Culture Shock
Everyone who went back from a country far far away to Jakarta after not coming back for years tends to have culture shock. I have this friend, her name is TS. She used to be my phone friend, we used to talk a lot about the boring life up in the states, the people and the state of our life ahhahaha. She just got back from LA last tuesday. I met her for the first time down here in Jakarta, she talked a lott about the culture shock. She hasn't been to Indonesia in 4 years. There were a few funny occurences when she just got here. Lots of her situation I also experienced when I first got back to Indo after 3 years...
First up..... the crazy motorists. Three years ago I was down in Indo for like a couple of months.. I started driving after about a couple of weeks. I'm one of those guys who cannot really stand staying at home all the time and I hate being dependent of other people. Well after a few minor accident (haha!) I adapted to the jakarta street alrite. Well this year? I started driving after a month... why? because of those crazy motorists! The most dramatic change in Jakarta street is the number of motorcycle that have grown tremendously the last couple of years. I called them as lebah (bee). I came up with that name after seeing these bikes gather up in a lot of traffic light in front of the cars over the zebra cross, and when the light turn yellow (not yet green! :P), they suddenly flew off just like the bees coming out of their nest ready to sting their target hoohoh
Second.... Discipline culture, or lack thereof. This happens alll the time, still pretty amazed by it. When someone live out of country, somewhere in either Euro, America or Oz, they tend to be more discipline or tend to obey rules and ethics. Well...in Jakarta? Welcome to the jungle baby! ehhee. The thing about living abroad is, we are forced to go by the rules because of that thing called police and law is supreme. In Jakarta? Law is supermi (jayus :P). TS told me about this conversation she had with RK
(in the car)
TS: Eh, tau ga lo tong sampah di mana (megang plastik isinya sampah mobil)
RK: hmm.. ya udah buang aja di luar
TS: Eh gile lu...udah gue kumpulin sampah gini masak dibuang ke luar si
RK: emangnya napa? kayak ada yang mo nangkep aje?
TS: Gile lu ye....kayak ga tau aja kenapa ada yg namanya tong sampah si..
RK: ahh sok suci banget si lu!
TS: *bingung..ko malah gue yg dimarahin
I also had a similar situation with my mom when I was driving in Fatmawati to PIM.. there's a long line on the right lane for the car who's going to turn right to Haji Nawi road. On left lane, the traffic was pretty smooth
Mom: Rik, di kiri tu kosong banget, udah masuk jalur kiri aja...
Me: kosong sih kosong, ntar pas nyampe di depan kayak org linglung..ujung2nya lurus jg
Mom: Ya pusing2 amat, ya mobilnya tarok di depan mobil paling depan jalur kanan...kan jd pas ijo paling depan tuh
Me: He? gile... sopir angkot kali? narok mobil di depan lampu merah....ganggu perempatan lah ma..
Mom: ah...biarin aja..kan kita cepet nyampe..
Me: emangnya kita mo ngapain ma? buru2 amat kayak mo dikejar setan..
Mom: *merengut*
Third.... hedonist culture (relate to lack of fresh air). Me and TS when first came back to Jkt...noticed that there's so many new malls and apartments. If you think about it...who the heck are going to buy those apts, well there might be some expat and exmud ...but with that amount of growth i doubt that those apts will be filled up. The same thing apply to the malls, There's so many new malls I don't even have an idea how some of these malls can be profitable. Well, malls/townsquares like citos, PS, PIM, EX might be profitable...what about other malls, the 2nd tier malls that has become less "hip"? Why built another mall? what about if I destroy one of these malls and build a nice park.. Oh Jakarta is really in need of a beautiful park. I really long for the day like in US when spring came, we usually gather and nongkrong at the park while grilling and BBQing and play a bit sport... the healthy and best way of get together IMO (then going to a mall :P).
There might be some more...but i'm getting tired...tidur ahhh!
Everyone who went back from a country far far away to Jakarta after not coming back for years tends to have culture shock. I have this friend, her name is TS. She used to be my phone friend, we used to talk a lot about the boring life up in the states, the people and the state of our life ahhahaha. She just got back from LA last tuesday. I met her for the first time down here in Jakarta, she talked a lott about the culture shock. She hasn't been to Indonesia in 4 years. There were a few funny occurences when she just got here. Lots of her situation I also experienced when I first got back to Indo after 3 years...
First up..... the crazy motorists. Three years ago I was down in Indo for like a couple of months.. I started driving after about a couple of weeks. I'm one of those guys who cannot really stand staying at home all the time and I hate being dependent of other people. Well after a few minor accident (haha!) I adapted to the jakarta street alrite. Well this year? I started driving after a month... why? because of those crazy motorists! The most dramatic change in Jakarta street is the number of motorcycle that have grown tremendously the last couple of years. I called them as lebah (bee). I came up with that name after seeing these bikes gather up in a lot of traffic light in front of the cars over the zebra cross, and when the light turn yellow (not yet green! :P), they suddenly flew off just like the bees coming out of their nest ready to sting their target hoohoh
Second.... Discipline culture, or lack thereof. This happens alll the time, still pretty amazed by it. When someone live out of country, somewhere in either Euro, America or Oz, they tend to be more discipline or tend to obey rules and ethics. Well...in Jakarta? Welcome to the jungle baby! ehhee. The thing about living abroad is, we are forced to go by the rules because of that thing called police and law is supreme. In Jakarta? Law is supermi (jayus :P). TS told me about this conversation she had with RK
(in the car)
TS: Eh, tau ga lo tong sampah di mana (megang plastik isinya sampah mobil)
RK: hmm.. ya udah buang aja di luar
TS: Eh gile lu...udah gue kumpulin sampah gini masak dibuang ke luar si
RK: emangnya napa? kayak ada yang mo nangkep aje?
TS: Gile lu ye....kayak ga tau aja kenapa ada yg namanya tong sampah si..
RK: ahh sok suci banget si lu!
TS: *bingung..ko malah gue yg dimarahin
I also had a similar situation with my mom when I was driving in Fatmawati to PIM.. there's a long line on the right lane for the car who's going to turn right to Haji Nawi road. On left lane, the traffic was pretty smooth
Mom: Rik, di kiri tu kosong banget, udah masuk jalur kiri aja...
Me: kosong sih kosong, ntar pas nyampe di depan kayak org linglung..ujung2nya lurus jg
Mom: Ya pusing2 amat, ya mobilnya tarok di depan mobil paling depan jalur kanan...kan jd pas ijo paling depan tuh
Me: He? gile... sopir angkot kali? narok mobil di depan lampu merah....ganggu perempatan lah ma..
Mom: ah...biarin aja..kan kita cepet nyampe..
Me: emangnya kita mo ngapain ma? buru2 amat kayak mo dikejar setan..
Mom: *merengut*
Third.... hedonist culture (relate to lack of fresh air). Me and TS when first came back to Jkt...noticed that there's so many new malls and apartments. If you think about it...who the heck are going to buy those apts, well there might be some expat and exmud ...but with that amount of growth i doubt that those apts will be filled up. The same thing apply to the malls, There's so many new malls I don't even have an idea how some of these malls can be profitable. Well, malls/townsquares like citos, PS, PIM, EX might be profitable...what about other malls, the 2nd tier malls that has become less "hip"? Why built another mall? what about if I destroy one of these malls and build a nice park.. Oh Jakarta is really in need of a beautiful park. I really long for the day like in US when spring came, we usually gather and nongkrong at the park while grilling and BBQing and play a bit sport... the healthy and best way of get together IMO (then going to a mall :P).
There might be some more...but i'm getting tired...tidur ahhh!
