A Westerner in Indonesia

I just returned from my second trip to Indonesia in my capacity as neurosurgeon and teacher -- to Bandung, to be specific. I had also been in the country for a month a year ago, helping local neurosurgeons and teaching young neurosurgery trainees who will be in a position to help their fellow countrymen in the future.

My first month-long trip started during Idul Fitri 2003, following two terrorist bombings; this year's visit followed the third. Before both trips, friends and colleagues asked, "Why would a North American Jew go to the most populous Muslim country in the world in these perilous times when you don't have to? Are you nuts?"

The Canadian Embassy's website advised against unnecessary travel to Indonesia. My wife and daughters had some concerns also.

Maybe I'm naive, but I returned home to Canada a second time again with love, admiration and fondness for everything Indonesian.

All the people I met -- doctors, patients, hotel staff and countless people on the street and in the shops -- were kind, friendly and courteous. They were also genuinely gentle -- a trait not native to most North Americans and Europeans. Of course, there is poverty, corruption, poor public services like in health care and education, and many other major challenges.

I'm no history or political science expert, but I can't help thinking simplistically that if the Dutch had done more for Indonesia -- as Britain did for Australia and Canada -- and Soeharto had taken less, Indonesia would be a very different country today.

In spite of some difficult historical and day-to-day challenges, the people are lovely. And as far as the Muslim- Jewish thing is concerned, most of us know that far more brings these two proud religions together than divides them. However, a small number of radicals on both sides continue to make this a hot and deadly issue in the world for the foreseeable future. I personally felt safe in Indonesia.

Most North Americans are relatively uninformed about Indonesia. Many know about Bali as a holiday destination, many know about Soeharto's corruption and most know that terrorism is now an issue there.

I feel privileged to have been embedded in Indonesian life sufficiently to get to know it a little better than most Westerners, and to have met so many wonderful people and made life-long friends.

I feel I am a much richer person because of my Indonesian experience.

MARK BERNSTEIN
Bandung