Typical Expats challenges in Indonesia

Hello Bart,

Thank you for starting this thread.

I hope that other members will share their experiences with you soon

Feel free to also add an advert in the Indonesia classifieds section> Testimonies. It may appear in the newsletter.

Cheers,

Yoginee

Expat.com team

Biggest challenge is government "go away foreigners" attitude! Even married to an Indonesian, its "go away and take her with you" policies.

Getting work is hard, owning property illegal.....

Biggest challenge is government "go away foreigners" attitude! Even married to an Indonesian, its "go away and take her with you" policies.
Getting work is hard, owning property illegal.....
-@Nemodot

How wrong you are.

They do have an "Indonesians first" policy in order to protect jobs, and they do have laws that all but ban foreigners from owning land, but that's understandable.

Much as land prices here are way too high, allowing clueless foreigners to make it worse by buying at daft prices would be a serious error.

As for issues new arrivals have, try here - https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=800106

the challenge will be seeing suffering dogs all around the streets.. phew..

@Joan S37  Yet they all seem happy and most fed well different to normal countries but happy

the challenge will be seeing suffering dogs all around the streets.. phew..
-@Joan S37

Maybe in Bali

@Nemodot I can't agree as well.

I'm here since October on a 30 days VoA basis.

I'm not working, just enjoy the day, the country, people, escape from German winter, and relax. After 30 days and after 60 days I went to imigrasi to extend my VoA, and in between I meet friends abroad for some days to get a new VoA.

At imigrasi I was always treated respectful and helpful. Also when reentering at  CGK, it was easy to cope with the officers.

Even I was warned before coming here, I was warned they'll be suspicious, I never had this impression.

@bart.in.bali like you I am also expat here just got my KITAS, it's a good country I like it very much. For me the biggest challenge is local language as its hard to find people who can speak English. The second challenge is too much traffic jam in Jakarta its really exhausted me while going to office or coming back to home. I adjusted my self with local cusine and enjoying.

@bart.in.bali like you I am also expat here just got my KITAS, it's a good country I like it very much. For me the biggest challenge is local language as its hard to find people who can speak English. The second challenge is too much traffic jam in Jakarta its really exhausted me while going to office or coming back to home. I adjusted my self with local cusine and enjoying.
-@Syed Najeeb27

Congrats on the KITAS.

Start by learning the numbers and how to thank people

Yo Bart!  Where iin Bali are you?  I ask only because the most useful answers for you will totally depend on where in Bali you are.  Yeah, it's a small island but the differences between each regency, and even within villages within the same regency can be extreme to say the least.  The good, the bad, and the ugly is all here, the challenge is to sort that all out.  Selamat on your move, and good luck! 

And just to follow up on Fred's suggestion, the best way to thank a Balinese is in Bahasa Bali, and it's "matur suksama" or just "suksama" for short.  And try to remember that a Balinese named Ketut is not prounced kentut.  Just call any Balinese named Ketut, "Tut" and you'll avoid that embarrassing moment. 

Cheers!