Job Discussion Forums

malu · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java

I certainly drive just like the locals these days.

travelNteach · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 222

JLL... i still live like a local, just not the poorest ones. more like middle class. sorry for the misunderstanding. i mainly wanted to give the OP a realistic view of what his lifestyle would be like rather than those flowery EF advertisements that make it seem like a person will be wadded and able to enjoy an opulent lifestyle with unlimited travel and saving megabucks while out on the town every night.

Malu- i drive a lot worse than most of the locals, sidewalks are just too tempting.

basil: if it woud take losing your mind to come back here, why do u still spend so much time on this board? your've been gone for a while now right? seems like u should just move on with your life. besides, nobody was comparing warungs to 5 star hotel but thanks for your rant about it.
we were talking about nice restaurants.

malu · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java

I would like to live like one of those locals you see shopping in Harvey Nicks on Sunday afternoons.

JLL · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 36

ord2world · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 6:25 pm Post subject:

Thank you everyone! The EF ads make it seem like you'll live like royalty. I have a more clearer picture of what life would be like. Living like a local would be a fun challenge for me. I think I pretty much live like a Surabaya local now. Wink

It seems like a lot of you are truly enjoying your experience in Indonesia. What is it that you do on a day-to-day basis that you love so much? I lived the drunk backpacker lifestyle in my early 20's, so I'm done with that. Just learning the language, meeting the people, gaining int'l teaching experience, THE FOOD and travel is enough for me.

It looks like I'd be able to transfer rupiah's into dollars via an online savings account with Citibank.

JLL · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 36

ord2world · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 10:58 pm Post subject:

Father Mackenzie,

You really helped me out. Very Happy

Anyone out there currently working with EF Surabaya and living in the house they provide??? Please PM me. I'd love to correspond with you!!!!

extradross · Joined: 23 Apr 2010 Posts: 81

Enough warnings go out to the fresh-faced and naive from those who've been here a while about the 'reality' of working anywhere in Indo for the dreaded EF-low pay/weekend work 30+ weeks a year/ shabby housing etc, etc... fine if people still want to come and work for 'em[I did so myself] but PLEASE don't give it the 'live like a local' crap and limit yourself to eating out in a warung cos you can't afford anything else. What about the third world hospital/medical care-why not opt for that as well? Third world state school education for children? Reliance on shabby/dirty/dangerous local forms of public transport.....

travelNteach · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 222

nice first post extradross.

there are international hospitals in most major cities and quite a few good hospitals around. maybe not quite up to western standards but good enough for general care......... like food poisoning for the warung and 'living like a local' crap.

expat children arent eligible to attend state schools, so why would we mention it? if someone was married to a local lady, they would already be living here and aware of the educational opportunities for their children and the cost of a good education. if they are bringing their family from overseas, they couldnt hope to raise a family on an EF salary and pay for international/nationplus schools.

public transportaion........... i did mention metro minis.

and the posts concerning wages and saving money and lifestyle related directly to what the OP requested........ had he asked about any of your topics, i am sure people here would have been happy to give him that information. but he didnt request it, so we didnt give it.

welcome to the board and happy posting.

malu · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java

In fairness I think extrajoss has a point if you read the post properly. There are quite a few backpacker types who imagine they experience life as a local simply by having a crap wage for a year and eating in warung... after enjoying a quality education, good nutrition, vaccinations, holidays in Florida with the folks etc etc.

travelNteach · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 222

malu.... guess it depends on who his comments were directed at. if he was trying to give additonal warnings to those naive first timers, then he brought up valid points and i did misunderstand his post. if he was attacking those who were trying to help the uninitiated, then he was out of line. if he is tired of people reading the same "crap", nobody is forcing him to read this board. perhaps he should be more specific when posting

extradross · Joined: 23 Apr 2010 Posts: 81

My point is simply this-that those who come here from a first world country who see the whole teaching job/being in Indonesia as an 'exotic experience in the tropics' talk about 'going native' as it were and living like the locals do in terms of eating at cheap food stalls and riding in the Angkot. I just can't stand those who like to experience the 'trappings' of poverty as some kind of cultural thrill.The irony is that these cultural thrill seekers are working at places like EF where they and their naivety are being exploited, working for owners who, like many of the middle-class students, would be horrified at the prospect of taking public transport and eating at street stalls.....for all those who are interested in living/working in Indonesia my advice is this-put away your Lonely Planet, pay no attention to EF's wonderful marketing, explore the economics a little and don't sell yourself short for the cultural thrill factor....

phis · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 250

"....... I just can't stand those who like to experience the 'trappings' of poverty as some kind of cultural thrill...... "(Extradross).

If anyone wants to experience the 'trappings' of poverty as some kind of cultural thrill (as quoted above), it is their decision to do so. It has got absolutely nothing to do with anyone else.

'Exploitation' is being forced to do something against your will because there are no alternatives. If someone has 'made the decision' to work for a low wage and live cheaply, then they are not being exploited. Nobody has forced them to sign the contract.

Perhaps people should stop pontificating so much about other people's lifestyles, and just get on with living their own lives in the way they have chosen.

Personally, I have lived both lifestyles, with lots of other variations thrown in too. Some suited me; some didn't. When they didn't I made a conscious decision to change, either 'up' or 'down', depending on the way I was feeling at the time. There was no 'exploitation' involved, and other people's 'censure' was never a factor in my decision either.

ord2world · Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 12:29 am Post subject:

HAHAHA. I'm suddenly reminded of the the song, "Common People" by Pulp. Hopefully someone will get what I mean by this. Wink

A big thank to those that answered my simple questions. If I have more I'll PM you. Later gaters...

phis · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 250

Well I had to look up the lyrics first.... but now I do get your point.

Sorry, but I got so irate with another person's post that I forgot to address your original query. Anyway, here goes:

I live in Medan on a salary of Rp10 million. Initially I had to borrow the money to pay for 1 year's rent, repayable over three months, and I then borrowed some money to buy a laptop computer, repayable over a couple of months. This means that for the first 5-6 months I was receiving a total of approximately Rp7 million each month.

From this Rp7 million, I paid for a live-in maid, partly because I am lazy as far as housework goes, but also as this meant that the house is never left empty for long periods of time. Prior to having the live-in maid, someone worked out the period of time when the house was empty and staged a break-in. Fortunately, the only things worth stealing were securely locked away.

I also paid for utilities such as gas, electricity, etc. and for cable television. I am not a party animal, but I do like to have a beer or two. I also seem to treat myself to something special each month, e.g. health club membership, clothes, things for the house, or anything else that takes my fancy.

I certainly didn't stint myself during this period, and I didn't make any conscious effort to save, but have to say it was extremely rare for me not to have Rp 2-3 million remaining in the account by the time the next payday came around. I am now back on full salary and the amount remaining at the end of the month has increased proportionately.

Having said all that, I do know people here in Medan with much higher salaries than I have, who manage to go through all their salary and have to borrow at the end of the month.

So there you have it: Is it possible to save some money on a salary of Rp7 million? - I would say yes. But it all depends on whether you want to, or whether you prefer to spend it all and have a really good time. It's all down to individual choice.