TIme to jump in and learn the language

[hidesert47]

Hi all -

I'll be spending September and October in Indo as I search for answers about possibly moving there as I enter into my 'old bule' phase. I'm sitting here in the US of A, which isn't big on opportunities to learn bahasa Indonesia. I found a website ...

https://welcome.babbel.com/en/us/

... where for about $8 a month I can at least get a good exposure to the basics of the language. I've been doing the lessons repeatedly, and I'm finding when I go back to previous lessons after a break, I've had some retention. However, no one to speak with, which would be helpful now. But it's a start! And I can vouch for the old wisdom that learning a new language later in life is far different than doing so when you're you're young. Old brains aren't that pliable any more!

 

[El_Goretto]

Here are some online resources to learn Indonesian.

 

[atlantis]

Hi all -

I'll be spending September and October in Indo as I search for answers about possibly moving there as I enter into my 'old bule' phase. I'm sitting here in the US of A, which isn't big on opportunities to learn bahasa Indonesia. I found a website ...

https://welcome.babbel.com/en/us/

... where for about $8 a month I can at least get a good exposure to the basics of the language. I've been doing the lessons repeatedly, and I'm finding when I go back to previous lessons after a break, I've had some retention. However, no one to speak with, which would be helpful now. But it's a start! And I can vouch for the old wisdom that learning a new language later in life is far different than doing so when you're you're young. Old brains aren't that pliable any more!

Hi hidesert47,
I've read in another thread that you consider Manado as a possible base in Indonesia. Though it is very good that you consider to learn the language, be aware that we speak a slightly different form of Bahasa Indonesia here.

 

[hidesert47]

Hi hidesert47,
I've read in another thread that you consider Manado as a possible base in Indonesia. Though it is very good that you consider to learn the language, be aware that we speak a slightly different form of Bahasa Indonesia here.

Thanks atlantis. Yes, I understand that Manadonese is different, but then that's true in a lot of Indo, isn't it ... that the local dialect isn't bahasa Indonesia. A good Indo friend from Jakarta who travels to Manado/Lembeh frequently and knows Manadonese suggests that I start my move in Bali because it would be an easier transition than going directly to Manado, if that's what I eventually do. And even though the Balinese speak Balinese, not just proper bahasa, I would plan to 'get by' with pretty standard bahasa Indo while I'm there. My brain is not up to absorbing anything other than that initially. Does that sound reasonable?

 

[hidesert47]

Here are some online resources to learn Indonesian.

Thanks ... I'll check all of those out. I also found this. Maybe (or not) it would be a good addition to the 'online resources' page ... haven't really investigated it.

https://www.indonesianpod101.com/

 

[jstar]

..........A good Indo friend from Jakarta who travels to Manado/Lembeh frequently and knows Manadonese suggests that I start my move in Bali because it would be an easier transition than going directly to Manado, if that's what I eventually do....Does that sound reasonable?

Not at all. If you choose for Manado, it makes IMHO no sense whatsoever 'to start' in Bali for an easy transition or so. What is the rationale, being surrounded by more bules? If you want to compare different areas of Indonesia to determine where you would like to live, be my guest of course.

This is not something I deem necessary for testing the waters. I would go there for a couple of months, make sure you live as you would in real life, get rid of the 'vacation feeling', and see if you would want to continue the experience. But now I do wonder (again) why you think Manado is the place for you?

 

[hidesert47]

... now I do wonder (again) why you think Manado is the place for you?

Because ...

- In the four or five times I've been in the area I've always had positive interactions with the people. They smile, they laugh, they draw out my (comparatively) better side. But then, that's a common theme in Indonesia, IMHO.

- I'm a diver. Manado (the area) has diving. Great diving. I've dived Bunaken, Lembeh, and most of the islands from Bangka up to Sangihe. And I would dive them again.

- It has varying climates. Up the hill, cool, down the hill, hot.

- It's not a megalopolis. It's an estimated 475,000 in 2017, as compared to Surabaya's 3,000,000 and Jakarta's 9,900,000. That's plenty enough people.

- It has a pretty decent airport.

- It's attached to a beautiful island.

- Cost of living is decidedly better than the US.

- Whatever the Indo government is/will be, I have a better feeling about it than I do now, in the US, since 20 January. The US could teach master classes in political corruption.

- And wherever I land, I want to integrate with the community, at least to a reasonable extent for a bule. I don't want to live behind a gated wall, apart from the local population. If I make the move, it will be because I like it and I like the people, and want to be a part of it.

More than happy to discuss this further ...

 

[atlantis]

Yes, I understand that Manadonese is different, but then that's true in a lot of Indo, isn't it ... that the local dialect isn't bahasa Indonesia.

My advise was to prevent possible frustrations. Bahasa Indonesia is not well understood, when it is, by most of the less educated people. In short, 90% of the population here may struggle with what you try to say, even if your Bahasa Indonesia is good. If it happens, don't necessarily blame yourself and think that you say it wrongly.

A good Indo friend from Jakarta who travels to Manado/Lembeh frequently and knows Manadonese suggests that I start my move in Bali because it would be an easier transition than going directly to Manado, if that's what I eventually do. And even though the Balinese speak Balinese, not just proper bahasa, I would plan to 'get by' with pretty standard bahasa Indo while I'm there. My brain is not up to absorbing anything other than that initially. Does that sound reasonable?

I don't think that it would make an easier transition. In fact I think the opposite. In my opinion, it would be better to come straight to Manado, then should you feel the need to get a bit of "westernisation" take a few days off to Bali. We have direct flights and it takes only three hours. I have done it as a day trip quite a few times for business purposes. And i believe that in Bali, you wouldn't have as much "trouble" with Bahasa Indonesia than you may get with in the Manado area.

Manado, for a westerner, is certainly one of the cities the most easy to adapt to. In many ways it is similar to The Philippines. If I'd fly to Jakarta I would feel more
like having gone abroad than if I fly to Davao (Mindanao - The Philippines) for example.

 

[jstar]

Because ....

More than happy to discuss this further ...

I definitely agree with you that it is a great diving spot, people are warm and accesible and that cost of living is more interesting than the US.

Of course, you could argue the same about the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and even closer to home; Costa Rica and Panama. Perhaps Belize and St. Thomas would even fit the bill. (Except for the cost of living perspective?) But even if cost of living there would be higher, the reduced cost in travel, acquiring visa and easier language adaptation might compensate a lot. And access to healthcare will become inportant too, one day.

I'm not questioning your motives, just brainstorming about possibilities. I think many of us have similar questions and considerations; where to retire, what is a good place to go.

See this for instance: https://forum.expatindo.org/showthread.php?946-Life-in-Indonesia

 

[Anglian]

Some interesting sites which I shall check out, I just don't seem to get a grip of the pronunciation, this is typical of my attempts, the other day I go to Ace Hardware to buy some weed killer, I cannot find any, I call a sales person over and say in my best Indonesian, Ada matikan rumput, he looks puzzled to I say in English, Any weed killer, he still looks puzzled, so I try Ada matikan Rumput again, this time he says can you speak Bahasa Indonesian, that really crushes you a bit

 

[jstar]

But we can imagine how it sounded, just try the Welsh - male voice and enter "ada matikan rumput":
http://www.readspeaker.com/voice-demo/

Since Indonsian as language is missing, I thought Romanian (female) came rather close.

 

[Daniel50]

But we can imagine how it sounded, just try the Welsh - male voice and enter "ada matikan rumput":
http://www.readspeaker.com/voice-demo/

Since Indonsian as language is missing, I thought Romanian (female) came rather close.

so I try Ada matikan Rumput again, this time he says can you speak Bahasa Indonesian, that really crushes you a bit

I played this sentence, using the Welsh male, and my wife almost died laughing. It must have been tough Anglian.

 

[Anglian]

I used the female, I lived in Wales, funny place, you go in a Welsh pub, their all speaking English, you order a pint, then they all speak welsh,

 

[jstar]

I used the female....

Don't we all?

Sorry, somewhat wasted after Kings Day celebrations, this year in the Raffles hotel. Nice venue and good band.

And I proved it again; alcohol does help in speaking foreign languages...

 

[godmachine12]

Sthe other day I go to Ace Hardware to buy some weed killer, I cannot find any, I call a sales person over and say in my best Indonesian, Ada matikan rumput, he looks puzzled to I say in English, Any weed killer, he still looks puzzled, so I try Ada matikan Rumput again, this time he says can you speak Bahasa Indonesian, that really crushes you a bit

Asking for something that doesn't exist probably didn't help.

 

[Anglian]

Asking for something that doesn't exist probably didn't help.

Oh it does, I got it in the end,

 

[dafluff]

Oh it does, I got it in the end,

Ada matikan rumput - Grammatically confusing since there is no object in the sentence. Matikan rumput does not translate into weed killer.

Ada obat untuk mematikan rumput - Do you have grass killer. Now grammatically correct, but still not weed killer.

Just ask for RoundUp next time...pronounced roondoohp, more or less.

 

[jstar]

Rumput liar. +

What always strikes me, esp. here, is that they can not make the link. If you are confronted with a foreigner, is it really so hard to 're'interpret something they are saying?

Had that in Germany once many years ago; we were talking about a PC. I did not know what the word for keyboard was and used the word Klavier. The guy really had no idea what I was talking about and was flabbergasted that I brought up a piano in our conversation?! It was Tastatur.

 

[Supir Angkot]

Ada matikan rumput - Grammatically confusing since there is no object in the sentence. Matikan rumput does not translate into weed killer.
Ada obat untuk mematikan rumput - Do you have grass killer. Now grammatically correct, but still not weed killer.
Just ask for RoundUp next time...pronounced roondoohp, more or less.

There are numerous Indonesian words that have been embraced directly from English,
if you don’t know an Indonesian word/term, try to “Indonesianise†an English word, who knows people may just understand.
i.e. informasi, produk, aplikasi, kontrol, pestisida, insektisida, herbisida etc.

With that in mind now try to use different word for “killer†= -cide so weed killer’s synonym is “herbicideâ€,
thus weed killer/herbicide now becomes “herbisida†(pembunuh rumput liar).

 

[Nimbus]

One thing worth remembering is that we like to attach 'obat' (literally means medicine) or 'racun' (literally means poison) to anything. Next time try 'obat rumput' or 'racun rumput', that would get you much closer.

So why do we call Mosquito Killer 'obat nyamuk' but Rat Killer 'racun tikus'? I have no clue.