Is the grass really greener on the other side for RI expats?

Maggie Tiojakin, Contributor, Boston, U.S.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants make their way across U.S. borders with the hope of finding a better life.

Some cut through barbed wire, some travel on small boats for days, and there are others who would rather do it conveniently -- by plane.

Then, there is the problem of not wanting to leave.

From the Green Card lottery, to marrying a total stranger for the sake of residency status, to a costly sponsorship -- immigrants have been fighting tooth and nail to continue their stay in the U.S.

The conventional image of the United States as a country whose streets are paved with gold seems never to really go away. From the gold-rush period, to the moment Roosevelt led the nation's economy to a booming prosperity -- America remains to be the place where people would risk almost anything to cash in its promises.

However, with the INS (U.S Immigration and Naturalization Services) making bold attempts to be rid of unwanted aliens, a large number of these immigrants are being deported to their native countries -- usually because their stay is long overdue.

Yet, each year, without fail, the number of both legal and illegal immigrants in the U.S. continues to grow rapidly.

Indonesians are no exception.

In the Greater Boston area alone, more than 5,000 Indonesian students, professionals, and undocumented workers are spread around the region -- a rough estimate made by the Indonesian Consulate in New York.

But what is it about the U.S. that makes it so desirable -- and often -- unleavable?

"Established law, clean air, and convenient living," said Werdiningtyas Taufik, 24, who had spent seven years residing in the U.S. before she returned to Indonesia in 2003 due at her parents' request. "If I could do so, I would choose to live there," she added.

For Deasy Pangestu, also 24, who moved to the U.S. in 2001, there were various aspects to draw from which then propelled her to make the decision to leave Indonesia."I feel like people respect me more [in the U.S.]," she said through a phone interview, "and your safety, as a citizen, is taken seriously."

She went on to explain that the financial reward of earning a living in the U.S. also gives a lot of people a good reason to stay. The reality of living in the U.S., she said, was different from what people think it is. "But you have to try and live here to see the difference," she chuckled.

Asked whether she would ever return to Indonesia, Deasy said on one condition: "Only for a visit."

Currently engaged to a U.S. military official, Deasy plans on starting her own family here, instead of back in Indonesia. A graduate of the London School of Public Relations in Jakarta, she now works 12-hour shifts at a laundromat in Cumming, Georgia, for a minimum hourly pay.

"I don't mind [the work]," Deasy admitted, denying the idea that a low-paying job equals low living standards. "On the contrary," she said, "in the U.S., it's not about what you do, but the hours you put into what you do. My living standard is about the same as someone who works in an office."

Like many other immigrants, Deasy had come to the U.S. with the dream of an ideal life, and finding herself pampered by a convenient lifestyle, she realized it would be extremely difficult for her to readjust to the culture she was born into.

"For me, the hardest thing will be to adjust to the professional environment back home," said Denok Istarto, 23, who has been living in the U.S. since 1999. Working as a travel consultant in Boston, she plans on settling back in Indonesia sometime in June for more career opportunities.

She does not stand alone.

Yulieta Syamsu, 29, who spent three years in the U.S. getting her master's degree in business management, agreed with Denok.

After she returned to Indonesia in 2003, Yulieta managed to set up her own consulting business in Jakarta, which would have been well-nigh impossible to do if she had stayed in the U.S.

Nonetheless, two years later, Yulieta is still struggling to adjust to Indonesian work ethics.

"I become impatient," said Yulieta, who spent one year working for Boston-based Sovereign Bank. "I'm used to a dynamic working rhythm, and Indonesians tend to be more ... laid-back."

Even so, she contested the notion that the U.S. is unleavable. Regardless of its much-desired convention, there is something about living in somebody else's country that triggers one's love for one's own country."My experience [in the U.S.] has taught me about the value of survival, leadership, and achieving what you want," said Denok, "but it was also here that I have felt the most respect and love toward my own culture and country."

According to Werdiningtyas, who now works as a marketing consultant at Jones Lang Lassalle in Jakarta, Indonesia still has a lot of catching up to do, especially in its effort to overcome poverty, pollution, and corruption. In the end, she believes the country "has great assets it can cultivate in the future", such as diversity, natural resources, and travels.

Deasy begged to differ. Indonesia, apparently, lacks an important element. "The mentality has got to change," she said, referring to the level of tolerance among its people.

She argues the way Indonesians operate today will not advance its reputation in the international world.

Yulieta, on the other hand, insisted that Indonesia is entirely capable of competing against other nations without losing its tradition, or integrity.

But she does agree that Indonesians should try to alter their perceptions; to be more open-minded toward other cultures.

And the hope of living an ideal life in the U.S.?

"No matter how good other countries may seem, I much prefer to live in my own," she noted.

After all, despite everything else, there is no place like home.