Despite being only 1 hour and 20 mins away by plane, most Singaporeans would never visit Jakarta unless they absolutely have to. For Heartland Boy, that “absolutely have to” moment came in January 2016 when he was posted to Jakarta for a 2-year work assignment. It’s absolutely unbelievable how fast one year had already transpired. Since he is halfway into his overseas secondment, it is an apt time to pause, take stock and reflect on the first year that had passed. Heartland Boy would like to share what he had learnt from working in Jakarta thus far.

Never Take Safety For Granted

In the second week that Heartland Boy arrived in Jakarta, he witnessed army tanks roaring down Jalan Sudirman, the main arterial road of Jakarta CBD. It was not some National Day Parade that Singaporeans came to be familiar with. Instead, an actual terrorist attack had happened less than ......