Field Trip Report

Talks Circle by Makna Talks : Surabaya Edition

Talks Circle is a community space made by Makna Talks as a place to pour your heart out, spoken by those who undergo the quarter-life crisis or so as they say, even though most of the topics talked here can be as random as the session goes by. For example, we discussed the comparison of QoL between adults and youngsters who still don't have a clear purpose in their lives. Makna Talks itself is a podcast platform that was founded by a person as well as its host called Iyas Adam Lawrence (@iyaslawrence) in which the contents within this platform are not limited to podcasts only, even so occasionally they hold other acts like mini concerts and this safe place called Talks Circle.

Last Sunday I had a pleasure to attend their Talks Circle that was conveniently held in a city near me, Surabaya. To be exact, the event took place in ARTOTEL TS Suites Surabaya. Previously, Talks Circle had also been held in many big cities in Indonesia such as Bandung, Jakarta, Semarang, Makassar, and even internationally in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Talks Circle also partnered with BCA and its customers could get a discount when purchasing the ticket through Loket.com.

In yesterday's session, we talked about many things, ranging from personal struggles to geopolitics, even things that have no direct relation to majority of Talks Circle's attendees lives itself. During the discussion, one participant brought up how difficult it is to choose a career in your twenties, which sparked a long discussion about the pressure young people face today. The host's delivery throughout the session was so laid back and not rushed, so that the attendees can talk their hearts out without the fear of being judged and get the feeling of being appreciated. At the end of the session, we closed the event with a group photo and we also exchanged contacts between the attendees and talked about the upcoming events.

Overall, Talks Circle is a safe place for those who want to meet new people, share their thoughts, and gain new insights. I hope that going forward Makna Talks will hold more events like this, and create new breakthroughs so that the voices of young people can be heard and not silenced by the current oppression that takes their life away.