Adventures in Indonesia: Tales of Folly, Friendship, and Fear During Two Years Spent in the World's Most Populous Muslim Country

By Marta Hoilman

For Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, the years 2000-2002 were characterized by a painful and rocky transition to democracy, as well as by the difficult aftermath of 9/11. For Marta Hoilman, living in Jakarta during this time not only meant dealing with the ramifications of such historic events, but also meant grappling with the often maddening, frequently funny, and sometimes terrifying challenges of expatriate life in a developing country.

Just how do you maintain a low profile while being several heads taller and several shades blonder than the local population? What type of shoe is best to kill an Asian cockroach the size of a D battery? And what forces are behind the Great Fresca Drought?

The tales in Adventures in Indonesia chronicle with humor and generosity of spirit the follies, foibles and joys of expatriate life in Indonesia from presidential impeachment, to earthquakes and floods, through evacuation and familial separation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Nov 24, 2003
• ISBN: 9780595752065

Marta Hoilman

A resident of Jakarta, Indonesia, during the tumultuous years 2000?2002, Marta Hoilman was able to keep a sense of humor about the chaos surrounding her. Back in private law practice in Washington, D.C., she specializes in representing Native American clients.

Book preview

ADVENTURES IN

INDONESIA

Tales of Folly, Friendship, and Fear

During Two Years Spent in the World’s

Most Populous Muslim Country

Marta Hoilman

iUniverse, Inc.

New York Lincoln Shanghai

ADVENTURES IN INDONESIA

Tales of Folly, Friendship, and Fear During Two Years Spent in the World’s

Most Populous Muslim Country

All Rights Reserved © 2003 by Marta Hoilman

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by

any information storage retrieval system, without the written permission of the

publisher.

iUniverse, Inc.

For information address:

iUniverse, Inc.

2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100

Lincoln, NE 68512 www.iuniverse.com

ISBN: 0-595-30162-2

ISBN: 978-0-5957-5206-5 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

To my parents, Dennis and Dona Hoilman

Contents

FOREWORD

COCKROACHES 1, FRESCA 0

RETURN TO THE MARBLE PALACE

SPECIAL EDITION

THE HOLIDAYS IN INDONESIA: FIRECRACKERS AND BOMBS

MASSEURGATE

ON LOCATION IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

MUTANT LADYBUGS

RETURN OF THE EXPAT

NUDE HOUSEWIVES

LEGAL NEWS

ADVENTURES IN INDONESIA: THE END

AFTERWORD

FOREWORD

In August 2000, I moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, with my husband, Chris, who was assigned to the U.S. Embassy there. This was a significant change, to say the least. After toiling away for several years practicing law in a major Washington, D.C., law firm, I had for three years been working at my dream job as an appellate lawyer in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environmental and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). Moving to Indonesia meant leaving behind a job I loved, working alongside terrific people. It meant moving to a country where I would be prohibited by law from accepting paid employment. It meant moving to a city where, just two years before, massive riots and resulting fires cost the lives of approximately 3,000 people, and the rape of a similar number of women. It meant moving as far from home as geographically possible and doing so without benefit of language training. It was the beginning of a series of wonderful adventures in Indonesia.

While neither of us was a stranger to life overseas, neither were we prepared for the experiences of the next two years. Together we would live through earthquakes, fires, floods, terrorism, separation and medical problems. But we would also experience the excitement of exploring what was, for us, a new land and new culture. We would meet fascinating people. We would be on hand to watch the birth pangs of a new democracy. We would see wildlife straight out of a Jules Verne novel. And we would see America from afar, and appreciate all that we have here.

Throughout all this, I would periodically record my impressions in a series of e-mails sent to family and friends. These messages, titled Adventures in Indonesia, chronicled the follies, foibles and joys of expatriate life in Indonesia. Upon our return from Jakarta in August 2002, many people suggested I publish these emails in book form. This is the result. So, sit down in your favorite chair, open a bottle of wine, and prepare yourself to laugh a lot and maybe cry a little. We hope that our adventures in Indonesia will prompt you seek out adventures of your own, wherever you can.

Marta Hoilman

COCKROACHES 1,

FRESCA 0

September 16, 2000

Sept. 16, 2000—Yogyakarta: First Cockroach Sighting

Well, actually, I saw a dead one in Jakarta several days ago, but I don’t think that counts. So really, that’s quite an encouraging record: eighteen days in country and only one roach. Can Washington, D.C. say as much? Of course, the offender was the size of a D-battery and approximately as hard—it required six direct hits to subdue it. No, I didn’t administer the blows myself; I summoned the executioner, using my newly improved Indonesian. In point of fact, I had learned the word for cockroach (kacoa, in case you’re thinking of visiting) a mere six hours before I saw it, as though the fact that I knew its name caused it to materialize. Perhaps I should be more careful what I learn.

I also share my bedroom in my temporary home in Yogyakarta (approximately 400 miles southeast of Jakarta) with assorted lizards and mosquitoes. The lizards are cute (and as far as I know, non-disease bearing), and the mosquitoes, while quite likely disease-bearing, have the civility to confine their mealtimes to the traditional dinner-hour, rather than taking advantage of the twenty-four-hour-a-day buffet. Given that I’ve tried to protect against malaria by taking Melfo-quine—widely acknowledged to cause nightmares and other vaguely described psychological changes—I expect my sleep to be enlivened tonight by scenes of the Giant Gecko Meets Mammoth Roach variety.

I’m in Yogya for a three-week language immersion course. The quality of instruction is very good, and it helps to be the only student in the class. It would also help to spend more time studying and less time sending e-mail over the painfully slow connection at the very comfortable (read: air-conditioned) local internet cafe. I love getting e-mail and would welcome responses, to which