Indonesia Expat - issue 248

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ISSUE NO. 248 | 23 OCTOBER – 5 NOVEMBER 2019

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Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

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Dear Readers,

06 NATIONAL ISSUE No, Students are Not All Out for Casual Sex but…

Living here, it can’t have escaped your notice that Indonesia is built upon various traditions that have left myriad historical sites to explore, wherever you visit. As expats, we can tend to veer away from some of the more typical, touristy activities and places. However, those tourist jaunts are rich in old traditions, filled with tales that have been passed down through generations. Honouring the deceased and preserving some of the old and simple ways of life are traits Indonesians hold onto tightly even now, in spite of the oftentimes chaotic political situation affecting our daily lives.

In this issue, we ask you to stop relying on your devices and take you away from the city. We invite you to explore and immerse yourself into the old traditions deep inside Tasikmalaya. You can even escape for an evening stroll through several cemeteries in Java where Dutch and Indonesian civilians and military personnel lie at rest from the late 1940s.

It’s no surprise when expats fall in love with Indonesia. Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School’s Principal, Ashok Pal Singh shares some of his 27 years of academic experience in Indonesia in Meet the Expat. We got the latest What’s Up story along with a readers’ favourite, Scams in the City, where we bring you a romance story gone awry, with love turning into financial and emotional turmoil.

Meanwhile in the spirit of patriotism, Oakwood La Maison’s General Manager, Christian Jacob, wants to tell the younger generation of Indonesian hoteliers that there are no limits to achieving a goal of becoming general manager of a high-end, worldwide property.

Without honouring the past, we can’t move forward to a better, collective future. The newly revised bill (RKUHP) circulating through the international media is presented as merely about casual sex when, in reality, the chaos and road closures are being caused by university students across Indonesia as a way of expressing their freedom of speech. After all, this is a democratic country. It’s also important to pay heed to our personal health, and since October is International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we implore ladies and gentlemen – yes, gentlemen you should know too – to learn the early signs and treatments for this sadly often fatal disease.

October is coming to an end but at least the rains have finally showered some dust away from Jakarta.

We hope you enjoyed the many Oktoberfest nights in Jakarta. Halloween is around the corner, do you have your costume ready yet? Indonesia Expat’s mixer this month is back in Jakarta and will be at the Wyndham Hotel – there will be a Halloween party after the mixer so come dressed in your best costume!

Don’t forget to check out “Did You Know?” as well as the activities and deals in-store in our “Events” and “Classified” pages.

08 MEET THE EXPAT Ashok Pal Singh

10 HISTORY Honouring the Shared History between Indonesia and the Dutch

12 BUSINESS PROFILE Christian Jacob

13 WHAT'S UP New Bule Leaves the Town

14 SCAMS IN THE CITY Scammed by My True Love

16 HEALTH Worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness: What You Need to Know

18 INFO FOR EXPATS New Positions for Foreign Workers in Indonesia

20 TRAVEL The Village that Lives in the Past

22 ANNOUNCEMENT

24 EVENTS

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national issue

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

No, Students are Not All Out for Casual Sex but…

BY ERIC BUVELOT

N

o, Indonesian students have not taken to the streets and almost besieged the parliament on several occasions in the last fortnight just to protest a revision of the Criminal Code (RKUHP), that further forbids casual and extramarital sex.

After several days of unrest in the capital of Indonesia, as well as across major cities of the country, the biggest student demonstrations since the fall of former strongman Suharto in 1998 have made international headlines.

Many Western newspapers have published articles leading readers to think that the youth of Indonesia have been demonstrating against the criminalisation of sex outside marriage.

This is not the case. The revision of the bill, that could stiffen further the frame in which casual sex could be outlawed, is unlikely to be openly discussed by the students out of unease on the subject. Luckily, this particular revision has been put on hold for the moment thanks to President Joko Widodo. However, students were mostly on the streets regarding bills pertaining to labour, minerals, land, and freedom of speech.

The protesters are against the controversial way KPK leaders will now be chosen by the House of Representatives. They stand against the possibility of the Indonesian Military and National Police personnel holding civilian offices. They demand an end to the use of force in Papua and the instant release of political prisoners.

Demonstrators also requested that the corporations responsible for forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan have their permits revoked. They also demanded the resolution of all past human rights violations. Of course, among all the dedicated youths taking to the streets were some activists very concerned about the shrinking of individual freedoms brought by the revision regarding casual sex too.

Associations from civil society were also there for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, sexual reproductive rights, and contraceptive rights, all determined to face down the amendments newly voted by the very conservative lawmakers of the parliament. But they were only a minority.

The freedom to have sex outside of wedlock, or in adultery, is not the main concern of the Indonesian youth who gathered in anger on the doorstep of the Senayan house in September. First, because the revision doesn’t change much of what is already in place, contrary to what foreign headlines assert.

True, the lawmakers want to go one step further in the hardening of the law regarding consensual sex between unmarried people, encompassing same-sex relations, cohabitation, abortion, and the promotion of contraception. But let’s look at it closer.

Adultery is already forbidden. A husband and wife can already report their unfaithful spouse in order to file for a divorce. Civil servants and police officers can even lose their jobs in this case. The revised Criminal Code bill states that unmarried couples caught together could now face a maximum of six months in prison. But for charges to proceed, the “crime” has to be reported by a husband or wife. If there is no adultery, then a parent or child would need to make the report.

More worrying is the fact that village leaders would be entitled to lodge a complaint if the family doesn’t take the matter seriously.

It’s an open door to moral harassment and social pressure and it could also be used as a personal weapon. But as we can see, this is not the sudden ban on sexual freedom as described in the Western press.

Where a strict adhesion to moralistic values already prevails, be it in provinces, cities, or districts of Indonesia, no couple dares to cohabitate openly. Where religious

Unlike in the West, where individual rights matter the most, here, it’s the local collective norm that prevails, whatever the law says. conformation is an everyday observance, the promotion of safe sex and condoms is already nowhere to be found. Where traditional values rule every mind, abortion is already not an option.

The actual revision would just ref lect the conservative turn the country is taking under religious pressure. It has been clearly announced by lawmakers, some of them citing peculiar religious diktats from their faith. So, in the end, the big question mark that remains is: will it be enforced if passed?

As often in Indonesia, there is a gap between law and law enforcement. It’s a cultural thing and cultures are diverse in the archipelago.

Unlike in the West, where individual rights matter the most, here, it’s the local collective norm that prevails, whatever the law says.

The individual always gives way to the group.

In the West, people claim their right to be accepted as different. Here, the difference is accepted only if not openly claimed.

So, if the lawmakers decide that the whole country should follow a bill revised according to their very own beliefs, would this bill be enforced in places where these beliefs are not widely shared? The Vice-Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana, has already answered the question. It’s no.

"I can guarantee that unmarried couples will face no jail time, as long as there is no complaint from their husband, wife, child, or parents,” he said, trying to reassure Australian media that Bali was still a safe destination for unmarried couples.

In Indonesia, you don’t show off your sexual inclinations in public. Yes, you’re supposed to be married before having sex. No, you don’t go around claiming your right to same-sex relationships, group sex, transgender sex, or whatever your sexual preference is, not like in the West. You don’t walk down the street halfnaked like a Gay Pride parade, but it doesn’t mean there is no room for it.

Indonesian students are first and foremost Indonesians. Somehow, because of the change of tide in the 21st century, they might even appear more modest and shy than their parents were on sexual matters. Puritanism is making a comeback worldwide and Indonesia doesn’t escape the trend.

But in today's global society, young Indonesians are aware of the issue, just don’t expect them to go all out against the conservative choices of the House of the Representatives, rampaging through the streets of Jakarta while holding provocative banners claiming their right to have sex. This is not the case so far and will never be.

In the end, the revised bill on sex might pass one day, and it might not. It’s at the core of an ongoing chess game where nothing is said clearly because of applicable standards. The discussion goes through lines of argument where a spade is never called a spade. Nobody will ever dare to go all out on sex, let alone in a demonstration.

You just don’t do that in Indonesia, where such ways are completely unthinkable and most of all certainly bound to fail.

meet the expat

8

Ashok Pal Singh

M

r. Ashok Pal Singh retraces his 27-year-long jour ney as principal of the Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School Jakarta (GMIS) with Indonesia Expat. The school boasts over 1,400 students and offers four IB programmes. Notable alumni have graced the fields of science, engineering technology, IT, and even trodden on theatrical boards.

Hello, Mr. A.P. Singh! How are you?

Could you tell us about your journey before GMIS? Hello, I am good, thank you! I’ve been with GMIS for over 27 years now, and the school has been a major part of my life. I was born, raised, and educated in Mussoorie, India. I

completed my master’s degree in the field of education. Prior to joining GMIS, I worked at two educational institutions in Mussoorie, India, namely the Waverley Convent School and St. George’s College. Then, I served as principal at Women Teachers’ College in Nigeria for seven years. After that, I relocated back to India, joined Wynberg Allen School and spent some time there. Eventually, my children grew up and they left for college. That was when I received an offer from GMIS in Jakarta.

What prompted you to receive the offer and move to Indonesia?

Honestly, I didn’t hear a lot of positive things about Indonesia back then. I was initially thinking of spending just two years in the

country. I was wrong; Indonesia and the people are simply wonderful. Being the largest Muslim country in the world, there is a tremendous amount of respect for diversity and tolerance. The nation’s philosophy of Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) promotes peace and harmony.

It’s also a comfort to know that Indonesians love Bollywood movies and Indian culture!

Both countries have so much in common.

You have played an integral role in GMIS's development as a worldclass school. How has the school progressed over the years?

GMIS is currently the only school to offer all four IB programs, namely the Primary Years Program (PYP) in Grades 1-5, Middle Years Program (MYP) in Grades 6-10, and the IB Diploma in Grades 11-12. The fourth one is the IB careers programme, which emphasises specific career paths. When I arrived, the school didn’t offer any of these. Previously, we offered Indian school certifications and eventually Cambridge certifications such as O and A Levels. Our Bali branch is the second school to offer all four IB programmes.

Sometimes I also bump into parents telling me how well their children are doing in life, be it passing a scholarship application, landing a good job, or owning a business, which fills my heart with joy.

How does GMIS cope with advances in technology and globalisation?

It never fails to astound me how the world changes. Recently, I read about Sophia the robot, which was given citizenship by Saudi Arabia. Technology has taken over so many job sectors. As for the teachers and me, our primary aim will forever be preparing students for what is ahead. Long gone are the learning-only-from-text days. We encourage interactive learning, analysing information, and critical thinking. I have also instructed the IT department to put more emphasis on coding, as it is a very important skill.

As educators, we also continue to promote empathy, warm-heartedness, compassion, and love for the environment in our students.

Education would essentially be useless without these values.

Could you please tell us about the school's demographics? How do you manage so many students?

We have over 1,400 students from 40 countries. They come from various backgrounds, mostly from families of diplomats and expatriates. Of course, we

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

also have local students from Indonesia.

Last year, the class of 2019 managed to get offers from 97 universities from all over the globe. I manage my time by always attending students' activities, be it drama, music, dance performances, debate sessions, model United Nations, TED x Youth GMIS, class exhibitions, and sports tournaments. I regularly provide feedback to the teachers.

We compliment the athletes, orators, and performers who do well and motivate those lacking in self-confidence to do better by offering them constructive feedback. All students are encouraged to speak and perform without fear. In GMIS, assemblies are also held regularly to instill good morals and right conduct.

How is the school's alumni network?

Do you still keep in touch with them?

I always gleam with pride each time I hear about our alumni’s success. After all, it is my achievement and legacy as a principal.

We have an alumni book, which allows ex-students to write about their school experience. Most of our alumni end up doing really well, not only in the fields of medicine and engineering, but also in other streams such as law, arts, technology, and even acting.

Recently, an alumnus who works for Apple came back to thank us. He said that during the unconventional interview with Apple he was required to present a case in front of an audience. He suddenly recalled his school days and attributed his success to the invaluable speaking skills he had learnt at GMIS. Another alumnus, Aditya Agrawal, was a colleague of Mark Zuckerberg at the Facebook headquarters. Aditya was also one of the pioneers of Dropbox.

I remember most of my students. I have developed a signif icant network and friendships here. Sometimes I also bump into parents telling me how well their children are doing in life, be it passing a scholarship application, landing a good job, or owning a business, which fills my heart with joy. The students, the alumni, and their parents are like family to me and I have developed a very big family over the last 27 years.

Aside from academic life, how do you like to spend your free time?

I spend time with my family. I have three children, both my sons work abroad, and I currently live with my wife and daughter. You are likely to find me at a local cinema during weekends, as I love watching movies. I still unexpectedly meet students, ex-students, and their parents in malls and theatres. It’s always lovely to have them greet me in places. As I mentioned earlier, I have a big family here.

Any advice you wish to share with parents and educators out there?

I have spent most of my life as an educator, and I truly love children. I believe we also have a lot to learn from them, as teaching and learning take place simultaneously. The most important values we must instill in them are hard work and kindness. We must encourage and support them to strive for the utmost in whatever it is they choose to do in life. Whether it is an artwork they choose to make or a birthday party they choose to throw, make sure they put their best effort into it.

history

10

Honouring the Shared History between Indonesia and the Dutch

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

I

n Indonesia, a cemetery is synonymous with spookiness. I never thought that a cemetery could be a place filled with history accompanied by a serene green atmosphere. The Dutch Honorary Tombs of Ancol and Menteng Pulo shocked me – in a good way.

It was a blazing hot morning. I decided to beat the gruesome Jakarta traffic with a Gojek, all the way to Taman Impian Jaya Ancol. My Gojek driver told me that he had passed this Dutch War Cemetery several times but he never realised it was open to the public.

It’s the smallest and first-ever Dutch War Cemetery in Indonesia and was established on September 14, 1946. Initially a swamp, the Japanese brought their prisoners here to be shot or beheaded. The British heard about an execution site outside of what was once called Batavia; they had run into an Indonesian monk who allegedly witnessed that execution. Soon, the Dutch took over; digging for remains in 1946.

I strolled along a pathway surrounded by 2,000 burials of Dutch and Indonesian, as well as British and Australian war victims.

I noticed the word Geëxecuteerde, meaning executed, was chiseled on many tombstones.

Those tombstones marked the unidentifiable victims of war, while those who were identified had their name, date of birth, and date and location of death engraved on their grave markers.

Director of the Netherlands War Graves Foundation (Oorlogsgravenstichting or OGS) in Indonesia, Robbert van de Rijdt, took me on a tour. He said he used to do many tours at weekends but eventually he trained guides from tourist organisations, like Jakarta Good Guide, to give tours for Indonesian and foreign tourists.

“We find it important to give Indonesians a role in this process. I get the impression that the younger generation has a higher curiosity level about their roots nowadays. Yet, many Indonesians still don’t have the slightest clue that these cemeteries are open seven days a week, from 7am to 5pm, free of charge,” said Robbert.

Born in Tomohon, Indonesia, this Dutch exnaval officer was filled with enthusiasm as he told me about our ancestors’ common history.

“Twenty-two war cemeteries were created in Indonesia after the Japanese occupation ended on August 15, 1945. We’ve buried 25,000 war victims, comprising 80 percent civilians and 20 percent military personnel, mostly killed fighting the Japanese, alongside getting captured and held in the Japanese concentration camps. Not to mention the many Indonesian and Dutch people who died throughout the chaotic years of 1945–1949.

“In the 1960s, the Indonesian president requested the organisation to reduce the number of cemeteries and only concentrate on Java, so we closed down the 15 erevelds in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua.

Positively, an agreement formed, in 1970, which allowed the seven erevelds in Java to remain. We had all victims transported to these erevelds we now have in Java; two in Jakarta, two in Bandung, two in Semarang and one in Surabaya,” he explained.

Nicky Ali joined me on the tour. He’s interested in becoming a volunteer. It was his first time visiting and he couldn’t stop saying how impressive it was. “The maintenance is beautiful. I am proud of the Dutch government that they respect the victims this way. I think it’s for a good cause,” he said.

Eventually, we headed to Menteng Pulo – the most visited of the gravesites in Jakarta.

It was almost noon. The city smog was taking over the afternoon sunlight. Trees made this erevald a green oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Casablanca. This was more spacious compared to the one I’d visited earlier.

With 4,000 war victims laid to rest in a space that was once surrounded by palm trees, it’s now circled by tall skyscrapers. The tombstones are organised according to the four beliefs of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism. There’s even a non-active Simultaankerk, a multi-denominational place of worship acting as a gathering spot, along with a special place called Columbarium, designed to display the urns of 756 Dutch military personnel who died in Japan and were later transported here by the Japanese.

“We thought of new approaches to create awareness through social media; Facebook on Ereveld Menteng Pulo and Instagram @ Ereveld_in_Indonesia. We want everyone, especially Indonesians, to feel welcome.

Ultimately, this area is your country – this is your land, you are more than welcome to visit,” said Robbert.

Out of 16,000 visitors in 2018, 13,000 were Indonesians. A striking number of young people in the Netherlands are unaware of this part of their history. Olga, a Dutch tourist, happened to visit her long-time friend in Jakarta and was brought to Menteng Pulo.

“Yes, this is my first time here. You can get

We’ve buried 25,000 war victims, comprising 80 percent civilians and 20 percent military personnel, mostly killed fighting the Japanese, alongside getting captured and held in the Japanese concentration camps.

Not to mention the many Indonesian and Dutch people who died throughout the chaotic years of 1945-1949.

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

a good impression of the war’s aftermath as you can see thousands of soldiers and civilians laid to rest.

“I have four children and if I have the chance to take them here, I will. They showed great interest when I told them stories about the wars in Indonesia. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure they knew nothing since school history lessons were mainly based on Europe.

Even I was told stories by my friend whose family endured the Japanese occupation,” said Olga.

Every year, a group from the Netherlands pays their respects to their deceased families, killed during the war in Indonesia. Robbert explained that he gets emails from people trying to find their long-lost family members.

“We have 180,000 war victims’ data in our books of war victims’ records. People browse on our website to check whether their family member is a war victim and where they were buried, although sometimes, it’s not entirely registered,” said Robbert.

Once, a family in Tomohon reached out to Robbert about their father who was killed by the Japanese in 1943. “Naturally, I searched his name on the website. Turns out he’s a war victim but the data stated that the location of his remains was unknown. The family explained they knew where he was interred. So, I offered them a space in one of the erevelds, since he’s entitled to be there, yet it was up to the family where he should be buried. Eventually, the remains were transported to Jakarta – we even found a bullet to his head!” said Robbert.

To everyone’s surprise, Olga excitedly said, “I have an uncle who died in Indonesia during the 1940s. There’s a high chance that he is buried in Menteng Pulo,” as she searched through the books.

We continued the tour to see the tombstone making process. I spoke to one of the makers, Suyanto. He was smoothing a 1.8-metre cross made out of iron, cement, and sand before it would be painted white. These crosses were originally made of teak wood, but six years ago it came to Robbert’s attention that termites were destroying them. A concrete cross can last up to 20 years and gets re-painted in six years.

“One cross takes a week to be completed, in a month there could be 18 crosses so that would be 216 crosses made in a year,” said Suyanto.

The tour ended by relaxing at a gazebo, overlooking this hidden green space in Jakarta. Robbert told us that “maintaining these cemeteries can hopefully show the new generations that we should all learn from history and not repeat the same mistakes, especially from what wars have to tell us.”

The Dutch war cemeteries in Indonesia reflect a piece of Dutch and Indonesian history. By maintaining them, the victims and their stories will always be remembered, and this part of history can receive the recognition it deserves. Far-away family members in the Netherlands can even order flowers to be laid at their family graves and a photo sent to them to ensure their sacrifice isn’t forgotten.

business profile

12

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

GENERAL MANAGER OF OAKWOOD SUITES LA MAISON JAKARTA

Christian Jacob

S

elf-proclaimed millennial and General Manager of Oakwood Suites La Maison Jakarta, Christian Jacob, aspires to be a role model for his staff as well as Indonesia’s younger hotelier generation.

Indonesia Expat sat down at one of South Jakarta’s exclusive, fully-serviced properties that’s located around the lively area of Blok M with this true-to-self and bubbly man, and discussed his approach as a younger leader dealing with older staff and how sometimes, less is better.

Can you please describe Oakwood Suite La Maison’s property?

Oakwood itself is an American brand and Oakwood Jakarta is under Oakwood AsiaPacific that comprises Korea, China, and even Australia. Oakwood Suites La Maison Jakarta is a five-star property within the Blok M area. This is an exclusive property where there are 80 units; there are two- and three-bedroom apartments with modern interiors and state-of-the-art appliances.

If you compare Oakwood properties with hotels, it is quite different because Oakwood’s property is bigger and luxurious; there are living rooms, kitchens and dry kitchens, laundry rooms, dining areas, balconies, and individual elevators to reach a resident’s room.

When it comes to guests wanting to have an event here, there’s a space similar to a meeting room open for the public called Oak Rooms; it opened a month ago. There’s an Executive Lounge but this is reserved for residents only because keeping the property’s privacy and exclusivity is vital.

At the moment, there are no competitors because it’s mostly five-star hotels in South Jakarta but I heard Intercontinental Hotel is

good examples towards my older and younger staff, I can handle my team.

opening its residence soon – next to the hotel – by the end of 2019, so maybe that will be Oakwood’s future competitor.

Since these long-stay customers are mostly expats, how are their stay experiences constantly being improved?

At least 80 percent of the customers are expats; 50 percent are Japanese, and the rest are Malaysian, Indian, Singaporean, Australian, French, and a few Americans.

These residents are long-term guests with a minimum one month stay because this property offers two- and three-bedrooms that are all fully serviced and come with a housekeeping service three times a week.

But since 2017, several rooms have been open for daily stays like a hotel but with a fully serviced apartment experience.

How did you start your career in the hospitality industry?

I love to serve people and my goal is to make my guests feel happy from my service. I’m happy if I made them happy. This is why I’ve always wanted to be a hotelier.

I graduated from the University of Merdeka, Malang in 2004. For the past 14 years, I have moved around hotels in Jakarta and even to Medan and Surabaya. I started my career by working as a waiter for a year. I moved to Grand Mahakam Hotel Jakarta for one year, and after that I moved to Wyndham Hotel Jakarta (then known as Park Lane Hotel) as a Guest Relations Supervisor, Pullman Central Park as a Duty Manager, Santika Hotel Medan as Front Office Manager, then eventually being promoted to the Director of Sales of what was then known as Pullman Surabaya – or Wyndham Surabaya now. It’s

International chain hotels are mostly led by expatriates but it’s nice to know a fivestar residency is led by an Indonesian.

So I want to give an example to the younger hotelier generation, especially Indonesians, that it is possible to be a luxurious, international brand’s general manager. been two years since I became Oakwood La Maison’s GM, but before this, I got appointed as the GM in Holiday Inn Express Wahid Hasyim for a year as well as Grand Ussu Puncak Hotel for two years.

You consider yourself as a millennial GM. Now, what are the challenges you face as one?

I don’t really have a lot of challenges, except for being a leader to a few older associates.

Since I’m younger than them, it tends to feel strange and quite challenging. But I stongly believe that with good leadership and setting

Although you still have a lot to learn, is there a lesson that became so important to you throughout your career?

I’ve learned a lot of things here because Oakwood is a small property when you compare it to hotels. I have fewer staff here there are only 50 – since it’s a simple property without any restaurants and ballrooms. One thing’s for sure, I learned to become a father for my staff as I teach them one by one – it really feels like a family.

What are the five words you want to be known for?

Become my team’s role model.

Why this? Well, international chain hotels are mostly led by expatriates but it’s nice to know a five-star residency is led by an Indonesian. So I want to give an example to the younger hotelier generation, especially Indonesians, that it’s possible to be a luxurious, international brand’s GM. As someone rich with Indonesian heritage, how do you honour your Dayak, Ambon and Toraja cultures?

I am proud to be from different cultures. I was born in Riau, my father is from Ambon and my mother is from Dayak-Toraja. I’ve learned a lot of culture from each province so I believe in being honest with myself.

What do you do to unwind?

I like to take holidays. I prefer going overseas such as to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore because domestic flight fares are ridiculous nowadays.

New Bule Leaves Town

BY RICK BAIN

I’ve just celebrated the third anniversary of my arrival in Jakarta. Three months. It feels like I have been here longer, but time has magical properties.

There are two “new bule” privileges I still cling to jealously. The first is conferred by the fact that most Indonesians expect me to be ignorant and a little bit thick.

The laughs and giggles I provoke among locals seem to be good-natured, and I am forgiven for all sorts of dumb things I say and do.

Maaf and terima kasih to all of the security people, waiters, nurses, bank tellers, co-workers, shop assistants and drivers who help me good-humouredly on a daily basis. Hopefully, I am improving, but I’ll never be able to do anything about being two metres tall.

Also, I cling to the privilege of homesickness. Admittedly homesickness is not the sole prerogative of foreigners; after all, most Jakartans are from somewhere else.

Last weekend, I escaped from Jakarta for two days. This is neither cheap nor easy to do and will be the subject of future columns. The options are surprisingly limited, they aren’t cheap and they’re mostly not relaxing.

The best answer I currently have is Bali. There are plenty of evening flights, Bali’s airport is efficient, and the drive from the airport is usually manageable. If you can’t enjoy yourself in Bali, you’re really not trying.

However, Bali is not a cheap weekend. Most of the south-east corner of the island is a tourist ghetto and by the time I get home, I need a holiday.

Bali also gave me a roaring case of homesickness. Bali made me miss things that are completely unavailable in Jakarta. After three months in Jakarta, I had forgotten how important these things are and how much I miss them. Some of them I had forgotten even existed.

First and most important was clean air.

In Bali, I was able to fill my lungs with clean air. There were footpaths (and clean air) so I could go for a walk. I did not have to drive everywhere. You could see for kilometres and there were empty, ocean horizons (thanks to the clean air). You could sit outdoors in a café (in clean air), watch the world go by, and not shuttle from one air-conditioned bubble to another. You could eat real Italian bread, not over-sweetened cardboard.

I even patted a dog.

Unfortunately, despite my best efforts and the presence of thousands of my compatriots, I could not find a decent Australian meat pie. And I really, really wanted a meat pie.

I was not a happy bule when I arrived back at my Jakarta apartment, exhausted and pie-less, at 11 pm on Sunday.

The next day, I started desperately googling “Jakarta best Australian meat pie.”

And I struck gold. I bought the best meat pie I have ever eaten. Made right here in Jakarta by Santi on santiscomfortfood.com Homesick no more. Thank you, Santi. Thank you, Jakarta.

14

scams in the city

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

Scammed by My True Love

ndonesia has been a country where I found my love, but, sadly, it ended up with me being emotionally and financially ruined. I never imagined that the Indonesian woman I love would scam me after all that I’ve done for her.

There were periods of time with little communication after Bangkok. My next visit was coming up. She asked me to help her get her teeth repaired and veneered as we had discussed after our wedding. I didn’t have the funds so I managed to get a loan so she could have it all done and fly her to Jakarta for about US$5000. She was getting very agitated about wanting to return to Bali sooner, so we agreed to get the rest of the work done in Bali. She flew back: little did I know she went straight to meet another man in a hotel.

I met my current wife in Jakarta whilst on a business trip in April 2017. I had already previously dated some Indonesian girls since I’ve regularly been visiting Jakarta and Bali for a few years.

I knew what to expect with the dating scene and the culture in Indonesia. But, I’ve never encountered online stories that could have prepared me for the despair over the next couple of years.

Again, her friends sent cryptic messages saying I was too generous and did too much for her. So I asked one of her friends, and to my dismay, I was shown my wife's fake Instagram, Couchsurfing, and Tinder accounts, all of which portrayed her not only as single but an English online teacher who had studied and lived in the UK, particularly my hometown. She had created a second life to entice mostly British, expat men.

Anyways, this woman and I dated a few times.

She was very quiet and extremely cute, almost shy, to the extreme that you would think she had never dated. She was very different compared to the regular women who roamed Jakarta’s expat joints. She was very open about her upbringing, her friends, and her dating past. She said she dated a lot of guys to hopefully have a husband and a future with children.

She knew exactly what she was doing. I uncovered details of months where she had met men for money and fun times. She’d stay with them in hotels for days and even weeks, using them to cover her meals, drinks, and money. She’d leave them by giving them excuses to go home and video call me as if everything was okay, then returned to the hotel but was still receiving money from me.

The British-Indonesian time difference played right into her hands - giving her enough time to have a double life.

DISCLAIMER: THIS STORY IS ONLY ONE-SIDED; INDONESIA EXPAT HASN’T HAD THE CHANCE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE OTHER PARTY.

I

We had a good time together. Unfortunately, I had to go back to the UK for my job. We kept in touch. Eventually, we arranged to meet again a few months later, after she had come back from a trip to Bali.

Around September 2017, we met again and this time we fell in love – well at least I did.

I was so happy she had chosen me to fall in love with, and we had an amazing few weeks together that cemented my feelings for her.

She was kind, thoughtful, never over bleating, never asked for anything except attention and affection.

This time, she told me about her awful previous relationships, including that one time she was kidnapped by an ex who was jealous and mad that she wouldn’t marry him. She was apparently tied up, beaten, and sexually assaulted for days until she almost succeeded in killing herself, at which point she was released and dumped back with her family. This, of course, made me love her more and want to be the knight in shining armour that could love and protect this very cute girl.

We met again in Bali and got engaged after meeting and asking permission from her father and the rest of her family. I vowed then to make sure I visited her every 12 weeks until we could live together. This was something I continued to do right up until I uncovered this situation a few months ago; I never let her down when it came to seeing her.

By May 2018 we were married. We married quickly in Bangkok using a top law firm to make sure it was all legal in both of our

countries. She said she always wanted to live in the UK because Indonesia didn’t feel right for her. I supported her; I provided money for her accommodation and living expenses because she'd moved out of her family home.

It would’ve been good for her to sample life in the UK for a few months, in case she hated the weather, people, or food. By November 2018, paperwork for her spouse visa application was submitted and denied. We were both devastated. Saving up for reapplication would take some time so we agreed to stay apart again whilst I worked hard in the UK. After the denied visa request, I agreed to pay for her to take a short break in Bali.

She wanted to live somewhere better whilst waiting to get the spouse visa sorted or I could even join her in Bali since we had some business ideas too. She moved to Canggu, Bali. At first, all seemed good and she was even trying to find a job but, to be honest, the amount of money I sent her every month was more than enough. I paid for a scooter and gym membership amongst other things.

Slowly, the video calls became less frequent and so did the texts. Then she was demanding more money and a better place to live, saying that I wasn't providing enough. I did my best and helped her by paying for her salon trips, tattoos; basically, anything I could and support her as a husband should. I sacrificed my life to provide everything for her, including selling items that I owned.

But weirdly, I started getting messages from her friends telling me that I'm too nice and I should not always say yes to my wife. They said that without me she would have no one to support her. Of course, I thought this was just jealousy.

The best part was that she bluntly said to my face that she wants me gone so she could move onto the next man, preferably a European.

Even a rich Chinese man would do.

She asked me if I received any Facebook messages or emails from Indonesia. One day, she was upset because an ex had contacted her on Facebook trying to get her back but didn’t believe she was married. She told me he had photos or videos of them in bed together from when they dated. She even said that she wanted to have access to my emails so she could delete anything that appeared.

My suspicions arose and I asked her, “Is there something you need to tell me?” No. She stuck to the story that it was years ago and he was a crazy, jealous ex.

I waited, yet I got nothing. I kind of forgot about it, especially since she and I were supposed to meet in Bangkok, as she requested to celebrate our wedding anniversary there. I said yes. In fact, I had invited two of my close friends to come and finally meet the love of my life. We spent two weeks together but she was very shifty and protective of her phone. I had a feeling something was up but I carried on and my friends fell in love with her too.

At least three men fell in love with her and flew to Bali to see her for a whole month or even longer, they genuinely believed that she was a sweet and single girl who was their girlfriend. These men ensured they had money to look after her – she was achieving her goal to get attention, fun, and money.

I know all this because I spoke directly to two of the men she had had affairs with. I read their messages in which they had no idea she was married.

A few weeks ago, I spoke to one of them online. He found out she was married and got very upset. He started stalking her. Later, I found out he was the guy who had the videos and photos of my wife with another man and threatened to expose her along with her lies and a double life. He told me that she’d threatened to kill herself if he did. One night, he went to her place and found her crying with rope marks around her neck. He felt sorry and didn't blackmail her.

My wife though, blackmailed him because he ran away without paying for a villa he rented, he also ran a business where he scammed money from customers. He wanted her to leave me and go into that scam business together. She told him she would leave me but needed time. It was just a dream for him since I funded her lifestyle, something he couldn’t do. Instead, he ended up causing trouble at her apartment leading her to not stay there.

15

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a worldwide annual campaign happening throughout the month of October, involving thousands of organizations to highlight the importance of breast awareness, education and research.

He also told me that they went to Western Union to collect money from other men in the UK, not from me. He couldn’t believe the lengths she was willing to go through, such as saying I was a bad husband and never sent enough money so she had to get money by other means.

I also discovered that her father said he had never received the money I sent for him. I showed my money transfer proof to him and the rest of her family so that they wouldn’t see me as a husband who never looked after his wife.

Eventually, I confronted her, at which point she confirmed everything. She said she met men on at least four or five dating sites as well as providing escort services to have extra money for clothes, parties, etc and yet still blamed me for not providing for her. Much to my dismay, she admitted she cheated me to gain more money by making up stories over the last couple of years. She even went to swap her wedding ring for a cheaper version so she could sell the original one. I was devastated.

A long list of lies and deceits were also provided by her friends. They said she met different guys at least twice or three times a week and rarely stayed at home since I was an improper and boring husband.

To my horror, I discovered she had over 250 men as blocked contacts in her phone; men who have talked, met, or given her money.

The best part was that she bluntly said to my face that she wants me gone so she could move onto the next man, preferably a European. Even a rich Chinese man would do.

I was shocked and upset! I lacked any kind of remorse for her now. The cute, quiet woman I had married had become every bad version of a person that I never imagined.

I was supposed to move and have a life with her in Jakarta by the end of 2019. She went along with this life plan of ours because she knew I would keep supporting her. If her friends didn’t help me expose her, none of this would have unravelled – this is the worst part since no other man she’d met would do the same as I have for her and her family.

She continues to refuse a meetup, even though I’m planning to come to Jakarta to sort things out and move forward. Instead, she wants to disappear and pretend that we never happened so she can move on to the next rich man. She even hid away from me by staying with another British man who specifically f lew from London to see her, admitting that they’re in love.

PERSONIFIES HEALTH, VITALITY AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

• Most common cancer affecting women worldwide and causing majority of deaths, both in developed and developing countries, due to a lack of awareness on early detection and barriers to health services.

• Causes: Increased Life Expectancy, Increased Urbanization and Adoption of Western Lifestyles

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS With symptoms or without, it’s vital to get regular mammograms from ages 40-69 years old. Many women are taught to look for new lumps or masses in their breast tissue but it's important to be aware of other abnormalities such as: • Skin swelling or redness • Change in breast shape, • Nipple discharge (other than breast milk) • Pain in or on the breast • Skin flaking or dimpling

• Early Detection = Good chance of curing can be done through adequate diagnosis and treatment • Late Detection = Patients need to undergo palliative care to relief their sufferings

Source: WHO

DID YOU KNOW? The night of October 31, or Samhain, was believed by the Celts as the return of ghosts back to Earth because the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.

Halloween’s name derived from All Saints’ Day or All-hallowmas that was introduced in 1000 A.D. where big bonfires, parades and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils – similar to Samhain.

Modern Day: USA molded Halloween into a holiday celebrating community and neighbourly get-togethers

I have a lot more to say, but I’ll just conclude this with: looking back I want to kick myself for being naive and not thinking things were not right! This was a hard lesson that I learned. True love is indeed blind. Hopefully, by writing this story, I can warn everyone so they can learn from my story and help me heal from this heartbreak. I still love Indonesia and don’t want this to stop me from love or my future life.

Source: History Channel

Bavarian King Louis I of Bavaria married Princess Therese von SachsenHildburghausen. They initially invited the citizens of Munich to attend the festivities and horse races on the fields named Theresienwiese (Therese’s fields) – or nowadays known as Wies’n. Consecutive repetition had evolved into the annual authentic beer extravaganza we know as Oktoberfest, beginning in late September until the first Sunday of October.

Source: History Channel

health

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Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

Worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness: What You Need to Know

BY DINI PUTRI SARASWATI

D

o you know that October is International Breast Cancer Awareness Month? It’s an annual, international campaign to increase attention and support of breast cancer awareness, early detection, and treatment, as well as palliative care for this disease. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are approximately 1.38 million new cases of and 458,000 deaths from breast cancer each year. Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in developed and developing countries.

In Indonesia, the number of new cases is the highest: there are 58,256 cases out of a total of 348,809 cancer cases. Moreover, the data from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia shows that as of January 31, 2019, the average death rate from this cancer is 17 people per 100,000 population. Lack of awareness about early detection and barriers to health service are the main causes of the high number of deaths.

Many people may lack information about this dangerous disease. Dr. Andy Achmad Suanda, Sp.B (K) Onk., a medical doctor specialising in surgical oncology in Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah (RSUD). Dr. M. Soewandhie Surabaya stated that the main cause of breast cancer remains unknown.

“Only 10 percent of the causes of breast cancer are known, that is hereditary or passed down from the parents’ genes. The other 90 percent are sporadic, meaning that the disease occurs suddenly. This can result in the modification of the body’s cells where the cells begin to divide without stopping and spread into surrounding tissues. That is called cancer,” said Dr. Andy Sp.B (K) Onk. Furthermore, he explained that there are several risk factors for breast cancer, such as women who have not been pregnant and breastfed, as well as women who have early menarche, late menopause, and use birth control for more than five years as breast cancer is also driven by an excess of oestrogen hormones. Although it seems like women are

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are approximately 1.38 million new cases of and 458,000 deaths from breast cancer each year. more susceptible to breast cancer, it does not mean that men cannot be affected too. Dr. Andy, Sp.B (K) Onk. says that around five men in 100 are susceptible to this disease as men also have breast tissue, even though smaller than women.

There are several things one can do to try to prevent breast cancer, for instance, manage a healthy lifestyle and environment, such as eating healthy foods, stay hydrated, no smoking, and exercising regularly; know our traits, for instance, see if there are other family members who have suffered from breast cancer, colon cancer, or endometrial cancer; and most importantly, seeking an early detection of breast cancer as the early symptoms may not be apparent.

There are simple steps to follow, according to Dr. Andy, Sp.B (K) Onk. First of all, every 10th to 12th day of your menstrual cycle, when the breasts are considered more tender, look at both breasts in front of a mirror.

Examine if there is any difference in shape, nipple discharge other than breast milk, skin swelling or redness, pain, and skin flaking or dimpling. For women above 40 years old, it is suggested to do a breast cancer screening annually through mammography, a process of using low-energy X-rays to examine for any abnormality of the breasts. Moreover, to supplement the screening, breast ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be necessary.

Early detection and regular screening for breast cancer can contribute to saving more lives because the earlier it gets diagnosed, the quicker it will be treated. Most fatal cases are caused by late diagnosis of breast cancer, especially as most of the early occurrences of breast cancer do not hurt at all.

Dr. Andy, Sp.B (K) Onk. asserted that the cure for breast cancer is different for each person. Some people may need a mastectomy or the removal of the whole breasts, while some others only need chemotherapy. “Breast cancer is unique because it is the only type of cancer that has multiple sub-types. Therefore, each patient should be treated accordingly with their conditions,” said Dr. Andy, Sp.B (K) Onk. In terms of surgery, Dr. Andy, Sp.B (K) Onk., emphasises that he is fully aware that most women do not want their breasts to be removed as they are considered a symbol of femininity. Therefore, he also discusses

breast-conserving surgery or an operation that aims to remove breast cancer while avoiding a mastectomy. “While also doing the breast-conserving surgery, we usually put some other normal tissues from the back or stomach to reconstruct the breast,” he added.

However, women above 60 years old often do not want any breast reconstruction surgery.

After the surger y is done, regular chemotherapy is undertaken to get rid of the remaining cancer cells and prevent them from spreading to other tissues. Palliative care is also needed to improve patients’ quality of life. Not only to help prevent as well as relieve symptoms and side-effects related to breast cancer and treatment, palliative care is also important to increase the patient’s confidence even after having undergone a mastectomy.

By doing palliative care, the oncology team collaborates with the patients’ family members and relatives to help the patient address spiritual and emotional issues, getting support for making decisions about treatments and other care, and accessing grief counselling. Palliative care is very important for the patients of breast cancer to restore their state of mind so that they can recover faster and with less pain.

Although the total cost for curing the disease is very expensive, the Indonesian national insurance company, Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) covers all of the expenses until the patient is fully recovered.

So, it is now very easy and cheap to be aware of your breast health. Start examining yourself and see the oncologist if you feel any difference in your breasts. The earlier you are aware, the quicker you will heal!

Info for Expats

New Positions for Foreign Workers in Indonesia sector was previously 100 percent closed for foreign workers and only now, after the updated regulations, it is starting to welcome foreign specialists.

Accounting In the interest of remaining in compliance, your company in Indonesia can also hire foreign accountants. Note that Indonesia’s Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are following the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

This is making it simpler for foreign accountants to adapt while companies have a better chance of finding an excellent accountant.

The Indonesian Government has taken another step on the path towards a more open environment for international workers with an update to regulations on August 27, 2019 that opened up a wide variety of new positions for foreign workers to be able to live, work and do business in Indonesia.

New freedom in management All previous general manager positions that were not regulated for foreign employment are now open to be held by foreigners, in all business classifications, other than human resources. This means if you work or plan on working in a sector where a management level position was restricted or unregulated, you can now hold this title and legally obtain a visa in Indonesia.

This includes the previously closed position of the general manager, which is now open for foreign workers. Operations manager, tour manager, sport science manager, and fleet manager are some examples that show the range of new roles, alongside research and development advisors.

Additionally, commissioner and director titles in a company can now be held by a foreigner in all business classifications.

Niche positions opened in multiple industries More than 150 new positions in 18 sectors have been opened up for expatriate and foreign workers in a variety of disciplines including construction, education, and the previously closed legal sector.

Here are some of the new roles: Management Consultant The management consulting sector has two new positions available for foreign workers: business consultant, and investment consultant. The previously closed sector welcomes foreign specialists to advise and assist with business development and investment matters in Indonesia.

Communication Manager The advertising and creative agency sector has two new roles regulated for foreign employment. The industry is now able to accept expatriate workers as communication managers and creative designers. Indonesia is wellpositioned for an influx of new creative workers. President Joko Widodo has previously highlighted the importance of the creative industry, emphasising its potential to boost domestic consumption and international revenue.

Librarian Librarians are one of the 27 new roles that have been opened to foreign workers in the Indonesian education sector. Elementary, junior high school, high school, and special school have new open job positions not just for foreign librarians but also literary coaches and coordinators.

The Indonesian education category overall welcomes marketing managers, global perspective teachers, Spanish teachers, disabilities and counselling teachers, and instructors of non-formal fields like art and sport.

Construction Manager The August 2019 regulation changes have opened up 119 new positions in construction for foreign workers. In addition to several new engineering positions, you can now choose from a wider selection of managerial level positions such as the construction project manager position. Work permits in the field of construction are now also extendable past the initial two-year period - there is no need to start your visa process all over again or leave Indonesia for a visa pick-up.

Large-scale construction projects in Indonesia through PMA or a BUJKA will now find it considerably easier to pick up specialised foreign talent.

Foreign chefs can extend their stay Foreign nationals looking into chef jobs in Indonesia should know that their positions are now extendable. Up until the current regulation update, foreign chefs were only eligible to work for up to a maximum of two years, without the possibility to request an extension.

New impresario roles, from boxer to judo coach Work activities that fall under the impresario business classification have been expanded considerably, allowing foreigners to apply for a work permit in a much wider range of roles in entertainment, leisure, and coaching.

Visas can now be provided in a much wider range of professions by specifically registered and licensed impresario companies that organise, finance, and operate concerts, plays, events, and special sport or artistic endeavours.

The list of supported positions includes sport consultant, boxing promoter, referee, coaches for a wide variety of sports and martial arts from surfing, to diving, to golf, and roles for volleyball, football and basketball players.

Visit emerhub.com/blog to learn more about applying for a work permit in Indonesia and getting corporate sponsorship of the KITAS visa.

Plan on working in Indonesia now that your required job position is available?

Emerhub helps you stay up to date with the latest regulatory changes and information on how to work in Indonesia legally. Schedule a meeting with us to learn how to compile your visa application and pick-up schedule. Our Emerhub team in Bali and Jakarta is available for immediate assistance at info@emerhub.com

Legal Advisor Two previously restricted and now open positions in the Indonesian legal sector are legal advisor and legal consultant. Changes in the legal sector are in no way less significant than in the field of construction. That is, the legal

www.emerhub.com

travel

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Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

Getting into the housing compound, I am offered more intricate engineering styles of the community.

A VIEW OF THE HOUSES WHILE DESCENDING DOWN THE STAIRS

The inner cores are planned so well that there is scientific reasoning behind the ways they are structured. While the houses, the mosque, and the granaries are located in one zone called the “clean zone,” the toilets, the barn for the livestock, and a pond are located away from them. This zone is the “dirty zone.” In between these two zones lies an open space, which is meant to keep them separated. The toilet, being above the pond, releases its sewage into the pond, supplying food for the fish. The water from the toilet passes into the pond through bamboo pipes. The pond also functions as one of the sources of water for the rice fields since water from it flows there.

This prevents the water from getting into the Ciwulan River and contaminating it.

Pak Hardi looks at my face to make sure I am not yet overwhelmed by his descriptions.

The traditional engineering marvel only propels me to learn more. I am slowly getting enamoured with the bamboo walls of the houses. I have every reason to assume it must be cool inside, not needing air conditioners during the day or night. It’s time to explore a house.

Pak Hardi says around 120 families are dwelling in the kampung, with about 360 household members in total. He leads me to the living room of a house that doesn’t look much different from many other traditional houses in rural Indonesia, except that it is completely made of bamboo and wood.

PAK HARDI LEADING ME TO THE KAMPUNG NAGA HOUSES

The Village that Lives in the Past

BY PRAMOD KANAKATH

C

limbing down the 260-odd steps that descend to the foot of rice terraces and narrow alleys, I glimpse the triangular-shaped top facades of symmetrically placed houses. From afar, they look like myriad heads of some mythical beast watching out for intruders. It is past ten in the morning, but the mist still hangs in the air after an overnight rain. I walk down carefully with Pak Hardi, who was born and brought up in Kampung Naga, but now lives a little while away after his marriage. He continues to come here as one of the official guides to this traditional village.

As we walk through the alleys, the rice fields give off their fresh morning smell; that’s one of the first signs of being in a village. The paddies stand up majestically in front of Pak Hardi and me, layers and layers of greenery splash under the morning sun. A villager walks past us, shouldering four stalks of bananas, suspended on a pole cut from a tree branch. “That’s a bounty for the day,” I smile at him, curious at his effortless movement, and delighted to see the bananas.

Pak Hardi points to the terrace style of bamboo houses as we near them. The land of the Kampung Naga community has slopes, the reason for the houses to be built on separate terraces. There are around six terraces, each holding ten to 12 houses. Each level of the terraces is about two metres high and is made of stones. The terraces with stones extend down to the nearby Ciwulan River in order to prevent flooding during the rainy season and also to act against landslides. Pak Hardi reminds me of the complicated topography of the village, with its slopes cascading down to the river. “But we are prepared.

This architecture is our best defence against natural disasters.”

The approximately four hectares of Kampung Naga village is divided into forest, village, and rice fields. A sacred forest called Leweung Keramat covers the east-west area. This remains untouched and unused as it is the resting place of Sembang Eyang Dalam Singaparna, an ancestor of Kampung Naga society. The houses and the rice fields are situated in the south.

Whether it be in the living room or the kitchen or the bathroom, the kerosene lamps shine bright, leading families from one place to another, creating long shadows on the walls that I used to love during an occasional power outage in my boyhood days.

Paintings of Sundanese villages, traditional Muslim hats, and other decorative pieces hang randomly on the walls. Pak Hardi shows me a small, bamboo stick-made mouth organ the villagers play during their leisure time.

They make them here as part of their art and craft projects. He plays a tune for me which is a close adaptation of popular Sundanese music that you usually hear in restaurants and hotels. The living room has a couple of bamboo chairs and a mat on the floor to sit and have casual conversations.

Pak Hardi leads me to the kitchen; a very traditional setup, giving impressions of minimalism at its best. For someone who has lived in pre-1960s Indonesia, the sight of a traditional fire stove with a concrete base can evoke emotional feelings. He keeps a bowl on top of a cylindrical-shaped aluminium vessel on the stove. He puts in some rice and pours water over it, demonstrating the way they cook rice.

Pak Hardi shows me the perforated holes on the roof through which the smoke gets out. Whether it be in the living room or the kitchen or the bathroom, the kerosene lamps shine bright, leading families from one place to another, creating long shadows on the walls that I used to love during an occasional power outage in my boyhood days. This is one of several reasons why Kampung Naga is different from other traditional Sundanese settlements – no electricity.

We take a walk outside where the families gather during important occasions or when the Kepala Keluarga (head of the family) wants to make announcements. A gong is hung, placed on a wooden stand here. The gong sounds to call the household members during gatherings. Going down a few steps from the gong is an open space between two rows of houses where the husk is spread out under the sun to dry. The Kampung Naga community is traditionally an agrarian society that depends heavily on farming of rice, bananas, and some vegetables.

HOW TO GET THERE Kampung Naga is located about 26 kilometres from Garut, which is about an hour and a half from Bandung, in the village of Neglasari. If you are driving from Jakarta, it might take about five to six hours depending on traffic conditions. This may not be an ideal destination for a day trip, so staying at one of the hot spring resorts at Cipanas, Garut for a night or two after the visit is highly recommended.

PAK HARDI PLAYING A MOUTH ORGAN

THE BANANA MAN ON HIS WAY TO KAMPUNG NAGA

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Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

JAKARTA

Golden Ballroom Love Story at The Sultan Hotel and Residence Jakarta

BOGOR

Shawn Mendes Makes Indonesian Debut in Shawn Mendes: The Tour Asia A concert debut in Indonesia by Shawn Mendes gained an overwhelmingly positive reaction from his loyal fans as their wishes over many years finally came true. With the theme “Shawn Mendes: The Tour Asia” the tour started in Bangkok on October 1 and will end in Tokyo on October 16, 2019. This Asian tour is a part of the world tour which kicked off in Amsterdam earlier this March and is scheduled to end in Mexico City in December 2019.

Promoted by AEG Present, MTG, PK Entertainment, and Sound Rhythm, along with Traveloka and Cornetto as sponsors, this concert attracted thousands of fans from across Indonesia just to see their idol in the flesh for the very first time. In spite of the rainy day, it did not hinder their excitement to come to Sentul International Convention Centre, Bogor on Tuesday October 8, 2019.

He opened his concert with “Lost in Japan” and continued with “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back,” “Nervous,” and his other hit songs. With a total of 22 songs, the concert ran for about 2 hours.

Shawn Mendes, a 21-year-old Canadian singer and songwriter, who initially rose to fame through singing cover songs on the now-defunct video-sharing site Vine, made his mark on the international pop scene with his song “Stitches” in 2015. Some of his most well-known songs are “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” and “Treat You Better” which reached the top ten in many countries. In 2018, he became the first artist to achieve four number-one singles in Adult Pop Songs before the age of 20.

JAKARTA

Trattoria October Promo at Aston Priority Simatupang Hotel

Golden Ballroom Love Story was a traditional Indonesian and international wedding exhibition presented by The Sultan Hotel and Residence Jakarta, from October 5 to 6, 2019. For the exhibition, the hotel partnered up with wedding organiser Akuwedding. There were around 50 wedding vendors at the exhibition, including bridal houses, photographers, wedding decorators, pre-wedding photo services, invitation printers, jewellery merchants, medical clinic providers, and many more.

“It is the first wedding exhibition ever held in this hotel’s newly opened ballroom: the most sophisticated in town. Currently, about 90 percent of weddings held at our establishments are traditional Indonesian weddings, so we have a target to have more different themes of weddings like international, Chinese, even Indian weddings,” said the general manager of The Sultan Hotel and Residence Jakarta, Fintan O’Doherty.

The wedding exhibition opened at 10am with a traditional Betawi dance called Nandhak Ganjen and a Javanese dance called the Peacock Dance, performed by Sanggar Bintang Nusantara.

On the next day, fashion designer Hengki Kawilarang presented a solo fashion show, themed Beauty Reincarnation. “In this fashion show, all of our wedding attire was richly adorned with sequins and crystals.

A lot of bling is usually preferred so I presented nostalgic fashion bridal touches that I predict will return as next year’s trend,” said Hengki.

Inspiring talks were also presented.

Investashe delivered one about how to manage financial planning for weddings,

Aston Priority Simatupang Hotel and Conference Centre offers an interesting promotion called Trattoria. The hotel will be serving penne, fettuccine, gnocchi, and fusilli combined with high-quality salmon, fresh prawns, red beans, and spinach only available during October and November 2019 at the Canary Coffee Shop and LA Lounge, starting from Rp75,000++ per person.

Pasta lovers can enjoy a variety of classic Italian meals such as a creamy fettuccine salmon and Spinach pasta - fettuccine served with salmon spinach and a creamy cheese sauce; a Mozarella shrimp fusilli pasta Pomodoro pasta - fusilli with fresh prawns covered with mozzarella cheese and Pomodoro sauce; penne in Manzo cherry tomato and kidney bean pasta - penne with a special cherry tomato and bean sauce; and lastly gnocchi pesto with mushroom and spinach - gnocchi mixed with basil leaves, mushrooms, and spinach.

"The Trattoria menu is made to introduce typical Italian food that we make with fresh and quality ingredients at an affordable price to the visitors of Aston Priority Simatupang Hotel and Conference Centre," said the hotel's executive chef, Chef Djoko Hendrasto.

Merame Tour and Travel conducted one about how to have a memorable honeymoon tour for newlyweds, Hastana gave advice on how to choose a reliable wedding organiser, Medikaloka launched their “health in a box” campaign, Hijabers Community shared about how to build a great marriage, and, last but not least, Female Daily had a very interesting discussion on the dos and don’ts before the wedding day.

A cooking demo by the hotel’s executive chef, Andry Steafnus, presented a salmon croute alongside celebrity couple Haykal Kamil and Tantri Narimah. Furthermore, a beauty class by LT Pro was held at the Kudus Area where a new highlighter was launched. The raffle prize winners, revealed on October 6, 2019, gave couples a chance to win exciting prizes such as a honeymoon stay-cation at Bangkok, Thailand from Merame & Travel and sister hotels of The Sultan in Bandung, Surabaya, and Makassar, then free pre-marital check-up and medical consultations from Medikaloka, beautiful wedding rings from Jewellry Anda, and also skincare packages from SLVR Clinic.

About the Sultan Hotel and Residence Jakarta Nestled in the strategic hub of Jakarta’s commercial district, the city’s five-star landmark establishment, the Sultan Hotel Jakarta, is connected to the Jakarta Convention Centre and strategically located within walking distance to the offices of multinational corporations, international shopping malls, the entertainment district, and sporting venues.

Aston Priority Simatupang Hotel and Conference Centre is conveniently located next to Arkadia Business Park, with easy access to the Jakarta-Bintaro toll Road. Equipped with 277 rooms, these rooms are fitted with the latest technological kit such as internet-based TV and motion sensors that can help guests control power for AC and other items by just moving the body. Also, fast internet speeds can be enjoyed in every room, as well as the hotel's common area.

In addition, the hotel is equipped with 15 meeting rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 700 people.

Other facilities include the Canary Coffee Shop that will entertain guests with a variety of buffet spreads and Asian and Western drinks, Momiji Restaurant which will pamper every visitor with Japanese specialties, a fitness centre, spa, and swimming pool for adults and children.

Use the promo code BOOKDIRECT at simatupang. astonhotelsinternational.com or download the Archipelago International Membership app for a special rate of stay.

Follow @astonsimatupang on social media and share your moments with #astonhotelsinternational.

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Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

JAKARTA

First Golf Academy for Boarding Students in Indonesia The Hills Golf Academy has launched Indonesia’s very first golf academy for boarding students, in association with the President Golf School at Jababeka Golf Club, Indonesia.

Director of The Hills Golf Academy, Tom Berndt, is thrilled to establish this world class program in Indonesia, providing the opportunity for students to play in international golf tournaments and access further coaching at leading US academies.

“The Hills Academy produces leading players from across Asia – the opportunities it creates on the international stage are so exciting for Indonesia,” said Tom. As a first for the country, the Academy has also partnered with USA premier club fitting company, Henry Griffitts, becoming the only club fitting system in Indonesia to also fit left-handers, suited for both adults and juniors.

HG International Education Director, PGA Professional Steve Darmody, says correctly fitted equipment enhances the world class instruction students will receive at the Hills Indonesian Academy.

“It’s vital that up and coming champions have correctly fitted equipment to ensure their potential is maximised. HG pioneered custom club fitting in 1983 and has been an educational provider to the USPGA for many years,” explained Steve.

The Indonesian Academy will follow the Hills model and pathway, to gain scholarships into US colleges, in addition to the PGA IGA program in Australia, similar programs in the US or their home countries, as well as Q schools in Asia. Previously, The Hills Academy has also produced and mentored some of the world’s leading pros including multiple tour winner, Jason Day and emerging stars Rugthai (Bright) Thongsom and Mirabel Ting.

Championing leading golfers of the future, the highly successful international Hills Golf Academies are established in Queensland, Australia, Lion Lake Golf Club, Qingyuan, China, Mickelson Golf Club and Yongchang Private School, Shanghai and now at Jababeka Golf Club in Indonesia.

events

24 JAKARTA Conference

phone: +622183796833, mobile: +6281294292503, email: info@ homedec.co.id, or visit our website: www.homedec.co.id

Inblocks Conference 2019 19 – 20 November 2019

Tokocrypto proudly presents the first Indonesia Blockchain Wee,k focusing primarily on sustainable development of blockcha in solut ions.

INBLOCKS 2019, the highlight event, together with plenty of a m a z i ng ne t work i ng opportunities, meetups, and parties, will span through the whole of Indonesia Blockchain Week. Tokocrypto has a bold aim of leading the great nation of Indonesia towards becoming the leading blockchain hub in Asia, and INBLOCKS is the answer. INBLOCKS aims to achieve this by creating a productive environment for project managers, business partners, and curious minds to gather and share valuable insight. Visit www.tokocrypto. com to get more information.

Xu Bing: Thought and Method at Museum Macan 23 August 2019 – 12 January 2020

Xu Bing: Thought and Method is the first and biggest Xu Bing retrospective exhibition in South East Asia, also doubling as his first major solo presentation in Indonesia. The exhibition at Museum MACAN will feature over 60 works created over 40 years, including drawings, prints, installations, f ilms, and archival material. Xu Bing: Thought and Method is a collaboration between Museum MACAN and UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China. Click www. museummacan.org for more info.

Exhibition

teamLab Future Park HOMEDEC Indonesia 2019 11 July – 27 October 2019

HOMEDEC, a home design and interior exhibition, will be returning with its 5th annual edition this year. HOMEDEC Indonesia 2019 will be held on October 24 – 27, 2019 at ICE BSD City, Tangerang. This year’s theme is “Your Home Your Style”, HOMEDEC Indonesia has been continuously positioned as the only home show that presents ideas, solutions, inspiration, and innovations to homeowners.

The exhibition is an effective platform for the renovation, redecoration, and refurbishment business sectors to take part in exploring new business opportunities, creating sales, and expanding your market share and branding, amongst the industry players. HOMEDEC also serves as a medium for industry professional to connect, collaborate, and build business connections during event.

For more information about HOMEDEC, please contact by

20 June – 20 December 2019

Jakarta will have another art exhibition for the next couple of weeks. Sorak Gemilang Entertainment (SGE) Live invited teamLab from Japan to hold an exhibition called “teamLab Future Park ” at Gandaria City, South Jakarta.

There will be f ive digital installations in the exhibition: Animal Flowers, Symbiotic Lives, Graffti Nature: Lost, Immersed and Reborn, Sliding through the Fruit Field, Sketch Aquarium, Light Ball Orchestra.

For more information, visit us at www.sgelive.com INDOCOMTECH 2019 30 October – 3 November 2019

INDOCOMTECH Is dedicated to all digital creative society in Indonesia. As the most awaited event by both consumers and entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the show will be geared up with several exciting exhibitors, both local and international. There

are many reasons why you should get involved at Jakarta Convention Center. The entrance fee is priced at Rp25,000 for Wednesday – Thursday and Rp30,000 for Friday – Sunday.

For more information, visit www.indocomtech.net

Littrell will entertain their fans in Jakarta International Expo (JIEXPO) Kemayoran. They will sing their new songs from their new album, as well as their legendary music such as “Quit Playing Games With My Heart”, “I Want It That Way”, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”, “Incomplete”, “Shape Of My Heart”, “Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely”, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, and other classics. Tickets are on sale now, with prices ranging from Rp900,000 to Rp3,500,000.

For more information, visit: www.bsbjakarta.com

Music

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

original Arabic language of the Quran, making easy to learn and accessible regardless of a person's native tongue. We want to empower as many students and teachers around the world as possible with our unprecedented Qur'anic language curriculum and hope to create a worldwide network of students that learn from each other and their instructors and remain connected, indefinitely.

Join us today to begin your journey! Please visit w w w. dreamworldwide.net and refer to the FAQ section for all questions and contact information.

Competition

world’s most pressing concerns, the main programme takes place from 24–27 October, 2019.

Spanning 70 sessions, the main programme is held across three venues: Festival Hub @ Taman Baca, Indus Restaurant, and NEKA Museum, which are all within walking distance on Jl. Raya Sanggingan. A free shuttle runs between each venue and Museum Puri Lukisan on Jl. Raya Ubud every 30 minutes, from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Visit www.ubudwritersfestival.com.

Music

Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) 2020 I like Monday with Music Travel Love

19 – 25 October 2019

19 November 2019

The biggest fashion show in Indonesia, Jakarta Fashion Week 2020, will be held at Senayan City, marking the new face of fashion week in the country with a fresh logo, a variety of campaigns, fashion shows, and more sustainable movements. Starting with the Search for JFW 2020 Icons, this fashion week is going to bring a series of events to promote homegrown industry and talents. A number of rising designers will be presenting their collections during Indonesian Fashion Forward. JFW also calls upon future talent by organizing a menswear designer and accessories design competition.

Don’t forget to visit Fashionlink; a platform to connect fashion designers with their customers.

In collaboration with local and international community organisations, Jakarta Fashion Week plans to promote sustainable industries in the upcoming event in October. For more information about Jakarta Fashion Week 2020, visit www. jakartafashionweek.co.id

Music Travel Love was formerly known as Endless Summer.

They are Bob and Clint Moffatts of the Moffatts. They will bring their music to Jakarta in an intimate acoustical performance. The ticket price is Rp400.000, including tax.

For a seated dinner and meet and greet package, WhatsApp message +6281382982229 by text only. Email can be sent to customer.care@hardrockcafejakarta.com for more info.

Backstreet Boys: The “DNA World Tour” 26 October 2019

Backstreet Boys are undertaking a world tour to promote their newest album called “DNA”.

The “DNA World Tour” started on 11th May 2019 in Portugal, and has already gone around European countries, North America, and made its way to Asia. Indonesia will be part of the world tour on 26 October, presented by Third Eye Management (TEM) and PK Entertainment. AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, and Brian

Networking Dream World Wide in Jakarta

EdTechX Startup Pitch Competition - Indonesia 29 October 2019

Arabian Nights Join us for the Indonesian edition of the EdTech X Ecosystem Events - a series of f ive local startup pitch competitions aiming to feature entrepreneurs transforming the future of learning and work in Asia and Australia.

In collaboration with local partners, we'll be showcasing 5-6 local startups who will be pitching to a panel of esteemed judges, including investors and industry leaders. The winner, selected by these judges and the audience in attendance, will receive the chance to speak in front of 1200+ global thought leaders at the annual EdTechX summit in London as part of the final Global Startup Super League Competition in June 2020. For more information: www.edtechxasia.com.

BALI Conference Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 23 – 27 October 2019

20 November 2019

It is the grand vision of the Dream World Wide programme to allow learning of the

From intimate conversations with leading authors, artists, thinkers, and performers, to fiery debates on some of the

22 November 2019

Middle Eastern Feast with Belly Dancers and DJ from Dubai at Living Light Bali. 1,001 reasons to come. We invite you to our magical Arabian Night under the stars of Ubud. Share this evening with friends, family, and like-minded people in the lovely and beautiful community space of the Living Light Bali.

For food, the most amazing Middle Eastern buffet you have ever tasted will be served. You can enjoy an enchanting belly dance team. Also, a DJ – music at it’s best. Let’s dance and enjoy modern, oriental rhythms. The Middle Eastern feast includes a variety of fresh salads, tasty dips, individually designed and fragrant main dishes, oriental barbeque, and delicious desserts from different cuisines around the Middle East. Our chef is a Middle Eastern specialist and together we will embark on a culinary journey. Grab your ticket here: https://www. e v e n t b r i t e . c o m /e/a r a b i a n nights-tickets-76632699467?af f=ebdssbcitybrowse

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Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

Business Directory

TO BOOK SPACE ON THIS DIRECTORY PAGE, CALL: 021 2953 8871

EASTERN PROMISE Business hours: 10 am ‘till late Jl. Kemang Raya 5, Kemang p:(021) 7179 0151 e: lensterwee@gmail.com

SERVING BEER & CURRY SINCE 1989

I Feel Dizzy!

I feel lightheaded…. I feel dizzy…. It is a complaint that is not unusual. Could it be the traffic or life in Jakarta? It is usually not a sign of anything serious. We do advise, it should be investigated by a doctor.

Some people can be vague and can be caused by several things. It may not always be easy to identify the underlying cause of dizziness.

This article is written to explain what you should do if you feel dizzy and what the most common causes of dizziness are.

It is a good idea to keep a diary of your dizziness. What were you doing and how long did it last. Did you have any other symptoms like fainting, vomiting, nausea, blurred vision, headache or hearing problems.

It can also be a possible side effect of medication.

You may be referred for further tests and investigations.

See your GP! The GP should be your first port of call. This is especially true when you suffer from fainting and headaches at the same time.

By taking a good history your doctor has to establish exactly what you mean by dizziness and determine if you are not actually describing vertigo where you feel your surroundings are spinning or moving around. It is also important to know: • Did it start for no apparent reason, or if it followed an illness?

• Are they repeated episodes of dizziness?

• How long does the dizziness last?

It can be caused by an ear condition. When the dizziness occurs when you are in the upright position it is probably not related to the ear. Dizziness when you are lying down is usually caused by a viral ear infection.

Dr Steven Graaff,MD,MRCGP, the founder of Good Practice Clinic is a graduate of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Before completing his formal training in General Practice in the UK, he worked in several hospitals, occupational health and general practice in the Netherlands and the UK. As a medical professional with international experience,Steven decided to start his own clinic – Good Practice, in Jakarta

Common causes of dizziness • Inner ear infection (Labyrinthitis) that affects your hearing and balance, this can cause a form of dizziness called vertigo • Migraine • Stress or anxiety • Low blood sugars (usually seen in diabetics) • Sudden fall in blood pressure when you sit or stand up.

This goes away after lying down.

• Dehydration (caused by not drinking, vomiting, diarrhea or fever).

• Decreased blood flow in the brain, which may be caused by blocked blood vessels.

Other causes of dizziness • A severe illness that is affecting your whole body • Drugs and alcohol • Some medication, like antidepressants or blood pressure medication • Heart rhythm problem Our advice is to discuss any concerns with your trusted medical practitioner. It is important that you identify a clinic that you are comfortable with.

Good Practice has patients from 66 countries. Our all English speaking tem implements international guidelines. We provide highly personalised care.

Try us!

Jl. Bangka Raya #106B Jakarta 12730 Tel. +62-21-7183140 info@goodpractice.co.id

www.goodpractice.co.id

26

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

Expat Advertiser JAKARTA Cars/ Bikes for Sale

Kawasaki KLX250 - SuperMoto for sale. Bought in 2014 (on the road 2016). Mileage: 14,000km real (indicator @ about 20,000km due to smaller wheel size). Nice high quality upgraded parts: K&N high-flow air filter, Hinson Clutch components, Jardine RT5 Exhaust Muff ler, Pro Taper handlebars and extra set of rims tires included (trail).

B license plate Jakarta, papers, ta x and reg istration are complete. Regularly serviced at Kawasaki Fatmawati. Great bike and good for Jakarta roads as well as trips. Asking price Rp41 million (negotiable).

Available from September 27 (Kemang Cilandak Area). Call or WA Michael: +628118714599.

Email: michael_vdw@runbox. com Looking for Work I would like to recommend Bu Wasem for future employment. as we are moving away from Indonesia. Bu Wasem has been of tremendous support to my family over the last four years.

She is an excellent cook (both Western and Indonesian) and takes care of all household chores including cleaning, washing, groceries, etc. Also she has supported my wife and I take care of our 2-year old son.

Our son is extremely fond of her and regards her as an extra grandma. She also took care of our two dogs. Ibu was is diligent, ha rd-work ing, complet ely trustworthy and caring. She lives in South Jakarta and can work either on a live-in or livein basis. You can contact me at +6593890174 for any questions.

Ibu Restiany is fluent in Bahasa Indonesia and English and thoroughly experienced in teaching both languages. She understands how language is learned and knows how to encourage her students to maximize their language capabilities. She is also insightful, kind, creative in her teaching techniques, and a joy to talk too. She is also the author of published Indonesian learning books that you can buy online.

Highly recommended! If you’d like any further information, contact me, K ristin Leo ( k m le o 9@ y a ho o.c om) or Ibu Restiany directly (HP: +62852-86601466 or email: restiany2012@gmail.com)

Japanese to Indonesian or vice versa. Have been visiting Japan eight times. My work and social gatherings deal with Japanese people and Japanese companies.

Call or email (if out of the area). +6281380157687 or email: titin_sei@yahoo.com.

If you would like to get in shape fast & improve your overall health and fitness in Jakarta, I can help you achieve it without leaving your apartment complex.

My name is Andri and I’m a NASM International Certified Personal Trainer w ith seven years of experience training men and women of various ages, backgrounds and fitness level. I’m also certified in coaching TRX, Muaythai boxing, kettlebells, and many more. Let me bring a first class customised workout to your home and achieve your fitness goals in fun, safe and efficient manner. Sign up for free workout session at www. jakartafitnesscoach.com

Online Tarot reader , by appointment only via WA +6281807856883.

Looking MC for your kid birthday and social event, please call me: Paundra Hanutama +628179460145.

Indonesian authentic food.

Accepting catering orders for your events, birthday parties, artisans, wedding receptions, engagements and other events.

Please follow our instagram to check the menu or whatsapp +6281290070037.

Drum teacher available. 25 years experience. Studied in Australia, speaks excellent English. Will come to your home.

Beginner-advanced. Please WA Natalie at +62811135309.

Services

Hello, my name is Machda, I am an Austswim Qualified swim teacher (Australian accredited) and specialised in teaching children from 3 months old primary school aged children. I have a blue card (working with children card from Australia) and CPR certificate. I live in South Jakarta, and able to travel and give lessons at your own pool or any club pool in your area. I am enthusiastic and fantastic with children, so give me a buzz if you need a swim teacher for your children. Contact me on +6281905874271 or on my WhatsApp +61416639509.

Woman majored in the Japanese language from the prestigious Padjadjaran University is looking for translating assignments from

S e dc o Jaya Furniture, specialised in fabricated kitchen set, living room, dining room and interior design for home,

apartments, villas and offices with competitive price. Call: +628129204286 or email: ekopurwanto@sedcojaya.com KLOV INTERIOR, specialised in designing and building residential and commercial estates, exhibition and bazaar booth. Call: +6285889999920.

Location at BSD Serpong.

Are you new to Jakarta and would like to start learning Bahasa Indonesia? I have just the right person for you! I highly recommend my Bahasa Indonesia teacher Rini. She is a great teacher as she structures her classes well and gives you plenty of opportunities to talk and learn. I feel that I’ve improved so much with her just within a few weeks! Her fee for a one to one lesson is Rp300,000 /hour or Rp450,000 /lesson of 90 mins. All materials provided.

At your office or at your own home. She prefers around Kemang, Pejaten, Antasari, and Pondok Indah area. Please contact her at +628121861919 or sibarani1104@yahoo.com Piano lesson with an expat teacher in Kuningan, South Jakarta. More than 15 years of teaching experience, all ages and all levels. Contact for a free trial lesson: +6281281536030.

Email: littlemozartinjakarta@ gmail.com.

Professional washing for carpets, hand-made and machine-made.

Get your oriental hand knotted or machine-made carpets washed and be amazed by the results. For further inquiries please contact Shaun Dias (carpet expert) via WhatsApp: +6281385533395.

Native Italian and Spanish language teacher in Jakarta.

Private lessons at your home.

More than 10 years of experience with students of all ages.

Grammar and conversation lessons. Email me at sean. silla@gmail.com or WhatsApp to +6281298177496.

Property

Beautiful new full renovated house for rent. 2 storey + basement. 750m 2 + 1,000m 2 land with join pool. Located 10 minutes from Cilandak C ommercia l Estate. US$ 3,000/ month net excluding tax (negotiable). Call / WA owner at +62811180605.

House for sale in Kebon Jeruk (West Java). 5 minutes access to Jl. Panjang, strategic location.

Close to Permata Hijau and TOL road gate. Walking distance to McDonalds, Holicow, Pizza Hut and The Harvest. The house

is a combination of 2 houses put together (86m 2 + 87m 2).

Freehold. Asking price: Rp5.9 billion (negotiable). Contact via WA: +6281290070037 (direct owner).

Introducing a luxurious apartment called “Casa Domaine Prive”. Developed by PT Griyaceria Nusamekar, an alliance project of three leading property developers namely Lyman Group, Kerry Group, and Salim Group.

Strategically located at the heart of Jakarta’s CBD with direct access to Jalan Sudirman and Jalan KH Mas Mansyur and close to the future integration facilities/ TOD dukuh which formed the largest transit development orientation in Jakarta. Minutes away from lifestyle and financial hubs i.e. short distance to Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia Malls.

Casa Domaine Prive offers 2, 3, and ultra exclusive 4 bedroom units starting from ± 147sqm.

Please contact our marketing team for available units to buy or rent. Units ready to be occupied now.

For further details please contact Monica at +6281314201947.

House ready for rent: Cilandak Tengah TownHouse (strategic location, very close to Cilandak Town Square, Citos – less than 5 minutes. Jakarta International School is about 5-10 minutes and Kemang Area 5-10 minutes).

Address: Jalan Cilandak Tengah Raya no. 6 Kavling 10 – Jakarta Selatan. Building Size: about 400 m 2 (4,300 ft2). Bedroom: 4 (including 1 large master bedroom with big walking closet and bathroom). Bathroom: 3 (including 1 with bathtub).

Maid room: 2 with 1 bathroom.

Kitchen with brand new granite countertop island. Electricity: 16,500Watts. Solar cell Water heater. AC: 7 units. Garage: 2 cars + 2 cars at car port.

Swimming pool inside the house.

Appliance: large 2 door stainless steel refrigerator, microwave oven, washing machine with dryer. Gated security 24 hours, WA: +6282111548795.

Apartment for rent: Eminence Tower Level 26 (South facing) 142m 2 apar tment w ith 2 bedrooms (both with en suite bathrooms) and study/baby room. Full fitted kitchen and maid/ laundr y room. Full furnished (sofas, TV, dining table, beds, etc). Rent: Rp22 million/month (including service charges). Contact: Peter (+62813 8101 6095 or email: pjhogg@ gmail.com)

27

Indonesia Expat Issue 248 | 23 October – 5 November 2019

Next submission

OCTOBER 30, 2019 Send your classifieds to: info@indonesiaexpat.biz

Selling fast! 2 stories boarding house/private home at Kramat Lontar, Senen. Close to UI. Great condition. Area 506m 2, building area 221m 2. With 18 bedrooms/9 bathrooms/4 living rooms/1 maid room. Garage fits 4 cars. 7,900Watt electricity.

Jet pump + 2 telephone lines.

Certification. Asking price: Rp17 billion. Call:+6287706188232.

Sherwood Apartment, Kelapa Gading Regent Twr, for rent. 12th floor, 148sqm, 3+1BR, 2+1Bth, brand new and fully furnished.

Rp235 million/year. CP: Sylvie (+6282110611160).

Sp e cia l i se d i n pr op er t y consultant of BSD Serpong area lot, house, apartment, shophouses for business. For rent & sale 20 nice houses at BSD City premium area Full furnished apt: 1 unit at Pondok Indah Golf, Treepark BSD, Bintaro Parkview, Bassura City, Kemang (Special rate). Contact: Vera: +6287883829999 (WA).

Apartment Bassura City 10 minutes to Kuningan. Size 32m 2. Type 2 bedroom plus 1 bathroom. Furnished with 2 air conditioners and 1 master bed 180 x 200m. Kitchen set is complete with cooktop 2 stoves and smoke suction. The rental price is Rp50 million per year.

The selling price of Rp 650 million. Call: +6281381375554.

The Peak Sudirman Apartment: Jl Setiabudi Raya, Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan. Prime location, close to MRT Station. Bedrooms: 3 + 1 maid room. Bathrooms: 3 + 1 maid bathroom. Fully furnished. Facilities: maidroom and bathroom, balcony, service area, swimming pool, fitness gym, spa & sauna, function room & lounge, barbeque area.

Price for rent US$2,700 /month.

Minimum one year leasing. To viewing the unit, please kindly contact Erfi: +6281977403529.

Email: erfinaty_tan@yahoo. com

Personal

Colourful vegan hair dyes distributor from USA and UK. Manic Panic, Directions, Alfaparf. Product gallery on IG: Manicshopid. +6281381375554.

Expat leaving in December. For sale: Kijang Innova G 2005, treadmill (large), piano (Petrof, 2002). Various furniture in/ out-door: water dispenser, table lamps, raffles chairs, cupboards, pots/plants, beds, sofa set. All at low prices. Location at Kemang.

Phone/WA: +628121059119 (Robert) Expat leaving. For sale: used furniture like beds, sofa sets, dining table and chairs, and a few other odd things. Contact: +62816107647.

Expat living in Jakarta. If you need a good personal driver, honest, friendly with children, experienced working at expat for 4 years. 30 years old. Do not hesitate to contact Saiful (+6281387031606). Saif ul f inished contracting this month, so in November, Saiful was available. Hopefully there is an expat who really needs Mr. Saiful's energy. thank you.

For more information, please contact: mileclare0@gmail.com Household Staff Cook/Housekeeper available five days a week in Pondok Indah or Kemang. Experienced, honest, reliable, mature, English speaking. Ideal for apartment cleaning, excellent laundry skills and capable of learning all your favourite dishes and cooking from your favourite recipe books! Please call Ibu Yuni +6281543328167 directly (no SMS) or contact her employer cguyler@hotmail.com.

Pak Salli has worked for our family for over two years and he is an honest, responsible and reliable driver. He ferries us to and from work, and occasionally the kids from JIS and from play dates etc. He is very reliable and hardworking and rarely misses

Personal classifieds = FREE Property and other commercial classifieds = PAID (50 words = Rp.100,000 | 50 words + image = Rp.250,000)

a day off work. He has been with embassy families for years and is familiar with popular expat and Embassy places.

Please contact him directly on +6287720553953. I can also be contacted for a phone reference on +628179311233.

BALI Jobs Available We are looking for an outgoing, friendly and people oriented person to become our f loor manager at our bar and restaurant in Canggu. Job duties and responsibilities: manage and oversee the entire restaurant operation, deliver superior guest services, ensuring guest satisfaction, respond efficiently to customer questions and complaints, organise and supervise shifts, manage and lead staff, hire new employees, training and evaluate staff performance, estimate consumption, forecast requirements and maintain inventory, manage restaurant supplies, control costs and minimise waste, nurture a positive working environment, monitor operations and initiate corrective actions, implement i n novat ive st rat eg ie s t o improve productiv ity and sa les.R equirement s: good level of English is mandatory, minimum of 2 years of experience as a restaurant manager or similar role or/and customer service management, computer literacy, familiarity with restaurant management software, experience in event planning, strong leadership, motivational and people skills, good financial management skills, critical thinker and problem-solving skills, team player, good time-management skills, great interpersonal and communication skills. Please note that this job is aimed for Indonesian citizen only. Work 6 days a week. Salary will be offered according to successful candidate’s experience and knowledge. Send your CV to helloeiren@gmail.com.

My wife and I run a small but growing school-home. We are on the lookout for another teacher or teacher’s helper to join our growing family. Unfortunately, at this time we are only looking

for local teachers. If you have experience, speak and write English f luently and want to join a fun relaxed workplace then please send your CV to communitylearningbali@gmail. com Wanted: part-time tutors!

TUTOROO is looking for private language tutors (no experience required!), to teach Indonesian, German, Russian, English or any language. Mostly on a conversational basis, you can earn up to Rp200,000/ hour where and when you want to. We will find you customers, students who are willing to pay you to practice your mother tongue with you in Jakarta. You can register your profile at www. tutoroo.co. It will only take you 2 minutes to submit your profile and no experience is required.

Sign up today!

Property Daily rental villa Seminyak , walking distance to 66 Beach.

Villa Three Seminyak is one of the best Villa in seminyak for your holiday in Bali.

Strategically located in the prime location of Seminyak and vibrant of Legian and only 5 minutes taxi drive to seminyak beach. Our three-bedrooms modern Balinese style villa with private pool, open living large pool, very perfect for a honeymoon or family. Can cater to a family or close group of friends seeking quality time out together with open-air living space with lounge, dining table and fully equipped kitchen for home-style villa life. Very close to shopping centre, beach, atm, money changer, restaurants, boutique shops, spas, and all other tourist attractions destinations. Price Rp2.5 million/night (price on low season). Peak price is additional Rp300,000/night. For more information please contact me at +6282236716500 (WhatsApp) or via email at miguelseran@ gmail.com For rent a villa in Sanur.

Comfortable modern house villa style at Jl. Tukad Nyali Sanur, very close to Sanur International School. 3 bedrooms house with swimming pool in the private compound which make it very safe and quite in a good

location with affordable price.

Perfect place to call a home in Bali. Prefer for long-term rental.Facilities: swimming pool, 3 bedrooms with ensuite bathroom, maid room with bathroom, kitchen and dining area, living room, fully furnished, tv cable and wifi, AC and water heater, carport, 3,500VA electricity (safe energy), 10 minutes drive to Sanur beach.

Please contact the owner: CALL/WA/SMS +628577710 8888.

Escape Jakarta and come and stay in Ubud, Bali – a peaceful stay in the rice fields, staying at a traditional village, Pejeng Village, a short 4.5km from Ubud. A magical experience it’s your home away from home.

Special deal for Upper Crust families: US$213 per night (sleeps 6). Availability: October 23 to November 3. December 02, 2019 to January 2, 2020. Great rate for the month of December including Xmas and New Year.

Email for this special Upper Crust Special Rate. Phone or WhatsApp: +6281353486791.