Which is a better country to live in, India or Indonesia?
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After spending 22 years in Indonesia, I feel compelled to answer this question. I have always enjoyed living in Indonesia. There are some good reasons why I think it is my favorite place in the world. I am refraining from comparing the two countries for a simple reason that they have their own uniqueness. It is the uniqueness of Indonesia that fascinates me compare to the rest of the world.
1. Indonesians, in general, are very friendly and polite people. As a foreigner, I have always enjoyed unique respect from Indonesians. It is very rare that you will have verbal and physical confrontations with people in this country. Humility and politeness are the greatest virtues Indonesian value. This is one culture where harmony with each other is given the highest value. The Millennials, however, are exceptions. As the time goes by it appears that the new generations of Indonesians are losing their respect for adults.
2. In Indonesia, you rarely or never see an alcoholic on the street. You will almost never get into a taxi or public bus to find the driver is drunk. This is the one factor that makes Indonesia far sober and safer place to live. You can be on the street at night without worry of being cursed by an alcoholic.
One weak point of the Indonesian society is that it has one of the largest populations of smokers. The Indonesian government has put a graphic warning on cigarette packs, but I am not sure how effective it has been.
3. Majority of Indonesian Muslims are tolerant. Occasionally there are acts of terrorism, but most Indonesians do not support any of these acts. Indonesia has proven to be far better in handling terrorist acts than many countries in the world. The Indonesian intelligence and police force should be awarded for swiftly acting and preventing terrorism. So many acts of terrorism have been prevented by police since the Bali bombing. This country remains the best example for other Muslim countries to follow.
During Christmas, malls are full of Christmas decorations and carols. There is a national Christmas celebration which is attended by the president. In Indonesia, even Non-Christians would greet you with ” Merry Christmas.” Such a greeting in the so-called free speech promoting Western countries is seen as offensive.
4. Indonesia is safer for women. You never have to worry about your daughter getting taunted and or a gang of guys following and whistling behind her. There might be few places in Indonesia or parts of Jakarta where a woman might feel insecure at night, but on average women are well protected in Indonesia.
5. Indonesian quality of life is far better. An average housemaid gets free food, place to live and at least net 200 dollars per month salary in Jakarta. An average teacher with a master’s degree and a little bit of fluency in English can easily earn up to 700 to 1500 dollars per month. People with CEO positions can earn up to 10.000 dollars per month. Most of my students own several Beverly Hills types of houses/villas and own as many as six cars. I have seen more luxurious and sports cars in Indonesia than in Singapore or Los Angeles.
6. Indonesia provides a perfect balance between a modern world and typical Asian culture. It is a country that adopts to the modernity without losing its morality. You can see the fancy malls and traditional markets in the same city. I love this combination because I get to experience the modern and traditional world at the same time. Jakarta has over 200 malls. Below is one of the most visited malls in the city.
7. Indonesians are very artistic and musical. Most Indonesians know how to sing and dance. I have taught 19 years in Indonesia and have rarely seen a student who could not sing or play music.
8. The Indonesian language is one of the easiest languages to learn. It uses English script and contains so many Hindi, Marathi and Sanskrit words. It is not difficult for foreigners to quickly adapt to Indonesia because the language makes it far easier.
9. Indonesia is always green. There is this pleasant greenery throughout the year in every part of the country. The pleasing green grass, rice paddies, tea plantations, blooming flowers, and green trees are all over the country. A dry tree is a rare sight in Indonesia.
10. The humid weather ( 30-degree Celsius of heat) remains the same throughout the year. The temperature never goes up to 45 degrees or minus 20 degrees. If you live in Indonesia you will never miss the European/American winter or Indian summer.
11. Travel by Indonesian train across Java island is one of the best experiences you can have. The train passes by the far-stretched green rice fields and beside the ocean. It gives you unforgettable memories of natural beauty.
12. The 17000 islands with its beautiful beaches are something you can explore throughout your life. I have frequently traveled from west to east Java and the journey has been amazing. The sea life and animal world is rich and beautiful. Indonesia is never boring to me.
13. The view of Jakarta at night (Sudirman and Thamrin street) is fascinating. The day-time traffic in the city is a nightmare, but the infrastructure of Jakarta is far more developed and continues to develop.
14. Due to the geographical location of Indonesia and its being on the top of the ring of fire makes it rich in natural resources. Indonesians are waking up to their potential and realizing that they need to utilize these natural resources and develop their economy.
15. Ahok (Former governor of Jakarta) and Jokowi (President) are probably the best and the cleanest examples of leadership. Most foreigners who know them wish that their country had leaders like Ahok and President Jokowi.
16. The greatest threat to Indonesia is its vulnerability to natural disasters. It sits right on the top of the ring of fire and constantly finds itself hit by earthquakes and occasional Tsunamis. The eruptions of volcanoes catch attention only if it starts to affect major cities. The problem with Indonesia is that it is less prepared to handle a nationwide natural disaster.
Aside from natural disasters, I think Indonesia is one of the best places in the world to live.
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