Moved to Bekasi

Hey I work in Bekasi. Well, more like worked since I've been WFM since May of last year. I know what you mean when you say the weather is unbearable. I've lived here for 11 years and still sweat profusely if I'm not in an AC environment. What I do to beat the heat is to always carry a tennis wristband in my pocket. You know the ones used for wiping sweat? Being able to wipe sweat off my face makes the humidity more bearable.
 
melvintee said:
Hi Aji, nice to see a fellow singaporean posting here. I have been here since 2012, settled down with my indonesian wife and we have 2 beautiful daughters. I enjoy my life in Indo much more than in Singapore but the situation with how the government is handling this pandemic is keeping me on the edge of my seat. If things continue to go downhill, we may return to Singapore but there are many things to consider if we do go back.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread! Just wanted to say hi!
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Hi too! Pleasure to know you.

Yeah, things are not looking so bright, even my wife is hesitant to fly here with all the cases rising everywhere.

Hope everything is all right on your side. Stay safe!
 
HappyMan said:
The only time I regularly hung out with expats was when I was still working at English First, 10 years ago. It was an easy thing to follow a group of mates to the bar from work and just bullshit until bedtime. Once I got married, the wife wasn't up for listening to a bunch of people who work together talk about work in a foreign language (she's fluent, just not into chatting).

When I stopped teaching at EF, I more or less stopped seeing other expats. Calling up people and arranging an evening was a mission in a way that heading to the bar after work wasn't. Point of all this being that if you feel the need to see other foreign faces and are not particularly sociable (like me), then the OP's idea about finding a place with expat neighbors is good advice.
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True, HappyMan.

I'm not particularly sociable, but enjoy an occasional convo every once a while.

If anyone is interested where I live or maybe is looking for a new place to stay, DM me.
 
Sounds like Bekasi is just like Jakarta. Probably worse. No friendly people or decent food. Just loud mosques and fake politeness. And crazy heat during the day.
 
Tex Avery said:
Sounds like Bekasi is just like Jakarta. Probably worse. No friendly people or decent food. Just loud mosques and fake politeness. And crazy heat during the day.
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There are loads of nice people in both those cities. I wouldn't want to live there, it's not my sort of place, but there are plenty of nice people who do. Plenty of good food, too...
 
I lived in Bekasi until 1998. The traffic at that time was not too bad although it can get very congested at times. Then move to Kota Wisata which is actually part of which is within Bekasi area, just after the riots that scorched Jakarta that almost touched our property too.
Since 2004 until now we are lucky to live and work in other countries include the hardship locations, one of which is Kazakhstan.
We are fortunate to always live with other expats in a very exclusive compound equipped with the best facilities.
There is no urgent need to interact with local people. Even for safety and security reason; company rules was practically restrict interaction with people outside the compound.
However, we believe, life would be better and useful if we could interact with the local community; could be part of them (though partially) and be able to make a small contribution to the country where I make a living.
Initially it was not easy to open communication; not only because of the language barrier; but suspicion, curiosity and misgivings about foreigners are still very strong there. It could be because this country has been a part of Russia for a long time.
Luckily my wife and kids love to socialize and they always start to open a communication although sometimes they are ignored. It didn't take long to break the barrier and melted the coldest ice. A warm welcome despite the air temperature of -40C.
The warmth was so felt during our farewell party when we had to leave Kazakhstan end of 2014. Probably, we are the only expats who hold farewell parties with local people outside the compound and not the company staff. We received many souvenirs from them. There was even one that we couldn't bring to Indonesia - a trophy with a hammer and sickle symbol.
Very touchy - one of our best and warmest experiences.
 
Tex Avery said:
Hey man. Like it's just my opinion man.

You guys seem to be so upset when I describe the reality of this place.
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Not upset at all. Just wondering why you stay somewhere that you don't like. If I wasn't happy with where I was staying, I would go somewhere else. Maybe you are different.
 
Hawk256 said:
Not upset at all. Just wondering why you stay somewhere that you don't like. If I wasn't happy with where I was staying, I would go somewhere else. Maybe you are different.
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You do realize there's a pandemic going on right now? Hmm...

It was kinda tolerable before the ppkm lockdown and I could see friends and enjoy bars etc at least. Now there's nothing...

It's mostly guys that have been here 5+ years that love it a lot. Most newcomers don't seem to fancy it from what I can tell.

Also heard it's becoming a lot more radicalized here since 2015 from many long termers. That it used to be more laid back until covid transpired.
 
No friendly people or decent food. Just loud mosques and fake politeness?

I'll give you 1 out of 4 for the mosques which everyone can agree on, and possibly half a point for the food (at least compared to other countries in the region), but I don't think the politeness is faked, it's just how they are educated (which is a good thing), and as for no friendly people, well if you can't find friendly people in a country of 275m then you're not trying hard enough.
 
Tex Avery said:
You do realize there's a pandemic going on right now? Hmm...

It was kinda tolerable before the ppkm lockdown and I could see friends and enjoy bars etc at least. Now there's nothing...

It's mostly guys that have been here 5+ years that love it a lot. Most newcomers don't seem to fancy it from what I can tell.

Also heard it's becoming a lot more radicalized here since 2015 from many long termers. That it used to be more laid back until covid transpired.
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Point noted about the pandemic and I now realize that being alone and isolated could made things a little more difficult. PPKM would definitely be a bummer for a young, single man. I have heard complaints like yours before and about other countries, so it's not that uncommon. Not a dig at you but most of time these types of complaints come from a person new to traveling on a long term basis. Spending a few days or a week or so somewhere is nothing like living there full time. Adjusting to other cultures and ways of life are not always easy and feeling like the outsider doesn't help. Life is short and happiness should be one of your top priorities. If you truly aren't happy in Indonesia then look for somewhere else that may be more suitable for you. Maybe COVID won't last for 10 more years you can change locations.
 
There are nice and decent places in Indonesia. Bekasi is not one of them. Actually is one of the worst I have seen.
 
Tex Avery said:
You do realize there's a pandemic going on right now? Hmm...

It was kinda tolerable before the ppkm lockdown and I could see friends and enjoy bars etc at least. Now there's nothing...

It's mostly guys that have been here 5+ years that love it a lot. Most newcomers don't seem to fancy it from what I can tell.

Also heard it's becoming a lot more radicalized here since 2015 from many long termers. That it used to be more laid back until covid transpired.
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Not digging at you, but why in the first place you decided to live there ?

Because if it is a job, it's not a good reason to stay long term in a miserable place, and a women is even less a good reason.
Sorry to be blunt.
 
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