Hello
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My name is Celine Maria Becker. I live and work in Indonesia. One of my roles there is as Head of the Secretariat of the German-Indonesian Digital Dialogue. My fascination with Indonesia started at a young age. It was a relative who first sparked my interest in this South-East Asian country. I first travelled there when I was 16. Since then, I’ve grown to appreciate in particular the friendliness of the people and their easy-going nature. After graduating from high school, I spent eight months teaching English on a voluntary basis at a school in Aceh province on the island of Sumatra. This was when I started learning the Indonesian language of Bahasa Indonesia.
During my Bachelor’s degree in Global Management, which had a focus on Asia and Indonesia, I broadened my language skills and had a year of practical experience at a hotel in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province. This was followed by a Master’s degree in International Business Development, with a final dissertation on Indonesia’s potential for hydropower. After a short stint at Google in Ireland, I made the move to GIZ in 2020. Now I can combine my enthusiasm for Indonesia with meaningful international cooperation work.
I’ve been working on two projects in Jakarta since 2022. The Digital Dialogue provides a forum in which German and Indonesian partners can exchange ideas on topics to do with the digital transformation. This includes issues such as data protection, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Germany also implements Digital Dialogues with other countries, including Brazil, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mexico and South Africa.
I also head up the Indonesian component of the Global Project Quality Infrastructure (GPQI). All those involved in GPQI are working together to remove technical barriers to trade, increase product safety and strengthen consumer protection. Both these projects seek to promote the economic and digital development of Indonesia by bringing to the table decision-makers, business leaders and civil society to discuss relevant issues.
I really enjoy my work and I love living in Indonesia. Contrary to what many people think, life is good in Jakarta. What bothers me most is the air pollution and the volume of traffic. Sometimes I wish I could walk more, as I do in Germany. When I feel like that, it’s good to leave behind the ‘bubble’ of the capital – with its shopping centres, parks and traffic jams – and take a trip to somewhere more authentic. To the ‘real’ Indonesia, the one I came to know and love in my early days here.
Salam hangat,
Celine Maria Becker
November 2024