Their day begins as most of the city slips into slumber. The fishermen of Muara Karang have a schedule all their own. The fish market of Sunda Kelapa is their version of the business district although the dress policy may not reflect that of the ‘other’ CBD in downtown Jakarta. If you have yet to visit the historic fish market, you truly are missing a plethora of sights and smells not seen many other places, even in The Big Durian.Read more
Posts tagged: #Expat Experiences
Quarter Life Crisis: Part One (Life as an Expat)
So begins a new phase in my life. My Quarter Life Crisis has officially commenced. I suppose a good way to deal with this is with some introspection, reflection, and a good round of bullsh*ting about whatever spills out of this confused mind. Without further ado, let the rambling begin. Life as an expat moves through a number of phases. There’s the initial, “Wow, it’s so different and interesting!†first few months of bliss with our newfound relationship with aRead more
Bule Behavior Defined.
My gym is on the second level of a newly constructed urban jungle called “The Piazza”. To get to that second level, I have two options: the stairs or this hi-tech tunnel with a flashy escalator. I almost always opt for the escalator as it’s closer to the parking area (ok and it’s got the Knight Rider feel). A couple months ago, the escalator stopped running for no reason. They didn’t attempt to put any kind of “Under Repair” signRead more
Stalking Leopards
I was contacted by a reporter for the International Herald Tribune last week. She had come across my blog and asked if I’d compose an article for publication. The focus of the article was to convey expat experiences with having guests stay with you, “quirky, extreme, or unexpected stories”. So, for better or worse, here’s one of those stories I wouldn’t usually share! Jakarta. Famous for political strife, bird flu, and harboring terrorist cells, it’s also the gateway to Indonesia.Read more
Black Magic and a Brat's Holiday Remorse
I’m experiencing a bit of holiday remorse. Four weeks in Bali was almost too much of a good thing. In fact we changed our tickets and returned 5 days early to Jakarta (DOH!). That plan bit me in the ass for reasons I won’t go into at the moment. I’m coming to the conclusion that perhaps 1-2 weeks of an amazing holiday would be more worthwhile than four weeks of moderation. This is not an invitation to receive criticisms forRead more
You Can't Title a Post Like This
So I’m in the grocery store with Novita looking for hand sanitizer. I find the proper aisle, and am surprised by the variety of shapes and colors offered for hand cleaner; usually it’s just a small square boring bottle. These bottles were curvy and fit the hand very well. Pleased with my selection, I’m joined by Novita: “What are you doing?”, as she inspects the label. “Buying hand sanitizer.” “That’s not for cleaning your hands!”, with a devilish grin. “WhatRead more