First order of business is…HEY KEN! Welcome back to the forum. Geeez, that transition from BKK to DPS really seems to have knocked you out for a while! It just isn’t the same around here without you amigo!
As usual, your point is, ahhhh, to THE point and I am in total agreement. I also agree totally with Tracey’s advice. “Romancing The Stone” these days in Bali brings a whole new set of realities that not so many years ago would only be the whimsical cries of concerns from parents and other relatives.
For Danielle I can add a few tidbits of my ideas, and my experience. Number one. Getting an Australian visa for your husband will require quite a lot of work. I’m not Australian, but a very good friend of mine is, and his efforts to get a visa for his new wife was tantamount to the Argonauts chasing the Golden Fleece. BUT, he persevered, “stuck to his guns,” and eventually for Jason, it all worked out fine.
Number two. If you have some money to “fall back on” I would suggest a “twist” on Tracey’s idea, and do just the opposite, i.e. give Bali a try first. Ken is right of course, jobs in Bali are few and far between, but the fact is, we don’t know if you or your “hubby to be” has some unique, or almost unique skills. If that is the case, then perhaps door can open for you both here.
In Bali, it is normal, and quite expected, that the woman follows the man. When a Balinese woman is married here to a Balinese man, she moves from her family compound to that of her husband. As Ken pointed out, it could be quite a shock for your husband to find himself in OZ. Thus the reason for my point number two. The idea is to give your new marriage some time to “jell” and grow strong, that is, if you can afford it.
My final point is this. Don’t be overcome by what maybe your future husband’s idea, “great to move to OZ.” In my experience, most all Balinese would love a chance to travel outside of Bali. But, I don’t think a move to OZ constitutes “travel” and very soon, the chewing on the sugar cane can go from sweet to sour. I know quite a few highly educated Balinese that have studied abroad. To a man, they each would say, matur suksma (very many thanks) for the opportunity, but they also, to a man, couldn’t wait to come home to Bali.
With that being said, I would be remiss not to point out that there are quite a few “expatriate” Balinese in Perth. From what I understand, they all pretty much know each other, and get together often to cook, share, and continue their religious traditions. Maybe that is enough for them, I don’t know. I’m just throwing some ideas and observations into the wind.
In the end, it’s obviously up to you both. May your love be so strong as to overcome all challenges that will, most assuredly, confront it.
