Photo Above Taken at KOI Kemang
Do you want to know why I have a “Friday Finds” column? For those who don’t know, I am Japanese living in Jakarta, Indonesia. Being an expat encounters a lot of challenges. Getting acclimated to a new country is a daunting task not to mention managing to survive in a city where people speak a different language from your is intimidating. Thus, I thought that I wanted my blog to be a place where people can come and grab the information that they need in order to make their lives easier.
If you have moved to a completely new city whether that being in your home country or overseas, you probably know that starting in a new place from zero means that you depend on the information out there for restaurants and shops. One way to do it is to ask friends, expat or local, who are familiar with the city and can give recommendations. I find it the best way to discover a new city. Another method is to go online and find the information on cyberspace. I am a visual person, so I always look up places I go out to eat for the first time on google before going there.
With this blog, I want to become that person, a friend, who can refer places to people who are looking for recommendations because I knew that I could achieve it by using my passion for photography, interior design and food. I take pictures of the interior of a restaurant or store which I enjoy and take photos of the food or items that the restaurant or store offers which I find very intriguing.
If you live in Europe or North America, for instance, information about restaurants is abundant. However, for Jakarta, Indonesia, I found that the same type of information was not available. Thus, I saw a potential in the field of blogging about restaurants and shops. Then I started discovering that even though Jakarta has so many neat, stylish, and cool places, they are not necessarily presented to the world. I’m afraid that there is more negative media coverage of Jakarta or Indonesia than positive one and the negative coverage remains in people’s memory. Thus, I hope that I can help people outside of Indonesia learn more about Jakarta through my blog. It is actually not that hard because Jakarta is a city full of inspirations, outstanding designs and excitement.
Here are some of the finds I have introduced on Chuzai Living.
Dia.lo.gue Herman Miller Exhibition
Travel
Bayon Siem Reap, Cambodia
I am an expat wife myself and your blog was one of my Jakarta “survival guides” when we first got here 2 years ago. It still continues to help and inspire me until now, looking forward to your new entries each time! 🙂
You’re so sweet! Your comment made me so happy!!! Thanks!
Not sure I’ll ever get to Indonesia but your post is very inviting! The photos are lovely.
Amalia, a fellow BYW
Thanks for stopping by!! Nice to e-meet you!
Hi Kaho!
I’ve been reading your blog for a while and I want to say HI!
I really enjoy reading your writings, because I feel that I always learn something from them. I’m glad that you find it fun living in Jakarta, as some foreigners might feel it too challenging, you know, with the traffic jam and so on.
I’m also a Japanese, but my parents came to Jakarta when I was 4 years old. I have been living here ever since. I didn’t even go to Japanese school, so I guess I’m more Indonesian than Japanese 🙂
Nevertheless, I really love reading your blog (yes, I have to state that again!), and I hope someday I can meet you in person =)
Keep writing!
P.S. You have the most gorgeous children ever, they’re so pretty/handsome! <3
Hi!! I’m so glad you left your comment for me!! You have lived in Jakarta for that long!!! That’s great! Your English is excellent, so I imagine that you went to one of the International Schools here. Thank you so much for the compliment! You put a smile on my face!
Dear Kaho san, Hajimemashite
I’ve been following your blog but not so long ago, and it helped me on my interest.
Today reading this post, with your thoughtful intention
” I’m afraid that there is more negative media coverage of Jakarta or Indonesia than positive one and the negative coverage remains in people’s memory. Thus, I hope that I can help people outside of Indonesia learn more about Jakarta through my blog”
このような考えでインドネシアのことを懸念してくれて、インドネシア人として、感謝します。
ま～インドネシアのことだけでなく、人間とかほかの文化に関してこのような考えがあれば、すごいいいことだと思います。どこにも何のことにも良いことを互いに見つけるよう．．．
#次々のブログを楽しみに待ちます ＾＿＾
Avi
What a nice compliment!! Thank you!!! I love Jakarta, so it’s easy for me! Indonesians have been nice to us and I have met so many young talented people who have been inspiring to me. 日本語お上手ですね！！インドネシアってとても面白い場所だと思います。毎日の生活が楽しいですよー。そんなジャカルタにお返しができるよう、頑張ります！
Wow, the spa looks amazing! Should I ever go to Jakarta (well, it’s actually not that far away from Hong Kong), you definitely have to take me there 🙂
Lovely blog!
Susanne (your byw classmate)
Puri Santi is really amazing and cheap compared to the U.S.! I am spoiled here! Yes, I definitely will if you do. Thanks for visiting!
You are an inspiration to many Kaho and a life-saver to many of us expats and Jakarta!
Thanks, Ana, for always being so supportive and kind to me!
You are so right in your thought that people remember the negative sooner then the positive.. Because guess what my first thought was when I read you live in Jakarta? Yep…
So great that your spending time highlighting the gorgeous places. We’ve been to Indonesja a few years ago ( Sunda islands) and felt in love with the country so we will definitely be back. Maybe we will pick Jakarta next,,,:)
Ah, thanks for the compliment! Jakarta has so many interesting places to visit, I think! I haven’t been to Sunda islands. Glad you liked your visit!!
Thanks for sharing – will know where to look when I visit Indonesia 🙂 That spa looks divine… I can only imagine… Have a super weekend x
Thanks! I recommend Puri Santi to out of town guests. You have a great weekend, too!
Your blog sure achieved your goals! If not for it, I will be stuck on my hotel room without a clue as to where to go!
This is such a sweet comment!! Thank you!!
I know you posted this last year, but I hope I still get a response.
I am a 22 year old female from the US and I will be living in Jakarta as an au pair. I cannot find any other blogs that speak about living in Jakarta besides Expats. I am acurious to know what life is like there. I’m a bit of a social person so I want to be able to make friends while I’m there so I can explore the country. I’d rather go to Indonesia with friends on all holiday but they are not as adventurous as I. This is the best way I believe I can go and enjoy it. Is there any advice you can give me on living I. Jakarta? ?
Since I was in Jakarta starting as a mother of two little kids and transitioned to a mother of 3 kids and one of them being an infant, my life was quite a bit different in Jakarta from what young people lead. I can only speak from my observations, but I think you will enjoy it. There are many clubs and restaurants you can go and hang out. Some of them often have special nights with a DJ. For example, you can follow KOI Kemang’s Facebook Fan page and KOI’s twitter @KOIkemang where you get information about the DJ night.
I met one Argentinian au pair in Jakarta 3 years ago. She’s also a blogger and she one time left me a comment on my blog. She would be able to explain what a life be like for your age and your social needs much better as she lived that life. If I can find her comment, I’ll give you her blog information and maybe you can see her blog posts when she was in Jakarta. It’s been so long, I cannot promise that I can find it though. Thanks for finding my blog and leaving me a comment!
Thank you very much. Any bit of o information is welcoming. I appreciate you getting back to me. It’ll be my first time in the country so I’m just a little anxious. Haha. But thanks again for your help
I found the comment!!! I could not believe myself for remembering her name…
Here is her blog.
There is one problem…
She writes in Spanish!
If you read Spanish, then no problem! Well, she is a good photographer, so you can enjoy her photos taken in Indonesia and get a glimpse of what her life was like through them. She was there shorter than a year. She speaks English well, so if you would like to ask her some questions, you might want to email her. Her email address was shown as a signature on some of her photos. I hope this information helps!