Nationality: United Kingdom
Contract Began: July 2009

How did you find out about PBI and what attracted you to the job?

After finishing University I went to live in Latin America and it was there that I stumbled across PBI and the work they do. I was intrigued by the way PBI works (everything based on consensus), and have always been interested in the fields of human rights and how this is interpreted and applied by non governmental and governmental organisations.

Another aspect that attracted me to the Indonesia project is the need to learn Indonesian before you start working. Those basic language skills that allow you to work effectively, it’s so simple and makes so much sense, yet few organisations are willing to put in the time and money to develop their human resources.

Describe your average working day?

To describe an average working day in PBI is quite a difficult proposition! Every day is different and you are constantly challenged with new tasks in a continuously evolving situation.

Generally my day begins around 7:00 am with me crawling out of bed. After having a shower and getting dressed I leave the house and walk ten metres up the road. There’s a little warung (food vendor) just on the corner where I can buy Soto Ayam (chicken soup), making breakfast both easy and delicious.

At around 7:30 am I finish breakfast, return to the house and open the office door (having the office in the same house as your bedroom has a few significant advantages). I wander over to the computer, switch it on and start flicking through e-mails, having a look at newspapers and generally making myself busy.

At 9:00 am we generally have info share. This is where we find out what everyone did the day before, discuss the e-mails that have come in and divide up the tasks for the day. After this, what will happen for the rest of the day is always a bit of a mystery, even down to the time you finish work (which is theoretically 6:00 pm, though we have a form of flexi-time in Jakarta). I might be writing reports, on the phone, discussing internal project proposals or involved in a meeting. There is also the chance that an emergency might suddenly arise, be it in the middle of the day or just when you think your day has ended. Everyone then has to drop what they are doing and an agreement will have to be reached upon how to respond. The tasks that you are expected to fulfill, combined with the diversity of organisations that you work with makes working for PBI a truly amazing experience. You have to be able to think on your feet and be adaptive to new situations.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this there is a brief respite for lunch, prepared by an amazing cook who is also the oldest PBI staff member in Indonesia, Ibu Yuli. Although lunch is a bit of an understatement as it often resembles more of a banquet.

At the end of the day, when the office has been locked and the sun has set it is time to relax, open a nice cold bottle of beer and sit around a table in the garden with the rest of the team. Sometime later bed will eventually call, and so I go to sleep knowing that the whole exciting process will start over again in the morning.

How have you found ‘life in the field’?

Working in a foreign country half way around the world from home can be a daunting experience. I am currently living in Jakarta, an enormous, thriving and bustling cosmopolitan city. Each time I leave the office I am confronted with Indonesia, the sights, the sounds, the smells and the life. I must say that I love it! From the moment I first arrived at Jakarta airport until now everyone I have met, both socially and through work (clients, teammates, local and international organisations) have always been friendly and welcoming.

What do you find most challenging?

The most challenging thing about working for PBI in Indonesia would have to be the language and those first meetings in Indonesian; that moment when you think you understand what was being talked about only to realise later you didn’t have a clue, or just not having a clue. That question that you wanted to ask but you just couldn’t find the right words for. For me that would have to be the most challenging aspect of working for PBI. Yet it is also one of the most rewarding because with each mistake you learn a little more and gain that bit of confidence.

Any advice to others who may be interested in applying to join the IP?

I think one of the key things about PBI, flexibility and the ability to adapt! For with no two days being the same you have to be ready to be challenged and able to cope with this while working in a close knit team. So this would be my main piece of advice! Apply knowing that you have the right frame of mind to work hard, in a small team, in a different country with a different culture under occasionally stressful conditions. It’s not bad.