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cr ip bs su ISSUE NO. 259 | 22 APRIL – 20 MAY 2020

JAKARTA • JAVA • BALI • LOMBOK • KALIMANTAN • SUMATRA • SULAWESI • WEST PAPUA

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Keeping Up with Work from Home Battling Corona with Computers How to Make Your Own PPE And many more...

JAKARTA FROM 10,000FT ABOVE (IMAGE BY MICHAEL ARSYI | IG: @MICHAELARSYI_)

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Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

MARKETING ADVISER

INDONESIA EXPAT

Edo Frese

edo@indonesiaexpat.biz EDITOR

Mirella Pandjaitan

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Anastasia Kathleen

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Contents

Dear Readers,

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Dian Mardianingsih (Jakarta)

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April is coming to an end, but what about the coronavirus outbreak? Who knows really...

In light of #dirumahaja, or staying at home, Jakarta and other cities across the country are following the large-scale social restrictions, known as PSBB, approved by the health minister.

Do you think it’s really helping to flatten the curve? Businesses and employment levels are going downhill. People are going nuts having to stay at home, regardless of if they’re alone or with their families. The absence of human interaction is psychologically messing up everyone’s wellbeing, too. Health professionals and COVID-19 positive patients are sadly dying by the day. At this point, we all just want this virus to stop so we can “live our normal lives”; go outside, meet our loved ones; eat some street food once again.

17th floor, Pondok Indah Office No. 29, Pd. Pinang, Kebayoran Lama, Jakarta Selatan 12310 T: +62 21 2953 8871 Office hours: 09.00–17.00 Monday–Friday

Opinions Expressed in this publication are those of the writers and the publisher does not accept any responsibility for any errors, ommisions, or complaints arising there from.

No parts of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part, in print or electronically without permission of the publisher. All trademarks, logos, brands and designs are copyright and fully reserved by PT. Koleksi Klasik Indonesia.

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10 MENTAL HEALTH Feeling Uneasy is Natural

12 WORK FROM HOME Battling Corona with Computers

As Indonesia Expat is going monthly for the time being, this Health and Technology issue is focusing on giving you insight on some ideas to help you get by in your days of with a brighter note. There are plenty of ideas to share, such as top deliveries and such on the website, indonesiaexpat.biz so make sure to check it as well!

MEET THE EXPAT Eric Schmidt – Co-Founder and CEO of EventBank

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You’re probably sick of watching or reading the news on COVID-19. Indonesia Expat’s Instagram and Facebook accounts @indonesiaexpat invite you to send in videos or pictures of your life in isolation. You can showcase how you work and/or study from home, your favourite pastime activities, dance covers, anything! So if you think you want to share something unique, send it over to those social media accounts and we’ll post selected submissions to our feed.

STRESS MANAGEMENT Stress, Stress Go Away, Don't Come Back Any Other Day

All we can do now is to follow the government’s policies to keep the country safe, healthy, and sane.

SPORTS APP Cold Sweat

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Happy reading!

THERAPY Art Therapists are not Art Teachers

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Edo Frese

ANNOUNCEMENT

22 DO-IT-YOURSELF How to Make Your Own Personal Protective Equipment

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08 SOCIAL DISTANCING Social Media Challenges: Bright Side of Quarantine

Aside from maintaining good physical health, we often neglect our mental well-being. It’s all connected. Luckily, some of us are blessed to have the technology to help us live our lives from the comfort of our homes. Though it’s not ideal, we still have to wing it.

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WORK FROM HOME Keeping Up with Work from Home

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work from home

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

Keeping Up with Work From Home

BY ANASTASIA KATHLEEN

Annie: Yes it’s more convenient. We can lie down and take a break when we want. Also, there is more flexibility in doing things our way.

David: I actually like both, but if I have to choose one over the other, I would work from home. I can blast the music in my room, which is something I can’t do at the office. Also, by working from home, I get to spend less money on transport and parking.

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veryone has different techniques for managing their time, especially with being confined at home, where you have more distractions than when you’re in an office space. Whether you’re a teacher, employee, or a student, getting work done while still doing other activities and chores at home such as spending time with family, working out, cooking, or cleaning the house can get overwhelming.

You might end up sitting in front of a screen for hours before getting to do other leisure activities. However, after it’s all finished, you’re already tired and then just end up leaving the other important things you wanted to do floundering unchecked at the bottom of your list.

The Pomodoro technique is one where you break work down into intervals of 25 minutes and take short breaks in between it. It’s possibly already being used by many of us without even knowing the official term. This technique helps people to be more productive when working or studying from home, while still managing to keep their stress levels low.

What other techniques are people using to cope with this recent situation? Indonesia Expat had the chance to e-interview some people with different occupations such as a teacher, student, and employees to understand the details of their personal coping mechanisms.

Coronavirus has been declared a pandemic.

How do you cope with it?

Patricia: During this pandemic, everything has still been able to be managed in terms of workload and household needs. Just preparing groceries, vitamins, and other things to be ready when they’re going to be needed.

Jessica: Staying positive is the key for me. Knowing that things will get better soon definitely pulls me out of worrying and stressing about the future.

Annie: It’s a challenge and it has affected us greatly. However, looking at it positively; no more fast food, no more excessive shopping, and focusing on something that you’re passionate about has helped me to overcome the trauma of it.

David: I limit myself in social meetings. Using digital tech is the best way to stay connected with people during the pandemic. On top of that, I eat healthy food and take vitamins to boost my immune system.

Are you working or studying from home? If yes, what are the applications or websites that you use?

Patricia: Yes, I’m working from home. I’m a strategic planner and I use Hangouts from Google for making conference calls

with my company. I also use Zoom when a meeting call or pitching presentation is needed to be conducted with clients.

Jessica: I’m a student, and yes, I’m studying from home.

Most of my teachers use Google Classroom; in my opinion, it’s the best online learning platform so far. Other than that, my teachers also use Microsoft team, Schoology, and communication applications such as Line and Whatsapp.

Annie: I’m an economics teacher. I use Google Classroom, Zoom, Line, and WhatsApp. David: I’m a marketing communication officer and a copywriter. I’m currently working from home so I use Office applications, Zoom, Gmail, and Whatsapp.

Any tips on how to work or study from home?

What are the things you need to prepare? What techniques do you use?

Patricia: Every time I have a conference call, I always prepare a notebook to write important things that might be forgotten later on. Then, writing a to-do list and what I have done are jotted in Excel to report in with the human resource team which will be checked every end of month.

Jessica: Definitely setting goals for studying such as finishing reading a chapter of a textbook for the day and avoiding procrastinating from those goals. Having your phone away can also help you avoid distractions.

Annie: Be focused and don’t take it too lightly. Have time for preparation and research. Don’t get distracted when you have to check your phone or laptop every now and then.

David: Do not stay up all night. Get some sleep. Not going to the office doesn’t mean you can wake up late. A duty is a duty.

Try to get the work done the day you are assigned it. Play some tunes to keep you entertained.

Do you like working or studying from home more than you did working in the office or studying at school? If yes, give us some positive reviews about working from home.

Patricia: Working from home is nice since I can relax a bit but still make sure everything is done on time. Moreover, no transportation fees are needing to be paid so it’s more efficient time-wise. However, I still do prefer working in the office at times, since face-to-face meetings are more effective and minimise any misunderstanding.

Jessica: Personally, I prefer studying at school because I find it hard to study in an environment where I usually rest and relax. It's more difficult for me to focus or even just wake up in the morning for classes. The only positive thing about studying from home, for me, is that I don't feel pressured to learn things so fast therefore I can take my time to fully understand the lessons.

How do you manage your time while staying at home and still doing other activities such as cooking, cleaning the house, working out, etc?

Patricia: Usually, I finish my work first; what should be done on the day, then I will start doing other activities like mostly cooking and exercising.

Jessica: I prioritise things that need to be done first. Since I have classes in the morning, I would try to finish all my tasks.

Then, I would carry out my daily chores and other activities.

Annie: Time management is very important. I usually just like working in the days, wake up early, and do the chores. My work-out schedule is also after school hours, just like usual.

David: I always try to get the work done; that’s the priority.

If one task is done, then I will have to wait for another one, if available. During the wait, I will do other activities. I also use my break time to work out a little.

The Pomodoro technique is also known as breaking work into 25-minute intervals, separated by short breaks. Will you try this technique or have you done it whilst not being aware it had a name?

Patricia: I think I’ve done this before whilst being unaware of the term. I always have short breaks for some snacks or looking through social media.

Jessica: No, I’ve never used that technique before.

Annie: I haven’t heard about it before. However, I do take a break between tasks.

David: This is a great technique because it can reduce your stress and boredom levels. It is also good for your eyes because watching a screen for too long can be risky for the eyes. I will definitely try this technique.

What are the struggles you’ve faced during working or studying from home?

Patricia: The struggle is that I can only ask for help from my seniors through WhatsApp or phone calls, while sometimes it can be better to ask directly face to face due to the time that I have to wait for them to reply to the message.

Jessica: Finding the motivation to start on my work immediately after getting assigned is difficult for me. Being at home, there are so many distractions around me that tempt me to stray away from starting on my school work. However, with the mindset that I can do anything without worrying if I finish all my work first, I force myself to do my tasks immediately after receiving them. I also like to set reminders on my phone in case I’m not able to do my tasks immediately.

Annie: It seems the workload is just the same. I handle it just like I handle the usual work situation, by prioritising the most important ones.

David: It’s the barrier in communication. Sometimes we are too lazy to type, or maybe my colleague interprets my messages in a different way which can lead to miscommunication.

Give us three words that explain working or studying from home for you.

Patricia: Flexible, depressing, and workload.

Jessica: Complicated, freedom, and independent.

Annie: Convenient, calm, and good.

David: Simple, effective, and responsibility.

social distancing

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Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGES

Bright Side of Quarantine

BY ANASTASIA KATHLEEN

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ately, there have been numerous social media challenges as social distancing begins to bed in. When we talk about social distancing, it may already have negative connotations, however, through these social media challenges, people might see a little silver lining after all.

Social media challenges are very diverse but the common theme is all of them are asking other followers to join in after you’ve watched one. It is a chain; an unending pattern. With the way these challenges work, people are likely to be interacting or even reconnecting with their followers or friends.

Some of the popular social media challenges making the rounds at the moment are: Until Tomorrow When you hit like on a photo that your friend posted with the caption “Until Tomorrow” on Instagram, you’ll probably get a DM from the person that asks you to post an embarrassing picture of you on Instagram for 24 hours, then eventually repeating the same cycle to the likers of your photo. This might be very hard to avoid, even when you already know not to like the pictures with that caption!

Username This requires people to post on their Instagram a story about the meaning of their username. Some users may have interesting or unusual usernames. Who knew that our Instagram usernames would have such deep meanings or just pure, funny, inside jokes!

Bingo Many e-commerce brands or communities are making templates for playing bingo that relates to them and their followers.

The challenge is meant to keep audience engagement high, despite the pandemic. A lot of users, surprisingly, are having loads of fun doing this challenge. As they unwind, they can still feel that sense of belonging to the group or community.

This or That Just like a fun trivia game, this challenge requires users to choose between two options.

Teenagers love this one, particularly because it reminds them of what they really like.

Spell your Name Workout Keeping in shape is a must during physical distancing! To make it fun, people are starting to do workout challenges on Instagram. The “spell your name workout” challenge is one of the ways to burn off those extra calories you’re getting from excessive snacking whilst being so close to the fridge. Each letter of the alphabet is assigned a specific workout, for example, C could be 15 pushups and A could be 15 burpees, and so on. Participants do the set of exercises accordingly to their name and in the right order.

After all, physical distancing can be so much fun if we look at the bright side.

Female Empowerment Challenge This challenge includes women tagging ten other women in their Instagram story.

Although this challenge is underrated, the message being delivered by this challenge needs some recognition. The challenge points out how some women tend to tear other women down or compete on social media – for likes to see who is prettier or more popular – and encourages women to build up the women they admire instead.

Historically speaking, social media challenges have been around since way before the coronavirus pandemic, such as the Ice Bucket Challenge or the InMyFeelings challenge.

Sure, it may be super annoying to see people posting the same challenges all the time on their accounts, but what could be a better way to kill off some time? Looking on the bright side, surely those challenges actually bring benefits to everyone in these tough and often boring times.

Michelle, a communication graduate, said her favourite one is the “Until Tomorrow” challenge as “it’s refreshing to see everyone’s embarrassing pictures after years of only wellcrafted pictures on Instagram,” she said.

Julianto, a marketing officer confirmed this.

“My company uses the "Bingo" challenge to keep their IG followers entertained as well as increasing the traffic. They also have TikTok competition for employees who are still working at the office. So they are asked to make TikTok videos about their activities during work. And the most creative video will be chosen and rewarded.”

See? After all, physical distancing can be so much fun if we look at the bright side. It increases online interaction with friends, and also unawarely spreads positive messages such as the “Until Tomorrow” challenge did to Michelle.

“From the social media challenges, we get a sense of unity; since we’re united by the same boredom and feeling of helplessness against our current condition, but it doesn’t deter us from having fun. It also makes us reach out to different people because maybe only certain people can or are willing to do certain challenges, and so on. All in all, it’s refreshingly entertaining and a way to communicate with people,” Michelle added.

mental health

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Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

Feeling Uneasy is Natural

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

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he world is going through an international crisis. Indonesia came late to the party – having government officials applauding how the country was coronavirus-free at the beginning of the year, and then underestimating the impact it could bring to the country’s economy and vitally, the well-being of its citizens.

Unlike other countries, Indonesia isn’t under full lockdown, yet it has implemented policies of physical distancing and a reduction in outdoor activities. Thus, schools, offices, hotels, and entertainment hubs, among other non-essential facilities, have been temporarily closed until further notice. Studying and working from home while also maintaining healthy minds and bodies is the new reality in today’s world. It has come as a shock to most, whilst others are having the time of their lives by just staying at home.

During this time of uncertainty, compounded by the loss of physical interaction, we are bound to feel distressed and unhappy.

Maintaining good general mental health is a journey, but when it’s mixed with physical distancing, it may increase mental trauma. Dr Jiemi Ardian, a psychiatrist and social media influencer, pointed out that this pandemic is not ideal for an individual’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviours.

“Being mentally healthy is not just about feeling, but also general welfare. During physical distancing, we don’t have to do emotional distancing too. The need to interact and understand others, especially the important people in your life, are still present. We need to meet these needs in safer ways such as using social media or a platform that assists video conferencing,” Dr Jiemi said.

Having a healthy soul means to believe in your potential as well as recognising and being able to overcome problems. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain physical health; exercise, consume well-balanced nutritional food, get enough sleep, follow a new pattern at home, stay emotionally connected with others, cope with emotions by using a strategy that has personally worked well in the past, and strategise the future including your financial arrangements.

However, our emotions and feelings are not in our hands now. Choosing to behave more wisely, regardless of the emotions that surface, is advisable. “Emotions and feelings are a response to our thoughts, reality, and actions. Nobody will stand to have to be stuck in their house continuously, and it's natural.

If the feeling of anxiety, fear, and confusion arises, then it is also natural,” Dr Jiemi added.

The dark and bright sides of the coronavirus pandemic should be acknowledged. Adjie Santosoputro, an emotional healing and mindfulness practitioner, claimed that it is natural for an individual to feel unease, therefore it’s a matter of fixing the mindset to neither overplay nor escape it. “It’s certainly an uncomfortable time, but sometimes, we need to learn to accept and embrace loneliness and grief. This is one way to make peace with the present condition,” counselled Adjie.

“This inconvenience contains the opportunity

techniques, and progressive muscle relaxing.

Adjie believes that news consumption is beneficial for knowledge, but should only be consumed appropriately. “Excessive media consumption will drain our energy instead,” Adjie said. Therefore, being mindful is highly encouraged. Put simply, mindfulness is being present; it’s when an individual learns to experience life as it is.

LEFT: DR. JIEMI ARDIAN RIGHT: ADJIE SANTOSOPUTRO

for us to recover the relationships that have been damaged – with families, friends, and ourselves.”

Nowadays, technology plays a vital role in rapidly informing the masses, yet it tends to spark uneasiness in an individual’s state of mind and feelings. “A psychosomatic complaint arises, resulting in excessive anxiety and perceived stress,” Dr Jiemi pointed out.

Fear, sadness, worry, and confusion are also some elements of the unease sparked from the coronavirus pandemic. But Dr Jiemi admires many doctors who are sharing through their respective social media accounts to spread awareness and support for the community, just like himself.

Anxiety over COVID-19 was already visible before the Indonesian government announced the first positive cases in early March. These emotional impacts shouldn’t get in the way of everyday life. Firstly, identify the dominant source of anxiety. Is it from the news? Is it from social media? Restrict information or only receive details from trustworthy sources.

Also, don’t forget to limit the amount of news and social media you consume. Allocate time to rest your body and mind; anxiety is also about the mind wandering. Some techniques can help you overcome anxiety when done routinely, according to Dr Jiemi, such as slow, deep breathing cycles, yoga, grounding

The mind is always wandering off to the future or revisiting the past. Overthinking derives from the mind’s defence mechanism based on anticipating the future and learning lessons from the past. Abolishing overthinking will otherwise cause the mind to overreact.

“Having peace of mind isn’t when the mind is empty from thoughts; keeping thoughts in a healthy manner will do,” Adjie clarified.

Distracting the mind from overthinking by going to the mall or meeting a friend was so easy just a few short weeks ago. “Emotional healing helps us to be aware of ourselves, especially with overthinking problems.

Everyone has crowded minds and tends to overthink, which is normal. Don’t reduce your thoughts – nurture the relationship with your mind because like it or not, it will always be crowded,” Adjie added.

Excessive media consumption will drain our energy instead.

Therefore, being mindful is highly encouraged. Put simply, mindfulness is being present; it’s when an individual learns to experience life as it is.

Both Dr Jiemi and Adjie offered several suggestions to overcome uneasiness, bearing in mind that not all suggestions would work for everyone. “Switch up the pattern at home to create novelty in your activities, although it will only reduce the intensity of emotions instead of replacing them positively. Do a simple workout then proceed with other activities that need to be done that day. It is important to build a sense of control,” Dr Jiemi explained. He also suggested to immerse yourself in hobbies such as gardening, indoor sports, writing, reading, or any other physical activities.

Furthermore, Adjie suggests meditation because it assists in mental and physical health, performance, and focus. Meditation restores inner well-being, as most problems arise from inner wounds, trauma, or emotional shocks. “It’s not complicated. Make time, both morning or night time or once a day, where you sit cross-legged, on a chair or bed with your eyes closed and become aware of your breath for at least five minutes,” Adjie explained. Though the mind will wander off into flashbacks or future visions, always remember to return to breath awareness.

The novel coronavirus pandemic doesn’t seem likely to globally wear off anytime soon, though. “Maybe we will be able to pass this all and grow from it,” Dr Jiemi commented.

Adjie similarly mused, “a negative situation will eventually lead to positivity and vice versa.”

Returning to normality is highly anticipated by people of all ages, yet to Adjie, there will be interaction discomfort in the future.

“Imagine if we’re in this situation for two to three months, our behaviour to physical interaction will change,” he clarified.

Praciticing mindfulness, as well as not being averse to time in nature or with other people could help when normality returns.

work from home

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Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

Battling Corona with Computers

BY JOANNE RUSHTON

D

uring the Great Plague of London back in 1666, a freshly graduated Sir Isaac Newton was locked down in the British countryside. At 23 years old, he was bored and curious. During his time avoiding the plague, he ended up inventing calculus and discovering the spectrum of light.

From one devastating pandemic to another, I think we can all understand how a mind could be driven to such creative madness. As you’ve played your computer games and made video calls with cute bunny ears, or turned yourself into a potato for your daily Zoom catch-up with your manager, you probably didn’t realise you had a pandemic to thank for the maths behind the dynamic images.

We may not be in full lockdown in Indonesia as I write this, but across the country, entertainment and tourist venues are shut down, beaches are closed, villages and whole islands are restricting access. We could be under much more stringent conditions; in Spain, you can get issued with a fine for taking a breather on a park bench. Yet the boredom is real, and the upheaval to our everyday lives is challenging.

Unlike Sir Isaac, we don’t have to resort to creating whole new swathes of mathematics during coronavirus times – we have technology. From staving off boredom to keeping in touch with loved ones, keeping us employed and keeping us safe, our everyday applications and websites have taken on a whole new meaning.

Once the home of cat videos, source of free music, and harbourer of crazy conspiracy theories, YouTube has become something much more important in our lives. Joe Wicks was just another fitness and lifestyle coach

plying his wares on the internet a few short weeks ago. Now, he’s giving a PE class every day on his channel, The Body Coach TV, and each video is amassing millions of hits as families do their daily jerks together.

Theatre companies are offering recordings of their shows on the platform, too. The channel The Show Must Go On is streaming an Andrew Lloyd-Webber classic production for two days every week. For something more highbrow, the Bolshoi ballet and opera house is streaming six of its shows online whilst no one can get to the theatre.

Only a few short years ago, such widespread sharing of exercise, entertainment, and culture would have been thought impossible.

YouTube, that is: a global pandemic has been on the cards for a fair few years. You can check out Bill Gate’s eerily accurate predictions of the current situation, on YouTube, in his TEDtalk from 2015.

It’s not just helping us to alleviate boredom and keep us out of the fridge for a few minutes longer. Technology has been harnessed by the scientists working to find a cure or a vaccine, too.

It was only 12 days after the first recorded case of coronavirus that Chinese scientists had decoded the genetic material of the virus.

It was promptly uploaded online, at a time when only virologists and epidemiologists really understood the devastating potential of this novel coronavirus. That ability to get the data about SARS-NCoV-2 shared quickly meant we got a running start on the disease.

The advent of superfast internet has meant scientists can share their data nearinstantaneously, feeding global studies of potential treatments. There are over 300 studies underway internationally into all

Whatever the dark side of technology during the coronavirus epidemic, it’s most definitely keeping the world turning as our social lives come to a grinding halt. elements of the coronavirus, from potential medicines to vaccines, to understanding the social impact of isolation. Without the ability to share this information, things would be moving a lot slower.

Another element speeding up humanity’s response to coronavirus is the ability to crunch the numbers. Gone are the days of paper and pencil and having humans doing all the work. Researchers are harnessing the best supercomputers in the world to fight the battle against corona. Combining the powers of 400,000 computers, and counting, Folding@Home is using the spare processing capacity of home computers to run simulations on the virus and try to find existing drugs that could fight it.

Science is very much bringing people together in the direct fight against the disease that seems to have first sprung up in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. But it’s not just the greatest minds on the planet that need the power of others. We, as mere human beings, need to interact with people too.

Unleashing the power of our smartphones, video chatting has taken off. For those who’ve been FaceTiming since Apple made it cool ten years ago, this might not seem like a big change, but Facebook alone has reported a 70 percent increase in group video calls in the last month. Meanwhile, the previously lesserknown Houseparty application has seen an almost 3,000 percent increase in downloads during March.

Making connections has been the narrative of technology for the last decade. Yet, there has been an interesting wave of negativity to the next generation of communications technology. A strange meme has spread across the internet, convincing some people that 5G mobile phone masts are responsible for the spread of coronavirus. Although utterly debunked, the theory still exists on Facebook in over thirty countries and masts are even being vandalised in the UK. Whatever the dark side of technology during the coronavirus epidemic, it’s most definitely keeping the world turning as our social lives come to a grinding halt. People are discovering that they don’t have to go into the office to work – a computer, an internet connection, and a quick download of Zoom or Skype is all a lot of people need to get the job done.

Of course, a lot of personal uses of technology come down to the devices we can buy and the connectivity we can afford. As much as plenty of us are lucky to lay eyes on our loved ones across the globe, there are even more people who don’t have that luxury at the moment.

For them, like the rest of us, all technology can do now is whiz through the calculations to find us a cure, and hope there’s no need for a whole new type of maths again because the world only gets one Sir Isaac Newton.

meet the expat

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CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF EVENTBANK

Eric Schmidt All in all, I’ve been in Asia for about 17 years. I love the dynamics, excitement, and energy in Asia. Then recently, I moved back to the US. I love being an entrepreneur to find solutions to problems and identif y ways to improve people’s lives w ith technolog y. My career has mostly been as an entrepreneur in the technology sector.

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ric Schmidt is one of the lucky few who gets to travel the world to handle his business, EventBank. As someone who has dived into the technology world as a student until becoming a technological entrepreneur, this co-founder and CEO of EventBank believes that technology can help social and economical factors of not just businesses, but also the people involved.

Eric sees both sides of the coronavirus pandemic. It profoundly brings challenges, yet at the same time, there are blessings in disguise. Indonesia Expat had the chance to chat with Eric via Zoom, where he discussed EventBank’s efforts to help businesses and communities to work efficiently with technology while also coming closing together, despite the lack of human interaction.

Please state your nationality and how often you visit Indonesia within a year.

I’m from the United States (US) and I generally come to Indonesia four to six times a year for the past six years. I also visit Bali for recreational purposes.

What brought you to Indonesia?

I was invited to speak on technology at a couple of events. Ever since then, the office in Indonesia was set up. I travelled more to Indonesia to learn about the market and see different organisations “go digital.”

So far, Bali has been my go-to holiday destination in Indonesia but I haven’t been there for a while now – not even for a vacation elsewhere.

Has anything surprised you since you first visited Indonesia? And what have you grown to love?

Certainly not the traffic. I don’t think anybody can ever love the traffic in Indonesia. Food is one of the best – there are so many kinds of foods to try and it never fails to impress me.

Spicy foods aren’t even a problem for me, well, depending on the spiciness.

Can you please tell us about yourself?

I grew up in the US and then moved to China while also spending a lot of time across Asia.

What are you busy with these days?

EventBank has 11 offices worldwide. Within the past nine weeks, I would say, we’ve been dealing with EventBank’s initial impact of the coronavirus. EventBank has been learning to try and figure out ways to get better and trying to improve products to solve and ease customers’ pain points, as well as after this crisis is solved. Nevertheless, EventBank is helping existing customers and technology that could be built into the improvements of products.

You’ve studied technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. In your opinion, how has technology evolved and shaped today’s technology industry?

I think it has obviously gone beyond technology with every business and how they incorporate technology into a part of their day-to-day lives more efficiently or on how they automate the process to get it better for their shareholders. Technology itself is a very big word but at the same time, the overall goal of using technology is to make things better.

As the co-founder and CEO of EventBank, how did EventBank form? What are the company’s aim, concept, and specialities?

EventBank was started out of a challenge that the other co-founder and myself had to face by running off line events. With that experience we had and running over hundreds of conferences, we realised that without technology, it would be difficult for us to scale. We researched the market and we didn’t find any solutions that could meet the needs. We believed that we could solve it ourselves, so in 2013, we set out to develop our own technology to solve problems we knew existed. Here we are now, seven years later transforming a lot of professions through our technology.

We resolved and brought together communities, associations, clubs, and organisations that are trying to bring people together. Before the coronavirus outbreak, we tried to help these groups to transition online.

Technology has enabled these communities (profitable or non-profitable), focusing on how to make things better, but also bringing people closer. Bringing people closer and working more efficiently through technology has always been what EventBank has strived

for. EventBank’s clients come searching for a software to run their organisation; whether they are running events, they need a CRM to manage their customers or those associations need to automate their membership processes. On the other side is really about their communication whether that is through mobile phones, emails or trying to build online forms within the community to come together.

The coronavirus is swiftly spreading across the world now. How is EventBank holding up? Are there adjustments made by the company for the time being or will these continue after the pandemic is over?

EventBank’s product road map had to be adjusted. All of the customers who were running off line events can no longer hold those events. EventBank had to transition into helping our customers transition into online events and enabling that to EventBank’s platform.

EventBank is also striving towards the next step for organisations, including on how are they going to survive and transform their organisations. Hence, EventBank brings the community concept to the online platform.

People want to relate to others, whether they are CPAs, lawyers, or part of an ecological group – it doesn’t matter if they have similarities, they just want to connect and bring their ideas and share their thoughts to learn together.

This is the purpose of (offline) events but now we can’t hold any events, so here we are taking that same concept and transforming it into the online world. Ways of the offline aspect that people want, in terms of the connection and relationships, can exist online that’s private as well as managed by organisations.

As an American, you have returned home during this global pandemic.

What is the situation in the US according to your observation? How has working from home affected you?

I moved back to the US before the coronavirus outbreak. We had already looked into transitioning back to the US as EventBank has grown globally.

Ways of the offline aspect that people want, in terms of the connection and relationships, can exist online that’s private as well as managed by organisations.

Since the outbreak happened, it has absolutely changed our ability to travel. This is the first time in seven years where I’ve been in the same city for more than two months – definitely a big transition. We’re entrepreneurs; it’s everything about adapting and overcoming.

There’s always a different situation every day so we can just adjust to it. EventBank is adjusting and making sure that all teams are safe and taken care of.

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

The US, on the other hand, hasn’t been doing well. I know a couple of my friends who have contracted the virus. All we can do is take care of ourselves and be thankful for everyone on the frontlines. Besides health, death, and surging number of daily cases, people are also becoming unemployed. This is certainly a very unfortunate situation. We can just support as much as we can.

What would you say to someone who doesn’t adjust well as you are, during this work from home situation?

There are challenges as well as opportunities at this time. I have friends who find it challenging to work from home. Day to day, people have been moving forward. For some, it may be an opportunity to spend a lot of time with families – maybe even longer than they'd like. It’s also a great opportunity to get in check with our health. Moreover, we can take this time to thoroughly think about our businesses and ways to approach our careers.

Based on personal and business matters, what are you looking forward to be doing once the world is reportedly free from the coronavirus?

Freedom of travel. A part of having a global business requires me to spend time with partners as well as team members in different parts of the world. The travel industry will come back, it’s just a matter of when – so we can get back on the road.

Speaking of travelling, you mentioned that you’ve only been to Bali for your vacations in Indonesia.

What is exactly the one destination, activity or food you’d like to experience in Indonesia?

My wish is to visit the Komodo dragons. It is one of the things that I’m waiting to do so, hopefully, I get the opportunity to do that soon.

As someone who travels a lot for work, what do you find different between Indonesia from your hometown or any other countries/ cities to which you often travel?

Besides traffic? I don’t think there’s much difference. One of the best traits of Asia, in general, is the willingness and ideas to generate new ideas. People are friendly and are willing to communicate. I think everybody at the end of the day is willing to learn and help.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a technological entrepreneur?

There will always be challenges along the way but you just have to overcome them and keep moving forward.

Mention three words which describe you the best.

Global citizen and entrepreneurial.

Since you visit Indonesia quite often, would you consider moving here one day?

As crazy as Jakarta is, it has its charms too.

But I think it should have been when I was a little bit younger.

Thank you for your time, Eric! Hope you’re healthy and safe.

16

stress management

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

Stress, Stress Go Away, Don’t Come Back Any Other Day

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

W

hen you wake up feeling fresh and looking forward to your day, a trigger just happens to bring up stress. Why is that? Stress is the body’s response to any demand, according to Medical West Hospital. Symptoms like increased heart rate, faster breathing, and tensed muscles appear when stress prompts your fight-or-flight response mechanism.

“Due to the current condition, we’ll handle several online classes that are related to holistic lifestyle movement to help you navigate through this hard time. We’ll start the classes at the end of April,” added the team. Upcoming schedules and updates on the online classes are posted on their social media account @stressmanagementindonesia on Instagram and Facebook.

But chronic stress may lower your immune system and interfere with the body’s proper function. This is definitely not ideal during the coronavirus pandemic. Health experts are advising everyone to boost up their immune system more than ever nowadays.

Apparently, stress is an unavoidable part of reality. Eliminating stress is not the goal here; banishing unnecessary stress and establishing ways to cope with the stress are.

That’s easier said than done...

Acknowledge Your Stressors Learn to know how you react to stress and what specifically stresses you out. You can do so by keeping a daily journal and record when something stresses you. Then ask yourself: Is it a person, activity or information? A pattern will be recognised, hence the triggers will be too. You can start by setting limits. The saying, “too many things to do, but so little time” can get the best of you as juggling many activities and people will eventually get overwhelming. So save your energy and have time for yourself to let your body and mind become well-rested and less irritable. Also, learn to ask for help when you need it – after all, humans are social beings.

I contacted Stress Management Indonesia to distinguish some tips to handle stress as most of the world is losing it at their homes for over a month. To homebodies, staying in isn’t their worry. But deep down inside, not having the freedom to get out and do “normal” activities creates stress, aside from the stress of household antics and managing workload. And ironically, with most people staying in, the air is fresher and the skies are clearer – even in Jakarta, one of the world’s most air-polluted cities on Earth. Sad to not experience healthier mother nature.

Stress Management Indonesia is a neuroscience, holistic, and humanistic solution centre with a healthy start from a home-based program. Created by Priscilla Konig on October 7, 2014, their mission is to create a healthy-life movement by building a mentally and physically healthy community, as well as providing the most suitable solutions for managing mental health starting from each individual’s home as the number one support system. Isn’t this perfect for our current situation?

“Each individual takes a home-based program lasting from two-and-a-half to six months, as it is the greatest timeline to create new habits to become a newer you,” mentioned the team at Stress Management Indonesia. Ensure to maintain self-discipline and gather family support too because these factors are success keys that will show up throughout the program.

Ease Your Mind Prioritise what needs attention first and what can wait. “Overthinking emerges because of uncertainties. Your brain is constantly updating your world, making judgments about what’s safe and what isn’t to the mind.

If your brain doesn’t know what’s around the corner, it can’t keep you out of harm’s way so it always assumes the worst or overpersonalised threats and then jumps to conclusions,” explained the team.

To overcome overthinking, the team has suggested to: • Don’t think of what can go wrong, but think of what can go right.

• Put things into perspective by asking yourself: how much will it matter in the next few years or months?

• Meditate daily – doing something you enjoy is also a form of meditation as it allows you to be present at the moment.

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.

• Get enough sleep for 7-9 hours per day to rest your brain from a whole day of mental fatigue. Make sure to turn off your gadgets an hour before bedtime and create a comfortable sleeping sanctuary.

The team has also suggested these tips to help you stay calm: • Ask yourself: is it the virus that makes you anxious or is it the drastic changes, the uncontrollable or the uncertainty that makes you anxious?

• Watch comedy movies or shows, read books, and learn new skills.

• Surround yourself with nature or look through images of beautiful landscapes and nature.

• Sunbathe for ten to15 minutes at 10-11am.

• Drink enough water.

Cope With Your Stress From Physical Distancing Staying at home or the popular social media movement called #dirumahaja includes career, studies, household, and health related activities cramped at home. This can actually be a good opportunity to pick up a new skill and explore other activities. Use this time to find activities that make you feel happy and relaxed. You never know, you might just find your new-found passion to pursue.

• Take care of your mental health. You have to have self-control of your body and what you feel.

• Take a break every half an hour and have a few minutes to stretch or walk around to loosen up your body.

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to the news.

• Take care of your body.

• Make time to unwind.

• Connect with others.

Stay Focused!

Losing touch of your “normal” routine hinders the way you take on the day. Getting ready to go to work or school, the hours of commuting, set lunch breaks, going to a sports centre, etc are either completely taken out or substituted now. Thus, here are some tips from the team so that you can stay focused at home while tackling responsibilities and giving yourself well-deserved me-time: • Create a designated work area.

• Set designated working hours. Don’t check emails and anything related to work before or after working hours.

• Establish a comfortable dress code for work from home.

• Before you end your working day, write a list of tasks you would like to get done on the following day.

• On the following day, tackle the hard tasks first before moving on to the easy tasks.

• Inhaling essential oils can also help. For example, cedarwood is an excellent essential oil for focusing.

• Eat brain foods like nuts, seeds, good fats (avocado, flaxseed oil, fish oil), mixed berries, and almond or walnut milk.

Use Technology in a Healthier Manner Since boredom strikes more heavily nowadays, you unconsciously grab your phones or laptops to keep you entertained.

Not saying that this is unhealthy, but too much technological consumption is considered to cause psychological issues such as distraction, narcissism, the expectation of instant gratification, and even depression.

Your physical health can also take a toll by having vision problems, hearing loss, and neck strain.

The team at Stress Management advises you to: • Use technology to rest your mind from all the things that overwhelm you.

• Limit screen time and increase physical activity.

• Limit social media time.

• Try to disconnect from any gadgets an hour before bedtime to ensure better quality sleep.

The coronavirus pandemic is definitely a strange time for all of us. Pressured to stay get things done while also taking care of our body is a lot to take. Chin up! Following these tips can hopefully get you through this.

Stress Management Indonesia Jl. Bangka Raya No. 29A, Kemang, South Jakarta WhatsApp: +6285885606029 Monday to Friday at 8am-5pm by appointment

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

sports app

17

C O L D S W E AT

BY SIMON PITCHFORTH

T

hinking of fitness applications for the latest action-packed, fully hand-sanitized society we now live in is all due to COVID-19 continuing to tear across the land like it’s late for an important meeting with a group of other lifethreatening diseases. All things considered, I had to partially refocus my rundown on the home environment, as all responsible citizens attempt to flatten the infection curve.

Indonesia’s eye-wateringly high coronavirus mortality rate has been hitting headlines the world over, leading many to conclude that things are liable to get rather nasty here over the next few weeks. Indeed, many years here have led me to the theory that possession of a Jakartan Y chromosome itself can be considered an underlying condition.

Certainly, a lifetime of kretek abuse and peasoup pollution is not the best way of surviving a pandemic of this nature, but I digress.

And so, as streets across the globe are empty and gyms shut up shop, people are being forced to wail on their packs and go for that deep burn in the comfort of their own bedrooms and living rooms. Although I wouldn’t advocate going as far as brave Chinese amateur athlete and mental case, Pan Shancu, who was reported to have run a 66 kilometre ultramarathon in his flat during the recent lockdown.

My own personal fear vis-à-vis my physical condition is that, as a cyclist, if I’m prevented from enjoying my pedalling for too long, then by the time I get back on the road, I’m likely to be burned off at the lights by Stephen

Hawking. However, for now, I’m continuing to do some solo runs around town and enjoying the much lighter traffic.

Alas, if you enjoy a good gym session or swim then you’re going to have to accept the fact that, along with many other public facilities, gyms and pools the world over are now closed for the foreseeable future. This is undoubtedly a sensible move as the coronavirus can thrive in the humid environment of a public gymnasium. Home workouts, on the other hand, offer a safe and perhaps more palatable alternative to all of that testosterone-fuelled public grunting and sweating.

Moreover, many workouts, including bodyweight exercises and yoga, require little or no equipment at all. However, you may find a few cheap basics to be useful, including resistance bands, yoga mats, and dumbbells.

Many gyms and personal trainers are also moving to online classes and sessions too as huge swathes of the population face lockdown or self-isolation. And so, here’s a rundown of a few apps to help you get a pumpin’ and a sweatin’ from the comfort of your own boudoir.

FitOn (Android and iOS – Free) FitOn is kind of like a Netflix for exercise and offers a huge selection of video exercise classes that address a wide range of training techniques and objectives. Pilates, HIIT, and dance all feature full voice and video instructions. FitOn also features a huge library and best of all it’s all free!

COVID-19 continues to tear across the land like it’s late for an important meeting with a group of other life-threatening diseases.

JEFIT (Android and iOS – Free) JEFIT.com has put together a superb application for those looking to engage in strength training and bodybuilding. JEFIT’s exercise database is packed with literally thousands of routines that address different targeted body parts.

Couch to 5K (Android and iOS – Rp42,000) Designed to transform couch potatoes into hardened middle-distance runners, Couch to 5K will gradually build up your stamina and distances in gentle increments.

Audio cues should keep you motivated and the application keeps track of your overall progress (or lack thereof).

Yoga Studio (Android and iOS – Rp56,000) Yoga Studio features a library of more than 70 yoga and meditation classes ranging from ten to 60 minutes in duration. Strength, flexibility, relaxation, and balance all feature

while the application allows you to search by ability level, focus, and duration. Moreover, class instructors can use Chromecast, Apple TV, and AirPlay to synchronize to the application.

Strava (Android and iOS – Free) Strava is by far the world’s best-known cycling application; however, triathletes, runners, and swimmers are also big fans.

The application measures distance, average speed, times, calories burned, and some neat competitive leaderboards over preprogrammed segments. Moreover, Strava also connects to turbo trainers, which are used by cyclists to pedal away indoors whilst annoying their neighbours. More recently, the wonderful virtual cycling world of Zwift has been introduced. Simply stick your television in front of your bike and turbo trainer so you can enjoy an immersive, virus-free, virtualreality cycling experience in competition with other pedallers around the world.

StrongLifts 5x5 (Android and iOS – Free) Based on the well-known strength training program of the same name, StrongLifts 5x5 covers five sets of reps of five free-weight exercises: squats, bench presses, deadlifts, overhead presses, and barbell rows. These exercises are to be enjoyed in three 45-minute workouts per week. Video tutorials along with weekly and monthly progress statistics features are available, while you can sync the app to Apple Health and Google Fit. Map My Fitness (Android and iOS – Free) Under Armour’s Map My Fitness application offers an amazing selection of 600 fitness activities where you can sync with over 400 devices. Plenty of local jogging routes are featured and recorded data including pace, distance, and calories burned are displayed if you are on a GPS workout. Communities and challenges are also on hand to keep you interested and motivated. This application is also fully compatible with Android Wear and Apple Watch.

Nike Training Club (Android and iOS – Free) Nike Training Club adopts a so-called “freemium” app approach, offering a vast workout library with exercises aimed at body parts or fitness goals. Workouts for full or light sets of equipment feature, while the premium side of the app offers guided four to six-week programs, as well as nutrition and wellness guidance.

18

therapy

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

Art Therapists are not Art Teachers

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

B

oredom can get the best of people, leading them to escape into old, forgotten hobbies and to discover new skills. Boredom sets in when someone feels energetic but has nowhere to channel that energy, when they lose interest in a project, when focusing on a task seems too difficult to do, or having to stay at home for a long, unclear period. Does that sound familiar?

Going into isolation has ignited people’s inner expression and it’s evident all over social media. Self-expression can take various forms such as writing, body movements, making music, and even curating artworks. Commonly, art has become the chosen medium. According to Positive Psychology, self-expression in many cultures is considered odd, selfish, or a waste of time. De la Huerta’s (2014) article argues that “self-expression is a vital piece of the puzzle that is fulfilment in life; it allows us to be our best selves, reach our full potential, and make valuable contributions to the world we live in. Authentic selfexpression is how we embrace who we are, all the way from the positive traits and acts we keep on the surface, to the darker and less valued pieces of ourselves that we bury deep down.”

Maybe this isolation period has pushed your concentration towards various aspects of your life and the people dearest to you. Or maybe isolation has brought up unidentified, hidden wounds which you thought had diminished as time passed by, but somehow they’ve reappeared. Why not take this time in isolation to help yourself?

Art therapy is a therapy involving the use of creative techniques, such as drawing, painting, collage making, and colouring to help people express themselves and examine psychological conditions through artwork.

Believably, according to Psychology Today, “art therapy is thought to make the patient’s therapy better as they understand their deepest feelings and emotions.” An art therapist’s role is therefore to identify the code, symbols, metaphors, and nonverbal messages illustrated in the artwork. This is an alternative method to combat an inner blockage for children, adolescents, and adults. Some benefits include stress relief, as well as a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improvement of self-esteem.

Available in hospitals, medical centres, houses, prisons, social departments, and even online, the created artwork can be used as a stepping stone to revive memory and tell stories that can reveal a message and expose the mind of the human subconscious. Only a handful of certified art therapists in Indonesia have acquired a program of advanced psychology, which is a Master’s of Science in art concentration therapy with a curriculum of psychology courses – still unavailable in Indonesia.

Compared to regular shrinks, an art therapist is a mental health professional who has been steeped in psychology,

chats with the clients. “Colours and strokes are subjective. For example, the universal meaning of yellow is happy and brightness.

But an art therapist would ask, what does yellow mean to you? The answer could be unhappiness,” Mutia asserted.

This form of therapy encourages patients to safely and comfortably express through their artworks, as opposed to solely relying on discussions. The first session comprises chatting between the patient and the therapist to identify the best kind of method to create the artwork. The therapist will then observe the process without making any judgments in advance. Afterwards, questions about the creative process and any difficulties or constraints endured, as well as feelings, will be asked.

Awakening, basically, is a reversal…. The patient ceases to feel the presence of illness and absence of the world, and comes to feel the absence of his illness and the full presence of the world. psychiatry, and art; they connect with people through arts for them to heal, find themselves, process their trauma, and develop their own sense of being. So, art therapists aren’t art teachers.

Mutia Ribowo SDs, AThR is one of the few certified art therapists in Jakarta. She runs Art+i Art Therapy in South Jakarta and cooperates with the same facility in North Jakarta, as well as psychologists and counsellors. “I specialise in teens and adults who have mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and self-harm. My partner Cindy, in North Jakarta, specialises in children from three to 12 years old who have a lack of confidence and social or family problems,” she explained. Those who don’t have alarming or acute symptoms don’t need to be diagnosed. “But if someone comes and the art therapist identifies signs of abuse or depression, we will immediately refer them to an adult clinical psychologist for assessment,” she added.

Art therapists don’t analyse an artwork based on the sophistication of their patient’s skills. Instead, they see the process from the beginning to the end of creating art; observing the gestures shown, the chosen colours, the strokes, the textures, the way pencils are held, and identify what an artwork means based on research and

Social media users are, more than ever, being expressive and sentimental through arts, music, and poetry which they curate themselves or share from other sources. “I sense more empathy towards one another,” Mutia said. Some artists actually express themselves against pain, numbness, and so on like Frida Kahlo, a surreal painter from Mexico who throughout her life painted self-portraits including depicting her health problems.

Mutia believed that positive feedback is always heart-warming, yet negative feedback will normally backfire. “We're making a movement on self-expression through art on our Instagram page, so people can participate in art therapy for social action to stay at home and do artsy activities,” Mutia continued.

Mutia claimed that sessions had been conducted online prior to the coronavirus pandemic here, in cases where a patient had been living in other cities across the country and needed help. Patients can communicate with Mutia via WhatsApp or email, where elaboration on the process of the artwork is included. Moreover, sessions via Zoom include a similar sense of an art therapist around to observe the curating process from start to finish.

Neurologist Oliver Sacks, from England, stated in his study, "awakening, basically, is a reversal... The patient ceases to feel the presence of illness and absence of the world, and comes to feel the absence of his illness and the full presence of the world."

Art in Mutia’s eyes is significant depending on the individual. “It depends on a person; if they like art and if they like to express themselves through art. Remember, selfexpression can be cooking, writing, poetry, gardening, and so on! The most important point is the creative process for someone,” asserted Mutia.

ART+i Art Therapy Jakarta Jl. Komp. Puri Sakti II No.9, South Jakarta Instagram: @arttherapyjakarta

I want to stay healthy, so how do I cope with COVID-19?

Can I still see my doctor?

A lot of information is available on COVID-19. For those of us who are living in Jakarta or elsewhere in Indonesia, it is important to stay as healthy as possible. GOOD PRACTICE also sends out regular reliable information on COVID-19 to patients and potential patients.

HOUSE CALLS ARE PROVIDED FOR EVERY CONDITION INCLUDING VACCINATIONS AND CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATIONS.

Send us an email if you want to be included in our mailing list. GOOD PRACTICE PROVIDES NON-INFECTIOUS STERILE CONSULTATION HOURS.

Best of all is that you now can have a consultation with anyone from our medical team from wherever you are. We have introduced TELECONSULTATIONS via an application called “GP Now” so you can connect with us directly.

Are your vaccinations still up to date? Did you get a flu vaccination?

How are your other conditions controlled? If you are suffering from hypertension or diabetes, for instance, you have to make sure those conditions are managed well. Please make sure you have your regular check-ups and that your supply of medication is sufficient. You can even consider an immune boost, which we can also provide at GOOD PRACTICE.

Just send GOOD PRACTICE a simple email to info@goodpractice. co.id and we will send you the link.

Identify a clinic that you can turn to with your concerns, preferably a clinic that can advise you about your symptoms. It is especially important now that the communication between yourself and a trusted medical practitioner is well understood.

So what to do if you have any symptoms? Talk to a trusted medical practitioner. Also, if you consider that you need COVID-19 testing, you should talk to a medical practitioner.

GOOD PRACTICE is open as usual. We provide house calls and we also provide COVID-19 testing – applicable for home testing too.

Let us know what time you would like to consult a doctor and we will appear online at the desired time. If any medication needs to be provided, we will arrange this to be sent out to you.

GOOD PRACTICE will support you to stay healthy and provide information about COVID-19. We now also provide you with direct contact with our medical practitioners from any location in this world!

It is important that you identify a clinic that you are comfortable with. GOOD PRACTICE has patients from 67 countries. Our English speaking team implements international guidelines. We provide highly personalised care. Try us!

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 has 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

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

www.goodpractice.co.id

20

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

JAKARTA

#DiRumahAja with Frestro Asia Restaurant Frestro Asia Restaurant has launched a free delivery programme and is offering a couple of promotions catered to you whilst you’re at home, supporting the government programme with #DiRumahAja to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

JAKARTA

Kevin Goh Appointed as CEO of CapitaLand Group Lodging As the CEO of CapitaLand Group Lodging since April 1, 2020, Kevin Goh will be overseeing the lodging business. Lodging is one of the three pillars of the group’s strategic businesses for sustainable growth, together with the other two pillars which are fund management and investment and development.

Since 2018, Mr. Goh has also been the CEO of The Ascott Limited. He has been with CapitaLand Group since May 2007 and has taken on various leadership positions in Ascott such as Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director of North Asia, as well as the Regional General Manager for East and South China.

With this experience, he is a key member of the senior leadership team that’s responsible for managing and executing the group’s growth strategies.

Corporate Communication Manager of Jambuluwuk Hotels and Resorts, Martha W. Thomas, also oversees the Frestro Asia Restaurant. She revealed that these two special offers were launched to help people continue to enjoy the restaurant’s best menu, even from the comfort of their own home.

“Frestro Asia Restaurant first introduced the free delivery programme for customers whose residence is no more than 10 kilometres from the restaurant in Menteng. This programme is valid for all menus with a minimum order of Rp150,000. Further, there is the promo offer of mentai rice being now sold for Rp35,000 and free delivery service is available with a minimum purchase of three orders. You can get a selection of rice bowls such as asam manis, sambal matah, black pepper, and butter rice chicken teriyaki for Rp25,000 with free delivery service for a minimum purchase of four,” Martha explained.

Free Delivery is available everyday at 10am-9pm. Contact +62811814158 for reservations and +6281806097703 to order the mentai rice and rice bowl promotions.

JAKARTA

Oakwood Apartment PIK, Jakarta Now Avaliable at Pantai Indah Kapuk

For global reservations and more information, visit www.the-ascott.com or call +622129956888.

The third property in Jakarta by Oakwood, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mapletree Investments (“Mapletree”), is also the first international serviced apartments brand to debut in one of the capital’s most prestigious neighbourhoods; that of Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK).

BALI

Sanctoo Villas and Spa Launches Sanctoo Suites

Located with direct access to the Central Business District, it’s a quick 15-minute drive from SoekarnoHatta International Airport. These 151 fullyfurnished, serviced apartments have undeniable views of the city and the ocean. Inside, residents can enjoy

the fitness centre, restaurant, and playground, as well as the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, including a kids’ pool too. “Oakwood Apartments PIK Jakarta appeals to a growing segment of independent travellers in search of chic and functional accommodation that’s furnished with modern essentials. By showcasing a differentiated residential product, Oakwood grows with our guests’ evolving aspirations and needs in the market,” said Dean Schreiber, interim chief executive officer of Oakwood and managing director of Oakwood Asia Pacific.

PIK serves as a trendy culinary hub with PIK Avenue, a lifestyle mall, the PIK Fresh Market accommodating food stalls and vendors of produce, and the prestigious Tzu Chi school that offers early childhood, primary, and secondary education. Other than facilitating daily necessities, PIK is conveniently situated near entertainment hubs such as the charming Thousand Islands, perfect for fishing and water sports as well as two international championship golf courses at Damai Indah Golf – one of which was designed by Jack Nicklaus, where he incorporated his favourite features from some of the world’s top courses.

To find out more about Oakwood Apartments PIK Jakarta, please visit www.oakwoodasia.com/ apartments-pik-jakarta.

Located in the village of Singapadu, just south of Ubud, The Sanctoo Villas and Spa is a favourite honeymoon and family destination that offers a spiritual journey and plenty more.

JAKARTA Introducing their new room category as an additional part of their villas: Sanctoo suites, comprising 26 comfortable and tastefully furnished accommodation options. Construction started in September 2019 and is set to be complete by mid-2020. All suites feature individually controlled air-conditioning, a balcony and terrace, modern bathrooms, coffee and tea facilities, a mini-bar, an in-room safe, a 43’LED flat-screen TV and complimentary WiFi covering all resort areas. The Sanctoo Villas and Spa is an hour’s drive away from Ngurah Rai International Airport and an approximately 20-minute drive from the cultural centre of Ubud. It is a private getaway for those seeking a peaceful retreat in high-end style and comfort. With breathtaking views of the exotic Africa wildlife at Savanna by Bali Zoo and the resort’s lush gardens, guests can also enjoy the swimming pool and restaurant at this property.

For more information, contact +62 361 4711 222 or visit www. thesanctoovilla.com.

Much Love from The Sultan Hotel and Residence Jakarta for Weddings

The Sultan Hotel and Residence Jakarta has teamed up with Jakarta wedding planners such as Michelle Paris Decorator, Venus Entertainment, Soe and Su, Kata Souvenir, Waterbom PIK, and AkuSara Pro Light to welcome love and friendship to wedding vendors and media partners at the property’s Lagoon Garden.

The Lagoon Garden is a 1,350 square metre venue with a nine-metre-high ceiling, able to accommodate up to 2,000 people. Equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system and lighting, Lagoon Garden is a very flexible venue for any type of events, such as rehearsal dinners, ceremonies, and wedding receptions, whilst guests are welcome to stay in the hotel, too.

The property also offers the soon-to-be-married couple a choice of superb locations, complete with a romantic red bridge and a beautiful Balinese Temple – ideal to capture sweet memories. With ample supervised car parking, easy access, its own 34-acre garden, and a covered walkway to the Jakarta Convention Centre, this is the ideal, hassle-free venue in Central Jakarta.

Moreover, the Golden Ballroom is the newest and most sophisticated ballroom in Jakarta, covering 1,600 square metres and accommodating up to 4,500 guests. The venue can also be divided into three separate rooms. Kudus Hall is also available for up to 450

people for a soiree. It has an ornately carved, Javanese ceiling and an outdoor tropical garden that overlooks the hotel’s new swimming pool.

“We rejuvenated the hotel with our stunning new Golden Ballroom and Lagoon Garden to cater to all demands,” said Fintan O’Doherty, the General Manager of The Sultan Hotel and Residence Jakarta.

“To support our main goal as the best wedding venue in town and to support our strategies, we need to work with many offline and online partners. I hope we build a stronger and mutually beneficial partnership in the future,” he concluded.

For reservations, reach out to +622157891001. Please email to info@sultanjakarta.com or visit www. sultanjakarta.com for more information.

22

do-it-yourself

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

How to Make Your Own Personal Protective Equipment • Duct tape: choose a waterproof and durable type.

• Rubber boots: you can still wear your rubber boots outside of a muddy music festival.

• Homemade mask*: don’t panic, I’ll explain this part soon.

• Sunglasses or glasses.

Let’s get started • Put on the rain suit and cover your head with the hood. Rain suits usually have a hood but if yours doesn’t, you’ll need a hair cover like a shower cap to protect your hair from collecting droplets.

• Next, secure the sleeves with duct tape to make sure that the sleeves are air-tight.

• Wear the rest of the items; rubber boots, gloves, and cloth-based mask. I just use sunglasses to cover my eyes. If you want to be creative, you can find a tutorial on how to make protective goggles online.

Returning to that cloth-based mask; you can make it at home! Recently, health authorities in Indonesia have suggested that cloth-based masks are sufficient to prevent the spread of coronavirus by up to 70 percent. (*) Here’s what you’ll need for the homemade, cloth-based mask: • Inner lining: clean cotton cloth that you can get from an old t-shirt, ensuring it’s stretchy and breathable.

• Outer lining: clean, worn-out pants, flannel, or canvas. I’m using an old pair of trousers that are 97 percent cotton and 3 percent elastane.

• Scissors • Sewing kit • Measuring tape • Marker

BY DIANA SYARAH

A

s coronavirus spreads across the globe faster than Bieber-fever, there’s something travelling faster than the virus itself; fear. The Indonesian government has enforced restrictions on the public’s movement in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus. However, some of us don’t have the luxury of being in total isolation and still have to show up at our jobs, because unfortunately, not every line of work can be done remotely. At times like these, every step you take walking out of your door brings a risk of a fatal infection. You’d definitely want to have the best protection out there.

The problem emerged when a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, and hazmat suits started happening in Indonesia, as well as many other countries around the globe during the outbreak. Fueled by misinformation among the public, people started to panic buy medical equipment, which is in high demand by those on the front lines.

A hazmat suit costs around Rp200,000 online, which I’m sure is affordable to some, but just because you can afford one doesn’t necessarily mean that you should buy it.

Perhaps you saw a video of a couple who went grocery shopping wearing hazmat suits in Jakarta that went viral mid-March?

They received tons of backlash from the public, many branding them “selfish” and “inconsiderate.”

To raise awareness with the public, the Indonesian Health Ministry has stressed that PPE like surgical masks and hazmat suits, are to be prioritised for medical workers. Besides, PPE is not something you can simply dispose of in the garbage; there are procedures for how to dispose of it properly. Let’s forget about getting a hazmat suit and leave them for those who need them most.

In the meantime, you might be wondering about how someone can get the best protection when stepping out of their

homes? The purpose of PPE is to minimise the risk of exposure to droplets in the air containing the virus. By now, you should be well aware that SARS-CoV-2 spreads through the tiny drops that come out of your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and are infected. I decided to make a homemade protective suit using items I have at home, inspired by my friend who is a doctor, who posted a picture of herself on social media wearing a modified rain suit as an alternative.

Here’s what you need: • Rain suit: preferably a two-piece rain suit that comes with a jacket and trousers.

Bear in mind, you should wear clothes underneath this. If you don’t have a rain suit, a poncho or trash bag is okay, but you can’t reuse them because these are not sustainable.

• Latex gloves: I use re-usable latex gloves for cleaning around the house, but you can use plastic gloves as an alternative.

Sewing time!

• I followed the tutorial about how to make this cloth-based mask from an Instragam account @buzzfeednifty (www.instagram. com/tv/B-KLtphlrl7/?igshid=tijjtdd470we) • To make this homemade, cloth-based mask, it requires you to do basic stitching.

Don’t worry, I’m terrible at this too. Keep in mind, you need to ensure the stitching is strong and won’t break apart when the mask is washed.

Verdict: Does the suit make me look ridiculous? Yes. Is it worth the trouble?

Maybe; it depends on how far you want to protect yourself when outdoors.

Ideally, it’s very important that you don’t purchase any medical PPE. Also, it’s worth noting that you can re-use this PPE once cleaned down with disinfectant – you have to be clean before and while wearing it too.

Besides, it can be a fun project during your isolation!

23

Indonesia Expat Issue 259 | 22 April – 20 May 2020

Expat Advertiser JAKARTA Automotive Toyota Kijang Innova, 2.5G (Black)-diplomatic plates (UN) 2009 model, first registered in 2011. Diesel (“Solar”), automatic seats 7 (2 bucket seats in front, 3 bench seats in middle, 2 foldup in back). Upholstery fabric underneath is clean, like new; covers can be removed. Km: 120,000. Regular maintenance record available (including new tires in 2019). Price: $5,900, or Rupiah equivalent (Discount 15%). Contact: Peter (WA: +628111362726 or email: veasna.peter@gmail.com)

Serviced Office • Virtual Office • Meeting Facilities • Company Incorporation Located in Kuningan Business District, integrated with shopping mall and residential enable you for a more convenient and easier way of doing business in Jakarta. With flexible lease terms, ready to use office suites, immediate office setup, daily receptionist and maintenance services, 88 Service Office leaves you free to run your businenss without the day to day hassles of managing a conventional office space. "At 88 Service Office, we enable you to focus on your core business with friendly professionalism and affordability flexibility."

Jl. Raya Casablanca Kav88 | Phone: 021-29631688 Email: sales@88office.co.id | Web: www.88office.co.id

Motorbike for sale! Very nice and well maintained Honda CB 150R, model 2016, mileage less than 30.000 km, tax registration until 12/2023.

2-seater with manual gear shifting (6 speed), street version, red color, with luggage rack, top case with lighting, HP-holder, etc. Price Rp15.5 million nego.

Plea se call or WA : +628118816434 (Lutz) 2014 Toyota Avanza. Fewer than 20,000km. Burgundy colour. Car cover included automatic transmission. Rp120 million. Contact: Irma Peña (WA: +6281288222922 | email: irmapena720@gmail.com) Services Golf Lessons- All levels and ages are welcome, from beginner to advanced programs. Instruction by teaching professional from the USA. All lessons conducted in English. Contact: accelgolf@ gmail.com Fitness Trainer- Covid19 Free! I can come to your Gym Complex or to your home gym. 15 years experience. NSCA Certified.

Fitness First for 7 years, now freelance. Strength Training, Flexibility, Posture Alignment, Senior/ Youth Fitness etc.

Good English and Indonesian.

Pandemic? No problem! Time to get in shape at your home gym. Nunung +628119555806.

Hola! Do you want to Learn Spanish from an experienced native speaker? I’ve taught at NZIS and BSJ. Courses are tailor made to your needs, suitable for all levels.. will ensure you have fun and learn the language. Please contact me on +62818415555.

Indonesian moving company with more than 20 year experiences Call us: +62-021-7884-8814/15 Fax: +62-21-7884-7056 Email: sales@retransinternational.com Website: www.retransinternational.com

If you are looking for Italian lessons I will be happy to help you. I am an Italian engineer with a passion for teaching. I use a “technological” approach in order to teach and learn quickly and easily. Anyone living in South Jakarta can check it out on +393937930955 (WA only).

Property House for sale in Kebon Jeruk (West Java). 5 minutes access to Jl. Panjang. 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: Rp4.9 billion (negotiable). Contact via WA: +6281290070037 (direct owner).

Personal I am looking for an upright piano (no need Yamaha) and a 9 feet pool table. If you are selling yours, please WhatsApp me at +62819619910.

For Sale We are selling our used books (novels and some for kids).

Books are in a good condition. If interested let me know through WA: +62818464692 (Sri) Teak dining table and chairs.

1.8m x 1.1m. Beautiful 6 seat table, hand made and old enough that the teak is well seasoned.

Has a great back-story also.

All joints are tight and really well made. Table top removes easily for transport or storage.

Rp7 million (negotiable).

Location at Lebak Bulus. WA: +6285775473734.

Household Staff Available Looking for a live-in helper/ nanny. We are a family of 4 (Parents, 2.5 year old and a baby), looking for a live-in helper to help take care of our kids and do some housekeeping, together with our other helper. We stay in the Senayan area. Please do pass on any leads on WhatsApp +6281386635735. (PS. We are open to this position becoming live out after COVID) Friendly, great, trustworthy, live in maid / pembantu available. She was always there and helped us in our home.

Cleaning, ironing , cooking , care the kids 2 (7 and 9). She can cook Indonesien and some European dishes. She was a family member, because she was always there for us and always had a smile on her face. I can definitely recommend her for you as a live in maid. Please contact her directly +6289677738998. For any further questions feel free to contact me: cihangir.keles@ icloud.com

BALI Jobs Available we are looking for new staff to work in a brand new villa in Canggu. We are looking for : • Security - Full Time Nights • Housekeeping - Full Time (women only ) • English tutor: to teach English to Korean.

All staff will be required to start work within the next 7 days.

Email me if you are interested in any of the above positions with your Cv to : abrianayuratna@ gmail.com

Urgent position, Only for locals Indonesian. Requirements: • English Intermediate level • Well organised, disciplined • Reliable, attentive to details • PC proficiency • Able to cope with multiple tasks and meet deadlines Job description: • Assisting office manager in day-to-day activities • Ma n a g i ng c u s t omer s’ orders made in our online store (processing, orders confirmation, contact details and address conf irmation, delivery scheduling etc.)

• Organizing and managing orders’ delivery time schedule • Managing couriers, suppliers • Managing products’ stock Office location: Denpasar Working hours: daily 8am12pm, 3pm-7pm, 12pm-3pm lunch break, 2 days off a week.

Please send your CV milkup. bali@gmail.com Property

500m from Legian Beach Kuta. 3BR private pool villa.

Rp15 million per month with electricity. Superb location, escape to beach is 2-5 minutes away. Private pool larger than your previous villa. 3 spacious bedrooms all with king beds. 3 Lux ensuite bathrooms all have bathtub and standing showers.

New furniture, new 2019 villa.

Open space liv ing room.

Equipped Kitchen and Dining Room. Free Wif i & T V Channel. Private Parking Space.

Housekeeping ever y week.

Optional: add up to 3 single beds when 7-9 people stay.

Breakfast option. WhatsApp: +628520634003 or call: +6285829152991.

For rent monthly , in a jewel mini resort in North Canggu (Tumbak Bayuh) with an option for extension depending on the upcoming situation: 3 rooms in a villa, bathrooms, hot water, swimming pool, lounge area, mini kitchen, beautiful garden, 25Mbps w ireless internet, cleaning service, pool and garden maintenance, electricity included. Rp7 million/month/ room (negotiable) for more info +6282235223554.

Luxury Villa for Rent located in Seminyak, 2 Storey Buildings, 4 Bedroom equipped with A/C in each rooms, 4 Ensuite Bathrooms, livingroom, dining room, full Equipped Kitchen, sw im m ing pool, ga rden, balcony, parking space, full Furnished, free WiFi, TV, Cable TV, Cleaning Twice a Walking distance to many Restaurants and Shop / WA: +628111515182.

A luxury eco-chic villa in the Center of Seminyak! Amazing 9 bedroom/9 bath villa/private pool! Only a few minutes from famous Petitenget Beach, money exchange, 24 hour convenience stores, restaurants, cafes/ Starbucks and close to World’s Famous Potato Head, Sarong Bar, Hu'u, Seminyak shopping center and many more! For more info and inspection please Eko +6281999396009 (Call, SMS, WhatsApp).

Personal classifieds = FREE Property and other commercial classifieds = PAID (50 words = Rp100,000 | 50 words + image = Rp250,000) Sen your classifieds to: info@indonesiaexpat.biz Next Deadline: May 13, 2020