Exploring Japan in Jakarta, the Philippines in Bangkok and Sri Lanka in Singapore
June was a busy month for us. By some good fortune, we ended up with several meets across Southeast Asia.
(Thanks to Tristan for the photo)
In Singapore, we discussed Sri Lanka over some food from the serendipitous island. We talked about Sri Lanka's history, including its cycles of kingdoms created by locals and neighboring Indian regions, its colonizations by the various European powers, independence, and civil war. We also covered topics like travel, the China-India rivalry and its impact on Sri Lanka, the economy, and of course, cricket.
In Bangkok, we discussed the Philippines. We talked about how it has become a low-cost place for Japanese, Koreans, and now Chinese to learn English, leading to the growth of English learning startups. We explored the colourful movie industry, the popularity of fast food chain Jollibee, local politicians, and the cultural impact of many Filipinos working overseas, such as the Balikbayan box. We also discussed travels to the various islands in the Philippines.
In Jakarta, we returned to Little Tokyo (where we had some meets in the mid-2010s) to explore the neighborhood and try some Japanese food. We discussed recent happenings in Indonesia, travels to faraway islands, the increasing ease of travel for Indonesians, travel literature, and life in urban Indonesia.