Salamat Pagi!

My first day in Jakarta was about "administration" and all the "must do" tasks.

First, meeting my boss, David, and my co-workers in HKI; well, I really knew all of them already from my last year visit, so there was not a culture shock. It felt good to see them again, actually. I passed some "oleh-oleh" which means little gifts collected in my previous destinations (mostly in US and of course, some famous Czech wafers); this is a must do in Indonesian culture, little oleh-oleh. Then, with David we went through the work agenda and all info that I need to know - my address, phone number, HKI address, my doc's number, nearest liquer story number, McDonnalds number (you know that McD delivers in Indonesia 24/7, right?)....David draw me a map and at the end he tested me from the local geography. Well, no, he did not...(I would not remember it anyway), David seems to be a very nice guy, making a good boss (hmm...did i informed him about this blog, yet?). By noon time we were done, he went to a business lunch and I was heading toward the Czech embassy - across the city in the noon-day traffic (wiht help of HKI driver). Traffic. Yack.

Interestingly, I was a bit nervous how the embassy in Indonesia will look like, what kind of impression will it make on me. After all (you know, ALL....meaning my past), I always get some "deja vu" feelings and itchings when approaching the Czech embassy building in DC and it does not matter that the building itself is located in for centuries officially recognized democratic country - the building and all probably did not change much since before 1989 (you would not believe that, I hate to visit a restroom there and use a toilette paper - too strong memories of my childhood with a green toilette seat and...hmmm... a rough toilette paper, well and beyond that). But, to my pleasant surprise the embassy building was modern and bright, looking very positively (if building can possibly look like that), even though it did not change probably much since before 1989. It was just all locked up behind a tall fence and no one inside of the speaker-phone spoke Czech. It took (whoever) a while to make a decision about opening the gate for me, but I was invited in after all. Yay. Once I got in, I found that the receptionist who was Indonesian herself was making a long-moment judgement about letting me in and therefore, disrupting everyones - the entire embassy - lunch. But, hey foreigner lady on my-home soil, I am a Czech citizen in far away Indonesia and knocking on the Czech embassy's (MY embassy's) doors - and you don't even speak Czech! Plus, there is no information about holding lunch hours - not on the embassy's gate, not on the embassy's website. Sure, I understand that people who work at the Czech embassy need to have lunch, but...just damn say so, somewhere. Lucky for me, and them!, I came in about 10 mins 'til lunch-time over. Geeee...something is still same ol' same; as I said - I tend to get this deja vu feelings. The guy I met with after the not-official lunch break, who btw did not even tell me his name and title while there was an official introduction moment (and I meantioned who I am and why), was coming accross as a friendly one, yeah, he did (geeee..., but I was a dutiful citizen coming to give a report about her existence in estranged country!); he liked to be in Indonesia even though he knew about mosquitos and thefts in hotels; and I just hope that he was at least a bureaucrat of a higher rank and not ...a Czech cook working for the embassy. Back to HKI, across Jakarta - in afternoon traffic-jam. Hossana, hossana - I am not driving and this car has AC, the driver does not speak English and I Indonesian, good time to take a nap.

OK, the most important point of my upcoming agenda that David shared with me this morning was that I will be leaving Jakarta the very next day (March 18) @ 4am morning! I am going to Central Java, to a city named Jogja, for a little CLC - cultural and language colloquium. Meaning, I need to go back to my place and unpack and then pack again for my two weeks trip. Which I did. Because of my jet-lag symptoms, I knew I will be up all night....waiting for the drive to pick me up at dawn.

Meanwhile, I can tell you that I went also shopping already. After my arrival actually, HKI folks took me to local grocery store, called HERO (wonder why). One day, I will probably walk there by myself as it doesn't seem to be located far from my apt, at least, I hope I will be able to. So, it was Sunday afternoon and families went shopping. All white families. White dudes in shorts and sleevless shirts. Dad pushing a stroller. Little girl riding her first bike. I was thinking that I am actually somewhere in....hmmm...Georgetown, kind of? Well, I could be in Prague, too, I guess...only all the people spoke English. The store was nice and, as I was told, price-wise not really accessible to domestic shoppers. Hey, who could (and would!) afford to pay $6 for 1 kg (sorry, we are using metric system here) of rice labeled as "organic"! Folks from GT?! Glad that the organic products made it that far. Hmmm....wondering, what kind of rice is consumed by local people here - you know, the rice that they grew on their little rice fields?! Other than the rice, the store offeres all essential groceries that we are use to in the West. Most of them are actually imported from West (not sure, if I noticed Indonesian butter), even though, lots of the products come from neighborhood, Australia, too.
Oh, I wanted to mention that the area where I am staying in Jakarta (and where the HKI office is) has name Kemang; it is also where HERO is located. This area is the better one in Jakarta, place where the international community gathers - folks from NGOs or embassies - which also justify the crowd doing the Sunday shopping. Here is lots of galleries, modern and foreign cuisine restaurants and a famous liquer store with a great wine selection (run by a white dude who also, after tsunami disaster in 2004, opened smartly a branch in Sumatra - Aceh area, expecting lots of thirsty volunteers from the West).

The nearest topic to shopping is...hmmm... no, not the cart, but money. Time to talk money, Indonesian money. Indonesia is actually one of the few countries that left on the world, recently, where is still worth of having the US currency in your pocket. Yes, Indonesia is experiencing the weakening of the dollar, but not exactly in the exchange rate. 1 USD equals about 9,000 Rph (last year in October it was almost 10, 000 Rph). As you can notice, Indonesia is still dealing with inflation, aftermath of Asian financial crisis from a decado ago. Therefore, there is not a problem to spend 500 000 at HERO (but, you have a fully loaded shopping cart - if you are not buying the organic rice only). And, therefore, you are meeting a millionair - right now. Don't get dizzy. Yet, out of the practical reasons, could not they just cross some of the zerous at the end?

It is time to go, yet? I am ready, packed...and waiting for the driver. My ticket is for 6am, it is 4: 30am now and about one hour to the airport. Was the driver suppose to call me? Hmm....I figured out that he is already waiting outside since 4am. Dah. And I was waiting inside. Glad he did not leave.

Salamat pagi! Good morning!

Greetings from Indonesia!

OK, lets get moving in time.

For those in DC, move your mental clock 12 hours forward. For folks in Upice, it is only 6 hours. I am already here in Indonesia - for good 2 weeks now - and I am ahead of you, in time and date.
On my 3 days air road-trip (which started a bit dramatically on Friday morning, March 14, when the damned driver from Supper-shuttle left toward Dullas without me stating that I was "no-show"!? What? I paid for the trip already and he did not even bother to honk when outside of my house?! And I was even told by the company to tak a cab now so that I dont miss my flight! Lucky for them I did not have much time for over-complicated curse!) I have crossed the whole US, 1 ocean, couple of local seas, several mountains, official date line, and equator; I changed the hemisphere and all of the sudden approaching the winter season. Geee...what a time relativity one can absorb! On my 13-hour trip to Japan, starting in DC, I was flying against the time; shortly before Japan I changed the date (mentally and, well, officially) and started to fly with the time - being one day ahead now when compare to people in DC and even in Europe. In Japan, after about 2 hours of leg stretching, kicking and forwarding I boarded plane, again, heading south toward Singapore; additional 7 hours on-board. Landed in Singapore on Saturday, midnight, March 15; next flight early in the morning. Some of you are already aware that Singapore is one of the coolest airports around the world (and could probably be beatten by Dubai, only), so I don't mind to be laid-over there - even though, I really actually mind because my next and last flight will take only about 47 minutes! (Hmmm...I really do mind.) OK, this facility features all kind of goodies making your time way much pleasant while waiting for your big bird - mainly, there is plenty of flat-screen computers with free internet, besides Burger King, Subway and already mentioned "7-11" spot. Also, it has its own garden in the middle!....And also furniture of modern design standing on color coordinated carpets, flat-screen TVs all over, many relaxing rooms (wish to pray to whichever God or excercise in a gym?), sofas for resting, massage people and machines...well, you name it. Really, if you have time and money, fly through Singapore on one of your trips (to Pittsburgh, perhaps). Anyway, in the morning I switched the company (no more United!) and flew to my final destination, finally, with Singaporian Airlines. Guess what? They (SinAir stewardesses turned-to-be-models-turned-to-be stewardesses that all look like tidy identical twins of high maintainance with endless smiles signaling they will do whatever you ask them to do, besides serving you the meal and closing the baggage compartment above you - so that I have to wonder who are they really suppose to serve on this board - to me or to the guy next to me? Or...hmmm...both?) even serve a two-course meal on this shortest possible flight ever; this seems to be the whole reason why this flight takes so long (as 47,5 minutes); and at the end, we are just circling above Jakarta as the pilot is waiting for us to finish on chewing our breakfasts and wiping our oral cavities and hands with warm napkins. (Hmmm....Can SinAir serve/feed us in cross-US flights?)
Alright, on Sunday around 9am, March 16, I am greeting Jakarta on Suekarno-Hatta Intl. Airport. (And can barely touch or even think about my bottom.)

I was a little affraid that after such irritating beginning there will be additional complications, but even all my baggages (one of them being a little box with books) were handling with care by someone literate and all 3 arrived to same destination and at the same time as I (and my bottom) did. Yahoooo! Got my immigration stamp and off I go.

I was welcomed by familiar faces from HKI (Helen Keller International) and heat. Also, by the already familiar scent of Indonesia - I was getting out the scent mixing the smell of burning leaves with hot and humid air.

Ina (HKI secretary) and HKI driver are taking me to my new home. I already know that in Indonesia are driving on the opposite side of the road (fact, that you will not read in those articles from library), I am ready for it this time. And even for the unbelievable traffic that could be used as a synonym for Jakarta. Maybe.

Traffic was not that bad and my new studio-like place is cool. I even have a swimming pool in one step out of my 'living room'! And 10 mins by walk through off-street road to the office which means NO crossing the over-trafficed streets!!! (Thanks, All Mighty!) Nope, the beginning is not bad at all - and will be even better after my internet will be working. My new landlord said that it is common on Sundays that "we all have a little break". Ehhhh....yeah, I guess....here, in Jakarta (well, just was hoping that the Indonesian internet will not take its annual vacation...hmm...going to DC?!).
But, I am exhausted anyway after my long journey, and most from anything else I am looking for the bed. I will go sleep now and will dream about the internet being back by the time I open my eyes again.

And tomorrow is Monday (exactly, I am talking about March 17th here) and I will go to work - in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Doing the travel-abroad basics- beforehand

So, this blog should be fun (utmost, right Amy), interesting, informative and educational. If you are the ones whose intention is to travel abroad soon, to some less or more less developed country, my following sentences are for you. Well...hmmm...not for those, though, who plan to stay in a local branch of Ritz-Carlton; ya'll please just have a nice day and follow your own path to get there.

Ideally, you pick the country. I assume based on where your boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend) is living. Or, because you are already or a bit fluent in local language, or you know about the economy and development problems that deserve your input, or you are interested in the culture and people even with the variety of strange foods that they are consuming there. That's great and good for you. In my case, the country was picked up for me. Which means, I did not know pretty much anything. I was so clueless that even when dealing with my future boss (via email) I was talking about my appreciation of being entrusted with this "assignment in Bangladesh". Well, at least, they both are located in Asia.

OK, you know where will you be going, maybe it will not be even your first time goint there. But, better read some useful info, get yourself educated about your location - from variety sources and perspectives. There is probably zillions of e-links about your destination, especially if it is a political or disaster hot spot (now, are you really sure you want to go there?) and there might be even some erotic ones, if you are lucky and going to some fantasy location...but, don't click on these (right, Amy?). Well, the link doesn't work anyway, so then you can start lightly with the all safe one Lonely Planet (how to get there?) and continue to the unsecure one owned by the CIA (and be ready to be checked out...one day). You obviously are already familiar with the websites of the Bank and the Fund, and of the UN and the UNDP and all the developmental reports related to your chosen country. For serious readers and topics, there are also many magazines with on-line issues such as Jouranal of International Affairs, Disability and Development, Journal of International Relations and Development...etc. or issues available in the university library (of course, not in the GU one, though). Your academic advisor might also link you to some practical information (right, Amy?).

You probably will need to check a website of the State Department (even if the recent government is not your government and you are labeled as an alien in the US) as this official site can provide you with some general (good for alien, too) safety-related tips and give you a clue about essential vacination set required for a particular country. Be ready, you might need several of them shots....And it can take a while to obtain them all (especially, with Hep A and B - it take months) and therefore, be completely covered for your comming trip; so get started asap! (Hmmm...my last A and B shots will come as soon as I get back!). Also, get your travel health insurance...and hopefully, some local (international) hospital can assist you if you need it. Better not. If...if....I got some over-counter savers from CVS - box of band aids, Alca-Seltzer, vitamins, Visin, Tylenol, Anti-diarrheal (for sure!), Dramamine....and whatever makes you feel good and will kick your boat if you need it.

Make a copy of your passport, your insurance card and vaccination card, you know, for just-in case-something-happens event. I also scanned these documents and save it in my laptop (which I will have with me) and sent copies to my academic advisor as well as to a secretary of my agency.

I checked out a local address of my embassy (the Czech one), the US embassy, local address of my hosting organization and my local address of a place where I will stay and did share/exhange the info with all of the institutions as well as with my academic advisor. They all know about me now. They all have also my work schedule as I will be travelling around Indonesian islands pretty much the whole time. I hope that at least one of my relatives knows about me either (even though, in this case, I am not so sure).

What else....?

Hmmm....I bought a rain coat as I am flying into a region with wet season in progress. Oh, go to Best Buys to get some 'right ending' for your laptop cord as each continent has its power outlet specifics. Good for me, I was thinking, Indonesian looks same as in Europe; oh yeah...but, I have all American laptop (made in ...Asia). If you are flying through Singapore, you don't need to worry - you can find anything here (even tasty chilli at your favorite store "7 - 11" at 2am).

What else...? I guess...there will be some necessary paperwork that will you have to follow, besides the one required by your academic advisor (right, Amy). Most likely you will have to go to the embassy and ask for a visa to entry "your" country. Visa processing may take a while, so better go there at least a couple of weeks ahead. In addition, check the embassy website for visa requirements - beforehand; you may find out that all kind of pictures, letters or documents are needed for the appropriate visa application. My visa process took 3 days (business, of course) and I went there ...hmmm....on Monday before leaving for my trip on Friday. Nothing feels like last-minute-adrenaline in your body!

And what else....? Hmmm....get your ticket; it better be this two-way one (....and you will probably need one copy for the embassy).

If you find out that I forgot about something then GOOD for YOU!

PS. This is obviously post-dated, written with me being already out here. Thanks for understanding.