webRNS-Indonesia-Party-Island09 051619

Joseph Paul Simon III, bottom right, a US national living on Gili Trawangan with his family, helps put out a fire that threatened to burn down a bungalow resort near Joseph’s house. As many other foreigners that opened businesses on the island, Joseph keeps a close relationship with the local community. “When I got here my original idea was to just deal with locals, whatever business opportunities I’m going for. Whatever is happening I want to do it in cooperation with locals, and not just in a way where I’m hiring them.” RNS photo by Alexandra Radu