Impressions

I have to quote NPOV wiki when describing my current impression of Jakarta because it describes it so nicely.

"Quite frankly, Jakarta is not an attractive city: a sweltering, steaming, heaving mass of people packed into a vast urban sprawl, the contrast between the obscene wealth of Indonesia's elite and the appalling poverty of the urban poor is incredible, with tinted-window BMWs turning left at the Gucci shop into muddy lanes full of begging street children and corrugated iron shacks. The city's traffic is in perpetual gridlock, its polluted air is matched only by the smells of burning garbage and open sewers, and safety is a concern especially at night. There are few sights to speak of and most visitors transit as quickly as possible."

I hope to see an improvement on this impression of this city in the coming weeks and as I near the end of my stay. If I am lucky, I may be able to join a trip on Saturday to see a bead-maker in the southern part of the city.

At least my job is demanding but interesting and this is helping me to keep a positive outlook. This trip is helping me to grow not just professionally, but as a person as well. It is definitely challenging me to push myself past my preconceived limitations.