Being Single Bule Woman in East Java

The particular challenges that came of living and travelling alone as a woman in Java, Indonesia

'Bule' is a term used for people of European descent in Bahasa, the language most typically used in Indonesia. This was the first word that I learned upon moving to Surabaya, Indonesia. It was often shouted at me as I walked down the street to work. It didn't feel hostile, though. The tone was similar to one you might use to say , "Look! A pink flamingo is walking down the street!"

Upon hearing that I lived in Indonesia, I am usually asked about one of two 'hot button topics'. The first is what it was like living in a Muslim country, about an hour from an ISIS recruitment base. The second is what is like to be a woman there.

Indonesia recognizes six religions, and in order to get a KITAS, or work visa, you have to pick one. So do citizens. Because of this, there are lots of of Muslims in Indonesia that are akin to Christmas-and-Easter Christians in the United States. They aren't particularly devout, or their participation is more about community than anything else.

I did have one student that waited after class to show me that he had photosophed his face onto a photo of Osama Bin Laden, but is a rare occurrence. Being a woman, however, brought more challenges.