Surabaya, Indonesia Report of what it's like to live there - 10/10/15
Personal Experiences from Surabaya, Indonesia
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Several countries in Asia and Middle East
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
from East Coast USA, about a 26-30 hours total travel time.
3. How long have you lived here?
Four months
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Assigned to work at the U.S. Consulate General
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Suburban row houses, but large. High rise apartments. In the suburbs, commute times are short. Any commute that takes you into any part of the city during the day can be challenging. Average maybe 5 or 10 miles per hour. Poor road design with several bottlenecks throughout town.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
It ranges from inexpensive to very expensive and is of lower quality; locally grown is cheap, but farming practices should give anyone pause in buying anything too local. There are some organic farms that supply the hotels and once you get a contact, they can deliver basic leafy greens. Higher quality produce is fairly expensive; about the prices you'd pay at a Whole Foods or gourmet market in a U.S. city.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Western foodstuffs. kitchen utensils. Very hard to find a heavy rolling pin or quality measuring cups in town for some reason.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
enough. very expensive by local standards. slightly more expensive than in the U.S. Family of four can usually get out of a McDonald's for about $30.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Normal for this climate. Ants. Lots of ants. Mosquitoes; quite a variety.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
e-mail.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Moderate. About US$200 per person per month if you are a humane employer. You can get by with much less, but why?
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
yes, kind of pricey by U.S. standards, but very nice equipment and usually empty.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
generally no problems but normal precautions should apply.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Christian Protestant and Catholic
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Knowledge of Indonesian is critical to being able to get around town. Very few speak more than a few words of English, even in major companies, banks, malls, etc. A big surprise, actually.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
definitely. no sidewalks.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
yes. Very crowded and not pleasant, except for higher class train. Taxis are reasonably safe, but some drive very recklessly. Rates are affordable, US$15 for a one hour drive across town. Less than US$5 for quick trips around town.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
middle class Indonesians have the full range of Asian makes and models. Diesel is recommended for coutryside in the mountainous parts of the island. In town, roads are usually smooth, so lower clearances will be okay. For out of town, roads are narrow and you will find having a car with high clearance and bigger tires will give you peace of mind whenever you find yourself driving on the unpaved shoulder to let an oncoming car or truck pass safely.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes. Moderately expensive and very bad quality.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Buy a sim card locally for you unlocked GSM phone.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
yes. not sure of details.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
No. Indonesian government is trying to for even foreign companies and organizations to hire Indonesians.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Plenty. There is still lots of poverty in Surabaya and Indonesia. A growing middle class has a history of civic mindedness.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Business casual to casual.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
not so far. There are parts of the city that even locals avoid because of higher crime.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Almost all procedures are recommended to be done in Singapore
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
moderate. It can be bad when neighbors are burning trash. Trash is burned in empty lots all over town. Some mornings you awaken to the smell of something burning in the distance. There is definitely a lot of air pollution from vehicles. There is a smog layer that can be seen from the hills to the south of town.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
bring meds. have a good air cleaner.
5. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
tropical. Warm to hot. Moderately to very humid.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Several international schools.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
no idea, but I would be surprised if there were such accommodation.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
yes. At moderate cost. It depends on what standards you want. A Montessori school just opened across the street, but I am not sure what they mean by Montessori here.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
yes, but not for serious athletes. more recreational . hot climate poses challenges for outdoor activity during midday.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Very small western expat community, can't be more than several dozen in the whole city of 3 million. Very large Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean expat communities.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
recreational sports like tennis, swimming, golf, cycling. After a while, most folks seem to be able to find something to do if they go looking for it. local language ability is the key.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
yes, depending on interests. City does not have a lot of high culture (museums, galleries, concerts, etc.) and not much a night life. But there are places to socialize and the more local or ethnic you go, the more available the nightlife becomes.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Depends on whether one needs the stereotypical gay scene, which doesn't exist except behind closed doors. You don't see a lot of PDA in general and it is a fairly conservative part of Indonesia.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
yes, but behind the scenes and below the surface. Javanese politeness usually prevents the in your face prejudices.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Reasonably safe. Lots more sunshine and light than I expected for a big city. It's a sprawling city, like Los Angeles, or London, so it really depends on where you live in the city. Out in the suburbs, it is less congested. There is always a constant breeze, which is nice.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
regional travel in East Java.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
local handicrafts, regional travel
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Touring, for sure. Weather is nice for those who like warm/hot tropical climates.
10. Can you save money?
yes
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
how little English is spoken in the city.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes, but we knew a lot before coming.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
impatience, love of cool weather activities like walking/hiking
4. But don't forget your:
sense of adventure and patience
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Rough Guide has good chapters on East Java that seem fairly accurate. Indonesia, Etc. is a popular book about Indonesia these days.
