Cultural Identity: Do we really need it?
We are all citizens of the world, so let’s enrich ourselves by exploring new cultures!
“Where are you from?”
This is a simple question that I find hard to answer. Stating one city or country would imply that I
associate myself with the local culture and consider that place as home. This is something I struggle to
do, especially with Indonesians. Every time I answer “Bandung”, I get a puzzled look for not having the
accent nor fitting the stereotype. I will then say that I’m actually from Padang, since that is my parent's
hometown. The second reaction is even more puzzling, like “Oh okay” and then the person leaves. One
or two times someone got it right by asking, “It seems that you were born overseas, right?” Although
this is true, I don’t feel comfortable stating this upfront to avoid being treated differently. More
importantly, I have not been there in years so I cannot share any recent local wisdom. I believe my true
identity is a blend of different cultures. This is not limited to American and Indonesian, but I also try to
adapt cultural values that I learned from other countries I’ve been to such as the UK, Japan, and Peru.
Therefore, I argue the need for a singular cultural identity. We are all citizens of the world that should
learn from each other’s culture and have a universal set of values. This can also apply to a national
context, as large countries like Indonesia have strong cultural diversity.
So in this post, I would like to share some of these cultural values to support my argument. I’ll also be
sharing some examples to depict these values. Please bear in mind that my writings will be only based
on the visited cities or regions, which of course cannot represent an entire nation.
Cultures from my upbringing
During my childhood in the midwestern region of the US, I developed a culture of showing respect,
being imaginative, and having freedom of speech. The context of respect can be limitless. One form is
respect for equality, and being fair to others. I remember how I was reminded to take turns, stay in line,
acknowledge others’ spiritual needs and ask permission before using one’s possession (like a pencil).
Another is respect for the environment. I was taught to never litter, recycle, and choose to walk for
short commutes. There is also respect for others' feelings. Mocking someone’s physical condition is of
course not acceptable, we learn to take humor in one’s behavior or actions instead. Last to mention is
respect for privacy, as there are things we are not comfortable sharing with others.
Being imaginative means thinking beyond the current state, and creating new ideas and innovations. In
second grade, we were rewarded for finishing a chapter book or novel as the absence of pictures spurs
our imagination. We were also encouraged to write stories of our wildest fantasies and even publish
them for the school library. In art class, we had a different project every month to develop our creativity.
This is probably one of the key factors behind America’s continuous innovation.
My definition of freedom of speech is not just the right to express an idea or opinion, but also to speak it
out with confidence. In elementary school, we had a “show and tell” session every week. Kids will bring
something (or sometimes someone) to class and share how they find it special, followed by a Q & A. This
helped us to build communication skills and express ourselves. Our teacher was just like a friend,
enabling us to talk without hesitation. We would also have sessions where teachers will gather us
around to discuss social issues like racial equality and ask our opinions, which develops our critical
thinking. School never felt formal and this made learning fun.
From elaborating on these values, I begin to think it means to be American. Since its discovery, the
country represents the land of the free, the land of opportunity. It is where people are encouraged to
build on their ideas, challenge the status quo, to work together for a common dream.
In Indonesia, the place I’ve spent most of my life, I learned the value of family and community,
respecting the elderly, and religious tolerance. My parents were born and raised in West Sumatra from
large families, my mom has 7 siblings while my dad has 12. When I first came to Indonesia, I discovered
the strong role of extended family. My aunts, uncles, and cousins really helped me adapt to the new
environment. I remember how my late uncle, Om Heri, would take us all on trips to theme parks. I
remember how my cousin Dini sat next to me in class and helped me understand the practice questions
before I could speak the language. My mom told me, wherever you go, there should be a relative to
make you feel at home. And she was right. I have a second uncle (my mom’s cousin) in Lombok who was
a great host during my visit. My cousin Eastman and his wife Olga did more than enough to help me
settle in London during grad school. My cousin Hasbi hosted me during my visit to Japan and took me
around the prefecture, and he even drove to my volunteering place in Ibaraki. Aunts and uncles are
basically your second parents, and your cousins are like your siblings.
There is an Indonesian term called gotong royong. It’s where members of a community cooperate to
improve their neighborhood, such as cleaning up the streets or fixing a bridge. The strong sense of
community pushes people to help one another, especially in areas without access to public service. The
communal values are evident in every street, with people sitting together and talking about life. They
are like a big family, it’s common in urban and rural villages to leave your front door open for neighbors
to walk in and say hi. Privacy can seem like a foreign concept. People value the sense of belonging and
enjoy living without boundaries. It’s what builds closeness.
Our elders have gone through similar phases of life as us. Although the world is constantly changing, we
still owe them our respect. In Indonesia, we are taught to use a more formal and humble tone when
talking to elders. This is even more strict in the Javanese culture, where the local language has a
separate vocabulary for speaking to different age groups. It is considered impolite to use first-name-
basis for someone older, even if it’s just a year. We acknowledge that there is much to learn, so we
should remain grounded and humble when sharing an idea or opinion.
Indonesia is a good example of what I would call religious democracy. People are allowed to practice
according to their understanding and interpretation, as long as it brings no harm to others. We
understand and accept differences of faith and do not let them affect our relationships. There are
indeed many self-righteous preachers, but most people are open, and laid-back and tend to avoid
discussing religion as it can be a sensitive topic. To them, it’s the positivity in their belief that’s more
important.
Now I want to discuss what it means to be Indonesian. It is a super diverse country with thousands of
ethnic groups. Local languages are still used today. Almost every province has a culture of its own,
people in Sumatra tend to be more outspoken while those in Java are more low-key. The nation used to
be divided during the first three centuries of the Dutch colonial rule until they decided to come together
to defeat the common enemy. Our fore founders realized the strength of unity in diversity and decided
to include it in our coat of arms. To be Indonesian would then mean being part of a strong diverse
community that supports each other regardless of their ethnic and religious backgrounds.
From the examples I’ve mentioned, you can see some major differences between the two cultures. Most
Americans respect privacy and personal space, while this can be a foreign concept for Indonesians who
value community and togetherness. Americans like to speak their mind and see each other as equal,
while Indonesians need to distinguish the structure of communication for elders. Moreover, some would
find it difficult to accept ideas or opinions from a much younger person because of the perceived lack of
experience. However, there are similarities when it comes to the value of tolerance. Both cultures
acknowledge and respect differences in culture and religion. Despite whatever incidents you’ve seen in
the media or weirdos you’ve met, I believe this can be agreed with the overall population.
Cultures learned while studying and volunteering abroad
Spending a year in London was definitely a significant cultural experience. I consider the British as a
much more subtle version of Americans: more simple, low-key yet similar ways of thinking. I found the
people really polite, warm and friendly. It’s common for a male to call me “mate” or “bro” and it’s
totally normal for the opposite sex to call you “dear”, “love”, “babe” or “darling”. It is a common norm
to hold a door for the person behind you and thank the one on the other end. Cars would always stop
for pedestrians crossing the street. I learned that pubs are an important part of British culture, as it is a
places to meet and chat with people.
Another cultural value I observed is humility. People tend to be open to talking and love to learn from
each other. At public events, the speakers don’t expect a grand introduction or receive a certificate of
appreciation. In networking sessions, people in suits and blazers would simply come up with me and ask
about ideas and opinions. They are often interested to learn more about my field of study and
Indonesia. My friend Awais once said such conversations are always a great learning opportunity. People
don’t see one field as superior to another, but that it complements each other and brings a holistic
perspective.
The last British value I’d like to discuss is the global mindset, especially in London. I know some may use
Brexit as an argument, but I once met a supporter of the referendum that had a different idea. He says
that the UK glorifies its diversity and would want to be even more global by strengthening relations with
countries like the US and China, instead of giving special treatment to members of the EU. However, the
eastern European residents do play an important role there and London is Europe’s main financial
center. Therefore I’m interested to see how things turn out under the Brexit deal. Back to cultural talk, I
was really amazed to see the integration of world cultures in London. The majority of the population are
third to fourth-generation immigrants, so they are practically British. Dishes like chicken tikka masala
and Jamaican meat pies are considered British national cuisine. There are celebrations for every cultural
event, like Diwali, Chinese New Year, and Caribbean carnivals to respect the close ties with other parts
of the world. I believe this mindset is a result of centuries of having a large global presence. Reflecting
on the situation in Indonesia, it now feels wrong to use the term Chinese-Indonesian (some people even
say just Chinese). They are also Indonesian like the rest of us.
Before London, I spent a month living with local farmers in rural Japan and exploring the main cities to
learn about the culture. I’ve always found people wonderfully unique, a good example of how we can
be. The first observation I want to discuss is the Japanese work ethic. People aim for perfection because
the results would be convenient for the wider public. There are standards of discipline to achieve this
level, like what I learned from harvesting eggplants and tomatoes mentioned in my first blog post.
The Japanese people also value privacy and personal space. It takes a while to get personally close with
someone. However, they are the most polite, kind, and sincere people I’ve ever met. When cycling
around the village, car drivers would open the window to smile and thank me for letting them go ahead.
I will always remember the time when the public transit worker actually googled “mosque” on his phone
when I asked for directions. I love how servers do not accept tips as it is considered disrespectful to their
honor. Once on a walking tour, a fellow Southeast Asian awkwardly tipped the guide and he said that we
should keep our money as Japan is super expensive.
Another thing I love about Japanese culture is the genuine expression of high enthusiasm. If you tell
locals an interesting fact or story, their response would likely be “Eeeeeeh? Sugoooiii!!” which means
“Really? Wow!” When I gave my hosts a traditional Indonesian wooden puppet as a gift, they were so
intrigued by how the head could turn and arms move. At a yakiniku dinner, I told them and some friends
that a typical Indonesian barbecue would have satay and peanut sauce, and their reaction: “Eeeeeh?
Pīnattsusōsu? Sugooii!” and one kept saying pīnattsusōsu with great interest. Getting such a response
does make things feel more exciting. You can also sense this enthusiastic trait in manga and anime, how
the characters react to almost anything.
Cultures learned during travels and research work
This part is purely based on my interactions with locals and observations.
In December 2019, pre-pandemic, I took a trip to China to dwell in the culture. I have actually gained lots
of exposure to their culture before, as most of the exchange participants in my AIESEC years and
classmates at UCL are from the Mainland. However, these are people that travel so I would learn more
by going there myself. I did find a similar sense of humility to the Japanese, I loved how my hostel mates
would use their translator app to communicate. Another thing I found is how people stay fit (both
physically and mentally), especially senior people through tai chi and dancing. Watching them exercise
just makes you feel at peace. What impressed me the most is the sense of unity. The Chinese people
always seem to have a strong bond with each other. The vast majority of tourists in all the sites I’ve
visited are actually domestic, showing how locals love to explore their own country. But my favorite part
is their hospitality, they do go all-out when treating guests. My friends from UCL pampered me during
this trip. I was treated to a large and delicious lunch in Beijing and was given the ultimate Shanghai
experience. This included a hotpot lunch, a Chinese massage, going up to the World Financial Center,
and ending with a delicious Japanese dinner. I learned that this is a huge part of their culture. I will
definitely do the same whenever they come to Jakarta.
The UCL research project in Peru made me learn a lot about the local culture. Like Indonesia, they also
have a strong sense of community. Moreover, they are highly expressive in communicating. Peruvians,
and most Latin Americans as I was told, love to talk and always seem so lively doing so. You can feel so
much energy when they speak. Another thing I see is the fighting spirit. The project location, Tarapoto,
had gone through a rough time dealing with narcoterrorism and currently lacks access to financing and
adequate infrastructure. Nevertheless, the people keep on fighting for their livelihood. The
entrepreneurs we met work hard to maintain and grow their businesses without relying on government
support.
During my year at UCL, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel around Europe and learn about the
culture during semester breaks. As these trips were on average 3 days and just in a single city, I can only
share some brief observations. In Rome, Italy, I learned how everyone just values and enjoys life. The
people are laid back, proud of their arts, and know how to refine common things like coffee and ice
cream. My favorite term is alora, a saying for “okay then” or “very well”.
In Paris, France, I found the stereotype of rude locals to be inaccurate. They are actually just cool and
genuine, not seeing the need to act out of normal. I’ve met several friendly people that offered to help
with directions. If you attempt to speak French, no matter the level of fluency, they will show
appreciation for the effort and switch to English.
When I continued to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, I found how open-minded, blunt yet friendly the
Dutch people can be. Since almost everything is legal, people can use their own judgment on what to
consume.
Berlin, Germany, is probably Europe’s most global city after London. There is a large Turkish population
and recently several Syrian refugees were welcomed to settle in the capital. The most mind-blowing part
is the level of discipline and efficiency. The metro stations do not even have an entrance gate since
people will pay for tickets anyway and gates take unnecessary time off your journey. There is a random
inspection in the passenger cars to control free riders. Another thing I’ve noticed is creativity. The
impact of the world wars is still visible, but people have decorated the battered walls and old buildings
with artistic murals as a symbol of redemption.
In Brussels, Belgium, I found the people to be enjoyably quirky which probably explains their great
comics. The culture seems to be a nice mixture between French and Dutch. (I made the mistake of only
staying for a night so not much to tell).
Stockholm, Sweden, is one of the most ideal cities in my opinion (aside from the costs). People are super
friendly, and joyful and they showed similar discipline to the Germans. I enjoyed the fika culture, a daily
coffee break just to take a pause from work and have a nice chat with friends. The people do make great
conversations, the most memorable for me was on the train to Copenhagen where I talked with a
middle-aged woman about the Swedish towns and how one became the birthplace of Ikea. Another
interesting thing is the lack of hype about the monarchy. My CouchSurfing host told me that the princess
recently married her personal trainer and no one seemed to care.
When I arrived Danish capital, I noticed that people share cultural straits with the Swedes but are just
more laid back. There is a location near the city center where laws do not apply like in Amsterdam,
which seemed to be an effective concept to avoid chaos in other areas.
During my trip to Barcelona, Spain, I was amazed by how the community bonded within neighborhoods.
The city is well-designed to accommodate the local culture. People also seem free-spirited, from what I
saw at La Barceloneta beach.
My last adventure that year was to Turkey, where I spent time in Istanbul and Cappadocia. The people
there are indeed beautiful and welcoming. I had the special moment of being invited to lunch at a
madrasah, which I was just checking out. I shared an insightful conversation with a scholar on the
development of Islam in the country without being preached. I was also fascinated by how the religious
and non-religious seem to co-exist without mutual judgment. An interesting sight was a young woman
wearing a hijab who was making out with her partner by the Bosphorus, something that you won’t see
in most Muslim countries.
I have also visited the neighboring Southeast Asian countries: Malaysia for transit, Singapore for
compensation my canceled business trip because of passport issues, and Thailand for a work project.
Malaysian culture is pretty much the same as Indonesia's. Singaporeans seem busy most of the time but
are likely to stop and help you with directions. The most interesting to me was Thailand, the people are
open-minded and accepting. My former Thai boss told me that everyone has their own spiritual
guardian. For example, someone immature is likely to have a child as their guardian. From my
perspective, this can also mean everyone has a different story that we need to understand and accept.
The overall cultural difference between developed and developing countries
Reflecting on my cultural experiences, I would say there is one major difference between developed and
developing countries: individuality versus community. The former is valuing an individual’s choice of
being while the latter focuses on being a valuable part of a community. A simple example is solo
traveling being completely normal for the former and totally absurd for the latter.
Going deeper on this topic, developed economies give people more options to do what they want while
those that are still developing need to fight more for the convenience of living. Take a choice of career
or college major for example. In developed countries, people would want to know more about your job
or field of study before going any further. On the other hand, from my everyday experience, my usual
response to this is “why don’t you do (something more favorable according to society)”. Another is on
socioeconomic background. While people in the developed world don’t seem to bother about this, a
common early question in countries like Indonesia could be “what do your parents do” during school
years and “where do you work” (instead of what do you do) in adulthood. There is this need to stand
out in your community or be among the elite in order to gain respect and acknowledgment.
This brings childhood memories from the US and Indonesia. I once had a second-grade assignment to
draw and write about my aspired career, as an author (I loved the idea of creating an imaginative
universe). Other kids drew astronauts, scientists, and athletes. My teacher applauded all of us for
sharing our dreams. After I moved to Indonesia, my fourth-grade teacher asked the class “who here
wants to be a doctor? Raise your hand!” followed by “who wants to be an engineer?” then “who wants
to be a teacher? (so I feel good about my job)” and that was it. Even in the textbooks, there is a chapter
saying about a boy and girl wanting to be an engineer and doctor respectively (yeah, my memory can be
that strong). This is probably because society considers these two professions as the ticket to prosperity.
This is still evident today, as government officials still argue about giving oversea scholarships for social
studies like economics and public policy. This can show the need for cultural transformation, being able
to acknowledge the value of each field and collaborate with one another.
Taking a different perspective, the fact that people ask such questions about our life choices shows that
they seem to care. This is something to appreciate, however as said by Stephen Covey, we must learn to
understand before being understood.
Discussion
The point I’m trying to make is that as we move to or meet people from new places, our cultural identity
should evolve. We gain a new perspective on how people act and behave, developing a broader
mindset. Having a stronghold on your first culture would limit your horizon. More concerning, you
cannot adapt to a new environment once you migrate. This is an issue I’ve seen in many places, people
refusing to learn the local culture and bringing negative traits which lead to stereotyping and
discrimination. There is an informal Indonesian word called udik which is used for a person from a rural
area that cannot follow the norms of city life, like queueing. While in London, I’ve seen people from
different nationalities that conduct unacceptable behavior like speaking loudly on public transport or
grabbing a duck in a pond (that was epic). It can also be the other way around, like a local villager
snooping around a tourist's rental property or a domestic worker being late for a meeting with an ex-
pat. Some people make an excuse that such behavior is acceptable in their local culture. However, this
would hinder socio-economic development and potential tensions.
I have seen several cases of people reluctant to interact with different cultures since high school in
Bandung. My schoolmates seemed offended if I used the Jakartan slang word “gue lo” (me and you), as
they are more accustomed to Sundanese. This became more evident when starting college in the same
city, where some locals complained about the large portion of students from Jakarta. A number of my
high school friends claimed that they cannot connect with them. It’s human nature to bond with people
from similar backgrounds, however, rejecting to interact with a new culture is an issue. In my junior
year, I was involved in a cultural education project from AIESEC. The speaker in the opening event
bluntly stated that people with Sundanese heritage should never say “gue lo” and stick to the local
language. The thing is, Jakartan slang is just that and a common Indonesian conversational vocabulary.
Jakarta is the most diverse city in Indonesia and the locals are just Indonesians. There is no need to use a
hierarchy of local languages and every migrant is accepted since people keep coming here for work. I
think that this is a reason Greater Jakarta is the most economically advanced region in Indonesia,
besides geography and history. It is open and values diversity, which as I mentioned earlier, represents
the nation. I’m not saying that every Indonesian city should be like Jakarta, that wouldn’t make sense.
Every city should have strong cultural roots and preserve its heritage. But its people should also accept,
learn and adjust to new cultures as well.
Another pity I’ve noticed during my year in London is international students that do not try to blend in
with locals or other nationalities and seem to not learn from being in the UK. Some seem to just be more
comfortable with their own people, but the point of studying abroad is not just the education but also
the cultural exposure. I had an eyebrow-raising experience when I joined the Indonesian student
community for networking purposes. The committee had us sit in the embassy for an entire Saturday to
see an hour-long presentation from each department on their activity planning, which could have been
an email. It had a grand opening ceremony and everything you could find in the typical Indonesian
conference. There was an Indonesian student conference where they flew in speakers from Jakarta to
Coventry since they would know more about the country. For me, it seemed like a waste of money and
an opportunity to share ideas with British experts. There was also an Indonesian football community,
which I did not join. Instead, I played with my UCL friends from different nationalities: Chile, Canada,
Japan, Syria, and England to name a few. Playing with the locals was the most memorable. I loved how
they were just having fun coordinating attacks, positioning themselves for the long balls like the
signature kick & rush style. This is something I probably wouldn’t experience elsewhere.
My argument would be, do we really need to identify ourselves with a single culture or can we just
consider ourselves all global citizens? I’m not saying we should forget our heritage and follow some
other country. Instead, let’s just be true to ourselves and follow what we think is right. We can refine
our existing culture, which can take more than a lifetime, or accept that our cultural identity is a product
of the places we’ve been and the people we’ve met.
For me, it’s totally normal to have nasi padang as your favorite dish, and also love anything with peanut
butter. We should also remember that our food also originated from exposure to new cultures, like nasi
padang probably would not exist if it wasn’t for the Indian and Arab merchants visiting West Sumatra.
Therefore, our ancestors before us were also global citizens.
So when asked about identity, my answer would be a blend of different cultures of the world that I hope
to continuously enrich throughout the rest of my life. Let’s always keep an open mind, learn, explore
and adjust to what feels right. As the famous saying goes:
