ABOUT

Born and raised in Jakarta, Janis Argeswara is a petite 25 year old whose dream is to live nomadically around the globe. A hard core science nerd, from aliens to life underwater. Her whole life is devoted to reading, the net and keeping the oceans healthy. A believer in gender equality, and [still] struggling for the existence of it. An adrenaline junkie. Janis tries all the rides at theme parks, and if God allows, a range of all crazy activities. She currently holds a rescue course scuba diving license (dreaming of getting her dive master's course one day), and is looking for more licenses to pursue. And to top it off, her name is taken from one of the world's coolest musician, Janis Joplin.

Originally based in Jakarta, but is currently involved in marine megafauna conservation in Indonesia's very own Island of the Gods, Bali. She's looking forward to continue her master's education outside the country, hoping to be able to contribute more to Indonesia's marine conservation landscape.

Favourite books include The Little Prince, Sputnik Sweetheart, and The Wild Sheep Chase.
Favourite music include Paramore.

DARIANDRA is a combination of Daria and Alexandra. The TV show Daria sort-of shows Janis in real life [is this just fantasy?]. The blog is filled with Janis' experience, artworks, traveling tales, dreams, and a bunch of weird stuff.

Pinterest
Tumblr
Last.fm

Who Are You?

by Janis Argeswara

Hi there. I’m Janis. I’ve introduced myself in my about me part, but whatever.

I’m Janis. My body has been working for twenty-five years. It’ll be turning twenty six in November. I like to read. My friends hate it when I shut myself off from civilisation and transport to another dimension a.k.a. the book.

Lately I reread Haruki Murakami’s Sputnik Sweetheart. And as he said it,

“I find it hard to talk about myself. I’m always tripped up by the eternal who am I? paradox. Sure, no one knows as much pure data about me as me. But when I talk about myself, all sorts of other factors–values, standards, my own limitations as an observer–make me, the narrator, select and eliminate things about me, the narratee. I’ve always been disturbed by the thought that I’m not painting a very objective picture of myself.”

I picture myself in a lot of different ways. You know that description box in Instagram and Twitter? I tend to change it every few months. Why? Because, yes, I’ve never been really sure that what I wrote there is painting a very objective picture of myself. 

As I read more books growing up, I find more characters and quotations that describe me closer to myself. I remember thinking I was like Alaska from Looking For Alaska. Enigmatic, weirdly attractive, quietly fragile. And then I read Sputnik Sweetheart. Maybe I was Sumire. Petite body, very very weird, likes to ask questions that may seem stupid but is actually philosophical. Georgia from Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging, who desires to be known, have the perfect sex god boyfriend, and just to make herself perfect. Pretty Little Liar’s brainiac Spencer Hastings. Great mind, crooked family, very observant. The list of characters I picture myself goes on and on and on. I can never choose one character only.

That is why, if you ask who I am… Well i’m sorry but there is no simple conclusion. I am growing everyday, I am learning everyday. I am who I am growing up to be.