I’m more than halfway through my internship now, and the past few months have been filled with moments of observation, of realization, and new perspectives. Moments that feel ever fleeting, as time flies by. It’s my mission for my last few months to grab onto every experience I can. Here are a few I’ve had so far…
19/07/26
I can feel the wind on my face, thinking nothing feels better than this on a hot day. Though part of me still wishes I could feel it blowing through my hair. Instead, it’s trapped under the weight of a grab helmet, sticking to my forehead. My hands are clasped to the back of the bike. But how good would it feel to let go, to feel like I’m flying through the traffic. Maybe not as good as keeping both my arms. I’ve realized they are safest pressed against my side or gripping the back of the bike, as we weave through the cars.
Sometimes I think the grab drivers know something I don’t. Like that they possess some magical ability to shrink the size of their bikes to fit through the gaps between cars. I look ahead to see him speeding up to squeeze through two of them. I close my eyes and then decide it’s probably smarter to keep them open. I tuck my elbows in, my knees as well; sometimes I even have to watch out for my toes. But there are also moments when I’m paying less attention to my limbs, and my eyes are allowed to wander. They get to look up at the towering buildings, where at ground level, all I see are the gates. I get to gaze at the clouds, and the blue sky peeking out between them. For a moment I forget that there is a purpose for my ride at all.
Although I suspected it for quite some time, I recently was able to confirm that ‘right of way’ does not exist here in Indonesia. Cars and bikes alike simply go. It seems a quick honk is all you need to say I am going, whether you like it or not. I wish I had the confidence of the drivers here. Think of all the places I could go if I wasn’t stuck trying to cross the road.
July was a blur. Anna and I were able to spend a weekend in Kuala Lumpur visiting the MSRI interns, and Mia, the intern from PACOS, came to visit us in Jakarta. Using the opportunity to see other interns is truly special. We spent the days exploring and the nights staying up late, talking about what we’ve experienced so far.
14/08/26
Wrapped up in a thin, complimentary blanket, being thrown back and forth as the train shakes from the tracks, my chin desperately tries to hold it up as my body freezes underneath. I’ve never once wished I had a sweater with me in Indonesia until now. I refuse to open my eyes in hopes that eventually I fall asleep. But every now and then, I check to see if anyone else is awake. I must have dozed off eventually, because now there’s daylight outside the window. The sun is still low in the sky, just beginning to peek over the hills.
Outside of the train station, the air is cool. I take a deep breath in. I’ve missed this feeling. Yogyakarta feels slow and sleepy, like it’s just waking up too. We head to breakfast, and I can feel the sun heating up on my back. By the time we reach the warung, it’s not holding back. The line bends around the street corner. We know it must be worth the wait. Telur dadar is a fried omelette, popular in Yogyakarta, and cooked over a traditional coal stove (something that you don’t find in Jakarta). We find ourselves a mat to sit on, tucked away from the sun, sipping on our es teh manis (iced sweet tea).
In mid-August, Anna, I, and our friends Iva and Pascal spent a weekend in Yogyakarta. It’s about a seven-hour train ride from Jakarta to central Java. Once we got there, Pascal rented a car and kindly chauffeured us all around the city.
At work, I’ve been a part of event planning for CIPS’ Independence Day celebration. Once August hit, all of a sudden flags were being hung up all around the city in preparation. My anticipation was building, and I realized I wasn’t alone. Talk of protests began to fill the office air, and people kept reminding me of areas of the city to avoid in the days to come.
Since Indonesia’s current President Prabowo Subianto was elected in 2024, democracy in Indonesia has been threatened by his regime. Critiques are often met with violence, and protesters are at risk of being detained. Despite the risks, thousands of people came together across Jakarta to demand action and stronger measures against the corruption occurring in the government. August 27th, there were 62 protests recorded around the city.
It’s impossible not to feel the weight of my privilege in having the choice to avoid the protests, while thousands of students my age are fighting for a more just system. August has been eye-opening to the reality for millions of people living in Indonesia. One that is fuelled by massive amounts of exploitation and intimidation. Yet in the face of it, the courage of Indonesian’s has been inspiring to witness. Being able to work at CIPS during a time of political unrest has taught me so much about the power of community, the resilience that can come through humour and laughter, and the commitment to doing the work that is often time-consuming and tedious, but so necessary to seeing changes to the current policies in place.
