It's been a year and (almost) half I've been staying in Bali. I forgot a bit if I already mentioned on my previous posts how I got here. It wasn't really on purpose actually. I was taking my master degree in France, then on my second year, I went to China for semester exchange program (due to my major), then I had to do a few months of internship and at first I was gonna do it in China, but then my 4 months experience in China didn't really give me motivation to stay longer, and then I said "why not Bali?". I'm an Indonesian born, my hometown is in Riau Archipelago, in Bintan island. The last time(which also the first time) I went to Bali was in 2009 with a bus tour from Bandung which took days and exhausted feet. It wasn't really pleasant I can say. So this internship I did in one of freight-forwarding company in Bali would also let me discover this island too, not only a two-three days visit.
Bali is an island where 90% of locals are hindus and their religion is really part of their lives, where they practicing and applying their beliefs everyday and in every aspect. The offerings, the religious ceremonies, the prayers, etc. I also must say that to live in Bali, you really should understand and accept the local people's character and traditions as they are particular. I spent almost 8 years in Java and still Bali gives me more to learn from my own country.
Here are some things you'll be seeing or hearing or experiencing a lot when you start to settle in Bali :
1. The culture is indeed very rich and it feels real when the local people keep the tradition as part of their daily life. At work for example, arriving at 8.30 am, the staffs are changing turn to do their prayer. Most of them are women. They put kind of scarf around their waist and they bring the offering and pray at 4 corners of the office. In Bali, every building, a house, an office, a shop, should have the corners where they put the offerings and incense sticks for praying to their Gods. At first I saw these things with a widden eyes, but then slowly I get use to it. And of course for those who don't really like the smell of the incense sticks, you really should get use to it.
2. Apart of religion, Balinese are quite attached to their society and local community where they live. Every community living in the same area has what they call as Banjar. It is a place where the community gather when they have a ceremony or an event. Some local people explain to me that solidarity really counts in the community. If someone who lives in the same your banjar pass away, you should help to arrange his/her funeral preparation, or for example if there are ceremonies or an event held in your banjar, you should participate. If you don't really participate any event or ceremony nor helping others in your banjar, when you pass away, no one will help you or your family to arrange your funeral.
Speaking of this ceremonial events in banjar, usually in indonesian companies, employees got twelve days of annual leave, either you take it separately or at the same time. Balinese very rarely go out from their island nor travel to visit places on the island either, except to visit their relatives. So, every time they take their annual leave are to attend a religious ceremonies in their community.
3. If your job involving the artshops in Bali, you will be hearing a lot of them closing their shops due to the ceremony, which cannot be predicted because every community has their own special day.
4. On my first few weeks in Bali, I rent a motorbike and got lost a lot. Thanks to the GPS on Google Maps, I found the way to go home. BUT the GPS or Google Maps aren't always helpful every time in Bali, since it is not mentioning if on the way to your destination there's a local ceremony so the street is blocked and you have to make a detour. *wink
5. If you like to stop by a mini market for small purchases, FYI Mini Mart or Rajawali Mart costs a little bit pricier then other mini market which are usually found in other part of Indonesia ; such as Circle K, Indomaret, Alfamart.
6. I've lived in West Java and their local language is sundanese. Although, they don't really speak it a lot. But in Bali, they speak it every time. I had a little hard time at work at first then I decided to learn balinese local language. Maybe not to speak, but at least to understand first. So try to learn their local language, it would be very helpful, especially if you want to live here. Not only 'Suksema'(thank you) and 'Pu napi gatra?' (apa kabar?).
7. You might get a bit shocked at first when you ride a motorbike in Bali. I remember mentioning this on my previous post. People drive their vehicles a bit crazily here. You might want to get use to it fast. It took me two months at least to not anymore getting stressed and panicked on the street.
Maybe that's all for now. I'll find other more things later. Things to keep in mind, even though Bali has their beautiful natural sides that attract a lot of people in the world to pay thousands of euros or dollars to get here, it is still an island with its local people who live inside it and try to keep their culture and tradition value maintained. We'd love to think that people who want to settle on this island can appreciate those things as well as respecting their rights to practice their beliefs.
BsxxxARS
