photo credit: a_rabin

I came to read this article that says Medan (capital of North Sumatra) is the worst city in the world from Twitter. Eyebrows were raised reading it, disturbing but at the end I found myself laughing.

Disturbing, because as much as I have this love-hate affair with my own country, it always pull a few nationalism nerves on me when I read others write badly about Indonesia. Funny, because it sounds like that piece of crap – yes it is crap – article came out of an amateur bitter tourist.

Let’s analyze it a bit, will you.

You’re slim pickin’s for hotels, you don’t seem to boast a single, decent restaurant and from what I’ve heard, you’ve got no real nightlife

Last I heard they do have 5 stars hotels there such as the Marriott. Maybe next time you need to consult Mr. Google or better yet a travel agent! As for nightlife ‘activities’…what kind of nightlife are you expecting? It’s not Jakarta or New York City!

Okay, I admit, there’s a personal element to this. See, I got robbed in one of your hotels.

It wasn’t a very nice hotel. It promotes itself as a four star hotel when in actual fact it’s closer to a two. But that’s fine. I don’t need luxury and it cost less than $100 a night.

Except, in the end, it actually cost a couple of grand. Because while I was out one night scouring the streets for a decent meal – in vain, of course – someone broke into my room and stole a giant wad of company cash from my suitcase.

Okay…number 1 rules of travelers are: NEVER EVER EVER leave your money – especially couple of grand like you said in your hotel room! That’s what the hotel’s safety deposit box at the Front Office is for! Common sense…not that hard. You know you’re staying in an ‘average’ hotel with several grand in your suitcase, isn’t exactly the smartest move! The guy said the hotel doesn’t have safe deposit…well, tough luck then you shouldn’t even stay in that measly hotel in the first place!

Needless to say I moved to a different hotel for my final night. I woke up the next morning in blood-stained sheets. Mozzies never take any interest in me but your Medan mozzies made quite a frenzied exception.

I didn’t get malaria. But I did get spectacularly, violently sick about a week later from an intestinal parasite, which I’m certain I picked up from you, Medan. I just know it.

See the pattern here people…cheap hotels? Wait, maybe all the 5 stars ones were booked? Could possibly be…but intestinal parasite? Maybe this guy just ate something that’s not cooked right or ate street foods that his weak stomach can’t hold. Oh and he said he lives in Jakarta too? Interesting isn’t?

Personally, I haven’t been to Medan but knowing how poorly some of Indonesians infrastructures are outside of Jakarta, it is possible that the roads are bad, their public transportation are inadequate but to call it the worst city in the world? I think that’s a tad too far!

I understand some tourists will have digestive problems when they first got here because let’s face it, in Indonesia hygiene issues are still questionable. You most certainly cannot drink straight out of the tap like in some other countries. That’s why if you consider coming to Indonesia for a visit I strongly advise you to bring some pepto-bismol (or anything like that) and just take it religiously everyday for at least a week and always drinks bottled water and avoid ice in your drinks if you’re in a place where the hygiene may be questionable.

Indonesia is an acquired taste…that’s for sure but when you are a tourist, try to explore the country with an open mind. Keep in mind that Indonesia is still a developing country and also a country with such vast cultures so chances are things will be different than back home.

Granted, I haven’t seen all the cities in the world but Medan is certainly not the worst one.

Do you have any bad experience in a city that you considered calling them the worst city in the world? Share away.

Being Indonesian, let me introduce you to 12 Unique Facts About Indonesia

1. With over 17,000 islands – approximately 6000 of them still inhabited, Indonesia is the largest archipelago country in the world.
2. Over 580 languages and dialects, Bahasa Indonesia is the formal language (I only knows several traditional languages and dialects)
3. Rice is the main food staple in Indonesia. That’s why most Indonesians will say they haven’t had their meal before they had rice even after they had eaten pizza or hamburger!
4. Indonesia is home to one of the previous 7 Wonders of the world – The Borobudur Temple. It’s the biggest Buddhist temple in the world built in 9th century. Still one of the huge tourism spot in Indonesia. Sadly, on the new 7 Wonders of The World, Indonesia fell off the list.



5. The only dragon in the world can be found in Indonesia at the Komodo Island where the Komodo dragon resides.
6. One of the largest Muslim population in the world but Indonesia IS NOT a Muslim country. The government only recognized 6 religions here: Islam, Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu and Konghucu.
7. One of the world’s unique funeral procession takes place in a Toraja, a small town in Sulawesi island. Funeral procession will took around 7 days and cost a fortune. That’s why families usually save up their money for years before they can buried their loved ones. Where do they keep the body? In their house! Traditional embalming involved.



8. Bali has been famous for years but Lombok is the most happening place among others beautiful places in Indonesia. Remember, being a country with so many islands there are plenty of beautiful beaches scattered all over Indonesia.

photo credit: java tourism

9. Java island where Jakarta is situated is as big as New York State
10. The Dutch (or was known back then as the Dutch East Indies) colonized Indonesia for 350 years.  That’s why many older Indonesians speak fluent Dutch and plenty of Indonesian word derived from their language.
11. Indonesia is home to the largest flower in the world called The Rafflesia aka The Corps flower. Reaching 5ft high and 4ft wide, it only blooms for 3 days and for 8 hours of these 3 days, the flower gives out the rotting flesh smell.

photo credit: NeilsPhotography

12. Indonesian loves spicy foods! Order a pizza or hamburger here, you will get some chili packages!

That got you wondering what the heck I’m talking about?

I’m talking about the recent scandal of sex tapes involving a singer, and two model/actresses that crowded not only the airwaves but also became Twitter trending topic. Everyday their news are on TV from major news time slots down to those infotainment gossip shows.

A sex tape(s) is a sex tape(s)…deal with it…move on already!

Not so much! This thing had caused so much uproar in Indonesia that the parliament members feels it is important to hold a special meeting to discuss it? Holly cow, Batman!

Ridiculous is an understatement, many Indonesians doesn’t even know that a pretty big earthquake at 7.1-magnitute struck Papua province last week, June 16, 2010. Why? Because everyone is too busy talking about these stupid sex tapes! What about the quake in Sumatra just last month? These people deserves more attention than these so-called porn stars wannabes.

People are living in poor conditions there and all the parliament can talk about is the sex tapes scandal? Way to go!

Using the anti-pornography law as an ‘excuse’ this has been dragged for far too long while people in these quake stricken areas can’t even have clean water! My heart breaks and enraged seeing the news as it clearly shows the priorities of our government. There are way too many problems in this country from corruptions to poverty so why on earth two sex tapes took over these big guys’ concern is beyond me!

When will our government really shake up and prioritize? Maybe in 20 years from now…well one can hope can’t I?

A couple of days ago a dear friend of mine forward me a link to sign this online petition to disband FPI. What the heck is FPI you asked? They are this big Muslim organization, literary translated means Islamic Defender Front. With their histories of violence acts in the name of religion, you bet I signed that online petition!

FPI has been left alone for far too long, untouched by the law because they are religious group? Come on!

This kinds of groups contributed to the bad imagine Indonesia have abroad and instead of ‘defending‘ their religion, it only makes Islam’s image more tarnished.

One fact that sadly most of these kinds of group’s followers seems to forget (or brainwashed?!) is Indonesia is NOT a Muslim country! Yes, Indonesia is one of the largest Muslim populated country in the world but again, it’s not a Muslim country or based on Muslim laws, there is laws here so for some group to pushed the law aside and shoved their own and starts burning down places such as massage parlors, bars, clubs even churches…that my friend is just wrong!

What most media failed to report is the way FPI has been terrorizing some churches located in RuKo (loosely translated: house store – a store that looks like a house) for money. FYI, to build a church here is so hard and the government tend to make the permit almost impossible to get that’s why a lot of churches has been using stores, hotels meeting rooms, even malls as a place to hold their services. Sounds like thuggery? I definitely think FPI stands for Front Preman Indonesia (Indonesia Thuggery Front). What a joke it is to use religions to attack women and children even killing them?

I’m no politics expert but from my personal experiences (for example: the killing of my mother’s distant relative in front of his family by Muslim group in Poso, and the many horror stories I’ve heard from relatives in Ambon) this has to stop!

I didn’t mean to offend anyone this is just my thoughts on how sad this country has become.

Will the government really step up and do something and take care of this mess before more blood is being shed? Who knows, I can only dream. I like this article written at The Jakarta Post. Is religious tolerance will become extinct in Indonesia? Well, if the government doesn’t do squad and still allowing these kinds of madness going on then I’m afraid we’ll soon be headed down that road.

I for one is quite surprise to see this news spread internationally like wild fire for the last few days. Why? Because this boy is not the first case…yes – maybe first case that got such a spotlight – internationally none the less.

There was another boy from Malang that ‘made-it-on-the-news’ last month. This 4 years old boy’s case is more severe, not only that the boy puffing away but also cursing like a sailor. Good to hear that children rights activist group had interfere with government and the boy is now smoke free.

These are just a friction of child smokers in this country, the data from the Central Statistics Agency showed 25 per cent of Indonesian children aged three to 15 have tried cigarettes, with 3.2 per cent of those active smokers.

Although I am a smoker – yes I smoke since I was in college – it’s disturbing to read these kinds of stories. Both DH and I smokes but we do our addictions outside the house and yes I still hope someday we can nip this bad habit in the butt.

Now I can’t stop thinking about this little boy and his new international fame. Medias, international and local has been all over him and the parents of course to take pictures, videos. Does the parents seeks for help or they see the boy as a money making puffing machine? How on earth does a 2 years old get his hands on cigarette in the first place if someone did not give it to him?

As a smoker, if my son threw a tantrum because he wants a cigarette do I give in? Hell NO! He can scream his head off if he wants to! It’s another story if he’s a grown up *maybe at 21 years old!* and if he should ever decided to try smoking then it will be his own decision.

Would you give your son a knife if he bang his head on the wall wanting one? I don’t think so then why is it any difference with cigarette?

Is it a bad parenting – considering the parents of these boy lives in a very rural part of Indonesia where I would assume that their educational level are minimal? Or it’s simply because it’s so easy to buy them unlike in some countries? Heck, I was still asked to show my ID Card when I first got to Upstate, NY and went to buy a cigarette alone.

Yes, Indonesia is a smoking country – you can tell when you get off the plane and out of the arrival gate – the smell of clove cigarettes will welcome you!  Jakarta’s Governor had actually implement a new anti-smoking law that banned smoking in all air-conditioned buildings, including restaurants and cafes since last month. Does it work? Nope! I still see people smoking indoors or at cafes and restaurants. Without full law enforcements from the government and limitations on cigarettes ads this law will just fall flat on its behind.

This reminds me of the New York law, sounds similar…no indoor smoking! But the difference is in the States the law for cigarettes ads are more strict. No TV ads at all unlike here where they are all over the airways competing slots with baby formula! Cigarette also sponsors so many major events here from racing to concerts. So big KUDOS to Kelly Clarkson who ditched one of the largest cigarette company from sponsoring hers on the last minute.

I really hope for the sake of that boy, he will get some help he deserves!

After seeing this on the evening news on Tuesday I can’t stop thinking about it.

Jakarta Globe did a great write up about this on Voyeurism or Philanthropy? Jakarta Poverty Tours Sparks Debate and I stumble into this article on Karbon Journal.

When one of the news anchor that interviewed Ronny Poluan, the man behind this Jakarta Hidden Tour and asked: “Aren’t you ashamed to show this kinds of life to tourist?” – I got all worked up! Kudos to Ronny for his honest answer “What’s to be ashamed for? It’s reality!” Bull’s-eye answer!

Poverty stricken people does exist in this country especially in Jakarta. In fact it’s one of the biggest problems here but rarely address. Urban poverty numbers are still high even when they are circum-fenced by the skyscrapers or pushed to the corner of the city. The gap between the haves and have-nots in Jakarta are huge!

Denying it won’t make it go away! Ignorance will not help these people, pronto!

Growing up in a small mining area, with many expats around me then later married to one – I realized most expats couldn’t care less about fancy-swanky-5-stars-rated malls. They would rather ‘taste’ the local cultures, traditions and way of living. Plenty of those expats that used to live in that small town would rather take a ride on a motor powered small raft to go to the village and check out the traditional wet market like the picture below.

Why would we, Indonesians be ashamed of showing the real faces of Indonesia living if it includes the less fortunate people who have no clean water let alone solid roof above their heads?

Would love to go there myself and take pictures of real living urban poverty stricken people. That’s why I was pretty upset when I couldn’t join the Photo District Jakarta‘s  photo walk a couple of months ago, they were going into the ‘kampung’ (village) tucked behind Jakarta’s downtown area.

Seeing the hardship of surviving in such a big city like Jakarta other than raising awareness also would show others that life is hard! And maybe some of the participants would come home and be thankful for their comfy beds – when they had seen these people sleeping on a cardboard mattress.

I’m all in when it comes to the awareness but not exploiting. There are fine lines and I’m glad to hear that Ronny Poluan seems to be in a great mindset over this – unlike some of the oh-so-famous-local-reality-shows on TV here. His tour participants also donates money to these poor people out of their own pockets. To say that the poor will then thinks “Oh, I’d rather stay poor and waited on the donations from these tourists” are so sad. Yes, some people might monetize too much but let’s not judge the poor to be such a great manipulator! Some of them are actually the hardest working people in Jakarta. They have to or else they will not survive.

What’s your take on this poverty tour?  Do you think it’s wrong?

Seriously, I blame my mommy brain – just like I blame it for the decrease memory space in my head – that my passport had actually been expired since February this year!

Last Friday, my youngest brother Danny and I went to the South Jakarta Immigration office. Although I had always used travel agencies to take care of my passport, this time we agreed to try something different. Doing it ourselves! Gasp!

Why I used travel agencies before? Simple, because dealing with government officials here can be a total pain-in-you-know-where!

We went there at 6 in the morning – yes no kidding! Half an hour ride in a taxi we got there and around 15-20 other people were already there. The office was clearly still closed and their queue machine won’t be turn on until 7:30 AM.

Around 7, an official announced out loud for everyone to wait in line by the machine and OMG what a chaos – but the people quickly formed a line. Danny managed to get in line too while I waited. One person can only punch and get 5 numbers max. Standing for half an hour is no fun!

Most people there were surprised when they saw their numbers. All of their numbers starts at 200 something! When Danny showed me our numbers I just knew they did not reset the machine back to zero at the end of the day. Really? I’m sure it’s not that hard with it being computerized and all. Anyway, our numbers were 247 & 248! From a small talk with others there, I found out the number for that day start from 225!

To renew or make a new passport you have to manually fill out a form (although I thought their campaign for online application should take care of this!). The forms are free but the manila envelopes are not, you have to pay for that. Danny who was there last week, arrived at 9 and got waiting number of 500+something had got me the form.

Yes, I am a die-hard skeptic when it comes to our governments institutions – I can’t help but making mental notes of how bad things run at the place. Annoying to see people go to the windows then fill out their forms there instead of before! Seeing the crowded wet-market-like-line in front of the passport pick up booth, I just shook my head and sigh. I mean c’mon…how hard would it be to have those people get waiting numbers too – separately from new/renewal applications then call them by the numbers instead of screaming calling their name while those people hover in front of the window?!  You know those little monitors that supposedly show what numbers are being called now don’t even work! Someone from inside the office had to use a microphone and manually calls out the numbers and which empty windows they have to go to.

Sorry for the poor quality it was taken with my cell!

In total we had to wait 3.5 hours before our numbers were called! And I got into a bit of trouble taking pictures in there. A man came up and asked if I’m a reporter. When I told him no, he said only a reporter with an official reporter id card is allowed to take pictures. Oopsie!

At the window, the guy asked for recommendation letter from ‘my company’ since apparently on my ID Card (KTP) it says my job is an employee. I explained to him that I’ve been out of work for ages and when the ID card was renewed last year we were in China. I guess the ‘agent’ who took care of my ID card decided to put ‘employee’ there and it didn’t even bother me. The officer said “I’m just giving you a suggestion because if you apply for a visa the embassy will ask for that letter.“

Although in my head I know I’m not applying for any visa anytime soon and to hop to Singapore we will get the visa on arrival – I kept my mouth shut. You see, dealing with these guys you really have to tuck your emotions inside. From my experience, it’s safer to play ‘dumb’ than arguing with them because they have the power to make your life miserable!

They had no problem with the stamp on page 5 from the Indonesian Consulate in Houston that manually added my ‘new’ last name in 2005 and I explained since we used to live abroad, I haven’t had a chance to register our marriage here at the civil registry. They just took my marriage certificate plus its official translation and keep the copies, no questions asked. Oh wait – yeah there was one question when the guy were flipping through my passport. He saw my K-1 Visa stamp and the handwritten A-number (my famous Alien Number!) then asked “Did they write this or you did?” I find his question amusing!

We are scheduled for biometrics (photo & fingerprinting) for next Tuesday but I suppose to bring a letter explaining my new employment status as a ‘housewife’! So when we got home I contacted the guy who took care of my ID card and just told him to make a new ID card and change my job also my marital status. It will be done tomorrow. You see how money talks here?! After biometric the new passport will be ready in about a week.

The long waiting time, the lack of facilities to makes the Immigration Office staffs work their job better and of course the mentality makes most Indonesian opted for the ‘short cut’ when dealing with them. Most people would rather shell out more money – sometimes double the standard fee (of around $20+) to get someone else (agent) doing it for them because they will get it faster and quicker since agents have enough connections inside to get your passport done in a day if you can pay over $100!

I wish it would be as easier and as quicker as applying for Lil’ A’s American passport or how DH’s renew his passport with just a stamp from the US Embassy here, not making a whole new book like Indonesians way – But I keep telling myself to remember that we’re back in Indonesia now.

Has it really been this long? 12 years since the bloody and deadly riot in Jakarta, one of the worst in history of this country. It was during May 14-15 when the riot became more wide spread and turned violent. So violent I could never see some of the photographs that were circulating on the internet some years ago.

What started as an outcry from the public from economic recession, national currency collapsed and prices of basic goods went sky rocketing. Students took to the street and voiced their protests to the then president, Soeharto. Two major universities lead the protest and the president ordered military to took over and four students were shot dead on May 12. It was after the funeral that the riots became violent. Mobs of people took to the street and starts burning cars, houses, targeting the Indonesian – Chinese. It was the time where large numbers of Indonesian – Chinese people made an emergency exodus.

At the time I was living in an all girls boarding house. The location wasn’t really that far from Jakarta’s downtown main streets where the riots and mob were burning and trashing buildings.  After the call of prayer, a local mosque made an announcement asking the males to stay alert and be on the look out and for females to stays indoor.

The boarding house was a three stories building, obviously everyone around that areas knows it’s an all girls place. Some people on the second floors fled, these are the employees type of residents, they have money so they checked themselves to hotels, some went back to their parents house. Third floor were mostly occupied by students, like myself. We can’t go anywhere!

Cramped in one of my ‘housemate’ room, we all monitored the situation through a small radio. The mob was moving closer down to our area, burning stuffs right in front of a small police station nearby. Oh the horror…at the time we didn’t know about the killing and raping these mobs were doing. It wasn’t until the next day till we found out.

We stayed up all night, all lights were out as if the building was empty. None of us sleep that night.

More than 1,000 people were killed and more than 60 women and girls, mostly Indonesian – Chinese, were victims of gang rapes and other sexual violence during those days of bloodshed, arson and turmoil.

Sadly, 12 years later, 4 presidents later, this case is still unsolved. The master mind behind this cruel and violent acts are probably still roam around in and out of this country freely. Lest we forget!

When Lil’ A was born in December 2006, the Dual Citizenship law for mixed children born out of marriages between Indonesian and foreign citizen parents were still pretty much fresh from the oven.

We were pretty lucky as the law stated children born after the law was implemented (June 11, 2006) should immediately granted with Indonesian citizen, while the ones that were born prior, have a more tedious steps to follow. By the time he was 7 months old, Lil’ A proudly have his Indonesian passport and the process at Indonesian Consulate in Houston was a breeze.

Although the law stated that when the child turns 18, they will have to decide which citizenship to follow and ditch the other one, it still brought plenty of happiness for mothers like myself. Prior to the law,  Indonesia does not recognize dual citizenship and every children born out of a mix marriage will automatically follow their father’s citizenship. I’ve seen and read plenty of horror stories out there about nasty child custody battles resulting in children being totally seperated from their Indonesian mothers.

Several mix marriage associations such as KPC Melati and KPC Melati Worldwide are still actively lobbying Indonesian government to pass another citizenship law, this time to allow dual citizenship for the parents (mother/father). I am hoping this bill will be approve in the future as it would definitely makes life a little easier for a mix marriage couple.

Being Indonesian, it is somewhat of a hassle to travel abroad. Not only certain countries put such a strict ‘filtering systems’ for Indonesian visa applicants to avoid either illegal immigration movements or simply because of this country’s  history to terrorism activities. By all means, I do not blame the ‘other country’ as they are just trying to protect their own and yes, there are way too many people who will bail out on their tourist visas once they landed in the country of their dream. These ‘reputations’ sometimes makes it hard for ‘genuine’ people who just wants to travel to obtain a visa.

Have to admit I am somewhat jealous of Lil’ A’s status of holding two passports and after seeing how it works can you blame me if I sometimes dream I could have a ‘blue passport’ too?

One example, when we were applying for a Chinese visa from The US of course Lil’ A used his American passport and were automatically granted with a 6 months multiple entry-90 days maximum stays visa-renewable! His Mommy? Not so lucky! I only got 3 months with maximum stay of 30 days and I can’t extend it without leaving the country first. When I showed our passports to my inlaws, their jaws dropped “That’s discrimination!” claimed my mother inlaw. No…that’s just how it is, their rules and as unfair as it seems, it’s one of the thing I hate about using my ‘green passport’.

These does not only happening to me, I’ve heard stories from friends who had to jumped through so much hurdles just to get a visa and how much easier it is to travel using the ‘blue passport’. One girl I knew who travel frequently to the Netherlands told me the first time she went there with her newly obtained American passport, the immigration officer didn’t even ask her any questions (oh she’s used to being ‘partially interrogated’ on her trips there) and just stamped her passport. Nice!

Someday…yes I still have hopes that one day it will be much easier for us who chose to ‘stay green’ to travel to these places that has strict ‘filters’ or better yet, a dual citizenship for women in mix marriages.

A little history lesson from Indonesia, Kartini or sometimes known as Raden Ajeng Kartini, was a prominent Javanese and an Indonesian national heroine. Kartini is known as a pioneer in the area of women’s rights for native Indonesians. For her roles in women’s rights Indonesian government declared April 21^st as Kartini Day in 1964.

In many ways she was a woman before her times. She wanted women to have the freedom to learn and study. Kartini’s concerns were not just in the area of the emancipation of women, but also the problems of her society. Kartini saw that the struggle for women to obtain their freedom, autonomy and legal equality was just part of a wider movement. She detests polygamy and the use of religion to justify it. When I was in school we were taught about her and her heroism but honestly I never heard about her religious objections until today from Wikipedia. She wrote “Religion must guard us against committing sins, but more often, sins are committed in the name of religion” WOW powerful isn’t?! I have found new respect for this woman! She did ‘fell’ for this polygamy practice by following her parents’ wishes to become someone’s third wife. Even more sadly is her ambitions were unrealized as a result of her premature death in 1904 at the age of 25.

Inspired by Kartini’s example, the Van Deventer family established the Kartini Foundation which built schools for women, ‘Kartini’s Schools’ in Semarang in 1912, followed by other women’s schools in Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Malang, Madiun, Cirebon and other areas. Letters to her Dutch friends then later published into a book titled Door Duisternis tot Licht (Out of Dark Comes Light) in 1911.

Indonesian women surely has come a long way from Kartini’s era but are we really has let those shackles completely off? I can hear some feminist shouts in the background “Hell, yeah!” To be brutally honest, I don’t think we’re all there yet…Polygamy still exists to this very day in Indonesia. Kartini would surely have a heart attack with some of the religious fatwa issued by the clerics towards women here. Then there’s that price tag for Indonesian women who wish to marry a foreign men. So are we Indonesian has really been liberated? Some has successfully done so but there are still plenty who’s under the radar, whose lives aren’t so lucky.

Sexual discrimination, harassment and abuse remain prevalent in what is still largely a male dominated society and corporate ethos. The chaotic living conditions in cities like Jakarta are also posing challenges to women as they are challenged with managing the stresses of work and home (I think all working mothers face this!). Women workers and managers are also constantly getting boxed in by stereotyping and a limiting of roles. For example, it is relatively common to find women in functions like human resources or finance but seldom in production or engineering although I have known some women engineers and high ranking positions in prominent companies but mostly these women are working for foreign company where they are being judge by their skills, roles and expertise not by their gender. Sadly, most state own or local companies still have a hard time in letting women be in charge or hold a key position.

Simple example…job ads here are mostly discriminating. Don’t believe me? See this ad and see for yourself:

Understandably, sales support will deal with a wide variety of people, they represent the company but for me what’s inside the brain of that pretty face that’s more important then having a look of a super model! In my dream, ideally these job ads will concentrate more on skills and qualifications. More modern companies and sadly (yes I use this word too much!) it is usually foreign company who have dropped the use of these terms of ‘attractive appearance & age’ factor as their most important requirements.

This is why I salute those modern day Kartini warriors’ women who still fights for equality in life also in religion. Kudos to you, ladies!