THE TOURIST PLACE IN BUKITTINGGI

Now I invite you to know my lovely hometown Bukittinggi. Indonesia has 34 provinces and there are five big islands: Sumatera, Kalimantan, Java, Sulawesi and Irian (Papua).  In the west side is Sumatera Island and here is my province, West Sumatera. Padang is capital city of west Sumatera. This island is around by hills, mountain and valley. More forest growth on this island. All citizens are moslem in here and we are called as Minang people. Padang and Bukittinggi were distance about 89,7 km. We will face more beautiful view in the journey. Hiils, waterfall, valley and forest and sometime monkey hang on around there. It needs about two into three hours from Padang to Bukittinggi. 

Bukittinggi is known as twin city with Seremban city, Malaysia. There are more Minang people also because Minang people prefer to migrate to another province for challenge their life.  Bung Hatta was Indonesian first vice-president was born in Bukittinggi. In June 1948 until December 1949, Bukittinggi was designated as the capital of the emergency government of the Republic of Indonesia after Yogyakarta fell into Dutch.  

Bukittinggi is well known as tourist town and more tourist from other country come here to visit my lovely hometown. Let me introduce the tourist town in Bukittinggi :

1. Jam Gadang

It is known as zero point of Bukittinggi city, the central of Bukittinggi. It was built at 1926 by Yazid Sutan Gigi Ameh. Jam Gadang is a clock tower with a height of 26 m and a baseline measure approximately 13 m x4 m. It has four clocks with diameter 80 cm for each clock, and clock are located at the top of the tower. The clocks were imported directly from Rotterdam, Netherlands when Dutch colonialism in Indonesia and the engine is mechanically, it was produced by the engine that was made only two units in the world, it were namely the Jam Gadang and Big Ben in London, England. The legend said that the cost to build it is about 3000 Gulden.  The top of Jam Gadang, first time it looks like circle and there is a statue of a rooster. When Japan occupied Bukittinggi, they changed into a temple top. After independence, it changed in to form of top Minangkabau house (Rumah Gadang).

(for more information, pleae visit Jam Gadang)

2. Kebun Binatang Kinantan dan Taman Bundo Kanduang 

Near from Jam Gadang, we can visit Kebun Binatang Kinantan and Taman Bundo Kanduang. Kebun Binatag Kinantan is zoo that has more save animals live here, such as camel and elephants from middle east country, monkeys, apes, gorillas, tiger, lions, snakes, birds, etc. Taman Bundo Kanduang is beautiful garden, in the middle is traditional house of Minangkabau, Rumah Gadang. Cost for building this place was about 800 Gulden in Dutch Colonial.

3. Fort De Kock

The first time it was called as Stherrescant fortress. This fortress was built by Dutch colonial in 1825 while it was Paderi war in Minangkabau. It has 20 m height and four small cannon for warfare at each corner. It is white building and now this place for tourist specially, more sport game such as flying fox and trampoline for outbound. This place is so green with grass and it has fresh and cool weather.  

4. Jembatan Limpapeh

This is a bridge that is connecting the Kinantan Zoo and Fort de Kock. This bridge is above of Ahmad Yani Street and Kampung China (a small town are almost people live here are Chinese). In the middle of  bridge is a building like Minangkabau traditional house.




5. Lobang Jepang

This is a relic of history from Japan colony. It was built in 1942 useful for Japan defense in Second World War. It has 1,4 km hole length and 2 m hole width. It is so dark, but when you want to enter here,  you will give lamps or flashlight. At there more room, torture room, weapons room, and room for cooking. It has more gateway that spread in Bukittinggi city, such as in Taman Panorama, Ngarai Sianok and Tria Arga (Bung Hatta palace).

6. Taman Panorama

It is a garden with beautiful panorama. It location is at Panorama Street and near from Jam Gadang as well. We can see Sianok Canon and river from here. This place is connecting with Lobang Jepang. In front of Panorama we can visit Tri Daya Ekadarma Museum.

7. Tri Daya Ekadarma Museum

It is a museum that shows equipment of war and photos of our hero while against colony. In front of building we can see a plane statue. It location is Panorama Street in front of PDAM office.

8. Istana Bung Hatta (Tri Arga)

It is the Bung Hatta palace, but it is not like palace, we just call it as palace. More event or celebration are held here, such as traditional dance, Saluang, and more traditional art of Minangkabau.

9. Bung Hatta House Birth

It is a home birth of Bung Hatta our first vice-president. It is near from traditional market in Bukittingi. In the room we can find more historical heritage about Bung Hatta, photos, hansom, room, and many more classic equipment. 





10. Janjang Ampek Puluah

It is  a stage that has 40 steps so that why its name is Janjang Ampek Puluah means forty stage. This stage is connecting between traditional market (Pasar Bawah) and tourist market (Pasar Atas).  Along the way of stage, we can find more beautiful painting and souvenir.

11. Ngarai Sianok

Its is a tourist place in central of Bukittinggi city. The beautiful view and river here. It is a canyon that has 200 m width and 15 km length and 100 m hight. Around of canyon are high edge and near from here we can visit Janjang Saribu.

12. Janjang Saribu

It is stage that has almost thousand step so that why its name is Janjang Saribu it means thousand stages. This is natural place and we can see monkeys hang on around here. The first time this place used for people around here to bring water from river. And, now this place is suitable for camping.

13. Pasar Atas and Pasar Bawah

This is famous market in Bukittinggi. The Pasar Atas mean The Above Market, because it location are above than Pasar Bawah. This market sells more things such as clothes, shoes,  and beautiful traditional Minangkabau souvenir. We can see Jam Gadan from here. And, Pasar Bawah means The Below Market. And, Pasar Bawah is traditional market for daily needs. Besides Janjang Ampek Puluah, there are Pasar Lereng to connecting Pasar Bawah and Pasar Atas. 

14. Pasar Aur Kuning.

This is a market and big grocery in Bukittinggi. More tourist come here to buy clothes, shoes and other souvenir.

15. Puncak Lawang.

It is a top of Bukittinggi. People said that this place is the highest place. We can see beautiful view and if we look in below, we can see Maninjau lake. Here is more outbound game like flying fox and trampoline. This place is suit for camping. This location is about 28 km and it needs 30-50 minute from Bukittinggi. More plants growth here. And, we can feel fresh and cool air.

16. The Great Wall of Koto Gadang.

It location is near in Ngarai Sianok and Janjang Saribu. It imitate a great wall of China. It was built on 2013. We can see beautiful view from here, Ngarai Sianok and Janjang Saribu. 

17. Bukit Takuruang 

It means like a caged hill because it only one hill in the middle and there are trees on top. There are caferesto and cottages with beautiful and natural view.

That some of tourist place in my hometown. And, if you want to visit and enjoy this place you need a week to stay here. And next time I ll share about tourist place in other city in my province.

IS APPROPRIATE A SENIORITY IN AN ORGANIZATION ???

This article is about condition that usual we face in our environment specially in work field. Whatever our job, we will face it. I started to work in office since eight semesters in bachelor degree. And, my job field was so different with my subject mathematic at bachelor degree. I chose human resources, I handle about salary (payroll), recruitment and compensation&benefit employee. Many things I got from working in office. After I married, I change my job from working in company become a lecturer. I still face about human resources, I teach, train and invite students in diploma or bachelor degree to get more knowledge and use their mind in education field for preparing themselves to be employee.

Work environment is not only inside the company, but also outside the company that always cooperate or related with our company. What did you feel when you enter a new company? How did you get adapt with them? Did they accept you or did they treat you to know that you are feasible or not at there.

Sometime, some company need change their condition by recruiting new people who have new thinking and more innovative than now. But, here occur egotism. In other words, egotism change from old culture into new culture. In this topic we call old people were as senior and new people are as junior. Senior though they must be imitated and not need to be changed because they thought they success and great in their job. And, they force junior to follow them.

Sometime senior feel greater than junior because they have more experience. It is not necessarily, the times always change, the mindset always changing for the better and smarter than before. There are improvements from old condition to new condition. Although junior is younger than senior in age and experiences.

Usually, junior has high motivation and hard thinking to face and do job because they are new in that field and still curious about job and environment. If they are not placed in the right position, they will be influenced by old condition that cannot think forward.

Have you faced this condition that senior feel afraid when junior are in their environment? May they think they will be moved by junior. This may wrong, junior will ask senior to cooperate to pursue company vision that can give goodness and benefit for company and all employee.

More reason why senior are afraid if their company recruit new employee as junior, especially about salary and position or level of job. For example, the past, when senior still new in that company had salary A, but now not like that, new employee get salary more than A. This will make senior feel jealous. This is not fair if they compare past with present because economic factors in past is different from present. And, it is the same as position, last time senior might start from zero to reach current position, but nowadays junior can get chance to get their current position without start from zero. In here appear jealous and may make senior feel not confidence to compete or cooperate with their junior.

This condition like proverb “Like a frog inside a coconut shell”. They feel great in their environment, but they don't know that people outside are greater than them. They feel great in old condition and force new condition to follow them.

We can face this condition  in organization. We will worry if this condition became habit and it will be going down to the next generation. Senior is as old employee should guide junior as new employee that will continue their job to the next period. And, junior should respect to their senior. It will be positive things for senior because indirectly junior will promote them and it will be value added them as well. Then, senior will get spirit and motivation and also junior will encourage to do their job.

In exactly we can change our mindset to be positive, senior is not the right one that we always follow, but senior is as expert employee because they work is as their routine. And, junior is new people who don't know more about their environment work, but they want to learn it, junior is smart employee who has been selected by company and will be expert in their job. Junior is an employee who needs to guide and junior is not competitor that will fall down senior. And, of course if senior and junior cooperate each other will have great teamwork and pleasant environment. And, high productivity will easy to get.

And how about you...Are you agree with this???

Please comment here,,,ur comment will improve our mind...

Thank you vising my article..

^_^

PANTASKAN ADANYA SENIORITAS vs JUNIORITAS

Artikel berikut saya tulis adalah hal yang biasa kita temukan dalam lingkungan terutama dalam lingkungan kerja. Apapun pekerjaan yang kita jalani dalam suatu organisasi pasti mengalami hal ini. Saya mulai bekerja semenjak kuliah di semester 8 dan anehya bidang pekerjaan saya bertolak belakang dengan bidang yang saya pelajari.  Saya memilih bidang sumber daya manusia di lingkungan perusahaan baik masalah penggajian, penerimaan karyawan atau pun tunjangan-tunjangan karyawan yang diberikan oleh perusahaan. Banyak hal yang saya peroleh dari lingkungan pekerjaan. Setelah saya menikah saya beralih profesi menjadi pengajar yang tidak lain juga berhubungan dengan sumber daya manusia dalam melatih dan mengajak mahasiswa untuk menambah wawasan dan menggunakan daya pikirnya dalam dunia pendidikan untuk mempersiapkan diri mereka berkecimpung dalam dunia kerja.

Lingkungan kerja tidak hanya berada dalam perusahaan kita bekerja, namun juga berasal dari luar perusahaan yang selalu berhubungan dengan perusahaan tempat kita bekerja. Apa yang Anda rasakan saat Anda memasuki dunia kerja yang baru? Bagaimanakah anda beradaptasi dengan mereka? Apakah mereka menerima Anda sepenuhnya ataukah menguji Anda layak atau tidak diterima di perusahaan tersebut?

Kadang suatu perusahaan perlu perubahan dengan merekruit orang-orang baru yang memiliki pemikiran baru dan lebih inovatif dibandingkan yang sudah berjalan. Namun, disini terjadi keegoisan. Dalam artian egois budaya lama yang tidak mau dirubah dengan budaya baru. Bagi sebagian mereka orang lama adalah senior yang patut ditiru dan tidak perlu dirubah. Bagi mereka orang yang baru adalah junior yang harus mengikuti jejak senior yang menurut mereka sudah sukses dan hebat.

Kadang orang lama (senior) merasa lebih hebat karena memiliki pengalaman yang lebih banyak dibandingkan orang baru (junior). Padahal belum tentu demikian, zaman selalu berubah, daya pikir orang pun selalu berubah menjadi lebih baik dan pintar dari pada sebelumnya. Dimana adanya perbaikan dari hal-hal lama kepada hal-hal baru, walaupun junior lebih muda dari pada senior baik dalam hal usia ataupun pengalaman kerja.

Boleh dibilang kondisi ini adalah “Bagai katak dalam tempurung”. Merasa hebat dalam lingkungan dan kondisinya dan dia tidak menyadari bahwa diluar banyak orang yang jauh lebih hebat daripadanya. Merasa hebat pada kondisi lama dan memaksakan kondisi baru untuk mengikutinya.

Junior terutama yang baru mengenyam dunia kerja biasanya memiliki motivasi yang tinggi dan daya pikir yang masih segar dan bersih untuk menghadapi dan melakukan pekerjaan. Namun jika mereka tidak ditempatkan pada tempat yang tepat, mereka dapat terpengaruh oleh kondisi lama yang tidak mau berpikir maju ke depan.

Pernahkan Anda bertemu kondisi dimana adanya ketakutan bagi senior sebagai pelaku kondisi lama akan digeser oleh junior sebagai pelaku kondisi baru, padahal belum tentu junior akan menggeser hal tersebut. Mungkin saja mereka akan mengajak seniornya untuk bekerjasama dalam mencapai visi perusahaan ke depannya yang nantinya juga akan memberikan kebaikan pada perusahaan dan tentu kita sebagai karyawannya.

Banyak alasan yang menyebabkan ketakutan senior akan kehadiran junior dalam lingkungannya terutama dalam masalah salary dan posisi. Sebagai contoh, kondisi lampau saat mereka sebagai junior memiliki salary sebesar A namun sekarang junior memiliki salary lebih dari A, hal ini tentu tidak dapat dibandingkan karena faktor ekonomi dimasa lampau berbeda dengan sekarang. Dan begitu juga untuk posisi, dahulunya mereka harus merangkak dari nol untuk mencapai posisi saat ini, namun saat ini junior mereka tidak semuanya menjalani hal tersebut bahkan langsung dapat menduduki posisi setara mereka. Disini timbul rasa iri dan tidak percaya diri senior yang mungkin sudah tidak mampu bersaing dengan para juniornya.

Kondisi ini dahulunya banyak kita temui dalam organisasi. Dikhawatirtkan jika sudah membudaya dalam organisasi tersebut yang akan turun temurun ke generasi berikutnya. Namun diluar negeri dan di kota besar sudah mulai berkurang dan bahkan tidak ada kondisi seperti ini, karena mindset mereka yang jauh lebih maju. 

Senior sebagai karyawan lama hendaknya membimbing dan mengarahkan dengan tepat juniornya layaknya sebagai karyawan baru yang akan meneruskan pekerjaan mereka dikemudian hari. Hal ini juga akan menjadi positif bagi senior, karena junior pun akan merasa dihargai dan secara tidak langsung akan mempromosikan seniornya kepada lingkungan kerjanya sebagai karyawan yang mampu untuk memberikan kinerja yang baik bagi perusahaan. Sehingga senior akan termotivasi dan junior pun akan bersemangat dalam bekerja.

Senior bukanlah sesuatu yang selalu benar dan harus diikuti, namun senior adalah sebagai orang yang ahli dalam pekerjaan karena sudah terbiasa melakukan pekerjaannya. Dan suatu saat pekerjaannya pun perlu pembaharuan sesuai kondisi saat ini. Junior bukanlah sebagai orang yang tidak mampu mengenali lingkungan kerjanya, namun junior adalah orang yang pintar yang akan menjadi ahli dalam pekerjaannya dikemudian hari. Junior adalah orang yang membutuhkan bimbingan dan arahan dan bukan sebagai pesaing.

Lebih tepatnya jika kita rubah kepada hal positif, tidak wajar jika saat ini masih ada kondisi senioritas vs junioritas. Namun kondisi dimana adanya kerjasama orang yang ahli dengan orang yang non ahli namun pintar dan akan menjadi ahli dikemudian harinya.

^_^

BREAKTHROUGH THINKING

This article have been posted since 2010 in my blog. But still in Indonesian language (u can see Breakthrough Thinking) At that time I read a book, it was writen by Indonesian author. The title is “Breakthrough Thinking”. I really love this book. How they use words by words that make me enjoy and no boring when I read it. This book is talked about analytic and creative thinking. Being innovative is a choice. Analytic and creative thinking is needed and it will be useful if we can combine it.

We have to know about our potential and our character, then we can do maximum our ability. We realize that it is not easy to know it. Sometime I thought about myself, who I am, what is my choice and what is my ability that I can give maximum, will my choice be useful for me or other so I can focus to do it. In our life, we never far from problems, all around us is problems, it comes from environment even from our mind. Then, it depends on us how to think and how to handle it. Are we just focus on or it will be stepping forward for us.

I knew the word “Breakthrough” since I worked on 2006, when I join in HR Department for Six Sigma project, one of big company in Indonesia. My training manager always said about this word when he trained employee. Breahthrough is not passion and not magic thinking or dreaming. For me breakthrough is unusual brilliance and able to escape from the usual condition. We need creative thinking and out of the box thinking. Sometime when we join in new culture or condition, they cannot accept us well. But for brilliance people who live in, they will not do like that. They will accept new people and new condition well and they can collaborate with.

For me, creative thinking is expertise to combine or change or modification our knowledge then give new different and be useful for other. And, analytic thinking is a thought process that encourages us to make better decisions. And, we use creative thinking first to get more idea, then we use analytic thinking to analyze and choice which idea is better.

Some criteria about people who have creative thinking:

1.       Imaginative

2.       High curiosity

3.       Critical thinking

4.       Sensitive with environment

5.       Able to articulate ideas

6.       Unable work with schedule

7.       Willing to take risk

8.       Able to accept criticism

Some criteria about people who have analytical thinking:

1.       Systematic thinking

2.       High discipline

3.       Respect for the fact that logically presented

4.       Prefer organize things

5.       Strict and focus for problems detail

6.       Tend to be rigid

7.       Need a long time to give decision

In this book, they explain about creative thinking and analytic thinking by using story. There are two different person, Cerdi and Cerda. Cerdi has creative thinking and cerda has an analytic thinking. Cerdi always has an idea that appears suddenly, but cerda always analyze it and guess what will happen if he does its idea. Cerda look like slow and clumsy. But both of them are not wrong, if it condition can handle well.

And other condition, there are third person has innovative thinking. He is a visionary. He needs creative and analytic thinking to run his vision. Then, he asked Cerda and Cerdi to join with him to pursue his vision. This person takes this chance and manage it well. He manages two people who has two different thinking, but they can run together.

The innovator has mature way of thinking than analytic and creative thinking. Mitchell Ditkoff explained about innovative thinking :

1.       High motivation

2.       Easy-going and able adaptation in new condition

3.       Able to balance intuition and analytic

4.       Willing to take risk

5.       Visionary

We can conclude that innovative thinking is combine of creative thinking and analytic thinking. And, it is needed and important to solve problems and to make decisions. If we have a team that different idea, we can combine them, not refuse one and take other, but we take both of them to pursue our vision.

  

THE LESSON FROM MOVIE "SOMETHING THE LORD MADE"

Hmm.Now I write an article again..^_^. I want share a story that I got from watching a movie. For me, all movie have lessons and positive side that we can learn from it. Have you watched this movie, it has more inspiring and motivation, “Something The Lord Made? This movie is old movie and true story in medical at Johns Hopkins University. And after i watched this movie. I got more spirit for the next.

A carpenter, Vivien Thomas is 19 years old and he lived with his wife and his children in Nashville. He is a descended of African-American black man. He had passion to be a doctor but he couldn't continue his study due to cost. Even Nashville Bank for saving his money was bankrupt, it made he lost his passion and impossible to continue his study.

Dr. Alfred Blallock, he is a genius doctor while doing research at Johns Hopkins University's Laboratoty. He recruit Vivien Thomas for his employee to clean his laboratory. Vivien started to caring dogs. He did his job well and when he had free time he read medical books of Dr. Blallock at laboratory. And, a doctor saw it and asked Vivien about Vivien's passion. A doctor shocked because Vivien told that he wanted to be a doctor.

Dr. Blallock gave a test him  lifted glass and other equipment of laboratory with a clamp and he was an expert of carpenter so he did it test well.  Dr. Blallock knew about ability of Vivien and he knew Vivien has big enthusiastic so a doctor gave a laboratories coat to Vivien.

The doctor's research was baby blue syndrome treatment, and he asked Vivien to join to help him. And, Vivien accepted it, he always read and learned medical book. And, one day Vivien found the right way to treat  baby blue syndrome, snap blood vessel and sew to connect it again that the Vivien's mind. Then, a doctor decided surgery a blue baby Eileen Saxon with the help of Vivien. At that time, Medical embraced to not touch cardiac and no surgery cardiac. This treatment was new breakthrough in Medical. And, finally this surgery succeeded in treating baby blue and more people come to treat their baby.

This movie title come from Dr. Blallock quotes to Vivien after Atrial Septectomy surgery: “This looks like Something The Lord Made”.

This movie also describe the condition of America in 1930, race was a big issue in discrimination people. The white's people were superior than black people or other ethnic. Although Vivien had more contribution in this research, Dr. Blallock never said Vivien's name on news and interview for public. And, Vivien got low salary also, same with other lowest level employee. Vivien felt disappointed and felt disrespected. And, finally Vivien resigned from Dr. Blallock job.

Actually, he loved that job and he loved medical, then he rethink again, his wife asked also to get old job and worked with Dr. Blallock. Until finally Vivien become manager in Laboratory after Dr. Blallock died. All prayer, patience, enthusiastic and his effort was paid. In 1975 Johns Hopkins University admitted his effort, his effort and his creation in medical. This was supported by American government that no discrimination race and black skin.

With the official ceremony, he was awarded the degree of “Honorary Doctorate” from Johns Hopkins University, because he never got formal education in medical, so he got an award “Honorary Doctor of Law” and not “Honorary

Doctor of Medical”. And, Vivien was appointed as surgery lecturer in Medical Johns Hopkins University. And, the painting of his portrait arranged to have it hung next to Blalock's and other genius doctor's painting from university. It is an honor for him.

He had more awards such as Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, the Passano Award, the Matas Award, and the Albert Lasker Medical Research Award. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivien_Thomas).

We can watch this movie on youtube. More lesson we can get from this movie. The struggle of Vivien to defend his right and equal position in term of race on job. Generally,

in our job field, education is the most important to know intelligent and professionalism of employee. The high education will get high position in work. Yea…that is real, but some company can see other side of employee such as expertise that never get from formal education. Although employee didn't get higher education, they have right to get high position and even company support and give scholarship to continue their study with the agreement before.

Don't care those who belittle and laugh at our dreams and desires, but we should focus and believe and look back as lesson and be sure we are able to pursue and get it. Then, all people will be amazed, they are not able to close their mouth and shocked when they see our result.

Desire and love for job will defeat selfishness and can give good result that useful for other. In addition, sometime we want to be famous for what we do and we will feel very offense if our work is not appreciated. Persistence, enthusiastic, patience and keep trying as well to be honest and sincere, it will beat everything. We can pursue what we expected and what we would want to get. And, finally people will appreciate and admit or acknowledge it.

And the most important is “education”. Although Vivien didn't study in formal high education because the cost of school, this was not a barrier for him to pursue his dream. Enthusiastic to learn self-taught and always reading and get information that connect with dreams, focuss and never give up, sincere and loving what we are doing.

Well…you are lucky can study in formal high education, you are taught and not only learn self-taught, you are directed and guided by your lecturer. Don't waste those chances and this time for you to be great people, even you can be greater than Vivien who didn't learn in formal education.

Appreciate, respect to teacher and maximum using your time in education. You have to realize who you are, this time and who you will be in the future. Be honest and sincere and also enthusiastic to pursue your dream. And, the most important never forget to our creator Allah SWT and always obedient our parents. InshaAllah everything will be OK. You will get what you wish and what you want. If not now, it doesn't mean failure, but Allah SWT know better for us. He will give chance for us in the right time and the right place.

PELAJARAN DARI FILM "SOMETHING THE LORD MADE"

Hmm..saatnya menulis lagi...saya ingin berbagi sebuah cerita yang saya petik dari sebuah film. Menurut saya semua film yang kita tonton memiliki sisi positif yang dapat kita pelajari daripadanya. Nah sekarang saya mau berbagi mengenai film yang selain menghibur dan juga penuh inspirasi dan motivasi di dalamnya, serta banyak pelajaran yang dapat kita petik darinya. 

Anda pernah nonton yang namanya Something The Lord Made? Film ini adalah film lama dan juga kisah nyata dari dunia kedokteran di Universitas Johns Hopkins. Seorang tukang kayu Vivien Thomas saat itu berusia 19 tahun dan sudah bekeluarga, adalah seorang ras kulit hitam Afrika-Amerika yang mempunyai passion di bidang kedokteran namun tidak bisa melanjutkannya karena masalah biaya. Bahkan Bank Nashville tempat dia menabung pun bangkrut sehingga membuat semua keinginannya untuk melanjutkan sekolah menjadi mustahil.

Seorang dr. Alfred Blalock, dokter bedah yang jenius sedang mengadakan penelitian  di laboratorium Universitas Johns Hopkins, dia mempekerjakan Vivien Thomas untuk menjadi pekerja kebersihan di laboratoriumnya. Pada awalnya Vivien si tukang kayu disuruh untuk merawat anjing. Disela-sela membersihkan laboratorium karena keantusiasannya dalam hal kedokteran, Vivien membaca buku-buku kedokteran dr.Blallock. Kejadian tersebut dilihat oleh sang dokter dan dokter pun mendekatinya sambil menanyakan apa cita-cita Vivien. Tentu sang dokter sangat kaget saat Vivien bilang dia antusias menjadi seorang dokter. dr. Blallock menguji Vivien mengambil gelas-gelas laboratorium dengan penjepit gelas, karena keterampilannya menjadi tukang kayu menjadikannya begitu mahir dalam menggunakan penjepit gelas.  dr. Blallock akhirnya tahu kemampuan dan nalar logika Vivien dan antusiasnya yang tinggi, maka sang dokter pun memberikan jas putih laboratorium pada Vivien.

Penelitian sang dokter adalah pengobatan bayi biru (baby blue syndrome) mengajak Vivien untuk membantunya. Tentu saja Vivien yang antusias  tersebut selalu mempelajari buku-buku mengenai kedokteran. Vivien berhasil menemukan cara yang tepat untuk menangani bayi biru, memutuskan pembuluh darah, menyambungkannya kembali dengan menjahit sehingga sang dokter memutuskan untuk mengoperasi bayi biru yang bernama Eileen Saxon. Pada saat itu, paham yang dianut kedokteran adalah tidak boleh menyentuh jantung dan tidak ada pembedahan untuk jantung. Hal ini tentu saja memberikan terobosan baru (breakthrough) dalam dunia kedokteran. Operasi ini berhasil membuat sang bayi berwarna merah.

Judul film ini diambil dari kata-kata dr. Blallock kepada Vivien setelah berhasil melakukan operasi Atrial Septectomy yaitu :”This looks like something the Lord Made”.

Film ini juga menggambarkan kondisi masyarakat Amerika sekitar tahun 1930-an dimana rasisme menjadi isu diskriminasi dalam segala hal. Warga kulit putih selalu merasa superior dibandingkan warga kulit hitam atau etnis lainnya. Walaupun Vivien banyak berkontribusi dalam penelitian ini, namun dr. Blallock tidak pernah menyebut namanya dalam pemberitaan koran atau pun wawancara. Dan dalam hal gaji pun Vivien disamakan dengan karyawan dengan jabatan paling bawah. Tentu hal ini membuat Vivien merasa tidak dihargai. Sampai akhirnya Vivien pun berhenti bekerja dengan dr. Blallock.

Akan tetapi kecintaan akan pekerjaannya di kedokteran yang memanggilnya untuk kembali bekerja dengan dr.Blallock. Sampai akhirnya Vivien menjadi kepala Laboratorium setelah meninggalnya dr. Blalllock. Dan pada akhirnya semua doa, kesabaran, antusias dan jerih payah Vivien  pun terbayar. Pada tahun 1975 di Universitas Johns Hopkins mengakui karya-karya dan sumbangsih Vivien Thomas dalam bidang kedokteran. Hal ini juga didukung dengan perubahan sistem pemerintah di Amerika yang tidak ada lagi diskriminasi terhadap ras dan kulit hitam. Dengan upacara resmi beliau dianugerahkan gelar “Honorary Doctorate” tetapi karena beliau tidak pernah mengenyam pendidikan di dunia kedokteran secara formal maka ia mendapatkan gelar “Honorary Doctor of Law” dan bukan “Honorary Doctor of Medical”. Dan Vivien Thomas ditunjuk sebagai pengajar ilmu bedah di Johns Hopkins Medical School. Lukisan besar Vivien Thomas pun menghiasi dinding Johns Hopkins Hospital bersanding dengan lukisan dr. Blallock dan dokter terkenal lainnya dari universitas tersebut.

Penghargaan yang diterimanya antara lain Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, the Passano Award, the Matas Award, and the Albert Lasker Medical Research Award. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivien_Thomas).

Anda bisa menonton film ini melalui Youtube. Banyak pelajaran yang dapat dipetik dari film ini diantaranya adalah perjuangan Vivien dalam mempertahankan haknya dan kesetaraan ras dalam hal pekerjaan., diluar perbedaan ras yaitu pendidikan formal. Didunia pekerjaan kita pada umumnya pendidikan adalah tolak ukur untuk melihat kecerdasan dan keuletan seseorang, sehingga kebanyakan orang yang memiliki pendidikan tinggi akan menjabat posisi tinggi pula. Memang begitu adanya, namun ada beberapa perusahaan yang melihat sisi karyawan selain dari pendidikannya seperti keahlian yang tidak diperoleh dari pendidikan formal, walapun karyawan tersebut tidak mengenyam pendidikan tinggi pun berhak mendapatkan posisi tinggi dalam pekerjaannya, dan bahkan mendapatkan pendidikan yang dibiayai oleh perusahaan.

Jangan hiraukan orang-orang yang meremehkan dan menertawakan mimpi-mimpi dan keinginan kita, namun tetap fokus dan yakin serta melihat kebelakang sebagai pembelajaran, yakin kita pun mampu mewujudkannya dan orang-orang pun akan terkagum-kagum tanpa mampu menutup mulut melihat hasil karya kita.

Keinginan dan kecintaan terhadap pekerjaan akan mengalahkan keegoisan dan dapat menghasilkan sebuah karya yang dapat bermanfaat bagi orang lain. Selain itu, kadang kita ingin menjadi terkenal dan tenar atas apa yang kita lakukan, namun akan merasa sangat sakit jika karya kita tidak dihargai. Kegigihan, antusiasme, kesabaran dan terus berusaha dan juga harus jujur dan ikhlas, hal ini akan mengalahkan segalanya. Apa yang kita harapkan dan kita inginkan pun akan kita dapatkan. Dan orang pun akan menghargai dan mengakuinya.

Dan satu hal yang paling penting adalah “Pendidikan”. Walaupun Vivien tidak mengenyam pendidikan formal karena keterbatasan biaya, hal ini tidak menjadi penghalang baginya untuk mengejar impiannya. Antusiasnya dengan belajar otodidak dan membaca buku-buku atau pun informasi yang berkaitan dengan impian, focus dalam melakukannya, pantang menyerah, ikhlas dan mencintai apa yang dikerjakannya. Nah…beruntunglah anda yang mampu mengenyam pendidikan formal, Anda diajarkan dan tidak hanya belajar otodidak, Anda diarahkan dan dibimbing, jangan sia-siakan kesempatan yang telah Anda dapatkan. Tentu saja Anda berhak dan mampu  menjadi orang yang lebih hebat bahkan lebih hebat dari Vivien yang tidak pernah mengenyam pendidikan formil.

Menghargai, menghormati pembimbing/pengajar Anda karena pengajar adalah orangtua anda di sekolah. Karena memang banyak ditemukan siswa/mahasiswa yang tidak mampu menggunakan kecerdasannya untuk berlaku sopan dan menghormati pengajarnya dan merasa lebih atau pun hebat daripada pengajarnya. Menghargai dan memanfaatkan waktu semaksimal mungkin dalam pendidikan, menyadari diri Anda siapa saat ini dan ingin menjadi siapa dimasa akan datang. Berlaku jujur dan ikhlas serta antusias dan yakin dalam tujuan Anda. Dan, yang paling penting adalah tidak pernah lupa dengan pencipta Anda, Allah SWT dan selalu patuh pada orangtua. InshaAllah semuanya akan berjalan dengan indahnya. Dan Anda mendapatkan apa yang Anda harapkan. Jika tidak sekarang bukan berarti gagal, namun Allah SWT menjadikannya suatu saat nanti di waktu yang tepat untuk Anda. 

^_^