You might not know…
As interest in the topic of “going South” has waxed, Jennifer Lai has written about her more than a decade of experience living in Indonesia in a book entitled Things You May Not Know About Indonesia.
Lai’s impetus for writing the book was straightforward. With the rise of the ASEAN market in recent years, many friends have visited Indonesia on business, and, after a few days there, always remark: “Indonesia is different than I expected.” After hearing that several times, she couldn’t help but wonder: “What are people’s expectations of Indonesia? What impression of it do Taiwanese have?”
Lai wrote the book in her non-working hours, and took more than a year to complete it. Though relatively slim, it covers a huge range of topics, from snacks in the country’s Chinatowns, to Indonesia’s work culture, Islam, and the joys and travails of life in a foreign land. Her first essay addressed the cultural differences between ethnic Chinese in Taiwan and Indonesia—a subject with which she is personally familiar—and she has retained that kind of personal perspective in everything she’s written since.
Lai’s Indonesian experience began when she met her husband while studying in the US. After marrying there, the couple returned to her husband’s Indonesian homeland. Living in a new and unfamiliar country, she had to adapt not only to its different culture and working environment, but also, slowly, to his Chinese-Indonesian family’s customs and traditions.
In the past, Taiwanese‡Indonesian exchanges consisted primarily of investing or traveling, but Lai’s long years of observation have shown her that Taiwan and Indonesia have the potential for more diverse kinds of exchanges flowing in both directions. She notes that Taiwan’s colleges and universities are an option for Indonesians thinking about studying abroad, and that Indonesia’s relative lack of medical services and Taiwan’s high standards of medical care make Taiwan attractive to wealthy Indonesians seeking medical treatment.
In recent years, many Taiwanese have become curious about Indonesia as well, hoping to visit and gain a better understanding of the country. What kind of country is it? Speaking as a long-term resident, Lai says, “Indonesia is culturally diverse and very friendly.”
Bumper-to-bumper traffic is common in Jakarta.
A Jakarta pedicab driver waits for customers.
This year’s Asia–Pacific Culture Day festivities boosted Taiwan–Indonesia exchanges. (photo by Jimmy Lin)
Indonesia is culturally diverse and very welcoming.
What kind of country is it? Speaking as a long-term resident, Lai says, “Indonesia is culturally diverse and very friendly.”