Week Seven: Autonomy

There’s no easy way to carry a tripod around Jakarta. I can carry my tripod bag over my shoulder, which turns navigating the streets into something like an awkward, unintentional, one-sided jousting match with street vendors and small children. I can carry it long ways, essentially spooning with it on the bus to keep it out of other people’s way, but if I walk with it in this position it continually hits me in the face. It's a vicious cycle.

That’s another thing about journalism these days, is that historically, outlets would send a reporter, photographer, and video camera guy at the very least to get a story. These days, it's a one-woman show. I’ve learned to show up early at press conferences and get a good spot, rather than being the awkward white girl fumbling with equipment and a “Beritasatu Intern” badge. Its quite a project to get sound bites, photos, and enough content to write a story at press conferences with tons of reporters and sources who don’t typically speak English. It’s safe to say I’m learning a lot.

Tripod bag, among other things for next week's reporting project

This autonomy goes beyond work, too. This has been the first time I’ve ever lived completely alone. Its weird to think how different my day-to-day life now, is compared to three months ago. My days used to start at 5:30 a.m. where I went to my nanny job, then I was either at class or my internship by 10. I usually went to my third job or the gym in the evening, then was either passed out in bed by 10 pm or was being dragged to $1 Wells Wednesdays by my roommates. Here I work seven hours a day at the most, and have the rest of the time to do whatever I want.

I’m so thankful for the people I have met here; people who have helped me understand and love a way of life so different from anything I’ve ever known. But I’ve also loved the chance to be autonomous, to do things completely on my own because I want to do them. For the last four years, if I wasn't waist deep in homework I was running around after the kids I babysat, or after the 50 campus tour guides whom I was loosely responsible for. Here I’m really only responsible for myself.

I love governing my own day. I love waking up in the morning, going for a run, and still having time to sit down and eat breakfast before going into work. I love sitting down with a book in the busy park on Sundays, and having my own bubble in the midst of all the city’s craziness. I love having time to think, to take in this world that's so different, and really appreciate it.

It's a bizarre feeling to have this much time and space all to myself. I’ll be happy to go back to my people in a few weeks, with a bigger backyard and some friends I’ll never forget. But right now, at this point in my life, I am truly thankful to have a little time, in this crazy place, to do my own thing, in my own part of the world.   

Mural at Senayan Sports Complex park