There was this one time I really wanted the world to stop, well many times, cause I ran out of money. I ran out of cash. I was lucky I was still able to live and that my parents are very generous. Thank God for the blessings actually. But I question myself, do I have financial issues.

Before I tell you what I spend on mostly, I am going to tell you how Dental Students in Indonesia spend on their Dentist residency in a dental hospital. Since it is very hard to get patients, we hire certain people to find us patients which are mostly from the low economics, the people are called Calo. And then because of this patient are from the low economy background, we pay for the treatment too. So let’s count!
Calo: IDR 50.000
Patient: IDR 20.000
Dental Treatment: IDR 20.000 – 100.000 (which varies depends on the treatment)
Total: IDR 150.000 – 200.000 per day
In one month: IDR 200.000 x 10 times: IDR 2.000.000

My personal expense:
Food: IDR 40.000 (2 meals) x 30 days = IDR 600.000
Household (water, laundry, grocery shopping)= IDR 500.000
Additional Dental stuffs: IDR 500.000
Shopping: …

I stopped shopping because I know I was short on cash, but I do try to entertain myself. I can not help myself to keep buying National Geographic Magazine every month. I can not stop buying books no matter how much they cost. And yes, I am more addicted to shoes than clothes I can’t say no to them. So let’s say I spent on IDR 750.000 to 1.000.000. I am a woman! It’s human.

And I stopped hanging out going to movies and all. Because I really was short on money.

So yes, do I really have financial issues?
I am still given pocket money by my parents whcih starts at IDR 1.500.000 and at the end of the month, I spent like about IDR. 3.500.000 to IDR 4.000.000

Well it’s very frustating, as a good kid, you are trying to be mature. You are trying to get control of things in front of your parents. You try to appreciate how great they are for raising you up very hard and try to give a good comfortable life. It is so hard to make your parents happy without making them feel burdened by these financial issues you have on yourself.

It’s so frustating. I know my parents are not rich and I couldn’t do anything to have any income. So I did what many people would do, stay at home and enjoy the books I just bought or I bought and forgot to read.

As pathetic as it sounds, I try to see the so called silver lining. I stayed home, do housechores, got out of trouble especially with men and went to see people in various communities.

I know I am not rich, my parents are not rich, I need to have my own income. And being independent defines me.

Whatever it is, it is a dental student resident issue.