‘Tell me what you want and how you want it over a cup of tea. Let’s talk about the present for it holds the bright future. I can assure you that this is my cup of tea.’

My life is full of plan. I pursue a career that i wanted as soon as i graduated from high school. These three things were on my mind : a lecturer in Satya Wacana Christian University, a journalist and a kind person. Being a lecturer was my dream since i was primary 3 kid, and a journalist was one thing that i wanted since i was in secondary 2. And a kind person? Who doesn’t want to be one?

Did i make it? Praise be to God, I was an Access journalist, the english magazine published by The English Department in SWCU during my study in 1999 – 2003 and I was a lecturer in Faculty of Informatics and Technology (a part timer) in 2004 – 2009. Not to mention other faculties that I taught during that time. Also, kindness is the thing that i choose to do daily. Starting by making a curve in my lips every morning and greeting everyone I meet on my way to my office, isn’t a simple thing just to be kind? When people say that it is hard to find a kind person, I know deep inside our heart, we can always be the one. Kindness starts from the positive energy within us. Like one of my student told me,’spread it like a confetti, miss!’

Where am I now? In an awesome path that was not on the map. I am now a university counselor and an education consultant. An Economics teacher for Cambridge A Level (trained and certified) also A Sociology teacher for Cambridge GCSE and Cambridge A Level.

Truly, teaching is my passion. I am a very blessed teacher whose one student has achieved a top scorer in Indonesia for Economics (AS Level) and another a top scorer for Sociology GCSE in Indonesia. However, i am more than happy every time I receive the news update from my students about how well and happy they are in the university and whatever life has taken them. They still comment on my social media page and line me just to share about their life and that makes me a proud teacher and their lovely ‘ibuk’ at the same time.

Being an education consultant and a university counselor are not instant professions. I have been in a roller coaster moment where I have to work with students, their parents, the university also sometimes with education agency. For more than five years, I have studied about planning for the higher education, making it more systematic and counseled the students and parents. I think right now, I am in the position where I can say, ‘Yes, this is my cup of tea’. I am a tea addict, but this is my cup of tea.

‘Tell me what you need, how you want it, I will listen to you and together we can work as best as we can so you can be at ease after talking to me. ‘ Those are the lines I gave for parents and students. And I am always excited every time we sit together and talk about anything related to study, education also life.

I have been doing university visits and very much happy every time I witness myself on how their education systems are. I have been to China, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne and the last one was Switzerland with the opening eye and mind about hospitality industry. More to come for sure. Those life experiences have equipped me to say objectively about the university, you can have my words. Because every child has different needs, one university can be the best for one child and maybe not for the others. That is the reason why education consultant is needed and why counseling is important to be done.

Not only counseling, teaching, training for new counselors, I am also invited as a guest lecturer at Diponegoro University and SWCU mostly. There was one time when Cambridge just released their new Sociology book and they asked me about my opinion toward the book. I was so excited as it is a form of acknowledgment for myself and I got the latest Sociology book for free!

This year, I focus more on the path that i am taking. An education consultant. I am a freelancer for this and not bound to any educational agency. I hope that i can help more people and give them insight on how education should be prepared from the very beginning.

Teaching can be similarly considered as cooking, if you want to have a good food and have it served well, you need to prepare all the ingredients and follow the instructions. So does education. Prepare well and follow the right path.

Feel free to reach me by mail : anisti.riris64@gmail.com

I am based in Salatiga, Indonesia.

We can have a cup of tea while talking.

AnistiRiris 2018