Jurnalis days and selamat tinggal, Indonesia

Being a foreign journalist in Indonesia can be a daunting task, or an impediment, or an advantage but above all… unceasingly joyful. These past 4 weeks have taught me several things about my forming profession and this nation by hearing my colleagues’ experiences and interning for The Jakarta Globe.

While 4 weeks of reporting and occasional copyediting won’t uncover a complete experiential picture, I think I’ve learned a few things:

Indonesia is the place to be. No matter how you look at it. The fourth most populous nation in the planet, a 13-year old democracy with a booming economy and a constant struggle against its woeful bureaucracy; add to that religious complexity, natural disasters and separatist movements … it’s a mine for untold stories. For Australia and other countries in the region, Indonesia is also soaring as an hegemonic neighbour, trade partner and diplomatic game-changer. It’s hard to imagine a future without a global interest for Indonesia. If you haven’t considered Indonesia yet, get down to it before it’s too late.

Indonesia has a long way to go. Trying to find a solution for any problem in Indonesia is often a vain attempt undermined by the ubiquity of corruption, conservative mindsets or an inefficient bureaucracy. For my development studies peers, Indonesia is something of a test tube for humanitarian and environmental initiatives. If it works here, it can work anywhere. They see Indonesia this way because few other nations are as vast and complex. There are many things Indonesia has to eradicate: extreme wealth disparity, corruption, water pollution, extremist interpretations of pancasila… and a many others that needs to implement: accesible education, better fostering of national talents, waste management… Continue reading »