Our city

Jakarta has been my home for the past 17 years. I often say that I am glad my first experience in Indonesia was not in the capital – I went to high school in West Sumatra, and then later university in Malang – because I might not have come back to all its woes if it had.

But that falls into the category of standard resident gripes – the traffic, the poor public service, the stresses of urban living, etc – that that we cling to and rely on as a convenient filler when the conversation lulls. Truth be told, I can proudly own up to loving this city, frustrations and all. With all its problems (always the necessary qualifier anytime we want to praise the capital), it is a dynamic, fascinating city that always offers some new discovery even after all these years.

In this issue, we hear from a diverse cross-section of Jakartans – some native-born Indonesians, some from Asia, others from farther afield – who also have become beguiled (and often bewildered) by their home. It’s not the easiest city to live in, true, but most of us have better lives than other city residents. Let’s do what we can to make Jakarta a better, more livable city for all its residents.    

Bruce Emond

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