TWO SIGHTS IN SURABAYA

The Lonely Planet Guide to Indonesia hits it on the head, I think, when it says that “Surabaya is not an easy place to love.” Of all the places to go to on the island of Java, this second city--- with its 8-lane highways, crowded multi-plexes, corporate building and Indonesian Navy ---- decidedly misses the mark as a tourist city. In fact, I’ve only seen about five tourists in all. Which is refreshing, given the usual experience of travelling.

My first few days in Surabaya are fairly evenly divided between settling into my room, located in a village on the south side of this city of 4 million, and checking out a few sights. I travel mostly by taxi because they are crazy cheap --- $5. to go from one side of town to the other.

The old Arab Quarter is also called the Qubah. It is a maze of narrow lanes with two or three story residences, some with stores on the first floor. It’s like the medina I remember from Morocco. In the center of the medina is Surabaya’s oldest mosque, the Mesjid Ampel, named after the sultan who brought Islam to Java in 1461. As one gets closer to the mosque, these lanes become more commercial. You can buy dates, fried snacks, clothing, felt hats, percussion instruments and hookahs. A hawker dabs perfume on my arm to give me a sample. One of the younger kids wants to show me his Nirvana tee shirt and laughs with delight when I give him thumbs up. I amble to the entrance of the mosque where many are washing before prayer, but there is a sign in English restricting access to those in “Muslim costume.” Surely my own costume is not Muslim, so I turn tail.

The place is really evocative and incredibly Old World, and it is fully functional as a real community. Nothing touristy about it. But honestly, I didn’t feel altogether comfortable. I remember thinking I felt more welcome among Massai tribesmen in Africa, with whom I had even less in common. And I did not want to offend anyone by taking photos, so I have none.

My favorite place so far is the House of Sampoerna museum and factory, home of Indonesia’s premiere brand of kretek or clove cigarette. The building is a great 19^th century Dutch structure and houses cool and fun exhibits about the history of these clove cigarettes. The place smells great, too. On the top floor you can look out over the factory floor where women roll them by hand; some can do 4000 per day! I actually bought a pack or two when I dated Cheryl, because we both liked the smell of them. Unfortunately they are filterless and very high in tar. After the museum I went next door to the Café which is beautiful and serves great food. I had lunch --- a salad with peanut dressing called gado-gado and lemon iced tea --- for about $3.00 with tip.

The Founder's original street stall

Detail from the Cafe ceiling

24 HOURS (AND SPY GAMES) IN SINGAPORE

Recently I read somewhere that Singapore is like Switzerland in Asia --- beautiful, efficient, often luxurious, but a bit soul-less. Maybe some truth there, although 24 hours is not enough time to give it a fair shake.

I went to Singapore for a visa run. It was easiest to process my work visa through an agent who does this efficiently and frequently for my employer. I was instructed to meet him in a shopping mall fast food stall. He’s a pretty big guy; looks like a Sikh Indian in rumpled business clothes, a greying beard and Armani black-and-white sunglasses. He nods from his table in the shade. I walk over, say his name and put my documents and passport on the table next to him and wait while he peruses and nods. When he looks up at me expectantly, I hand him 230 Singaporean Dollars. He nods again and we agree to meet at my hotel lobby at 4:15 pm later that day. Giving a stranger your passport for eight hours is a bit un-nerving. And the fact that he showed up half an hour late did not help. But he delivered the goods – my passport with a proper work visa for Indonesia.

I do have three recommendations for Singapore. The Orchard Road section of the city is an incredible feast for the shopper of fine things. Beautiful, modern buildings with artsy architecture house the top names in fashion from around the world. There are many fine upscale hotels (including the Regent/Four Seasons, where I was upgraded and treated very well) for about $250. per night.

I told the lovely manager at the Regent that I wanted her steer on some dumplings, and she sent me to Din Tai Tung 435 Orchard Road, Level 4. This restaurant, originally from Taiwan, now has branches in a handful of Asian cities.  In 1993 it was ranked by The New York Times as one of the top 10 restaurants in the world. The dumplings (and everything else) are spectacular. Also the very best cold lemongrass drink I ever had. Four dishes and a tasty bev for about $40. Highly recommended.

Finally, the Singapore Botanic Gardens (http://www.sbg.org.sg) is a great way to get a little exercise outdoors, and see some wonderful plant exhibits. The Gardens were founded in 1822 and have gone through many incarnations. The Orchid Garden is the only area that charges admission ($4 US), but it is very worthwhile. 

PACKING, SMART AND SIMPLE

Do you really need to bring that?

I remember one of my first vacations with my nephew John. We spent a great week in France together; I believe it was his first trip abroad. When we met at the airport, the kid was toting two enormous suitcases.

 “Johnny, did you take packing lessons from Diana Ross?”

At the end of our trip I doubt he used 25% of the stuff he brought along. But he may have gained some arm strength from carrying it all.

I’ll tell you how strongly I feel about compact packing. When Cheryl and I became engaged, it was the only thing I asked her to agree to as part of our marriage contract (thank Buddha she said yes). Until this trip to Asia I have never, ever checked baggage. Now the game is getting to be a challenge as some airlines --Virgin Atlantic, I’m talking about you -- are getting very strict about carry-ons. It’s a means of making money, among other things. But if you can be light and a bit restrained in your packing, you will save time in security, breeze in and out of airports while others wait at baggage carousels, and never suffer the inconvenience of lost luggage.

So keep it simple. Of course, medicines, camera, sturdy shoes and even a laptop may be necessaries. But here are some of John’s hints for traveling light:

1.Travel clothing. Travel clothing made by Patagonia, Orvis, Ex Officio, REI and North Face, among others, is made with a strong but breathable synthetic fabric like polyester. It's virtually wrinkle-free and offers great features like zipper pockets and roll-up buttoned sleeves. It’s practical outdoors and looks good in a urban restaurant. And because it has little or no cotton or wool, this clothing can be hand-washed and dries in about an hour.

2. Layers. Layering allows you to use the same clothing for multiple purposes, and it also lets you adjust for conditions. A waterproof shell and a fleece can manage most weather the average tourist encounters.

3. Clothing as Souvenirs. Clothing is a much better souvenir than a key-chain or kitschy dust-collector. Save a little room in your suitcase to buy yourself something you can “wear while you’re there.”

4. Color-Coordinate. Not a big deal, just try to bring different articles that will work together in terms of color; this gives you more options to mix and match.

I have to walk my own talk. Here is a picture of my luggage for many months in Asia.    

INDO THROUGH THE "OUT" DOOR

At the airport waiting to board my first flight – to London. Just enough time for a few words about the back story.

After all, this blog is certainly about life after career. And I don’t mean “retirement” because that term itself needs to be retired. The whole reason I’m in this airport lounge about to travel half way around the world to begin a job teaching English in East Java, Indonesia --- a place I have never been to, by the way --- is because I craved new adventures even before I put my first career to rest. I wanted to “un-retire.”

I am a recovering lawyer. Nothing wrong with practicing law, mind you. Knowing the law allows you to serve others, make a reasonably good living, protect yourself and your loved ones, and work in a wide variety of practice areas. But after many years in the adversarial arena, laboring in a system that is both just and unjust, and being subject to a fair amount of pressure in the process, I was ready to try something else. Some people ask me “Why did you leave your law practice?” I reply by asking them to imagine how they would feel after doing litigation for as many years as I did. And why practice only one set of work skills for your whole life, anyway?

Look, I’m not trying to talk anyone into leaving a job they love or need to support dependents. But I do think that many of the personal finance gurus, the banks, and financial institutions have conspired together to frighten would-be “second career” candidates away. They write about saving ridiculous multiples of income and building extensive retirement portfolios. My own reading and planning and preparation for leaving the working world was extensive, I assure you. And I believe that many of these requirements are exaggerated. If you have reasonable savings, can manage your finances, and create a realistic budget for going forward --- especially one that includes generating some income ---- then you, too, can transition from full time work to a different life style. It’s really just a matter of trading money for time. If this interests you, noodle on it; you may be better able than you think!

My own solution centered around teaching English as a Second Language. I had this in the back of my mind for years. Riding the subway as a law student, I remember seeing posters for getting a teaching certificate. I enjoy meeting people from different cultures, and I am an enthusiastic teacher. So in June 2010, after giving lots of notice to my law firm, I left my job and took the summer off. It was “The Summer of John” after a Seinfeld episode. Great times, a big exhale, one of the best summers ever. But I was working on my plan. I carefully researched and signed up for a Certificate Program, purged some work files, put the rest away; took some time to visit family; worked out and played some gigs (more about this in another post). I took my Certificate course full time in October and continued to work on my resume, and do a few informational interviews. And early in 2011, I got my first job, teaching business English at for an international education company. The money is not what I was used to, but it was enough for spending money and paying some bills. My wife Cheryl has a good job with benefits to cover both of us, so that was very big. Teaching ESL provides some flexibility in work schedule. It is portable and exportable, if you like to travel.  It requires effort and preparation, but it’s not digging ditches. And I think it can be very rewarding. In short, it works for me.

Besides teaching ESL at school, I founded a company that partners with businesses to teach ESL to their workers on site, at their place of business. This teaching model emphasizes English words and usage that these workers need to do their jobs well. My first client was a hotel chain.

The opportunity to apply for a job teaching English in Indonesia came this past summer, as I began perusing possibilities online. The particular job I applied for was with the company I already worked for, and one of my managers actually taught ESL in Surabaya some years ago. The job included a place to live, medical insurance, payment of travel and visa expenses, and an okay salary. The process took a few months with all the paperwork and interviews, but I was offered a job and with my wife and family’s blessing, I accepted it.

Whoops, time to catch the flight! Please check back for more soon…