Indonesia is a soccer country?

Many countries claim to be the motherland of soccer. England and China, for example, claim to be the country where soccer is born.

England soccer players

China soccer players

So, how about Indonesia? Does Indonesia claim to be the motherland of soccer too? No, Indonesia could never be one. However, Indonesia can be a country where the fans of soccer are born.

Why? Because Indonesia, the country where the population is so dense that it ranks fourth, has the most people who love soccer.

Painted in red by the Indonesian supporters

Look at the amount

Even there are many people who come to watch live on TV together

Indonesia really loves soccer. From youngsters to old people, they will sleep early and wake up later at night just to watch their favorite soccer team playing. This is because Indonesia has a rather big time zone difference from the time zone where the competition is held, and Indonesia people usually like the foreign soccer team.

Do you realize the business opportunity? Those many people in the stadium could not be only watching the soccer match, right? Selling foods, drinks, and cigarette is a very wise decision, as many Indonesian people are smokers. Imagine if you can sell more than 100 cigarette to those people in every soccer match in Indonesia.

(See this video below to know the risk of taking the business opportunity)

The reason of the commotion is actually simple. It is because somebody is not happy with the result of the match, thus causing the riot. Don’t you agree that it is stupid to fight over the result, and even stupider to fight even when you are not the competitor?

But, of course you don’t actually need to be there, you just need to hire someone to do the selling.

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Indonesia is full of visual trashes

Many streets or corners around the world are very clean and free of anything, like in Singapore. This is because the government enforces a strict rule and big fine for those who break the rule. Therefore, although it is somewhat forced, the effect can always be felt and embraced. The cleanliness is now one of many interesting things proudly held by Singapore.

Clean street

Clean road

Clean and great view

But in Indonesia, you surely cannot expect the cleanliness of Singapore. These pictures below will make you understand right away.

Dirty

Very dirty

Too dirty that it deserves a trophy of dirtiness

The trashes can destroy your nose by its bad smell and your eye by its dirtiness, but that is not the visual trash I am talking about. What I am talking about is the beauty of marketing that has become nothing more than a trash.

SIM card, franchises

Cigarrete, promotion

Political campaign stuffs

Minimarkets, restaurants

Exactly, we have to blame the marketing to have put the city into a drawing paper full of pictures and letters. From the marketing view, it is beautiful because the street user would definitely see the advertisement especially if the advertisement is unique and eye-catching.

But from the word “beautiful” itself, it is not beautiful at all. Instead, it destroys the beauty of a what is supposed to be a clean city but turned into nothing more than a place to do marketing. Furthermore, the purpose is not there anymore. There are too many advertisements that the street users do not have time to see all the advertisements, and that, slowly, makes everyone stop noticing and looking at the advertisement too.

(See this video below to see just a glimpse of the visual trashes)

If you want to put your advertisements somewhere, now you know you don’t need to waste your money putting your advertisement on the trees or electrical pole near the street.
Maybe you can think of something new, like in the toilet for example. People, especially men, will definitely stand in one spot when they are doing their ‘business’. That spot can be given an advertisement, and surely they will look and read at it as they don’t have anything better to do except to finish their ‘business’ in the toilet.

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Indonesia is designed for Indonesian

A country is its people, or its people is the country? Nevertheless, every country has their everything designed for their people. In countries like the United States, for example, the design of its door is tall and wide. This is because most people living in the United States are tall and most are fat.

The door

Another door

It is fine if you are shorter than most people living in America because you do not need to worry about getting head bumps when you enter a door.
But if a tourist from the America or Europe comes to Indonesia, then you have to watch out a little.

Another thing to know is when you use public transportation like a bus. If it’s crowded, then you will realize that you are either too big or too wide to sit in the chairs designed for 1 person for each chair.

The size of the chair might be too small for non-Indonesian

This can be a rather big issue for the Indonesian government especially the one who deals with tourism. Surely, the chair size fits most Indonesian people and thus it is efficient as it can carry as many people as it can, but the possibility of tourists using it must have been considered too.

But then again, there is always alternative instead of using the public transportation. Tourists can always use a taxi or rental car as it will prove to be more efficient and not tiring if compared to traveling in a bus.

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Tissue VS Water, a serious clash of civilizations

Most countries will have a nice set of toilet paper or tissue for the needs of  hygiene after doing the ‘business’.

Clean and nice bathroom

Bathroom with toilet paper

All bathrooms have toilet paper

But do you know that when you come to Indonesia, 99,99% of all places does not provide a tissue or toilet paper in the bathroom or toilet?
Indonesian people grow up with using water, bailer, and water container in their toilet or bathroom. It is weird for Indonesian people to clean themselves using toilet paper or tissue.
So, when you come to public places or houses in Indonesia, remember this article and forget the teaching from your country that you have to use toilet paper.

Another thing to know is that you have to use your left hand to clean the ‘spot’, and right hand to hold the water bailer. It is a very disgusting thing to clean the ‘spot’ using your right hand because the right hand is supposed to be used for eating and other things, right? I know it’s really disgusting to clean yourself without tissue or toilet paper, but don’t worry because you can always clean your hands with the soap later on. Or maybe you can use your own tissue because not all hotels in Indonesia have toilet paper or tissue.

One last thing to know is that you have to bear with the cleanliness of the toilets in Indonesia. Around more than 80% of Indonesian people have no access to clean toilets or bathrooms. Even some malls do not have decent toilets with toilet papers. There are two types of toilets, which are sitting and squatting. Yes, you should squat, not half-standing.

(See this video about the dirty river, even the word ‘dirty’ is overrated. Sadly, this river is used for everything concerning hygiene by the people living above it)

This serious clash of civilizations really marks the difference between Indonesia and the other countries, but hopefully this does not discourage you to come to Indonesia and enjoy the uniqueness of it. After all, visiting other countries and learning their culture is fun, right?

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Where’s the trash bin in Indonesia? Anywhere

In countries all over the world, they are always taught to throw the garbages or trashes into a trash bin. Of course, there are some irresponsible people as they do not care where they throw the trashes, but if they are seen by a patrolling police, they will get fined. So, they will have to bring their trashes around and find a trash bin. Well, it is tedious but better than paying the fine, isn’t it?

A very clean street

No garbage or trash around

Recycling bins in Singapore

Recycling bins in Singapore airport

While in Indonesia, you don’t need to find a trash bin if you want to throw something away. So where is the trash bin in Indonesia? Anywhere. You can just throw your garbage in the street, and no police will fine you. When you climb a mountain, you won’t find any trash bin, so just throw the garbage somewhere.

Street full of trashes 1

Street full of trashes 2

Street full of trashes 3

Street full of trashes 4

This is the reality of Indonesia. Compared to other countries with a good sanitary system, Indonesia is left far behind.
But don’t worry, Indonesian people have something to overcome this.
Dust, noise, and smoke pollution, combined with the bad smell from trashes in the street means business opportunities for masks, right? Furthermore, people have to buy countless masks as they can only be worn at most 3 times or 3 days.

Exposed to pollution, wear a mask

Mask to anticipate pollution

Bad smell from trashes forces students to wear mask

(See this video about the disgusting side of Indonesia)

Almost all Indonesian people think that it is okay to throw the trashes to the street because everyone is doing it. Then, It is no wonder to see the streets in Indonesia in a pitiful state.
Of course this is not a suggestion to allow you throwing garbage or trashes randomly.

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Keep getting on until there is no space left

Bus 1

Bus 2

Bus 3

Everywhere in the world, the bus has always been a favorite for traveling or commuting. It is spacious with comfortable sofas and no bad smells.

Meanwhile in Indonesia, there are some types of buses. The most comfortable, which has air conditioner and nice sofa, is busway or TransJakarta buses.
The medium comfortable type is the ordinary bus, and it has two versions, which are with and without air conditioner.
The least comfortable type is the minibus or ‘kopaja’, which does not have air conditioner and no sofa but hard chairs. It is also quite smelly.

Busway or TransJakarta

Ordinary bus

Kopaja or minibus

You can guess the differences just be seeing the pictures, right?
The expensive one means better service, the medium is so-so, the cheapest one means the worst service you will ever get.

Well, you guessed it wrong. There is no good service at all in every type of bus. The only difference you get is the air conditioner and the sofa condition.

You will be waiting under the tropical hot sun of Indonesia, combined with air and voice pollution, and suffocated with the other people waiting for the same bus.
After you finally get on the bus, you are lucky if you can have a seat. Most of the time, especially during rush hour, you will have to stand up all the way.
Waiting in a spacious bus is fine, but waiting with no space to move at all?
The traffic jam is also the same everywhere, whether you take the ‘kopaja‘ or the TransJakarta.

Waiting for the TransJakarta bus

Getting on the bus, first come first served

Full seats, have to stand up

A very common sight

At least, there is an officer in every busway or TransJakarta bus who will stop the people from entering the bus if it is already full.
BUT there is no such thing with the ordinary bus and the ‘kopaja‘. In fact, as long as it can still fit, people will keep getting on.
You can guess how suffocated and dangerous it is.

Full ‘kopaja’ 1

Full ‘kopaja’ 2

Well, this is Indonesia. Better get used to the smell of sweat, smoke, and dust if you ride the bus.

(See this video about a thorough video on the ‘kopaja‘ or minibus)

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

‘Ojek’, the best transportation in traffic jam

I am sure even in your swiftest and smoothest day, there’s got to be a traffic jam somewhere, right?
Who doesn’t hate traffic jam? It can change your 30-minute trip into a tedious 1 hour or more. Think about how much time and mental state you waste.
Those of you whose working time starts from 9am should wake up and go earlier just because you have to anticipate the time wasted for traffic jam. You could have more of your beauty sleep if there is no traffic jam.

Traffic jam 1

Traffic jam 2

Traffic jam 3

So, what should you do when you are on a really tight schedule but got stuck in a traffic jam?
Here in Indonesia, I introduce you to the best transportation to go through the traffic jam.
It’s called ‘Ojek’, a normal motorcycle with a somewhat ‘abnormal’ driver. You can see them everywhere.

Ojek base 1

Ojek base 2

Ojek base 3

Ojek base 4

Ojek base 5

They are basically like ‘Bajaj’ or taxi or bus but in the form of motorcycle. You tell them where you want to go, you agree on a price, and the next thing you know is that you are slipping through the traffic jam, abnormally. Why abnormally? Because they drive fast and unafraid of danger, but they can get you anywhere real quick.

One thing you should remember though is that the passenger helm is not always clean. They simply don’t clean it after it is used by someone else. So you can imagine the sweat, smell, and germs all over the helm.

(Even the Governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) agrees that ‘Ojek’ is the best transportation to use)

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Always use your right hand in Indonesia

In most countries, there is no such explicit culture as ‘Always use your right hand’. People can give or take something from and to other people using any hands or both hands.

Giving and Receiving 1

Giving and Receiving 2

Giving and Receiving 3

BUT in Indonesia, using your left hand when interacting with other people like giving or receiving something, is considered impolite.
Why? It is simply because the left hand is considered dirty. Which hand do you use to *pardon me* pick your nose? Which hand do you use to *pardon me* clean your buttocks?
Meanwhile, your right hand will definitely be cleaner than your left hand. Which hand do you use to eat or to pick something to eat?

Eating with right hand

Shaking hands with right hands

Receiving with right hand

This culture also goes for left-handed people. Thus, no matter that your right hand is busy and you can only give or receive something with your left hand, you have to change it to your right hand.
Furthermore, if it is impossible to use your right hand, at least you have to say “Sorry to use left hand” while you give or receive something.

(See this video below as one of the illustrations)

Of course, this goes not only for fancy dining etiquette, but also on every occasion.

(Credits go respectfully to the right owner)

Drinking tap water in Indonesia? Don’t even think about it

I am sure most of you drink tap water in your home to fulfill your thirst everyday. The water is pristine, clear, and refreshing, right?
It is also cheaper than buying bottled water or gallons in long term.

Tap water 1

Tap water 2

Tap water 3

Tap water 4

Tap water 5

BUT in Indonesia, if you don’t want to get stomachache, diarrhea, hard time in the toilet, and other nasty diseases, don’t even try drinking tap water.
Why? because almost all Indonesian houses use ground water for their tap water, and it is not the clean ground water from the mountain or fountain.

Tap water is a no-no

Dirty water 1

Dirty water 2

Dirty ground water 1

Dirty ground water 2

That’s why bottled water in Indonesia is very popular and gives much profit. The water filters technology is growing too, slowly but sure.
So, investing on water companies and water filter companies are good choices.

(See this video about the danger of dirty water)

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

House beside a river in Indonesia? So cheap

In most countries, houses beside a river are very very expensive.  Well, no wonder about it, because the river is so clear and pristine, and the houses are so charming. Only rich people can buy one of these houses.

House in other country 1

House in other country 2

House in other country 3

House in other country 4

House in other country 5

House in other country 6

Meanwhile in Indonesia, the houses beside a river are very very very cheap. Don’t be surprised, see the photo gallery below to know why they are so cheap.

Indonesia riverside house 1

Indonesia riverside house 2

Indonesia riverside house 3

Indonesia riverside house 4

Indonesia riverside house 5

Indonesia riverside house 6

Indonesia riverside house 7

Indonesia riverside house 8

The river is so dirty, the houses are made of iron sheeting and looks like they are going to break down anytime soon if the wind is strong or an earthquake happens. Surely you are not confused anymore now after seeing how Indonesia’s houses beside river look like.

So, investors of houses, apartments, and real estates, be careful not to get tricked into investing in riverside houses in Indonesia.

(See this video of the people’s daily life who live in the riverside houses)

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)