Visiting Jakarta

So, I said I was going to talk about the trip to Indonesia... I am afraid, so far, I do not have good things to say. And I don't see it getting any better.

You see, when I was told about this project I wasn't too excited about it even though it would be an opportunity to visit a place I haven't been before. Previous experiences I had with Indonesians did not end too well (Did I ever mention my crazy neighbour and her friends? I think I did.) and being it is a Muslim country just like Malaysia, I sort of expected the worst.

Of course all the terrorist attacks (the Marriot Hotel, the Bali bombing etc) plus the Avian Influenza, also known as Bird Flu, and its recent outbreak in the country did not help make things look any better. But... I thought "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" and kept my resolution not to become one of those guys who choose what projects they want to be involved with. I was hired to do a job - I will do it to the best of my capabilities.

What I did not expect was t be working under a contractor as if I was a new hire, to be dealing with a project scoped two years ago and to find out the project I was originally involved was given to someone who can not improve on what has already been done. Makes me think I was really sent here because no one else was foolish enough to accept the assignment.

If I was unhappy before, it just got worst. The contractor working with me has some serious cravings for control. After my suggestions were ignored and knocked down a couple of times and after he claimed ownership of the project to himself, making sure he is the single point of contact on our company's side, I just gave up trying to defend our interests. If my management thinks he is capable of doing it (and I was told so) it is ok by me.