Job Discussion Forums

[papillon]

It's not like living in Jakarta, where people generally mind their business about such things.

Are ya kidding?? I was once stuck in a kost in Pondok Indah for a week whilst EF were deciding which shoe box I should be assignec to and invited my (indo) girlfriend over for the evening.

Sure enough the telephone starts ringing five minutes into foreplay and it's the kost owner - a filthy rich muslim ibu of about seventy years enquiring,

"Is that girl in your room your wife or a street girl?"

It took me a minute to gather my senses before replying, "funny, I was about to call your husband and ask him the same question..."

Unsurprisingly I was asked to leave the next morning..

[gugelhupf]

[Michael_Indonesia]

Of course, Papillon, there always exceptions. Remember that you were living in a kost, which is usually just renting a room in someone's house. Not at all like living in your own house. Surely, if someone was staying in your home, you would protest if they were doing something you found objectionable.

When I lived in Kemang, my housemate and I never had any "morality police" issues with our neighbors or Ketua RT like one could expect out here. Alam Sutera is very quiet, but has lots of gossiping (double p?), as gugelhopf can probably attest to. When a guy I've known out here had his longtime girlfriend living with him, they had to tell everyone she was his wife so the RT wouldn't kick them out of their own house. That's just how it is out here.

[papillon]

Thanks for your post Michael - it serves to underline my point that people DO NOT mind their own business in Jakarta, contrary to a post elsewhere on this thread suggesting they do...

To further digress, if I'm a paying guest anywhere I expect my privacy to be respected to a degree. Inviting one girlfriend round for an evening is hardly entertaining a gaggle of street whores for weeks on end...

p

[Chester]

I always wondered what a group of whoares was.
Its a gaggle huh?

I used to use the old "santa" description,... ho ho ho!

[laughing_magpie06]

I once stayed in a kost run by a woman named Eva who had the same policy re women guests. What surprised me was she was not Indonesian but Yemeni who lived in Australia for a number of years, ripped off her husband bigtime, then bought properties in Jakarta. Now how do Arabs get to own properties here but not bules? Anyway when I moved in I negotiated the price which didn't have any conditions added. But when my wife (then gf) moved in she swiftly put up the price which came only about a month after another price hike which she said was due to the petrol price rise at the time. Also I disagree that a kost is like a room in someone elses house. It was more like a hotel, the owner never lived there, only had her Indo spy tenants checking out the bules.

[tanyakenapa]

Where I live in kuningan at my kost' the owners dont care if unmarried couples live together. (they are chinese) I've been living here with my boyfriend for 2 years now... and never had any complaints. We are one of two couples who have been renting here for 2 years straight... all the others come and go every few months...

When we chat to the SATPAM guy, he said that some of the tennants are "mistresses of business men" and only get "used" on the weekends. Also there are some "hotel" girls. They sometimes give their phone numbers to the SATPAM and ask him to give it to anyone who needs some company... The owners know this is happening, (im good mates with the owners daughter) but they just turn a blind eye.

But this place, you never really see any of the other tennants.. you think no one else takes any notice on what your doing...but just talk to the staff, and you can find out a world of info, they know exactly whats going on with everyone! ... we didnt even know any of the above was happening till we sat down and had a chit chat with the SATPAM every now and again...

[TEAM_PAPUA]

You live in a Kost!

That is ridiculous that your employers treat you with such disrespect.

[laughing_magpie06]

Papua, I was part time when I lived in the kost...half your luck if you can find someone who will put you up in a house if you dont sign a contract. Btw tanya I lived in a kost in Kuningan run by a chinese lady who also was more enlightened than most, I wonder if it was the same place. I only stayed for a few weeks but the nicest people I met in Jakarta and the most helpful. A far cry from the Prapanca arabic dragon lady.

[guruengerish]

I rented a pleasant little house on the outskirts of Yogya a few years back. When I moved out, a Dutch guy bought the house and the one next door and rebuilt them into one nice traditional house.

He then moved in and various lady friends would stay over.

He was soon advised that all lady friends must be out by 9pm. What happens before then must surely be platonic

He continued on, and took no notice of the 'morals committee'.

Within weeks, a new mosque was under construction next door. Before the roof was on, large speakers were put in place, and every morning just after 4am, the place would erupt with noise.

Last I heard, the houses were empty, and have been for a long time now.

[sidjameson]

Guru how did he manage to buy a house? I mean isn't impossible for a foreigner to buy land in Indonesia?

[guruengerish]

I've got no idea. Maybe his GF/s got it under her name.

I only know that he bought the main house, another falling down next door, joined the two up and spent a lot of $$ on them.

Then he made a big cultural error, which he should have known better, as he's been around for a while.

For all that, the people were charming there, and the landlord refused to take my offer of 4juta a year. He said it was too much and was happy with 3juta! - for a three bedroom (tiled floor and roof) house, large bathroom, forest to the door. SIGH! I pay that in 2 weeks here in rural Oz.