S2E10. Writing cookbooks and growing up mixed as an Indonesian-Australian with Kris Redden

The Perantau Podcast

What does it mean to grow up between two cultures – when neither fully claims you – but both shape who you are? Kris Redden is a cookbook writer, musician, and community organiser born in Jakarta to an Indonesian mother and Australian father. After moving to regional Australia in his teens, Kris has spent years navigating questions of belonging, identity, and cultural memory – reflections that now find form in a cookbook he’s co-writing with his partner and friends. His work spans storytelling, food, and community-building, all grounded in a mixed heritage that’s as rich as it is complex. In this episode, Kris joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast to talk about finding connection through food, the long histories between Indonesia and Indigenous Australia, and how a near-death experience pushed him to embrace life more fully. Together, they reflect on music, memory, community survival, and why diasporic stories matter now more than ever.This episode is delivered in a mix of English and Bahasa Indonesia.The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, the podcast or any organisations they are affiliated with or mentioned.

S2E9. Sabbatical, Burnout, and Melbourne’s Love-Hate Reality with Gracia Sharlene

The Perantau Podcast

What happens when success no longer feels like enough? Born and raised in Bandung, Gracia Sharlene is a financial services consultant and business analyst based in Melbourne. After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Information Systems from the University of Melbourne, she built a career working across major firms in tech and finance. But after years of chasing deadlines and career milestones, she found herself burnt out — emotionally drained, professionally disconnected, and unsure of what came next. Now on sabbatical, Sharlene is taking a step back to figure out what she truly wants, and where she truly belongs. In this episode, Sharlene joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast to talk about the love-hate relationship many migrants have with life abroad, the emotional toll of visa pressures and hustle culture, and the power of pausing to find clarity. It’s a conversation about burnout, ambition, identity, and what it means to start again — on your own terms. This episode is predominantly delivered in Bahasa Indonesia. The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, the podcast or any organisations they are affiliated with or mentioned.

S2E8. What working in Australia’s film industry taught me about Indonesia with Kennardi Sebastian

The Perantau Podcast

For many Indonesian creatives, the most meaningful insights come after going abroad. Kennardi Sebastian is an Indonesian creative working in Melbourne’s film and media scene. His journey spans from growing up in Jakarta with a passion for storytelling and gaming, to building a career in Australia as a Virtual Production Operator at The University of Melbourne. In navigating the fast-paced, often unpredictable world of Australian filmmaking, Ken has also found himself reflecting more critically and personally on Indonesia—its culture, creative industries, and the concept of belonging. In this episode, Ken joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast to talk about what the Australian film industry has taught him not just professionally, but about identity, diaspora, and the creative opportunities—and limitations—of being Indonesian abroad. They explore everything from why Ken’s early ambitions were a "gamble", to his current projects and his hopes for how Indonesia can better embrace creative subcultures, particularly in gaming and media. This episode is predominantly delivered in English. The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or any organisations they are affiliated with or mention. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:46 Ken's Journey from "Detached" to "Driven" 02:13 Discovering Virtual Production 04:32 Explaining Virtual Production 09:15 Ken's Early Years in Melbourne 12:51 Building a Community and Career 14:23 Reflections on Belonging 20:20 Growing Up in Bali the Impact of a Multicultural Upbringing 22:24 Indonesian Influence in Creative Work 23:14 Changing the Gaming Culture in Indonesia 30:51 Challenges in the Indonesian Creative Industry 37:39 Advice for Young Filmmakers and Indonesians Abroad 42:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

S2E7. What One Project Taught Me About Indonesia’s Education Sector with Sherlina Felicia Livianto

The Perantau Podcast

What happens when your dream job doesn’t feel quite right? In this episode, Billy Adison Aditijanto chats with Sherlina Felicia Livianto, a marketing graduate who landed her first full-time job in Melbourne – only to realise a few months in that something was missing. It turns out it was a prior university-led project focused on building university partnerships with Indonesia that she discovered a deeper interest in education and cross-border collaboration. Sherlina opens up about that turning point, what it taught her about the untapped potential of Indonesia’s higher education sector, and why she’s now preparing to resign from her role in marketing to explore a new path. We also talk about transferable skills from student leadership, growing up through career uncertainty, and what it means to find purpose after graduation. This episode is predominantly delivered in Bahasa Indonesia. The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or any organisations they are affiliated with or mention. Find The Perantau Podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ThePerantau.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

S2E6. Internships, First Jobs, and Life in Melbourne with Quincy Jhon

The Perantau Podcast

When studying and working abroad, it’s natural to ask: does this place still align with who I am and where I’m going? For many young professionals, navigating life after graduation means figuring out not just career moves, but whether to stay or return home. It’s a question that becomes more complex the longer you’re away. In this episode, Quincy Jhon joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast. Since arriving in Melbourne in 2022, Quincy has completed a Finance degree at the University of Melbourne and now works full-time in accounting at a smaller firm—an experience that stands in contrast to her past internships at larger companies. We talk about her transition into the workforce, the transferable skills she gained from leading the Indonesian Student Association of Victoria (PPIA Victoria), and the personal highs and lows she’s experienced along the way. While Melbourne has played a big part in her growth, Quincy shares why she ultimately sees herself returning to Indonesia in the long run. This episode is delivered in English and Bahasa Indonesia. The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or any organisations they are affiliated with or mention. Find The Perantau Podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ThePerantau.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:39 “Detached” sama komunitas Indonesia 02:08 Quincy siapa sih 02:55 Dunia akuntansi dan gimana kalo salah nama 10:51 Transisi ke dunia kerja 14:31 PPIA berguna ga sih? 19:40 Jadi orang Indo di kantor 21:30 Apa sih yang dimaksud “increase efficiency by 0.5%” 27:01 Indo v Melbourne dan self-development 32:42 Soft-skills, magang, dan nyari pengalaman kerja

S2E5. Animating Grief and Indonesian Horror with Christie Widiarto

The Perantau Podcast

Indonesian horror often reflects deep societal fears, cultural beliefs, and the lived experiences of women. Folklore like Kuntilanak carries layers of meaning, often tied to grief, womanhood, and systemic struggles. Through animation, these stories can be reinterpreted, reclaimed, and told in new ways, blending tradition with modern creative expression. Christie Widiarto is a lecturer, filmmaker, and researcher exploring the intersection of Indonesian folklore, grief, and feminism. Born in Indonesia, she moved to Australia at age two and grew up navigating multiple cultural identities. Her PhD research began with an article on Kuntilanak but soon became personal. She saw her own grief reflected in the legend, uncovering deeper themes of violence, loss, and resilience. Christie joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast to talk about how animation can be a tool for cultural storytelling, her transition from coding to filmmaking, and how she’s working to bridge Indonesian traditional arts with modern animation. She also shares her vision for the future by learning from Indonesian animators, reimagining folklore, and finding new ways to tell stories that matter. This episode is primarily delivered in English. The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or any organisations they are affiliated with or mention. Find the Perantau Podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ThePerantau.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

S2E4. Bringing Gamelan to Melbourne with John Cheong-Holdaway and Gamelan DanAnda

The Perantau Podcast

How do you go from working in economics and infrastructure to being a key part of a gamelan ensemble in Melbourne? For John Cheong-Holdaway, the journey has been anything but conventional. John spent his childhood in Jakarta and later worked in finance and policy, before returning to Australia and rediscovering his passion for music and cultural exchange. Now involved in Gamelan DanAnda, they build a community, reshape cultural narratives, and make traditional Indonesian art forms more visible in Australia. John joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast to talk about how his time in Indonesia shaped his career, identity, and love for gamelan; the unexpected links between economics, community-building, and the arts; why Indonesian culture –despite its proximity to Australia –remains underappreciated in the local arts scene; and how the future of Indonesian traditional music might shape in Australia. This episode is primarily delivered in Bahasa Indonesia. Find the Perantau Podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ThePerantau.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

S2E3. Ramadan in Melbourne and Life as Muslim Perantau with Ustad Abdul Aziz

The Perantau Podcast

Ramadan away from home hits differently. For many Indonesian Muslims in Melbourne, the experience is a mix of newfound challenges and unexpected joys – longer fasting hours, a smaller but tight-knit community, and the constant effort to balance faith with daily life in a non-Muslim country. What does it take to maintain a spiritual connection in a secular environment? And what lessons from life abroad can help young Muslims navigate their journey? Ustad Abdul Aziz, an imam with the ⁠Indonesian Muslim Community of Victoria (IMCV), joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast, to talk about what it means to practice and preserve faith while living overseas. From his own journey of dakwah (Islamic outreach) across Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Australia to the unique struggles and strengths of Indonesian Muslim migrants, he shares insights on community-building, adapting to local realities, and finding meaning in the challenges of being a perantau. This episode is delivered in Bahasa Indonesia. A transcript is available online. Find the Perantau Podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠TikTok⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠YouTube⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ThePerantau.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: (0:00) Introduction (0:49) Relationship with Indonesia (2:38) Leaving home and outside your comfort zone (10:47) Dakwah in Hong Kong (19:09) Ending up in Melbourne (33:42) Ramadan in Melbourne (42:49) Advice to Muslims abroad

S2E2. Empowering people through creative coding and data storytelling with Joanne Amarisa

The Perantau Podcast

What happens when you invest in young women in tech? 🌱 ThroughThe Data Garden Project,Joanne Amarisa transforms everyday conversations into visual art, using creative coding to explore relationships, emotions, and community. It all started with a simple but powerful idea. Joanne documented a month’s worth of WhatsApp conversations with her mother and turned them into a digital garden. The result? A stunning reminder that data isn’t just numbers – it’s a storytelling tool. But beyond the code, this project is about something bigger: when you uplift one woman, she brings others with her. Joanne joins Billy Adison Aditijanto onThe Perantau Podcast to talk about how data, creativity, and community come together to empower young women in tech. While anyone can learn to code, what truly matters is how you use it—whether it’s through stitching, drawing, or writing, it’s all about making sense of the world in your own way. This episode is predominantly delivered in English. A transcript is available online. Find the Perantau Podcast on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |TikTok |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |YouTube |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ThePerantau.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: Intro (0:00) Getting to Know Joanne (00:56) From student to full-time work (2:50) How a coding class during lockdown led to DGP (9:12) Bringing an idea to life (16:03) Does being Indonesian shape Jo's approach? (23:13) Lessons from building & sustaining communities (27:33) "Humans are data processing tools too" (31:30)

S2E1. Celebrating Lunar New Year as Chinese-Indonesians Abroad with Siauw Tiong Djin

The Perantau Podcast

For many Chinese-Indonesians living overseas, Lunar New Year isn’t just a tradition – it’s a special way to stay connected to their roots. Even far from home, the locally-known Imlek or Sincia is all about honouring cultural values, keeping family traditions alive, and building a sense of community with fellow Indonesians abroad. But for younger generations, keeping that connection can be tricky. Now parents play a huge role, depending on how they use Bahasa Indonesia at home and encouraging their kids to embrace cultural practices. Siauw Tiong Djin has spanned his professional career in communications engineering and moved to Australia from Indonesia in 1975. Though beyond that, he’s also a passionate activist for Indonesian Chinese politics and identity, a passion driven by his own family history. So how does Australia’s Indonesian diaspora celebrate Lunar New Year? And does it differ between generations? Siauw Tiong Djin joins Billy Adison Aditijanto on The Perantau Podcast about what it’s like celebrating Imlek in Australia, exploring the traditions, how they bring people together in a foreign land, and the challenges younger Chinese-Indonesians face when it comes to finding and holding onto their identity. This episode is predominantly delivered in Bahasa Indonesia. A transcript is available online. Find the Perantau Podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠TikTok⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ThePerantau.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠