preparing for indonesian culture?

[Lorenzoid]

I plan on spending a good deal more time on land than diving on my next Indonesian trip. I found this this used book on Amazon, and it's been a fascinating introduction to Indonesian culture. Not so applicable in a diving situation, but if you want a bit more about the culture, I recommend this.

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I have a couple of books from the Culture Shock series. Some can seem kind of silly, like "Australia," but in general they are good reading. I don't have "Indonesia." I generally use them for my non-dive travels more than for dive travel, unless I'm doing something like taking a long trip that involves some off-the-beaten-path travel. For dive-only trips, I tend to stay on the well-beaten path of many divers before me, and I figure the locals have probably encountered less culturally sensitive visitors than me.

 

[Luko]

Well for once, if you are smoking it would be a good start for you...because unfortunately Indonesians are some of the heaviest chain smokers in SEA. Offering and sharing a ciggy (to a smoker of course!) is always a nice way to start an impromptu chat, you can also offer to join in for a beer over a good day diving (in Bali or North Sulawesi its mostly OK for everyone to have a beer, better check first your guide is not muslim if not that would be an obvious faux pas, better propose "a drink".).

Like said above, it's also a good thing to show interest and return questions on wife, kids, living etc even though it appears strange to you.

Two discussing topics that usually never end :
- soccer teams (get a favorite one : pick from Real, Barca, Bayern or Man U. You soon discover your guide is sometimes more up to date than you are)
- how do you say XXXX in bahasa (the indonesian language)? I learn a lot with that plus it's a winwin, you show interest, they're happy and proud to teach you how to say it, you learn a new language. I remember a young boatman happy teaching me on the diveboat "ombak tinggi datang kita".

 

[billt4sf]

I remember a young boatman happy teaching me on the diveboat "ombak tinggi datang kita".

"A Database error occurred" ?

 

[Luko]

"A Database error occurred" ?

C'mon your bahasa cannot be THAT bad !
...or you should start smoking

The high wave is coming to us

 

[Lorenzoid]

My favorite with the DMs is "pelan pelan."

 

[Dan]

Some more commonly used words:
Awas = Watch out
Aduh = Ouch
Permisi = Excuse me
Apa kabar? = What's up?
Pagi = Morning
Makan = Eat
Minum = Drink
Air = Water

 

[Dan]

"A Database error occurred" ?

The right sentence:
Ombak tinggi datang ke kita
"ke" = to

 

[Dan]

If you want to joke around with the Indonesian, tell them the following tongue twister really fast:

Kaki kaki kakak kakek ku kaku kaku.

 

[JohnN]

If you want to joke around with the Indonesian, tell them the following tongue twister really fast:

Kaki kaki kakak kakek ku kaku kaku.

An allusion, perhaps?

 

[Dan]

An allusion, perhaps?

No, that is a real sentence:
Kaki = foot
Kaki kaki = feet (repeating a noun word for plural form of the word)
Kakak = Older brother
Kakek = grandfather
Ku = My (hence, kakek ku = my grandfather)
Kaku = Stiff
Kaku kaku = Very stiff (repeating an adjective word = more of the adjective word).

So the sentence means:
The feet of my grandfather's older brother are very stiff.

...and Google Translate still fails to translate it correctly.