Koreans publish book of experiences of living in Indonesia

Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 09/01/2009 10:03 PM

Shon In Shik, founder of the Indonesian Calligraphy Research Foundation, launched Tuesday a compilation of stories detailing the experience of South Korean experiences living in Indonesia.

The 311-page book, Everywhere We Live Is Our Home, chronicles the experiences of 53 South Koreans who lived in Indonesia for between 2 and 34 years.

“The book tells stories about adapting to the new ways of living here, about the ways we rear children in a completely new situation to us and the way we befriend to Indonesians,” Shon said through an interpreter.

He said the book was also aimed at introducing Koreans who are new to Indonesia to the local culture.

“There are going to be lots of misunderstandings if people don't really understand the culture, including the working habits of Indonesians. Many Koreans said Indonesians work slowly, but the fact is that Korean themselves work too fast...” he said.

There are around 30,000 Koreans living in Indonesia. Korean people are the second largest foreign community in Indonesia, after the Chinese.

The book, written in Korean, is available in South Korea only.