Should I leave my country? What are some ways I can do that?
Indonesia. As much as I want to apply "Ask not what your country can do for you", I'm fed up. I couldn't even do the good things I dream to do for my country, because people who uphold justice and righteousness only get marginalized and jaded. I'm horrified by this place's base morality. I graduated high school from Australia but my diploma was legally declined because the govt perceives returning students from abroad as either faking it, or assume that the unfinished studies must be due to an irresponsible life of the party. I returned because of health and financial setbacks, and am intending to start a new life in my own country. I've been with a university in Jakarta for 3 years, but am not allowed to graduate unless I retake my primary and secondary school exams and pay hundreds of dollars to the government for it (a large percentage, I'm sure, which never reached the govt but would be pocketed by my tutor). I retook my grade 9 exam today (there's this special program where kids who failed to graduate can get their diploma) and the teachers - CIVIL SERVANTS - were handing out the answers to the test, which I blatantly refused. They laughed at me for doing this 2-hour math test without cheating, and tried to give me the paper of a boy who finished before me. My uni pretends as if it were in London, and brainwashes the students into thinking that their Indonesian heritage is worthless in the face of globalization. They invest in interior design and sound systems to make the campus appear hip and commercial, but hire retired movie stars to teach the classes. My classmates have no work ethic and no manners - and that becomes very difficult for me, since this program relies mostly on group projects. And the teachers and staff think it's normal - so they constantly torment and intimidate us like 5-year-old spoiled brats. So much injustice around me. Factory workers doing 18-hour days and living in cardboard boxes at the dumpsite of their workplace. Poor people dying from preventable causes because the hospital turns a blind eye to those who can't show the money. Indigenous tribes having their land and culture snatched in the name of industrialization; their kids brainwashed by force into modernization. City kids enslaved to their parents ambition; attending expensive schools that teach them to be Western, being raised by nannies and the trashy media, lacking the experience of parental love and respect but instead have it substituted by consumerism. The police lets offenders get away by offering the option of paying a "peacemaking fee". The government hires pop singers to make our country's laws, and gives away free laptops and luxury cars for parliament members using tax money. How can I live in a filthy place like this; not to mention, raise kids here? I've attempted many things to make this country a better place: publish writings, co-start a counselling service for post-abortive women, volunteer in disaster relief projects, hosted a political talk show for students on the radio, attend church prayer rallies, started up a theater company... all for the love of my country ... and yet nothing lasted. Nothing changed for the better, nobody benefitted from my hard work, and all I got back was failure, betrayal, setbacks, and heartache. Don't get me wrong, I love my country. If I didn't, I wouldn't feel this way about it. My beautiful country has a precious history and heritage, and it will forever be a part of me. I'm just heartbroken that my people are treating themselves like this, and they wonder why they can't proudly wear their Indonesian identity on their sleeve in the face of the international world. If I had the power change the way my country sees itself, the society's attitudes and behaviors, I would. But I'd hate to continue toiling futile effort only to be disappointed; and I'm starting to think that I deserve to live in a place where my vision and values are appreciated, where I will actually have the opportunity and the resources to act upon them and make things happen. Who knows, maybe making it big abroad will give me more power to eventually come back to my country with the blessing I've always dreamt of showering it with. I've been thinking about leaving my country to take a master's degree and work as an expat journalist. My fiance is a lawyer. He grew up in and graduated from Europe (Netherlands), and is open to live abroad when we get married; perhaps by joining a multinational company here as a legal staff and then being transferred to an office in another country. Australia, Argentina, Chile, and Dubai are among our top lists; I would have added Israel, but my country has no diplomatical ties with it. Should I leave? If so, how do I plan to do so as a married couple in 2-5 years time? If not, then what can I do to make my existence in this country more fruitful Btw my brother is a US citizen so I'm wondering if getting sponsored for a Green Card there is an option. Out of all the countries I've lived in, the US has been the one that best accomodates immigrants. I know that every country has its own "sins", but there are actually countries where I could be happy despite that. I was happiest when I lived in Australia and Belgium, and feel much at home in the U.S. While moral degradation and injustice also take place in these countries, at least the work ethic in schools and the workplace are much better, the laws are enforced consistently, the government actively acts upon the people's needs, the lifestyle is more conducive for self development and family life, and citizens don't get singled out just because they've traveled the world and studied elsewhere and returned to make their country a better place. Back to the question: should I leave? How? Otherwise, how could I survive and thrive in Indonesia without ingesting its moral poison?
Immigration - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Sorry to hear this about Indonesia. When I taught there, my students (adults) were polite, hard-working, eager to learn, and I came to love the country and its people. Of course, there was plenty of corruption then, too. Some things really have not changed. Corruption is everywhere. Obama plays golf with a guy under indictment for various crimes, and who contributed hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions. If you think some other country is squeaky-clean, you are going to run into problems wherever you go. Any time there is a huge glut of humanity, especially a huge glut in the workforce, competition becomes extreme and corruption escalates. It is always a consequence of overpopulation! Keep your own nose clean. Keep your standards and your self-respect high. Seek out friends, coworkers, etc, who likewise hold high standards. Good luck to you.
2 :
I understand feeling you have a moral obligation to your country. But you won't contribute to it by suffering. And life is so short. Put yourself in a position/place where you can become strong, so you can give back later. In the meantime - it would be something to make a documentary about your experience... to approach the absurdity with art. The contrasts you've mentioned would work brilliantly in visual narrative, which can be more effective/accessible than text and more easily grasped by outside audiences. (Your current uni would be a good place to set it, initially...) You're well placed to communicate your observations and your passion with outsiders. (From a pragmatic point of view, it would also help an application to journalism school.)
