The Kangaroo & the Komodo
?Australians remain wary of Indonesia,? declared a headline on the eve of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott?s recent meeting with...
Outreach
There’s Gold in them thar Hills
The western foothills of the volcano look rather desolate, consisting largely of dry shrubland with a few stunted trees. During...
One Wave is All it Takes!
Onewave is a non-profit surf community, founded by two young Australians in February 2013, to give people hope in order...
Ghostbuster Busted
Of all the silly programs on Indonesian TV, one of the most idiotic was Pemburu Hantu (Ghost Hunters), which involved...
A Really Scary Thing
In 1995 I was the tour promoter for the Philippines leg of the Asian tour of the British band The...
Hello, statue’
I was working long-term on a construction project in East Java and it suited my purposes and circumstances to rent...
Parman the Tissue and Face Mask Seller
The idea of being an entrepreneur is quickly trivializing itself, and rightfully so. Over the past five years Indonesia—and the...
Clean Up Jakarta Day 2014
As you may be aware, the second annual Clean Up Jakarta Day is around the corner and will take place...
Global Village: An English School without Walls
Bukik Batabuah, Agam regency in West Sumatra. is blessed with beautiful rice terraces and cool air. The road along the...
Unlucky Charms
It is widely believed in Indonesia that daggers, polished stones and fabrics can be imbued with magical powers that will...
Long Live the Hamster
When my youngest daughter was about five years old she asked me if she could have a hamster. Not an...
Multi-City Flying: Save Money on the Way to Europe
In Europe the holiday season begins in June and lasts until the first few days of September. The longest day...
A Mended Broken Promise
I arrived in Indonesia more than ten years ago and then duly scarpered back to England. After a year of...
Birth Certificates
When Fanta, a four-year-old girl living with her family under the toll road in West Jakarta was molested, Jakarta Police...
Ferzya from Aceh
Whenever I meet someone on my travels around Indonesia like Ferzya, I am filled with great hope for the future...
Singapore International School Bona Vista students seriously care for their environment
Dua Tangan Cukup: Actions from Across the Archipelago The students of Singapore International School, Bona Vista, are always eager and...
The Village that Saved its Culture, Leatherback Turtles and its Coral Reefs
There are only a few beaches in the world on where the giant leatherback turtle lays its eggs. The leatherback...
Social Media Marketing: Where’s the Payoff for Small Businesses?
Like most small business entrepreneurs in Indonesia you have probably progressed from posting your most recent meal photos on Facebook...
Sekolah Kami – Breaking the Cycle of Poverty for Trash-Pickers’ Children through Education
As we approached the school to volunteer our time, girls swept with rush brooms and boys tidied up. They are...
In Pursuit of Happiness: Expat Clubs in Bali
For whatever reason, people have been forming clubs since time immemorial and it is no different here in Indonesia. Early...
Car Theft Hoaxes
“There’s a new method of car theft,” a colleague breathlessly told me last week. “Thieves throw an egg at your...