Results of Operation Friend An Indonesian

Oddly enough, in the office right next to ours, there was an Indonesian guy who had spent 6 years living in the exact suburb my company is located in back home in the States.  How random is that?  He was always very friendly and suggested we go out to lunch sometime but I always had stuff going on.  Over the holiday he moved his business out of our building into another location, but still stopped back from time to time.  This was fortunate for me, since I had made it one of my New Year's Resolutions to make some Indonesian friends.

CT and my boss told me they didn't think this guy should actually count toward my resolution, which I'd shared with them, since he wasn't exactly a typical Indonesian.  At 28, he'd spent well over half his adult life in the States, and then a year in China where he started up his own IT company.  He'd just moved back to Jakarta less than a year ago for the first time since he was in high school.  Baby steps, I say.  I can't exactly bff someone who grew up in a remote village and doesn't speak a word of English.  My job never provided or allowed time for language lessons, for cripes sakes.

Finally we were able to coordinate lunch one day he was back in our building.  Even though I deeply fear and loathe it, I insisted on Indonesian food to make the experience more authentic.  He was a great sport and ordered all kinds of things he thought I should try, so our table was literally overflowing with Indonesian delights.  None of which I found terribly delightful, but it was still appreciated.  I was hoping he'd be able to enlighten me as to all the amazing hidden things Jakarta has to offer to keep one stimulated during the evenings and weekends, but he admitted he was still trying to figure that out himself.  So we mostly ended up talking about where he lived in the States and his year in China.  I wouldn't share that detail with CT or my boss.

When pressed about what to do here, he made a variety of recommendations of clubs, shopping malls and VIP movie theaters. Unfortunately, I happen to think these are some of the worst possible ways one can spend a weekend.   I can't really blame him, however, since as far as I can tell those do seem to be among the most popular and desirable of Jakarta's offerings.  But it does dampen my motivation to do anything other than trudge between my apartment, office, gym, and - on the weekend- the airport.

All the same, it did feel good to make an effort to expand my social network here.  It wasn't exactly like finding a new biking, kayaking, climbing, etc buddy, but it never hurts to have another person to grab lunch with occasionally.  Just hopefully next time it won't be an Indonesian lunch.

I'm really trying here, people.