Dear Readers,

I often hear people debating the difference between expats and immigrants. The argument sometimes revolves around accusations of racism, some people claiming that if you are a westerner living in a foreign country you are described as an expat, but if you are a non-westerner living in a western country you are described as an immigrant. The counter argument is that, generally speaking, westerners who live in non-western countries temporarily for work reasons are described as expats because they intend to return to their native country at some point. Non-westerners often move to a western country permanently to live and work, so they are described as immigrants. But neither one of these definitions is always true. In reality, the only way to resolve this argument is to impose a time limit. If you live in a country continuously for more than certain amount of time you are an immigrant, less than that amount of time, you are an expat. Maybe if you assume citizenship you are an immigrant, if you remain on a temporary work permit or other visa, you are an expat. Of course this will never be agreed and the debatewill no doubt continue! It is certainly true that many foreigners choose to stay in Indonesia for a very long time and they are invariably described as expats for the duration. Will we ever change the name of this publication to Indonesia Immigrant? Who knows!

In this issue you will find Irfan Kortschak’s excellent review of Carl Hoffman’s wonderful book The Last Wild Men of Borneo. If you think you are an intrepid expat living on the frontlines in one of the last great undiscovered secrets of Asia, think again. Bruno Manser and Michael Palmieri walked this path a long time ago, stayed a very long time and did some amazing things. Read the review and then buy the book!