The World By Road

After spending nearly two months in Australia, it was a welcome change to disembark the plane in Denpasar, Bali Indonesia. Although the flight from Darwin, Australia to Indonesia was only about two hours, these two locations are a world apart. Prices and the general cost of living differ dramatically. In Darwin, an average hostel bed costs a little over $20. In Indonesia, you can find complete private rooms for less than $3. A night out in Australia consisting of run-of-the-mill cuisine and a few drinks can cost as much as $50, but in Indonesia, you can have an excellent dinner complete with freshly caught seafood, filet mignon and a bottle of wine for as little as $10. Obviously, the prices are some of the most dramatic and apparent differences you experience, however after spending time on Bali and later Java, it is the more subtle differences that I really started to notice and reflect upon.

Coming from the West, we have the luxury of being able to splurge and live lavishly for relatively little, yet this is a life that is as foreign to many of the locals as the visitors that arrive in their country. The police officer at the airport makes about $1,000,000 Rupiah a month. Although technically he is a millionaire, this translates into only about $100 per month and most Indonesians survive on much, much less.

Indonesia is a land of friendly people, a land that is a culturally unique and diverse in its geography. It represents a land where people live a much simpler life than the one I am used to, yet appear to lead a more fulfilling one. Family is very important and community is highly valued. The simple yet peaceful existence of the rice farmer tending to his fields and carefully managing delicately crafted terraces carved into seemingly impossible slopes is a life I admire. Examples of resourcefulness can be found just about everywhere.

The irony is, just as much as I admire and respect aspects of life here in Indonesia, the locals I have spoken to admire and long for life in America. Part of this may be the desire for more economic opportunities and freedom and maybe another part is the desire to lead a life that is visibly portrayed throughout Indonesia on television. You don’t have to go far to find hit American shows like Lost and CSI complete with Indonesian subtitles. There are also several Indonesian programs modeled after those in America. Right now, Indonesian Idol is one of the most viewed and talked about shows.

As much as I wanted to move away from the life I led back in the States, there are numbers of people who want it. Obviously this is not a new revelation, but talking to people about it first-hand gives it new meaning. Seeing what life is like in other countries often makes you realize how much of your life you take for granted. At the same time, seeing how other people and cultures live also makes you question the your life values and whether or not the one you have led is the best. It is this perspective on life that you can only truly explore by exploring other cultures.