Bike Rides and Becaks

Join JIS Alumnus Gerry Heyen (Class of 1980) as he reflects on his childhood years in a still-rural Jakarta and at the new Jakarta Embassy School (JES). His memories give us a unique, nostalgic glimpse into a time of exciting growth for both Indonesia and our school.

We moved to Jakarta in 1970 after my father was offered a contract as a pilot with an airline named Indonesia Air Transport (IAT). My brother, sister, and I attended [the Cilandak campus of] JES in its first year, which was 1971, through to 1973. So, I was in Grades 2, 3, and 4. Prior to that, I was at Pattimura, where I was part of the Webelow Scouts. 

We lived in Kebayoran on Jl. Panglima Polim and Jl. Laksana. My brother and I used to ride our bikes through [neighborhoods] and fields — Mum and Dad never knew where we were! It was a long way out to Cilandak, which at the time was a remote place. Much of the roads in that area were unpaved. 

JES was still under construction but was a nice and modern school. The individual buildings were unique in design and connected by covered pathways. We [my family] are Australians, but most of our friends were Canadian and American. The older kids were funky and cool, with great fashion sense and long hair. They wore jeans and all used great words like “groovy”, “neat”, “far out”, and “cool”.

The biggest [school activities] were excursions to Indonesian cultural events, often including a gamelan orchestra and choir. I also remember attending a school play and was very impressed when the Grade 12 class brought a becak on stage. In those days, everyone got around in a becak. I loved the old becak. I first rode in one when I was 8, and it seemed every car would collide with us — but the becak drivers were very skilled and very fit! 

A lot of good things happened during adventures out of school, like bicycling through villages (every kid had a dragster bike with a gyro attached to the wheel to generate light), trips to cool off in a swimming pool or the hills of Bandung and Puncak, and trips to Cerita Beach, from where Krakatoa was visible.  

It was a unique time, defined by boyhood adventure, cultural stimulation, and fabulous music. We are all in our 60s now but have never forgotten our lives in 1970s Jakarta and JES.  

We lived in several other countries after our JES days, and the moving around did not lend itself to keeping up with people. Incidentally, last year for the first time since 1973, I visited my old house on Jl. Laksana 1 in Kebayoran — it’s still there!

Do you have fond, transformative memories of your time living in Jakarta and attending JES/JIS? Send your story and accompanying photos to alumnicoordinator@jisedu.or.id, and we'll share them with the rest of the JIS Alumni community in the next Dragon News!