Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

[Thorsten]

Maybe helpful for some people, here are a lot of links

http://www.expat.or.id/info/links.html

[marcia]

C'mon Gloria, your final word is........?????????

[Gloria]

O.K. if I have the final say...here it is...I believe a section for hints/tips etc...would not be in competition with the Bee Tee Eff, especially if it a question and answer theme. As so many have said, this forum is not about the tourist industry but an informative forum on living in Bali, offering titbits of knowledge from those who have the necessary experience to give the answers. If we don't know we''ll find out. So, as a hint to anyone who has had the misfortune of losing ones passport...keep many photo-copies of all documents and put them separate to the originals. Most offices and police will accept a photocopy if needed, also it makes it much easier to obtain a new passport if you have a photocopy....So, thats the first hint....anymore to follow ? Fire away and have some fun....G...

[Lothar]

this looks good indeed. Let's hope it fills pretty fast as well

[Gloria]

This maybe not exactly what you had in mind for tips and tricks, but it's something that should be discussed in this current climate.We are hearing many sad stories regarding the poverty the Balinese have been plunged into but beware of the shrewdness of some, who are very tourist wise.When a crisis like this instantly deprives a peoples lifestyle, already hard, but now intollerable, they will do anything to survive, and not lose face. They are a proud race, but their scruples don't always fit the western way of thinking.But if we walked in their shoes, would we be the same? Someone asked me today, how can I give money sensibly? My advice was this....if you have a reasonable sum to invest...for example...$500...put it in an Indonesian Bank ( we recommend BNI) and at 12-14% interest that is enough to feed a Balinese family with basic needs, example rice. The investor still keeps the capital but the amount of interest is given to a family or whoever.Someone asked me today, how they can help individual families which they have befriended on their holidays, I suggested this. There are so many scams happening right now, poverty has struck at almost everyone in Bali, there are thousands of "victims".Don't let your heart rule your head,but,.....consider everything first. Sorry if this post is not what tips and tricks was intended for, my next one will be more appropriate...I promise.....G...

[Lothar]

...you are right. This is the best and proper way to 'adopt' people in Indonesia. I'm doing exactly this for the past 9 years with an amount of US$ 20.000 with BNI, where the interest goes to the education needs of 4 families children in North Sumatera. I have never regretted it.