http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/ Questions on expat living in Indonesia en Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:10:49 GMT vBulletin 15 http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/images/misc/rss.png http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/ http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35647-Anybody-has-been-in-Derawan-and-Tanjung-Puting-who-could-help-me-to-prepare-our-trip?goto=newpost Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:53:46 GMT I am planning to go on holiday with my husband and daughter next week, although I even haven't buy the tickets yet!!! I would like to go to Tanjung Puting National Park a few days and after that to relax in Derawan.
I am not sure where to go first and I have been reading it is not very easy to arrive to Derawan, anybody been there? any advices?
The idea is fly to Surabaya, fly to Pankalan Bun and visit the Park and after that I guess to go to Berau is almost impossible to do it by roads so probably we have to fly to Balikpapan and from there to Berau.
Please anybody living in Kalimantan could advice us about how to organize the trip? any better fly first to Balikpapan and go to Berau and after to Tanjung Puting? My husband is worry about been Ramadan, I guess all the klotoks and tourist places will be open normally is right?

Terimakasi banyak!! ]]> General Advice Shinta http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35647-Anybody-has-been-in-Derawan-and-Tanjung-Puting-who-could-help-me-to-prepare-our-trip http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35507-I-m-thinking-of-sponsoring-someone?goto=newpost Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:13:48 GMT I'm thinking of sponsoring someone in the Riau Islands to do a basic course as a nursing assistant.

I need to find out what prerequisites there would be and what courses are available. My Bahasa is effectively non-existent.

Can anyone suggest how to do this?

Thanks in advance. ]]> General Advice joh63 http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35507-I-m-thinking-of-sponsoring-someone http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35414-question-for-internet-3-months?goto=newpost Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:26:00 GMT Hello, My father is making an around the world trip with his boat. Any day now he will be in Indonesia. He has asked me if I can find for him an... Hello, My father is making an around the world trip with his boat. Any day now he will be in Indonesia. He has asked me if I can find for him an internetprovider for 3 months. But it's hard to find on the internet. So I have a question for you all. Is it possible to get a subscription on an internet provider for 3 months? And what is the name of the internet provider? He will need a 3g wifi antenna with a gsm chip. I hope you can help me. Thank you. Sandra ]]> General Advice Sandraroz http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35414-question-for-internet-3-months http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35390-International-Phone-service?goto=newpost Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:38:10 GMT Hi Everyone, I work via my computer while in Indonesia and have to call back to the US a lot via my cell does anyone know of a reliable phone... Hi Everyone, I work via my computer while in Indonesia and have to call back to the US a lot via my cell does anyone know of a reliable phone service that is cheap making calls from Indonesia to the US ....someone told me its already cheap if I have an Indonesian cell phone to call US is about 10 cents a minute is this true ? it cost me now $3.99 per minute call the US from my US cell number it is getting expensive as I pay the bill not the company...It is a medical staffing company so service must be dependable. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you ]]> General Advice Melody http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35390-International-Phone-service http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35323-smartphone-application-for-cheap-call?goto=newpost Thu, 13 Jun 2013 05:45:28 GMT Hi, can you share here the telephone applications you are using to make international call? Or the interlocal call? I've tried oto, kakao-talk, line, and skype. ]]> General Advice mamidarl http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35323-smartphone-application-for-cheap-call http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35207-Question-for-those-of-you-who-recently-moved-to-Indonesia-from-the-US?goto=newpost Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:19:56 GMT Hi Folks

Thank you for all your responses on this forum. I've been trolling it this past month and just joined in preparation for my move there next month. Between the posts here, my visit to Bogor last year, and my many moves I have some sense of what the move will entail for me. And one of things I want to know is what are some of things I must bring from "home base." of course "must" is relative. So high on my list of things I really like wherever I go are: good dark roast coffee, cotton sheets. Those of you who have just moved to Indonesia from the USA, any advice on what I should make room for in my two suitcases?

A totally different question, my partner is a fiction writer and I am afraid that it will be hard for him to find a community of writers and artists in Bogor. My sense is that Jakarta might be better. Once I am there I will try to assess the pros and cons for living in Bogor (where I will be working) and Jakarta. Thoughts?

Saludos

K ]]> General Advice Chontaduro http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35207-Question-for-those-of-you-who-recently-moved-to-Indonesia-from-the-US http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35180-How-long-should-my-skirts-dresses-be?goto=newpost Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:19:25 GMT What part of my leg should the bottom of my hemline hit? I've heard everything from at the knee to "Only maxi dresses are appropriate". I will be living in Jakarta, and I've heard they are more lenient there towards foreigners, but I'm looking to wear appropriate clothing and not "pushing my limits". I want to make a good impression, especially as I will already stand out and look different based on my ethnicity. I don't want to draw unwanted attention. Is it okay to show your calves or knees?

Many thanks! ]]> General Advice SailorSoshi http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35180-How-long-should-my-skirts-dresses-be http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35072-Shop-With-Band-Saw?goto=newpost Mon, 10 Jun 2013 05:32:20 GMT I have a couple of salvage 5 X 7 cm iron wood beams which I wish to have rip cut into 2 X 5 cm boards to use for picture framing. I would appreciate... I have a couple of salvage 5 X 7 cm iron wood beams which I wish to have rip cut into 2 X 5 cm boards to use for picture framing. I would appreciate a recommendation/reference if anyone knows of a shop with a bandsaw. ]]> General Advice waarmstrong http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/35072-Shop-With-Band-Saw http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34976-Pondok-Indah-problem-with-a-day-hotel?goto=newpost Sat, 08 Jun 2013 03:55:24 GMT We're planning on moving to Pondok Indah and heard that there is a day hotel very close by where you rent rooms by the hour (close to JIS). Would anybody have an idea if this type of hotel causes any problems in that area (for example traffic, parkibg issues). Should we be concerned? I thought PI was a great area to live in. ]]> General Advice Beppie http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34976-Pondok-Indah-problem-with-a-day-hotel http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34965-Euro-is-going-up-now-why-the-rate-on-the-streets-is-bigger-than-in-OANDA?goto=newpost Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:30:08 GMT So far I use to check the rates on the OANDA and XE websites and always the rates where bigger than the rates change on the money changers on the... So far I use to check the rates on the OANDA and XE websites and always the rates where bigger than the rates change on the money changers on the streets but for the last few weeks I realize that the rate on internet is less than the rate on the money changers!!!!! This is the first time I see this, I have not idea about money matters, I just wonder why this is happen.
Usually when I transfer euros from Europe I got even better rate than the OANDA or XE but now I just wonder why the rates on the streets is higher than the internet websites?
Anybody could explain it please?
I need to transfer a nice quantity of euros and this things really stress me, hahaha how to know when is the best time to transfer money? any advice? I see on the streets is already 13.000 rp!!!!
The director of an Indonesian branch bank told me that the gold has going down so the the value of money go up, but I don't really understand these things!!!
Have a beautiful sleep!! ]]> General Advice Shinta http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34965-Euro-is-going-up-now-why-the-rate-on-the-streets-is-bigger-than-in-OANDA http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34938-Container-shipping-to-USA?goto=newpost Wed, 05 Jun 2013 21:59:43 GMT I am interested in shipping from Bitung to USA, 20' container of lumber and furniture (possibly unfinished). Would like to start a business around this but cannot find prices anywhere. Can anyone advise? ]]> General Advice PWA2MANADO http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34938-Container-shipping-to-USA http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34933-Infant-flying?goto=newpost Wed, 05 Jun 2013 15:40:53 GMT I must love a challenge. I am flying back home tomorrow - a thirty hour trip, with flights to Tokyo and then on to NY - with my 9 month old... I must love a challenge.

I am flying back home tomorrow - a thirty hour trip, with flights to Tokyo and then on to NY - with my 9 month old daughter. Mom has more work and won't be joining until much later in the month.

Suggestions, commiserations, well wishes, anecdotes, and advice about infant flying welcome. Especially for those doing it without help. ]]> General Advice MattyRedSox http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34933-Infant-flying http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34901-Online-shopping-and-POS-Indonesia?goto=newpost Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:47:14 GMT Having recently relocated to Jakarta from sydney, I didnt know that online shopping (shipped from overseas to here) is so complicated and very... Having recently relocated to Jakarta from sydney, I didnt know that online shopping (shipped from overseas to here) is so complicated and very difficult to get thru customs, even if your purchases are simply just women's cosmetics! It just didnt occur to me that the easier (and somewhat cheaper) option is to buy from large dept stores, instead I went mad ordering heaps from my regular online sites that I always buy from and my package is now still held at the Pos Indonesia Jakarta aIrport.

Upon the expected arrival date of my parcel (which i naively thought that it would simply be delivered at my door step!), i received a letter from Bea cUkai asking for a proof of invoice and a BPOM (badan pemeriksa obat dan makanan) statement saying that they agree to declare that the cosmetics items would simply be used for personal purposes only). ..... WTH.... seriously???

Im indonesian by decent and birth but have spent most of my life in sydney, since i speak fluent indonesian, I called the Post office to enquire this and was told that due to restricted rules on importing cosmetics (this is because major retailers suffer the most from the existence of online shops) all buyers need to complete a BPOM declaration letter which can only be done at the soekarno hatta post office (i live more than an hour away from fhe airport) and ....... After calling the guy again today asking if he could deliver it to my nearest post office, he offered me to pay him "under the table" to make it easier which i would need to do it at his place because he needs to do it secretly! Wth?? Why is it so hard to release a parcel and what is BPOM and why cant the BPOM statement be easily obtained and make parcel collections or deliveries easier for us? happy to pay GST/VAT/PPN but I somewhat think the whole process of POs indonesia is really ridiculous!! I used money to buy these stuffs!

Has anyone gone thru similar stuff like this in re to post packages? ]]> General Advice Bunnymum http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34901-Online-shopping-and-POS-Indonesia http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34888-Moving-to-Indonesia?goto=newpost Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:56:05 GMT Hi everyone, great to find this community. I am from India and have got a job offer in Indonesia and am currently negotiating the salary. Can someone... Hi everyone, great to find this community. I am from India and have got a job offer in Indonesia and am currently negotiating the salary. Can someone help me with these:

- What's the income tax rate in Indonesia? Google search suggests that tax rate is 30% on portion over Rp 500 million. Is that correct?

- Are there any tax advantages if the employer pays for housing, school fees, car, driver etc.? If yes, what are they?

- If I am there on a work permit, can my wife take up a job or start a business?

- Are salaries for expats paid in $ or rupiah? Any advantages to either approach apart from the exchange rate risk?

Thank you very much for your time ]]> General Advice Ekpaheli http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34888-Moving-to-Indonesia http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34762-Florida-s-Natural-OJ-available-again?goto=newpost Sat, 01 Jun 2013 09:22:59 GMT Woo hoo. It's back in the fridge at Kemang Ranch. So good but since it was unavailable from Christmas until now we bought a few containers and froze some. Buy it AND tell the staff how much you like it if you want to keep 100% fruit juice around! ]]> General Advice MattyRedSox http://www.livinginindonesiaforum.org/showthread.php/34762-Florida-s-Natural-OJ-available-again