I have passed the first phase of my research journey, although I occasionally face cultural aspects that still cause me a great shock. But more important is that I start to see positive things in whatever I perceive(d) negative.
[Graffiti painting at Semanggi]
There is no politer way to say it: social make up is just a mess. There is a great lack of discipline, people are egocentric and careless, and I feel no respect. I try to hold on to my principles and stand in line at the bus stop and not push the crowd of people (‘the queue’) once the bus arrives, but others think differently. Life in Jakarta is very tough, and if you want to survive the struggle you have to be aggressive to become the fittest. Public rules can be ignored in this urban jungle and social concerns come way after egocentric needs, so who cares about queues, or possible accidents to happen, when more important is for one to get on the bus and get a seat? As the title says: ego comes first. I picked it from a graffiti painting that has a shout out next to it saying: "Don't gain the world and lose your soul".
[The traffic, the flood, and the pedestrian]
This generalized thought counts for both the upper as the lower class, but the latter surely has to work even harder. When perceiving this from a different sight, my friend Erwin was right by commenting they have a working mentality of great determination and full spirit, all in order to survive in this hot urban jungle. I never really enjoyed tropical climates, especially ones that are fused with urban pollution. I find the sweat unbearable and the high temperature tiring, so that is another aspect for which I give respect to the lower working class: I could not have last a full day selling fried rice from a tiny market stand with no running water at a bus terminal among dozens other shouting vendors and numerous vehicles of all sizes passing by continuously leaving nothing but aggressive driving styles, stressful haste, noise pollution, and clouds of both visible as invisible dirt underneath the striking sun.
This generalized thought counts for both the upper as the lower class, but the latter surely has to work even harder. When perceiving this from a different sight, my friend Erwin was right by commenting they have a working mentality of great determination and full spirit, all in order to survive in this hot urban jungle. I never really enjoyed tropical climates, especially ones that are fused with urban pollution. I find the sweat unbearable and the high temperature tiring, so that is another aspect for which I give respect to the lower working class: I could not have last a full day selling fried rice from a tiny market stand with no running water at a bus terminal among dozens other shouting vendors and numerous vehicles of all sizes passing by continuously leaving nothing but aggressive driving styles, stressful haste, noise pollution, and clouds of both visible as invisible dirt underneath the striking sun.
[Great slim body and beautifully designed apartment complex next to the green]
GLOBAL WARMING
Surprising yet is that during this stay, I hardly ever experience that humidity from the heat blanket covering the city anymore. It is either pleasantly warm or windy warm. Believe it or not: I sometimes, both during day and night time, find it even chilly! Perhaps agreements of the Climate Top last January in Bali were extremely quickly implemented, or this is instead another effect of global warming. The global warming issue is reaching the people here, but is still very much in process. Last week for example, a political and environmental conscious radio station celebrated her anniversary and changed the name into Green Radio: ‘The Eco-lifestyle of Jakarta’. But the public party was not provided with garbage bins, so that plates and leftovers from the free dinner were collected randomly all over the green garden.
GLOBAL WARMING
Surprising yet is that during this stay, I hardly ever experience that humidity from the heat blanket covering the city anymore. It is either pleasantly warm or windy warm. Believe it or not: I sometimes, both during day and night time, find it even chilly! Perhaps agreements of the Climate Top last January in Bali were extremely quickly implemented, or this is instead another effect of global warming. The global warming issue is reaching the people here, but is still very much in process. Last week for example, a political and environmental conscious radio station celebrated her anniversary and changed the name into Green Radio: ‘The Eco-lifestyle of Jakarta’. But the public party was not provided with garbage bins, so that plates and leftovers from the free dinner were collected randomly all over the green garden.
[The green trees and the urban-polluted river]
There is still a long way to go, but at least Jakarta has become much more greener. But to enjoy some real nature, Jakarta people drive two hours westward to spend the weekend in Bandung. After Amsterdam and Jakarta, Bandung is my third hometown. My grandpa has passed away a while ago and the family house just recently got sold, but this third or fourth largest city of the country that is surrounded by mountains, and has therefore a much colder temperature, still feels like a nostalgic home to me. I always receive a sincerely warm welcome from this green city where taking walks through the very nice, shadowed by the large trees streets are still very possible.
[In Lembang, on the edge of Bandung]
[With Aldi and Ance, my friends from Amsterdam]
New in Bandung is ‘Paris van Java’. Do not mind the choice of words: Indonesians are always very consequent in (multiple) language issues. It is a semi-open complex of mainly restaurants and cafes, but of course also has a little mall attached and not to forget the cinema. It is similar to Citos in Jakarta, but the U-construction and ambiance of Paris van java (PvJ) is much nicer. My cousin is now the manager of The Mansion that is located on the second and third floor: Bandung’s newest and hottest clubbing scene with a beautiful view over the city and the mountains.
[At the rooftop of the Mansion Club]
[Our living room]
HAPPY 23
For my 23rd birthday I held a little gathering with some of my best friends at my place. At the end of the deck we held a picnic by night in what Indonesians call pegola, which is something in between a terrace, a porch, and a wall-less cottage. Unfortunately it rained quite a bit, but at least we had a roof, a beautiful city skyline by night, food, drinks, and fun. When it was midnight and I turned out not to have a permission for this party, we were sent home, where we continued a game in my room, that allowed drawing on the other’s face as a punishment…
[In the pegola, telling jokes]
[Playing the whisper-game]
[With my dear Keke ]
[My room]
[Our beautifully decorated faces]
RESEARCH UPDATE
After try-outs on the field and a first month of orientation I have built up a considerable amount of trust and relationships in two districts. Kampung Buaran, the first neighborhood is quite far (Klender, Cipinang), and consists actually of one very long unpaved, rocky and muddy road, located along and partly above a dirty river. Most houses are made of wood and random pieces from different materials, and the people make use of public toilets. Twice a week I go there with the Mother & Child Health Foundation Indonesia, and while the two teachers give free playgroup classes, I hit the field.
[Kampung Buaran]
My second research field, Menteng Atas, is right next door, and I often walk there outside research purposes to have lunch, so that I have become quite familiar with some inhabitants. The area is big and at first does not appear very poor at all: on the outer part there are even a few very beautiful gated houses with cars, but the inner part consist of small and narrow streets, or actually passages. Everything looks very nice and very green though, and perfectly function as a walking area, but motor bicycles still insist to pass through it. Most of the area can be considered a lower/middle class neighborhood, but what physically emphasizes their mental self-conception of a lower class is the concrete and barbed wired wall that totally surrounds the apartment complex and therefore literally separates and highlights the social boundaries. What is more is that there used to be a huge cemetery in the given district, that for the most part has been dug out and moved already, but some of the really lower classes have settled themselves on the old cemetery, literally above very old grave yards-leftovers.
My second research field, Menteng Atas, is right next door, and I often walk there outside research purposes to have lunch, so that I have become quite familiar with some inhabitants. The area is big and at first does not appear very poor at all: on the outer part there are even a few very beautiful gated houses with cars, but the inner part consist of small and narrow streets, or actually passages. Everything looks very nice and very green though, and perfectly function as a walking area, but motor bicycles still insist to pass through it. Most of the area can be considered a lower/middle class neighborhood, but what physically emphasizes their mental self-conception of a lower class is the concrete and barbed wired wall that totally surrounds the apartment complex and therefore literally separates and highlights the social boundaries. What is more is that there used to be a huge cemetery in the given district, that for the most part has been dug out and moved already, but some of the really lower classes have settled themselves on the old cemetery, literally above very old grave yards-leftovers.
[The passages of Menteng Atas]
Three days after my arrival it became clear already that the tension area between play and work does not account for my research population of lower classes. Among the extremely poor, those living on the streets and sleeping under bridges, it might. But what I perceive instead is a tension between play and learning. The main objective of kindergartens no longer seems to be a place where children learn to play and play to learn. Instead, children of age four and five learn to read, write, and do maths: all to prepare them for elementary school where they are expected to understand, or at least be aware of, this basic knowledge.
There are some other fascinating aspects I observed in the field, but I need to keep focused. It is hard for me, but luckily I have a fellow anthropologist nearby, my friend Fauzi. He is also a student from Utrecht University and in Jakarta for his research, yet for his Master-degree. We meet each other on the regular to discuss and evaluate our findings (his research is on Dutch ex-pats): it helps, enlightens, and encourages us.
THE BLUE TENT
Unfortunately, the blue tent that took the center of my bedroom window view did not last long and has vanished for some weeks already. Instead, they now often burn up, probably, small amounts of garbage that, especially when raining, draws spectacular sceneries. Also, have they dug up some big holes at the spot the blue tent used to be… As I have discovered that other towers of the apartment complex have a view on the cemetery leftovers that are used today as a garbage dump, I greatly thank the fresh trees, plain green field, and older typical Indonesian houses to picture my bedroom window with such a simple but natural ambiance.
Three days after my arrival it became clear already that the tension area between play and work does not account for my research population of lower classes. Among the extremely poor, those living on the streets and sleeping under bridges, it might. But what I perceive instead is a tension between play and learning. The main objective of kindergartens no longer seems to be a place where children learn to play and play to learn. Instead, children of age four and five learn to read, write, and do maths: all to prepare them for elementary school where they are expected to understand, or at least be aware of, this basic knowledge.
There are some other fascinating aspects I observed in the field, but I need to keep focused. It is hard for me, but luckily I have a fellow anthropologist nearby, my friend Fauzi. He is also a student from Utrecht University and in Jakarta for his research, yet for his Master-degree. We meet each other on the regular to discuss and evaluate our findings (his research is on Dutch ex-pats): it helps, enlightens, and encourages us.
THE BLUE TENT
Unfortunately, the blue tent that took the center of my bedroom window view did not last long and has vanished for some weeks already. Instead, they now often burn up, probably, small amounts of garbage that, especially when raining, draws spectacular sceneries. Also, have they dug up some big holes at the spot the blue tent used to be… As I have discovered that other towers of the apartment complex have a view on the cemetery leftovers that are used today as a garbage dump, I greatly thank the fresh trees, plain green field, and older typical Indonesian houses to picture my bedroom window with such a simple but natural ambiance.
2 comments:
Put Put, your stories suck me right into your adventures, wow! Very nice to hear you're settling in, also with your research, which seems 2 evolve positively and lively. I'm keepin' my eye on you from here;)
Me and the fam are doing fine. Rahfi is growing so fast! you'll be shocked when you'll see him after you return haha!
ps say hi to keke will ya!
Peace & Pleasure,
Eve
Put!!
Leuk om je verhalen te lezen!!En je ervaringen hahaha in de Urban jungle..jaa goede woordkeus!!
Heb veeeel plezier, genietse en leerse van de tijd die je doorbrengt!!
Post a Comment