This week I have found myself wondering where all the time went. On Friday my sisters and Dan arrive and the four of us are heading to Bali for 10 days before flying back to the UK. As you can imagine I am enormously excited about seeing them (in fact I probably haven't been this excited since Christmas Eve circa 1992) but the prospect also makes me a little sad. Bali is very different to Java (culturally, religiously, culinarily, climatologically etc) which means that this is the end of my Indonesian experience as I know it.
This sense of finality has prompted me to reflect on what I have gained from this experience. It is, of course, traditional to return from your 'gap' year waxing lyrical about how you have found yourself whilst espousing the virtues of communism/veganism/ Theravada Buddhism or similar. I cannot claim to have had any such epiphany and I am afraid to report that I will be returning home much the same as I left it. However, I have made some important discoveries which I would like to take this opportunity to share with you.
In no particular order:
1. Almost anything can be deep fried
2. Overnight public transportation is always a BAD IDEA
3.Gillian McKeith and her ilk can just pipe down because Western culture isn't nearly as unhealthy as everyone makes it out to be
4. In some cultures it is socially acceptible to sleep in the middle of the day. Indeed, there are public spaces designed for this very purpose. I like this.
5. At the risk of sounding like a bore, health and safety regulations are both necessary and important
6. If there's one thing that will make you feel more ridiculous than an aerobics class, it's an aerobics class in a foreign language in which you are a foot taller than all the other participants
7. I don't care what anyone says, chocolate and cheese is a bad combination. Chocolate, cheese and jelly is an even worse combination. Trust me.
8. The importance of road maintenance should not be underestimated
9. For a large proportion of the world's population, England is synonymous with Man United and David Beckham
10. Yoga doesn't have to be a serious activity
11. The climb down is often harder than the climb up
12. Comfort is a relative concept
13. Your tolerance threshhold can change over time
14. Not having any personal space can feel as oppressive as being deprived of oxygen
15. Sexual harassment laws exist for a reason
16. English is a complicated, contrary language. Bahasa Indonesian is so much simpler. I love how they repeat words to express plurals or to emphasise magnitude or degree (i.e. anak (child) becomes anak-anak (children); enak (nice tasting) can be elevated to enak-enak (delicious).
17.Some people like to spoon suger into their tea using a tablespoon (see #3)
18.Chicken porridge is a surprisingly palatable dish
19.There are some things you never get used to, such as being stared at wherever you go
20. You should never go snorkelling without first applying sun-cream
21. Everything tastes better with sambal
22. Different sense of humour can be the biggest barrier to cultural integration. There is nothing more alienating than not getting the joke
23. In Asia I have a remarkably big nose
24. At home we are enormously reliant on implicit communication - hints and non-verbal signals - which are the first to get lost in translation.
25. I'm not nearly as laid back as I thought I was
26. There is such a thing as being too laid back (see #25)
27. Nobody can queue quite like the British and nothing irritates a British person quite like a flagrant violation of queuing etiquette, no matter where they are in the world
28. The smoking ban is a wonderful thing
29. Some things really are as beautiful as they look in the nature documentaries
30. In Indonesia it is expected that you will pay for everyone at your birthday dinner. This strikes me as extraordinarily unfair
31. There is always a 'bule' price
32. There is such a thing as too much leisure time
33. Sometimes doing nothing can be exactly what you need
34. Being the tallest person around is no fun
35. In some countries traffic laws are seen as, er, open to interpretation.
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Weeks 21 and 22: Empathising with Elmo
Last weekend some friends and I, having long since exhausted the entertainment possibilities of Jakarta, decided to visit a safari park located on the outskirts of the city. Indonesians have what we might deem an old-fashioned approach to animals in captivity. Visitors to Taman Safari are encouraged to interact with the animals - hold them, pose for photographs with them etc - and the animals put on shows to entertain the crowds. Although the idea of forcing some helpless animal to pose for a photograph with me struck me as a little exploitative, I decided 'when in Rome' and duly posed for a photo with 'Elmo', a baby Orang-Utang. The unease I was feeling was compounded by the fact that Elmo was visibly distressed and recalcitrant. Watching Elmo squirm and protest, I not only sympathised with his situation, I empathised. I too know what it feels like to be on display, constantly exposed to the curious gaze of others.
Before I came to Indonesia I had no idea how much attention my presence would engender. It is immediately obvious to everyone I meet, or even walk past on the street, that I am foreign. Prior to this experience I had never really appreciated how multicultural Britain is. It is, of course, impossible to tell if someone is British from their external appearance; clothing and body language are far more reliable indicators of British identity than skin tone. The same cannot be said of Indonesia, where despite regional variations in appearance, most people are recognisably Indonesian. As a 5'9 white woman I might as well walk down the street with 'foreigner' tattooed to my forehead or emblazoned in neon lights above my head.
This wouldn't be so much of a problem (obviously, I didn't expect anyone to believe I was Indonesian) except that Indonesians are absolutely fascinated by foreigners. People can't help but stare at me in the street and most of them shout at me or try and interact with me in some way. I realise that for the most part it's just harmless curiosity and it would be much worse if people were hostile to foreigners. Indeed, their unsolicited, unconditional friendliness is one of the things I most admire about Indonesian people. To begin with I found it quite funny, but over time I have found it increasingly difficult to deal with. Rather than making me feel welcome, the attention is overwhelming, exhausting and alienating. Most people just shout "hello miss/mister” or “bule” (foreigner), but sometimes the comments can be a little more intrusive: “miss, where are you going?” “I love you miss!” “miss, can I know you?” (Answer: can you know me? Almost certainly. May you know me? Absolutely not). As a result, I spend most of my time outside in a bad mood with a permanent scowl etched on my face. Only very occassionally does someone make me laugh, such as the imaginative chap last week who decided to serenade me with Lionel Richie (“hello? Is it me you're looking for?”).
I can't walk down the street here without being reminded that I am different, that I don't really belong. As the risk of sounding meldramatic, the attention can feel a little dehumanising sometimes. It feels like I'm not really regarded as a 'real' person, more a 'novelty' person; an object to be poked, prodded, stared at and photographed. Even after this long it amazes me how many people – often complete strangers - want to take photos or videos of me. Some people approach me directly, and I usually agree even though I am a little weirded out by it, but others try and do it surreptitiously, which just makes me uncomfortable.
I've no doubt that the vast majority of people have good intentions; that it is simply harmless curiosity. Foreigners are pretty rare in Indonesia, even in Jakarta. Although a lot of international visitors come here they tend to stick to the tourist/expat areas so their presence is pretty minimal, a fact compounded by the sheer size of the country. At home we take it for granted that we will come into contact with foreigners, either at home or via travel abroad. International travel is accessible to most Brits, even if it is only a trip to Majorca or the Costa del Sol. In comparison, most Indonesians don't - and, indeed, can't - ever leave the country. Even if they could afford the airfare, the exorbitant government tax for leaving the country and the (relative) expense of everything abroad, precludes international travel for all but the wealthy elite. If you know that it is likely you will never leave your own country, then I guess interacting with foreigners in your home country is the next best thing. If you think about it, we sometimes take photos of strangers, perhaps those that are wearing traditional dress etc, when we are traveling and think nothing of it. When you put it in perspective, that people want to take photos of us is not that strange or disturbing.
However, what bothers me about the attention is that a lot of the time people don't seem to want or expect a reaction from me. It seems to be a form of entertainment for them and their friends rather than a genuine attempt at reciprocal interaction. I'm always amazed by quite how funny people seem to find me. To many people, shouting "hey mister" at me seems to be the epitome of witty behaviour. I also object to the way that some people persist in their attentions even when I have made it clear that I want to be left alone. The other day whilst we were waiting at the train station a man started to take photographs of us on his phone. We all put our hands up to shield our faces, clearly indicating that we would like him to stop but, not only did he carry on taking photos, he and his friends started laughing at our obvious discomfort.
Jakarta is not an easy place to live as a foreigner. If I'm honest I don't really feel like I do live here. I have always been aware that I am only staying here on a temporary basis. I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but if I were ever to to live in Jakarta again it would probably be as a steriotypical 'expat'. I've always been a little scornful of people who move abroad and then insist on living in expat enclaves complete with all the comforts of Western life. Now I understand that their decision to do so is a little more complicated that mere reluctance to be parted with starbucks/baked beans/cornflakes etc. It incredibly hard to live somewhere where people seem so determined to draw attention to your otherness. I've had a great time in Jakarta, but I can't wait to be somewhere where no one stares at me in public!
Before I came to Indonesia I had no idea how much attention my presence would engender. It is immediately obvious to everyone I meet, or even walk past on the street, that I am foreign. Prior to this experience I had never really appreciated how multicultural Britain is. It is, of course, impossible to tell if someone is British from their external appearance; clothing and body language are far more reliable indicators of British identity than skin tone. The same cannot be said of Indonesia, where despite regional variations in appearance, most people are recognisably Indonesian. As a 5'9 white woman I might as well walk down the street with 'foreigner' tattooed to my forehead or emblazoned in neon lights above my head.
This wouldn't be so much of a problem (obviously, I didn't expect anyone to believe I was Indonesian) except that Indonesians are absolutely fascinated by foreigners. People can't help but stare at me in the street and most of them shout at me or try and interact with me in some way. I realise that for the most part it's just harmless curiosity and it would be much worse if people were hostile to foreigners. Indeed, their unsolicited, unconditional friendliness is one of the things I most admire about Indonesian people. To begin with I found it quite funny, but over time I have found it increasingly difficult to deal with. Rather than making me feel welcome, the attention is overwhelming, exhausting and alienating. Most people just shout "hello miss/mister” or “bule” (foreigner), but sometimes the comments can be a little more intrusive: “miss, where are you going?” “I love you miss!” “miss, can I know you?” (Answer: can you know me? Almost certainly. May you know me? Absolutely not). As a result, I spend most of my time outside in a bad mood with a permanent scowl etched on my face. Only very occassionally does someone make me laugh, such as the imaginative chap last week who decided to serenade me with Lionel Richie (“hello? Is it me you're looking for?”).
I can't walk down the street here without being reminded that I am different, that I don't really belong. As the risk of sounding meldramatic, the attention can feel a little dehumanising sometimes. It feels like I'm not really regarded as a 'real' person, more a 'novelty' person; an object to be poked, prodded, stared at and photographed. Even after this long it amazes me how many people – often complete strangers - want to take photos or videos of me. Some people approach me directly, and I usually agree even though I am a little weirded out by it, but others try and do it surreptitiously, which just makes me uncomfortable.
I've no doubt that the vast majority of people have good intentions; that it is simply harmless curiosity. Foreigners are pretty rare in Indonesia, even in Jakarta. Although a lot of international visitors come here they tend to stick to the tourist/expat areas so their presence is pretty minimal, a fact compounded by the sheer size of the country. At home we take it for granted that we will come into contact with foreigners, either at home or via travel abroad. International travel is accessible to most Brits, even if it is only a trip to Majorca or the Costa del Sol. In comparison, most Indonesians don't - and, indeed, can't - ever leave the country. Even if they could afford the airfare, the exorbitant government tax for leaving the country and the (relative) expense of everything abroad, precludes international travel for all but the wealthy elite. If you know that it is likely you will never leave your own country, then I guess interacting with foreigners in your home country is the next best thing. If you think about it, we sometimes take photos of strangers, perhaps those that are wearing traditional dress etc, when we are traveling and think nothing of it. When you put it in perspective, that people want to take photos of us is not that strange or disturbing.
However, what bothers me about the attention is that a lot of the time people don't seem to want or expect a reaction from me. It seems to be a form of entertainment for them and their friends rather than a genuine attempt at reciprocal interaction. I'm always amazed by quite how funny people seem to find me. To many people, shouting "hey mister" at me seems to be the epitome of witty behaviour. I also object to the way that some people persist in their attentions even when I have made it clear that I want to be left alone. The other day whilst we were waiting at the train station a man started to take photographs of us on his phone. We all put our hands up to shield our faces, clearly indicating that we would like him to stop but, not only did he carry on taking photos, he and his friends started laughing at our obvious discomfort.
Jakarta is not an easy place to live as a foreigner. If I'm honest I don't really feel like I do live here. I have always been aware that I am only staying here on a temporary basis. I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but if I were ever to to live in Jakarta again it would probably be as a steriotypical 'expat'. I've always been a little scornful of people who move abroad and then insist on living in expat enclaves complete with all the comforts of Western life. Now I understand that their decision to do so is a little more complicated that mere reluctance to be parted with starbucks/baked beans/cornflakes etc. It incredibly hard to live somewhere where people seem so determined to draw attention to your otherness. I've had a great time in Jakarta, but I can't wait to be somewhere where no one stares at me in public!
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