A note on 2 years of living in Jakarta

The Skyline

Two years have passed since I decided to live in Jakarta. I still remember an overly dramatic scene when my family and my closest friends bid me good bye on December 29, 2011 at the Solo Balapan train station. Recalling the scene, I should win an award for that.

 I remember that when I was still a sophomore student, I told myself not to go to Jakarta after graduating. But then, after graduation, I realized that my hometown, as much as I love it, had nothing much for me to offer.

“What can you do with that degree?” the question I quoted from “500 Days of Summer” really suited me back then. I was, and am, an idealist; I want to have a job that suits my education.

After graduating, I  applied for several jobs in Jakarta. I got calls for interviews several times (which made me happy to know that my resume could actually sell me *blaaaah*). Then, I was called for an interview at The Jakarta Post, the most famous English newspaper in the country.

I had no journalistic background before. Frankly, I was not interested to be a journalist. Even, I was educated to criticize media. I thought "how can I work for the media if I was trained to be critical to media?"

However, I always know that I love writing (in fact, that was how I answered my interviewers when they asked me "why do you want to work here"). When the Post offered me the opportunity to work with them, I accepted it, believing that I could learn so many things from them.

And it turned out that the job was really great that made me feel so small. I came into loving the job, believe it or not! I learned so many things: politics, law, human rights and life lessons that I never received before. However, despite my growing interest to the job, forces beyond my control forced me to end the work as a reporter on New Years’ eve of 2012.

I was jobless again for two months. I enjoyed my freedom though. Working as a reporter, when I recalled, is really tough. You came home late at night. Sometimes, you work from 5 a.m. (yeah, I left my home at 5 a.m. twice in 2012). However, despite the tough work, I love my colleagues!

New friendship :)

My job hunting then led me to AMINEF, the Fulbright commission in Indonesia. I was accepted to work in March. I had no clue about the working nature of the job I applied. After one-two months of learning, I was able to seize the pace.

My current job is really different from my first job. I had a fixed working schedule and holiday (yey!!). I get chances to meet Fulbright scholars from US (who knows that they might lead me to my future). However, I am still learning to love my job (I still love writing! I miss it. That is why blog post doubles this year compared to last year).

I am grateful that during my 2 years of living in Jakarta, I have jobs that suited my education background. 

This year also marked a point in my love life history. I fell in love with someone again after so many years, but at the same time, I was quickly brokenhearted (lols). Unrequited love always sucks! But alas, I thanked for the feeling. I never knew I still had it in me.

Despite my hatred to Jakarta's traffic jam, I still thank this city for harboring me for two years. Thank you Jakarta for giving me new friendship. Thank you Jakarta for introducing me to some sides of lives - good and bad - that I never encountered in my hometown. Thank you Jakarta for giving life skills (Hey I am now a master to make omelette and toast! Check my instagram here if you don't believe me).

I am still looking forward to living in here for ...... (i don't know how long I will stay here). I am still looking forward to achieving my dreams here.

Well, that is my note of my two-year stay in the capital city. I will never cast my Solonese background from me, but one thing for sure, Jakartan values have also been incorporated in me as well. Anyhow, in this last day of December, I want to wish you all a happy new year. May good fortunes come to you in 2014!