Jakarta.. The capital city of Indonesia. The megacity. The most attractive city for Indonesian to work and live in. 10.56 million people live legally, and more than that illegally. Why? it is because they commute between the peripheries, work and spend their day from 9 to 5 in Jakarta. Living in Jabodetabek and living from the wheels in Jakarta. As a center of Indonesia's economy, the center of government, and also the center of most livability in Indonesia.
But, as a person who grows up in a small city.. Live and work in Jakarta never cross my mind my whole time. I always dreamed how I spend my time and of course my whole time in Yogyakarta, in my home since I was little, and I just leave it for my masters or maybe PhD. and of course back to my peacefully small town and teach in my alumni.
Then, someone makes me change my whole time plan. yes, because I was young and falling in love - at the same time broken heart. He makes me think to try and change my plan to see Indonesia. Living in the new town, living in Jakarta, and of course, live with my own. And I did. I fall to others and many job seeking. I got my first job in the center of Jakarta, in Sudirman street which I never know how people trying so hard to work there before. I never knew how prestigious work there and of course never cross in my stupid-innocent-mind how I will looking skyscraper every day when I work. Too good to be true. And short time, I decided to spend my rest here, Jakarta. Working and living also bought my first property here. I live not too far from Jakarta but still, my mom thinking about how far I live from Jakarta.... I just live maybe 5 or 6 km from Jakarta's borders. And I still get good public transportation in here; Busway, KRL, and I will get MRT. Because I bought an old house in an old community, I got a really good price and condition (in my opinion of course). But then, the big problem is my first flood experience ever... Yeah Me and my husband living on a low budget and first experience in flood. The good thing is my nice and kind neighbor help us a lot. lucky us.
Our first flood experience teaches us a lot. It is nightmare for us. We never ever sleep peacefully if rains come. We wake up a lot and checking our daily water level. Like every 3 hours. And we started to talk to move to other neighborhoods. But, where we can find the free flood place and near from city center with a lot of facilities like our neighborhood? also with a really good price? thinking about an apartment? well no, both of us knowing how sucks apartment law in Indonesia. And we think about having a child and it is a bad place for growing our kids. another reason, we don't have enough money to buy a good apartment. Just thinking about 500.000.000 rupiah and you just get a very small apartment.....
and tonight, I just realize how many families thinking to leave Jakarta but stuck with it. And the conclusion is to take it or leave it. With the bad side of Jakarta, we still need life in here. and try to love our loveable flood house.
