We made a HUGE tactical error on Sunday.
We all went to Pasaraya Grande to get the kids new shoes. Pasarya Grande is a huge department store with 9 floors of shops ( 7 floors and 2 basement levels)We met up with 50% of Jakarta's population inside the department store LOL.
Chelsea showed her displeasure at the EXTREME crowds by throwing up all over the floor, it was all the excuse we needed to rapidly exit the shop.
Many, many people were there buying new outfits for the start of Idul Fitri (13th October 2007).
Think of what the shops are like on the last Saturday before Christmas within a city with 20 million residents!!!
Under no circumstances will we be going to any shops in the next week and a halfLast weekend was pay weekend, I think most people get paid at the end of the month usually in cash. As it is Ramadan, it is double pay month.
Many Indonesians get a bonus months salary for Lebaran and it also customary to give tips to workers and trades men.
To give you an idea of payments, this is what I have done this year:-
- RT 550 000( RT is like the local council, so like a rates bill, usually 250 000/month)
- Sampat 160 000( sampat is the garbage collector. Garbage is collected by hand into a oversized wheel barrow and hand wheeled around the neighbour hood, usually 80 000/month)
- Newspaper delivery 200 000. Newspaper should be 90 000/month delivered but for me it is 145 000, so he only got a 55 000 bonus)
- Sarinah and Samino.....lets just say it was nearly 5.5 million. This should of been less as it is pro rata BUT they worked extra hard when I was bedridden with the broken ankle and I felt that they deserved it.
- Security Guards, the security company will pay them the bonus but I need to tip, probably 100 000 each x3.
- Yadi, the company will pay the driver his bonus.
- Sarinah, Samino and Yadi all got a box of groceries (eg rice, cooking oil, cordial, dates, biscuits, lollies etc)
- Guards and RT got a big tin of biscuits and lollies
- Neighbours staffs kids and Sarinah's granddaughters (all play with our kids) gift bags with age appropriate toys.
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6 comments:
Christmas without Jesus, yuck.
I am so sorry the shopping was such a bad experience.
well even you have bad experience at least you have something to share here274 :D
isn't it? I miss Idul Fitri moment....wish i could go home now
Nearly half million rupiah for RT? Don't you think that's too much?
I know expats get paid more than local. But there seems to be a convention which rules that expats should pay more than avarege Indonesia.
I agree spew it all, our RT rip's us off, our Indonesian broker lives 2 blocks away and only pays
70 000/month, and GJ's boss only pays 125 000/month and they are only one street away.
Our RT has a lockable room with a fridge, TV dvd player, fans and lights.
But as expats what can we do....He is our police/govt representative and security for area.
If we don't pay whats requested what would happen???????
So it is much easier to pay and not dwell on it.
The newspaper man also rips us off, but I get the paper every day before 7am. Friends get it 5-6 days a week mid morning.
500k for RT sounds a bit too much, but if that 500k consists of 250k payment of the month and 250k idul fitri bonus, then that's normal. (Idul fitri bonus is usually at least 1 month extra pay.)
Still not cheap, but no need to feel ripped-off either.
Anyway, it is better to be known around the neighborhood as the 'Jen, the generous one', rather than the opposite, right?
We call it 'emotional bank account'...
It's always good to be on the positive side of the account, rather than in the red...
How funny it is, the garbage (sampah) collector's name is Sampat.. Sampat the Sampah guy.. Heheh.
RT is short for Rukun Tetangga (Harmonious Neighborhood) probably similar to Neighborhood Watch- guy. Since he is not being paid by Indonesian Government, usually RT jugs between his own full time jobs during his duties as RT because the local residents around had elected him. Sort of he does his job as RT, pro bono. So I think that amount of 500k before Idul Fitri are quite fair. Probably he didn't get yearly bonuses from where he work.
I'm so sorry to say this, but living in Jakarta when you get to pay more, you will get special treatments.
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