Two Different Worlds

Living in Jakarta for the past 12 years since I left Pittsburgh until about one and a half ago was really something. The thing is, it's completely different with my life in Japan right now. I never realize this until I opened my old album, my old blog, old photos with friends, and when I came back to Jakarta itself last summer. 


When thinking back about my life in Jakarta, let's say during my high school years, I found it somehow sparkling with metropolitan big city life, birthday parties, dresses, big malls, fashion, beauty, salon, hanging out with friends in some decent restaurants for birthday celebration, etc.


During my high school, I went to salon for hair mask or hair spa like every month at least. Went to mall with friends and eat like every 2 weeks or so. Especially during my holiday between my high school graduation and the time I leave for Japan which is about 5 months long. I went to salon just for hair treatment and straighten it afterwards, then went to movies with my close friends, watched cable TV or DVD at home, went to nearest Periplus to get the latest novel, etc. And I feel that I was more stylish back then. I treated my hair regularly. Because I love bags and shoes, I always borrowed Mom's and her collection are just right. Also, I loved to wear a low heels to complete my style. Life seems so much easy back then, but dependable.

Living in Japan, especially Beppu, gives me something completely different. No driver that will drive me wherever I want. No cheap salon to do hair treatment every week or month. I started learn how to cut my own hair because it's so expensive to get a haircut here. No movies every month because the nearest cinema is in the other city (I am not kidding). Watched DVD became something rare because my busyness here. I just wear my black Converse almost all the time, and just one or two everyday bags. No more birthday parties, or accompany my mother to wedding reception that allows me to wear beautiful dress and have excuse to do beautiful make up and hair do. And it's so difficult to check my favorite author's latest book since almost every novel here in Japanese and my Japanese level is not that good yet to read a whole novel. Doesn't mean my life here is bad or boring, since it's not at all. It's just different and in the good way, because I become more modest and simpler.


My life here full of study, activities, trying to survive, live independently, organize my time, get my work done, maintain a good relationship (not romantic one) with people I just met here, etc. My daily appearance is so different with mine when I was in Jakarta. My hair just being wash with shampoo and conditioner, apply some light make-up, dress simple, wear my Converse shoes, grab my backpack, and I am ready to go to campus. Instead of malls, I am more often travel around Japan which require simple outfit (more likely tops and jeans only) and my camera. 


Living in Jakarta and  Japan is completely two different things. It's like having two different worlds. When I am in Jakarta, I have another life which is different with my life in Japan. But when I live in Japan, I live in a life where I show up as a girl who shows who she really is without all the help from beauty salon, branded stuff and big city life.


Which one do you prefer?


With love,
Maya