We met Dairi because he works at the villa where we stayed for 16 nights in Gili Air, Indonesia.  He is smart, kind and generous.  He has a radiant smile that is constant and gentle eyes that touch one’s soul.  He speaks three languages – Sasak (from Lombok where he was born), Bahasa Indonesia (the national language) and English. He cares and loves his family deeply and takes his responsibility as a husband and father very seriously.  We enjoyed talking with him daily.  We learned about his life in Lombok and Gili Air (where he has lived since 2013).  He is 36 years of age.  He married his wife in 2019, and they have a 1-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son.  His family is Muslim.  He gets four days off work a month.  He takes his days off based on his co-workers’ schedule and the number of reservations at the property.  His family rents a home in Gili Air.  He owns a home in Lombok, where he and his family go on his days off work.  His wife is not working so that she can care for their children.  Mike suggested I interview Dairi for the blog and he graciously agreed.  Although he speaks excellent English there is a chance some of our conversation was lost in translation.   During our conversation, I could feel Dairi’s honesty and sincerity, and it brought tears to my eyes as we talked. 

What is one of your favorite memories growing up in Lombok? Spending time with family.  Drinking coffee and eating fried casava (a root plant, often confused with sweet potatoes) with my dad. I could feel my dad’s love and care for me. 

What is something you love about Lombok? I like living outside of the city.  It is a simple life.  I can grow some of my own food.  I don’t need as much money to live outside the city.  There is more nature and no traffic.  The neighbors are happy to help each other.  The family that is being helped prepares food for everyone and we all take breaks together and talk. 

What is something you love about Gili Air? I like beach life.  The beach is beautiful.  The island is quiet.  I can talk to people from different cultures and countries.  I met a lot of people.  The owner of the house I rent is kind and shares the food and kitchen with my family.  We cook together and the kids play together.  We go to mosque together. 

What challenges do you face as a 36-year-old husband and father in Indonesia? To earn enough money to provide a good quality life for my family.  It is my responsibility as a father.  A quality life to me means having good food, time with the family, able to take care of each other and have transportation (he has an electric scooter bike in Gili and a motorbike in Lombok).  I need to buy a car in Lombok because the motorbike is too small for all four of us and we want to be together (versus having two motorbikes).  NOTE:  A new car costs over $14,000 USD.  Most people working in Gili Air make less than $2,500 USD per year.  A new car would be almost 6 years of wages for most people.

What are your dreams for your 5 ½ year old son? To get a good education and go to university.  Teach him to be a good person.  My son says he wants to be a rich man to share his money with his mom and me – to be a businessman.  When my son is an adult, I want him to be a businessman because that’s what my son wants. 

What are your dreams for your 1-year-old daughter? To get a good education and go to university. I want her to have lots of friends who provide her with love.  She can decide as an adult what she wants to do.  I want her to meet a good and kind husband to care for her.  I want her to have a good life. 

Is there something you still hope to achieve or experience? I want an owner to trust me to manage a property.  I want to have stable finances for my family to provide them with a good quality of life.

How much money would you need to earn per month to live the life you desire? 13 million Indonesian Rupiahs per month to care for my family of four and my dad.  NOTE: This is the equivalent of $750 USD per month / $9,000 USD per year.

Dairi made a huge imprint on our hearts.  We will always remember him and our conversations with him.  We have his contact information, and we intend to stay in touch and ideally see him again one day.  Whether he likes it or not, he is part of our international family now.  😊