The Beauty of Indonesia

If you have a look at the picture used for my header, what do you see? On the first look its crazy, isn’t it? Trust me, this impression will remain the same even if you are already here this years. People who enjoy themselves in a flooded city instead of sitting on the roof, crying, trying to make each other feel comfortable. But this is exactly it: the beauty of Indonesia. People are happy about the smallest things. This is something us Westerners truly can learn from the Indonesians: to appreciate what we have. I love this & I can only hope for all of you that one day you will be able make the same experience as I do! Enjoy every single moment!

For Better DJ’s at the Mosque!

From my deepest heart I vote for the introduction of a new human right: the right to sleep. Every morning at a time when people should be in the midst of their most beautiful dreams, imagining paradise with its most beautiful virgins, something less beautiful happens: a squawking voice forcefully destroys that world and brings you to reality: back to Indonesia [for those of you who do not live in Indonesia: the mosque uses loudspeakers to wake up people so that they do not miss their morning prayer]. Even though many parts of Indonesia might as well be comparable with paradise, I would still love to remain in my self-constructed dream world, because I need at least 6 hours of sleep, dammit!

Maybe all of that would still be endurable, though, was the “Allahu Akbar” every morning to be replaced by a fresh and modern “Sex-bomb, sex-bomb, you’re my sex-bomb, baby you can turn me on”, so at least everyone would start the day full of adrenaline, ensuring that the lack of sleep is somewhat endurable (out of topic: my deep respect for all Indonesians who can manage to go through their lives with only 3 or 4 hours of sleep, that is unimaginable for me).

Okay but now seriously: sure, a majority of Indonesian citizens is Muslim, but it is still a majority, meaning… not everyone. Considering that, why is every citizen forced to be witnesses of Muslim traditions such as the five prayers a day? It is only logical that, should one be  surrounded by a specific tradition his whole life, sooner or later he will question his own traditions. I am feeling sorry for all Christians, Buddhists, Confucianists and members of any other religion out there, because the Muslim religion is idealized in such a strong way in Indonesia that everyone else is basically forced to see themselves as an inferior being. Why is Islam everywhere, making it impossible for its influence to be avoided?  Shouldn’t religion be one’s own choice? Why does it seem to many people that it is obligatory for Indonesian leaders to be Muslim? Why do people throw rotten eggs at Christians on Christmas and nobody does something against it? Instead of doing something against the discrimination, the police simply asks those Christians to go home. (c.f. http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/rotten-egg-attack-mars-indonesia-christmas-celebration/563514)  Generally speaking: Where is the equality among religions?

All these are questions that I demand from the Indonesian government to be answered. Please, my dear Muslim friends, do not see this text as an offence. In no way I want to say that Muslims are intolerant and discriminating against people of other religions, I simply want to say that those people do exist and that to a certain extent it is definitely even institutionalized, meaning that the government does not do enough against it or MAYBE even supports it (inofficially). Of course this is only speculation. Please, if you want to proof me wrong I would appreciate it. Maybe you have an academic journal that proves me right or wrong, feel free to share it with me in the comment or by sending me an email to: whitemeetswhitened@gmail.com

 

To My Indonesian Friends: Be a Better Bule!

Hello, my Indonesian friends and fellow bule’s! For those who don’t know what I’m talking about: bule is the term that Indonesians use to refer to white people. I know some of you now might feel offended, but I suppose as I discriminate myself as well, that’s fine. What do you think? If it’s not, please feel free to throw stones at me, but be so kind and use the virtual one’s! I am happy to be your virtual punching-ball!

Anyways, back to today’s issue: skin-colour. I am asking you: do you think that Indonesians are racists? Let’s have a look at the definition of racism at the oxford online-dictionary: “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another”. From what I experienced many Indonesians fit into that definition, but no worries, I clearly admit that us Germans do so as well. The interesting thing is: in the case of Indonesians its just the opposite of what you might expect: they seem to see themselves as inferior compared to people of white skin colour, isn’t that strange? I might very well be wrong, but these are my observations based on my own experience:

1. Indonesians either seem not to have any braveness to criticize westeners in any way OR they think that whatever a foreigner says is correct. Or maybe they just don’t have an opinion?
2. Generally Indonesians seem to think of any bule as a member of the “upper-class”: they could never imagine a person with white skin who is not rich. Maybe we can systematically spread some western beggar’s throughout Indonesia. The question is just: would also get money from the good old mosque? Muslim people do love to share with the poor, but do they share with us heretics as well? Let’s give it a try, come on! You out there, get yourself some old, dirty clothes and sit on the street. But please, do me a favour! Use a hidden camera and send the results to me, I will happily publish them on this blog. No worries, I will censor your faces, besides if you want to become movie stars….? As a bule your chances are just too good, you know!
3. The salary given to westeners, whether they have the qualifications or not, seem to be much higher than the one’s paid to local people. Why? Oh yes, because we need more money to finance our young, pretty Indonesian girlfriends, so we need a salary for two, don’t we? Thats particularly important for fat, old bule’s who like to touch some nice boobs of waitressess, preferably in Kemang, where no one complains about it. Well, why would they anyway? Its the norm after all!
4. Indonesians seem to see the outlook of western people as perfect. They try to make themselves look like western people, be it their clothing, their make-up, or even their SKIN COLOUR. Whitening-creme for everyone! Yeeeeha!

At the same time, somehow I think that strict muslims in Indonesia still see themselves as the “better people”. So how is that to be combined? Easy, easy, cowboy. The only thing we need to do is to convert all bule’s into muslims & we gonna have a perfect world! Wow, what a plan. Maybe I found something to dedicate my life to just now! And after we have gathered enough of those people, we can copy our good old friends from 11th century to do a little bit of crusading. Doesn’t that sound awesome?