#KABURAJADULU

Amid the widespread #Kaburajadulu trend on social media, I would like to offer a different perspective.

I spent eight years abroad—Alhamdulillah, all my needs were met: food, drinks, education, housing, transportation, and even occasional leisure. However, by my seventh year, I had already decided that the following year would be my time to return home.

For me, earning a salary abroad benefits the government of that country more than it benefits me. I never truly felt that I was living; I was merely a machine in perpetual motion. More than that, I was a second-class citizen. I share the sentiments of Mr. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who once served as Indonesia’s Ambassador to Singapore—despite holding a high position, he must have understood the realities of life overseas. This is even more relevant for us, foreign workers, who are there solely to work.

Here, although salaries may not be as lucrative as those abroad, I can engage in personal and societal growth. I can critique policies that deviate from the law, experience more authentic social interactions, and live as a human being.

Abroad, I did not even know my neighbors—I had no idea whether they were happy, grieving, or simply in need of someone to talk to. The locals were also uncomfortable if we happened to achieve more than they did. I even had to conceal my status as a student to avoid provoking jealousy.

In the workplace, we were assigned tasks that the locals either refused or were unable to do. And if we excelled, it only bred resentment: "Why prioritize foreigners when our own people are still looking for jobs?"

I am grateful for this journey, but above all, I am grateful to have returned. Because, to me, life is not merely about earning a salary—it is about having a meaningful role in society.