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I find it humbling that many expats like you guys, despite of whatever inconvenience you might experience living here, still manage to see Indonesia in a good light. Mas fred's spot on. A whiner's gotta do what a whiner's gotta do, no matter where they go.

James, if only more expats thought along the same lines as you then Indonesia would be just that much more close to utter perfection!

For myself, nothing gets me more heated up than someone coming across as what I call “a neo-colonialist” and I have nothing but abject distain for those expats who only mingle with locals in so far as it's needed to have their meals cooked, their villas guarded, their kids looked after, their pool cleaned, their houses cleaned, their laundry done…etc. etc.

A funny story…

Back about 14 years ago I, along with a couple of other expats was invited to a dinner being hosted by a somewhat “prominent” expat living in Jimbaran.  He was a villa developer and he had also founded the “Bali Travel Forum” some years earlier.

When we arrived I was taken aback that his domestic help at his own house were all wearing uniforms and photo ID badges.  At dinner I brought this up as I was very curious, and my curiosity had only been heightened watching the manner in which he treated his staff.  So I asked “the why” about the need for uniforms and photo ID's for the folks working at his house.  To my inquiry he responded along the lines that it helped his staff to develop pride and a spirit of comradeship among his workers as well as to somehow offer himself greater security.

Exasperated and totally forgetting that our dinner host was German, I point blank asked him, “then why not just tattoo their wrists with an ID number and be done with it?”

Needless to say, I have no idea what was served as dessert that night.

Awesome Roy.  And no doubt you have been invited back many times since. 
Do you find some expats often are far too serious for their own good out here,  so much so it's a wonder how they cope?

“Awesome Roy.  And no doubt you have been invited back many times since. 
Do you find some expats often are far too serious for their own good out here, so much so it's a wonder how they cope?”

I never spoke a word again to that man, and he died about 5 years ago…but yes, I caught your humor very well Luke! 

What I find isn't that expats are “far too serious” and I'd even suggest that being serious is most often a good thing overall.  Let's face it, expatriate life in Indonesia is “no joke” and there are many potential pitfalls to seriously consider.

What I do find all too often is a genuine lack of respect and knowledge by foreigners about Indonesia.  I still hear some referring to this country as “a third world country” which it isn't, and all too often there is this prevailing attitude that “they need us.”  The bottom line is clear…if you're not going to respect and engage your hosts, then don't move here. 

So many expats on Bali live in what I call “Ghettos Bule” or small communities designed and lived in only by other foreign expats…most often being western.  You'll find these all over southern Bali and what's currently going on in Canggu is just a continuation of this deplorable phenomenon. 

With them there is no incentive, or a bit of interest in learning about the local culture.  Embarrassingly, one can easily and often find more genuine interest amongst tourists.

I think should I end up in bali then I can almost guarantee I won't be living in a place like that. In Jakarta I am in the thick of it and there are no expats anywhere near where I live and shop. Had I wanted to live and spend my time with expats and continue with that lifestyle I would have stayed in England.

“Had I wanted to live and spend my time with expats and continue with that lifestyle I would have stayed in England.”

A most succinct way to sum up this discussion Luke!

Mercirqi wrote:

Oh and Guy's, before I break Etiquette again, what's the rules governing the photo's I post? Am I allowed to post, if I'm only in the country for one month at a time? What's the accepted subject matter? Not living in a couple of countries this year, can I post pics taken in those countries also??

Oh fiddle stick's, I'm off topic aren't I......sorry....what was the topic again?

The rules on posting pictures are arbitrary and a little messed up if you ask me.

lukereg wrote:

Had I wanted to live and spend my time with expats and continue with that lifestyle I would have stayed in England.

That always gets me.
Even when I was a tourist in Malaysia and Thailand; I wanted to see the ruddy country I was visiting, not hang around in bars full of people with copies of lonely planet in their pocket.

My advice for tourists and expats alike.

Make sure your copy of lonely planet is in the first rubbish bin and avoid anywhere you see loads of tourists.

It'll save you a fat pile of cash and you'll have a far more interesting time.