When reality hits like a truck, humor can be a highly effective coping mechanism. Many of us in cities across Indonesia, especially Jakarta, the country’s epicenter of COVID-19, are probably already into our third or fourth week of self-quarantine. In between work deadlines, doing chores, and snacking for the 20th time, we probably find ourselves glued to our phones, scrolling through silly pet videos or hilarious TikTok videos.
Comic strips floating around on Instagram can also be great sources of entertainment, especially when they have a uniquely local twist to them.
In November 2019, Percolate Galactic, a Jakarta-based production and advertising agency, released Things Indonesians Do That Can’t Be Explained In English on their Instagram page. Yesterday, they blessed us with a COVID-19 themed follow-up.
Things Indonesians Do To Avoid COVID-19 That Still Can’t Be Explained In English is the relevant comic content that we all need to turn our frown upside down. Staying home for days on end during a pandemic can force us to develop strange new habits without even realizing it, and some can be pretty funny.
Although the creators claim that the odd habits that have found their way into our daily routine are too Indonesian to be translated into English, let’s give it a go.
“I ordered coffee via Goj*k, and when it arrived, I asked the driver to hang the bag on the gate. Then I remembered that it couldn’t be hung because the gate has no handle. We were so confused, but we still didn’t want to stand too close to each other. In the end, the driver left the coffee on the street.”
Who would’ve thought that something as simple as receiving a cup of coffee would be so stress-inducing? But here we are. And at least Clara got to have her morning #ngopidirumah caffeine shot.
“My mom wanted to give something to my aunt. But because they were both afraid, they ended up putting on a mask, a hat, and glasses each before passing the thing with a staff. My mom was in the yard while my aunt was in the car.”
“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” the saying goes. And it is indeed important to take extra precautions in the midst of a pandemic. But when all you hear and talk about is COVID-19, the line between staying safe and overreacting can get blurry.
“My dad’s ironing banknotes after selling phone credit. According to him, the heat can kill the virus.”
Image credit: @percolategalactic
With so much time on our hands, some of us might be inspired to experiment with new safety measures at home. It’s hard to say if using an iron to flatten the curve – I mean banknotes – will actually kill the virus, but at least they’ll be crisp and take up less space in our wallets.
Maybe you’re laughing because you or someone you know have taken these steps to keep COVID-19 at bay, or because you can totally see yourself eventually doing them. Whichever applies to you, it’s important to keep a daily dose of humor in your life.
But all jokes aside, do remember to maintain a safe distance from the people who live with you or the delivery workers who bring you your food. Keep you and everyone around you safe.
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Cover image adapted from: @percolategalactic
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