So, What Exactly Are Catalyst and Moonshot Projects?

If you’ve never heard of them before, don’t worry I hadn’t either until I got involved in Telin’s DTW Ignite journey.

 are collaborative tech experiments run under TM Forum, the global alliance of telecom and tech companies. They bring together communication service providers (CSPs), software vendors, hyperscalers, startups, and even researchers or universities to work on solving real-world problems in telecom and digital infrastructure. These aren’t multi-year R&D efforts; they're focused and meant to prove something concrete in a short amount of time. Usually, it all culminates in a live demo at events like 

, where the team gets to show what they’ve built in front of a global audience.

Now, on to Moonshot Catalysts and this is where it gets even more exciting.

Each year, TM Forum scans through the dozens (sometimes hundreds) of active Catalyst Projects and selects a few that stand out as truly visionary. These are the ones they see as having the potential to move the needle to break out of “business as usual” and push into new territory. Getting a Moonshot badge means your project is not only technically ambitious, but it’s aligned with the kind of transformation the telecom world 

Catalysts are where the industry builds together.

Moonshots take things a step further, aiming for bigger impact.

So when two of the projects Telin joined were selected as Moonshots, it meant a lot. It showed that the work we’re doing the ideas, the teamwork is being noticed and gaining recognition from a global community.

Oh, and fun fact: one of those Moonshot projects is being 

. Yep, we’re not just participants, we’re shaping it.

Our Four Catalyst Projects – With Two Moonshot Honors

This year, Telin is proud to participate in 

 — a recognition given to the most visionary and disruptive projects presented at DTW Ignite.

Catalyst Projects are not solo showcases. They’re 

 that bring together telcos, technology vendors, hyperscalers, and academic institutions to solve critical industry challenges through short-cycle, proof-of-concept implementations. These aren’t ideas in a deck — they are working demos built in cross-company teams, presented live to global decision-makers

1. AI-Driven Network Automation for Traffic & Service Resilience – Phase II

Moonshot Catalyst | URN: M25.0.821 | Project Lead: Telin

Telin proudly leads this Moonshot project, which explores 

AI-driven approaches to autonomous service resilience

. The project aims to achieve AN Level 4/5 capabilities — enabling proactive fault detection, intelligent rerouting, and intent-based automation via CaaS (Connectivity-as-a-Service). Our focus is to enhance network operations in real-time, leveraging predictive telemetry and orchestration frameworks.

This initiative is a collaboration with some of the world’s top operators: 

Verizon, Orange, Chunghwa Telecom, MTN, TIM, SEACOM

. Supporting technology partners include 

This project tackles the transition from human-led to system-led operations by demonstrating a 

. It focuses on reducing operational complexity, expanding business monetization opportunities through open networks, and delivering superior customer experiences through agile and intelligent automation.

 as project champions, while global tech partners such as 

 provide technical depth and infrastructure support.

3. Accelerating Dynamic Network Marketplaces

Open Innovation Catalyst | URN: C25.0.836

In this project, Telin collaborates to develop a 

programmable site-to-cloud VPN service marketplace

 using TMF, CAMARA, and MEF APIs. The solution allows businesses to dynamically request and manage multi-cloud VPNs in a seamless, cross-operator environment — a leap forward in enabling agile and API-driven service delivery.

This marketplace model is expected to benefit industries such as finance, healthcare, education, and IoT.

4. Broadband as a Service – The Future of Wholesale Broadband Ordering (Phase II)

Open Innovation Catalyst | URN: C24.0.619

This initiative focuses on improving wholesale broadband provisioning by introducing 

. The goal is to make broadband ordering more scalable, interoperable, and cost-efficient across multiple CSPs — reducing barriers for market entry and accelerating time to deployment.

Telin contributes to this project alongside leading global operators, driving better integration across the broadband supply chain.

All Eyes on Demo Day... We’re Almost There

DTW Ignite is just around the corner, June 17 to 19 in Copenhagen and it’s safe to say: we’re feeling the pressure, the excitement, and everything in between.

This time last year, Telin was just attending. Now? We’re stepping into the Catalyst Zone with not one, but two Moonshot projects that we’ve been building with global partners. And in one of them, we’re leading the charge.

 — where the goal is to reroute traffic before it causes service issues. Think predictive resilience, not just reactive monitoring. We’ve been working to make the demo as clear and real as possible: simple UI, live simulation, and (hopefully) zero glitches on the floor.

. We’re trying to show what it could look like if a network runs itself, safely, smartly, and with minimal human intervention. It's ambitious, and there’s a lot of deep thinking baked into the backend logic.

We know the Catalyst Zone is intense. People from Vodafone, Meta, AWS, and others will stop by. Some will be curious. Some will ask hard questions. That’s what makes it fun.

We’re not going to overpromise. We just want to represent our team, our region, and our ideas as honestly and clearly as we can.

And maybe… just maybe.. we’ll spark some new collaborations while we’re at it.

A First for Telin, A First for Us Collaborating on the Global Community

One of the most exciting parts of this entire journey has been the collaboration.

This is Telin’s first time participating in TM Forum’s Catalyst program and for all of us on the team, it’s our first time working this closely with a global consortium. Across time zones, tools, and backgrounds, we came together to build something that (hopefully) matters.

Each project brought its own set of challenges, discussions, and yes, a few intense debates. From syncing with TM Forum committee members, aligning use cases with industry standards, to figuring out the best way to demonstrate complex ideas in just a few minutes, it’s been a masterclass in collaborative problem solving.

Internally, it’s been just as powerful. This Catalyst journey has 

brought together a cross-functional team from Telin

led by Delfi and Hafiz also the main members Rya, Fajar, Ofi, Hakim, Arif, Dicky, Ogip, Hegar, Rexosa

 each contributing from their own angle. Some of us focused on technical, others on marketing and event promotion. Everyone showed up. Everyone delivered. Not to mention the 

relentless support from our senior leaders

Pak Wendhy as well as Pak Bentarto, Pak Yanto, Mas Deniar and Mas Ardian

There were heated moments too. But that’s how real collaboration looks and through it all, we were united by something bigger: the chance to not just “join” a global conversation, but to help shape it.

This is what our CEO meant when he said Telin should be recognized not just as a participant, but as a contributor on the global stage. It’s not about logos or booths. It’s about the people behind the projects and product minds who make it real.

And for us, this experience has been nothing short of transformative.

Not just for the showcase we’ll deliver next week, but for the long-term impact it will bring to how we build, how we lead, and how we collaborate both within Telin and with the world.

This journey wasn’t just about building a demo deck or diagrams, infographic, marketing material but it was about showing up and learning together. For many of us, it was our first time collaborating in a global forum like this, and we’re grateful for the opportunity. From late-night calls across time zones to technical discussion with partners we had just met weeks before, we learned how to create, adapt, and contribute as one team.

It started with a vision from our CEO, but it grew into something bigger: a shared experience that gave us confidence to lead, and perspective on what it means to be part of something global.

And if this is just the beginning… we’re excited for what’s next.

From CEO’s Vision to Moonshot Leadership: Telin’s Journey to TM Forum DTW Ignite 2025

Dulu rasanya hampir mustahil. Sudah berkali-kali mencoba beasiswa LPDP, Chevening, StuNed bahkan beasiswa Korea KGS namun semua hasilnya sama: penolakan. Rasa kecewa itu nyata, membuat bertanya-tanya, “Apakah mimpiku terlalu tinggi?”

Titik baliknya terjadi saat secara tak sengaja saya menemukan informasi tentang 

, beasiswa dari pemerintah Hungaria yang saat itu di tahun 2016 belum terlalu dikenal luas di Indonesia. Tak ada seminar megah, tak ada influencer pendidikan membicarakannya hanya website resmi dan sedikit testimoni dari blog mahasiswa yang sudah duluan berangkat.

Mengenal Stipendium Hungaricum Lebih Dekat

 adalah program beasiswa penuh dari Pemerintah Hungaria bagi mahasiswa internasional dari negara mitra, termasuk Indonesia. Cakupannya lengkap: biaya kuliah 100%, tunjangan bulanan, asuransi kesehatan, bahkan akomodasi atau subsidi tempat tinggal.

Program ini terbuka untuk jenjang S1, S2, dan S3. Setiap tahun, pelamar dapat memilih hingga dua program studi dari universitas-universitas top di Hungaria. Semua prosesnya dilakukan online, dan tidak dipungut biaya.

Beberapa universitas favorit dari penerima beasiswa asal Indonesia antara lain:

Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Proses Aplikasi dan Peluang yang Terbuka Lebar

Berbeda dengan beasiswa lain yang sangat kompetitif, Stipendium Hungaricum memiliki sistem seleksi yang lebih bersahabat. Tidak ada wawancara nasional atau seleksi pusat yang kaku. Setiap pelamar cukup menyiapkan dokumen-dokumen seperti:

Sertifikat bahasa (IELTS/TOEFL atau surat dari kampus asal)

Semua dikirim melalui sistem online Tempus Public Foundation. Setelah itu, universitas pilihan akan menyeleksi dan menghubungi kandidat untuk wawancara (via online). Proses seleksinya pun tergolong bersahabat tanpa perlu wawancara berkali-kali atau essay puluhan halaman. Yang dibutuhkan hanya keberanian untuk mencoba dan kesungguhan dalam melengkapi semua berkasnya. Untuk proses lebih lengkapnya dapat dicek pada tautan berikut ini: 

Budaya, Biaya Hidup, dan Kehidupan di Hungaria

Hongaria adalah negara dengan kekayaan budaya luar biasa. Hidup di Budapest, misalnya, serasa tinggal di dalam buku sejarah Eropa yang terbuka. Bangunan bergaya Gothic dan Art Nouveau berdiri gagah di setiap sudut, sementara festival dan konser musik klasik hadir sepanjang tahun.

Biaya hidup? Terjangkau. Jauh lebih murah dibanding kota-kota besar di Eropa Barat. Makan siang bisa didapat dengan 3–4 Euro, dan transportasi umum sangat efisien atau jika ingin lebih hemat lagi, tentunya bisa memasak sendiri. Khusus untuk muslim, sangat banyak penjual daging ayam dan sapi halal di Hongaria.

Kehidupan mahasiswa internasional juga sangat aktif. Ada PPI Hongaria yang sangat suportif, serta komunitas dari berbagai negara yang membuat adaptasi terasa lebih mudah serta 

 dan para konsulatnya yang sangat akrab dengan para mahasiswa.

Saya menulis bagian ini khusus untuk kamu yang sedang berada di fase terlelah dalam mengejar mimpi beasiswa. Mungkin kamu sudah mencoba berbagai program dari beasiswa yang terkenal sampai yang jarang terdengar tapi tetap belum juga berhasil. Mungkin kamu pernah duduk di depan laptop selama berjam-jam, menulis ulang motivation letter yang entah sudah ke berapa versinya, atau mungkin kamu sudah mencoba berbaikan dengan nasib dengan bilang, “Mungkin memang bukan jalannya.” Saya mengerti rasa putus asa itu. Rasanya seperti dunia terus berjalan, tapi langkahmu tertahan. Tapi percayalah, tidak ada satu usaha pun yang sia-sia. Semua lelahmu saat ini sedang membentuk ketahanan dan kepekaan yang tidak bisa kamu pelajari dari buku manapun.

Tapi di sanalah saya belajar bahwa mimpi tidak harus selalu datang dalam bentuk yang kita rancang sejak awal. Jangan menyerah hanya karena jalannya lebih panjang dari yang kamu kira. Bisa jadi, kamu sedang diarahkan ke cerita yang jauh lebih indah dari yang pernah kamu bayangkan. Kadang, kita terlalu terpaku pada satu pintu, sampai lupa bahwa dunia ini luas dan penuh jendela yang bisa dibuka dari sisi lain. Dulu, saya tidak pernah membayangkan akan berlabuh di Hungaria negeri yang bahkan tidak ada di daftar awal negara tujuan saya. 

Setiap mimpi punya jalannya sendiri, dan setiap orang punya waktunya masing-masing untuk sampai di sana. Kadang, jalan itu tidak lurus. Kadang harus berbelok ke tempat yang bahkan tak pernah kamu tulis di daftar tujuan. Tapi justru di sanalah, pelan-pelan, kamu akan menemukan versi dirimu yang tidak kamu sangka, jadi lebih kuat, lebih sabar, lebih tahu arti bersyukur.

Hongaria bukanlah mimpi pertama saya, tapi menjadi titik balik yang mengubah banyak hal. Jika kamu sedang mencari jalan ke luar negeri, coba tengok arah yang belum kamu lirik. Bisa jadi, seperti saya, kamu justru akan jatuh cinta pada negeri yang tak kamu duga. Dan di sanalah, kamu bukan hanya belajar ilmu di kelas, tapi juga belajar tentang dunia, tentang manusia, dan tentang dirimu sendiri.

Kamu punya cerita tentang perjuangan meraih beasiswa? atau ingin bertanya lebih jauh mengenai Stipendium Hungaricum silakan isi komentar di bawah atau kontak saya melalui email di hello@syahrierwakid.com

Seri Beasiswa #2: Kuliah Gratis di Jantung Eropa, Cerita dari Stipendium Hungaricum

When the email came in “Congratulations! Your idea passed the Shark Tank stage and next will be the Hackathon stage…”my first reaction wasn’t to celebrate. It was to start thinking about “logistics”.

Well, it was about what we should bring. Is it Laptops, mockups, power strips? Nope, the real essentials turned out to be: one Nintendo Switch (obviously) 😀 a shared vision, and a team crazy enough to pull it off but the most important thing is to have fun.

That team was us, VOCTA. Yep, this is our team’s name which is actually Voice Call Portable.

We knew the mission: 24 hours of pure hustle—brainstorming, building, pivoting, and pitching. What we didn’t fully expect was how much of it would feel like a crash course in leadership, pressure management, and working together when your energy runs low and the clock runs fast.

Let me introduce the squad behind the purple widget.

 – CCO. Cool, composed, and always able to turn the most complex value prop into a smooth, convincing story. Salesman energy, but make it strategic.

 – CFO. The one who said, “Wait, let’s count the cost model again,” at 2AM. Spreadsheet sensei. Viability police.


Pixel perfectionist. The guy who made sure our widget looked clean, clear, and clickable while we kept breaking things in dev mode. Also the only one who consistently reminded us that “spacing matters.”

 – CEO, Tech Lead, and resident code whisperer. Always saying, “10 more minutes,” while pushing commits and tweaking stylesheets.

And yes because we believe in balance (why so serious :D) we brought a Nintendo Switch and played FIFA between builds.

Rain, Checkpoints, and Late-Night Checkpoints

The venue was Richie Garden, Bogor. It looked like a peaceful villa, until the rain started... and never stopped.

It rained almost all night. But the show went on. Inside the cottage and shared spaces, everyone was coding, mocking up, or nervously practicing their pitch.

We raced between checkpoints, hoping our WebRTC logic wouldn’t crash right when a mentor asked about market validation. Somewhere between debugging a rogue TypeScript error and trying to align buttons in Tailwind, we also made a sprint through the rain to grab Soto Betawi for dinner. Cold toes, warm broth. Perfect combo.

But this wasn’t just about building a product, it was about learning to lead. As CEO, I had to make constant judgment calls: do we fix that UI bug or focus on the pitch deck? Should we rehearse or code? Not to mention the challenging checkpoint at 12AM and 3AM. Sleep wasn’t on the schedule. Neither was comfortable, but we kept on delivering.

I wasn’t the only one switching roles. We all did. That’s what made Team VOCTA special. Alwin pitched with clarity and calm even under pressure. Hamdy kept our numbers sharp and our business model grounded. We jumped between designer, debugger, and storyteller. It wasn’t about being a solo hero, it was about making space for everyone to shine. Because great leadership isn’t about doing it all, it’s about helping your team rise with you. There were pitch practice rounds at midnight.

But that’s where the growth happened, somewhere in that mix of adrenaline, rainwater, and last-minute decisions.

VOCTA was our idea of a real-time voice call widget that lets customers talk directly to a brand, right from a browser. No app installs. No switching to WhatsApp. Just click, connect, and talk.

Imagine a customer visiting a product page or CRM interface. With VOCTA, they can start a voice conversation with a brand agent instantly, right on the spot. That’s the experience we set out to build.

We started from scratch and sprinted for 24 hours to build:

, styled with Tailwind, that sits neatly on any website or CRM page.

, showing agent status (Available, Busy, Offline), call timer, and full WebRTC controls.

, handling offer/answer, ICE candidates, and clean media stream teardown.

, keeping both ends in sync from offer to hang-up.

, using a clone of Buttonscarves.com to showcase VOCTA in a real scenario.

We focused not just on features, but on flow how it feels to click that button, how fast the call connects, and how smooth the experience is from both customer and agent sides.

And of course, we polished the visual details. From avatar priority loading to click feedback, everything was tuned to feel production-ready. Because in a product like this, trust is built in milliseconds.

The result? A working prototype that we could proudly show in a live pitch. Real voice. Real UI. Real potential.

Dinner was Soto Betawi, and I’m convinced it healed our souls. Forget energy drinks—nothing fuels a night of debugging and pitch deck redesign like warm broth and a generous helping of rice. There was an actual buffet. Unlimited coffee. Snacks that mysteriously kept refilling. And yes, they even gave us sleeping tents. Not that we used them, of course we were too busy making our widget work.

And when the brain fog hit hard? We did what any responsible tech team would do: fired up the Nintendo Switch and played FIFA. Just one match, we said. Just one goal, we said. Suddenly it was 2AM and we were yelling “offside!” in the middle of a villa.

Still, somehow, the rhythm returned. Food → FIFA → Flow → Figma. That was the cycle.

It wasn’t just hacking. It was a 24-hour startup simulation with a side of FIFA and laughter echoing through the rain. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

By the end of it all, we stood in front of the judges, sleep-deprived, slightly jittery from too much kopi, but ready. We had working code, a live demo, a solid pitch deck, and a story worth telling.

We talked about the problem: how hard it still is to talk to a brand.

 customer-obsessed businesses across Southeast Asia.

 VOCTA, a simple voice widget that brings real-time conversations back into digital platforms.

 faster resolutions, better customer experience, and more meaningful brand-customer interaction.

Each of us had a role, and each of us delivered.Alwin opened strong, cool and composed, setting the stage like a true CCO—clarity, calm, conviction.

Hamdy followed with the business model breakdown—clean slides, tight numbers, and just enough storytelling to make a spreadsheet sound inspiring.

I wrapped it up with the demo and product walkthrough, balancing between explaining the tech and not breaking it live on screen.

Was it perfect? Not at all. Was it real? 100%.

We didn’t just talk about our idea, we lived it for 24 hours straight. And in that moment, VOCTA felt less like a prototype and more like the start of something bigger.

 wasn’t just a competition. It was a full-blown simulation of real-world innovation, complete with pressure, pivots, checkpoints, and yes… nonstop rain. But beyond the code and mockups, it was a 

. As the acting CEO of Team VOCTA, I had to 

strategize on the fly, delegate under pressure

 even when the clock said 2AM and the checkpoint was in 15 minutes.

, not just a builder. When to push. When to step back. When to say, “Let’s take five and play FIFA.” (Yes, we brought a Nintendo Switch. Best. Decision. Ever.)

Between coding sprints, food trays, soggy shoes, and late-night laughter, we walked away with something bigger than a prototype, 

the experience of leading a team, building under pressure, and having fun while doing it

And honestly? I’d do it all over again.

Pitch Deck, Code, and Checkpoints: The VOCTA Telintrapreneur Hackathon Saga

Belanda selalu terdengar seperti negeri dongeng dalam cerita keluarga.

Sejak kecil, saya tumbuh dengan cerita tentang Belanda. Bukan dari buku, tapi dari nenek saya sendiri. Beliau hanya lulusan Sekolah Rakyat, tapi semasa muda punya banyak teman orang Belanda dan fasih berbahasa Belanda. Ia sering bercerita soal kanal-kanal yang tenang, udara sejuk, kincir angin, dan suasana kota yang tertib dan damai. Saya kecil menyerap semua itu. Dalam diam, saya mulai membayangkan bagaimana rasanya bisa berada di sana, suatu hari nanti.

Saya tidak cuma diberi nama. Saya diberi mimpi yang melekat di baliknya.

Ibu saya juga punya kekaguman tersendiri pada Belanda, terutama Leiden. Mungkin karena pengaruh dari nenek. Tapi juga karena sosok Sutan Sjahrir, tokoh yang dikenal dengan julukan "The Smiling Diplomat" tentunya cerdas, idealis, dan pernah bersekolah di Leiden. Ibu menamai saya Syahrier, bukan tanpa alasan. Ia berharap saya bisa menapak jejak Sjahrir. Bisa sekolah di Leiden. Bisa belajar jauh dari rumah, lalu suatu hari kembali untuk berkontribusi bagi bangsa. Nama saya adalah harapan. Dan sejak kecil, saya tahu saya ingin mewujudkannya.

Leiden bukan sekadar kota. Ia adalah simbol dari semua hal yang saya kejar.

Maka ketika saya tumbuh besar, saya berusaha sekuat mungkin untuk bisa kuliah di Leiden University. Bukan karena gengsi, tapi karena saya merasa itu cara saya menepati mimpi yang bukan cuma milik saya. Saya ingin tahu bagaimana rasanya belajar di kota yang pernah menjadi tempat tumbuh orang-orang besar. Tapi lebih dari itu, saya ingin bisa belajar jauh dari keluarga. Saya ingin belajar hidup sendiri, jadi mandiri, bertemu orang-orang baru, belajar memahami dunia dari banyak sudut pandang.

S2 itu bukan soal tambahan huruf di belakang nama. Tapi tentang perubahan cara pandang.

Bagi saya, kuliah S2 adalah tentang transformasi diri. Saya ingin menantang zona nyaman. Ingin tahu bagaimana rasanya salah dan gagal dalam bahasa asing. Ingin tahu bagaimana menyelesaikan masalah yang saya sendiri belum tahu jawabannya. Dan semua itu lebih mudah didapat ketika saya memutuskan untuk kuliah jauh dari rumah. Di luar negeri. Di tempat yang tidak mengenal saya, supaya saya bisa benar-benar mengenal diri sendiri.

Terkadang, mimpi tidak datang dengan cara yang kita inginkan. Tapi ia tetap datang.

Saya tidak jadi kuliah di Leiden. Beasiswanya gagal. Tapi saya dapat kesempatan di tempat lain: Hongaria. Di kota yang sebelumnya bahkan tak saya tidadk pernah membayangkannya, Budapest. Tapi di situlah saya akhirnya belajar, tumbuh, dan menulis cerita saya sendiri. Dan suatu hari, saya tetap datang ke Leiden. Bukan sebagai mahasiswa, tapi sebagai seseorang yang sedang menyelesaikan kisah lamanya. Saya berdiri di Sjahrirstraat dan tersenyum. 

Mungkin saya tidak lanjut kuliah S2 di sana. Tapi saya pernah mengunjungi Leiden. Dan satu impian saya sejak kecil tercapai.

Seri Beasiswa #1: Kuliah S2, Sebuah Janji Pada Diri Sendiri

Not as a student. Not with a suitcase full of books. Just as someone who needed closure.

In Spring 2018, I finally went. Not as a graduate student with a Dutch residence permit, but as a tourist with a warm coat and a backpack. I remember getting off the train in Leiden and taking a deep breath. The air felt different. Not colder. Just… heavy. With memory, with longing. The city was quiet, calm, beautiful in that understated way Dutch cities often are. But to me, it was more than that. It was a version of myself I never got to be.

A street with a certain name that I couldn’t ignore.

The street was why I came. “Sjahrirstraat.” I had searched for it out of curiosity, after my Mom told me about it. And now I was here. I didn’t expect it to be grand or special. And it wasn’t. Just a quiet residential street. But I stood there anyway. And smiled. I took a photo. Just like I had imagined, but different. I wasn’t holding books. I wasn’t running late to class. I was just someone trying to finish a story I had once written in my head. And somehow, being there was enough.

Not every ending needs a title. Sometimes “I went” is closure enough.

I think about it often. How I never got to study in Leiden. How that version of me didn’t happen. But I also think about how lucky I was to still go. To still stand in that city. To still say, “I made it here.” Life doesn’t always say yes. Sometimes it just says, “Not like that.” And that’s okay. Because not all dreams are meant to be fulfilled the way we expect. Sometimes, showing up even for five minutes on a quiet street is the most meaningful kind of success.

Van Oranje #1: When the Dream Changed Its Shape, but Not Its Meaning

In the past few years, I’ve worked on platforms for telcos, startups, and internal tools that rarely see the public eye. The one thing I kept delaying? A site of my own. Not because I didn’t want to build it, but because building something 

But the more I grew, the more I realized I needed a space to reflect. To share the wins, the failures, the rejections, and the milestones.

I wanted to create a space where I could 

 who might find value in my experience whether that’s someone applying for their first scholarship or trying to launch a product from scratch.

This site is built around a few key sections that reflect my core interests and skills.


This is where I share lessons from different parts of life, my scholarship journey, travel reflections, career growth, and tech thinking. Some stories will be in Bahasa Indonesia, others in English. It depends on who I’m writing for.


Not just a grid of screenshots, but real project breakdowns. I walk through the problem, how I approached it, and what I learned from the outcome. Each project has a backstory, and this section is where I’ll tell it.


This is my open door. If you want to work together on product strategy, software development, or storytelling, this is where you’ll find how we can team up.

, and I’ve added a few extras like real-time comments, a share menu, scroll-triggered animations using 

 and the one that I am most exited about, a virtual chatbot assistant.

But honestly, what matters more is the thought behind every section, every layout, every scroll. My goal was to make the experience feel clean, useful, and human.

I’m starting with a personal challenge: publish my first 

 within the next few weeks. Here's a preview of what's coming:

How I survived 6 scholarship rejections before finally getting funded

What 31 countries taught me about identity and resilience

Passing the PMP exam without burnout (yes, it’s possible)

If those topics sound interesting, feel free to check back or subscribe. I’m writing these not just to document my journey, but to help someone else along theirs.

If something on this site speaks to you, whether it’s a blog post, a shared interest, or a project idea, don’t hesitate to reach out. Head over to the 

This site is live, yes. But more importantly, it’s alive.

It will grow, change, and (hopefully) inspire something beyond the screen.

Finally, My First Personal Website is Live and Running!

It was late autumn, 04 Sept 2017. Cold enough to see your breath, but not yet snowing. The air smelled like roasted chestnuts. The buildings looked worn, almost tired, but proud. There was something unpolished about it  and I liked that. It didn’t try to impress. It just existed, quietly, confidently.

On my first tram ride (Tram Line #2 is my favorite!), I stared out the window like a wide-eyed tourist, then quickly looked down at my phone to not seem lost. I was. But in the best possible way.

It’s not always the grand moments. Sometimes it’s just a cheap coffee and a quiet bench.

I started building small routines. Morning walks across 

, where the rising sun reflected off the Danube like liquid gold. Afternoon study sessions at 

, where I’d pretend to read while secretly people-watching. Night trips to the nearest Aldi, SPAR or Tesco, where I’d buy 3 kg or rice packag and awkwardly say “köszönöm” with the wrong intonation.

 that became my escape spot. I’d go there after long days, sit in silence, and just breathe. No notifications. No noise. Just me, the city, and time slowing down.

It’s not just where you are — it’s who you share it with.

I met people who were nothing like me — and yet somehow felt familiar. A Pakistani roommate who made the best chicken biryani. A Hungarian classmate who taught me the word “szia” means both hello and goodbye. A professor who quoted Eastern European poets like they were pop lyrics.

We had dinners where languages overlapped and laughter filled the gaps. We had midnight talks about home, purpose, and whether it was okay to feel homesick and lucky at the same time.

Those connections weren’t transactional. They were real. And they made the city feel less like a backdrop, and more like a home.

What the City Taught Me Without Saying a Word

Budapest taught me that independence isn’t about proving you can do everything alone. It’s about being comfortable when you’re not in control.

I learned how to sit with silence. How to enjoy slow Sundays. How to romanticize everyday things, buying halal meat, cooking my own breakfast, walking to class, hanging laundry by the window. It was the first time I wasn’t rushing. And in that stillness, I got to meet myself.

The city didn’t fix me. But it held me, challenged me, and helped me grow into someone softer, sharper, and more whole.

Why It Still Feels Like Home Even After I Left

You don’t need a plane ticket to revisit a memory.

I eventually packed my bags and moved on. Back to reality. Back to deadlines and meetings and bigger responsibilities. But every once in a while, a smell or a sound or a photo brings me back.

Sometimes it’s the scent of paprika in my kitchen. Or the view of a river that isn’t the Danube but almost feels like it. Or just the way autumn light hits the floor and for a split second, I’m there again.

There are places you visit. And there are places that live in you.

Budapest wasn’t just a city I lived in. It’s a city that still lives in me.