Would you travel to Indonesia now? Should I stay, or should I go now...

[Nimbus]

I am a bit surprised by this sentiment from you Nimbus. I thought you had a less liberal view of lawlessness. Eh, guess those are the perils of trying to understand a person from what you read on a forum.

We are all a product of our environment. My view on poverty is shaped by my extensive exposure to it in Indonesia, and by personal experience as a working poor in USA. Perhaps it’s considered ‘liberal’ in USA, to me it’s just the reality I’m unfortunately familiar with.

It is easy to demand honor and honesty on a full stomach. I have done things I’m not proud of in the interest of my family’s survival, so I’m not about to condemn others so strongly for making similarly wrong choices. Obviously I don’t condone theft and fraud, I just don’t automatically label the perps subhuman. If anything their failure makes them human.

I have a complicated relationship with law and order. On one hand I enjoy the safety and stability they provide, on the other hand I have been on the wrong end of them. I stormed the capitol, Indonesia’s capitol that is. Suharto was a bonafide dictator who used law and order to preserve his rule, so I became an outlaw. If he managed to stay in power, I would have been in jail or worse.

As an immigrant and a minority in USA, I have been subject to the whims of federal bureaucrats and local cops alike. Driving while black / brown is real. I have been stopped and cussed by cops for the crime of shopping at night.

Yes, I own and carry guns, but my reasons are not quite in line with the MAGA crowd. Actually, they are one of the reasons I have guns.

 

[ChrisTex]

I am curious Avery, why did you move to Indonesia in the first place?

 

[Ruserious]

Troll much?

So far we know Tex came here for shagging, doesn't like the place, and doesn't know anyone who has over 6 months rent in the bank. Was there more to add? He hasn't said anything positive on any subject yet.

I for one am glad this guy doesn't like Jakarta and hope he leaves soon. The place would be better without him

 

[Hawk256]

I've been all over, dork. Nice underhanded pass at me though.

I tend to notice a lot of uppity lifers in the expat resident space get pissy when someone has a different opinion or experience or wants to vent from time to time. That's ok.

They're usually married to a local and tend to embellish a lot. Best food in the world . Nicest people in the world. Delusional.

Deal with it bud.

I must have hit a nerve. I just asked a simple question and now you want to get personal. I suspect you will be much happier when you finally get back to your country of origin. You know nothing about me or my experiences. I have never said that Indonesia has the nicest people or has the best food in the world. What does being married to a local have to do with it? I'm also curious as to the experiences you have had "all over"? Enlighten us dorks with your vast knowledge so we don't have to embellish things.

 

[waarmstrong]

[those in the] ... expat resident space get pissy when someone has a different opinion ...

Deal with it bud.

Self portrait.

 

[Dan]

I've been all over, dork. Nice underhanded pass at me though.

I tend to notice a lot of uppity lifers in the expat resident space get pissy when someone has a different opinion or experience or wants to vent from time to time. That's ok.

They're usually married to a local and tend to embellish a lot. Best food in the world . Nicest people in the world. Delusional.

Deal with it bud.

So vent. We all do it here. There's many threads devoted to frustrations with life in Indonesia. No one should take exception to you sharing your life experiences or complaining about the hassles of life in a metropolis like Jakarta.

But do know that sharing an experience that is dissimilar from others will get an alternative response. Look, I personally could not live in Jakarta. Between the traffic, flooding, and my overall displeasure with urban living in general it's not for me. So I don't. You can miss me with Jakarta.

That isn't why people are reacting negatively to your post. It's this:

"They seem to think all foreigners are rich and owe them something especially how they beg for tips, grift you etc."

The "they" in this case can be interpreted as our friends, loved ones, members you're talking to right now etc. It's too general, it can be interpreted as the Indonesian public at large.

So honestly? You should qualify your statements, you should be more specific. If you're going to gripe, place in context with the rest of the world lest it read as a blanket indictment of people we, quite frankly, love.

 

[Balifrog]

My goodness, some.of the posts on this subject.leave me speechless (or angry ?)

Cant even bother to reply to any of them.

And before you ask, I have 35 years of expatriation behind me, of which 25 y in Asia, have visited 52 countries during my live, worked and lived in a dozen.

Now simply and relaxed retired in Bali since 3 years. Which makes me a newbie I guess ......
And yep, I have an Indo companion sin ce 6 years.

 

[waarmstrong]

My goodness, indeed, but the more pressing issue is, "Do you have a guest bedroom at your Bali digs?"

 

[Wisnu]

Today, exactly one year not visiting Indonesia. it was supposed to be late December but in the end we decided to skip it and go straight to our new home for another 3 years (will see) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
So far so good, despite we live in the jail, we still can enjoy tofu and tempeh.
No plan to visit Indonesia in near future. I will miss the underwater critters of Indonesia.