Five Things You Should KnowBy Emma Cornford
Queensland
University of Technology
Originally published in JEA Update  One of
the students to undertake the six week Journalism Professional
Practicum in Indonesia (2003), shares some of the things she learnt as a newcomer
to the country. (For the uninitiated, Bintang is a local brand of that certain
golden brew that is popular among both journalists and students).
Five
Things... To Expect from the JPP
- Journalists still coming to terms
with freedom of the press.
- Reporters wearing thongs.
- An exceptionally
high ratio of unreturned phone calls for any story.
- An experience like
nothing else.
- The unexpected.
Five Things... We Learnt
About Journalism - Floods provide a wealth of story topics.
- Floods
also mean you may have to stand in water to cover those stories.
- President
Megawati isn't fond of press conferences.
- Our own PM, John Howard, doesn't
like being interrupted by journalists.
- Indonesian deadlines can be negotiable.
Five Things... We Learnt About Jakarta - There are
NOT demonstrations everyday, and therefore you are not likely to be shot during
"civil unrest", regardless of what you read in the news.
- Taking a taxi
is a gamble with your wellbeing.
- The locals have embraced an interesting
system of waste disposal.
- Despite what your guide says, you're not supposed
to take photos of the palace, and the guards will inevitably become cranky when
you do.
- Locals will drop everything to yell "hello Mister" at 100 paces,
no matter the time or the location, even if you're a girl.
Five
Hints...For Those Considering Going - Seek medical advice about travel
and ask for some form of stomach medicine to take with you.
- Stray cats
will harass you while you're eating.
- Bringing along a mobile phone and
purchasing a SIM card in Jakarta are excellent investments.
- Bintang
is your friend.
- Learn to laugh, and do it a lot
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