Padang, West Sumatra is one of @oracle-d destination after Aceh. There are a lot of universities in Padang that asking to get more information about the latest technology, since it is not that easy for them to get proper information about this technology. Even most of the students and lecturers who attended our seminar did not have any clue at all about blockchain technology. This is so sad for me personally, since I do really want to have a better quality in education and human resources in Indonesia. I also want Indonesia to find a good solutions to solve our economic problems at the moment, and I can see that Steem blockchain technology provides a great opportunity for all of us to create our own businesses. That is why it is important for me to have this kind of seminar with @oracle-d in Padang, we all really need to understand more about this.

Check the news at https://www.metroandalas.co.id/berita-ratusan-sivitas-akademika-pnp-ikuti-seminar-blockchain.html

In Padang, we stayed at Daima Hotel, a very nice hotel that has a very good quality standard especially in services. They has a nice clean rooms and very delicious foods, plenty of foods to eat for breakfast as well. The last time I went to Padang, a few years ago, it is hard to fine nice beautiful hotels with good quality of services, but now I definitely know where I have to stay in Padang. Thanks to Padang State Polytechnic who recommend this hotel for all of us to stay. We had a great time to take a rest after a long hectic journey in a very comfortable place. Thanks to vizitrip.com as well, who gave me a lot of information about Padang. I do really recommend everybody to stay in this hotel and try to find information about trip and travel from vizitrip.com.

The day we arrived, we went out for dinner with a very good friend of mine, Uda Ferry Salman. I know him since I was still in university, which means more than 20 years ago. He took us to have martabak kubang and Padang satay in the city. Well, @starkerz and @anarcotech, and of course myself, really enjoyed the foods. Martabak kubang and Padang satay was really good, even @starkerz and @anarcotech said they could them everyday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thanks Uda!

Daima Hotel, vizitrip.com

After having a very comfortable rest at Daima Hotel, in the morning, a driver picked up us to go to the campus. Padang State Polytechnic campus is very huge and comfortable, located just next to Andalas University. When we got there, Mr. Albar who was the former vice director and some lectures accepted us in the office, and we had a very good conversation about blockchain technology. When it was time for us to present, they took us the campus hall and we could see that there were a lot of students waiting for us. The crowds who came to @oracle-d seminar over there was around 300 students and lectures. We were a bit surprised but very happy, it means that they are very enthusiast to know.

As usual, @starkerz and @dyland had a good time presenting about blockchain technology, especially about steem blockchain and @oracle-d. I think they were born to be the “blockchain performer” that could easily attract people to listen, and the way they explained everything have encouraged everybody who come willing to learn and to know more. We had students and lectures queued, a long one to ask questions to them. In the meantime, I tried my best to translate everything they said and explained it again in Bahasa Indonesia, to make sure they really understand. We all have to be as creative as possible in explaining something new, something that they never heard before. In Padang, I only know one person who already join Steem, and he did not come. But, during and after the seminar, there are about 250 people from Aceh and Padang willing to register themselves via @oracle-d to have an account on Steem. This is increadible!

We started the seminar at 9AM, and it took 3 hours until we had to stop it. I said we had to, because I think a lot of them who came to the event still want us to stay longer, they still want to know and learn more. None of them left the room until it was finished.

After the event, we were invited to come to the Director of this campus, Mr. Surfa Yondri. We discussed a lot about how important it is to educate students about the latest technology. Inspite of arguments about blockchain technology here and there, but still, we think we should not stop students to learn everything, especially about blockchain technology which is very important in the future. If we want to build the future, then we must prepare the young generation by giving them knowledge and information as much as possible, to give them opportunities as well to be ready to face the future. Besides, blockchain technology is not only about technology, blockchain technology is about changes in mind as well. To change economic system from centralized to decentralized is not that easy, we need to change our mind and get use to it to really understand. While there are a lot opportunities for everyone with the existence of blockchain technology as well as solutions for everything which are not be able to be implemented with current system, it is very important to educate young generations as soon as possible. Let them understand about this technology and how to implement it in a proper way, it will be very useful for them and all of us in this world in the future.

Then, we all had lunch at Lamun Ombak Restaurant in Padang. I told @starkerz and @anarcotech that they had to try Rendang, the most delicious food in the world according to CNN Travel. They were very curious about it, and when they tried it, they could not stop. Padang’s foods are very famous in Indonesia and even the world, they really know how to cook. We ate a lot and we loved it! One thing that we do really want to know is how people in Padang keep their weight while all the foods they have are delicious. I used to gain 5 kilograms after I visit Padang for a week, thank God we had only 2 days in Padang, I do not much time to enjoy the foods a bit longer.

After we had lunch, we went to hotel to take a shower and relax for awhile. Director of this campus invited us again to have dinner with him and some of lecturers. Well, who could resist the invitation like that. We felt honored, and very happy as well because we could taste the best foods in the world again. Ha!

Anyway, the next day, we had to go in a hurry to the airport. We need to fly to Jakarta on time. We had an appointment to meet Minster of Communication and Information Technology of The Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Rudiantara at his office at 5 pm and we had another meeting with Aspekti’s leaders (Indonesia IT Companies and Consultants Associates ) in Jakarta. We do really wish we could stay longer, we had plenty of ideas to help campus and students to develop, as well as for the regions and all society in West Sumatra. And to enjoy the foods again, of course!

Thank you to Mr. Surfa Yondri, Mr. Rahmad, Mr. Albar, Mr. Ikhsan Yuda, Aldo, and all the rest of Padang State Polytechnic for everything. Let’s move to the next step! Let’s be part of the new history that change this world into a better place! We all deserve to have a better world and future.

Bandung, October 27th 2018

Warm Regards,

Mariska Lubis