interesting times..., page-11

Great post T4P.

Always enjoy your posts and this being no exception.

It has been a testing year to state the least and once again served up a huge lesson ("s..t sandwich" lol) to us all. Thankfully I mostly chose well with stocks I held and will survive to enjoy the longer term rewards. With a few I will simply place that in the learning experience basket and move on.

My recent lifes journey working in Indonesia has opened my eyes to so many aspects of life we all tend to take for granted. I feel priveleged to live and work among these wonderful people who live on next to nothing and are inspiringly innovative in the face extreme poverty. I have enjoyed helping some I now call friends and their beautiful smile on receipt is simply a fantastic feeling.

Reading some of posts on the blame game on HC and other forums is something I detest and once again it confirms there is far more to life than many choose to see. These people really need to spend some time in Jakarta and in the outlying traditional Kampungs and islands to see how others survive...without blaming anyone for their plight.

One couple I am helping at the moment earnt 2.2M IDR per month (about $170 AUD). They have a baby on the way and a 7M IDR medical bill to face if they want medical care at birth, no money then no hospital or Dr. He was made redundant recently by the BHP stainless division closure in Indonesia and left with no job, no prospect of work and penniless. He lives in a 42sq/mt place he calls 'home' with one room and no chairs for him his wife and two children. He owns his 'home' 1.5hrs from Jakarta and is proud of it, has a scooter (no car) and he is regarded as one of the 'lucky' ones in Indonesia. No dole, insurance or freeby Govt cheques to look forward to here.

The whingers here need to think how lucky they are living in Aus and stop blaming others for their own mistakes and oversights. Sorry for the soap box but I just think these people need a wake up, they have no idea how lucky they really are.

All the best to you and your family and I sincerely hope all goes well for you in 2009 and beyond.