Hello to all................

[Gerry]

Hi - after 'lurking' here for the afternoon yesterday I decided I should register and join.

A bit about myself for you.......

Gerry is the name as may be apparent! - 43 years old and living in Dorset, UK. I am a widower, and got engaged in July of this year to a wonderful Indonesian girl Vera - working in Bali.

I shall be visiting Bali in February for just over 2 weeks, for the first time, and I imagine it will probably be a totally new way of living for me to get to grips with.

This will just be a holiday/get to know the place kind of trip - 2nd to seeing Vera again of course

Obviously we are looking at getting together on a more permanent basis, whether in Bali or the UK we dont know yet - amazing how difficult it is to get to be together when you start to look into visa's - jobs - the means to actually live and work anywhere on a permanent basis.

I am presently working as a private chef at a large house in Dorset by the way, and have an interest in boating - sea fishing - fireworks (I am trained by, and fire displays for, a large UK firework company as a 'hobby') But I am usually up for anything jobwise as long as I enjoy it

I expect some of my questions have been asked a 1000 times already regarding seeking visas - seeking a job - somewhere to live and suchlike
- so I shall go and have a search around for a while first

Gerry

 

[Bert Vierstra]

Welcome Gerry,

There is indeed already plenty to read about relationships, visa, and work....

Happy searching, don't hesitate to add new things to existing discussions !

 

[Jen]

There are many expat Chefs working in Bali. In Sydney there are
employment agencies just handling Hospitality Industry and I reckon there would be similar in the UK.

Also check out the websites of all the major chain hotels in Bali. Find out the Human Resources and start applying.

Usually pays well too. Do your homework and talk to other Chefs and see what they did. Check out what the hotels are willing to provide as they will definately want to know what you can provide for them!

 

[Roy]

Gerry, reading your post was deja vous (sp?) for me. I sense your passion, and it reminds me well of my own years past.

Some pundits have written about this forum as being a private club, or a “closed society.” It is not. Moreover, I doubt anyone can find more genuine information, offered without any expected reciprocation, than right here.

A hearty welcome to the Bali expat forum, and for sure, expect the unexpected when you first visit Bali in February.

 

[Cassienne]

Hi Gerry
A warm welcome to this forum. I hope you enjoy your stay in Bali, and who knows, you might love it so much that you just can't ever leave. A word of advice though....might be a plan to stay away from Denpasar. Sorry if I'm offending anyone for whom Denpasar is a well loved home, but I live there right now, and I'm really wishing I lived in Ubud - or Sanur, or Jimbaren or even Kuta. I'm getting bit tired of the traffic and noise, and pollution of Denpasar. Next time I come here (and I'm certainly coming back!) I'm going to look for a job in Ubud.
But whatever you do, good luck with it!
Cassienne

 

[Gerry]

Thankyou for the welcome folks

Its nice when folks take the time out to greet you even if they know nothing about you.

Thanks Bert for letting me in

Jen - I expect to make a few tentative explorations on the job front during my stay, not just in the world of chef work - in fact although I enjoy that, it is getting to the stage when I feel like I dont want to work when everyone else is not working, more so now that I have someone who I can enjoy leisure time with!
I expect me having a native Indonesian as my partner and guide will make my search a little easier with regard to the different customs, language, and ways of doing things and so forth.

Roy - during my brief lurking session I admit I detected some undertones of a tourist versus expat nature in some posts in different sections of the forum, and I suppose until we (Vera and I) have made plans for me to go the whole hog and become a full time part of the Bali experience I would just be a tourist, but my ambitions are greater than seeing Vera twice a year for a holiday, so this seemed the place to make myself known

We do plan on being married of course, but both want to be settled where we can be together as a proper couple instead of marrying in haste and then being forced apart due to visa or job constraints.

Cassienne - thanks for the welcome, we shall be staying at an apartment - to quote from their website...............

Situated on legendary Legian beach, Kuta, the Hotel & Residence Jayakarta rests quietly in 11 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens

apart from the info on their website I know not where it is! all I know is that we have a 1 bed apartmemnt there for the duration of my stay

 

[Jen]

Half you luck if you can afford not to work!

I believe a misconception that living in Bali is VERY cheap. I really dont think so. Being a westerner living in Indo is expensive as we like our electricity, air con, hot water, computers, phones, vehicles etc etc etc. Yes you can live VERY cheap and live like a local with none of the above but really, why would you want to? Also you will have to take into account visa's, health insurance, airline tickets, departure tax and the like.

Jayakarta apartments are a good choice. Beachfront and many facilities withing the hotel complex which you will be allowed to use, even though the apartment block is a separate business. Are you part of the time share there?

When you suss out what some of the top expat Chefs are on per month, you might change ya mind....ha!

 

[Gerry]

Hi Jen , sorry - I didnt word my reply too well!

I said

it is getting to the stage when I feel like I dont want to work when everyone else is not working, more so now that I have someone who I can enjoy leisure time with!

Meaning it as not necessarily wanting to work the unsocial hours that Chef/hotel staff do, I still need to work, but maybe not in that type of job. Would be nice to not have to work but I doubt I shall do that !

As for the apartments, Vera is renting it from a friend of hers for while I am there, vastly cheaper than the usual rate, I believe her friend owns the one we are staying in.

 

[Jen]

Good for you and good luck with your adventure!

 

[matsaleh]

Welcome to the forum Gerry and hope you enjoy your stay in Bali.

Do try to see other areas of Bali, if you can. The rest of the island is much more interesting than just staying in Kuta/Legian.

 

[Margriet]

hi cassienne,

Maybe I didn't read your other posts really well, but do I understand now your job is finished and you go back to New Zealand?
Margriet

 

[Cassienne]

Hi margriet
No, my job is still going! My contract ends in August next year. But I'm getting a month's holiday over Christmas so tomorrow i'm taking off to Lombok. Not sure what I said to confuse you!
Cassienne

 

[Margriet]

I think you said something about applying.....you already start applying for a job next year now? I'm planning to start next week with sending application letters, or is that to soon?
Can I ask how old you are?

 

[Gerry]

Just thought I'd slot myself back in............................. :wink:

Do try to see other areas of Bali, if you can

Well, thats the plan so far, Vera suggested the first couple of days or so at Jayakarta Hotel - to get myself settled in and so forth, and that then it would be nice to just both get in a car and 'get lost' touring around the island for a while

Vera is none too keen on staying 'down South' as she works in Denpasar, which makes sense, and if I wanted to stay in a hotel for 2 weeks I could go to Spain and fly there for £20 !

Any pointers on where we could go? or should we just make our way all around the island and see where we end up?
There must be some non touristy hotspots we can aim for, who knows - we might even find some fellow forumites to cajole into a drink somewhere

I understand I need an International driving permit for Bali - no problem there, but what is the situation with car rental and roads. Are roads off the tourist trail worthy of getting some kind of 4x4 as opposed to a car?
Is insurance available? etc etc

Thanks