Exploring the capital: An experience of diversity

Exploring the capital: An experience of diversity

Michele Soeryadjaya, Grade 9/Jakarta Int'l School

During the week I spent exploring the city of Jakarta, the capital of the world's largest archipelago, Indonesia, I have discovered it to be a melting pot overflowing with rich culture, traditions and, above all, diversity. From the urban to the suburban, from the wealthy to the poor, from the old to the new -- the city is an epitome of diversity.

Among the dull colors of other vehicles, our light blue bus stood out in the crowd, with the exception of red bajaj whizzing about.

An hour into the bus ride to Bekasih, West Java, where we would be helping Habitat for Humanity build a house for the less fortunate, the change became starkly apparent.

One by one, the cars and Metro Mini public buses started to disappear until there were only several left on the battered asphalt road. While this disappearance was occurring, dokar or pedati (horse-drawn carts) and friendly pedestrians were beginning to appear.

Looking out from the window of the bus, it was evident that the big, skyscraper-like buildings of the urban landscape were being replaced with small convenient stores surrounded by the vast, luscious green paddy fields of the suburbs -- a welcome and refreshing change. The view was one so rarely seen that I savored it like a child cherishing the sweet taste of candy.

One glance up at the sky and one could tell that the sky was painted a deeper shade of blue -- which I assumed was because of the decrease in pollution -- and this made the white clouds appear even more vibrant and fluffy against the light sky.

All of a sudden, a sense of stillness and tranquility, a feeling that was rarely experienced in the city, settled over us.

The agricultural life of the suburbs was like a sea turtle's, slow and calm, compared to that of the city, which was like a cheetah's, fast and busy. No wonder much of the country's population are farmers.

Upon our arrival at the site, I was hesitant to step off the bus and onto the ground, as the ground was covered in piles and piles of trash so that not a speck of earth could be seen. This raised a little revulsion in me.

However, I tried my best not to project these feelings, as these people most likely were not educated on the proper disposal of their trash.

Moments later, three representatives of Habitat for Humanity greeted us with smiles on their friendly faces. A set of instructions were given to us in heavily accented voices.

Following the instructions, we began to work like a group of honey bees buzzing around with a sense of urgency while trying to ignore the scorching heat dehydrating our bodies. Aside from the representatives and us, the kampong was nearly deserted and an easy silence pierced through the village.

A closer look at the environment and one could tell that the living conditions of these people were substandard. Most houses had painted walls that were starting to peel and roofs that had tiles missing. Walls had several bricks missing and it looked like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing.

Floors were simple, white ceramic tiles stained with years of dirt and cracks. Open windows and doorways provided the only source of ventilation, as none could afford appliances such as air conditioners and fans. Electricity was a rare commodity that only few could enjoy.

A well located near the courtyard of the village served as the main source of water. The kampong residents' way of living was indeed primitive and old-fashioned. For us, who are used to performing the simple act of turning a knob to get water, this would be a nightmare come true.

A few minutes later, the residents started to appear out of nowhere. We started to interact with the people and soon, the silence was broken by the sounds of chitter-chatter.

Regardless of poor living conditions, these people seemed content and treated us with great kindness and hospitality. Their laughs were infectious, accompanied by wide grins plastered on their sincere faces.

I felt a surge of compassion and respect. But while a part of me respected them for this, another part could not understand why they were so happy. With guilt, I hid this thought deep in the crevices of my mind and continued to laugh along with them.

But, even though they welcomed us with open arms, I felt like an outsider -- as though I was an ugly duckling amid stunningly beautiful swans.

While I was interviewing one-half of the future owners of the house we were helping build, I discovered that an elderly woman named Ibu Neriaty once had 10 children until three of them passed away, sadly.

This was neither hard to believe nor surprising, as the life expectancy was quite low due to the poor living conditions and minimal access to health care. She was dressed in simple attire: a plain, red T-shirt; three-quarter length khaki pants; an old navy-blue baseball cap and a pair of black-rimmed glasses. Her appearance and cheery personality made her approachable and I immediately felt compassion toward her.

Once a Dutch colony, Dutch influences can be seen in various places within the capital. An area that is famous for these influences is Fatahillah Square in North Jakarta. Boasting statues and architecture that resemble those in Holland, Fatahillah Square was once a town center and center of administration during 18th-century Batavia (what Jakarta was formerly called). The old City Hall, which is now known as the Jakarta History Museum, exemplifies Dutch colonial architecture.

Compared to the modern-day buildings of the city, the Dutch architecture is full of historical value and importance. In addition, this particular architecture is more intricate in design with placid green circular domes for roofs and slender arches for entryways. This is a great example of the city's past.

Enormous old-fashioned Dutch boats stand tall and proud in the harbor known as Sunda Kelapa, North Jakarta. Bursting with historical value, this harbor was once a main trading port for exchanging goods such as spices. The boats, called pinisi, has a certain European flare to them, which makes them more intriguing than the modern boats with monochrome designs found in most of the city's harbors.

Splashed with dark tones of mustard, maroon and navy blue, they beam with pride and self-importance. Such a sight could only be seen in Sunda Kelapa harbor.

Located only a few minutes away from Sunda Kelapa is the fish market, known to the locals as Pasar Ikan, a prime example of what local markets in Jakarta are like.

Although it is quite a distance from the city center, its location is what makes Pasar Ikan unique, and it stands out from the other local markets of the city. It emits a traditional, Dutch aura while its appearance is like any other present-day market.

Shops are aligned in two columns with one on either side of the crowded street. Even in the early hours of the morning, the market is busy with customers running around trying to find the best bargain. Food vendors are spread around the whole market selling various foods such as ubi goreng (fried yam), singkong goreng (fried cassava) and many different kinds of fresh fruits.

Among the various goods that are sold there are beautiful sea shells, home appliances such as radios and television sets, and clothing and boat fittings. Pasar Ikan is not just a market, but one where the past and present clash.

No major city would be complete without a Chinatown, and Jakarta does not disappoint. But to be honest, I did not even know there was a Chinatown in the city!

This was probably partly due to the fact that its appearance does not resemble any other Chinatown. If someone did not inform me that we were indeed in Chinatown, I would've thought that we were in any other local market of the city.

Unlike other Chinatowns, this district did not have any traditional Chinese buildings. Instead, it resembled local markets of the city. Stalls were set up by tents and goods were showcased on tables and shelves. However, it did sell what any other Chinatowns sell: Chinese goods such as savory snacks, Chinese DVDs and traditional herbs and medicine.

Another reason why this particular Chinatown is not widely known is because it is more well known as Pasar Glodok. This is due to the fact that the area where the market is located is called Glodok.

This market had a whole different aura than the fish market: It was where Chinese and Indonesians mixed; a clash between races.

Running around in Jakarta and seeing the good and bad has opened my eyes to different sides of the city that I'd never known before.

Whether it was talking to an elderly woman or giving a little kid candy, I enjoyed and savored communicating with people I had no contact with before.

Visiting the different areas of Jakarta, like the suburbs and the urban areas, gave me a new perspective on the environment and our surroundings.

Rarely do we get to experience a day in the life of others, but when we do, it is one that could never be forgotten or erased from the memory.

From living in a house to actually building one; from poor living conditions to high living conditions; from talking with an elderly woman to playing with a little child; from a market with Dutch influences like Pasar Ikan to a market with Chinese influences like Pasar Glodok -- Jakarta is truly a quintessential Asian experience of diversity.