Interpreting and Translating Service NT - Indonesian Reverse Role Play 2015

Summary

In August 2015, a tourist's holiday in Jakarta takes a dramatic turn when they unknowingly photograph a ceremony at a palace, leading to a confrontation with palace officials and police. Misunderstandings escalate as the tourist, fearing for their expensive camera, resists police requests to hand it over. A language barrier exacerbates the situation, culminating in the tourist's arrest and a night in a police cell, highlighting the importance of cultural awareness and communication during travels.

Takeaways

• 📅 The incident took place on the 29th of August 2015 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• 🏨 The individual stayed at a hotel near the palace and had no issues checking in.
• 📸 They took photographs around the palace and its vicinity, including a ceremony.
• 👴 An older man in a palace uniform approached them, which led to a misunderstanding.
• 👮‍♂️ Two police officers were involved after the older man's intervention.
• 🗣️ Language barriers complicated communication, as the individual could not understand the local language.
• 📷 The police requested the individual's expensive camera, causing distress.
• 💸 The individual tried to communicate the camera's high value in both dollars and local currency.
• 🚔 The situation escalated, leading to the individual being handcuffed and taken to a police station.
• 🇦🇺 The individual requested contact with the Australian Embassy for assistance.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the narrator's visit to Jakarta, Indonesia?

The narrator visited Jakarta, Indonesia for holidays.

Why did the narrator enter the palace?

The narrator entered the palace because it was open for visitors and they took a lot of photographs of various parts of it.

What event did the narrator witness at the palace?

The narrator noticed a ceremony of some kind taking place at the palace.

How did the older man in a palace uniform initially approach the narrator?

The older man approached the narrator and began talking, but the narrator couldn't understand what he was saying.

What was the narrator's initial assumption when the older man in uniform approached him?

The narrator initially assumed that the older man wanted him to pay a fee for taking photos.

Why did the police officers approach the narrator?

The police officers approached the narrator because he was taking photographs and they wanted him to give them his camera.

What did the narrator do when the police officers asked for his camera?

The narrator was worried about handing over his expensive camera and tried to communicate its value to the officers by writing the price on a piece of paper.

What currency did the narrator initially write the price of the camera in?

The narrator initially wrote the price of the camera in US dollars.

How did the narrator react when the police officers insisted on taking his camera?

The narrator became frustrated and resisted, trying to show them how to operate it, but was eventually forced to hand it over.

What happened after the narrator accidentally hit a police officer?

After the narrator accidentally hit a police officer, the other officer handcuffed him and took him to the police station.

Why did the narrator request an interpreter?

The narrator requested an interpreter because he did not understand the language being used by the police and needed help to communicate.