Adventures in Indonesia: Tales of Folly, Friendship, and Fear During Two Years Spent in the World's Most Populous Muslim Country

For Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, the years 2000-2002 were characterized by a painful and rocky transition to democracy, as well as by the difficult aftermath of 9/11. For Marta Hoilman, living in Jakarta during this time not only meant dealing with the ramifications of such historic events, but also meant grappling with the often maddening, frequently funny, and sometimes terrifying challenges of expatriate life in a developing country.

Just how do you maintain a low...