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basiltherat
Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with Fishy to a degree. I think what makes Jakarta 'attractive' and 'exciting' to many foreign visitors - especially to those who have recently arrived - are the local events that occur which would either seem absurd in places like the UK or simply just unbelievable. Such local events are often a result of acts of pure stupidity, gross negligence, tremendous injustice and eye-opening degrees of corruption, extortion and bribery (alto I believe Fishy disagrees here) etc etc.
Mind you, at the same time, London seems to be catching up pretty quick on this front.
In Jakarta, when one gets home in the evening one is never short of things to recount concerning the events of the previous 24 hours.
For sure, Jakarta is (or at least ... used to be) 'alive' and kicking !
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basil  |
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malu
Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:58 am Post subject: |
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Fishy wrote: |
Hello Nabby Adams, I suppose how exciting somewhere is is completely subjective and just opinion. London is a beautiful city with some great attractions, but it is a quite cold unfriendly place imo and once I've been there for a bit I'm happy to leave again. Jakarta on the other hand is exciting and interesting to me all day every day and I'm constantly meeting interesting and friendly people. Each to their own but nothing is dragging me back to the UK again if I can help it.  |
In fairness, if you were loaded with cash London would be a good deal less cold and unfriendly. Similarly, I'd hate to live in Jakarta or virtually any other part of Indonesia earning the local minimum wage. |
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Fishy
Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 138
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 8:26 am Post subject: |
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malu wrote: |
Fishy wrote: |
Hello Nabby Adams, I suppose how exciting somewhere is is completely subjective and just opinion. London is a beautiful city with some great attractions, but it is a quite cold unfriendly place imo and once I've been there for a bit I'm happy to leave again. Jakarta on the other hand is exciting and interesting to me all day every day and I'm constantly meeting interesting and friendly people. Each to their own but nothing is dragging me back to the UK again if I can help it.  |
In fairness, if you were loaded with cash London would be a good deal less cold and unfriendly. Similarly, I'd hate to live in Jakarta or virtually any other part of Indonesia earning the local minimum wage. |
Believe me, London would be just as cold if you were loaded. Life might be easier but it would still be an unfriendly place to live. Life might be easier if you have more cash but money really isn't everything. I have made a lot of very good friends in Indonesia, both Indonesian and westerners. It�s just as easy to make friends in this country as it is back home and it has nothing to do with cash.
Basil, sorry but your posts just sound pessimistic and cynical to me. Indonesia has its problems but I wouldn't call it a godforsaken country. You are right about always having a story to tell though. After a year after the boring monotony of life in the UK this place seems more insane than ever; a story to tell at the end of every single day! |
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TEAM_PAPUA

Joined: 24 May 2004 Posts: 1679 Location: HOLE
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:11 am Post subject: * |
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If you are here and you like it, that is excellent. If you are here and you hate it, then you have a problem.
I am here and I like it. I have just returned from the uk, and I hated it. |
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basiltherat
Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:39 am Post subject: |
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If you are here and you like it, that is excellent. If you are here and you hate it, then you have a problem. |
couldn't agree more !
What is it you like ? The food ? The cigarettes ? The women / men ? The nightlife ? The people ? The culture ?? The weather ? The attention ? The scenery ? The capacity to do what one can't in UK ? What ?
I'm interested.
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basil  |
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malu
Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java
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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:28 am Post subject: |
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Hmm. What do I like? Service probably comes high up the list. The 'bule effect' has its advantages at times. Some of the customer service here is crap but at the high end it isn't bad. I also like having domestic staff. I didn't realise quite how much I enjoyed that until I went away for a year. I like not getting depressed in the northern winter due to lack of daylight, too.
There are lots of things I don't like, but on balance I'm content here. |
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