It seems that flatsharing is not something new you see in Jakarta. It has become one of the top means of saving some money, considering the high living cost in a metropolitan city such as Jakarta. At least that’s what I learned from my chit chat session with Anggi Aishaturida, 24 year old Event Manager. Here’s an insight on her experience of sharing a living space with two of her girlfriends.
How long did you live in a shared apartment?
For about a year.
What type of an apartment is it?
We lived A two-bedroom apartment at the Green Palace Apartment in South Jakarta, with one bedroom being slightly bigger than the other one.
How did you decide to live in an apartment?
I thought living in an apartment could be much more beneficial than in “kos-kosan”. Firstly, the cost could be cheaper if you share it with someone else. Secondly, you can get all these extra facilities, such as a living room (eventhough not very large in size), a kitchen, access to a swimming pool, and a gym.
How did you first find the apartment?
Through word of mouth.
How did you first found your flatmate?
We were already friends. I met one of my flatmates in the same “kos-kosan” I was living in before, actually. She’s my best friend, we even work at the same place. My other flatmate was a friend of hers, and when we met, we got along just fine (I happen to be a lovable and adaptable person hahaha), so eventually we decided to rent a place together.
What’s so fun about having them as flatmates?
You feel like you’re at home wih your family, because you feel that comfortable. You can cook together, eat a meal together, and have all kinds of fun together. Also, you don’t have to feel disgusted everytime you want to clean the bathroom or something, because you know you’re cleaning up after your best friends and it doesn’t really matter who does the job, these pretty girls all have quite the same level of cleanliness. haha.
What’s the downside?
Maybe it’s just me being very javanese and not being able to say no or to tell off a friend. But that could be the case sometimes. For example, if one of my flatmates is having a guy-friend coming over and hanging out in the living room, I would stay locked inside my room because I don’t feel comfortable running around in my jammies. Another example is when my flatmate was at her busiest at the office, she would sort of neglect cleaning after herself, and also she would neglect buying supplies eventhough it’s her turn, so she would sometimes use up my supplies. It was disturbing but I didn’t have the heart to tell her off. It’s these little things that bugged me sometimes.
What are your thoughts on flatsharing? Would it be something that you’d recommend?
I would definitely recommend it, because it can be a fun experience if you share it with the right people. But I would also recommend doing a fair amount of research before somebody finally jumps on the wagon. Make sure they’re ready for the positive and negative aspect of it.
What do you think about the flatsharing trend?
It is becoming a trend, no doubt. But I definitely still see a majority of people who are reluctant to it, because we’re still somehow tied to our customs, of not trusting strangers that much. It takes a lot of convincing before we finally feel secure and comfortable enough to finally move in together.
So what are your thoughts about a housemate finding website such as Serumah.com?
Sure, because it isn’t easy to find the right housemate that fits your character and habits.