Let’s take a break from the church posts, I’ll now think back of the things that pop up in my mind now as intriguing in the recent home trip to Indonesia. So, a much lighter post here for you today.

Incredible soils 🪴🪴

Mom wanted to cook soup with kacang koro (a kind of bean 🫘) that I like, so she got it delivered from Medan (a city in a different island) to Jakarta where we live. Then we had an idea: let’s plant some of these beans!

So we did. And I am reminded of the rate of plant growth in the volcanic soils of Indonesia! No need for any fertilizers or water, just grab some random mud and stuck it together with the seeds in small pots, place them out, and they will grow by themselves madly. 🌱🌳

🌋 The soil, where remains of past violent volcanic eruptions have burnt it, the lava have seeped in and done its work properly, growth will be rapid and fruits will be abundant.

Somewhat like us, isn’t it?

Dead malls ☠️

To my dismay, my favourite Baywalk Mall is more dead than ever (it’s never really alive to begin with, in fact was already half dead the previous time I went a few years ago). I never understood why that’s not a successful development. There’s the garden, the tunnel, the waterfront, .. but just nobody. Shops are very sparse now I think it’s about time this mall’s snuffed out.

But it’s not just Baywalk, all the malls in the North where I live are quite dead too, e.g., Emporium Pluit and Pluit Village. I was very surprised I couldn’t find a single shoe store in all those malls. Even the relatively new PIK Avenue mall doesn’t seem to do well with retails (it’s mostly tenanted by food and drinks now).

Initially I thought it must be the result of Covid on businesses. Until I went to the South (one of the CBDs in Jakarta). The shopping malls were incredibly alive! Then I thought it may partly be a testament to the difference in the mindset and culture of the North and the South. Say if there’s no concept of supporting local businesses during crisis, then it’s no wonder they will go out of business sooner or later. Someone else told me may also be that the North is populated with Chinese who were scared to death and hence stayed in their basement for the past 2.5 years, meanwhile many of the native Indonesians living in the South went out about their business all the same, buying and selling. Could well be!

So that’s what you’ll find now: businesses dying and empty malls in North Jakarta, meanwhile busy, thriving, and even over-crowded malls in the South.

Word of Mouth 📣

I almost forgot just how much things depend on the word of mouth in Indo. Perhaps because the information age hasn’t yet really infiltrated into every aspects of life (as in, say, Melbourne, where you can easily find any information you’re after online). Another reason may be that the people of position and wealth are still largely the previous generation, who are used to know stuffs all by word of mouth and related connections.

From where to shop for daily stuffs to which doctors you go to. I brought my Mom and auntie for some health screenings this time, and the specialists were all based on, ‘we heard from such and such etc.’ Of course we do ask for recommendations from our friends here too, but in Indo it felt like it’s almost entirely based on that alone for many things.

Likewise with stocks. Yes, many of the aunties are into stock tradings here, but more as to gambling than investment. How do they know which to buy? Well, they say they heard this or that stock seems to be good. And so a whole group of them will get one representative auntie to buy on their behalf. It’s so strange. You would expect they never made any gain this way, as each time you get the news about good stocks, it’s already pricey. And yes, they indeed do not make any gain 😑, but they continue this word of mouth recommendation thing anyway. Bandwagons everywhere.. 😶

It is what many businesses rely heavily on too. The dressmaker’s (for my cousin’s recent wedding) business seems to run on a few large stakeholders. Years ago, someone got married where she was engaged to make dresses for families and relatives. Then on, each time there’s a wedding, the whole line of dresses are designed by her. People don’t search online to shop around, it’s all based on who you know.

Misc

~ Cover up properly

I stayed longer than max 30 days allowed on my Visa on Arrival, so I went to the immigration office to extend it. Before my appointment, I read on the document a reminder to dress neatly (meaning, with a collared shirt, covered shoes, no shorts, no mini skirts, etc – yes it’s a religious and conservative country still!). Not a bad thing. Even in picking up my nephew / niece from their school, there’s a notice that you come dressed neatly. Now it reminds me how I couldn’t find a bikini in their swimwear stores some years ago. And how I was reprimanded for wearing shorts and sandals to take my Indo ID profile photo at their office some years ago too. We don’t realise how casual our culture here in Melbourne (will be an offence to them 😅)

~ Shout for your bread! 📣 🍞🥐🥯🥖

This is so random, but one day I was in my friend’s car in Medan.

At one point, she slowed down and cautioned me not to be shocked as she’s going to shout for a bit. She pulled up next to a car that’s parked on the road side 🚘|🚖||🏪 i.e., her car was adjacent to but a bit of a distance from the entrance to a bakery shop.

She wound down her car window and (I’m glad she pre-warned me) yelled out, ‘YOOOOOOO! I’D LIKE TO BUY SOME BREAD PLEASE!!!’ Something like that, but in Indonesian. The shop staff responded in the likes and started to take her order. So they shouted at each other to and fro. Afterwards, the staff came with bags of the variety ordered, electronic transaction took place and off we drove. That’s so weird it’s pretty cool. 😄

~ Ladies parking

Lastly, something I appreciate in car parks – Ladies parking!

• Located closer to the entrance,
• sometimes slightly bigger space per car,
• marked in pink!

We may already hear the protests of stereotyping and discrimination against women drivers if this is seen here in Melbourne. I for one think that’s a nice gesture (and yes, also am aware I’m not a good driver, and if you’ve been in my car you’ll probably agree). So, I just enjoy the privilege and be appreciative!