The State of Unemployment and Economic Growth in Tangerang: A Drummer's Perspective
you know, tangerang's been on my mind lately. i'm a touring drummer, and every time i roll into town, i see this weird mix of sketches and potential. the unemployment rate here is crazy high-like, 12% or something, which is brutal. but at the same time, the economic growth is supposed to be around 5.5% annually, which sounds like a false hope if you ask me.
i mean, have you seen the job market here? it's a hot mess. everyone's fighting for the same few gigs, and the pay... let's just say it's not helping anyone pay the rent. sigh speaking of rent, a decent place will set you back about 2-3 million rupiah a month. that's like $130-$200 USD, which is a lot when you're barely making ends meet.
but let me tell you, the weather here is something else. it's like sweating through a sauna every freaking day. humid as hell, but it's got this weird energy to it. like, you can almost feel the city breathing.
anyway, i was chatting with this local dude last night who runs a small street food stall. guy's got some wild stories. he said the unemployment issues are mostly affecting young people, and it's pushing them out of the city. he's seen a bunch of his friends move to jakarta, which is just a short drive away. makes sense, i guess. better opportunities, right? but tangerang's losing some good folks that way.
he also mentioned something about all these huge factories and industrial parks popping up. they're supposed to bring in more jobs, but from what i hear, the conditions are rough. cheap labor, long hours, you know the drill. it's a short-term fix, but who knows if it'll really help.
i stumbled across this article on TripAdvisor talking about how tangerang is trying to revamp its image. tourism, tech startups, all that jazz. sounds good, but i'm not convinced. they've got issues with safety too-crime rates are up, and that's just another hurdle for anyone trying to make it here.
so yeah, tangerang's in this weird limbo. it's got potential, but it's fighting an uphill battle. if you're thinking of moving here, just know it's not for the faint-hearted. but who knows? maybe you'll be the one to crack the code and turn things around.
oh, and check out this Reddit thread-some locals are talking about the best places to live and work. might give you a better idea of what to expect.
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