knocky

New Member
Jan 10, 2012
29
0
1
Hi all,

I am new to this website and forum and have to say its excellent source
of information for me, but I am moving to Bali for a new job and I am
very excited about it as part of the package I am getting my visa's
getting sorted for me and my 1st months accommodation in around a place
called Jimbaran.

Thing is I have some questions they are silly ones but you guys problem
get them all the time.

1st accommodation I would love to just rent a room for 3-6 months in a
flat/house-share how easy is this to find is there a website/local paper
where I could find information is it as cheap as the my immigration
office is telling that $300 a month would find a cheap apartment and
less a month for flatshares.

2nd . Where can I learn to speak the local language? Balinese or
Indonesian. is there local collages/support groups within the expat
community that could help, I lived in the south of china for a long time
and know learn to speak the lingo you will get on a lot more than the
rude tourist.

3rd Mobile phone and broadband. I need to find a mobile network the
supports blackberry ping service so I can text my family back home best
if its on pay as you go terms any tips, also mobile broadband/landline
broadband is it really as expensive as people are telling me. I use
about 15-30 GB a month in the uk.

4th bank accounts with online banking any banks offer these services in
English.

I know there is somethings on this list I could find out myself and have
done but I thought best thing to do is ask you guys and girls the
experts for a second opinion. If you want to speak with me directly you
can email me or if you have blackberry messenger feel free to add me
details are below


Kind regards

Alan
Amcknockiter
07861448801
271D7FB1
 

SHoggard

Member
Nov 28, 2011
738
3
16
Singapore
Search & ye shall find

Hi,
The Search Function here on Balipod is a goldmine of information, trawl the posts (some will be quite old, but they'll give you a flavour of what you'll face when you get there)

Some examples:-


The entire section:- Bali Property and Real Estate
Whack up a request there, if you haven't already - also it'll give you a good idea of prices.
There's also the Bali Advertiser a fortnightly FreeSheet (website's crap though)

Banking: Most bank staff also have good English, and a bank statement is a bank statement in any language (you just need to know what the Bahasa for Deposit, Withdrawal and Overdraft is) but if you're into managaing an international investment portfolio or if it is really important to be able to read the junk-mail try StanChart (they'll probably be more expensive than the local banks) :-

Standard Chartered Bank - Bali: Jl. Teuku Umar 2-4, Ruko 9-12, Denpasar 80114,
Denpasar, Bali
Phone: +62(0361) 223 700
Fax: +62(0361) 223 737


Most of the actual other detail can be worked out quite quickly in the 1st month you're in the gratis accommodation. At least you won't have to find a room straight off the plane ;)

What sort of employment are you there for?
 

gilbert de jong

Active Member
Jan 20, 2009
3,198
3
36
Panji, Singaraja.
hai knocky..

as for the BB...all providers carry the prabayer (prepaid) service for BB, different kind of packages (daily,weekly,monthly, email supported,wifi supported, etcetc) with various prices.
I myself use IM3 (indosat) and have no complaints about coverage, I'm on the monthly fullservice (business) package and that's 100K rupiah a month or 120K rupiah..I forgot.
if you make sure there's credit on the phone, it will automatically extend eaxh month.

banking/online-banking, Mandiri Bank also has English available on their website.

language, learn Indonesian is imho a bit more important then bahasa bali..especially if you're going to do consultancy work in a resort.
 

knocky

New Member
Jan 10, 2012
29
0
1
well the blackberry deals are cheap then 8-9 pounds a month make life easy when i can text home cheap now on the hunt for a room in march/april
 

knocky

New Member
Jan 10, 2012
29
0
1
yeah thanks i am getting excited the hardest part is getting the right visa i have been reading making everything hard from bank accounts to renting, i have a company sponsoring so that headache i don't have to worry about. i remember when i lived in china teaching i was not on the right visa and everything was a pain and a worry. haha looking forward to getting settled in enjoying the place maybe learning to surf :icon_biggrin: always wanted to try... maybe get my padi done all this romantic idea stuff from coming from icey cold Scotland. I will be in bali for a while silly question whats the general weather going to be like in feb and march?
 

pollyanna

Member
Feb 8, 2010
683
1
16
Ubud, Bali
I will be in bali for a while silly question whats the general weather going to be like in feb and march?

We're almost on the equator. The weather here is dead simple. The temperature hovers around 27/28 degrees year 'round, depending on where in Bali you're located. February and March are in the rainy season. May through October is the dry season. November through April is the rainy season. One of the questions in my Bahasa lesson was "what is the weather forecast?" I can't imagine a more useless question to learn in Bahasa for anyone living in Bali.

But don't worry about it being the rainy season while you are here. You'll find the rain far more pleasant in this climate than in Scotland.
 

knocky

New Member
Jan 10, 2012
29
0
1
thanks Pollyanna yeah i thought it would be the rainy season lol but i bet that will work in my fav coming from a cold country not so out of the frying pan into the fire when it comes to harsh but lovely sun rays... only bad thing is for me suncream is a must fair hair = lobster look alike
 

SHoggard

Member
Nov 28, 2011
738
3
16
Singapore
Weather

We're almost on the equator. The weather here is dead simple. The temperature hovers around 27/28 degrees year 'round, depending on where in Bali you're located. February and March are in the rainy season. May through October is the dry season. November through April is the rainy season. One of the questions in my Bahasa lesson was "what is the weather forecast?" I can't imagine a more useless question to learn in Bahasa for anyone living in Bali.

But don't worry about it being the rainy season while you are here. You'll find the rain far more pleasant in this climate than in Scotland.

Living in Singapore we're between 28-32 degrees all year round, it still amuses me that at the end of the local TV news they go to the 'weather' - every night the script runs thus "Tomorrow, temperatures will range from 28 to 32 degrees, with scattered light rain in the morning'
Occasionally there they make a change to "Tomorrow, temperatures will range from 28 to 32 degrees, with scattered light rain in the early morning'
 

knocky

New Member
Jan 10, 2012
29
0
1
Thanks a lot for all the replies. I am looking forward to landing and getting settled in tbh. I an going to start learning some phrases to help me get by I think. Don't want to be confused with a tourist. But how easy is it to get by with english like ordering food outside the crazy costly tourist areas
 

pollyanna

Member
Feb 8, 2010
683
1
16
Ubud, Bali
Thanks a lot for all the replies. I am looking forward to landing and getting settled in tbh. I an going to start learning some phrases to help me get by I think. Don't want to be confused with a tourist. But how easy is it to get by with english like ordering food outside the crazy costly tourist areas

Relax knocky. Stay excited but don't worry. Here's your first phrase. Tidak apa apa. It translates literally as "no what what" but it means No Worries. You will be confused with a tourist but - no worries. It doesn't matter. Tourists are not Bad People.
You will be able to easily get by with English when ordering food so - no worries.
If you're in a place where they don't understand English then point to a food item and you'll probably like it so - no worries.

To learn some Bahasa Indonesian google Byki Indonesian. For what you're wanting to do the free version is fine and it is a good way to learn some of the language. It's also fun. You can even get it as a phone app.
 

knocky

New Member
Jan 10, 2012
29
0
1
Relax knocky. Stay excited but don't worry. Here's your first phrase. Tidak apa apa. It translates literally as "no what what" but it means No Worries. You will be confused with a tourist but - no worries. It doesn't matter. Tourists are not Bad People.
You will be able to easily get by with English when ordering food so - no worries.
If you're in a place where they don't understand English then point to a food item and you'll probably like it so - no worries.

To learn some Bahasa Indonesian google Byki Indonesian. For what you're wanting to do the free version is fine and it is a good way to learn some of the language. It's also fun. You can even get it as a phone app.


i am very relaxed haha it must be the tone of my typing. this is not my dog and pony show when it comes to traveling and working out side the uk but i have to say this is my 1st time setting foot on bali and i hate say all i know is its hot and probly the most iconic place for white sands and honeymons, but thanks for the info. tidak apa apa