Job Discussion Forums

[drgonzo]

Why Jakarta? Warning� this posting is a negative one. I am writing this mainly for myself � to look back upon in 6 months time � but also for anyone considering coming here. It�s mainly a pessimistic view based on my time here over 3.5 years out of the past 6.

I am concentrating mainly on Jakarta for this, as that�s where 3 out of 3.5 of my years have been. I have traveled extensively throughout this country � on bus, motorcycle, and airplane, have lived for 6 months in Bogor, and 3 years in Jakarta, and here are my opinions:

Positives:
� Friendly people: at least to your face. Can be very negative and full of deceit and gossip behind your back.
� Relatively cheap: for accommodation, most of which is in thug controlled neighbourhoods that instill personal laws such as no guests at night, etc. Cheap food that is delicious, but most of which is very unhealthy and a very small menu. Cheap transportation that leaves when the bus is full, never on time, taxis that go their own way despite directions given, and horrendous traffic. Very dangerous to own and drive a motorcycle, although cheap, and insurance (at least for theft) is a joke that takes more effort than what its worth. Very cheap to date women, which 90% of them are �professional� white guy daters who�s only ambition is to find a man who will marry them and from there hopefully all is bliss.

Negatives
� Beer: is becoming more and more regulated. Is only cheap on Jalan Jaksa and otherwise is more expensive than most western countries, pint wise, for shitty beer. That�s considering 30rb a glass ($3.40 USD) for a 330ml glass of warm piss.
� Rights: Ya right. We are held prisoners here. 3 or 4 days minimum to get an exit permit if on a working permit. 1 million rupiah to leave plus the 400rb to 750rb for the exit stamp. Can work a legit job, like my friend Fred, and still be arrested and jailed for 90 days without reason. Can�t own property, and technically cannot own vehicles either.
� Customer Service: are you kidding? Nothing works here, and nothing works on time. Complain and you get a �sorry mister� but no action to resolve the problem.
� Vehicles: sure you can buy, and pay high fees to register in your name. Police stops come often, and bribes are expected. Vehicles, if second hand, likely have all original equipment replaced with shoddy aftermarket parts that fail often. Insurance, other than collision insurance, so I hear, is a bloody joke � taking upwards of 3 months and many visits to the police and the insurance company to issue payout. Then nevermind the traffic.
� Women: (sorry girls, I am a guy): Dated very many. At first so na�ve that I inadvertently slept with some working girls because they are not direct. Most of the rest where �white-guy hunters� with zero skills or ambition. Looking to marry someone to take them from this shithole, or at least be their sugar daddy. Finally I ended up with a Malaysian girl who has language skills, ambition, looks, and proper education� unlike every single girl I met in Indonesia.
� Jobs: What a joke. 100% of my former employers and 90% of the employers I hear about are horrendous. Schools that don�t allow failures� they want all students to move the next level to pay again. Horrid teaching material that gives you nothing to do in the classroom. Incredibly racist in that they only want young white men or women native speakers. Easy hours (25 a week), but hassles about getting paid ontime, issues about taking vacations outside of the country, etc etc. Just one headache to the next.
� Health: I live on the 28th floor of a building in north Jakarta. If I do not dust or wash at least every 3 days I have a layer of black dust on everything. That is using air conditioning with filters� imagine what your lungs look like here. The health care is horrible. I had a friend with a severed artery in his arm. First emergency ward wanted to amputate, 2nd opinion saved his arm. For proper health care go to Singapore, but first see the section above about leaving on a working visa. They overuse antibiotics and simple bacterial diseases are/will become un-curable in the near future. There are very few sidewalks� try to walk somewhere. You get run down by motorcycles and buses.
� Travel: the average airplane is 20 years old, and crashes happen all too often, although fares are cheap. Even Garuda pilots make a mere 10 million a month� a pitiful amount for a so called professional. Trains are rarely ontime, and limited routes. Buses only leave when full, are overcrowded and have dangerous drivers on dangerous roads. Taxis are full of scam artists that go the wrong way, don�t use the meter, or claim they have no change for the equivalent of $5.

Overall, I have to get out of this place. I have come to realize that the only reason I enjoy myself here is because of the availability of single women, and that is not a reason to live someplace, in my opinion, considering the negatives and especially considering that I have someone now.
Indonesia is going backwards. A handful of cities are adopting sharia law in certain aspects - regulating alcohol, enforcing all women wear jilbabs, etc, and their fight against corruption has done little or nothing to solve the problems.

That is my opinion in this state and at this time. I hope people challenge what I have said above, but from my experience all of it is true.

[PlasticPill]

Oh wow. Never good to read considerning I'm about to take a trip to Indonesia to see someone I like. She's not in Jakarta, but Surabaya....though I hope my experience isn't as unpleasant. Have you ever tried the Christian areas, like Manado? I'm sure even those places have some undesirable women, but hopefuly it wouldn't be as bad as you've described. As for the other conditions, like pollution...my only guess is the government is too busy being greedy and not doing any real work for the people. Indonesia certainly wouldn't be alone in that.

[ls650]

I agree with about 95% of what you wrote, and it's why I declined to stay at the end of my one-year contract. My school sounds somewhat better than yours (they were happy to hire non-whites, and they always paid on-time).

And you mentioned something that few others do: the 'beers' in Indonesia are absolutely the worst tasting swill in the world!

I'm amazed that you've been there for three years - you're some kind of ironman!

[drgonzo]

I have travelled quite a lot in Indonesia, including Manado and Buneken, Medan and Danau Toba, Bali (of course), Batam, Surabaya, Semerang, Kudus, Yogya, Solo, Bandung, and a large number of towns from the center to west java on motorcycle.
I have enjoyed myself during brief visits at most of these places. Despite what I all wrote above, I do like Indonesia and its people at least in a short dose - i've just come to realize in the past few months that I have been here too long and have to get out.

PlasticPill: don't worry... a visit is no problem. I just wish, looking back, that my first 'visit' of 6 months ended there.

[basiltherat]

drgonzo
Thanks for the original posting. Great reading. So, ...... nothing HAS changed since 1999, then. I guess its going to be the same sh1te in Jakarta for the next 25 years or so.
best
basil

[drgonzo]

Another thing I hate - not just about Indonesia but all South East Asia, are the old men that try to pretend not to be sex tourists.

Come on guys... you are 45, 50, or older, sleeping with 15 to 20 year olds and you expect us to believe its because of your looks or charm? Get a grip.

You guys treat women worse than dogs. At least with a dog you keep them for 5 or 7 years...

I see you old scumbags prancing around with your girls like you own the world. It makes me want to kill you. Not because I am jealous - far from - because you have no respect for other human beings.

[papillon]

Sounds like a hell hole living in jakarta - what about Bali though? Much chance of finding a job out there? Better standard of living?

[ls650]

Sure, Bali would be a lot nicer, but jobs there are in high demand and thus are tough to land.

[uilleannpiper]

[drgonzo]

rb stands for ribu... as in thousand. Maybe I should have put 'k' instead, sorry for the confusion.

[uilleannpiper]

[uilleannpiper]

[gugelhupf]

If I ever feel the same way about living here as the OP I will do exactly the same and get out pronto. Good luck for your future travels!

Truth is that for now I'm happy to be here. Admittedly, 'here' for me is in a very leafy suburb quite a few km from the craziness that is Jakarta proper, where I can walk to work in 5 mins across a wide road where there is very little traffic. I live coccooned in a peaceful world where preman don't sit on every corner and I can potter about in my front garden without being stared at and watch my mangoes ripening. I enjoy a quiet life, you see. The airport is a short drive away and I like to escape to nicer parts of the archipelago at least once a month.

The Jakarta described above is something I experience maybe once a week when I go into town with a driver, or if I'm feeling very crazy I ride my motorbike (never use public transport). In small doses it's fun at times, but I wouldn't want to live there and I certainly wouldn't bring a young family with me. It's also a lousy place to find romance - best bring that with you.

As for Bali, that was a pretty accurate description on Kuta and surrounds. Again, a fun place to spend a day or two but not sure I could put up with that constant hassle from touts and chancers.

[Zorobabel]

I'd say my biggest problems in Indonesia are my dealings with Westerners. My advice to all these people I meet day-in and day-out: if you don't like, leave. As for Indonesians, the group I least like would be Chinese-Indonesians. Sorry, I'm not into the whole 'we're the elite' (in other words, money-grubbers). For Javanese and the rest, once they realize you're not an idiot like most tourists/short-term teachers they usually will treat you like anyone else.

[happy_me]

Well said!! and dont forget it's the only place where the pay never goes up, but the price of living??? 200% well some say only 17.5%

Nothing more I can add It's all been said