-Where were you born?

I was born in Melbourne, Australia.

-In which country and city are you living now?

I am living in the north of Bali, Indonesia.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I am living here with my wife.

-How long have you been living in Indonesia?

I have been living here for about 2 years.

-What is your age?

 I am 38.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Indonesia?

I have been traveling to Indonesia for a number of years and after meeting my wife here, I decided to make my home here.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Visas are never easy in Indonesia.  To save yourself some effort you can use an agent, but their fees are several times the actual cost.  It's possible to get any kind of visa yourself, but you will need to make several trips to the immigration office.  If anything needs to be copied or sent of to Jakarta for approval, you need to do it yourself.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

I just had travel insurance when I arrived, which is easy enough to buy online. 

-How do you make your living in Indonesia? Do you have any type of income generated?

My wife and I have a small hotel in Lovina.  It's not easy running a business in Bali and you can't really expect to make a lot of money.  The easygoing lifestyle however makes it worthwhile.  

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

I am still learning and I agree that it is extremely important to learn the language of the country you are living in.  It is absolutely important to follow and respect the local customs of the country you are living in.  I see a few expats who think they can do want they want and not only is it disrespectful, it can land you in a lot of trouble. 

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

I have lived most of my life overseas now, so I rarely feel "homesick".  I feel that Indonesia now is my home.  We live near the beach, so you can go swimming, snorkelling, fishing.  I enjoy trying to find new places to visit that aren't listed in the guidebooks.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I think our next big plan will be starting a family.  More travel in Indonesia and in Asia.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We bought our place after renting for the first couple of years.  It's almost impossible to even give a ballpark figure of how much a property will cost.  Foreigners cannot buy freehold property in Indonesia, so for most people they would be better to rent or lease their property. 

-What is the cost of living in Indonesia?

The cost of living is typically lower than most western countries.  The north of Bali tends to be cheaper also than the popular tourist areas in the south.  The more you live like a local in your shopping habits, the cheaper it is to live.  Imported alchohol and food is much more expensive than in my home country.  

-What do you think about the locals?

I love the people here and I think for many foreigners it is one of the great things about living in Bali.  Most people are very friendly and we have made many great friends here. Balinese tend to be quite welcoming to foreigners.  The only one negative thing I can think of, is that they try to charge foreigners more.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Indonesia?

The positive aspects are the warm weather, beautiful scenery, friendly people and the culture.  The negative aspect is probably the bureaucracy and the difficulty of finding information on the various laws and regulations.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Indonesia?

Bali is a great holiday destination but not an easy place to live permanently. The hassle with visas and the many restrictions foreigners have on buying property and owning a business, can make it difficult.  The important thing is to take things slowly.  If you want to start a business, it is a good idea to start small and build it up slowly.  Don't rush into anything.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Indonesia?

Bali Expat Guide - http://www.baliexpat.com

Bali Expat Forum - http://balipod.com

Living in Indoneisa Forum - http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org

Indonesia Expat - http://www.expat.or.id

Bali Blog - http://www.baliblog.com

-Where were you born?

I was born in Sweden (Europe) in a small country town called Simrishamn on the south-east coast.

-In which country and city are you living now?

I am currently living in Bali, Indonesia. 

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I currently live with two friends, an American and his Indonesian girl-friend.

-How long have you been living in Indonesia?

For almost 2 months now.

-What is your age?

25 years old

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Indonesia?

I was approached by a friend from University, so I decided to come down to Bali, and work for him. I had another friend from the same university aslo working in the same company. So that was a major factor, I knew I had a social network, before I left. That is a big uncertainty when moving into a new culture & country. Bali is also one of the most beautiful places on earth, with beaches, wild-life, mountains and great people.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Yes. This is a long and complicated process. I strongly recommend obtaining a legal representative and the services of a licensed VISA agent.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

Insurance is available for work-permit holders, and is easy to obtain. It also offers great coverage in the event of an injury or accident. It is expensive but worth it.

-How do you make your living in Indonesia? Do you have any type of income generated?

I have started up my own business here. I run a recruitment agency. So if anyone is considering Bali or Indoensia, I will be able to assist. You can check us out on www.partnerhospitality.com

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

I am actively learning Bahasa Indonesia. I think it is important for all ex-pats to realise that we are guests in a foreign country. I like to use the example of an ex-pat in your own country. Trying his/her best to fit-in and learn the social modus-operandi. Anyone will tell you, it is hard! The key word here to remember is respect. Respect Bali and Bali Will Respect You. Keep in mind that Bali is a very spiritual place, all religions co-exist here in peace.  

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Bali and Indonesia is far away from Europe. So yes. I do miss family and friends sometimes. But thanks to technology it is easy to keep in toutch. One must never be afraid to make a change, at the end of the day it is your life, if you want to go...then go....

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Yes. I want to grow my business, making it a market leader in Bali, and later Indonesia and South East Asia.
I also want to travel around the region to explore the great diversity of culture and landscape this region offers.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I currently rent, with the intent to buy. You can get a fantastic villa 3-4 bedrooms, ensuite, with a pool in a great location for around 300 k U.S.D. (lease over 40 years). Be careful though, foreigners cannot own land in Indonesia, regardless of what any property agent may tell you. There is legally no such thing as a foreigner free-hold. Renting is available in all price ranges. My house I rent for about 3k US/ per year.

-What is the cost of living in Indonesia?

It's low. But imported goods (luxury goods) will set you back a bit, i.e., Cheese, Wine and Premium Alcohol. It's hard for the French, but they don't seem to mind *laugh*

-What do you think about the locals?

The locals in Bali are friendly and honest. They have a close sense of community and often everyone knows everyone. It is vital that you as an expat respect this and treat everyone as you yourself would like to be treated.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Indonesia?

In Bali there are a lot of positives and a few negatives.

Positive: Indonesia is rated one of the "free"est countries in the region, with independent press and a sound legal system based on democratic process. Investor friendly and overall-trustworthy banks.  Bali has a great tax-climate 4.5% on income, and a  rather stable "cash driven" local economy.

Negative:

Corruption and Pollution/Littering.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Indonesia?

Come on holiday. Form your own opinion.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Indonesia?

There are various ex-pat groups on Facebook. A broad google search on "Bali" usually yields enough information.

-Where were you born
Sydney, Australia

-In which country and city are you living now?
Jakarta, Indonesia

-Are you living alone or with your family?
Here with Husband and three young kids

-How long have you been living in Indonesia?
We arrived in January 2007, so 9 months so far.

-What is your age?
35 and a little bit……….and maybe a smidge more…

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Indonesia?
We were at a BBQ with friends and the subject of relocating and the advantages that it offered career wise was discussed. It was something we had never thought of before and after a bit of research we decided to give it a try, six months later we were here. We originally wanted to move to Shanghai, China, as it is a safe, vibrant country on the move. Indonesia was offered as a stepping stone and career wise it was a big promotion. We were very concerned at first in regards to safety and after many hours of researching we decided to give it a go. I spent hours on the internet searching forums and blogs and emailed any one I found who new about Indonesia.

During my research I found two quotes from Mark Twain that helped us decide to move.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
- Innocents Abroad

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."
--Mark Twain

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
The HR department handled all of this. I had to supply all relevant paperwork and photos to the Jakarta office and then go to the consulate office in Sydney to collect visas.

Once we arrived we had an agent in Jakarta to help with all the formalities which was great as the procedures here are VERY confusing.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
The company arranged all this for us, using another big multi-national insurance agency. We also belong to the SOS clinic. Good health insurance is vital and you must have an evacuation policy. It is not advisable to have any invasive treatment or use blood products here. If any of us requires major medical help we will be flown to Singapore.

-How do you make your living in Indonesia? Do you have any type of income generated?
Husband was transferred from Australia within the same company. I teach ESOL at the kids International school in return for a sizeable fee relief.

-Do you speak Indonesian and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
We are all currently studying Bahasa Indonesia, and I’m finding it tough. I coach ESOL children at my kid’s international school in English, concentrating on Phonics and pronunciation which makes it difficult to switch to a whole new set of sounds.

We believe that to get the most of the experience, learning the local language is a must. You can get around here as most people have a very basic skill in English. People do seem to appreciate it when you try to speak the local language.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Yes, BUT we live in an age where communication is so cheap and easy. Phone calls are expensive and often don’t work, but there is always the internet and skype.

There are a few playgrounds that the kids really enjoy and we find we met up with friends often.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
We LOVE it here, and would seriously consider extending our posting at the end of our three-year contract. If another country was offered we would consider it as well. I don’t know if we could just go back to suburbia, the expat life is very interesting and addictive.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We rent a great house in a suburb close to the expat hub of Kemang. Our housing allowance was two thousand US dollars per month and we managed to stick to it. The housing choice is enormous as is the price range. You can get a nice older home for US$1000 per month up to mansions in excess of US$10 000 per month.

Everything is a compromise; we have a relatively small lounge room and kitchen but a big flat garden and live in a dead end street with absolutely no traffic at the top of a hill. Our house has five bedrooms and four and a half baths.

Rent is payable up front in advance; we signed a three-year lease on our house and three years of rent was paid up front.

-What is the cost of living in Indonesia?
Not as cheap as I thought, that’s for sure! The expat supermarkets are probably about the same price as at home, if not more expensive. The local markets are definitely cheaper, but if I go I am charged four times the price as I am obviously a westerner.

Clothes are cheap and plentiful if you have a tiny Asian figure but expensive for western shapes. Alcohol is very expensive. Once you have your residency paperwork you are able to purchase alcohol at duty free shops.

Electricity is super expensive. We pay between 3- 5 million rupiah every month. We only run two a/c at night and one during the day (we have a total of 9 units in our house) and have the outside lights on all night. We pay this ourselves…..Tip: if you are negotiating a package make sure this is included!!!!!!

-What do you think about the Indonesians?
Wonderful, friendly and helpful. Unfortunately westerners have a reputation of being excessively wealthy and it is not considered wrong to overcharge, extort money and steal. As long as you are aware of this and take precautions it works out ok.

You can also meet people who are friendly, smiling and happy but would take you for every last cent and then more. The same can be said for many countries and their locals......

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Indonesia?

Negatives
*Security and all it entails…..We have 24-hr security guards at home. Most malls and offices have bag searches and metal detectors at the entrances and cars are searched inside, out and underneath with mirrors every time you arrive. We have a 12-ft wall topped with barbed wire around our home.
*Dirt, filth and pollution. Jakarta is surrounded by mountains, I have seen them once!!!!! The air is always thick and brown. There are often no footpaths and if there are they have huge holes and or/motor bikes on them. There is no drinkable water in Jakarta, we and most others have a well drawing up contaminated water. There is no sewerage system either, only our toilets go into a septic system and ALL other water flows straight to the gutters….Tip: never live at the bottom of the hill.
*Terrorism….
*Traffic. Everyone talks about how bad it is, but you cannot comprehend how REALLY bad it is until you experience it yourself.

Positives
*Indonesia is a vibrant and alive country with enormous potential. The history and scenery are amazing and the people are so diverse and friendly. Life is never boring. All other expats we have met are great; we have already made life long friends. I have never felt unsafe here, though we are always careful. Life outside the city is amazing. *The island of Java is breathtakingly beautiful.
*Food is great, really great.
*Here we can afford the luxury of household staff…this is seriously addictive. It takes some getting used to though; we went from a family of five to a household of 8-10 depending on the time and day.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Indonesia?
Everything is negotiable......EVERYTHING. Learn to bargain hard!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Indonesia?
My own blog, of course: http://jenjenqld.blogspot.com

This is a great “daily photo” site: http://jakartadailyphoto.com

This is the photograpy site of an American living in Jakarta: http://thejavajive.com/blog

Living in Indonesia, a site for expats: http://www.expat.or.id