Our Daily Bread

WARNING: Last photo is “R” (rat) rated. Do not look at it if you can’t handle it. I can’t even look at the thing myself!!

this place on our street repairs tires and sells the water we drink

One thing I have observed about the Indonesian people – they work hard. No matter where you look, there are always people hard at work doing a variety of things. Many make and sell food on the road side. Some have small (but bustling) businesses of various types and many do service jobs (cleaning, driving, guarding, attending parking lots, gardening, etc). No doubt there are many professionals as well, but pictured here are just examples of everyday Indonesians on the job. Rarely do we see people begging unless they are truly disabled. Ramadan would be the exception to that when Muslims are typically more generous to the poor. But all in all, the people seem to work to live and they take their work seriously. 

parking lot attendants scramble to get photo with Ronnie

Children are only required to go to school through the 9th grade. But from what I can tell, the number who do go on to high school and even college is growing. Still, it is apparently not uncommon for young boys to work full time. It only took about 24 hours for me to discover that our “cleaning service” was a group of young boys that I’m guessing to be between 14-17. They work as guards and male maids and do whatever they are asked (told) to do. I assume they live on the property. Yoto, our favorite, is away now for his (belated) Ramadan holiday and I understand his home is maybe 8-10 hours away.

bustling bike repair shop

A pembantu (household helper) currently works a full day (or until work is finished) for rp50,000 or rp60,000 a day plus rp8,000 for public transportation. That translates to between $5.88 and $7.05 per day. She typically travels by angkot and/or ojek (motorcycle taxi) to get to her job.

I am continually amazed at how many people work on what we would normally consider to be one job. At home we’re used to having to “hunt someone down” if we need assistance in a store. Here, there might be 5 persons to one job! At Setiabuhi, for example, there are people working on each aisle! There are always 2 girls on the juice aisle, and 3-4 behind the tea counter. No shortage of workers anywhere! I suppose that’s a good thing, if you’re the customer (vs employee).

5 (count 'em) greeters outside restaurant

 

 

This man was pulling grass on the other side of the fence to feed his horse. He was among many other vendors trying to make money at Tangkuban Perahu volcano.  He was using the horse to give rides to children who were visiting the popular tourist attraction.

The ladies below work to prepare food to sell in their small business. I am shooting through the front door, so what you see is what there is.

WARNING: Ignore last photo if you don't want to see a rat.

preparing food to sell

Yoto with one of the rats he took from our attic