Why Indonesia...?

[Bad_azz]

Why did you come here, why do you stay, what is it about Indonesia that drew you to the place? Are you just visiting? Exploring the world? Or locked in through family matters that make it hard to leave?
I am curious because I see such differing views being posted, I see negative cynics, arrogant asses, those who haven't adapted really because they don't learn the language or try to immerse but sit behind their walls keeping distance and I see those who are mooching through the mountains and jungles fully conversant with the local people and customs.
~~~
I came here because I wanted to visit friends I had here, I came & fell in love with the place.
I am still in love with it but I am also realistic about the pros and cons of living here.
I can honestly say we have a long-term happy & contented relationship , Indonesia & I. I am not fluent in the language but I have a decent grasp of 2 of the languages here. I am not fully conversant with the culture, but I don't really want to be, I enjoy the "magic" of observing without always understanding... so what about you 'orrible lot?

 

[Balifrog]

Easy story...
Bali was never on my retitement list. The list contained a few French overseas territories, Dom Rep, some Latin American countries etc. The plan was when retiring make a visit to them and make my choice.
Now, my last professional posting was HKG (2009 / 2017) I lived there 8 years. Great place, very multicultural, every nationality around. So for a bachelor like me, plenty choices...And yep, I enjoyed it fully. In 2014 I started to hang out (among others) with a Indo woman.
After one year I asked her "we get along pretty well together, what about we try to live together" Nothing about love or unnecessary blabla, at 61 and 43 we had past this crap...
So we started living together there. In 2017, I was 64 and decided to retire.
Being a gentleman, I was not going to kick her out and "Thank you for the fish"...

So I spoke to her and said "ok, I retire and I am out of here. So we have 2 choices, or you want to stay here and in that case it's the end of a nice story, or you stay with me and in that case I can give it a try in Bali. Forget about living in your jungle village in Java"
Being clear that there will never be a marriage, a kid, or house buying...( she had a nice house and land already)
She decided to stay with me, so a few months later we moved to Bali.
And well, we arrive now at 10 years together.
Is Bali paradise ? No, just a good compromise between climat, cost of life and international food availability...
Having visited 60 countries and lived in 12, adaptation is not a problem.
Forget about integretation, we live / eat 100% French style.
She is Hindu, no problem. Well except the NUMEROUS ceremonies whe she is in Java.
Our routine now is 2 months together in Bali, then she goes 6 weeks home to Java (big family + a son and a grandson), which give me a bit of "bachelor holiday".

And as long there is no anti-bule revolution I plan to stay here till the end.

 

[Shadrach]

Easy story...
Bali was never on my retitement list. The list contained a few French overseas territories, Dom Rep, some Latin American countries etc. The plan was when retiring make a visit to them and make my choice.
Now, my last professional posting was HKG (2009 / 2017) I lived there 8 years. Great place, very multicultural, every nationality around. So for a bachelor like me, plenty choices...And yep, I enjoyed it fully. In 2014 I started to hang out (among others) with a Indo woman.
After one year I asked her "we get along pretty well together, what about we try to live together" Nothing about love or unnecessary blabla, at 61 and 43 we had past this crap...
So we started living together there. In 2017, I was 64 and decided to retire.
Being a gentleman, I was not going to kick her out and "Thank you for the fish"...

So I spoke to her and said "ok, I retire and I am out of here. So we have 2 choices, or you want to stay here and in that case it's the end of a nice story, or you stay with me and in that case I can give it a try in Bali. Forget about living in your jungle village in Java"
Being clear that there will never be a marriage, a kid, or house buying...( she had a nice house and land already)
She decided to stay with me, so a few months later we moved to Bali.
And well, we arrive now at 10 years together.
Is Bali paradise ? No, just a good compromise between climat, cost of life and international food availability...
Having visited 60 countries and lived in 12, adaptation is not a problem.
Forget about integretation, we live / eat 100% French style.
She is Hindu, no problem. Well except the NUMEROUS ceremonies whe she is in Java.
Our routine now is 2 months together in Bali, then she goes 6 weeks home to Java (big family + a son and a grandson), which give me a bit of "bachelor holiday".

And as long there is no anti-bule revolution I plan to stay here till the end.

Man, You portray your relationship as it's only Your Way, or the Highway! Why would She live with you, if She didn't love you? You said she already had a nice house, and land already. And you say you like Bali, for the International food availability, as long as it's French only! You are so kind not to just kick her out for being just a Fish! Does that mean you refer to living with someone or the Sex, as just a piece of Fish? Is it the Taste or Smell, or the way they flop around when out of water, you refer too?
If you don't love this Woman then why live with Her? Is it for saving money on the cost of living? or for not having to do all the cooking and cleaning? Is it just to have a Sex partner always around? Why not just hire a couple of Pembantu's, that give a little (Extra) attention when You need it, Since everything seems to be Centered around You! I've never seen a person, so hung up on their Nationality before!
Viva La France!

 

[Balifrog]

@Shadrach , you sre a real idiot.
Or maybe just senile... anyway F.O. !

 

[Shadrach]

I came here first as a Tourist, back when it was much less populated, and moving at a much slower pace. It was still easy to walk the streets of Kuta. Ubud had only Main street paved. The market there was on the side of Main street, muddy with plastic tarp booths. I used to love to watch the women with huge baskets loaded with fruits and vegetables coming up from behind the Market climbing onto Bemo's, which was the main form of transportation.
The only cars were the small Jimny's, or Kijang's, very few motorbikes. No Cellphones! A person had time to walk slowly, and take in the smells, sounds, views, and lifestyle of the locals. The sides of the roads and Rivers were not completely covered with Plastic yet. I was so enthralled with the friendly Families, that were so kind and welcoming. I even bought the nicest sarong, and all the complete attire, to go to the various temples with them for different ceremonies.
I even circumnavigated the entire Island and in between, as much as I possibly could! I was completely Awestruck! I saw so much beautiful construction, and artwork for sale, I started buying a little of this and that, and sent it back to the US, to sell at music festivals. It was so much Fun, buying and selling. So I made it a full time career, coming here staying for a few months, buying and perfecting my choice of art. Meeting new artists, trying new products, learning the names of clothes, woods, styles, Etc. It became a lifestyle. I supported many families of Artists, and made a nice living selling the goods, going to Music Festivals up and down the West coast of The US. Hearing and seeing all the great bands of the time. I was living the Dream lifestyle!
It lasted almost 18 years, until the Economy in the US tanked, and people couldn't afford to buy Art anymore. So I went back to living the life of a Farmer, which I had been, before the life of the Bali Importer. The change was shocking! I missed the adventure, and the lifestyle I had created. I missed coming to Bali, which had become like a second home.
So when I retired, I decided to come back here, and have been here ever since. I have been coming so long, that I know my way around the island, and I know how I fit in with the Bali people. The days of going to ceremonies, and Temples are long gone. I just live here as an Expat, coexisting with the Bali people. I have no desire to go back and live in the US. I know what living there has to offer, and I chose the lifestyle here. It suits me more now. As you said, I know the Pros and Cons, and I can live with that.
What troubles me now is the Huge increase of people living here. People from all over Indonesia, coming here to make a living on the Tourist industry. With the Balinese population growth and the influx of other Indonesian people, it has become so overcrowded, it is so difficult to get around, it is actually starting to Scare tourist away from coming here!
I hope the Government really thinks this out, and comes up with sustainable ways to fix the infrastructure and finds solutions to this problem, that is only going to become worse! Jaga Bali Bersih

 

[harryopal1]

I think Miss BA thought we might enjoy reading each others's stories. Not that we should set ourselves up to then be critiqued.

First visited Bali in 1975. Passing through Bali in 2012 on the way to other parts of the world I met up with a woman who had spent over 20 years as a presenter with RRI. I have a media background although by then I had a business in north Queensland. After returning to Australia I then asked my new found friend would she like to visit. That was 2012. Married in 2013. Closed the business in 2017 and moved to Bali. It was fortuitous as COVID wiped out many businesses and others have stuggled ever since and a difficult time to try and wind up a business and get anything back. Also been lucky as in Australia rising rental costs and price rises have made life increasingly a difficult struggle if living there on the pension. Here we can live quite comfortably.

My wife finds it very hard to respond to my requests to speak slowly in Bahasa Indonesia so I am not as fluent as I would like to be but persevere with trying to understand the language. Get quickly lost if locals speak very quickly. I much prefer the warmth of Bali to the cold of Melbourne if I visit grown up children. And also find people here smile more and pleasant to deal with. Not all, but many Australians are rather distant with immigrants.

All things considered it has been a good move.

 

[Bad_azz]

I think Miss BA thought we might enjoy reading each others's stories. Not that we should set ourselves up to then be critiqued.

Absolutely! I also thought it might be good for new members and non-members to get an idea of who we are & why we are here, alongside reminding ourselves why we came here.

 

[Shadrach]

I think Miss BA thought we might enjoy reading each others's stories. Not that we should set ourselves up to then be critiqued.

First visited Bali in 1975. Passing through Bali in 2012 on the way to other parts of the world I met up with a woman who had spent over 20 years as a presenter with RRI. I have a media background although by then I had a business in north Queensland. After returning to Australia I then asked my new found friend would she like to visit. That was 2012. Married in 2013. Closed the business in 2017 and moved to Bali. It was fortuitous as COVID wiped out many businesses and others have stuggled ever since and a difficult time to try and wind up a business and get anything back. Also been lucky as in Australia rising rental costs and price rises have made life increasingly a difficult struggle if living there on the pension. Here we can live quite comfortably.

My wife finds it very hard to respond to my requests to speak slowly in Bahasa Indonesia so I am not as fluent as I would like to be but persevere with trying to understand the language. Get quickly lost if locals speak very quickly. I much prefer the warmth of Bali to the cold of Melbourne if I visit grown up children. And also find people here smile more and pleasant to deal with. Not all, but many Australians are rather distant with immigrants.

All things considered it has been a good move.

Nice to hear! I have the same problem with conversing with locals. I have learned enough Bahasa Indonesia to get across, what I want, or need barely. They feel the same with English. As you said they are generally patient and we manage to co-exist. I use Google Translate daily! Luckily, I have a taxi driver that has learned quite a bit of English, so when I go shopping with him, He's a lifesaver with communication. It's much better now than before. When I was first learning Bahasa Indonesia, I had to buy 2 huge dictionaries. 1 English to Indonesian, and 1 Indonesian to English! No Google Translate yet! Then there was a 1 month long, Bahasa Indonesian class at the Library, next to the Football field in Ubud. The teacher was a great man. he spoke Bahasa Indonesia, Balinese, English, and Japanese. Maybe even German too!

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach , you sre a real idiot.
Or maybe just senile... anyway F.O. !

I'm sorry Froggie. I really didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Just pointing out what you said. I do like your cooking, and food presentations!

 

[gemima]

In May, I’ll hit 10 years of living in Jakarta—something I never planned.

Back then, my boyfriend was offered a research project here, and I was at a career crossroads. Out of the blue, I got headhunted to set up a company as a technical director. I took the job, packed up, and moved… solo. Meanwhile, my boyfriend’s project fell apart, and he got sent to Australia.

The first few years were brutal. I wasn’t just the technical director—I was running everything. The company nearly didn’t survive years 2 and 3, but I convinced the shareholders to stick it out (probably out of pity for throwing me into the deep end). I had no safety net—no friends, no family, no colleagues I could trust, and a boyfriend in another country. It toughened me up, maybe too much.

But Jakarta grew on me. I built a life here. I have friends (locals and foreigners), a rescue cat from Kemang, and a solid team I trust—though I still double-check every invoice and sign every cheque. I’m still with the same boyfriend; we make the long-distance work. My Indonesian is embarrassingly bad, but somehow, I get by.

TL;DR: Came for work, stayed for work… and now it’s home.

 

[Bad_azz]

Nice to hear! I have the same problem with conversing with locals. I have learned enough Bahasa Indonesia to get across, what I want, or need barely. They feel the same with English. As you said they are generally patient and we manage to co-exist. I use Google Translate daily! Luckily, I have a taxi driver that has learned quite a bit of English, so when I go shopping with him, He's a lifesaver with communication. It's much better now than before. When I was first learning Bahasa Indonesia, I had to buy 2 huge dictionaries. 1 English to Indonesian, and 1 Indonesian to English! No Google Translate yet! Then there was a 1 month long, Bahasa Indonesian class at the Library, next to the Football field in Ubud. The teacher was a great man. he spoke Bahasa Indonesia, Balinese, English, and Japanese. Maybe even German too!

I had to use dictionaries & my assistant with my husband when we 1st met, a 3 way language relationship, but it worked out well how different it would have been with a translate app however I think I wouldn't have learnt as much of the language had I relied on an app. It was very funny at the time though.
When I look back I realise just how much hubby & I have grown with our language skills.

 

[Helpful Herbert]

Came here for work, stayed because of family and now can't leave at least until the kids leave school. After that who knows, but I'll probably just stay here forever.... There are worse places to be.

 

[harryopal1]

I had to use dictionaries & my assistant with my husband when we 1st met, a 3 way language relationship, but it worked out well how different it would have been with a translate app however I think I wouldn't have learnt as much of the language had I relied on an app. It was very funny at the time though.
When I look back I realise just how much hubby & I have grown with our language skills.

My wife and I now have perfect communication. I don't understand her and she doesn't understand me.

 

[Shadrach]

My wife and I now have perfect communication. I don't understand her and she doesn't understand me.
View attachment 4657

Now, That's what I call, perfect communication Skills! It sounds like all the Governments have this, Down to a Fine Art

 

[marcus]

I came to Indonesia to work and liked Bandung very much . Tried to return living in my country after that but could not find any other place there where I could feel well like here . In Bandung I feel safe , the cool temperature is perfect to me (24 to 28 degrees Celsius at home - no ac) and the people are friendly , so much that I could find 2 Indonesian wives - not a the same time , of course - when I never had a girlfriend in my country) .

 

[Balifrog]

@Shadrach , BTW, instead of posting senile rants please join and tell us how YOU ended up here ?
I can smell some serious drama ....

 

[Bad_azz]

@Shadrach , BTW, instead of posting senile rants please join and tell us how YOU ended up here ?
I can smell some serious drama ....

Post#5 is quite lengthy, try reading it

 

[Balifrog]

Post#5 is quite lengthy, try reading it

Post #3 and 5 from Shadrach are gone. Good ridance...

 

[fastpitch17]

@Shadrach , BTW, instead of posting senile rants please join and tell us how YOU ended up here ?
I can smell some serious drama ....

The reason many will elect not to participate.

 

[Balifrog]

The reason many will elect not to participate.

Would be interesting to have the ratio success / failure...