Jacque in Jakarta: The Last Month

One month from today, Alexander and I will be finishing our year-long contract here in Jakarta. The original plan was to renew for another year. We planned to live in Jakarta for one more year. We planned to dodge motorbikes, breathe in pollution and circumnavigate holes in the sidewalks for one more year. We planned to spend more time with our friends, have dinner out a few times a week and get massages for under five dollars for one more year.

That was our plan. But life isn't something you can always plan.

After much thought, long talks and a lot of prayer, Alexander and I decided we need to be closer to our families. This doesn't mean we'll be living in anyone's backyard. But there's a big difference between a 9-hour flight and a 24-hour flight. There's also the complication of exit visas here in Indonesia, which don't exist in Europe.

So we've decided to return to Europe, Poland to be exact. This wasn't a decision left to chance. Over the course of a week, we sent out about thirty applications around the world. By around the world, I mean: Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, France, Spain and Morocco. Out of all those positions in all those countries, there was only one school that offered an acceptable package for both of us: Poland.

It will be a bit of a culture shock for us to go from a city of over 17 million people to a town of around 10,000. We also aren't completely prepared to go from temperatures of 40°C (104°F) to 25°C (77°F). It will additionally take some getting used to going from Indonesian Rupiah to Polish Zloty. But I think we're ready for the change, and it's a decision that is best for us at this time.

In the meantime, we still have a month left in Jakarta. I don't want to get upset about leaving my friends, but instead I want to enjoy the time we have left together. It's not "goodbye", Jakarta, it's "see you later".

Jacque in Jakarta: 10 signs you're an Expat in Jakarta

After nearly a year of living in Jakarta, I've started to become acclimated with parts of the culture I originally took issue with. Here's a list of ten things that any expat in Jakarta can relate to (and may be a sign you've lived here too long). In no particular order:

1. You think outside your front door is the appropriate place to store shoes

The shoe gallery down the hall

When we first arrived to Jakarta, we were surprised to see a shoe store outside our neighbors' apartments and vowed we would never leave our shoes outside of our apartment. Fast forward ten months and you will find the bulk of our shoes outside our front door. At first we may have had a fear of theft, but then we realized that nobody is going to steal a pair of Payless shoes.

2. You have Batik for every day of the week

A glimpse of our Batik collection

Batik is the traditional clothing from Indonesia. Each region has its own distinct design of Batik. Normally on Fridays, people are allowed to wear Batik to their workplace. When we first arrived, we were entirely Batik-less, but over time we have purchased Batik and received Batik as gifts from Indonesian friends. Now, we can wear Batik just about every day of the week in order to feel like a 'local'.

3. You own a pair of knock-off Crocs

Flooding is common in Jakarta during rainy season, and even in dry season there can be monsoon storms. Therefore, Crocs are quite useful since they dry quickly and have a firm grip on wet surfaces. I held out for a long time, but finally found my pair of purple crocs for a bargain price of 50,000 IDR ($5.00).

4. 'Banjir', 'macet' and 'demo' are part of your active vocabulary

That string of lights is all cars

Free swimming pool!

Upon arrival to Jakarta, even if you don't speak a word of Indonesian, you will quickly learn that 'banjir' means flood, 'macet' means traffic jam and 'demo' means protest. When Indonesians have asked me about my experience in Jakarta, I usually respond with these three words and they laugh, knowingly.

5. When you see a white person, your first thought is, "Bule!"

The only Bules in the village

In our first week of living in Jakarta, I lost track of how many times someone shouted "Bule!" 'Bule' (Boo-lay) is a term for white Westerners. Generally, it is not meant as an insult, but it can be challenging to our Western sensibilities of racism. After so much time here, I get excited when I see other white people and inadvertently say, "Oh, look! It's a Bule!"

6. You spend at least one day a week at a mall

One of the many Jakartan shopping destinations

Something we learned quickly is the cost of land here is so exuberant that restaurants, clothing stores and most other stores have to set up shop in a mall. It is difficult to find free-standing restaurants or shops, so most weekends or free days are spent in a mall. As a friend of mine said, Jakarta is the city of a hundred malls, so you can really find anything and everything you need in a Jakarta mall.

7. You've been hit/nearly hit by a motorbike at least once

Walking to work or the store is always an adventurous experience. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the sidewalks leave much to be desired, and motorbikes don't seem to understand the concept of pedestrians on sidewalks or one-way streets being one-way. If nothing else, I have learned to ALWAYS look both ways in Jakarta, even if you THINK you're on a one-way street.

8. You have at least one epic story of a horrible taxi driver

The "reliable" taxi company

Countless times we've had taxi drivers racially profile us as being rich and so they have taken advantage of us in numerous ways. Sometimes they offer to take us on a toll road that is 30 minutes out of the way. Other times they'll take a 'short cut' that extends our ride considerably. My favorite story is when the taxi driver insisted that there would be more traffic because of the Lebaron holiday (The holiday in which Jakarta is practically empty). The best advice I could give to newbies is to have a map and insist on the route you know. After a while you can explain in Indonesian, "Saya tidak bodoh".

9. You consider four people on a motorbike to be normal

A regular family vehicle

The first time I saw five people on a motorbike, my jaw dropped. Now, I consider a motorbike to be a family vehicle, suitable for the same number of people as can fit in a sedan.

10. Your diet contains more 'nasi' than bread

I have always enjoyed eating rice, which I consider a bonus for coming to Indonesia. The first time we bought a 5kg bag of rice, I thought it would last us the rest of the year. A month later I was worried that I didn't have enough rice for dinner.

There are many other signs to be shared, but these have been my main experiences. For those of you in the same situation, I hope you've enjoyed the post. For those of you who don't get it, just come to Jakarta for a few months.

Jacque in Jakarta: My Halal Decision

A few weeks ago a friend of mine requested that I write a blog about food in Jakarta. I explained that I don't eat enough Jakartan food to write a blog about it, but I decided I could at least write a post about it. So here is my post about food in Jakarta, or, more specifically, halal food.

Since Indonesia is eighty-six percent Muslim, most meat has to be halal in order to get sold. The meats that are not halal are pork and fish. For those of you who know me, you know that I don't eat pork. It's a decision I made when I was in Germany because I discovered pork is a very dirty meat and I wanted to be more conscious of what I put into my body. That being said, I decided after eight months of eating halal beef I should check out what exactly that entailed.

Some more background about my dietary choices is that I have been a vegetarian off and on since about the age of fourteen. My main reasons for becoming vegetarian were always ethical. I don't believe living creatures should be tortured and I don't like that some animals are given special treatment over other animals. It contradicts my idea of justice that in the West we treat dogs and cats like members of our family but cows and pigs are just the main course.

I did a lot of research on halal meat after consuming a very delicious Pizza Hut supreme pizza made with all halal meat. I always knew that Muslims were required to eat halal meat, but I didn't know what made meat halal. So I researched it first on the ever-trusty wikipedia and came across the section on method of slaughter. When I read that it "causes severe suffering to animals" I became greatly concerned about my dietary habits of the past eight months and decided to do more thorough research. I found many arguments from both pro and anti halal sites and finally decided to see it for myself.

The first video I watched was pretty horrifying. WARNING: This video is very graphic and not recommended for young audiences or weak stomaches. This video shows Halal butcher. I thought I should watch a few more videos to make a more informed decision. After about an hour of online research I decided that I am ethically compelled to abstain from halal meat.

Not eating halal will probably make the rest of my time in Jakarta quite challenging. I have considered eating pork again, but I'm not looking forward to it. Most of the restaurants we frequent serve halal meat, so we'll either need to discover more vegetarian options or go out to more Chinese restaurants which have plenty of pork options. There's a saying that "ignorance is bliss" and I have to agree. Life was much more blissful when I could eat a beef burger without wondering whether it was halal.

Halal butcher of cow. Cow is tied up and throat is cut with sharp knife.

                                           

Jacque in Jakarta: Looks Can Be Deceiving

View of the Kahtedral towers

Today we were able to take a tour of the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta. Istiqlal is the largest mosque in Indonesia. It was completed in the 1970's and, ironically enough, was created by a Christian architect. Inside there are twelve pillars to represent the birthday of Muhammad and five levels to represent "pancasila", which is the philisophical foundation of Indonesia. From the outside grounds there is a view of the Cathedral towers across the street and the Monas national monument not too far away.

A drum used for call to prayer in Indonesia

It was a very beautiful and grand building, but the most interesting thing for me is how Alex and I were treated. It was very different from how we've ever before been treated in Jakarta. People were incredibly welcoming. Strangers were shaking our hands and happy to see us. They then explained why they were so friendly to us by saying one word, "Muslim". They thought from the scarf I was wearing on my head that we were Muslim. They assumed we were "one of them". I happily said, "No, Christian" and then I said what I thought was the most important word "hormat", respect. I tried to explain that I was wearing the scarf out of respect for Muslim traditions. Even though I don't agree with Islam, I am perfectly happy to respect Muslim traditions when I am in their house. Unfortunately, as soon as they realized we were Christian they quickly left us and seemed sorry to have introduced themselves. It seemed that "hormat" wasn't enough. We needed to be "one of them".

Even though the after reaction wasn't very nice, I am still happy we were able to visit Istiqlal seeing as Indonesia contains the largest population of Muslims in the world. I think when traveling around the world it is important to learn about cultures different from your own and to show respect for those cultures. As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"...even if the Romans don't reciprocate your respect.

Jacque in Jakarta: Life as a Christian

In honor of Easter, I've decided to share my experience as a Christian living in Jakarta. It hasn't been the challenge I was anticipating, but it has been a challenge in ways I never realized.

The first two months we were living in Jakarta, we weren't going to church. It was a a burden for me because we had been going every Sunday before we came to Jakarta. Finally, my amazing husband tracked down an English-speaking Christian church. We went on the first Sunday, and I was so happy to be home. It was something that had definitely been missing, and once we had the comfort of a church family, it made life here in Jakarta a lot easier.

However, things aren't always easy for religious minorities. Here in Indonesia, Christians make up less than ten percent of the population, while over 85% are Muslim. This has led to some religious strife here in Jakarta. Luckily though, we haven't faced those issues since we've been here.

For me, this journey as a Christian in a Muslim country hasn't been publicly challenging, but personally challenging. I have always been unsure about the strength of my faith. I would sit in the pews furthest to the back. I would never put myself in a position to talk about my faith. Even though I had a true longing to be more involved, I would do everything I could to avoid it. But, I have learned in the past few months that the plans we have for ourselves are not always the plans that are best for us.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
-Jeremiah 29:11

This was the first verse I heard on the first Sunday I went to church in Jakarta. I return to it time and again. I know that whenever I get a pull in my heart to do something, it's a pull toward the plans that the Lord has for me. He pulled me to return to church in Jakarta, which can be dangerous. He pulled me to join a Bible study group, so I could share my testimony and learn more about His word. And most recently He has pulled me to join in the prayer ministry at church.

And of course, I know that He has used some awesome people to give me the extra pushes I needed. First and foremost, my loving husband has been my support to get me to the door. And I wouldn't have come this far without the encouragement of my loyal friend Helen. Also, our vicar, Jon, has opened doors to my faith that I didn't know existed.

All in all, life as Christian is a challenge. Sometimes though, the biggest hurdle is yourself.

Jacque in Jakarta: The view from my new apartment

After five months in Jakarta, we have now moved three times. Thus, in less than a year of marriage Alexander and I have had 1 graduation, 1 new job, 1 TEFL certification, 2 hospitalizations, 2 flood days, 5 moves, 6 countries visited....and a partridge in a pear tree ;). I can honestly say that I'm ready for a break from the craziness and look forward to being somewhat settled for at least the next 6 months, and possibly longer.

The new stove top

The new living room/dining room

Our new apartment is actually brand new. Not only is it newly built, but there is also a lot of new things in it (T.V., stove top, fridge, shower). All that is obviously an improvement from the last. However, our stove top only allows for one pot at a time, so it's a bit more challenging to cook, and we also have a lot less storage space. But all in all, I still see it as an improvement, and by Indonesian standards, it's actually a luxuary apartment, so I really can't complain.

I especially can't complain when I see the view from my balcony. It's incredibly humbling to look out and see the shacks that the average Indonesian lives in. In fact, the average Indonesian makes a measly 2 dollars a day, which means they make less in an entire year what we individually make in a month. Although our salary isn't large by Western standards, I feel very spoiled by Indonesian standards. On average we go out to eat three times a week, take a taxi to and from church every week, go to the movies once or twice a month, get a massage twice a month and generally live a very comfortable lifestyle. So whenever I even consider complaining about my salary, I just look outside to remind myself of my neighbors who live like this:

We as Westerners live an incredibly priveleged life. Of course, not all Westerners are well-off, and plenty live in conditions that are similar. However, on the whole our governments have programs in place that take care of us. Food stamp programs ensure that our children are fed and don't have to beg on the streets. Medicare and Medicaid programs allow elderly and poor to seek affordable healthcare as opposed to suffering through life-threatening illnesses. Although these systems are not fail-proof, at least they are in place.

Since Jakarta is currently my home, I hope I can do something to raise human rights awareness. People need to understand that life can be improved. I'm not sure how to do it, but I guess the best place to start is with myself. I vow to no longer complain about First World Problems and instead dedicate myself to addressing real world problems. Will you join me?

WaterAid
Save the Children
Children International
World Vision
ActionAid

Jacque in Jakarta: Pollution and Political Correctness

Since I haven't written in nearly a month, I decided I would catch up by giving a double dose of insights.

After the floods last month, we had an interesting point of view from our apartment. Once the water had finally receded, it left the river looking like this:

Yes, that pile of trash is actually the river. The heavy rains pushed all of the litter into the river, and the river carried it to this bridge. The next logical question is, 'Where did all the litter come from?'

The answer is that here in Jakarta, people have a different idea about littering. In the West, we are given fines if we throw trash on the ground, and even if we're not caught, the people around us think we are slobs. Here in Jakarta, there doesn't seem to be fines for littering and, in general, it seems to be a natural way of life. I've seen children throwing candy wrappers on the sidewalks, taxi drivers throwing bottles out of their windows and even an elderly women of about 70 throwing her used tissue on the floor of the angkot.

My students seem to realize that this isn't healthy for their environment, but when asked about it they simply accept defeat. They complain about people littering, but say nothing about it. It's as if they have accepted that this is the way it is, and therefore it's the way it always will be. Speaking of 'the way it is' leads me to my next topic.

In the West, it is generally understood that you never ask a person, especially a lady, the person's age. Additionally, marital status is something you find out from general conversation as opposed to flat out asking if someone is married. In Jakarta, the first question people ask upon meeting you is your age. The second question is about your marital status. If you are not married, they ask why you're not married. If you are married, they ask how many children you have. If you are married and don't have children, they ask why you don't have children.

Here, it seems to be understood that people, especially women, get married in their early twenties and start having babies in their first year of marriage. If you are single or childless, there's something wrong with you. This Western idea of having a career before thinking about marriage or saving money to have children seems to be lost here.

Whether or not I agree is another matter. It is simply a different way of thinking, and I suppose as long as I am a Jakartan resident I have to accept 'the way it is'. But no worries to my Western friends and family. I won't be practicing littering and I don't intend to pick up the habit of asking taboo questions any time soon.