most indonesian people who'd lived abroad have this similar perception about going back to indonesia for good. for one, they complain about the traffic. be it the scare of driving in the madness traffic in the city of jakarta, or even having to drive stick shift cars while driving on the god-knows-what's-the-rule traffic streets, and facing the you-can-always-bribe policeman attitudes. or maybe the fact that they have to adjust to living under the watchful eyes of their parents, unable to do whatever like they used to, and moreover.. the adjustment to the hot and humid weather. of course, there's always the positive perceptions too. like having a maid around to take care of things, like doing laundry, preparing food, etc. though many thought it does not compare to the living in the freedom life without any parent's direct involvement, orderly and convenient city living, little traffic, and not so-hot-but-sometimes-can-be-bitterly-cold weather.
before i made my decision to ever going back for good, i've heard these stories so many times. many even told me to never think about going back for good cuz my life is nice and comfortable back in new york. and i did have a bit of the same perception because of what everybody was saying. in a way i did agree about the traffic. heck, i'm still agreeing to it. it's madness out there! and of course about the weather too. i'd rather take any bitter cold winter than the hot-and-humid tropical weather. but do i really?
and so.. i decided to go back. built my defense mechanism around me and prepared myself to face all these so-called problems i will encounter back home and tuned myself to the adjustment mode. and hmm.. guess what? i didn't find myself complaining as much. maybe the fact that i made the decision myself contributes the self-preservation and total understanding of the situation. i have noone else to blame for making that decision but me, myself and i alone.
the longer i stayed here, i'm enjoying my time more.. at least for now. i'm not one who never come home when i was away. i mean, i visited regularly, at least once in every other year, when i was abroad. so i see the changes in the city everytime i came home, but the changes never ceased to amaze me when i finally returned. i took my time to travel and know about my country i left behind for the past 9 years. i made my adjustment period F-U-N by digging about my past, reconnecting with my high school friends and see how they've become, visiting places i used to go when i was younger, tasted the food that brings back good old memories, those that i couldn't tasted when i returned for only short-vacation everytime i visited this country. and it works.
now that i'm working, back to being corporate slave, i find myself adjusting pretty well. i took the busway to work and i'm amazed how much it reminds me to the nyc's subways. well,.. maybe not to the advance and detailed of the subways.. but it's pretty close. i have high hopes. i think installing the busway in the streets of jakarta is a very optimistic plan and very well-thought of and one of the best decision ever made. yes, it has its controversy. yes, it created a lotta doubts. but see how it works. on the other hand, i see that the government started to fight corruption more aggressively. (i know they've been saying that for years.. but i have high hopes!) at least, when i go to th DMV to make a driver's license, i saw that people are actually lining up and doing it as per instructions. yeah, there is still some small "activities" inside, but the whole process is waaayy much better than how it was 10 years ago.
all i'm saying is that, having that perception that you can never go back and live in this city cuz it's soooo 100 years behind.. as someone said to me.. well, to answer that, it exactly what it is!
our country is far down behind the advancement of other countries, especially comparing it to america. but it understands it. it realizes it. so you can never compare it to america, cuz it will never be in the same level. the only thing we can do is to catch up to what we've left behind. and to do that, we need people who've been there to set the example. but never compare. it is changing, but it won't happen overnight. just like america 100 years ago, it is how we are now.
when i'm in new york, i always wondered why we never realizes it and never tries to catch up. now that i'm in jakarta, i'm seeing it. we ARE trying to catch up.. but then i realized it, it doesn't happen overnight. at least we are trying.. and the road is a long way till we see the light at the end of the tunnel.. which should be how america now. and hopefully the tunnel won't be so dark too long.
i'm not saying that all you people who live abroad should go back. no. if you're happy staying there, then stay. as i've said many posts before, home is where your heart is. not until you realize that home is jakarta (or any other city in indonesia), why go back if the city you live in now you still consider as your "home". besides, we don't need more people to complain all the times. we have enough road rage already.
all i'm saying is that, don't let your misperception about things in indonesia become your reason not wanting to go back. after all, you're only watching it from a far, like how i did. you can always expect high, but be realistic. sooner or later, let's hope it'll catch up. there is hope. i myself see it everyday since i go back. i don't know if i'm ever going to taste it in my lifetime, but there's hope. hey.. i'm an optimistic person, so accept it. why don't you be one? :)
in the meantime.. i'm driving with an automatic transmission car to lessen the madness of the traffic. and believe me, it reduces the road rage, i do feel. as per the weather.. oh well, i'll get used to it. after all, i was born and raised under this weather. i don't mind getting darker. my attitude toward it is just like my answer to my ex co-worker who asked if i got darker after i visited bali..