- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 2,001
I’m in Jakarta for 3 weeks, and I’m already running into some trivial but annoying issues. Yes, I (of all people) should know, but complaining is (still) free.
Otherwise it’s weird but fine. The place is simultaneously familiar and foreign. Many things I miss, others I can happily live without.
Went to the neighborhood salon to get a haircut. Had a little chit chat, no big deal. About halfway into the process they began to call me ‘koh’, which is the term used for Chinese men. I’m 100% Javanese with stereotypical Javanese features, albeit with slightly lighter skin due to lesser sun exposure. This was fascinating; my Indonesian is indistinguishable from the average Jakartan (I think), yet something in my mannerism betrayed me as an ‘outsider’, so the obvious conclusion for them is me being Chinese! I gotta relearn how locals bullshit around here, because I’m obviously out of touch.
- My US credit cards don’t work for Gojek nor Grab, because they require additional security mechanisms not available from any American bank. I actually don’t blame the companies, because there’s a criminal segment in Indonesia dedicated to stealing credit card info and profiting from it. US credit cards with their bare minimum security and high limit are always prime targets.
- MyBluebird app can’t verify my US phone, so I can’t use it. This alone may drive all my rides to Gojek and Grab.
- If I’m getting a local cell number, I have to visit an authorized Service Provider store, so they can give me a 90-day account. This is because I can’t permanently register my iPhone 12 Pro without paying a decent chunk of money in taxes (the value is still above $500).
Otherwise it’s weird but fine. The place is simultaneously familiar and foreign. Many things I miss, others I can happily live without.
Went to the neighborhood salon to get a haircut. Had a little chit chat, no big deal. About halfway into the process they began to call me ‘koh’, which is the term used for Chinese men. I’m 100% Javanese with stereotypical Javanese features, albeit with slightly lighter skin due to lesser sun exposure. This was fascinating; my Indonesian is indistinguishable from the average Jakartan (I think), yet something in my mannerism betrayed me as an ‘outsider’, so the obvious conclusion for them is me being Chinese! I gotta relearn how locals bullshit around here, because I’m obviously out of touch.