Asian Para Games: A Glimpse of My 10-Days Happiness

I and Sarah, roommate & VIP LO partner in Table Tennis

I was always having a big interest in volunteering worlds. The happy feeling I got once I helped people keep me alive, and make me always wanted to do more; to help more. One of the volunteering activity I did is on the Asian Para Games 2018. The Asian Para Games is a multi-sport event held every four years after every Asian Games for athletes with physical disabilities, and in 2018, Indonesia will become the host country. Before the Asian Para Games started in October, the government (Kementerian Pemuda dan Olahraga) along with INAPGOC (Indonesia Asian Para Games Organizational Committee) held an invitation tournament in 25th June to 4th July to find out deficiency and advantages happens so they can improve for better preparation at the main events in October 2018.

            I was chosen by INAPGOC as one of their 1100 volunteers around Indonesia to help them run the event. Later did I found, I was assigned as the International VIP liaison officer and inform me that I am going to cooperate with a Technical Delegates from International Table Tennis Federation named Mr.Cyril Sen.

            During my volunteering activity, my main task is to assist Mr.Cyril to do his job as The Technical Delegates of Table Tennis Competition, and help him in a form of managing, writing documents, collecting data, cooperate with National Competition Manager, liaise with team official from thirteen countries in Asia plus Germany and Netherland, and any other supporting activities along the games preparation from 25th June to 4th July 2018. As a result, I was able to learn many things, for example, increase my managerial skill especially multi-cultural management, increase my communication skill since I was communicating a lot with people around the world and challenged to also deliver ‘Indonesian Friendly Culture’ even some of them were hard to cooperate with. Moreover, I also learned a lot about Table Tennis sport and all the technical part of the games in spite of my bad ability in doing sports!

            Another story to tell could be my other volunteer friends in the sports division who always support each other and share the laugh together even we’re super busy during the competition! I was not expecting myself to communicate and have a lot of new friends because I was always following Mr. Cyril most of the time and rarely have some chit-chat with other volunteers. Turns out, they always cheer me up and greet me friendly whenever I passed by and meet them along the way. Somehow, I see some of them even work harder than the LO Volunteer, but they were always smiling!

            Above all, the most interesting part of my volunteer activity in this event is I was able to gain my experience and life value from people with disabilities. Some of the athletes only have one leg, and some of them don’t have any. Some of the athletes need to use their own wheelchair to mobilize, some of them need a standing stick to help them stand. Some of them have the same intellectual ability like us, and some of them have a level beyond us but doesn’t have proper ability to move, to think, and to communicate. But foremost, all of them inspires me, as they are courageous and passionate to reach dreams despite of their disability. If they can do it, why can’t we? Besides, they also have a friendly and cheerful attitude by does not show any sad or sorrow feelings towards their limitations. Therefore, all of the lessons learned I got surely give me strength and inspiration to do whatever I want to do, to reach my dream, and also to inspire other people.

            I wasn’t expecting something big will come to me in the Asian Para Games Invitation Tournament, yet here I am, stuffed with loves, dreams, a bunch of new friends, and eagerness to help more, to give more.

P.S. There is A LOT more story I want to share from the Asian Para Games, so I will made another post.

P.P.S. My phone memory is reformated by its own :( So I only have some of the photo from my friends. Sad isn't it?

Hasna