Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely – Book Review

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Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely: 3500 Most Beautiful English Vocabulary Words

by Robin Devoe

I've been trying to supercharge my vocabulary by consuming books on this subject. The year 2024 concluded with me finishing up Big & Fancy Words That Might Make You Smarter...er by Albert B. Squid, which presents one big and fancy word (as the title says) for every day of the year. In the middle of this year, I wrapped up my reading of the lexically luminiferous resource The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain. Now here I am reviewing Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely by Robin Devoe, which, in a sense, is the ne plus ultra of all such I've read to date.

Why so? Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely by Robin Devoe lists English words that you would most likely not encounter in everyday life. Here is a selection of random expressions from the book: amaranthine, limerence, oneiric, catachthonian, mansuetude, quiddity, gourmandism, esprit d'escalier, plumigerous, hesternal, zeitgeist, redivivus, encincture, devenustate, and spizzerinctum. On the whole, the definitions are easy to understand, and I like the fact that the author also provides information about etymology, parts of speech, synonyms & antonyms, rarity, obsoleteness, etc., although this doesn't apply to every entry. A tiny number of entries show how to pronounce the words – I kind of wish each and every one had such information; natheless, I realize that it would probably be too massive an undertaking. Hence, I had to use other resources, such as the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), to grok this aspect of the vocabulary.

All of these notwithstanding, I have encountered a number of inaccuracies, without which the dictionary would be more outstanding. Here are several examples:

• In the entry for "nanization", "bonzai" should be "bonsai" – a mistake probably caused by the similarity between "bonsai" and "banzai" (another word of Japanese origin). (p. 86)
• As the definition is that of a verb, the word "scintillant" (adjective) should be "scintillate". (p. 118)
• In the entry for "spiracle", "anthropods" should be "arthropods". (p. 125)

All in all, Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely by Robin Devoe is an absolutely frabjous English resource! I am sempiternally grateful for its existence and wholeheartedly recommend this dictionary to any logophile, poet, or one who wants to delve deep into the English lexicon.

Have you read Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely? What would you say about this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!

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The Lexicologist's Handbook – Book Review

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The Lexicologist's Handbook: A Dictionary of Unusual Words

by Dane Cobain

I have been fascinated by English for eons. The joy of learning and exploring this language is immense, so much so that I ended up becoming an EFL teacher in my country, Indonesia. Although grammar is the aspect that got me hooked in the first place and played a primary role in setting my life trajectory, the beauty and richness of the English vocabulary is unlimited food for my insatiable linguistic appetite. The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain is such a terrific resource for this never-ending adventure.

This book is basically a dictionary – but not a usual one. It is jam-packed with unusual, rare, fancy, or otherwise cool English words that will imbue readers with lexical superpower. In each entry, there is information on the word's pronunciation, type(s), definition(s), and example sentence(s), which enables you to understand the word thoroughly and primes you to use it in real-life situations, impressing your fellow humans linguistically.

Howbeit, considering The Lexicologist's Handbook is aimed at learners of English and educational in nature, I wish the accuracy of the content were higher. I have encountered a number of mistakes, one of which is "Amphitheatre" being misspelled as "Ampitheatre". On top of that, the pronunciation feature could be enhanced by adding information on stress position.

On the whole, The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain is a spectacular addition to English literature. If you are bored of using ordinary expressions or looking to diversify your vocabulary, I highly recommend reading this tremendous lexical booster!

Have you read The Lexicologist's Handbook? Do you agree with my opinion? Share what you think in the comment section below!

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English-Indonesian False Friends

Taking a short break from perusing the grandificently written novel Hotel Megalodon by Rick Chesler, I am here nestled on my bed writing this English-themed article. Some (or many?) friends are not real; those backstabbers or wolves in sheep's clothing should be eschewed, hurled into oblivion in a split second. Nevertheless, this is not the sense this article intends to discuss.

In linguistic terminology, a false friend is "a word in a foreign language that is similar to one in your own, so that you wrongly think they both mean the same thing" (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online). It is obvious that false friends can impede a language learner's progress, misleading them into an incorrect understanding of a word. Hence, I hope the following list of English-Indonesian false friends can help English-learning Indonesian speakers and Indonesian-learning English speakers alike to avoid such a misunderstanding potentially caused by these "masquerading foes". Enjoy!

Note:

• In each entry, the first word is English and the second word Indonesian.
• The entries are arranged in alphabetical order.
• The definition of the English word is from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online, unless stated otherwise.
• If you would like to suggest your own false friends, feel free to contact me. I will credit you for your contribution(s).

1. air vs. air (added on October 10, 2024)
• air: the mixture of gases around the Earth, that we breathe
• air: water
2. Angus vs. (h)angus (added on October 6, 2024)
• Angus: any of a breed of usually black hornless beef cattle originating in Scotland (Merriam-Webster)
• (h)angus: burnt
3. babe vs. babe (added on October 10, 2024)
• babe: a word for an attractive young woman; a way of speaking to someone you love, especially your wife or husband
• babe: father; dad
4. baggage vs. bagasi (added on October 19, 2024)
• baggage: the cases, bags, boxes etc. carried by someone who is traveling
• bagasi: the part at the back of a car where you can put bags, tools etc.; trunk [US]/boot [UK]
• Note that the word "bagasi" can also refer to the English meaning above.
5. ballyhoo vs. baliho
• ballyhoo: when there is a lot of excitement or anger about something – used to show disapproval
• baliho: a promotional medium that gives information about an activity related to a society (Kumparan)
• Note that the word "baliho" can also refer to the English meaning above.
6. bandan(n)a vs. bando
• bandan(n)a: a large brightly colo(u)red piece of cloth that you wear around your head or neck
• bando: headband
7. benzene vs. bensin
• benzene: a liquid obtained from coal, used for making plastics
• bensin: gasoline [US]/petrol [UK]
8. bow tie vs. bau ta(h)i
• bow tie: a short piece of cloth tied in the shape of a bow that men sometimes wear around their neck
• bau ta(h)i: the smell of f(a)eces
9. bullet vs. bulat
• bullet: a small piece of metal that you fire from a gun
• bulat: round(ed)
10. center [US]/centre [UK] vs. senter
• center [US]/centre [UK]: the middle of a space, area, or object, especially the exact middle; a building which is used for a particular purpose or activity
• senter: flashlight [US]/torch [UK]
11. colo(u)r vs. kolor
• colo(u)r: red, blue, yellow, green, brown, purple etc.
• kolor: briefs; underpants [US]/pants [UK]
12. copy vs. kopi (added on November 1, 2024)
• copy: something that is made to be exactly like another thing
• kopi: coffee
• Note that the word "kopi" can also refer to the English meaning above.
13. cost vs. kos(t)
• cost: the amount of money that you have to pay in order to buy, do, or produce something
• kos(t): boarding house; bedsit [UK]
14. critic vs. kritik
• critic: someone whose job is to make judgments about the good and bad qualities of art, music, films etc.; someone who criticizes a person, organization, or idea
• kritik: criticism
15. dozen vs. dosen
• dozen: twelve
• dosen: lecturer
16. espionage vs. spion
• espionage: the activity of secretly finding out secret information and giving it to a country’s enemies or a company’s competitors 
• spion: side mirror [US]/wing mirror [UK]
17. fabric vs. pabrik
• fabric: cloth used for making clothes, curtains etc.
• pabrik: factory
18. grocer vs. grosir
• grocer: someone who owns or works in a shop that sells food and other things used in the home
• grosir: wholesale(r)
19. groggy vs. grogi
• groggy: weak and unable to move well or think clearly because you are ill or very tired
• grogi: nervous; have butterflies (in your stomach)
20. guru vs. guru
• guru: someone who knows a lot about a particular subject, and gives advice to other people; a Hindu religious teacher or leader
• guru: teacher
21. hide vs. haid
• hide: to deliberately put or keep something or someone in a place where they cannot easily be seen or found; to go or stay in a place where no one will see or find you
• haid: menstruation
22. ketchup vs. kecap
• ketchup: a thick cold red sauce made from tomatoes that you put on food
• kecap: soy sauce
23. khaki vs. kaki
• khaki: a dull green-brown or yellow-brown colo(u)r; cloth of this colo(u)r, especially when worn by soldiers
• kaki: foot; leg
24. modal vs. modal (added on October 6, 2024)
• modal: a verb, such as "can", "might", and "must", that is used with another verb to express an idea such as possibility that is not expressed by the main verb of a sentence (Cambridge Dictionary)
• modal: capital; money or property, especially when it is used to start a business or to produce more wealth
25. optical vs. optik
• optical: relating to machines or processes which are concerned with light, images, or the way we see things
• optik: optometrist's [US]/optician's [UK]
• Note that the word "optik" can also refer to the English meaning above.
26. ounce vs. ons
• ounce: a unit for measuring weight, equal to 28.35 grams. There are 16 ounces in a pound.
• ons: a unit for measuring weight, equal to 100 grams
27. police vs. polis (added on October 18, 2024)
• police: the people who work for an official organization whose job is to catch criminals and make sure that people obey the law
• polis: policy; a contract with an insurance company, or an official written statement giving all the details of such a contract
28. policy vs. polisi (added on October 18, 2024)
• policy: a way of doing something that has been officially agreed and chosen by a political party, a business, or another organization; a contract with an insurance company, or an official written statement giving all the details of such a contract
• polisi: police
29. prawn vs. perawan
• prawn: a small pink shellfish that can be eaten
• perawan: virgin
30. pulse vs. pulsa
• pulse: the regular beat that can be felt, for example at your wrist, as your heart pumps blood around your body
• pulsa: cell phone credit [US]/mobile phone credit [UK]
31. room vs. rumah
• room: a part of the inside of a building that has its own walls, floor, and ceiling
• rumah: house; home
32. solar vs. solar (added on October 19, 2024)
• solar: relating to the sun; using the power of the sun’s light and heat
• solar: a type of heavy oil used instead of petrol in engines, especially in trucks, buses, and trains; diesel (fuel/oil)
33. sinister vs. sinis
• sinister: making you feel that something evil, dangerous, or illegal is happening or will happen
• sinis: cynical
34. vocal vs. vokal
• vocal: expressing strong opinions publicly, especially about things that you disagree with; relating to the voice or to singing
• vokal: vowel
• Note that the word "vokal" can also refer to the English meanings above.

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English Visual Dictionary – Book Review

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English Visual Dictionary

by Collins Dictionaries

Are you planning to continue your education in the UK? Have you recently gotten a job which requires you to relocate to Darren Naish's homeland? If so, this wonderful visual dictionary is just what the doctor ordered!

English Visual Dictionary by Collins Dictionaries is an extremely comprehensive dictionary that teaches you English vocabulary that you need in order to survive in the UK by virtue of clear, relevant pictures. The book is divided into 10 theme-based chapters, ranging from "The Essentials" to "Leisure" to "Special Days", ensuring that everything you need is covered. Even though it is a visual dictionary, it also presents common expressions without accompanying images which you might need in order to communicate successfully in the UK. One of my favorite features in this book is the YOU SHOULD KNOW... sections, which give readers useful information about local customs. For example, do you know what double yellow lines on the road means? You'll find the answer to such questions in this dictionary!

Note that the vocabulary contents of this book are British English, which means that some of them may not be suitable to use in American English.

In summary, English Visual Dictionary will be of such great help, communication-wise, to those would love to explore the UK.

Have you read English Visual Dictionary? If so, share what you think in the comment section below!

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A Passion for Correction

Everybody has a passion, don't they? Okay, I concede that it is probably more precise to say that many or most people have it. Without a passion, life can overflow with mundanity, leaving no space for the element of excitement that would otherwise make it much more interesting and worth living. I was born roughly 31 years ago, and it appears that ever since then I have had a passion for something that would possibly make many people raise their eyebrows. And that's a passion for correction.

My bodily configuration is easily to "blame" for this offbeat path. By nature, I would wince at things that are square pegs in round holes. Incorrectness and imperfection get under my skin and launch me into a state of nagging unease. Order is what I earnestly strive for and aspire to achieve. This eccentric tendency eventually and naturally led to me taking up an unusual hobby of making corrections, and this is most pronounced in the area of English.

I first learned English epochs ago in elementary school and instantly got hooked on it. English, as a whole, captivates me, but the most interesting aspect of this international language for me was – and still is – grammar. While it seems that a massive number of English learners dread and regard it as a nightmare, I am actually fascinated by the workings of the English language. Throughout my life, I kept on learning English and discovered myriad interesting things, including the revelation that English, including its grammar, evolves – just like everything else in the world (also read Language Finds a Way). Now I pursue a career in the field of English education and this is certainly a dream come true.

My enormous interest in English inevitably blends with my great passion for correction. In classroom settings, I do my level best to give my students useful corrections for their improvement in the language. However, as I stated earlier, it extends to pursuits outside my livelihood sphere. Over the years I have spotted mistakes in books etc., wrote their corrections and sent them to those responsible. Not all of them responded, but I am really glad to have contributed what I could for better accuracy, nevertheless.

Among those replying to me, three were so kind-hearted that not only did they thank me, but they also went the extra mile. The first one is 4M, a Hongkong-based company that produces educational toys and crafts. In 2012, I made corrections for its two products: Dinosaur Skeleton Excavation Kit: Tyrannosaurus rex and Dig a Glow Dinosaur. The company's representative, Daniel Yun, replied to my email, thanking me and saying that they would like to send Glow-in-the-Dark 3-Dimensional Dinosaur to me as a gesture of goodwill. I was joyfully speechless. Of course, I accepted the kind offer and received the dinosaurian present.

Glow-in-the-Dark 3-Dimensional Dinosaur

The second one is one of my favorite authors Darren Naish. While enjoying his marvelous book Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved, I jotted down writing mistakes which I found there and sent the corrections to the British paleontologist via Twitter. As a token of appreciation, Dr. Naish included me in the acknowledgements of the second edition to the book (my name is also mentioned in his blog post The Second Edition of Naish and Barrett's Dinosaurs).

Acknowledgements of Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved (Second Edition) with my name marked

The last one is the publishing house Collins. While it seems to be not as popular as Oxford and the like when it comes to ELT (English Language Teaching), the British publisher has actually produced some of my favorite books on the subject, such as Work on Your Idioms. One tremendously useful resource for learning English released by Collins is Collins COBUILD English Usage (Fourth Edition). While perusing this superb book, I noticed a number of mistakes and sent them to Collins ELT via Facebook over a period of time. A representative named Yan always warmly replied to my messages, forming a congenial conversation atmosphere. This went on up to a point where the publisher decided to send me something as a way to say thank you. Do you know what that something is? A duo of amazing dictionaries: Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary and Collins COBUILD Phrasal Verbs Dictionary!

Collins COBUILD Idioms and Phrasal Verbs Dictionaries

This sort of rectification endeavors is not the only form in which my linguistic craziness is manifested. A few years ago was an epiphany that kickstarted an exciting project on Instagram. I had never had an account on the social media platform before (also read Why I Don't Use Instagram), but this had to change thanks to the light-bulb moment. I created an account named English Corrector, which captures writing mistakes made all over the world and invites its followers, namely ECers, to correct them – of course, I provide the answer and explanation in the description of every post. English Corrector also offers daily quizzes through Instagram stories, which can also be accessed via Highlights.

English Corrector

Last but not least, I also make use of my dino eyes (yes, eagles are dinosaurs) for commercial purposes. Troofreader helps you with your writing by means of proofreading and translating from English into Indonesian and vice versa. Troofreader's motto is "Clarity is a virtue."

Troofreader Logo

Note: Information about English Corrector and Troofreader can be found in the left sidebar of this blog.

I think my burning passion for correction will last for as long as I can breathe. It is part of what defines me as a person.

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Ins(t)an(t)ity

This is a special day for me! Not only has my new bookrack come to my home and been neatly assembled (get ready for a second batch of multiple orders, Better World Books and Book Depository!), but my superbly cute, beloved nephew is also celebrating his 8th birthday today! Like avian dinosaurs, time does fly indeed – especially in these pandemic-stricken times. Nevertheless, this global health crisis should not hobble our precious productivity; therefore, since I have a sufficient amount of time available this day off of mine, I thought I would write an article to address a notion which is perhaps commonly propagated by those working in the marketing field.

I feel uneasy about an advertisement I saw one day, probably on Facebook although I'm not entirely sure (not about instant noodles though). It said something along the lines of "Speak English like a native speaker in 3 months!" or "Be fluent in English in 3 months with a money-back guarantee!" This sounds like a heaven on earth, doesn't it? Nevertheless, however enticing this language improvement offer is, how much truth actually lies in this sort of claim?

Despite the dubious legitimacy of the fully expressed form of the title of this post, I reckon that it is no sweat to work out the meaning which I would like to get across to my readership. For me, it seems to be a far-fetched idea that someone can accomplish such a linguistic goal in such a smidgen of time. The next couple of  paragraphs will detail my argument explaining why this is very likely unrealistic and unachievable.

Firstly, let's investigate this matter by taking a look at the most responsible organ for the learning activity: the brain. While I completely agree that the capacity of this jelly-like asset of ours is absolutely wonderful, we need to keep in mind that it is not "perfect" and does possess limitations. The evolution of humans has allowed such a remarkable contraption to equip us in 21st-century life, but it is not an über-powerful tool that we can employ to do anything we want. Think about the speed at which we process information and how much our brain can really retain. Think about the fact that our education system involves a good number of stages that we have to pass step by step, with the lower levels being prerequisites for the higher ones. Just like evolution itself, it is observable that graduality is a huge norm in our day-to-day life.

Now let's turn to our role models in regard to language abilities: native speakers. Did it take them only a couple of months to master their mother tongue from when they were born? Well, one could argue that the brain was not fully developed when they were babies, but if you think about it, it is the numerous years an adult native speaker has spent which imparted to them a whole armamentarium for native-level communication (lexical resource, grammatical range and awareness, etc.). A significant amount of exposure is definitely important to language acquisition and, admittedly, it is a privilege that native speakers automatically have – this should not discourage us from improving our proficiency in the target language, however.

I think it is safe to say that the same concept can be applied to not only language learning, but other areas as well. Promotional messages such as "Be the next Ade Rai in 6 months!" or "Master piano skills and outdo Jay Chou in 3 months!" sound alluring indeed although I probably have (almost) never heard such arresting utterances.

Of course, notwithstanding what I have laid out, I could be wrong. Probably those kinds of companies have devised super methods that enable their customers/clients to acquire a certain set of skills at lightning speed, as if defying the laws of nature. Could this involve some sort of lobotomy or otherwise advanced body modifications? If true, then it is very interesting and I would certainly love to know the mechanisms that make such mind-blowing attainment possible. I am also aware that humans are born with different innate traits and qualities, with a handful of them being extraordinarily quick at mastering skills. Thus, there is a caveat indeed.

That being said, rather than actively seeking for seemingly implausible ways to instantly crank up my English proficiency, I myself would prefer to stick with what I have always believed to be the fundamental values in learning – love, enjoyment, curiosity, and the like.

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5 Traits of a Successful English Learner

At any moment I believe there is at least one human being asking how they can learn English effectively and achieve their linguistic goals in the shortest time frame possible. I myself am an English learner and the fact that my bread and butter now is teaching English doesn't diminish it to the slightest degree: I was, am, and will always be an English learner. Through this article I'd like to discuss 5 qualities that are possessed and shown by successful learners of this sexy language (and also any other tongues, I think). This is wholly based on my own English-learning experience as well as my collective observation of my students and other English learners. Happy reading!

1. Love

Love is one of the greatest forces in life. When we hear the word "love", it usually conjures up images of a couple hugging, kissing, or doing other romantic stuff. However, love is broader in scope and involves feelings toward inanimate objects, such as languages, as well. If you are aiming for success in learning English, love is the most important quality you need to possess. When you love something, it is always easy to achieve what you want with it, isn't it? You will learn without having to be told to, because it comes from the deepest of your heart. Love of English will keep you moving forward and decimate any obstacles getting in the way of your awaiting success!

2. Curiosity

I have also noticed that high-achieving English learners are those who maintain a high level of curiosity. English is like a complex puzzle that needs to be solved but there are certain patterns or guidelines that can help you master this language. This should be a very fun activity but it requires a substantial amount of time and effort. You need to always crave for more and keep being insatiably curious. For example, if you know the word "happy", do you know other phrases or expressions that express the same idea? Its synonyms maybe? As for grammar, it is essential to be in the habit of asking "why?" Why do we need to put an -ing form after the word "enjoy"? Why is the phrase "extreme tall" grammatically wrong? Your English-learning experience will be markedly different with the existence of this quality.

3. Enthusiasm

Being enthusiastic is crucial to the development of one's English proficiency. With burning enthusiasm, you will achieve in one day what mediocre ones would in a week. Within the same window of time, learners with such a characteristic will finish five long grammar exercises while apathetic ones may even struggle to complete one short exercise. Practice does make perfect and it is only with enthusiasm that this can be effectively done. Just like the power of love, if you are exuberant, you do what you need to do on your own initiative. However, it is important to keep in mind that this quality has to be paired with consistency; otherwise, the impact would not really be significant.

4. Reflection

Just as we look in the mirror before starting off for a wedding party to ensure that our appearance will not disappoint the guests, it is essential that we regularly & continually reflect on our English learning. Try to ask yourself such questions as "How long have I been learning English?", "What improvements have I made?", and "What areas do I still need to work on?" On a smaller scale, you can review what you have just said or written. Was my pronunciation entirely correct? Did I use the correct verb forms? Is this sentence grammatically perfect? Did I make any mistakes in terms of punctuation and capitalization? Doing self-assessment is, indeed, critical for your success in learning English.

5. Humility

Last but not least, aside from making you a likable human being, humility helps you reach what otherwise would be unreachable. I personally believe that we can learn from anyone, anywhere, and anytime. What we have experienced cannot be 100% the same as what others have. Therefore, even if you think you know everything, you actually do not. Being humble must be part of your disposition if you are to attain optimal outcomes from your English-learning experience. Admitting that we are not perfect is not a weakness; on the contrary, it is a strength. There are always gaps in our knowledge and it is conceivable that there are many people who have pieces of knowledge and probably tips/advice that we do not know. Thus, willingness to learn from such people and ask for their help is key to enhancing your English skills. Look around and you may see an opportunity to take your English to the next level!

I hope this article is particularly helpful for your English-learning voyage! Please write you think in the comment section below!

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You may be interested in reading the following articles:

• How to Be Good at English (Part 1)
• How to Be Good at English (Part 2)
• 5 Recommended Websites for Learning English
• Is Grammar Important?
• 12 Common English Mistakes That Indonesians Make
• Quick Tips on the IELTS Test
• Language Finds a Way
• Language Is an Illusion
• Common English Mistakes: Present Simple and Present Continuous

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Quote #58

"A language learner's archenemy is, rather ironically, their own native language." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quick Tips on the IELTS Test

Many people in the world would like to pursue their dreams by continuing their studies in their favorite universities or working in top global companies. If the organizations are located in English-speaking countries, it is very likely that one of the requirements is in the form of a test or exam such as TOEFL or IELTS. In this article, I am going to give you quick tips for achieving a good (or even great) band score on the IELTS test.

One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” This is just true in the case of IELTS taking. Before you face the real test, make sure you devote a sufficient amount of time to getting prepared for it.

The very first thing you should do is to familiarize yourself with the test format and band score criteria. You have to be able to answer questions such as How many and what types of questions are there in the Listening part?, How many texts are there in the Reading component and how long does it last?, What is the minimum number of words do test-takers have to write in the IELTS Writing? In addition, keep in mind what you have to do so as to achieve your desired band score. For instance, to reach a band score of 8 in the IELTS Speaking, you must “use paraphrase effectively as required”, and to attain a 7 in Writing Task 1, you have to “use a variety of complex structures”. Knowing these will be of great mental advantage to you in tackling the exam, with good time management being one of the results.

Possessing that knowledge alone is not enough. In order to succeed in the IELTS, you also need to do a substantial amount of practice. It is highly advisable that you do many practice tests. Make sure you practice carrying out the various possible task types; for example, in the IELTS Reading there are multiple choice, identifying information, identifying the writer’s views/claims, matching information, matching headings, and so on. What is more, put a lot of effort into honing the skills that are required to get your target band score – these might include paraphrasing and using complex structures (see above). Learning with an IELTS tutor can be very helpful too as they can monitor your progress and give you feedback based on your performance – what is already good and what still needs to be improved on.

Last but not least (and perhaps one that is often forgotten or missed by IELTS participants), ensure that you are physically fit and remain calm during the test. Nourish your body with plenty of nutrients and, while practicing can take a lot of energy, remember to always have enough rest and sleep. Taking an exam can also be especially stressful, with students sweating being a common sight in examination rooms. Getting nervous can lead to your mind going blank and it definitely reduces your chance of performing to the best of your abilities on the IELTS test. Test-takers might find the effect even stronger in the Speaking section, where they need to give responses to an examiner face-to-face. Therefore, relax and enjoy the “show” – relishing your favorite beverage before the test begins might help. Wish you the best of luck with the IELTS test!

Information about IELTS can be accessed at https://www.ielts.org.

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Why Jay Chou?

Who is this guy? Perhaps many of you have heard his name but are not sure who he is exactly (some people might mistake him for John Cho, a South Korean actor and musician). To make a long story short, Jay Chou is a famous – especially in Chinese-speaking countries – Taiwanese singer, songwriter, producer, actor, and so forth. And he was dubbed the "heavenly king" for a reason.

Me with Jay Chou wax statue at Madame Tussauds Singapore

Those who know me well – or at least friends of mine on Facebook – must know that I am a staunch fan of him. Thomas Huxley supported Charles Darwin's theory of evolution so much that he got referred to as "Darwin's bulldog"; I would be more than happy to be called "Chou's T. rex". :)

Maybe people around me are wondering, "Why is he fanatical about Jay Chou? What's so special about this man? Why is he always rhapsodizing about him?" I listen to and sing his songs every single day; I attended his first concert in Indonesia; and I have even written a few articles about him (never listened to Jay's songs? Click here) – well, it is a little act that I can do to spread the "good news" of JC (= Jay Chou): this is called "evanjaylization", a term which I coined last year.

Nowadays, many people, especially girls, are crazy about the Korean drama series Descendants of the Sun (which reminds me of birds: descendants of the dinosaurs). I guess it is largely because of the main actor Song Joong-ki, who is thought to be handsome or cute. It is also easy to point out other popular Korean artists, such as Girls' Generation (SNSD),  2NE1, Kara, T-ara, and SISTAR (bands consisting of several beautiful and sexy girls capable of singing and dancing energetically and simultaneously) and their male counterparts, such as Big Bang, Super Junior, SHINee, and 2PM, not to mention Psy, whose Gangnam Style MV has amassed over 2 billion hits.

Let's move from the east to the west. Countless names are ready to overwhelm us when we are talking about music. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry are some examples; they have enormous fan bases scattered all over the globe. Justin Bieber seems to have gained favor again with his new catchy songs, such as What Do You Mean? Bands such as One Direction have also attracted people all around the globe and there's also old-time favorites, like The Beatles, Queen, The Rolling Stones ... you name it.

But... Why Jay Chou? Why do I only stick to this not-talking-much, slanted-eyed man. Why do I always look for his CDs and/or DVDs when entering a music store but not others?

First of all, I 'm not a moviegoer. It is not that I loathe going to the theater, but it is just that the silver screen is not something I am enthusiastic about (seems legit, doesn't it?). I don't know much about acting and that sort of stuff, so although Jay has starred in several movies, including the Hollywood action flick The Green Hornet and the self-directed one Secret, I'm not really keen on them. (Nevertheless, as a "layman" I know that he is NOT a bad actor and CAN act. And of course I will always support him in all his endeavors. :-))

But music is my thing. It colors humans' lives in infinite ways, and Jay is a special gift in this matter. I think the answer to the question (the title of this article) is that, in terms of music, nobody can be compared to Jay Chou (this reminds me of his Incomparable concert and his war-themed song 無雙 (Wu Shuang), which translates to "incomparable"). Jay has a talent that no-one else has. He is a multi-instrumentalist in that he can play the piano, guitar, drums, and many others, but there's something more than that. American paleontologist Steve Brusatte says in an Earth Unplugged video that there's just something about dinosaurs, there's some magic to them, and there's some indescribable essence to them. Jay Chou is similar to dinosaurs in this way.

Bang Jay*, as I often call him, is a music prodigy. Other than his fantastic ability to play lots of musical instruments, some things that might fascinate you are as follows:

1. he composes and sings all his own songs
2. he writes lyrics for his songs (although a big part of them are contributed by Vincent Fang)
3. he writes songs for other singers
4. he has won countless music awards

HOWEVER, it's JUST NOT enough... Frankly, it is probably almost impossible to explain why I adore his music so much. You need to get your feet wet and I'm sure (hopefully) you will get addicted to it.

Jay's music is unique. To be honest, personally, I think his songs can't be categorized into any well-known genres, such as pop, ballad, and rock – that's why when people ask me what my favorite kind of music is, I answer "Chou style". However, it seems that Jay Chou's music can divided into several major types. Jay Chou's songs range from Chinese style (zhong guo feng) songs, such as 東風破 (Dong Feng Po) and 青花瓷 (Qing Hua Ci), through romantic, lovely ones, such as 簡單愛 (Jian Dan Ai) and 手寫的從前 (Shou Xie De Cong Qian), to gloomy, heartbreaking ones, like 說好的幸福呢 (Shuo Hao De Xing Fu Ne) and 安靜 (An Jing). Jay is also well-known for his rap ability: catch some melodies in 聽媽媽的話 (Ting Ma Ma De Hua) and 雙截棍 (Shuang Jie Gun). On top of that, Jay has attempted to produce rock-like songs, such as 龍戰騎士 (Long Zhan Qi Shi) and 跨時代 (Kua Shi Dai).

Jay Chou has been my idol for around 13 years. "Officially", the first song that I listened to was The One concert version of 雙截棍 (Shuang Jie Gun), thanks to my first brother, who borrowed his friend's VCD or DVD. Since that moment, I have grown up listening to his songs, which is something that I am proud of. Jay Chou was, is, and will always be in my heart.

*"Bang Jay" is a term that is occasionally used by Indonesians to refer to Jay Chou – "bang" is short for "abang", which means "older brother" in Javanese. I am not sure, but this was probably invented by me myself. :p

Articles you might be interested in:
Jay Chou's Songs for Weddings
A List of Jay Chou's Chinese Style Songs (Zhong Guo Feng)

Connection with Jay Chou:

Jay Chou Facebook

Jay Chou Instagram

JVR Music YouTube

JVR Music Official Site

English website about Jay Chou:

Jay Chou Studio

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Language Is an Illusion

Why is that?

To begin with, there is a short tale for you to heed. Steve Martin is a British man. He was born in London 35 years ago and raised by his parents, who are also of London origin. He has spent most of his life, playing, studying, and working in his home country. Needless to say, having in contact with British culture and language for most of his time, his English is unquestionably excellent.

Now let's use a lot of third conditionals here: what if Steve had been born in Vietnam, where the official language is Vietnamese, not English? What if he had been brought up by parents who came from Quang Ngai, not London? What if he had had to nod his head a little bit, instead of shaking hands, which is unusual in Vietnam, when meeting someone for the first time? Would he be the one he is now?

Of course not. He would be very fluent in Vietnamese and his English might not be as good as his now.

(You might be wondering why there is a cultural question there. The quick answer is because language and culture are inextricable. Check out this awesome TEDx Talk by Tim Doner, a hyperpolyglot from the U.S.A.)

Now let's move on to YOU. What if you had been born, not in your homeland, but in another country? What if you had been brought up by parents whose mother tongue is not your native language? What if you had grown up getting exposed to a culture that is so different from the one you are used to? Would you be YOU?

No, you wouldn't. You would speak "that" language better than your real first language. Basically, you would be "a new you".

Getting back to Steve, if he were with his real parents in London, would they understand what Steve said in Vietnamese? Probably not. Would Steve understand what his parents said in English at a fast rate? Probably not either.

Now imagine "the new you" is now with your real family members at a monthly gathering at your maternal grandmother's house. Would they understand what "the new you" talked about? Probably not. In an exactly the same situation, they wouldn't get what the heck you were talking about and vice versa because of the different languages.

So what is this all about? It means language is nothing but a medium, or a system, as I like to call it. Language is only meaningful when a group of people (perhaps a tribe or a nation) agree on the "effects" it can give – I recall my high school friend told me that language is "an agreement". Or, in other words, it is an illusion. To see my tips for learning English, click here – be sure to check part 2 as well.

Actually this is what made me realize that to learn a language successfully is not that hard as long as you want to adapt to the "system". Or, to put it more dramatically, you must (want to) be "reborn' or "born again", like Christians are.

What is more, this also rebuts the notion that you need to be talented to be successful in languages. When we are talking about talent, we are referring to a small number of people, right? Now, how many French people can't speak French fluently? How many Germans can't write German in an effortless fashion? I believe only an incredibly tiny fraction of a nation are not able to learn and use their native language and it must comprise those with sight and hearing impairments. In short, language proficiency is not linked to talent.

To end this article, I would like to quote Tim Doner at the end of his TEDx Talk presentation "Breaking the language barrier" (find the link above):

"You can translate words easily, but you can't quite translate meaning."

Continue reading

5 Recommended Websites for Learning English

It is 2015 and I guess English still stands out and remains the world's lingua franca. Despite my fondness for learning other languages like Filipino, English is still my pet one – in what other languages can I find high quality dinosaur books? Thanks to technology, learning this 26-letter language has become much easier. Here are 5 websites that I use to improve my English proficiency and, hopefully, will help you master the language as well! Check them out!

1. EnglishClub
A simply named website, EnglishClub contains tons of useful learning materials. It is something you could always return to as this website covers a wide range of English language aspects, from grammar to punctuation to word stress. Personally I am keen on the "of the day" features, which give you a new idiom, phrasal verb, saying, and slang expression every day!

2. Espresso English
Don't get mistaken; Espresso English is not about coffee, but it will be your cup of tea! I haven't explored this website much but I enjoy reading the blog a lot; it consists of lots of fabulous, well-structured, easy-to-understand articles about idioms, vocabulary, useful phrases, etc.

3. TED
Strictly speaking, TED is not a website for learning English or any other languages. Yet, it proves to be a great tool for developing your listening skills. Practice listening by watching talks about a vast range of ideas and turn on the English subtitles when needed. You can also access the videos on its YouTube channel.

4. engVid
Want to learn English with native speaker teachers online? Just visit engVid! As you might have guessed, engVid offers a myriad of helpful videos presented by experienced English teachers, some, or most, of which have subtitles with them. The topics are varied, from pronunciation tips to soft English expressions. I like Adam's and Emma's teaching styles because their explanations are simple and understandable. You can access the videos on its YouTube channel as well.

5. Macmillan Dictionary
What? You might have been a bit confounded. Well, to learn English – and any other languages, I guess – you need a good dictionary; and for that reason, Macmillan Dictionary exists! This dictionary will surely make things a lot easier for you. What makes me crazy about this dictionary is that it uses simple language for its definitions. What is more, it provides information about countability, synonyms, collocates, and the 'Get It Right' feature, which will definitely help you avoid common mistakes.

Continue reading

How to Be Good at English (Part 2)

As I'm getting older (and so everyone is), I'm becoming more and more aware of the importance of this wide spoken language – English. My international friend base is continuously expanding and it is English that unites us. I've already written an article about how to be good at English; however, this piece of writing contains more personal and detailed information. Curious? Here they are, four techniques I use to boost my English proficiency!

1. Watch videos online

Oh, come on! We live in the Internet era and myriad online videos are waiting for you to be watched! The site I visit is – as you might have expected – YouTube. Firstly, I watch videos without subtitles, trying to get the message. Then, if there are any words I couldn't catch, I watch the parts which they are in with a subtitle on. Your pronunciation awareness will certainly increase – you'll know which syllable the stress of a word is on, accustom yourself to connected speech, etc. You could watch Ted Talks – I've seen some people giving engaging speeches – as subtitles are provided.

2. Read novels

You might be thinking, Why novels? The quick answer is because they contain lots of words, or in other words, a great amount of language. I used to hate novels, actually, but I ended up falling in love with them after realizing their efficacies. If you want to learn a language, you have to expose yourself to as much language as possible – and novels would be your great helpers. By reading novels, you get hosts of new words, new collocations, new idioms, etc. Don't know the meaning of a word? Before looking it up in your dictionary, which is something you should keep at hand, try to guess it by looking at the context – look at the words and/or sentences surrounding it. For example, take a look at this text:

John went into the forest and saw a XXXX. Strangely, it didn't bite him; it passed by him instead.

What is XXXX?

Premise 1: It was in the forest.
Premise 2: Strangely, it didn't bite.
Premise 3: It passed by John.

Conclusion: XXXX might be an animal (based on the fact the pronoun 'it' is used and points 1 and 3: animals are common in forests and moving is an activity typical of an animal) and it was probably a predator (based on point 2: the writer had expected XXXX to bite John).

On top of that, reading will increase your grammatical accuracy awareness. Unconsciously, you'll realize the existence of new structures and your brain will click when people use them incorrectly!

Tip: Find a novel that is right up your alley. You don't want to fall asleep when reading it!

3. Talk to yourself

What? Yeah, it seems strange. But since I can't find a language partner – I hope you have found one or will – I myself am my language partner. One 'trick' I use is to create sentences (about 4–5) every time I learn a new phrase, structure, or anything. For example, I would say to myself something like "Have ever you visited Saigon? She's been my language partner for two years. Mr. Masrani has worked for his company since 2010," if I were learning about the present perfect simple. I would always strive for a high level of fluency before I move on to the next point. Sometimes I also combine several grammar points, for example by telling a story that comprises a number of tenses. Other times I use an idiom with different tenses. Basically I do lots of experiments! This method turns out to be very effective to me, and you could give it a shot.

4. Write a blog

Yeah, actually what I'm doing now is one of the ways to brush up on my English – to practice writing. By writing a blog, I can make use of all the English things I've learned in a free and creative way, while being able to express my ideas to the public at the same time. And another piece of good news is it is gratis – I created this account without any rupiah or dong.

You may have noticed that all these points relate to the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. However, don't limit yourself! Besides these, I also do other English-enhancing things like reading news items online and enlarging my vocabulary through websites such as Espresso English. Another important thing is to make sure your effort is as closely related to your interest as much as possible since you will progress faster. I wish you all the best on your English journey!

Continue reading

Common English Mistakes That Vietnamese Make

I love Vietnam! In fact, I want to work and live there (I hope I can do it next year). I have quite a lot of Vietnamese friends, some of whom I have already met in person. I've been to Ho Chi Minh City twice and now I still feel the wonder of it. Well, since I can't communicate in Vietnamese well (I'm learning it, though), I interact with my Vietnamese friends in English. Here are some common mistakes made by Vietnamese, based on my experience. I hope this list will be useful for Vietnamese who want to learn/are learning English and for other people too!

Note: I will keep this post updated.

1. "have" instead of "there is/are"
To talk about existence, Vietnamese often use "have", not "there is/are".

Examples:
• Have one teacher here. (should be There is one teacher here.)
• Have five people in my office. (should be There are five people in my office.)

2. no be
Vietnamese tend to omit be forms (am, is, are, etc.).

Examples:
• My friend beautiful. (should be My friend is beautiful.)
• My father at home (last week). (should be My father was at home.)

3. no articles
Vietnamese tend to leave out articles (a/an and the).

Examples:
• I in office. (should be I am in the office.)
• Yesterday my sister went to bookstore. (should be Yesterday my sister went to a bookstore.)

4. infinitives with third person singular subjects in the simple present
When using the simple present, Vietnamese tend to use infinitives with third person singular subjects (he, she, and it).

Examples:
• My mother cook for me. (should be My mother cooks for me.)
• My brother go to school every day. (should be My brother goes to school every day.)

5. no -s or -es in plural forms
Vietnamese tend to use singular forms where plural forms should be used instead.

Examples:
• I want to buy two apple. (should be I want to buy two apples.)
• She have a lot of friend. (should be She has a lot of friends.)

6. no prepositions
Vietnamese often leave out prepositions.

Examples:
• I listening music. (should be I'm listening to music.)
• Wait me. (should be Wait for me.)

7. ending sounds
Vietnamese have difficulty in pronouncing ending sounds.

Examples:
• "Ll" in "will" and "kill" is pronounced like the second 'u' in "usual". (the /u/ sound is pronounced instead of the /l/ sound)
• "Rice" is pronounced like "ry" in "cry". (the /s/ sound is not pronounced)
• "Always" is pronounced like "alway". (the /z/ sound is not pronounced)
• "D" in "seaweed" is pronounced like "sh" in "wish". (the /ʃ/ sound is pronounced instead of the /d/ sound) Continue reading

12 Common English Mistakes That Indonesians Make

First of all, this list of 12 mistakes is based on my experience. I encounter Indonesians every day (of course! I'm an Indonesian) and I've found these to be common among them. Secondly, I hope that it will be useful for English-learning Indonesians—and perhaps other English learners as well. Lastly, enjoy it!

1. infinitives everywhere
There are many kinds and forms of verbs in English. Indonesians tend to use infinitives on almost every occasion.

Examples:
• Erick go to school every day. (should be Erick goes...)
• She have dinner with her boyfriend at Sushi Tei Central Park yesterday. (should be She had dinner...)
• Berry want to play basketball this evening. (should be Berry wants...)

2. be + infinitive
Be forms are commonly found with infinitives. They tend to "stick together".

Examples:
• I am like to read romance novels. (should be I like to...)
• Last Friday I was bring some food to Tony. (should be Last Friday I brought ...)

3. more + short adjective + -er
Indonesians often struggle when it comes to short comparatives.

Examples:
• Elephants are more bigger than humans. (should be Elephants are bigger...)
• Kobe Bryant is more taller than Jay Chou. (should be Kobe Bryant is taller...)
• Benny is more busier than Santi. (should be Benny is busier...)
• Papayas are more healthier than beer. (should be Papayas are healthier...)

4. wh-questions
- wrong auxiliary position

Examples:
• Why you are wearing jeans? (should be Why are you...)
• Why you haven't put down the guitar yet? (should be Why haven't you...)
• Why she bought that medicine? (should be Why did she buy...)

- no auxiliaries

Examples:
• Why she walking around the park? (should be Why is she walking...)
• Why Carol eat last night? (should be Why did Carol eat...)

5. adjective + with
"With" is not combined with some adjectives.

Examples:
• Richard is different with my father. (should be Richard is different from/than (US)/to (Brit)...)
• Jane's car is similar with Rocky's. (should be Jane's car is similar to...)
• My book is same with his. (should be My book is the same as...)
• Victoria Beckham is married with David Beckham. (should be Victoria Beckham is married to...)
However, you can say "Victoria Beckham is married with four children."

6. silent t in words ending with -st, -nt and -ct, and silent k in words ending with -nk
Indonesians tend not to pronounce the last t in words ending in -st and -nt.

Examples:
• "Fast" is pronounced /'fæs/ (US) or /'fɑːs/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'fæst/ (US) or /'fɑːst/ (Brit))
• "First" is pronounced /'fɚs/. (should be pronounced /'fɚst/)
• "List" is pronounced /'lɪs/. (should be pronounced /'lɪst/)
• "Sent" is pronounced /'sɛn/. (should be pronounced /'sɛnt/)
• "Mint" is pronounced /'mɪn/. (should be pronounced /'mɪnt/)
• "Want" is pronounced /'wɑːn/. (should be pronounced /'wɑːnt/)
• "Act" is pronounced /'æk/. (should be pronounced /'ækt/)
• "Fact" is pronounced /'fæk/. (should be pronounced /'fækt/)
• "Effect" is pronounced /ɪ'fɛk/. (should be pronounced /'ɪ'fɛkt/)
• "Expect" is pronounced /ɛk'spɛk/. (should be pronounced /ɪk'spɛkt/)

In addition, they tend not to pronounce the last k in words ending in -nk.

Examples:
• "Bank" is pronounced /'bæŋ/. (should be pronounced /'bæŋk/)
• "Link" is pronounced /'lɪŋ/. (should be pronounced /'lɪŋk/)
• "Sink" is pronounced /'sɪŋ/. (should be pronounced /'sɪŋk/)
• "Tank" is pronounced /'tæŋ/. (should be pronounced /'tæŋk/)

7. wrong pronunciation of words ending in -sk
Indonesians tend to pronounce /k/ and then /s/ in words ending in -sk. Sometimes the /k/ is silent.

Examples:
• "Ask" is pronounced /'æks/ or /'æs/ (US), or /'ɑːks/ or /'ɑ:s/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'æsk/ (US) or /'ɑːsk/ (Brit))
• "Disk" is pronounced /'dɪks/ or /'dɪs/. (should be pronounced /'dɪsk/)
• "Risk" is pronounced /'rɪks/ or /'rɪs/. (should be pronounced /'rɪsk/)
• "Task" is pronounced /'tæks/ or /'tæs/ (US), or /'tɑːks/ or /'tɑ:s/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'tæsk/ (US) or /'tɑːsk/ (Brit))

8. th sounds (/θ/ and /ð/)
Th is often pronounced /t/ when it should be pronounced /θ/, and it is often pronounced /d/ when it should be pronounced /ð/.

Examples:
• "Bath" is pronounced /'bæt/ (US) or /'bɑ:t/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'bæθ/ (US) or /'bɑ:θ/ (Brit))
• "Thick" is pronounced /'tɪk/. (should be pronounced /'θɪk/)
• "Thin" is pronounced /'tɪn/. (should be pronounced /'θɪn/)
• "This" is pronounced /'dɪs/. (should be pronounced /'ðɪs/)
• "That" is pronounced /'dæt/. (should be pronounced /'ðæt/)
• "Then" is pronounced /'dɛn/. (should be pronounced /'ðɛn/)
• "With" is pronounced /'wɪt/. (should be pronounced /'wɪθ/ or /'wɪð/)

9. /v/ sound
Indonesians are not accustomed to pronouncing /v/. They often use /f/ instead of /v/.

Examples:
• "Give" is pronounced /'gɪf/. (should be pronounced /'gɪv/)
• "Live" is pronounced /'lɪf/. (should be pronounced /'lɪv/)
• "Verb" is pronounced /'fɚb/. (should be pronounced /'vɚb/)
• "Very" is pronounced /'feri/. (should be pronounced /'veri/)

10. pronounced gh
When gh should be silent, it is pronounced /g/.

Examples:
• "Eight" is pronounced /'eɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'eɪt/)
• "High" is pronounced /'haɪg/. (should be pronounced /'haɪ/)
• "Right" is pronounced /'raɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'raɪt/)
• "Weight" is pronounced /'weɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'weɪt/)

11. pronounced w in words beginning with wr-
When w should be silent in wr- words, it is pronounced.

Examples:
• "Write" is pronounced /'wraɪt/. (should be pronounced /'raɪt/)
• "Wrong" is pronounced /'wrɑːŋ/. (should be pronounced /'rɑːŋ/)

12. strong forms
Indonesians tend to use strong forms when they are not normally used.

Examples:
• Can you swim?
"Can" here is pronounced /'kæn/ (strong form). (should be pronounced /kən/ (weak form))
• I think I will make a cup of coffee.
"Will" here is pronounced /'wɪl/ (strong form). (should be pronounced /wəl/ (weak form)) Continue reading

Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta

Yesterday was definitely an unforgettable day for all Jay Chou's fans in Indonesia. The heavenly king held his first concert in Indonesia for his amazing Opus Jay 2013 World Tour at Mata Elang International Stadium (MEIS), Ancol, Jakarta, Indonesia, on October 12, 2013.

Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta poster
(image source: http://www.jpopasia.com/feed/13557/jay-chou-to-hold-concert-in-indonesia-this-october)

This event was promoted and organized by PT. Nusantara Utama Technology, W Productions, and Synergism Entertainment. It was sponsored by Kaspersky and Tech Titan (of course, Jay is one of the brand ambassadors of Kaspersky). In addition, this concert was supported by PT. Minna Padi Investama. Ticket.com, KiOSTiX and FFoJC were in charge of the tickets.

Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta seating plans
(image source: http://hiburan.dreamers.id/article/21584/modul/article/load.php)

I bought the ticket back several months ago on Ticket.com. At first, I was going to buy a Bronze ticket, but, because I got a fortune, I decided to buy a Silver ticket. :)

D-Day

Yeah! This is it! I prepared everything for the show. The concert was to start at 7 p.m., and, because the food sold there must be expensive, I thought it'd be better to cook my dinner and bring it from home. A pack of Healtimie became my choice. In addition, I put on my cool Jay Chou tee shirt, which I bought several years ago when I was still at university. I set out from home at about 3.10 p.m. with my father. He brought me to the venue, driving his bike. Many thanks to him! ^_^

I arrived at about 4.45 p.m. Wow! I could feel the atmosphere! I walked toward the ticket booths to get my ticket. After taking it, I met up with my friends. Here's a pic of the ticket booths:

Then we went to a beach around Ancol Beach City, the mall where MEIS is located. It was really comfortable! There was a banner of the concert and one my friends took some photos of me.

At first, she couldn't take it well. He snapped me when I was approaching her to explain how to do it. And here's the result:

Then, the second photo was taken.

After that, we met up with the friends we were looking for. So there were five of us. And here's another photo of me:

There, we chatted a lot and I met up with other friends of mine. I also saw Olga Lidya, an Indonesian artist. I don't know whether she was there to watch Jay or not. I took some pictures of the whereabouts. Here they are:

Jay Chou's fans around the banner

Thank you, Kaspersky!

the beach

Ancol Beach City

At about 5.55 p.m. I ate my dinner. Afterwards, I entered the mall to start queuing for the concert.

Jay Chou's songs were played throughout my wait. I wrote the list of the songs and here they are:

1. 白色風車 (Bai Se Feng Che) → White Windmill
2. 紅塵客棧 (Hong Chen Ke Zhan ) → Worldly Tavern
3. 安静 (An Jing) → Silence
4. 說了再見 (Shuo Le Zai Jian) → Said Goodbye
5. 不能说的秘密 (Bu Neng Shuo De Mi Mi) → Secret That Cannot Be Told
6. 說好的幸福呢 (Shuo Hao De Xing Fu Ne) → Where's The Promised Happiness (mixed with an unknown song)
7. 黑色幽默 (Hei Se You Mo) → Black Humour
8. 一路向北 (Yi Lu Xiang Bei) → All The Way North
9. 回到过去 (Hui Dao Guo Qu) → Go Back To The Past
10. 心雨 (Xin Yu) → Heart Rain
11. 不能说的秘密 (Bu Neng Shuo De Mi Mi) → Secret That Cannot Be Told (again)
12. 浪漫手機 (Lang Man Shou Ji) → Romantic Handphone
13. 給我一首歌的時間 (Gei Wo Yi Shou Ge De Shi Jian) → Give Me The Time For One Song
14. 千里之外 (Qian Li Zhi Wai) → Beyond A Thousand Miles (Faraway)
15. 髮如雪 (Fa Ru Xue) → Hair Like Snow
16. 明明就 (Ming Ming Jiu) → Obviously
17. 花海 (Hua Hai) → Sea Of Flowers
18. 黑色毛衣 (Hei Se Mao Yi) → Black Sweater
19. 傻笑 (Sha Xiao) → Giggle
20. 退後 (Tui Hou) → Step Back
21. 開不了口 (Kai Bu Liao Kou) → Cannot Speak
22. 楓 (Feng) → Maple
23. 心雨 (Xin Yu) → Heart Rain (again)
24. 蘭亭序 (Lan Ting Xu) → Lan Ting Preface

I was inside the mall. The queue was quite long but the mobility was good. Here are some pix:

Fans thirsting for Jay Chou

Don't bring anything dangerous, dude! Jay Chou must be safe!

Yeah, I passed the checking and got into MEIS! The stadium was cool and cozy! After going to the restroom, I searched for my seat, E-32. Finding it, I took the seat right away. There had already been a light stick provided. Nice!

Waiting for the concert I took some photos of the stadium.

As I waited, more and more people entered the stadium.

Another pic just before the concert started.

Then the concert started at about 7.40 p.m.! (It was late. I think it is because the promoter wanted to make sure that all the audience had entered MEIS before it started.) The enthusiasm of the fans was really felt! And Jay Chou appeared!!!

Here's the list of the songs:

1. 驚嘆號 (Jing Tan Hao) → Exclamation Mark
2. 龍拳 (Long Quan) → Dragon Fist
3. 最後的戰役 (Zui Hou De Zhan Yi) → The Last Battle
4. 一路向北 (Yi Lu Xiang Bei) → All The Way North
5. 不能说的秘密 (Bu Neng Shuo De Mi Mi) → Secret That Cannot Be Told
6. 稻香 (Dao Xiang) → Fragrance of Rice
7. 雙截棍 (Shuang Jie Gun) → Nun-chucks
8. 明明就 (Ming Ming Jiu) → Obviously
9. 世界末日 (Shi Jie Mo Ri) → End of the World
10. 龍捲風 (Long Juan Feng) → Tornado
11. 安静 (An Jing) → Silence
12. 簡單愛 (Jian Dan Ai) → Simple Love
13. 公公偏头痛 (Gong Gong Pian Tou Tong) → Eunuchs Tend To Have Headaches
14. 千里之外 (Qiang Li Zhi Wai) → Beyond A Thousand Miles (Faraway) (feat. Liu Chen, a singer from Beijing)
15. 青花瓷 (Qing Hua Ci) → Chinese Flower Pot
16. 鬥牛 (Dou Niu) → Bullfight (a cappella, without vocals), 水手怕水 (Shui Shou Pa Shui) → Sailors Afraid of Water (a cappella, without vocals), 大本钟 (Ta Ben Zhong) →  Big Ben (partly a cappella)
17. 彩虹 (Cai Hong) → Rainbow, 軌跡 (Gui Ji) → Orbit, 牛仔很忙 (Niu Zai Hen Mang) → Cowboy Is Very Busy, 星情 (Xing Qing) → Clear Stars, 回到过去 (Hui Dao Guo Qu) → Go Back To The Past

18. 完美主義 (Wan Mei Zhu Yi) → Perfectionism), 乔克叔叔 (Qiao Ke Shu Shu) → Uncle Joker

19. 晴天 (Qing Tian) → Fine Day

20. 七里香 (Qi Li Xiang) → Common Jasmine Orange

21. 開不了口 (Kai Bu Liao Kou) → Cannot Speak

22. 乌克丽丽 (Wu Ke Li Li) → Ukelele (with someone)

23. 阳光宅男 (Yang Guang Zhai Nan) → Sunshine Homeboy (with someone)

Note: This list might need correcting. I actually kind of forget the order of the songs, but I think all the songs presented are already here. Please tell me if there's something wrong with the list while I try to get the precise information. :)

At the concert, there were pantomimes as well as guitar, beat box, drum, and keyboard performances from other people. There were 本草綱目 (Ben Chao Gang Mu) → Compendium of Materia Medica tones in the beatbox performance and 以父之名 (Yi Fu Zhi Ming) → In The Name Of The Father tones in the keyboard performance. I also noticed 聽媽媽的話 (Ting Ma Ma De hua) → Listen To Mother's Words tones at the beginning of a song that was actually not 聽媽媽的話. :)

The concert ended at about 9.40 p.m. It was really amazing!!! I was overwhelmed and sang throughout the concert with full spirit!!! So touching!!! Oh my God!!! After about ten years of being his fan, finally he came to Indonesia!!! (I started knowing his music from his The One Concert Live.) Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta was absolutely 100 out of 100!!! XD

During the concert, Jay said that he had been to Indonesia once 27 years ago, with his mom, for traveling. So, this concert was the second time he's visited Indonesia. :)

After the concert ended, I took some photos of the stadium. Here they are:

And here I am after the concert!

And here's a pic of me and my friends! Love you, friends! ^_^

I feel that I am more confident and expressive when singing after going to his concert! I was usually nervous when it came to singing with being noticed. :)  Jay somehow filled "some kind of soul" to me. :))

Jay hoped that he can hold a concert in Indonesia once every two years. Surely if Jay comes here again, I'll watch his concert!!! XD

That's all! Thank you for reading this! Thanks to all those who took part in making this event successful. Thank you, Jay Chou. We love you. :)

Note: Opus Jay World Tour, which is an album boasting his majestic concert in Taipei in the same year, is available on DVD and Blu-ray. To buy, click here. You can also enjoy the concert on YouTube: it is divided into two parts: part 1 and part 2.

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Source: http://www.wproductions.biz

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