Home and Away: Australian Travelers' Consumption Of Everyday Village Life in Indonesia

Abstract

This article aims to explore (1) what kind of everyday materials in rural villages attract Australian tourists to visit; (2) the nature of the dynamic tensions that occur during the interactions; and (3) how these create reflexivity with regard to the notion of home. Employing ethnographic interviews, participating in tour packages, and observing the interactions between Australian travelers and local people in rural villages of Java and Bali, the project attempts to reveal the interactional experiences that occur in the everyday life of rural village settings. Results indicate, first, that the Australians identified home, street, natural surroundings, and people as the everyday materials for them to see how others live their life. Second, the perceptions of pressure to buy appear during the dynamic process of interactions. Third, the visit to the rural villages of Indonesia become a comparative journey to enjoy the privilege of "home," while the Australians are being "away." As a conclusion, theoretical and practical understanding contribute to capture the specific market of Australians and how this market interacts with a specific space in Indonesia.