This is such a dream; I have it, too.

The dream that I kept sharing with my closest people in the past, often with a joking tone.

"I want to be part of National Geographic."

Then they would laugh and say, "You're a fanatic."

And most often, I would laugh too, but quietly, never let this dream dies.

***

It was the summer of 2011. I was in Batang, Central Java, with colleagues from Greenpeace, staying in a local house owned by a sort of local farmers' representative. In his house, there was a library where I stayed overnight with my sleeping bag, and I saw a bunch of National Geographic magazines. I stole some hours to read those. And after that, I got myself in a secondhand bookstore around Kampung Melayu, looking for English versions of the magazines available. I bought them all. I dedicated a bookshelf in my personal room at my father's house to these magazines.

Reading this magazine is like reading a timeless science. Maybe I can say that this magazine is the one that inspires me to be a science communicator. To be working with interdisciplinary people. To be open to any possibility along my road. Most of their articles ended with the possible future in the topic and how open they are to those possibilities. 

And then, it was the fall of 2015. I set foot on National Geographic HQ in Washington, D.C., to see their museum and exhibitions. I remember clearly how mesmerizing their monster fish and Indiana Jones exhibition were. I bought some emblems, put them on my traveling backpacks, let the color change to brownish, and was proud of it. It was enough for me, and I was that happy. I don't care what people say; it never changes the fact that I was very happy at that moment. When I was down in the fieldwork, I would sit down in front of my big backpack, looking at those emblems, and whisper to myself: "You have read tough stories of researchers out there in National Geographic magazines. You shall never give up."

And then, it was 10 days to my birthday this year, and I received a confirmation email that my grant proposal to National Geographic was approved. I was extremely happy that I almost cried. I think that was the happiest time for me to receive a grant approval announcement. All the hard work paid off. Writing proposals, being criticized, revising, calculating a budget, and all of those are not all done at once. Through all re-iterations, overtime works, and persistence, I finished it. I then got a very responsive main point of contact from their HQ, as well as access to everything. Yes, everything. To all their English version ever published in magazines since 1888, to all professional online courses, and to the community platform where all their explorers are able to be contacted directly. Even now, I am able to book a personal visit to their HQ!

Oh my God.

This is crazy. And now I'm sitting here learning how to set my DSLR from their videography and photography classes.

My little dream is answered. But the most important thing that my dream taught me is to achieve a little dream; it is the help from many people around who will do the magic.

***

On a lazy Sunday, I asked my boyfriend, who was about to play our favorite game on his PS4.

"How would we treat a little dream that lasts for years, and now we have achieved it? Will I be able to dream another thing? Because now I feel fulfilled."

And he replied,

"Nah, you're thinking too much. Relax, you'll find another one. Not now. Later."

Yes, maybe someday, I will again find a little dream that keeps bothering me and wakes me up every day to make a living until the day that dreams are fulfilled comes.