When I reply 'Brunei,' the usual response is, " Brunei? Boring place ah?"
That is an interesting comment in itself. Define boring..... .
I think their take on boring is the fact that Brunei has no night clubs....that's true, Brunei has no bars or alcohol being sold anywhere...well, that's sort of true too so, they figure, what does everyone do for entertainment?
It must be a pretty boring place.
True,Brunei is not really the place to come for employment if you are an expat in your 20's and looking for an exciting nightlife and a prospective mate. However, for those expats who have families and not looking for a wild time, Brunei offers many simple pleasures and a safe community in which to live.
But, we are lucky in that although Brunei is a muslim country,non-muslims are allowed to bring in a quantity of alcohol when coming back into Brunei from another country. There are also plenty of 'beer men' who deliver what ever is required, at a higher cost of course but certainly more convenient than having to travel to one of the two border posts which join Brunei to Sarawak.
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| Jerudong Medical Centre ( green roofed buildings) |
Having had one child here, I would say that the care I received from the doctors and midwives ( all from NZ or Australia at the time) in the local,private Jerudong Park Medical Centre was second to none. After delivery I relaxed in my individual 'hotel style ' room ( well, bigger than a hotel room as it had a leather lounge suite and coffee tables ) with carpet on the floor, travertine marble on the walls in the huge bathroom that came complete with my own spa bath, own stereo system with DVD player.
My room had a balcony which faced the South China Sea and every morning and afternoon, the sleek, arabian polo horses belonging to the Royal Family galloped along the beach for exercise.
Coupled with the fact I was the only one in the birthing suite for the first 3 days meant I had the undivided attention of all the medical staff. I don't think I could have received that kind of service anywhere else in the world! And, the cost was really peanuts, compared to the service they gave.
Well,I was lucky that was back in the heyday of great change and forward thinking in Brunei from one particular prince.
Nowadays, JPMC has to pay its way and now is mainly staffed by Philippino and Indian nurses who still do a great jobs. I hear those carpeted rooms have now been mothballed and now if you want your own room ( minus most of the facilities I had) you pay a premium price.
Umm, you mentioned how great the health care is, but you didn't actually say how Brunei is not boring. I have a family. Its the most boring place i've ever been.
ReplyDeleteYou know things are not good, when in the Brunei tourism ad in the magazine on Royal Brunei Airlines, the 5 photos they choose is a doctored aerial view (the same as on the side of the sky bridge at the airport, 3 photos of the Empire, and one of Temburong. Even the tourism authority can't find photos to use...
I’m an Indonesian who used to work in Brunei for about merely 2 and a half years from 2002-2005 as an engineer in a construction company based in Seria Oil town.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree most parts of what the author wrote. Unless for the dollars, honestly I would have not stayed there for more than a year since in my opinion it’s a deadly boring place, almost no excitement eventhough some spots are quite unique.
However what still made me impress is the warmth and kindness of some Bruneian families. They’re becoming my good friends up to now and occasionally still visiting each other.
What I’m concerning now by looking at the recent situation in the region …it’s kinda ironic, while Brunei’s neighbours Sarawak and Sabah cities developing in fast mode and aggressively transforming into more modern and bustling metropolis, the development of Bandar Seri Begawan city seems standing still despite its wealthy population. Even Brunei’s lifestyle now is considered far left behind its neighbours.