Anyone in Indonesia?
#33
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
in indonesia right now. lots of other teachers as well i see.
#34
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
Hey... welcome to BE. As you can see, we are a little bit thin on the ground with posters in the Indonesia forum, so nice to see you here. How long have you been in Indonesia?
I'm sure there's lots of people in Indonesia but our theory is that they're all enjoying the country and not posting on here. How dare they have a life
I'm sure there's lots of people in Indonesia but our theory is that they're all enjoying the country and not posting on here. How dare they have a life
#35
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
Hey... welcome to BE. As you can see, we are a little bit thin on the ground with posters in the Indonesia forum, so nice to see you here. How long have you been in Indonesia?
I'm sure there's lots of people in Indonesia but our theory is that they're all enjoying the country and not posting on here. How dare they have a life
I'm sure there's lots of people in Indonesia but our theory is that they're all enjoying the country and not posting on here. How dare they have a life
R
#36
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
I notice that there have not been any postings on this thread for a while, perhaps anyone interested in Indonesia has posted on the other website run by Atlantis. I do not know if I am allowed to mention it, so I will not just in case but I go there for solid information about Indonesia where I mostly live now, in a town called Cibubur to the south of Jakarta and within a stones throw more or less of President SBY private home at Cikeas.
#37
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,274
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
Hi mrc.....We've chatted on the other site.
This site, as the heading suggests, is probably more focussed for those Brits who become expats and are looking for specific info..... and thus not too many posts.
The other one is very active because it is more general and many Indonesians use it to improve their English language and debating skills.
Your contributions here will be welcomed....as you have Indonesian experience. I've been to Cibubur, which is like a satellite suburb town of Jakarta and great for young families...maybe you would like to tell us more about Cibubor.
As I recently attained a retirement visa we will be more permanent in Indonesia and, although currently living in our apartment in Permata Hijau, Jakarta, we also recently purchased a villa in Bali where we will move in a couple of months.
This site, as the heading suggests, is probably more focussed for those Brits who become expats and are looking for specific info..... and thus not too many posts.
The other one is very active because it is more general and many Indonesians use it to improve their English language and debating skills.
Your contributions here will be welcomed....as you have Indonesian experience. I've been to Cibubur, which is like a satellite suburb town of Jakarta and great for young families...maybe you would like to tell us more about Cibubor.
As I recently attained a retirement visa we will be more permanent in Indonesia and, although currently living in our apartment in Permata Hijau, Jakarta, we also recently purchased a villa in Bali where we will move in a couple of months.
#38
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
If it's not a too personal question, are you making Bali your main base? I presume that Bali is rather more laid back than Jakarta?
#39
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,274
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
Nothing too personal about me BB/Papaya....
The villa we bought in Bali is brand new and needs to be furnished. We will return next month and do just that and thereafter we plan to live there on a more permanent basis.
We will still have our apartment in Jakarta for when we return for shopping etc. but I think that will get less and less so we'll end up selling or renting it out.
Bali is indeed a lot more laid back than Jakarta and has a lot more exposure to expats and tourists. Last couple of weeks there I wore sandals and shorts and tee's all the time and herself wore shorts or a long sarong type skirt during evenings out in open restaurants and street bars.
There is an embargo on hi-rise and so long as out of the tourist area the living is more like UK village life. The cafes, warungs and bars are hangouts like the pubs in UK. We have already met up with Europeans who are annual visitors. An hour or so out of the beach area is the 2nd biggest town of Ubud in the hills...that is where the yoga and meditation and arts predominate and where that movie 'Eat, pray, love' was shot...it does feel special there and I'm not a religious person
The Balinese are predominately Hindu so the influence of the 'Moslem mosque' is more subdued. The Balinese men hardly do any work...they are very artistic...the women or Javanese do all the construction or labour.
I believe I will attempt to emulate the men and contemplate whether to drink Bintang or the very good Bali made Storm beer.... Local Hatten wine is also drinkable.
Irritatingly or interestingly, depends on one's attitude, they have ceremonies and festivities which cause traffic jams as they parade the streets with coffins to cremate on the beach or the river and send the ashes to the gods.
I told mrs davita that I wish to die in Bali and have my ashes scattered on the ocean....but she must have a ceremony and cause a traffic jam.....so I can have a come back on the all times I've waited in line.
Our 5 year Canadian passports expire later this year so, instead of renewing our MM2H, I think we will come to KL and give it up, as it looks like we will permanently live in Indonesia.
Are you guys all done in Phuket?
The villa we bought in Bali is brand new and needs to be furnished. We will return next month and do just that and thereafter we plan to live there on a more permanent basis.
We will still have our apartment in Jakarta for when we return for shopping etc. but I think that will get less and less so we'll end up selling or renting it out.
Bali is indeed a lot more laid back than Jakarta and has a lot more exposure to expats and tourists. Last couple of weeks there I wore sandals and shorts and tee's all the time and herself wore shorts or a long sarong type skirt during evenings out in open restaurants and street bars.
There is an embargo on hi-rise and so long as out of the tourist area the living is more like UK village life. The cafes, warungs and bars are hangouts like the pubs in UK. We have already met up with Europeans who are annual visitors. An hour or so out of the beach area is the 2nd biggest town of Ubud in the hills...that is where the yoga and meditation and arts predominate and where that movie 'Eat, pray, love' was shot...it does feel special there and I'm not a religious person
The Balinese are predominately Hindu so the influence of the 'Moslem mosque' is more subdued. The Balinese men hardly do any work...they are very artistic...the women or Javanese do all the construction or labour.
I believe I will attempt to emulate the men and contemplate whether to drink Bintang or the very good Bali made Storm beer.... Local Hatten wine is also drinkable.
Irritatingly or interestingly, depends on one's attitude, they have ceremonies and festivities which cause traffic jams as they parade the streets with coffins to cremate on the beach or the river and send the ashes to the gods.
I told mrs davita that I wish to die in Bali and have my ashes scattered on the ocean....but she must have a ceremony and cause a traffic jam.....so I can have a come back on the all times I've waited in line.
Our 5 year Canadian passports expire later this year so, instead of renewing our MM2H, I think we will come to KL and give it up, as it looks like we will permanently live in Indonesia.
Are you guys all done in Phuket?
#40
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
Great post Davita, he he That's great that it's all worked out for you. Yeh might as well give up the MM2H visa if the Indonesian one is reliably stable (though where is?).
Phuket? Mmmmm sort of. I'll send you a PM
Phuket? Mmmmm sort of. I'll send you a PM
#41
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
Yes Davita, we know each other well on the other website. Having found this website, I hope I can make positive contributions as well.
You asked about Cibubur. Cikeas is within the environs of Cibubur and is the home base for the Indonesian President SBY. It is indeed a Dorm town much like BSD City Cikarang and Depok for people chiefly working in jakarta and the traffic is horrendous 24-7 but essentially early morning and early evening and whenever SBY is on the move or his entourage.
Cibubur is convenient, if I may say that, for going into Jakarta or Bogor and also for reaching Bekasi. There are several Malls within reach of Cibubur, one cineplex at Cibubur Junction and most people seem to have heard (and possibly even visited) Kampeung China in Kota Wisata. Kota Wisata and legenda Wisata are the two main housing areas in Cibubur.
Actually Kota Wisata is not a bad place to live except for Chinese New Year. The problem, as with a lot of the Indonesian infrastructure, is the obsession with Mosques and Malls and not much else. Finding entertainment for myself and my kids in Cibubur is hard without a four or five hour trawl in a traffic jam to faraway places.
Cibubur Junction is not really in Cibubur, so Cibubur itself does not have a Police Station where you can go for help, no Cinema and only recently a 'Giant' shopping complex. Kota Wisata does not have anything except the Sports Club and Kampeung China (for Kampeung Indonesian people). No Mini Zoo. No Pizza Hut or other Fast Food. No Cinema. No Bowling. No Sports Bars. I am not one for the trek into jakarta to Blok M or Taman Angrek, Kelapa Gading, no thank you!
Bali thankfully has a lot of recreational places and is a lot more cosmopolitan. I would live there also if I had a free choice over the jakarta area but my family commitments are centred on Cibubur
You asked about Cibubur. Cikeas is within the environs of Cibubur and is the home base for the Indonesian President SBY. It is indeed a Dorm town much like BSD City Cikarang and Depok for people chiefly working in jakarta and the traffic is horrendous 24-7 but essentially early morning and early evening and whenever SBY is on the move or his entourage.
Cibubur is convenient, if I may say that, for going into Jakarta or Bogor and also for reaching Bekasi. There are several Malls within reach of Cibubur, one cineplex at Cibubur Junction and most people seem to have heard (and possibly even visited) Kampeung China in Kota Wisata. Kota Wisata and legenda Wisata are the two main housing areas in Cibubur.
Actually Kota Wisata is not a bad place to live except for Chinese New Year. The problem, as with a lot of the Indonesian infrastructure, is the obsession with Mosques and Malls and not much else. Finding entertainment for myself and my kids in Cibubur is hard without a four or five hour trawl in a traffic jam to faraway places.
Cibubur Junction is not really in Cibubur, so Cibubur itself does not have a Police Station where you can go for help, no Cinema and only recently a 'Giant' shopping complex. Kota Wisata does not have anything except the Sports Club and Kampeung China (for Kampeung Indonesian people). No Mini Zoo. No Pizza Hut or other Fast Food. No Cinema. No Bowling. No Sports Bars. I am not one for the trek into jakarta to Blok M or Taman Angrek, Kelapa Gading, no thank you!
Bali thankfully has a lot of recreational places and is a lot more cosmopolitan. I would live there also if I had a free choice over the jakarta area but my family commitments are centred on Cibubur
#42
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,274
Re: Anyone in Indonesia?
Good post Mrc..thanks for the info.
For those unfamiliar with greater Jakarta....Cibubur, BSD, Bekasi and some others are structured satellite dorm towns (clusters) as Mrc has described...much like Milton Keyes was to London.
The houses are really nice and, compared with houses in central Jakarta, very affordable and desirable dwellings for a young start-up family.
Most houses in central Jakarta were built during the Suharto regime and reflect how the rich built castles behind walls to prevent the masses from revolting and destroying their ill-gotten wealth. Today, many are rented out to expats, on company packages, who can afford the $3-8000/month they command.
I'm very familiar with the BSD area where my in-laws live in Alam Sutera. About 5 years ago I made an offer to buy one of the better designed houses near the golf course, overlooking the river...it was a low-ball offer as the house had not yet been built and I would have preferred to complete the interior design myself.
The offer failed but, last week, I visited the site and the plot I bid on was still empty. They should have taken my money but, again hindsight, I'm happier to live in an apartment in the city.
Basically, imo, Jakarta is a s**t city until you get to know where everything is and how to get it. We don't have children to consider and rely on our driver to do everything that city knowledge requires...I just sit in the back seat, read the Jakarta Post and drink vodka from a vacuum flask
A family living in the burbs, as Mrc stated, means a lot of travel to get anywhere but I observed, certainly in BSD, that more and more facilities are being constructed for entertainment.... so the future looks brighter.
For those unfamiliar with greater Jakarta....Cibubur, BSD, Bekasi and some others are structured satellite dorm towns (clusters) as Mrc has described...much like Milton Keyes was to London.
The houses are really nice and, compared with houses in central Jakarta, very affordable and desirable dwellings for a young start-up family.
Most houses in central Jakarta were built during the Suharto regime and reflect how the rich built castles behind walls to prevent the masses from revolting and destroying their ill-gotten wealth. Today, many are rented out to expats, on company packages, who can afford the $3-8000/month they command.
I'm very familiar with the BSD area where my in-laws live in Alam Sutera. About 5 years ago I made an offer to buy one of the better designed houses near the golf course, overlooking the river...it was a low-ball offer as the house had not yet been built and I would have preferred to complete the interior design myself.
The offer failed but, last week, I visited the site and the plot I bid on was still empty. They should have taken my money but, again hindsight, I'm happier to live in an apartment in the city.
Basically, imo, Jakarta is a s**t city until you get to know where everything is and how to get it. We don't have children to consider and rely on our driver to do everything that city knowledge requires...I just sit in the back seat, read the Jakarta Post and drink vodka from a vacuum flask
A family living in the burbs, as Mrc stated, means a lot of travel to get anywhere but I observed, certainly in BSD, that more and more facilities are being constructed for entertainment.... so the future looks brighter.