Stage Of Jakarta Life: The Let-Down Stage
The Let-Down Stage Part3
The Causes of the Problems Part 2:
The difficulties and challenges you will experience during this Let-Down Stage are due to:
Monotony of the Social and Cultural Jakarta Milieu
You may well experience the Gaol Sentence Syndrome : Everything is all new and exciting for the first few weeks but with a jolt you realise today is exactly the same as yesterday. Suddenly you feel extremely bored and alone, you wonder about the future. You may then quietly take out your calendar and count up the exact number of days until you leave Jakarta. Again be reassured this feeling will pass.
Lack of employment opportunities for partners justifiably becomes a common complaint at his stage. Sitting under a coconut tree all day or playing golf everyday slowly loses its attraction, becomes monotonous and the brain demands to be used. This simply emphasises the need for mental stimulation.
Absence of Accustomed Sources of Emotional Gratification
Normally we are surrounded by an atmosphere of known things in which we live and work. Beyond that stretches the unknown and its consequent primitive fears and superstitions. Suddenly the comfort and reassurance of your family and friends, your own home, your tennis club or the lots of Club is not there.
Jakarta is largely but certainly not totally a classless society. Any privileges or recognition normally received in normal urban life in your home country should not be expected in Jakarta. That affects everybody's ego. The Jones you may have had to keep up with have been left far behind. The new people you meet will probably be completely unaware of your past achievements and if they are they may in all innocence not rank them as highly as in your home country.
People in Jakarta are judged more by their job proficiency and social contribution than by past successes or status.
Isolation:
The sense of isolation is increased by a number of deprivations such as lack of female or male company for singles, lack of some comforts and luxuries, lack of food variety and lack of daily contact with a wide range of different people and especially the lack of family and friends when you feel down. The lack of home country news, lack of news relevant to your particular sporting interest or local interest exacerbates isolation effects. Week old newspapers are not quite the same.
Isolation is most troublesome when you are sick or when there has been some problem back home which seemingly would best be resolved if you were actually there.
Night time is the worst time for worrying but as the sun rises in the morning you will realise the situation is not so bad after all: That brain tumour you suspected you had last night has suddenly got better! You will cope with isolation but be patient.
Group Acceptance Problems
Work similarities and the importance of peer group comparisons for performance evaluation bring people together. Do not be surprised if you are not totally accepted socially into an employment group different from your own. If you are not accepted remember a dogmatic, hostile and argumentative person rapidly becomes the focus of disagreement within and between groups. Nobody wants that person in their group.
Alternately you may voluntarily withdraw from a group if you decide your values and aspirations are not compatible with the group: The members of a group might be heavy drinkers but you are not so you wisely withdraw. Consequently you may suddenly feel very lonely and wonder what is wrong with you. Differences in value systems always occur and Jakarta is no exception. This is a good time to recall that self esteem and social esteem in Jakarta largely depends on doing a good job.
Despite your feelings you are not going mad. Psychiatric breakdown usually occurs in the first few weeks in isolated communities! The Let-Down Stage is the worst time in Jakarta. Be strongly reassured it does run its course. Try to use it is a period of useful learning experiences for future postings. It does lead to better times. You will leave this phase behind to enjoy the rapidly diminishing time you have left in Jakarta.
Lack of employment opportunities for partners justifiably becomes a common complaint at his stage. Sitting under a coconut tree all day or playing golf everyday slowly loses its attraction, becomes monotonous and the brain demands to be used. This simply emphasises the need for mental stimulation.
Absence of Accustomed Sources of Emotional Gratification
Normally we are surrounded by an atmosphere of known things in which we live and work. Beyond that stretches the unknown and its consequent primitive fears and superstitions. Suddenly the comfort and reassurance of your family and friends, your own home, your tennis club or the lots of Club is not there.
Jakarta is largely but certainly not totally a classless society. Any privileges or recognition normally received in normal urban life in your home country should not be expected in Jakarta. That affects everybody's ego. The Jones you may have had to keep up with have been left far behind. The new people you meet will probably be completely unaware of your past achievements and if they are they may in all innocence not rank them as highly as in your home country.
People in Jakarta are judged more by their job proficiency and social contribution than by past successes or status.
Isolation:
The sense of isolation is increased by a number of deprivations such as lack of female or male company for singles, lack of some comforts and luxuries, lack of food variety and lack of daily contact with a wide range of different people and especially the lack of family and friends when you feel down. The lack of home country news, lack of news relevant to your particular sporting interest or local interest exacerbates isolation effects. Week old newspapers are not quite the same.
Isolation is most troublesome when you are sick or when there has been some problem back home which seemingly would best be resolved if you were actually there.
Night time is the worst time for worrying but as the sun rises in the morning you will realise the situation is not so bad after all: That brain tumour you suspected you had last night has suddenly got better! You will cope with isolation but be patient.
Group Acceptance Problems
Work similarities and the importance of peer group comparisons for performance evaluation bring people together. Do not be surprised if you are not totally accepted socially into an employment group different from your own. If you are not accepted remember a dogmatic, hostile and argumentative person rapidly becomes the focus of disagreement within and between groups. Nobody wants that person in their group.
Alternately you may voluntarily withdraw from a group if you decide your values and aspirations are not compatible with the group: The members of a group might be heavy drinkers but you are not so you wisely withdraw. Consequently you may suddenly feel very lonely and wonder what is wrong with you. Differences in value systems always occur and Jakarta is no exception. This is a good time to recall that self esteem and social esteem in Jakarta largely depends on doing a good job.
Despite your feelings you are not going mad. Psychiatric breakdown usually occurs in the first few weeks in isolated communities! The Let-Down Stage is the worst time in Jakarta. Be strongly reassured it does run its course. Try to use it is a period of useful learning experiences for future postings. It does lead to better times. You will leave this phase behind to enjoy the rapidly diminishing time you have left in Jakarta.
No comments:
Post a Comment