I received this letter in the forum, and since it’s been asked numerous times since I started javajive in 2002, I thought I’d address it on the main page rather than in the forum. Often when people email me similar questions, I write them back instead of posting anything here. These are simply my opinions and don’t necessarily reflect a reality felt by other expats. 😉 Hi Brandon, I just arrived on your site and Indonesia looks so beautiful. SinceRead more
Posts tagged: #expats
Indonesian Presidential Elections
Since everyone seems to be talking about the election in Indonesia today – I’d like to reflect on the other aspects of an election day. With everyone having the day off to vote, there were amazingly few people on the road. It’s phenomenal how this impacts so many other things. I spent the day buying plants and flowers and landscaping my tiny yard. The first thing I noticed this morning was how quiet the streets were. This in turn, loweredRead more
Indonesian Maids, "I See Dead People"
Well that new maid that I mentioned last week… yeah, she’s already gone. Four whole days she worked for me. Apparently she quit cause she was afraid of something. This culture is very superstitious, and often they speak of magic, ghosts, and psychic abilities. Well, I’ve had about 4 maids and a roommate say they feel ‘something’ upstairs. The other maids did not leave because of this, but they were constantly afraid of being alone in the house. This lastRead more
Expats On the Run!
It’s funny how so many expats bolt from Java as soon as they have a chance. As soon as we have vacation time, where do they run off to? The tropical beaches of Bali only an hour’s journey? Beautiful islands of Thailand nearby? Shopping in Singapore? Not a chance. Most of them return to the very place they were so eager to leave. It’s understandable that they would wish to see family and friends, but think about it – theyRead more