My last few months in Indonesia, and my thoughts on the whole experience.

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In this section, I'll talk about my last few months in Indonesia, as well as a bit about the characteristics of the people and the culture that have been so eye-opening over the last year of my life!



I felt myself enjoying the country more and more as the months progressed, and I'd lived in Indonesia for about 7 months at this point. I'd managed to find a properly equipped gym, a running route, a local swimming pool, and learned a fair amount of the Indonesian language. However, I was also beginning to tire of the numerous aspects of the culture that caused me frustration on a daily (and often hourly) basis. These frustrations included religion being a constant presence in public places, lack of infrastructure, people being late, transport being inefficient, and constant attention for being a foreigner. These are the aspects of Indonesian culture that I was able to laugh off during the first 6 months or so, however they were now starting to wear thin. My coping mechanism became the gym, and socializing with a small group of people that I had become close to by then... And eating donuts and drinking coffee... These gripes are not necessarily things that would prevent me from going back to Indonesia to live, but they will certainly be borne in mind when/if I choose to go back. I loved Indonesia, make no mistake! There's fresh fruit of astonishing varieties, quantities, and availability. The people are unbelievably friendly, have an endearing perception of personal space; it doesn't exist, and the scenery outside of the cities is breathtaking. I shall certainly be holidaying there for a period or two in the future, as I've still got a heck of a lot to do. I want to go diving in the sea around the Gili islands (again), Flores, Komodo, and Papua. I want to do some trekking in Borneo (after my amazing experience in Sumatra), and I have a couple of ideas for Sulaweisi, and Lombok too.



I spent 6 days in Kuta, Bali for Christmas 2014, and it was a well-worked tourist area. Lots of foreigners, locals hawking souvenirs, funky clubs, and a load of choices for eating. I had a great time; clubbing at a rock club on the first night, singing a bit of karaoke (The Killers - Mr Brightside, Aerosmith - Crazy!) having a dance, and enjoying life in a good atmosphere. I was sick for a couple of days, and got the right drugs cheaply and quickly. I had a blast for my final few days there, enjoying the nightclubs, chatting to the locals, and drinking excessive amounts of beer. All in all, a beer was 30,000rp (£1.50), a meal was around 150,000rp (7.50) and you'd get your fill for that. The beaches were clean, and you could get a massage for pennies, and people will bring you beer as you lie on your fat western butt in the sun. It really feels like a holiday during the day. At night, it still feels like a holiday, but there were lots of prostitutes in the clubs (not my bag, but a lot of people go there specifically for that), and the hawkers were downright hassling me if walked home in the night;



Hawker "drugs? Weed? Girl, boom boom? Motorbike ride to your hotel? Drugs? Wee-"

Me "No, no, no, no, no, Fuck off!!!"



This wouldn't be so bad if you only had to do it once a night, but in the short walk from club to hotel (15mins, drunk) it'd happen half a dozen times. I wanted to hurt the last couple that did it. They didn't even stop when I told them I didn't want anything in Indonesian. They only stopped when I actually swore at them, every time.



I have had a wonderful year in Indonesia, and I can't speak highly enough of the staff at the school I worked at for the year I was there. I have made some lasting friendships whilst there, and met some people that I love. I have complained and every step of the way, been starry-eyed at the beauty of the landscape, and been lost in the wonderful rawness of the culture and lifestyle. But now I'm gone! I'm in Taiwan for a year, teaching children English again.



If anyone's thinking of doing a TEFL course, and you're young and free, do it. It's worth it! I needed a uni degree, and a £300 TEFL qualification to step on the ladder of teaching abroad. It's a growing industry, teaching's not scary, and in your free time you get to travel! Also, I've not had to live in the UK for a year, so it's even better!



Next, I'll be getting my blog on the go for Taiwan...

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Comments

[davefreddy]

great!
what a great journey spent in Indonesia, especially this, "These frustrations included religion being a constant presence in public places, lack of infrastructure, people being late, transport being inefficient, and constant attention for being a foreigner", is the best part which makes us as the tiny group ofIndonesian people change the situation :)

[Tom Webster]

Indonesia!
Indonesia was phenomenal fun most of the time, and I would recommend that everyone visits. Living there was tough at times, and those are the specific aspects I struggled with. There's so much experience to be had there, and I have only good things to say about visiting the country!