Jacqueline Jorquera

Chilean Jacqueline Jorquera  arrived in Jakarta four years ago, at the age of 25, with her 18-month-old daughter Maya and German husband Martin, who had accepted a position with a joint-venture insurance company. She was three months pregnant with their son, Elias. She had only ever lived in Germany and Chile and as she flew into Jakarta, she says she had no idea what to expect.

I was thinking it would be a very great adventure. We saw the night lights of the city – it was a really emotional time. We took each other’s hand when the plane landed. Martin said, “We’re here now – it will be OK”. I was crying

We got our luggage and then I remember the heat. I had long pants on. It was in the night, so I couldn’t see anything of the city.

When we arrived at our apartment Martin’s work had organized, the secretary came to say hello and to ask us what we needed. I told her how tired I was and she offered to organize a massage for me. It was the middle of the night.

At first I didn’t want a maid. I didn’t need one. I had a small apartment and I said, “I can arrange this by myself.” There was already a playgroup in the apartment block.

But the first day Martin started work, I was scared to go out. People had told me how dangerous it was. They told me to be careful of taxi drivers. But I told Martin I wanted to learn Indonesian. I wanted to be able to get around. We wouldn’t have a driver.

When I became more pregnant, everyone told me to fly to Singapore to have Elias or to fly home. But I said no, this is my second baby, it won’t be so hard.

We found a very good hospital. There were lots of nurses. Martin was translating for me – because I hadn’t learned Bahasa yet – so the nurses would say “push” in Indonesian and Martin would tell me what to do in Spanish.

I take my children to local doctors here – I don’t need to take them to Singapore if they have a cold. I speak fluent Bahasa now so it’s easy. And they are healthy, my children, and happy. It’s wonderful to bring them up here.

Elias and Maya speak fluent Bahasa of course, but Martin speaks to the children in German and I speak to them in Spanish. Elias has grown up here and for a while he thought he was Indonesian. He’s very brown, like me. Foreigners would say to him, “hallo little boy” and he would yell at them “bule” and screw up his face. We had to teach him not to do that.

The expat bubble is OK for some. But if you’re living here, or anywhere, you need to have contact with the people. The hardest time was at the beginning. Martin was working a lot. He would come back late, and work so long. I was very pregnant. Sometimes I would have the feeling, what am I doing here? I have nothing to do. I told him I wanted to go home or to Germany. I wanted my family close.

Then we had some friends to stay with us and it was so nice to have people in the house. So I asked Martin if we should host the international interns from his company. I thought at first it might not be good for the children or me – but it was. We have had many people as guests and it’s good to have a full house.

Because I don’t work in an office, I feel very attached to Martin’s work. I go through his ups and downs. It’s hard to live here. There are different things everywhere and that can be scary. But I think we can learn from other people. To share life is really important. To take the children out and to teach them about where you are living, that’s important.

I always tell Maya she is so lucky. I tell her she has a mum and a pap who love her. She’s too little to understand this, but I tell her she has a house and all these things. And sometimes for Indonesian children – it’s so hard. They don’t have anything. I am teaching her to care not for material things.

For single people, it’s hard too. You don’t have anyone. I think it’s a big decision to stay. You have to be strong. But my advice is -- do it – the experience will make you strong. Living here with new people is wonderful. My friend Alexandra’s heart is stronger for her experience.

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