CCIP Departure and Flights

CCIP Departure and Flights Jakarta, CGK to Miami, MIA

I moved to Miami, Florida, USA and studied at Miami Dade College Kendall Campus on a scholarship called Community College Initiative Program (CCIP) under the Community College Consortium (CCC) funded by US Dept. of Education for about 10 months.
Read how I got the scholarship here.

I left my job (although I was a creative freelancer), I left my start-up business, my family, my dog, my friends. I was on my peak. I was happy doing what I did but I was so ready to leave it all for the "once in a lifetime" experience studying abroad! It was super easy because I know that I will be fine.

On July 14, 2013 I flew to Miami USA to start the scholarship program. I packed only a medium suitcase and a backpack. My parents, my sisters and brother, my brother in laws, my nephew Gabriel, my friends: Lala, Raysha Cacil, Caca and Gigi, and Jali took me to the airport. Lala and Cacil gave me a personal made book of recipe for easy to make food and said in that book to me not to forget to eat and not to eat late because they know I have an ulcer. Caca and Gigi gave me a box filled a socks (and a paper with "Just in case you get cold",) candies and cookies (and a paper with "Just in case you get hungry"), and pictures of us from our trip to Jogjakarta (and a paper with "Just in case you miss us"). They are just the sweetest! I love them a lot <3

I met CCIP students from Indonesia that also placed in Miami: Mimy from Gorontalo, Jerry from Manado, Putri from Palu, Tjipto from Solo, and Hendrik from Papua. We all (except Hendrik) were in the same flights from Jakarta to Miami. So, I know I have friends, we stick together and conquer all the problems that happened during our departure, including the excess baggage because both connecting flight has different regulation on maximum baggage weight.

Toilet at Narita Airport

First flight was Jakarta to Changi by Garuda Indonesia for about 1.5 hour. Then Changi to Narita, Japan by United Airlines for 8 hours. The long flight made me can't feel my legs. Watching movies will make you sleepy all the time. I watched 3 movies and fell asleep on all three! The Admissions, Garp, and another one with Seth Rogen and Barbra Streissand. I had the same plane for the next flight to Houston but we still need to get out first and make a security check then walk to the gate to boarding. Narita Airport is small and has no free wifi. I didn’t see much of it because it was only 20 minutes transfer. Narita to Houston was like a bumpy road. It was another 8 hours flight. Heavy turbulence in such a bright afternoon. I felt uneasy, I wondered had this happened a lot? I looked out the window, we were above a big big cloud. I remain seated for a long time in that plane because of the turbulence, I can't go to the lavatory and the worst was the food can't be distributed and I was starving. Thank God I had that cookies from Caca. Finally I watched a full movie. Hotel Transylvania. That was funny and detail. I also watched Stokers to end the flight. A very staggering one for a flight entertainment. Point of entry - HOUSTON. WELCOME TO AMERICA!
Houston to Miami. 4 more hours to get to my final destination. I was waiting for my time to rest on a real bed.

FINALLY, I ARRIVED IN MIAMI!