November may be the busiest month in the year. As, Wikimedia Foundation Fundraiser 2011 starts on November 7th, final round of “Binus Center ICT School Competition” was held by Binus Center Gajah Mada on November 5th which I attend and along with Charlie, we represent our school and got the first rank. Qualification round of “Bina Nusantara Programming Contest for High School Students” was held on Sunday, November 13th; which me, Charlie, Peter, and Golfin are qualified to the final round on November 20th in Jakarta.
We went to Jakarta with other finalists from Medan and Pematang Siantar. We have a night on Binus Square (place for Binus university students to live) guest room. We compete in Binus University Anggrek Campus.
November 19th
The morning is unusual. After I woke up, I feel very nervous and afraid until I finished taking bath. The school was normal until the 5th lesson. Someone called us (Peter, me, and Golfin; and of course Charlie but separately called) to get home to catch our airplane which are scheduled on 3p.m. (we are told to gather on Binus Center Gajah Mada on 1p.m.)
From the 4 of us, I was the first to come, then Charlie, then Peter. The last was Golfin as his father didn’t know where Binus Center Gajah Mada located. There we met friends from other schools, such as Felix (W.R. Supratman); Andi and M. Faisal Nasution (Sutomo 2); Tendy and David (Kalam Kudus Pematang Siantar)
It was a tiring flight as we sat on the back-most row.
We arrive at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport around 6p.m. and waited for taxi for around half hour. After that we continue the tiring journey in the traffic jammed road of Jakarta to Kebon Jeruk, a district where Binus Square and Binus University Anggrek Campus located.
At Binus Square, we were given 3 rooms: 1 suite and 2 superior. The suite is given to me, Peter, Charlie, Golfin and Felix. One of the superior is for Tendy and David; the rest is for Faisal and Andi.
We ate our dinner at Food 101, a canteen at Binus Square. All of us ate ”soto Betawi”, which is not delicious compared to ”soto Medan”.
We spend our night discussing about the competition, watching TV (but no one watched), and playing games.
We get to bed at around 11:30pm.
November 20th
I recall morning alarm rang at around 5.30 am. I was the first from this room to get up and take bath. The bath has hot-water tap, so it wouldn’t be too cold to have a bath, but after I dried myself, the wind from the holes under the door made me shivering. One by one is getting up and takes bath.
Peter is the only one who is bad at getting up. He only can get up after hearing sounds from Spongebob Squarepants at GlobalTV.
We have breakfast at 7-Eleven, after we searched to many places but they haven’t opened yet.
At 8, we checked out from Binus Square and met a delegation from Binus Head Office who sends us to Binus University Anggrek Campus for the competition.
I’m in the same room with Jessica Handojo, a contestant at IOI 2011. The competition starts well in the first 2 hours. I solved 2 problems. The rest I only watches the scoreboard which Jessica constantly solves the problems. Before the competition, I’ve knew that in this condition, I can only solves 2 problems.
After the competition, the results are: Peter at #12, Charlie at #20, me at #24, Golfin #25, Tendy #34, Felix #37, Andi and Faisal #38.
We met alumni from my school who studies at Binus University: Tiffany Tanoto, who ever joined OSN; and Teddy Budiono Hermawan, who ever joined OSN and BNPCHS. That day, Teddy is one of the judges who judged our submission. Lunch is free of charge and given to every contestants after the competition. Before we leave, we took photos there.
We rushed to the airport and have dinner at A&W. It was a very nice yet tiring experience. We arrived at Medan around 00.00 a.m.