Testimonials

Below are some great comments from visitors to the Expat Forum provided in the spirit of the 12th birthday of the Living in Indonesia website and Living in Indonesia Expat Forum.

Hi, we moved to Jakarta in and this site has been and still is, a great help for me. Not only did I find info about schools for my kids, the info available about leisure has been very helpful. And of course the stories about life in Indonesia have been very funny for me, as I personally recognized many situations. Thanks! Nancy

Moving to Indonesia can be a very daunting experience for expats, as there is not a lot of reliable information available on the internet for getting visas and starting a business. The Expat Website is one of the few websites that has plenty of useful and reliable information for both people new to Indonesia and long-term expats. The forum is full of friendly people, including many Indonesians, something which I think is rare on other Asian expat forums. I get a lot of questions about visas to Indonesia and I find it easy to just refer people to this site. Mike

By chance I found this site and I had been living here for three years already. I have read so many posts on a variety of subjects. The site has helped me deal with certain situations and has saved me so much time. I am now not bouncing off so many walls as I used too! Thank you all! Wildbill

Aside from the humor, this site has been more than handy for general information about expat life in Indonesia and has answered specific questions that have saved me a lot of time and money. Often the off-topic banter answers a question or provides interesting information without ever having to ask. Great site. Keep up the good work. Masfred

I'd like to sincerely thank the Expat website for providing a medium for people like Mas Fred to express their individuality and creativity, thus keeping them off the streets. I can't imagine what they'd get up to otherwise. Gratilla

I started using this site in Perth just before I came over here over 6 and half years ago now. I have found this site always to be helpful and informative and often a laugh reading the banter between posters. The site also has cleaned itself up a lot. Before, I’m not sure what was the problem but everything took ages to come up on the screen or you couldn’t log on at all. I think the server or something changed and it is now quick every time and always available. Also the forum has cleaned itself up. About 4 years ago, maybe longer, some of the posters comments to each other were absolutely vicious, (maybe they were all being sarcastic and they were all great mates?). I remember one girl Ella K 3000, not sure if she is still here now but she used to get bad comments from some posters, it got quite embarrassing, great to see that is no longer tolerated, keep up the good work, I continue to recommend you to everyone I think could be in use of good advice, chat, information and sharing of stories in Indonesia. David Kessell

For me, this site helped me to get my visa sorted out and all those extra things you need that nobody tells you like ITAS , SKTT etc. Great thanks to atlantis and his extensive posting. I don't know why he likes to help so much. If i was him i would be fed up by now from all the repeating questions coming from all over the place. Without this site i wouldn't have known that my visa could be sponsored by my wife and probably would have ended up teaching english or something, so yes it helped me a great deal. I also enjoy reading about other peoples' issues. It lets me know that I'm not alone in my experiences and sometimes makes me laugh at how bules are treated. Its nice to know that any time i am unsure about something that i can just come to this forum and ask another expat who has already been there and done that. Most Indonesians can't answer my questions, sometimes because of language barrier but mostly because they just don't know. Beebop

Hi all! Overall this site has been of help as regards to ITAS , ITAP and towards how to proceed towards kewarganegaraan Indonesia. Many thanks to the moderators and others that has been providing answers to questions. I wish all, Selamat Lebaran, Maaf Lahir Bathin! sglange

This is a great site with great information and wonderful people. I met 5 new friends and went out for lunch; they also visited my house and its very nice that I could help them too. I told my uncle in us to follow this forum too and now he is reading this forum as a part of his daily routine. He never stayed in Indonesia, but he plans to live in Bali once he retires from his job since he's an enthusiastic diver. The information about visas and laws is a big help to him. This is also my favorite forum. Thank you so much.

Hi, I first found the site just ahead of my arrival here 3 days after 9/11. I have been back and forth since then and I am just ending a three year stint in Yogja now. The site has offered assistance with good advice and knowledge plus it has offered entertainment too. It has armed me with the right advice on many occasions which has made live a lot easier and given me good insight into the people and the culture. Thank you, thank you, thank you! gfmfromnz

I found this site around 2nd September 1997 (when it was one day old!) and have been a keen follower ever since. Apart from the wealth of information, suggestions, stories, contacts and general stuff, it has a forum which has spawned some superb humour, getting mentions and links in several international travel guides. It has been fascinating to watch the tide of expats drift in and drift away again as they get reposted to other climes, some of whom are missed and some of whom I wouldn't inflict on my worst enemy. But most of all it's been fun. Thanks to Dani and the team for a great job well done. Dave (my real name at last!)

Happy birthday! Time went by so quickly. I remember the time you called me for the first time, took the train to Bandung for a full day's shopping, when you went to my house bringing cute little boy shirts. All what I, you, we have been through have made who we are today. Things went really tough at times, but you're always there. Have a sweet birthday and let's have coffee again sometime soon. A- Rottie

Happy 12th birthday! This site is really funny, broadening my knowledge and sharing the information and one way to practice my English, make new friendships, reading many interesting comments during my boring days. Keep up the good work! radit_bezit

Wish I'd have run across this site a few years ago but it's no good crying over spilled (non-fattening) soy milk. Thanks to this forum I have just saved a few million this month and maybe a few more in the future. Can't complain at that. Seem to be a group of really helpful guys and gals so thanks a lot. exbrit

Happy Birthday to the site. I don't visit too often but I have to say the open and honest comments I received when I was looking for some informed opinions on opening a little spa business with Balinese partners was appreciated. I wish all at the Expat Website a great year. Cheers, Bendigo

Great information about Indonesia. I'm new in Indonesia and this forum helps me discover interesting, funny, and great things about it and its people. Though some Expat Forum topics and posts are strong sometimes, it just warns me of who and what are the things I really should be worried about while I'm in Indonesia. And those won't stop me visiting this forum. Thanks and happy birthday! :d rainame

This site is very informative. I found this site a month before working in jakarta. I just joined the forum now, after working here for more than 4 years already. BTW, happy 12th birthday to the Expat Website. This site is a unique and great source of trustworthy information. Indonesia is a country that has a lot of wonderful things to offer, but it has a serious lack of reliable information. This site is a information goldmine that will helping you to save a lot of precious time and some precious money too. It helped me to plan the paperwork for my wedding in Indonesia with no bad surprises. I was happy to learn that my wife can sponsor me to switch from a Visit visa into an ITAS , so I need time to build something solid as a rock. Many Thanks to Atlantis for his help. Without forgetting to mention that this is a nice Forum to find a place for sharing our life moments good or bad. Cheers, Phil. (toraja boy)