Excellent article about growing up as a mixed kid in Indonesia

[Helpful Herbert]

Mixed-Race Children: Finally, the Bali Kids Have Their Say Too

Probably now amounting in the thousands, this youngster community of having mixed parents living in Bali can finally have their say about who they really are.

indonesiaexpat.id

Since this community is surely growing, not only in Bali but elsewhere, this is a really good article showing the practical issues involved, such as:

• Indonesians see them as foreigners, but their "other" country sees them as Indonesians (or Asians)
• slightly shocked that one private school teacher told the class that pure Indonesians are better than mixed kids
• life was easier outside school than inside the school
• they are at the age of being forced to give up one passport, which is a difficult decision
• they feel Indonesia is home, more than their Western country
• in their Western country they initially struggled because they didn't understand the culture so well

It doesn't mention language, it would have been interesting to know what language they speak to friends (I guess English) and how good their Indonesian is.
A follow up article about the 100% Indonesians growing up in English-speaking international schools would also be interesting, and how that affects their interactions with other Indonesians. There was one such article in the Jakarta Post a few years back.

 

[dafluff]

Interesting to see the current perspective. I think in some ways it was easier during my time. I was the only mixed-race kid throughout SD and SMP, so there was no clique to belong to. No international school, so all communication was in Indonesian.

Kids are inherently not racist, and after a few awkward moments mostly due to curiosity, I was accepted as the same as everyone almost immediately. There were some preconceptions, for example, most of my friends think my family is rich, which relatively speaking is true.

SMA had maybe 2 other mixed kids out of maybe 800 students. Again, same experience.

I have never lived in the country of my nationality and felt very little connection to it. When the question of "Where are you from?" comes up outside of Indonesia, I always say that I am Indonesian.

 

[nd_eric_77]

I wonder if the experience is different in Jakarta than in Bali. My kids (Grade 11 & 8 at the moment) have always attended international-curriculum schools, but they have never expressed such difficulties. Maybe it is because they have large-is friend groups who all feel more comfortable speaking English rather than BI. That said, both are eager to move to the US for college (even though the media and certain family members make it sound like my kids will need body armor to go to school there).

 

[pantaiema]

This bule might speak Indonesian and Javanese better than native Indonesian. Also notice the accent.

 

[Samoerai]

in their Western country they initially struggled because they didn't understand the culture so well

I am afraid that in "their" Western country, those Bali kids, when becoming adults and having jobs there, will keep struggling and will face a lot of bias. Trying to say this in a nice way. It's good that both decided to live in Indonesia.

 

[ilovered]

I guess our son is considered lucky then.
From the very beginning, we already put him in multilingual home. I use English to him, his father uses Dutch, and the rest of the family use only Indonesian. However, when he finally started speaking, his language was mainly English. It did take him awhile to start.
He spent his kindergarten in an English speaking one.
However, we decided to push his Indonesian so, we sign him up in a national school. They only speak English in English lesson.
Boy that was hard. But, the first year, his classes was only online. Thanks to COVID. I was allowed to be there with him and assisting and translating parts of his lessons.
He had a slight problem when on the second semester of 2nd grade, the school decided to run full offline.
His grades dropped significantly. As expected. We are grateful that none of his teachers and peers ever discouraged him. They patiently help him even translating the stuff that he did not understand. As he became more and more fluent in Indonesian, his grades start to improve as well.

He is now fluent in 3 languages though his indonesian is still with bule accent but his Dutch is surprisingly not tainted with English accent.
Oh yeah, besides him there's two other mixed kids in his school. An Indonesian - Russian and an Indonesian - Japanese mix kids.

 

[flavus]

I am afraid that in "their" Western country, those Bali kids, when becoming adults and having jobs there, will keep struggling and will face a lot of bias. Trying to say this in a nice way. It's good that both decided to live in Indonesia.

Looks like the countries in question are Spain and France so... you're probably right.

It's luckily easier being multicultural in some (parts of) other Western countries though.

 

[jstar]

Practically all sinetron actors here are mixed. Very popular.

Pada Nggak Nyangka, Sederet Aktor Blasteran Ini Ternyata Seumuran - Ganteng Semua dan Karimatik Pikat Wanita

Nah, jika kalian ingin tahu informasi lebih lanjut, silakan simak sederet potret aktor blasteran yang ternyata seumuran. Tak cuma tampan, mereka juga mahir bermain peran!

www.kapanlagi.com

 

[jstar]

It seems school and (school) friends have the largest environmental impact. A colleague in Puerto Rico complained his son was speaking Spanish like a Gringo and we saw the same with the kids; their (American) English is amazing and nobody can hear they‘re not from the US. But their BI and my native language are not perfect, even when spoken with us parents. Esp. writhing/writting can be a problem. And they -as Cinta Laura and Richard Kyle- sometimes use too many English words.

 

[john madden]

Pantaiema: I've deleted your post about currencies as being way off topic. You're welcome to repost in a relevant thread. Thanks

 

[pantaiema]

Pantaiema: I've deleted your post about currencies as being way off topic. You're welcome to repost in a relevant thread. Thanks

Thanks. It is posted on the right thread now

 

[pantaiema]

Another angle of Bule, Michael from CH living in Pangandaran West Java. If you search it on YT there are a lot of video clips regarding his ample, peaceful, healthy life with family, selling grilled fish for a living. This is what Indonesia will be missing by solely targeting on investors, business, talent visas.
Keep in mind if they have mixed race children in the future their kids will be taller which might give them a competitive advantage in sport such as football, volley ball, swimming. Their nose will be more pointed making them good candidates for soap opera.
Who knows this Michael from CH might be here in this expatindo.org as he has been living in Indonesia for 18 years. He could speak Sundanese, Indonesian. Michael if you are here say hello if you do not mind.



There is also video clips about Marco from CA, living in Bali if I found the link I will post it here.

 

[pantaiema]

Another bule video clips Marco from CA, living in Ciamis Regency in West Java. His love to nature and farming, leading an ample, peaceful, healthy life with family and mixed race daughter. Seeing a mixed race kid from a different perspective.

 

[jstar]

Seeing a mixed race kid from a different perspective.

Well, with a father who is totally immersed (I guess anglophones never lose their accent) it has simply become a local perspective. To each their own I guess, I’ve never been into the back to nature happy peaceful life.

 

[Balifrog]

To each his own...
I have 3 "Eurasian" kids, mother from Thailand . Now 27, 24, 23.
From the start educated them full French style, but with in parralel the Thai culture and customs.
They went to school in France and later Thailand (decent level local schools)
Lived a bit in the French Carabeans also. Visited HKG and Bali.
Eldest after studies in Thailand, joined the Army in France, now works in IT in Spain.
Second finished UNI (I.T.) in Thailand, did a scholarship in France and now looking for a job in the West
Third (girl) has an online vegan business in Thailand.
All 3.fluent in French, English and Thai.
Completely "internationalized", can live anywhere.
All 3 knew from very young how to "play" with their dual looks / ADN, being Thai when it suits them (like entering a night club underaged) and being French when it suits them.
None of them have any interest in religion. I kept them away from that and the usual superstition B.S., except for what they needed to know / learn from a cultural point of view.
The idea from the start was make them "citizens of the world" who feel at ease anywhere, and obviously it worked.

There were of course a few "frictions" in the beginning with the Thai grand parents who wanted to turn them in perfectf little Thais and Budhist, but that was quickly cleared up as a nono and non negotiable point.


Again, to each his own, but if one want to turn his kids in local village style kids it is not doing them a favor IMO.

 

[flavus]

There were of course a few "frictions" in the beginning with the Thai grand parents who wanted to turn them in perfectf little Thais and Budhist,

I'd love to pick your brain on how to deal with that! Trying to raise our kid without religion indoctrination too (and wondering how our parents will react to that)

 

[Balifrog]

I'd love to pick your brain on how to deal with that! Trying to raise our kid without religion indoctrination too (and wondering how our parents will react to that)

Just be very firm on your position.
One advantage was that both Thai grandparents worked at mid level management in a major international hotel, used to the Western mentality and understood my position. Thai (ex) wife had studied in France, which made "comprehension" easier.

 

[Pak Tani]

Well, with a father who is totally immersed (I guess anglophones never lose their accent) it has simply become a local perspective. To each their own I guess, I’ve never been into the back to nature happy peaceful life.

I skipped a bit through the videos so I don't know if he lives there by choice or if it is force majeure.

Man, that place must be a war zone at night. Insects crawling in from under the floorboards and out from under the roof tiles. Termites eating away at the wooden frames and bamboo walls. Mosquitoes flying right in through the vents to suck you dry and are met by cicaks, tokeks and 20 different types of spiders. Ventilation holes big enough to let monitor lizards and snakes in, following the rats and mice that roam freely around the sawahs during the day...

I like nature, but no thanks. I am grateful to be able to enjoy the comforts of this time while keeping the wildlife out when I close the door behind me.

 

[Samoerai]

I skipped a bit through the videos so I don't know if he lives there by choice or if it is force majeure.

Man, that place must be a war zone at night. Insects crawling in from under the floorboards and out from under the roof tiles. Termites eating away at the wooden frames and bamboo walls. Mosquitoes flying right in through the vents to suck you dry and are met by cicaks, tokeks and 20 different types of spiders. Ventilation holes big enough to let monitor lizards and snakes in, following the rats and mice that roam freely around the sawahs during the day...

I like nature, but no thanks. I am grateful to be able to enjoy the comforts of this time while keeping the wildlife out when I close the door behind me.

I saw the videos and didn't think of the snakes, mice .. I also cannot live like that.

 

[flavus]

I like nature, but no thanks. I am grateful to be able to enjoy the comforts of this time while keeping the wildlife out when I close the door behind me.

Too rural even for Pak Tani!