I haven't written in a while because I joined two good friends for a shopping trip to Jakarta. While shopping in Jakarta is a fun adventure the city (and country of Indonesia) sure do make one appreciate the loveliness that is Singapore. I've been reviewing my time in Jakarta and trying to recognize just what it is about Jakarta that makes one feel an overwhelming sense of sadness and I've pretty much decided that the reason is the unbelievable contrast between the haves and the have-nots.
Here are my top 5 reasons to appreciate Singapore after visiting Jakarta:
#1 Driving. In Singapore you can safely drive your own car! Expatriates in Jakarta do not drive themselves, this isn't because of the traffic (although the traffic is unbelievable and will be discussed shortly) but because they are susceptible to fraud. Indonesian people have been known to literally ram into an expat driving a car in order to collect money from them, or even rob them outright. So...everyone there has to hire a driver. Since those who know me well know that I've carried on a passionate affair with my driver's license since the day I turned 16 I found the whole concept of a driver a bit repugnant! I will admit however that after spending four days being driven around Jakarta a driver is probably a good thing. There's no telling where my road rage would land me. Which of course leads to...
#2 Traffic. Singaporeans may be kiasu but Indonesians are just plain crazy! The lady we stayed with described the typical stop light in Jakarta very colorfully. How many of you have seen the illustration (usually during a women's Bible study) of the container that's not really full. First large stones are put into a vase until it is full, then when it looks like it can't hold any more small pebbles are poured in and they fill up a lot of the spaces. But that isn't all...next sand is poured in to fill up the rest of the spaces and finally water is poured in to fill up every space in the vase. That's a picture of a typical traffic light in Jakarta...first the cars pull up and come to a stop, then the motorcycles pour in and fill up all the spaces between and around the cars and then you might have a few pedestrians fill in the infinitesimal spaces left by the motorcycles. And of course when you get ready to start moving after the light turns green it takes forever for all the smaller vehicles to get out of the way so you can move again. Lanes are a suggestion (and sometimes traffic flow is too!) and the reason there are few sidewalks is that people will drive on them if they are present! Although we were staying less than a kilometer from the mall where we did a lot of shopping, walking is absolutely unheard of and is literally dangerous to attempt. Man...I love Singapore!
#3 Filth. Jakarta is dirty! Every surface has graffiti on it, garbage fills streets and piles up next to fences. The canals are full of human excrement because there is literally no adequate sewage system. Everything is grimy and dirty
#4 Squatty potties. Toilet stops are as carefully planned as the D-Day invasion. If you're in a nice restaurant or home you automatically go to the bathroom just in case! I felt like I was five years old again about to go on a long car ride with my dad: "better go now, don't know when you'll have another chance!" Enough said!
#5 Safety. Singapore is safe. There's just no getting around that fact. When you are out late at night in Singapore you never feel at risk or insecure. In Jakarta the threat of terrorism is everywhere. Your purse gets checked everywhere you go and the idea that someone could harm you merely because you are an American is based in reality. I found the people to be friendly, smiling and pleasant (actually more than Singaporeans) but the deep-rooted corruption that is part of Indonesia leaves you with the feeling that if something bad were to happen you would be extremely vulnerable.
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