When you're away from home in Jakarta

Jakarta is one big party town, especially for foreigners. Heading a team of expatriates working in this town, I know a few people who'd like to be part of the big shebang that is Jakarta. The wealth of booze, girls, drugs can be terminal is one is not careful. There is a reason why the phrase, "... do not bring me into temptation" is part of the Lord's Prayer, because seriously there is a truckload of temptation for every sin known to man. Unfortunately, foreigners are more prone to these.

My expat friend is currently sratching his head because his little escapade went a little out of hand. The girl is 6 weeks pregnant. She's never been pregnant before, and they're not even in a relationship. What they have is a "mutual understanding" because they both like each other, the guy has a long term girlfriend (who he claims to love and wants to marry) and the girl has a series of "daddys" who takes care of her expensive needs. The arrangement is ideal for the both of them until somewhere down the line, somebody got careless and now you hardly see a smile on my friend's face.

Previously another friend, who had been living in Jakarta for 8 months was pulled out of this town all of a sudden for a mysterious reason. Later down the line, on one drunken night he said that he impregnated this girl and just bolted out of the country. Hmmm... no wonder that people are still receiving phone calls from this girl continuously trying to find him.

When one can buy a condom in the nearest 7-Eleven and safe sex is out in the open, you can't help but wonder why we still hear stories like the above. Is it ignorance? Is it easy going-ness? I tend to see it as carelessness. When you are away from home, away from the things you hold dear in your life, it is very easy to give in to temptations. Your wife, family, girlfriend, friends are so remote, so out of touch with the things that are currently in front of you. As much as I'm a pro-"live for the moment" kinda gal, it's always good to remember the things that you love the most, and why certain things are simply not worth it...

Remember to remember...