and poet Asrul Sani, is quite distinctive, especially since war is not a common setting for comedy.

This year’s depiction of Asrul Sani’s beloved character excited me. As a member of the “millennial and after” age group, I have never watched the original Nagabonar (1987), nor have I seen any Indonesian film set in the Dutch colonial era without blood and tears,

The Jakarta Post - YouTube

Sunita Bhagchandani walks like she owns the place, hair swinging side to side as she passes through peddlers and crowds of women carrying groceries, into her small jamu (traditional herbal drink) kiosk at the BSD Modern Market in South Tangerang, Banten. (JP/Teresa Yovela)

For this video, I created its story idea, wrote the article, conducted the interview and wrote its subtitles.

Published on DScribe

Dscribe •

From golf balls to meatballs, Bianca swaps pro sport for food blogging – DScribe

A three-course meal of meatballs and wine, a gigantic sushi platter, a bubble tea cake, and even a fancy high tea box. These are the kinds of deliveries received by the Ling family on a daily basis.

Mama Ling calls it “a family affair” as her daughter Bianca takes photos while the family holds up props and play lighting crew. At age 25, Bianca Ling is an established food blogger after a childhood as a professional golfer.

“It feels like a lifetime ago, but I started playing golf at age seven o
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Live online masses attract huge numbers to church – DScribe

A Melbourne church plans to continue live-streaming daily services after the coronavirus restrictions are lifted, following the unexpected success of its temporary initiative.

The decision comes after Burwood’s St Benedict’s Catholic Church parishioners realised that the church’s newly created YouTube channel had been viewed more than 80,000 times since it first began streaming in March.

Mission Support Daniel Ceccon said the videos had reached not only audiences in Australia, but across the w

Published on BUSET Magazine

An Indonesian-language publication based in Melbourne

BUSET Magazine •

Komunitas Minang Saiyo Melbourne Perkenalkan Makanan dan Tarian Tradisional dalam Acara Halal Bi-Halal

Ramai tepuk tangan membanjiri acara Halal Bi-Halal Minang Saiyo Melbourne di Clayton Hall, pada hari Minggu, 23 Mei. Di panggung, anak-anak tersenyum sambil melambaikan tangan kepada para orang tua yang sibuk mengambil foto dengan bangga.

“Ini baru latihan, belum aslinya,” kata Muhammad Abduh, Ketua Ikatan Keluarga Minang Saiyo Melbourne (IKMS) yang hari itu mengenakan Pakaian Penghulu berwarna kuning. “Nanti anak-anak ini akan menampilkan Tari Pasambahan, Tari Indang dan Tari Cewang di puncak acara.”
BUSET Magazine •

Santi Whiteside: Wanita Indonesia Pertama yang Mencalonkan Diri Jadi Councillor di Australia

“Teman-temanku yang support,” kata Santi Ketika diwawancarai di rumahnya pada hari Sabtu, 22 Mei. “Mereka bilang ‘Ayo Santi!’, ‘you’re very good at solving problems!’, ‘I know you can do it!’, dan mereka itu dari negara yang beda-beda, seperti India, Malaysia, Australia, dan lain-lain.”

‘I will support you, but you have to be strong,’ kata dia.”
BUSET Magazine •

DeTalks 2021: Cinta Laura bahas cita-citanya untuk Indonesia

Acara talkshow persembahan PPIA RMIT, DeTalks kembali hadir tahun ini dengan tema Step Up: Where Your Step Starts. Berlangsung dua hari melalui Zoom, DeTalks 2021 bertujuan untuk menfasilitasi generasi muda dalam mengembangkan passion dan mempersiapkan diri untuk masa depan.

“At the end of the day, life is about choices,” kata Cinta. “Kita bisa hidup yang gampang-gampang, simple, tapi tidak ada maknanya, atau kita bisa memberanikan diri, berbesar hati untuk membantu orang-orang yang tidak bisa