Jakarta, Indonesia- July 24, 2001
Over the last couple days, President Wahid was removed from office. He did delcare an emergency, but the police and army was on the side of Vice President Megawati who became the new President. There were demonstrations, but not much came from them. Wahid also threatened that his supporters would come from East Java and the country would be torn into two. Fortunately, none of this happened. All is normal in Jakarta.
My last night in Jakarta was an interesting. I went out to the bars, somewhat presumptiously assuming that all of the women who wanted to talk to me were wanting me to go home with them for money - I was wrong. I went into one place, and a local Indonesian woman approached me, and offered me a drink. At first I thought she wanted me to buy her a drink, so I refused, but then she asked again if she could buy me a drink, so kind of shocked, I accepted. Later she offered to take me the Bay where Jakarta meets the Ocean, and when I accepted that too, I discovered she had a brand new Jeep, a really nice and really expensive automobil. Anyhow, we ended up hanging out quite a bit, and she even brought me to the airport. It was just interesting nontheless, because I didn't expect that girl (or the foreigner's girlfriend in Malang) to be SO wealthy and rich! I felt so poor in comparison, which I am, but most everyone seems to perceive me as having unlimited wealth.
On an additional note, thinking in that same vein of thought. The day before, I left my hotel, and walked by some people. A woman (not the one mentioned in previous paragraph) motioned for me to come talk to her, (very common in Jakarta), so I talked to her for about 20-30 minutes, and I explained to her that I teach English in Korea, that I've been saving money so I could travel, etc., etc., and told her that I was 31 years old as well. She was asking me where else I've traveled and I told her, she told me that she went to Europe for three months. Then near the end of the conversation she told me how lucky that I was that my parents give me money and that I can call them anytime and they'll do that, and how she is Indonesian and she can't call her parents for money. So I just walked away after talking with her for twenty minutes. I had just finished telling her I was saving money in Korea, etc., etc., then one of her many assumptions (which is completely wrong) comes out - you the foreigner have unlimited wealth. Its almost impossible to explain to people that you actually have budgets, can't go on shopping sprees, don't have rich parents, that I have no house in USA to 'put stuff in', once whatever little money I have is gone, then I have to go somewhere and work hard again. Meanwhile day after day I walk by the same local people lazing about doing nothing day-after-day seemingly on an endless vacation and I find myself just as jealous of their 'perceived' lives as much as they are jealous of my 'perceived' life. But to be honest, I'd rather have my life, but, well, this whole economic perception thing of being down here really wears on me. Its relentless, people perceptions of my 'unlimited' wealth, and I really know its true compared to their income, but my 'wealth' is basically a smoke cloud constantly floating away, and myself manically trying to replenish it somehow. Its not easy, and I'm always one step away from my last extended travels.
Incidently, my last travels - here is what happened. I had spent one year in South Korea in 1996-1997. I had saved some money, and went to South America for 10 months, trying to teach English, was having that same problem with people perceiving me as having unlimited wealth. I had a great time in South America, got robbed a few times, once quite violently, but overall I'd go back in a heartbeat. But to make a long story short, after 10 months down there trying to teach, and then kind of just giving up and I started traveling hardcore all around the continent. That experience left me $11,000 in credit card debt. It took two years in New York City to pay that off. I'm trying really hard to keep that from happening again. But maybe the local Indonesians are right? Maybe I do have unlimited wealth? I mean, I don't have any money in a bank account and I don't have any ownership of any material possessions - besides some clothes and books. I don't have rich parents, they have substantial more debt than I'll ever have because they have mortgages on cars and house and basic living stuff you need to have in USA to be an American - shelter and transportation - so myself along with 99% of Americans, have no money coming from there. But I do have unlimited abilities of miscellenaous skills to come to NYC start doing all kinds of computer graphic stuff, teach English on the side, and pull myself out of whatever financial problem I may encounter - but its more of a worked at skills to make money that I've tapped into on my own accord. So I guess I have a constant future potential that I can tap into at anytime and just work real hard for awhile, as opposed to being hopelessly unskilled and incapable of doing anything about it.
Anyhow, Indonesia has been great - the language is great, people's ability to speak English is great too, people are friendly, the place is fun. I have been considering coming here to teach English, but looking at salaries, they are okay (about $400/month) which is much more than any local. But I can see that my perceived wealth from locals, would probably ultimately drive me to the brink of insanity, and make me into a miserable bastard complaining about it relentlessly much like what I've probably been doing here, and I'm not sure if I could deal with that on a day-to-day basis.
Okay, time for that plane to America. Going home ~ hmm.. even thinking that I have the ability to buy that kind of airplane ticket makes me feel guilty, but on the other hand, it'll take me a month of hard work to pay just for that flight ticket alone. This place Indonesia really messes with my head.
Onward to New York City!!:
July 25, 2001
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