I haven't been posting on Steemit for many days simply because we all had fever. This time it was a nasty one that lasted 6-7 days. It started with our two kids who had high temperature of 40 degrees, vomiting and the next day I got fever too. I lost 3 kilos within 6 days because I couldn't see or smell any food.
Anyways, me and my husband were thinking for a while to move to Indonesia. It's not fixed, it is still an idea because we have to think about many things and consider many things. We love Holland and we have it very good here but there are also a lot of other things Indonesia has to offer.
1. Family
I have family in Indonesia and my family is quite large. I remember when I was young and lived there for a few years (1996-2000)that I saw countless family members that apparently know who I was but I didn't know them at all. I have so many aunts, uncles and they have so many kids too. It's always fun to gather with my family because you see them cooking, helping each other and babysit each others kids. If we would live in Indonesia I would not need to worry who is going to watch over my kids if I have an appointed. I can just leave them with any of my family members. Even neighbours would do it for free. Indonesians love kids, most of them. If I would like to go out with my husband, I don't need to call for a babysitter my kids would love to be with their cousins and nephews and play with them.
2. Wedding parties
I love wedding parties in Indonesia and there is always somebody who gets married in our family. I always got excited (when I was still living there) when we received an invitation because we all dress up, we all go to the hair salon and wear our best outfits. No one comes on a wedding party in their jeans, casual clothes or boring hair. If you do, people will ask hahaha. The wedding parties are usually in a fancy hotel with red carpet. You will see a large buffet on one side and the other side a band playing music with a singer that they hired.
3. Food
Indonesian food is known for being very delicious. Even here in Holland you have many Indonesian restaurant but they do however fail to give the food an authentic taste. In Indonesia if you want to taste Indonesian's best food, you shouldn't go to shopping malls but to simple small restaurants on the side of the roads.
If we would live in Indonesia I wouldn't need to cook anymore! There is food everywhere. People selling food on the streets. Selling chicken sate using a wagon and stops in front of every ones house. Can you imagine, you open the front door and a man is ready to make fresh chicken sate for you?
Or what about Bubur ayam chicken porridge) as breakfast? You just wake up in the morning, open the door and ask the man to prepare bubur ayam for you. This is freedom for me. I don't have to look at the time and rush cooking anymore. Here in Holland, if I have my days that I am lazy to cook, I still need to go out of the house to buy food like fries at the closest snackbar. That's kind of boring, to have to choose between cooking or fries from the snackbar. Most Indonesian people don't cook because in Indonesia, you are surrounded by many small restaurants or people selling food in front of your house.
4. Weather
It's always sunny(ok, you also have rain seasons) and you don't need so many layers of clothes and accessories like here in Holland when it's cold. You wear flip flops every day and your laundry will not be so much because you don't wear winter clothes like here and winter clothes makes the washing machine fuller. You also can leave the door quicker without grabbing a coat, shawl, hat and winter hand gloves.
5. Many places to explore
Indonesia is BIG! I haven't explored Indonesia enough. It's sad because I am Indonesian. Most tourist when they go to Indonesia, they go to Bali. Its a pity, because if you really want to explore Indonesia and it's culture, you should try visit other places like Raja Ampat. Not that I ever been there, but I would like to. Indonesia is also close to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, so we could travel to these countries every now and then.
6. Busy streets in the evenings
Here in Holland the streets are very quite and shops close 6 pm. Only supermarkets are open till 9 or 10 pm and Thursdays the shops open till 9 pm. Sunday many shops are closed. In Indonesia the streets are still busy in the evenings. You see people sitting together at restaurants, or they shop at the shopping malls. Friends, family, neighbours who will visit you any moment just to have a chat or giving each other a massage.
7. Affordable maid
We would be able to afford an Indonesian maid who cleans our house and again, I don't have to clean my house anymore :-D. My maid will do everything for me, of course she would get paid by us. I just relax and have fun with he kids. I don't have to fight with my husband anymore when he is going to vacuum the stairs, or dusting everything ( I hate dusting).
So much time left to do other things because I don't need to cook and clean anymore. I would still take care about the kids myself. But I would be able to post more often on Steemit.
8. Many craft shops
Compared to Holland, Indonesia has many craft shops and fabric shops. There are also much cheaper so I would sew more clothes with nicer fabrics. They also have many bead shops and you pay by weight instead of per piece like here. I could go wild there making many clothes and jewellery because I can afford them. If you want you can even design your own outfit, or show a picture of a dress from a magazine and a tailor will make it for you. They don't ask much.
Well, Why don't you move already to Indonesia???
I have mentioned so many positive things about Indonesia but of course there are also cons living in Indonesia. Moving to Indonesia takes a lot of consideration.
1. Paper work
If you want to move to another country like Indonesia, it takes a lot of paperwork. So many forms that need to be filled and I hate paperwork or filling forms. It also takes ages because Indonesians are slow. When they say it will be fixed next week it's not even certain, it can be fixed in three or four weeks. There are times that when you think they will fix it for you within a certain timeframe, they don't even fix it at all.
2. Selling our House
We would need to sell our house we just bought recently which also takes months and we would need to ship our belongings with a boat. Certain things I would love to bring with me but it's not possible. If you love your couch, I am not sure how much it would cost to let your couch shipped per boat to Indonesia.
3. Kids
My kids need to go to a different school where they speak a total different language. Unless they would go to an International school. They have to adapt and make new friends.
4. Corruption
It's not something new that Indonesia is a corrupt country. Even the police on the streets ask you for money otherwise they give you a fine ( for no reason). When I spoke to my father about moving to Indonesia, he said: " Are you joking?! Indonesia is one of the most corrupt countries! You have a good life here in Holland, the system/government is good for us and you will always have a roof above your head. Think also about the health insurance you have here and cleaner hospitals and no crazy traffic jams. People throwing their garbage on the streets not taking care about their environment in Indonesia."
My father made very good points, so we are still not sure if we want to move to Indonesia, maybe we just visit Indonesia more often to meet our family their so the kids know their roots too.
