As an Indonesian, what do you want the rest of the world to know about your country?

I could write a book about this! By the way, even though I was born a UK citizen, after 16 years living and teaching in this wonderful country, I now regard Indonesia as my home and therefore, it is also my country.

I honestly believe that Indonesia’s greatest asset is not its amazing monuments, its food, its scenery or its 17,000 islands... simply put, its incredible people are Indonesia’s number one unique selling proposition (USP). For years, many Indonesians have wanted to both work and live overseas as they believed there was a better future outside of their own country. When I came here 16 years ago, many Indonesians looked down on their country, pointing to pollution, corruption, poor infrastructure, etc., as reasons why Indonesia was not a good place to live in.

All that has changed. Now, many of those same Indonesians I met 16 years ago, are growing increasingly proud of their country... the new Indonesia, and rightly so.

Let’s just consider for a moment the world stage.

First of all, the European economy is close to zero growth, the European banking system is chaotic... simply printing money to stay afloat, the Italians are revolting against EU dictatorship in Brussels, the British want to become a sovereign country again (Brexit), the French are sick of being bullied and are rioting in the streets (Yellow shirts), yes, even the Eiffel Tower has been closed, and Germany has fired their Chancellor... Europe’s most powerful woman; the list is endless.

What about the US? Although their economy has grown significantly over the last 2 years, their level of debt ($21 trillion+) means that at some point there will be a collapse in their currency... they simply can never repay the debt. Also, there is a widening divide between between the elite and working middle class, and a war between the political left and right. In addition, inner city crime and gun violence is almost a norm... today it’s news, tomorrow it’s forgotten.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Rupiah is now strengthening against the dollar and other world currencies. Indonesian GDP growth is over 5% and has been consistently growing while Western economies are struggling around zero growth. Indonesia is not alone... China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and other Asian economies have also experienced the economic growth which so-called developed economies only dream of.

In reality, we are in the middle of an economic tsunami travelling from the West to the East… so why live anywhere else?

So, what do we want the rest of the world to know about our country?

1. Our delicious food

When I ask my Indonesian students who are studying overseas what they miss the most, guess what their answer is?

2. Our unforgettable scenery

We have it all, 1000s of islands... a natural paradise.

3. Unique monuments

Prambanan: We have a treasure trove of history.

But what we really want the rest of the world to know about our country is...

4. Our people

Yes, because of who we are, we are truly the richest country on earth...

Don’t live anywhere else... the future is right here.

We are the world’s best kept secret, but not much longer...

Someone invited me here 16 years ago, I’m still here...

So, the next time you are asked about your country, it’s simple...

Just invite them here...

rod_pallister@yahoo.co.uk

BTW… I have been teaching English fluency, and also helping PhD and Masters students globally for around 20 years so if you need a helping hand just contact me.

Rod Pallister