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View Point: It's Indonesia and I can't complain
Tasa Nugraza Barley , Maryland | Sat, 01/10/2009 10:19 AM | Opinion
I was fortunate to live in the United States for more than two years. I never thought I could spend my youth in another people's land. It was weird when I first set foot on Washington, D.C. Everything was so different.
I felt so lonely when the driver took me from the airport to my hotel. I didn't see many people on the streets, a scene that I always saw in Jakarta.
During my first three months I thought I wouldn't be able to survive. I couldn't stop thinking about the life I had left in Jakarta. I could remember all the laughter that I had shared with friends and family. I knew I couldn't enjoy that kind of life anymore in Washington, D.C.
But then I found something unique about life in America, or at least in some parts of America. It was something I couldn't find at home. For the very first time I realized that walking on the sidewalk while enjoying the fresh weather was so delightful.
For the very first time I realized that reading a book on a clear sunny day was one of the greatest things in this life. It was so refreshing.
In America I stopped completely at any stop sign although no car was coming toward me. Somehow I felt proud that I could follow the law even though nobody was watching me.
I started to enjoy living in America.
Now that I've been in Jakarta, the place I will always call home, for more than a week, I feel lost. It's hard to enjoy the kind of life I had when I have to struggle so hard everyday, fighting against crazy motorcycles and cars on the streets.
Driving in Washington, D.C., was an effective relaxation for me. In Jakarta it's a different story; it's a war. This head seems to explode.
And it was a couple days ago that I first found out that going to Pondok Indah Mall 2 was no longer an exciting experience. I was surprised to know this fact, since hanging out at a mall was something I used to love so much.
I get so mad and angry seeing people in Jakarta breaking street rules so easily as if those signs were meant to be accessories. At first I told myself these people were barbaric, but then a friend of mine reminded me that I would eventually like them.
He suggested that I shouldn't be so American and said, "You're Indonesian, act like one."
He thought that I just needed to relax a little bit and accept that Indonesia is Indonesia. "It's just the way of life around here," he explained.
My friend might be right. I should stop complaining and start acting like a real Indonesian. Maybe I just have to get myself used to crossing the red light when cops aren't around. I used to do it before anyway.
I want to fight, but I guess it's impossible. I guess I'm just going to have to follow my friend's suggestion and accept that Indonesia will always be Indonesia.
From my deepest heart, I feel so sad. I feel like I want to be a different kind of Indonesian, the kind of Indonesian that I never became. It would be a dream comes true if I could say to my friends how proud I am of becoming a good and civilized Indonesian.
It would be so wonderful if I could tell my friends how I have been driving like a civilized person following every traffic sign and respecting pedestrians.
I bet it would be amazing if I could tell my friends how I had been participating in saving the environment, how I don't throw trash anywhere like I used to.
But it's not easy to be the kind of Indonesian I want to be in this city. It's so hard for me to be a good Indonesian when people around me don't think that being Indonesian also means that you can dream big and be different.
It's so hard for me to be the kind of Indonesian that I want to be when people look at me so weird just because I want to follow the right procedures.
And it's so hard for me to convince others how my willingness to do great change has nothing to do with my "Americanity". It's just simply because I've seen how other nations can be so much better than us and I think we can be like them too.
I'm not happy to admit this, but it's true: The whole condition doesn't seem to support me and more likely I will become Indonesian as much as I used to be.
The writer is a postgraduate student in Washington, D.C.
What's On
- Festival of India
10/29/2009 12/15/2009 Balai Kartini & Umar Ismail Hall, Jakarta
- Imagemakers of the Future: Photography exhibition
10/10/2009 11/30/2009 Alila Ubud Desa Melinggih Kelod Payangan, Gianyar 80572, Bali - Timeless Change
11/05/2009 12/07/2009 Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Hotel Jimbaran, Bali. - Choreography of Colours; Sardono W. Kusumo's first solo painting exhibition
11/12/2009 12/12/2009 vivi yip art room Annexe Ciputra World Marketing Gallery Jalan Prof Satrio Kav 11, Casablanca
Riana (not verified) — Tue, 01/13/2009 - 2:53pm
I would say this is looking at the same picture from different angle
Telling the writer to stop whining and start to grow up is too much
Just like the other author says "reverse culture shock"
I never stay longer overseas, but i admit i get stressed out when i stayed in Singapore, i feel like my survival skill deteriorated and i became less 'creative' in dealing with daily challenges. And i don't like it, jakarta is much better
So i guess i couldn't agree more with other posters that it is not 'better than the other', it is simply being different
The problem with Indonesian people sometimes (including myself), sometimes we just think about ourselves, about being practical and we forget what we do may harm / make other people's life difficult
Park car in appropriate place, throwing rubbish everywhere, the list can be endless for sure. those are that make life can be difficult in jakarta :D
Karen (not verified) — Tue, 01/13/2009 - 2:21pm
I was born in Jakarta, grew up here, established my business here, with some years in between spent in the States (California and Dallas). Been stuck once in China Town in Los Angeles in what I would say the 'deadliest' traffic I've ever known. Never ever thought of returning.
Yet, here I am , years later, still stuck in the same kind of traffic day in day out, year in year out. The feeling of hopelessness has long turned into frustration ready to explode.
You can't blame those who feel, at times, hopeless, since those who express their fanatic love of this City and refuse strong criticism are often those who have the power to make smart trouble shooting.
Alas, they seemingly feel insync with the craziness, and even creatively designed additional one every 4th Sunday of the month.
And the pedestrian bridge needed to solve the bottleneck on Casablance-Setiabudi? It needs....they say, 2 years to build. What an achievement.
Mike W. (not verified) — Tue, 01/13/2009 - 1:10pm
I think the author is just not comparing apple to apple. She should compare Jakarta to New York as both are metropolitan & commercial centers. Sure even to New York I find Jakarta's traffic to be worse but I won't dare go walking around a bad neighborhood in New York by myself, the so called "housing project". On contrary, I can walk in any neighborhood in Jakarta and still feel safe.
Ekyah (not verified) — Tue, 01/13/2009 - 9:25am
I aggree with Duk.
To Prami Rachmiadi,
Sorry to say this, but you sound like a litle baby pooping.
Yuti Resani (not verified) — Tue, 01/13/2009 - 8:21am
I was very fortunate to live in America for 5 years. Bitter & sweet all together. I was home-sick when I had to leave Chicago for good. It was definitely a hard time for me in Jakarta. It took quiet a while for me to adjust with all the habits and bitterness here. However, with my clear mind, I knew that I had to deal with everything that's ahead of me. And so I did! It was never easy but I did manage it. Meeting new people and having your closest friends and family was my first step. I gained valuable lessons from American culture: on-time, straight forwardness, explicit, firm, and responsible, and I still keep it 'till now. To sum, it's really from yourself how you can survive in any culture shock. Keep the good lessons and get rid the bad ones! You’ll do fine!
David, Jakarta (not verified) — Tue, 01/13/2009 - 7:44am
The article is a good illustration of a condition known as 'reverse culture shock'. Those people who snipe the author for daring to be critical of his on home city are missing the point, and I suspect they would themselves benefit from travelling more often.
As a UK citizen resident in Indonesia for some years, I get the same shock every time I go back to the old country. I have to concentrate very hard when driving, having picked up a lot of Indonesian habits that could bring me into conflict with the law there. I also get shocked at the long intervals between garbage collections, the lack of assistance at filling stations (all self-service now), the absence of my beloved nasi Padang, and the refusal of public transport drivers to stop anywhere other than official bus stops.
That doesn't mean the UK is 'better' than Indonesia or vice versa, just different.
Muhammad kiki wardana (not verified) — Mon, 01/12/2009 - 8:36pm
I do really understand with authors'complaint about the condition in Indonesia generally and Jakarta especially. she entered a complaint about the poor manner of some jakartans in using public facility. but it seems a shallow judgement if the author mentioned about the chronic indiciplines from some jakartans then she assumed it as Indonesia fallacy. now i have just realize she is the real chronic complainer. it is tangibly seen and proven that we do have disparity with U.S, i do agree with that, but it should be a trigger for us as young generation of Indonesia. at first i do really appreciate when the authors tried not to break the law, the authors has been virtually impose a very good effort to discipline herself, but she is eventually mocking herself and her country by feeling ashame with some barbaric jakarta then make an axcuse that there would be an impossible improvement for Indonesia.
please no heart feeling when you (author) read my comment on your writing, because i have been witnessing and experiencing that Indonesia young generation is shrinking his/her pride toward this gifted country. experiencing study abroad is something hillarious and comparing developed country with developing country is somehow important, but complaining and early judging are not a solution. here in medan city, most of the students of medan state university (unimed)have been involving with one of the police department program to downsize the number of traffic jam regularly by making a report and numbering the number of street user who are not dicipline in using the street (mostly the student). by having this cooperation we do really contribute to solve traffic congestion commonly happen in the street around university.
i presumably say that "its Indonesia and it would always be Indonesia"
yes we are left behind, but it is not late yet.
Duk (not verified) — Mon, 01/12/2009 - 6:02pm
Those who are saying that Indonesia is better as it is, or those who prefer America, or the West generally, are entirely missing the underlying point here. In any society there has to be law and order, without this you have anarchy. There is no doubt in my mind that Indonesia, with all of its positives, would be a far better, safer and more prosperous place with a better system of law and order.
Aditya Dharma (not verified) — Mon, 01/12/2009 - 1:45pm
In other cases than Jakarta traffic, I think it may be right for the author to accept being an Indonesian.
Jakarta traffic, however, is something that we Indonesians do not want to preserve as "our culture". Including it as an excuse from what we are is pathetic. Do we want everyone to remember the Indonesians as traffic law breakers? Some neighboring countries already do.
Jakarta traffic and roads are poorly enforced, poorly planned, dangerous, and confusing. We must get better and I think we can still do it. It will need major overhauls in infrastructures and it will be costly but it is just necessary.
Vic (not verified) — Mon, 01/12/2009 - 11:54am
I agree with both Ben and Susi plus some points the author makes.
After 4 weeks in Jakarta I was glad to get out, but now I miss it.
I live in a comfortable house, in a clinically clean environment in what at times feels like an open prison, a police state called Melbourne, Australia. I miss crazy Jakarta, the dirty, old part of Sunda Kalapa, the people and laughter on the streets, the mad traffic that somehow works. Indonesia is a vibrant place, where I felt alive every day, never really knowing what would happen next.
Yes, it has a million problems to solve, and some wonderful young people to solve them. I envy the expat's that live there, with all it's faults and problems, you could never call it "boring"