There's no such thing as a free lunch...Or is there?

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It's official. The next president of Indonesia is former army general Prabowo Subianto. Quite how the next five years will pan out is anyone's guess but hopefully the foreign pundits who always bring up his dodgy human rights record will be proven wrong. Nonetheless, on policy making, Prabowo's popularist move to literally offer the poor 'a free lunch' every day of the week does not augur well for the future. Such a policy - if it ever came to fruition - would cost a phenomenal amount of money and likely lead to huge inefficiencies (food waste) and poor incentives (make people lazy). Another concern is Prabowo's strong nationalist bent. Thus, in the possible event that he finds himself with his back against the proverbial wall in the face of stern economic challenges, there is a big chance that he will simply scapegoat foreigners. But he will have to be careful. Construction of the new capital city, Nusantara, for example, is highly dependent on foreign in

The expat guide to dating Indonesian women

If you’ve been working in Indonesia a while - or perhaps only a few days - you’ve probably entertained thoughts of dating a local woman. And why not indeed?! But before plunging headfirst into the dating game, it’s important to do your homework and identify the kind of woman you’d like to date: 

The career woman. They say you should never mix business and pleasure, but there’s no sense in passing up any good opportunities whilst on the job. But be careful and never date a fellow employee as that could well be a recipe for disaster if things don’t turn out well and she decides to exact revenge - as is more than likely. 
Pros: these girls are independent, well-mannered and educated. 
Cons: they love their careers so much they may have very little time for you. And if you don’t meet up to her lofty expectations in the long run, she certainly won’t have any qualms about dumping you for a more successful partner! 

The university student. Borderline jailbait, don’t even think about going down this perilous path unless you have a huge appetite for risk. 
Pros: obvious. 
Cons: education ain’t free. 





The tomboy. Defiantly smokes Sampoerna A cigs in public, the tomboy is easily spotted in her sexy tank tops and with her short, dyed hair. Works out regularly at a gym like Fitness First or Gold's Gym, she takes good care of her well-toned body. Tends to have lots of gays as friends. 
Pros: in an ostensibly conservative society where good girls shut the @$#@ up, the tomboy is a treasured find. 
Cons: With a raging temper, be prepared to let her have her own way - else get into some terrific fights! 

Little Miss Religiosity. Despite her name she has a remarkable fondness for worldly things like ipods, touch screen handphones and the latest fashions. 
Pros: reliable, (relatively) trustworthy and a good cook. 
Cons: Well there’s that of course, and the fact that you will have to demonstrate your knowledge in all things non-secular. 

The aspiring model. These waif-like creatures have less flesh on their bones than a 15-year old anorexic and are worse conversationalists than a statue at an ancient Javanese temple. Like ghosts they appear in the upmarket nightclubs of Jakarta late at night. 
Pros: nods of approval from strangers. 
Cons: Disappointing in bed and extremely high maintenance, these girls are best avoided unless you can find a high-performance model with a bit more “oomf”. 

The socialite. The crème de la crème of Indonesian society, this exclusive club mainly comprises the children of Indonesia’s ultra-rich families – and a few others who are actively seeking to be seriously seriously wealthy. 
Pros: her daddy owns a good chunk of Indonesia. 
Cons: unless you are one of those people who check their stock prices each day to see how your company is faring, you can probably forget it. 

The upwardly mobile villager. No one ever told them that the streets of Jakarta were paved in gold but failed harvests and soul destroying poverty are reasons enough to flee places like Indramayu. Unfazed by their new surroundings, these girls make the transition from village serenity to urban excess with remarkable aplomb, working in entertainment venues across the capital city. Easily identifiable by their bold and lurid tattoos. 

Pros: easy going, humorous. 
Cons: watch your stuff.

Links

What are your chances of getting a date with a woman in Jakarta? Try the quiz here

And if you want to tie the knot? Marrying an Indonesian woman

It goes without saying: be careful though or you might end up with much more than you bargained for!

Comments

  1. lol...i assume you know all this from experience?(:_)

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