My Staycation at Best Western Resort Kuta

Welcome to Best Western Resort Kuta, Astrid!

I am always excited to go to Bali, but most of my visits are related to works or yoga thingy (in Ubud). This time, I have a great time to really enjoy my holiday in the areas I have never stayed in Bali.

In this holiday journey, I make one of my stops at Best Western Resort Kuta. It is a huge old hotel in the centre of Kuta. I guess this hotel is created for those people who really want to rest and enjoy their holidays.

Best Western Resort Kuta

Lobby of Best Western Resort Kuta

Lobby of Best Western Resort Kuta

Lobby of Best Western Resort Kuta

When I arrive at the hotel, the lobby welcomes me with its warm atmosphere. In the lobby area, I find a check in and out counter at one side and a computer with Internet Access to be used by the guests at the other side. An officer from the hotel offered me a cold welcome drink while a receptionist handles my check in process. It takes a few minute for the check in process to be done. Oh, they found my name! Yeay! Great job, guys! So, let’s go to my room! 

Banyan Tree Lounge - I like to name it like that :-)

Banyan Tree Lounge

Banyan Tree Lounge

Banyan Tree Lounge

Banyan Tree Lounge

On my way to my room, I pass a huge area where I see a huge Banyan Tree. Around the Banyan Tree, there are sofas and tables that the guests can use for sitting, chatting and relaxing. Sounds like an outside extended lobby area and it is very cozy! 

Padmi Lounge Bar

Not far from the Banyan Tree Lounge (Well, it is not the name of this outdoor space, but I like to call it like that. Will the hotel management name it as I wish? LOL!), there is a bar where guests can order any drinks there. The name of the bar is Padmi Lounge Bar.


Room at Best Western Resort Kuta

Deluxe Pool View Room at Best Western Resort Kuta

It is time to talk about my room. My room is a Deluxe Pool View! It is very huge, and located in the highest floor in the hotel. When I look at the bed, the clean and comfortable bed is big enough for two to three people. 

My Bed at Best Western Resort Kuta

There are two small tables at the side of the bed. The left table is a place for a digital alarm clock, a tv cable channel list, a list of hotel phone numbers that connects to the operator, housekeeping, front desk etc., a telephone unit, TV remote, blank paper for notes and ballpoint. The right table is left empty.

Work Table at Best Western Resort Kuta

TV at Best Western Resort Kuta

Facilities in this room is quite complete. There is a small table and a bench with small pillows. There is also a work table equipped with electrical plugs of various types of feet, ranging from flat, round standard to a three-legged. In addition, there is also a large flat-screen television that attached to the wall.

Drinking Corner at Best Western Resort Kuta

Just behind the door and next to shower room, I can find Mini Fridge, a place to put luggage, bags and shoes, cabinets and clothes hanger and safety box. There is a small Drinking Corner too where I can find Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Creamer, Electric Teak, Cup and Glass. My small heaven! 

Bathtub at Best Western Resort Kuta

Washing Stand at Best Western Resort Kuta

There is a bathtub inside the shower with two body towels, two face towels, and various amenities, such as bath foam, shampoo, shower cap, brush and toothpaste, comb, cotton bud, two drinking water bottles, and a hairdryer.

Pool View at Best Western Resort Kuta

The room has a balcony with two chairs and a table. When I sit at the balcony, I realize that my room is located right in the middle facing to the swimming pool. That is why this room is classified as Deluxe Pool View! Woho!


Sitting Area

As I walk around the hotel, I find an interesting thing that every floor has an area where people can sit at a large wooden chair. There is a wooden table in front of it. It is a very good place to hang around and have some chats with the family and friends. Cool!


Ambrosia Restaurant at Best Western Resort Kuta

Ambrosia Restaurant at Best Western Resort Kuta

In the morning, I experience a very nice breakfast at its dining area, Ambrosia Restaurant. It is a buffet breakfast, so it is not a surprise to see a lot of food in the restaurant. 

Among all the drinks on the buffet set, such as fresh juice, milk, and tea, of course I choose coffee. Back to basic, people!  

On the food side, they prepare many food, from Chicken Porridge, Chicken Sausages, Fried Rice, Fried Noodle, Sauteed Mix Vegetables, Pudding, Croissant, Yellow Rice, Vegetables, Salad, Soft Roll, and many more! There is a special booth to cook eggs with a chef who is always ready to take your order. All of the food here are in medium taste which is good for both Indonesian guests and foreign guests.

Swimming Pool at Best Western Resort Kuta

Looking at the swimming pool from Ambrosia Restaurant

After the breakfast, it is the right time to hit the swimming pool! The swimming pool is located just next to the Ambrosia Restaurant. Very good spot for those who are always hungry after swimming. LOL!

Swimming Pool at Best Western Resort Kuta

The swimming pool is very big and its shape is like number 8. Very unique! Its depth is divided into four sections, the deepest in the left end is 3 meters, then 1,5 meters, 1,3 meters and the last one is the children's pool.

Matsya Pool Bar at Best Western Resort Kuta

The swimming pool is not only for those people who want to swim. If you want to sit around and drink up, you can do those at the pool. The swimming pool has a bar called Matsya Pool Bar. The chairs of the bar are planted inside the swimming pool. So yes, you can order the drink from the bar and drink the beverages you choose while you sit at the chairs inside the swimming pool. How cool is that? 

Spa Room at Best Western Resort Kuta

Spa Room at Best Western Resort Kuta

There is a room that provides Spa Service near the swimming pool. It is a good room for those who feel tired and want to relax and be pampered. 

Before I start swimming, I practice short yoga session. Please check my yoga video at the Swimming Pool of Best Western Resort Kuta here:

When I swim, I meet a group of frequent guests from Australia who have been staying at the Best Western Resort Kuta for almost a week. Well, how we meet is quite funny. As I sit next to them to prepare my swimming activity, one of them says that she feels tired just by looking at my yoga practice by the pool there. Hahahahaha!!!! Oh yeah, I can feel her! That funny chat becomes the start of a new friendship! Oh this is what I love about having holiday in Bali, everyone is relax and friendly. Yeay! I have a great time to chat with them, and I interview one of them for this blog. They love staying at the Best Western Resort Kuta. You can watch the video of the interview here:

Note: I know that I look messy on both of the video. First of all, I am in Bali where no one cares if I look good or not. Secondly, I practice yoga and do some swimming, so excuse the sweat and the wetness on my skin. I am on my holiday, people! So, relax, okay!

With Desak Trisnawati - Director of Sales and Marketing at Best Western Resort Kuta

At the end of my journey at Best Western Resort Kuta, I meet Desak Trisnawati, the Director of Sales and Marketing at the hotel, who prepares my beautiful room and accompanies me on my last day in the hotel. Thank you, ibu Desak, for arranging my beautiful room and for your hospitality. I hope to see you again soon!

That is all my staycation experience in Best Western Resort Kuta in Bali. I have a great time there and I really enjoy my holiday there. I hope to see you again soon, Best Western Resort Kuta and Bali! 

If you plan to stay at Best Western Resort Kuta, don't forget that it is not that far from the tourist destinations, such as Kuta Beach, Jimbaran Beach, Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue, Dreamland Beach, Uluwatu Temple, Tanah Lot Temple, Kuta Shopping Center, Discovery Mall, Sukawati Market, etc. 

Enjoy your holiday, holiday people!

Best Western Resort Kuta

Jalan Kubu Anyar 118


Bali 80361, 

Indonesia


Tel. : +62 361 767 000


Fax. : +62 361 767 575


Email : reservation@bwresortkuta.com

Mövenpick Resort and Spa Jimbaran Bali is the Heaven for Family: Horst Walther-Jones

I feel very happy to have the chance to sit down and talk with Horst Walther-Jones, the General Manager of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali. We discuss about Mövenpick, its services, Bali, and himself.  

When I ask about the profile of Mövenpick, Horst says that Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is a hotel management company headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. It started from restaurant business then expand to hotel and resort business. 

(Note: Jakarta has already two Marché Restaurants, a part of Mövenpick Group, in Plaza Senayan and Grand Indonesia).

Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts started its business in Switzerland and Egypt, and now it expands its hotel and resort business worldwide. It operates more than 80 properties of hotels and resorts in Middle East, Europe and Asia. By 2020, it will build 30 more properties, especially in Asia. Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts takes Asia seriously as Asia is the market of the future and the economy in Asia is rising.

Well, I am very proud to be an Asian! Yeay! 

Talking about the history of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali, Horst says that Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali was opened in January 2017. It establishes itself as the resort for family. The biggest part of its facilities in the resort is for family around the globe.

Services of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali

Horst explains that Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali is different from the other hotels in Bali because of its services. As a resort, it is truly a great destination for family while it also provides room for non-family guests. As a true family resort, the family can come with clothes only and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali will provide the rest of the needs and the equipments for the family. It provides more privilege for the children as Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali believes that the Mother and the Father are happy when their children are happy. The kids can play in the area of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali, while the parents can have their private time at the same time and place. 

Services for the Children  

Horst describes that the Kids Club in Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali is the best kids club in Bali with special officers trained in the United Kingdom. It also has Baby Swimming Pool where the pool is shallow as it is made in baby size. Other facilities for the children that can make them happy are: 

• Mövenpick Children Program,
• Teenage swimming pool,
• Indoor playground,
• Strollers and other children equipments, 
• Safety chair, 
• Small tables and chairs for kids,  
• Special breakfast package for kids, 
• Special price for kids,
• and many more.

Services for the Whole Family

For the Parents and the whole family, Horst says that Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali has Special Family Program that can make the whole family enjoy their holiday. It starts from the choices of room for family where children can sleep upstairs and family can sleep downstairs. 

For relaxation, it has Arkipela Spa that will pamper the guests with secret ingredients from all over the cities in Indonesia. 

For dining, the guests can go to Above Eleven Bali that has been chosen as one of the Best 5 Indonesian Restaurants in Bali. The restaurant has a rooftop bar where the guests can see the sunset at Jimbaran Bay - the best sunset spot in Bali. Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali is only 2 minutes away from the Jimbaran Bay, the place for temples and other interesting spots.

(Note: Above Eleven Bali is just one of the 5 restaurants located inside Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali).  

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali also offers Everyday Chocolate Hour where the guests can taste Balinese Chocolate between 4 to 5 o’clock in the afternoon at its lobby. Chocolate is picked to be the jewel of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali because Mövenpick comes from Switzerland where it is famous for its chocolate, but it changes the chocolate to the Balinese Chocolate to respect its location in Bali.

Other facilities that the whole family can enjoy in Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali are:

• Cinema,
• Special world famous Coffee from Switzerland,
• Mövenpick Ice Cream,
• Swimming pool with tropical garden atmosphere,
• and many more.  

Through the Family and Children Program, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali has attracted more family to come to its resort, mostly from Asia, Australia, China, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.

Horst believes that the service of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali is one of the best one in Bali.

I myself can feel the warm welcome, the cozy lobby, the huge number of guests as I enter the lobby of Mövenpick Resort and Spa Jimbaran Bali. So yes, he is right! 

   

Business of Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts in Indonesia 

Horst explains that Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts is a holding company, and its business consists of Mövenpick Fine Food, Mövenpick Ice Cream, Mövenpick Wine, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, and many more. As it keeps growing following the business trend, the company has a commitment to expand more in Asia. In Indonesia, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts plans to build 4 to 5 more hotels, including in Jakarta, Bandung and another one in Bali. 

In terms of service, Horst says that Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts has a solid standard of service, but still adaptable. It is more relax and fun for resorts, but it will come with different style of service if it builds its properties in business areas. 

Corporate Social Responsibility in Bali 

Talking about the Corporate Social Responsibility, Horst says that one of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali’s missions in Bali is to take care of the community in Bali. He believes that Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali would not be there without the role of the community. 

To give back to the community in Bali, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali has done some donations, like donating 50 million rupiah and other things for the victims of Mount Agung eruption in Bali and donating blood too. For the last Christmas 2017 event, it presented a Christmas Choir from the blind children to sing and celebrate the Christmas at the resort. Recently, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali donated some special computers for the blind children in Bali. Most of the donations are from its own initiatives, while it is always opened for its guests to participate in this social mission.

Horst himself has one foster kid from SOS Children.

Personal Life of Horst Walther-Jones  

Horst has been living in Bali for 2 years to watch over the development and the construction of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali and also to manage the resort. He arrived in Bali on January 2016. He has some experiences in the hotel pre-opening management, including the hotels in Dubai and Germany.

As Horst and his family - one wife and 4 children - love Bali very much, he believes that Bali can do so much more. He believes that Bali has a good future and has still more potentials to reach. Amen for that! 

Video of the Interview

You can watch my interview with Horst Walther-Jones, the General Manager of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali, at my Youtube channel here:

Thank you very much, Horst Walther-Jones and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali, for having me at your resort! All the information you share are very valuable, and I appreciate it! I hope to see you all again very soon! 

Enjoy Bali! 

Bali is safe!

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali
Jl. Wanagiri No.1, 
Jimbaran, Kuta Sel., 
Kabupaten Badung, 
Bali 80361
Website: https://www.movenpick.com/en/asia/indonesia/bali/jimbaran-bali/overview/

Celebrating Christmas at Mandarin Oriental Jakarta

What do I think about Christmas Season? It is a season of holiday and happy time! Woho! As I always say again and again, Christmas is my favourite time of the year. Yeay!  

On the Christmas Day in 2017, I was very happy to attend the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta. The Christmas Tree was placed at its main lobby. The theme of the celebration is White Christmas’ Wonderland. The most exciting part was when I saw the official Christmas Tree Lighting moment to welcome the season of joy and happiness. After they lighted up the Christmas Tree, a choir called Serenata Voce sang some Christmas Songs. 

Watch the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Christmas Carol here: 

Watch the Serenata Voce Choir singing Jingle Bels here: 

Watch the Serenata Voce Choir singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas here: 

During the event, the management of Mandarin Oriental Jakarta introduced a charity initiative ‘Pick A Fan’ to share the Christmas joy with around 200 children with special needs. The guests and colleagues could choose a fan card containing name of a child and his/her Christmas wish. This initiative was in cooperation with Emmanuel Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the education and health of the less-fortunate people in Jakarta and West Java.

After the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony was finished, the guests were asked to taste the special dishes that the hotel created for the Christmas Season at the Cinnamon Restaurant. The restaurant presented the a la carte gourmet menu and buffet package with classic holiday specialties such as selection of Cold Cuts served with Artisanal Bread, Swiss Raclette Cheese, Veal Zurichoise, and Potato Roesti. Yummy!

After the big Christmas Dinner was over, the guests were able to enjoy the Christmas Sweet Delights. The Mandarin Oriental Jakarta was proud to present its best sweet cake started from Stolen Bread, Candied Fruit Cake to delightful holiday cookies.

The Christmas Celebration might be over, but its spirit never leaves my soul. I hope that everyone has the Christmas spirit and joy everyday, so they can spread the love inside them to the people around them. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2018!

Mandarin Oriental Jakarta

Jl. M.H. Thamrin, 

Menteng,

Central Jakarta
Website: https://www.mandarinoriental.com/jakarta/jalan-mh-thamrin/luxury-hotel

Ananda Sukarlan diantara Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger: Aspie is awesome!

Ketika berbicara tentang Ananda Sukarlan, pasti semua orang mengenalnya sebagai pemain piano dari Indonesia yang terkenal di seluruh dunia yang memainkan jenis musik klasik. Namun saya cukup beruntung mengenal Ananda Sukarlan dari sisi yang sangat lain sekali. 

Saya mengenal Ananda Sukarlan pertama kali dari sebuah perbincangan di Twitter tentang sesuatu hal. Setelah itu, saya beberapa kali bertemu dengan Ananda Sukarlan di berbagai acara resmi dan acara makan-makan di beberapa hotel di Jakarta. Saya akhirnya berkesempatan untuk dapat berbicara secara pribadi dengan Ananda Sukarlan ketika kami bertemu di sebuah acara yang diselenggarakan oleh Kedutaan Besar Italia. Dalam pembicaraan saya dengan Ananda Sukarlan di acara yang diselenggarakan oleh Kedutaan Besar Italia inilah tiba-tiba timbul ide untuk membuat beberapa video atau vlog lucu yang mungkin bisa saja menjadi viral, dan mungkin sebuah video atau vlog yang sedikit menyinggung soal kiprahnya di dunia musik klasik. Namun keputusan saya berubah setelah kami menyempatkan waktu untuk duduk berdua sambil mengopi dan berdiskusi di kantornya di bilangan Fatmawati, Jakarta Selatan. Pada saat berdiskusi inilah saya melihat Ananda Sukarlan bukan sebagai pianis terkenal, namun melihatnya sebagai sosok manusia yang senang bercerita, senang melucu dengan berbagai humor yang dimilikinya dan sangat cerdas dan berbakat sekali. Pada diskusi inilah Ananda banyak menceritakan tentang Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger yang dimilikinya. Akhirnya, saya menjadi lebih tertarik untuk mengangkat Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger ini sebagai topik untuk didiskusikan di dalam video perbincangan saya dengan Ananda Sukarlan.

Saya dan Ananda Sukarlan berharap bahwa topik yang kami angkat dan berbagai informasi yang kami bicarakan dapat membantu penderita Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger lainnya di Indonesia, karena masih belum ada komunitas yang menaungi Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger ini di Indonesia.

Jadi sebenarnya apa sih yang disebut sebagai Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger? Ketika saya mencoba mencari tahu tentang sindrom ini dari berbagai literatur ilmiah, maka bisa saya gambarkan secara sederhana bahwa Sindrom Asperger adalah salah satu bagian dari spektrum autisme. Orang-orang yang terkena Sindrom Asperger ini biasanya mengalami kesulitan dalam interaksi sosial, memiliki sebuah perilaku yang berulang, perkembangan motorik mungkin tertunda, dan memiliki gerak tubuh atau ekspresi tertentu. Dibalik segala hal tersebut yang mungkin dipandang oleh masyarakat sebagai kekurangan, orang-orang yang memiliki Sindrom Asperger ini ternyata memiliki kelebihan, yaitu biasanya mereka sangat cerdas, kosa katanya sangat baik sekali dan sangat berbakat dalam bidang tertentu. Bila diberikan latihan dan terapi, orang-orang yang memiliki Sindrom Asperger ini dapat mengatasi berbagai kekurangan mereka, sehingga mereka dapat memberikan kontribusi besar kepada masyarakat, nusa dan bangsa.

Saat Ananda Sukarlan masih kecil, dia sudah merasa bahwa dirinya berbeda dari anak-anak lainnya, namun pada saat itu dia tidak tahu apa nama dari sesuatu hal yang berbeda di dalam dirinya tersebut. Pada tahun 1996 ketika Ananda Sukarlan berusia 28 tahun, setelah dia memberikan ceramah di Bulgaria, dia diajak untuk masuk menjadi anggota dari Mensa Club. Mensa Club ini adalah grup yang berisi sekelompok orang-orang jenius yang memiliki IQ diatas 160. Lalu Ananda Sukarlan dibawa ke tempat grup ini untuk melewati serangkaian ujian untuk menguji tingkat kejeniusannya. Walaupun pada akhirnya Ananda Sukarlan tidak lulus didalam uji kecerdasan yang diadakan oleh kelompok tersebut, mereka ternyata mendiagnosa bahwa ada kemungkinan Ananda Sukarlan memiliki Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger. Sindrom Tourette sendiri terlihat dari berbagai gerakan fisik di tubuh Ananda, salah satunya adalah mengedipkan mata berulang-ulang. Namun karena terbatasnya akses untuk mengetahui lebih banyak informasi tentang sindrom ini, maka Ananda Sukarlan membiarkannya berlalu begitu saja. Pada akhirnya, setelah era internet dimulai dimana berbagai informasi dapat diakses dengan mudah, maka Ananda Sukarlan mulai membaca tentang berbagai informasi tentang sindrom yang dideritanya. Ananda pada akhirnya mengetahui bahwa tipe Autisme yang dimilikinya termasuk tipe Autisme Fungsi Tinggi dimana dia masih dapat berprilaku sebagaimana layaknya orang normal lainnya. 

Ananda Sukarlan menjelaskan bahwa berbagai gejala yang dimilikinya menunjukkan bahwa dia memiliki Sindrom Asperger, yaitu terlambat memiliki kemampuan berbicara pada saat dia masih kecil, sulit bersosialisasi - terutama di lingkungan baru, minat hanya pada satu bidang saja, dan tidak bisa melakukan berbagai hal tertentu dikarenakan adanya kelainan fungsi pada otak. Ananda memberi contoh bahwa dia tidak bisa menyetir mobil, namun mahir dalam memainkan piano.

Ananda Sukarlan pada waktu masih kecil ternyata tidak menatap mata orang lain ketika berbicara dengan mereka, namun dia dipaksa oleh kedua orang tuanya yang tidak mengerti tentang Sindrom Asperger ini untuk menatap mata orang sebagai tanda kesopanan. Latihan seperti inilah yang membuat Ananda dapat bersikap seperti layaknya orang normal lainnya ketika dia beranjak dewasa.

Ananda Sukarlan bercerita bahwa dia merasa beruntung waktu dia masih kecil melihat piano tua di rumahnya. Piano tersebut merupakan barang hibahan dari kerabatnya. Karena piano itulah maka dia menemukan minatnya dalam bidang musik, terutama bakat untuk memainkan piano. 

Ananda Sukarlan mengakui bahwa dia menemukan dunianya ketika memainkan piano dan menulis musik. Ini menandakan bahwa otaknya bekerja dengan baik ketika dia mengerjakan berbagai hal tentang musik. Baginya, musik sangat mampu menolongnya untuk mendeteksi emosi apa yang dirasakannya dan emosi apa yang sedang dihadapinya. 

Ananda Sukarlan memutuskan untuk hidup bersama dengan Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger ini dengan tenang dan damai. Dia merasa baik-baik saja dan sama sekali tidak terganggu sedikit pun, namun dia tetap perlu untuk mempersiapkan diri dan mengolah rasa groginya ketika akan datang ke berbagai acara resmi dan bertemu dengan orang-orang baru.

Ananda Sukarlan mengingatkan bahwa tidak semua orang yang memiliki Autisme dan berbagai sindrom turunannya akan tampak seperti para penderita Autisme pada umumnya. Sebagian dari mereka bisa jadi akan tampak seperti layaknya manusia normal lainnya. 

Menurut Ananda Sukarlan, orang-orang yang memiliki Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger bisa jadi adalah orang-orang yang paling keren di dunia, karena mereka biasanya ahli dan berbakat di satu bidang tertentu dan memiliki kemampuan yang sangat baik sekali untuk fokus pada satu bidang tertentu tersebut. Ananda Sukarlan memberi contoh beberapa penderita Sindrom Asperger yang ternyata adalah orang terkenal di dunia, seperti pesepakbola - Lionel Messi, pendiri Apple - Steve Jobs, komposer dunia terkenal - Mozart, pemain film Holywood terkenal - Anthonny Hopkins, dan lain-lain. Maka dari itu dia rajin mengkampanyekan motto dari gerakan untuk orang-orang yang memiliki Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger, yaitu “Aspie is awesome!”

Namun orang-orang yang memiliki Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger ini tetap perlu bantuan untuk ditunjukkan apa bakat dan keahlian mereka yang sebenarnya, karena sampai sekarang belum ada alat, mesin atau teknologi tertentu yang dapat mendeteksi kemampuan khusus apa yang dimiliki oleh para penderita Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger ini.

Sebagai orang yang memiliki Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger, tidak jarang Ananda Sukarlan menerima prilaku-prilaku yang tidak menyenangkan dan sering diejek oleh orang-orang di sekitarnya. Namun Ananda mampu bersikap cukup sabar untuk menghadapi orang-orang seperti ini. Ananda Sukarlan juga menyayangkan fakta bahwa ketika para penderita Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger tidak pernah merugikan orang lain dan lingkungan sekitarnya, kenapa para penderita ini harus menerima ejekan dari sekelilingnya. Nasihat yang dia berikan untuk para penderita Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger yang menerima ejekan dari orang-orang disekitarnya adalah bahwa masalah bukan datang dari pemilik Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger, namun masalah justru berada pada yang mengejek mereka. Karena mereka yang mengejek biasanya butuh tempat untuk menunjukkan keberadaan mereka di muka bumi ini. Jadi, tidak usah merisaukan ejekan-ejekan dari mereka ya!

Untuk para orang-orang normal yang berada disekitar orang-orang yang memiliki Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger, Ananda berpesan agar mereka memberikan pengertian yang lebih kepada para pemilik Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger ini, lebih memfokuskan kepada kelebihan yang mereka miliki dan siap membantu mereka pada bidang yang mereka memang tidak bisa lakukan.

Bagi para penderita Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Aspergernya sendiri, Ananda berpesan agar mereka selalu rajin mencari apa hal berguna yang mereka dapat lakukan untuk lingkungan sekitarnya, bersabar menerima sindrom yang mereka miliki dan memaafkan orang-orang lain yang mengejek mereka.

Anda dapat melihat video selengkapnya dari wawancara saya dengan Ananda Sukarlan di bawah ini:

Catatan: Kalau Anda melihat video diatas, Anda pasti juga dapat melihat bahwa saya juga suka mengedipkan mata berulang kali, dan cara berbicara saya yang kadang-kadang terbata-bata dan berulang-ulang. Dulu pada waktu saya kecil, saya juga terlambat memiliki kemampuan bicara dan cenderung gagap. Apakah saya juga termasuk penderita Sindrom Tourette dan Sindrom Asperger? Mungkin iya, mungkin tidak. Apa pun fakta sebenarnya, semua itu tidak menjadi masalah lagi bagi saya sekarang, karena saya masih dapat mengfungsikan diri sebagaimana layaknya orang normal lainnya. 

Saya mengucapkan rasa terima kasih yang dalam untuk Ananda Sukarlan yang sudah meluangkan waktunya untuk duduk bersama saya dan mendiskusikan tentang sisi unik dari dirinya. Setelah diskusi selesai, saya malah semakin kagum dengan sisi unik dari diri Ananda, yaitu humoris, senang ngobrol, cerdas dan berbakat sekali. Pada akhir kata, saya setuju dengan pendapat Ananda Sukarlan bahwa “Aspie is awesome!”