Let’s meet the locals!

Meeting locals in Bali.

Riding the same wave as the previous blog. I feel I need to elaborate on the local aspect. In Bali, the tourism, hospitality, and retail aspect of the island are where business is at.

In Jakarta it is much more business related, a different set of language skills is needed. For the most part, what is lacking in the locals is the confidence to speak.

Meeting the general shopkeepers and tour operators in Bali, one will hear the same style of English. This is where the change needs to be. Hopefully, by connecting with the younger audience they can learn and upgrade their English skills.

The locals in general.

While I have yet to encounter bad locals, they see foreigners as a source of income to feed their families. This is normal for Bali. The whole world here relies on people coming and going, renting cars, scooters, and villas. As well as restaurants, spas, and tours provided by the locals.

However, that is scratching the surface of the Balinese people. Since most foreigners come and go, most will never get to know the Balinese people. Most will spend a maximum of a month here and then leave.

The people that stay.

For the most part, the foreigners that stay will make plenty of local friends. Others will stick to their kind and rarely venture out of that circle of friends.

I have found some very happy foreigners here and found many disjointed ones. The ones that are miserable will tend to stay cranky, angry, and miserable. Maybe that is their nature.

Hanging out with locals is different, there are different values and different conversations as their world revolves around Bali. Many have never been off the island and not even as far as Jakarta. This is their bubble. When the pandemic hit, it hit hard and devastated Bali. While this Bali is different than the old one, we need to keep in mind that the people here are kind and caring and when you get to know them below the surface of rentals and sellers of goods and services, you may uncover a different world of friendship. The next time you come to Bali, take your time and have a meaningful conversation with a local. This applies to all countries and destinations. Be kind, be caring, and be open to new experiences in life.