HOORAY! Yesterday was an important and significant day! Yesterday, July 14, 2014, our Misha went to international school in Bali! It’s quite unusual that the school year began on July 14 🙂 But that’s okay, but the weather greeted us just like the first of September, as most often happens in Russia on the Day of Knowledge - cloudy and rainy 🙂 We chose an international school - Doremi Excellent School (DES), but more on that below... 
So, once again I want to voice the importance and excitement of this moment. Mikhail, one might say, is the pioneer among all our relatives who will study at an international school, which, frankly, makes me proud! Moving forward and exploring a completely new world is always great!
A little background...
So, school DOREMI. At first we wanted to join another school - larger, more popular, more expensive, although it would take about an hour to get to it from home. However, at the right moment there were no free places there... There was no time to despair (and in general you should never despair 😉), because the start of the school year was already upon us. Upon arrival home from school in 2! hours on the Internet Natasha“Plan B” was immediately found - an international school DOREMI, located 3-5 minutes from our house by bike/car. We immediately sat down and went to watch! The school turned out to be quite nice, small and neat. 
Well, actually, September 1... i.e. the 14 th of July🙂 We all got into the car and headed to school; on the way, a tropical downpour began) He had been gone for a very long time, and on such a school holiday the memories came flooding back, for some reason I always remember the weather like this on September 1 :) We are approaching the school , right to the entrance, the entrance is under the roof - everything is comfortable, the guards immediately run up and open the doors, kindly help passengers get out - a small thing, but it’s nice, damn it :)
In general, we left Misha alone with his new school and new class, and we went home. Upon his return, Misha already said that there were no lessons today as such. There was an acquaintance with all the teachers who came in turn and talked about themselves and their subject. Then there was something similar to fun starts.
We think baby ready- he may ask security to call his parents, buy food for himself, on the first day he met many classmates and already found some common interests, played football, tried to talk to a Japanese classmate who “couldn’t speak either English or Indonesian.” kick in the tooth." I won almost the entire class in arm wrestling (took 2nd place) - apparently all guys do this when meeting new people - we even did this in college, probably to understand who you can pester and who you shouldn’t 😉
Alexey Maryaninov: By the way, the price is very budgetary) Most international schools in Bali have a much higher price tag. Misha speaks quite well, his vocabulary is already large. I have repeatedly noticed that he can calmly stand with his classmates and communicate in English... crookedly and askance for now, of course, but the psychological barrier of communicating in a foreign language has already been passed - that’s for sure. Nothing has been decided about Russian education yet, but we will definitely study 4th grade at home using Russian textbooks in addition. Perhaps we’ll decide a little later to register at a Russian school in Indonesia on another island, where it’s possible to take exams externally, and finish at least elementary school with an official piece of paper... but this is still in our thoughts. If we decide, then, of course, there will be a separate article about this)
Olga Petrova: Alexey, it turns out that the next admission to school is possible only in July 15? Yes, you are right, this is a good price. I would send my children to your school, but it is far from us...we live in Canggu. Either we have to ride, or we will continue to look.
Alexey Maryaninov: Olga, I think you can apply at any time. It's a long drive from Canggu :)
Ragimat: Hello, in which area in Bali is the DOREMI school located?
Alexey Maryaninov: Hello, Ragimat. The school belongs to Denpasar, and in general the territorial district, it seems to me, is Renon. Here is a link to the school, there is a map with a pointer https://ru.foursquare.com/v/doremi-excellent-school-des/4c103d10ce57c928e7a381d2
Milena: Does your school provide an opportunity to obtain the International Basic Certificate of Secondary Education, recognized throughout the world?
Alexey Maryaninov: Milena, I can’t say anything about recognition all over the world :) And, to be honest, I don’t think anyone can say this 100%. I am sure that there are plenty of universities that decide for themselves what to take into account and what not. However, this school gives an international certificate, as I understand it. It’s just not that important for us, because... We do not consider this school as a place of permanent study for Misha. If you are interested in such subtleties, then you can safely approach the director - he is a very nice and friendly guy.
Guest: Alexey, good afternoon. Please tell me how is your son’s education? Joined the team? Is the training entirely in English? From native speakers? And as for the cost, it’s not entirely clear. For a year it turns out to be about $1000 in total? We are exploring Bali for a long-term move. School is very important. Thank you
Alexey Maryaninov: Good afternoon. In principle, Misha likes everything, he has joined the team, communicates quite actively with everyone in English, and goes to extracurricular activities. Training is partly in English, partly in Indonesian. There are 3 subjects in English - English, mathematics and science. In the future they plan to expand the list of subjects in English. The monthly payment is about 4,500 rubles, a total of 54 thousand rubles per year + at the beginning of the year about 30 thousand (depending on the class and how many years you want to pay for right away). Everything is listed in the price list :)
Oleg Almaev: Alexander, do you communicate more with residents in Indonesian or English? If it's not difficult, write an answer to [email protected]
Alexey Maryaninov: Oleg, if the question is still for me, then my name is Alexey :)))) My wife and I don’t know Indonesian, so communication with locals takes place in English, and even then this communication is quite minimal (shops, restaurants, what something staff). We have enough Russian-speaking friends)
Guest: Good afternoon! Alexey, how are things going with the visa? Was your child registered at school? For parents, how do guardians receive registration?
Alexey Maryaninov: Good afternoon, Zhanna! In fact, we are still on a social visa :) The school offered to apply for a student visa, but the school naturally acts only as a “sponsor” and issues a sponsorship letter, and you pay all the costs of the visa yourself. I don’t know about the parents... but I think it’s unlikely.
Alexey Maryaninov: Zhanna, yes, yes, that’s right. For the Balinese, all Russians, if not white, are all friends and brothers. I'm glad that they remember and remember us there :) Of course, we gave them such a concert there :) How do you like the school? How's the director?
Guest: The school is very nice, everyone is friendly. The director made a special impression - intelligent, sociable, welcoming! How quickly did Misha manage to get used to school?
Alexey Maryaninov: The director is a very caring and intelligent person, that’s for sure. Misha got used to it quite quickly. Not right away, of course, but, I think, after two months he was already there like a duck to water, he met many people, I often saw him communicate with high school students (they showed more interest in him, and they spoke English at a good level) . I went to my classmates' birthdays, signed up for sports clubs, in general, everything was like in a regular school:) What class did you go to?
Guest: First and second! We have a girl and a girl :))
Alexey Maryaninov: Cool!!! :)
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Offers:
- entertaining lessons and language trainings with MASTERI teachers in the most beautiful places in Bali
- conversation practice with a native English speaker from Australia
- the opportunity to live in different parts of Bali and feel its amazing energy
- relaxation on the secret beaches of the island
- a rich excursion program to the best places on the island (conquering a volcano, going to a waterfall, watching the sunrise with dolphins, etc.)
- relaxation and bliss in an art villa in the cultural capital of Bali, among the jungle and rice terraces
- SPA programs
- full support of MASTERI during their stay on the island
At your request, we organize yoga and surfing classes.
More about the program
Most classes will be held in the format of a conversation club, discussions and debates with reference to travel and relevant vocabulary, which you will immediately put into practice. A native English speaker from Australia will help you get started and improve your communication skills. Our original trainings on the technique of memorizing words and easily mastering all English tenses will help you make a breakthrough in learning English.
For groups with an intermediate level of language proficiency and above, the excursion program will also be held in English for the purpose of deeper immersion in the language.
First we will live in the very south of Bali. We have at our disposal a secluded villa near the ocean, where we will live, study English and have fun together. You will relax on the pristine beaches of the island. You can hardly find them in guidebooks; travel agents know nothing about them. AboutSuch places are not told to everyone - this is the privilege of MASTERI's friends.
In the middle of the trip, several days await you at the Art Villa of the French artist in Ubud - the cultural capital of Bali among the jungle, stretching along a mountain river. It is a place of inspiration for creative people from all over the world and those who love yoga, self-discovery and organic food. Ubud is famous all over the world for its spa treatments, so we included a two-hour relaxation in one of the best salons in Bali.
Let's start by saying that it is unheard of to fly to Bali and not try surfing! On the island it is on par with yoga :) We decided to surf for the first time and I decided to compare the Russian school and the school with local instructors. Thus, a whole article for the blog is overdue. I hope my humble opinion will help newbies in choosing a school.
Surfboards
Bali is a paradise island washed by the warm Indian Ocean, the best place to start surfing. The greatest concentration of surfing schools is on the beaches in the Kuta area, which are an ideal place for beginner surfers; the waves here are small and there is almost no one in the water except people with boards.
Surfing in Bali. Kuta Beach.
Russian surf school
Why did you choose a Russian school to start with? Because they were afraid of misunderstanding an important theory, if it were in English, which the instructor should introduce. Seryozha took the risk of going to the Endless Summer Russian school with a gift certificate for 3 lessons.
Difficulties arose at the stage of issuing the certificate, immediately after payment via PayPal, since no receipt was received and, at least, no beacon by email. It took three more days to clarify these issues through correspondence. Happenes! But it wouldn’t hurt to set up a payment system for the school. You can sign up for classes a day in advance and usually do not have to depend on the school schedule. I was very pleased with the school’s technical support - quick response in Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, and by telephone. Upon request, the school provides transfer from your hotel or your accommodation.
Go to class in your own transport!
Upon arrival at the lesson, you meet the instructor, who will bring you up to date: which board to choose, tell you the philosophy of this sport, and, of course, spend more theoretical time on safety precautions - you can’t go anywhere without it. I was only a spectator, but I had already received such comprehensive information on the main issues of surfing that even later I wanted to try it myself. I can’t help but note the excellent work of the instructor at the Russian school! Dedication and complete control from training on the sand to adjusting movements in the ocean. Instructor Zhenya, who is completely in love with surfing, is ready to pass on this love to everyone!
The instructor helps Seryozha get on the board
A group of people in a lesson can range from 5 to 7 people. Quite comfortable, considering that the main Russian-speaking instructor always works in pairs with a local English-speaking instructor, so each of them is assigned 3 students. Everyone is given enough attention to work on the technique and correct mistakes. Moreover, the entire process in the ocean is filmed from the shore, after which, from the photographs, you can judge the correctness of the technique or simply buy photographs for your personal archive or show off to your friends on social networks. Also, the website states that they provide surfboard rental for the whole day on the day of the lesson and if you want to continue training, you need to check the availability of free boards.
A group of beginner surfers are preparing to dive into the ocean :)
The school is located indoors along with a surf cafe, where you can relax and have a snack after class.
Seryozha stood on the board!
A couple of points can be added to the minuses column - from the atmosphere within the group to, in fact, the price for the lesson and photographs. The price for one lesson, which lasts 2.5 hours, costs $50, a trial lesson for an hour less costs $35. Actually, this is the reason that stops me from continuing my studies. One photo costs $5, at a time when a seven-day photo shoot of lessons costs $35. It’s a little expensive for one photo, but if you compare it with a mountain of photos in 7 days, it’s better to buy more. We can summarize that the quality of services in a Russian school is high, but the price really bites.
Local surf school
As an experiment and after listening to the whole theory in Russian at my previous school, my English teacher and I decided to find something cheaper and in English. She, as my personal teacher, promised to help me if there was something I didn’t understand.
We are wearing the Up2U school uniform
The school chosen was Up2U Surf School Bali. The price of one group lesson is $26 and this is an absolute plus, but if you take two classes in bulk, for example, it will cost you even a little more - $57. Payment on site in cash in Indonesian Rupiah. Without any further requests, the school arranged a transfer for us from our home and back.
Instruction at Up2U school
I was expecting a long lecture on safety precautions, general rules, interaction with the ocean and the board. But in the end, the instructor’s introductory story lasted barely 15 minutes. On the sand, he showed me the technique of how to lie down on the board, how to row and how to get up. Then we immediately went into the ocean. Due to the fact that there were 10 people in the group for 2 instructors, it was difficult to pay attention to everyone. I got the impression that it is important for instructors that a person gets on the board and rides, so to speak, to satisfy the tourist, but this is not correct. For example, I could not understand how to lie down on the board correctly and did not even receive any comments or tips addressed to me. This school also has photographs of the process from the shore, but this is done, to a large extent, just for fun, not for comments on the technique. The cost of photographs for one lesson is 50 thousand rupees (~$4).
Up2U school photographer's work
The man got on the board!
What inspired me most was the atmosphere in the group, which was super friendly. Everyone tries to encourage and praise each other. This is how the local school is very different from the Russian one.
Our instructor and us
In principle, you can choose a school according to your main goals: either you want to learn how to do everything correctly on the board and continue surfing, or your goal is just to get on the board, feel the wave and this will be enough for you, so to speak, more for show.
The lesson is over, but I still want more!
Maybe after trying only two schools it’s not worth judging the quality of teaching, but it seemed to me that this was enough for simple conclusions. In any case, it all depends on your desire and budget. Good luck in conquering new heights!
For several months now, “Oh!” travels around the world and in different countries. Today we make a stop in Indonesia, on the paradise island of Bali. Marina Zhemchuzhnikova, a mother of two children, lives here and is ready to talk about the local education system.
I live in Bali with my husband Roman and our children: seven-year-old Danila and four-year-old Eva. The son studies in an online school, and the daughter goes to an international kindergarten.
How everything works at my son's school
Danila entered the first grade of an online school this year, that is, he studies in absentia, via the Internet. My son has two online lessons in a row twice a week, and during this time you can ask questions in the chat. The classes are conducted like this: my son and I watch the lesson in electronic form, then we study using the online textbook and complete video assignments. Usually you need to sing a song, read the text, and retell it. Then we begin written assignments: I give them to Danila myself.
My son studies using government textbooks, which often contain assignments of this type: “Tell me about the sights of your hometown.” The teacher always clarifies that we are talking about Russia: Danila spent the first three and a half years of his life there.
It is very easy for Danila to study: he completed the first grade program long ago, studying with a Russian-speaking teacher. My son has the same ones as schoolchildren in Russia: autumn, winter and spring, one week each, and long summer ones.
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Why did we choose this particular school?
Children enter Balinese schools immediately for 6-8 years, and education is paid. First you need to make a significant contribution, and then, throughout the entire period of study, pay small amounts every month and year. Since we do not plan to live in Bali for so long, we decided to educate our son by correspondence.
I really don't like this type of study, because I have to study a lot, and besides, I have little time to just have fun with my family. In addition, the educational process is not yet very well established; there are problems with the software, some shortcomings, and a lot of bureaucracy. There are no living and other parents. But for now this is the most suitable option for us.
How everything works in a Balinese kindergarten
Eva was born in Bali, and this is the first kindergarten in her life. Children from various countries study here: Chinese, Australians, Russians and, of course, Indonesians. Groups range from 12 to 15 children.
At first, Eva visited the kindergarten with joy, but then for three days in a row she did not want to let me go and cried a lot. I don’t know what secret technique the teachers have, but they simply insisted that I leave, and then Eva quickly calmed down.
The school year in this kindergarten begins at the end of July, vacations are three times a week, and summer vacations last almost the entire month of June. Classes are from 8 a.m. to noon; there is also an extended day group where you can stay until 4 p.m.
The day in kindergarten begins with exercises, in which teachers also participate. Everyone dances and sings songs. Then classes begin in different classes: modeling, drawing, English, Indonesian, cooking, and so on. Sometimes the teacher himself may invite the children to create their own schedule for the day.
In the kindergarten, children are fed twice. In the morning, children are given cookies or fruit, as well as tea or milk. After classes they have lunch: soup, rice, pasta with chicken or sausages. When children have cooking lessons, they prepare treats for themselves and their parents.
Here it is customary to celebrate with a kindergarten group, and in some interesting place: in a water park, on the beach, in a hotel.
The children are taught by young, cheerful and active teachers, and I like their approach to the educational process. They do not strive to give children a lot of knowledge; they have a different task: to adapt children to school and adult life.
Much attention is paid to large-scale problems: teachers talk about global warming, waste recycling, and how important the contribution of each person is. I can’t say that they provide high-quality and comprehensive knowledge here, but the children in the kindergarten are interested.
The children are taught by young, cheerful and active teachers, and I like their approach to the educational process. They do not strive to give children a lot of knowledge; they have a different task: to adapt children to school and adult life.
Tourists should know what language the locals speak and whether it is possible to speak English in Indonesia. The country of Bali is located on the conventional border separating Australia and the countries of Southeast Asia. The official language of the exotic paradise for tourists is Indonesian, or, as the Balinese call it, Bahasa Indonesia. This article will describe the communication features of the Balinese, as well as knowledge of what phrases in Indonesian will be needed by travelers going on vacation to this country.
Features of the official language
On the islands, local residents actively use the Bahasa Indonesian language. It is used at all levels of government structures: legislative, judicial and executive systems. Educational institutions in Bali also use the official language.
The more popular language on the islands, which the Balinese widely use to communicate and solve everyday problems, is the Balinese language, which has received the status of a national language. But despite this, all residents living on the island speak Indonesian.
It is important to note that learning Indonesian is quite easy. To gain the trust of any local resident, you will need very little: know a couple of simple phrases in this language. It is not without reason that when a person hears native phrases from the lips of a foreigner, he is immediately imbued with a friendly attitude towards him. The simplest words in Indonesian can be useful in hotels, small markets that sell fresh fruits and vegetables, and in souvenir shops that are located at every turn, especially in tourist places.
Indonesian writing is based on Latin letters, the pronunciation of which does not differ from the writing. The Balinese are accustomed to placing emphasis on the last syllable.
As for the rules of grammar, when learning a language you should pay attention to the following features:
- Sentences use direct word order: the subject comes first, then the predicate, and then the secondary members of the sentence.
- There are no tenses in the Indonesian language. The Balinese always use one single verb form. In this connection, in order to make a sentence in the future or past tense, you need to take the corresponding verb in the present tense and add adverbs to it: tomorrow or yesterday.
The main thing in learning an official language is a good vocabulary. Grammar has no fundamental function. If a person has a good memory and has spent enough time learning words in Indonesian, then local residents will easily understand it in almost any situation, even if the sentence is not grammatically constructed correctly.
Tourists wishing to go on holiday to the Balinese Islands are advised to learn words indicating gratitude and greeting. If possible, they should be able to introduce themselves when they meet: tell where they came from, where their country is, what their name is, how old they are, what profession they have, whether they have children.
Sometimes you may need knowledge of certain dishes, drinks (water, wine and juices), as well as fruits and seafood. If you want to be able to, it is difficult to do without knowing the words denoting some numerals.
As practice shows, it will be a rather useless exercise to remember how to find out any route or direction to follow on a particular trip. Local residents are unlikely to understand a foreigner’s question. And even if they understand, it will be very difficult for a tourist to understand their answer. Therefore, to clarify this issue, it is advised to use gestures or hire a local resident for a few dollars who knows the map of the area like the back of his hand.
You should not memorize phrases that help you conduct a conversation with people working at customs control. You can express your thoughts incorrectly, and then unforeseen difficulties will arise. At passport control, it is better to communicate a little in English, using the simplest phrases: good afternoon, yes and no.
To learn the most basic phrases that will become necessary in everyday life, you can purchase an English to Indonesian phrasebook before your trip.
According to statistics, the Balinese language, which linguists classify as an Austronesian language group, is spoken by approximately 300 million people in the world. For foreigners, this language may not seem easy to learn. This is due to the history of the language: the Balinese language was formed under the influence of two local dialects.
There is an opinion that the Balinese language is considered to be the language of the common people. To emphasize their importance and superiority, representatives of the upper caste on the Balinese islands address the representatives of the lower castes.
However, it is customary for representatives of the upper castes to be addressed quite differently from the common person. When communicating, a greater number of high-flown words and expressions are used, as well as, as the Balinese say, “the purest sound combination.”
Therefore, if a foreigner who comes on vacation to Bali has a desire to conquer those around him with his good knowledge of the Balinese language, he should be extremely careful and prudent so as not to inadvertently offend any of the local residents. By using one word or expression incorrectly, which cannot be used in relation to high-ranking people, you can greatly hurt the feelings of your interlocutor and even make him extremely aggressive.
Although, it is worth noting that the division into castes in Bali today is conditional. The caste system is used in frequently used religious practices that are revered by the Balinese. But the legislative branch introduces its own prohibitions on relationships based on caste differences between people. However, in the communication of people, the caste system continues to find its application in the modern world.
Useful knowledge of English
The third most popular language in the Balinese Islands is English. It is in this language that communication will be built with all foreign tourists who come in large numbers to this paradise on earth every year.
Classes are taught in English in many schools operating according to the European education system. In this connection, if a person comes to Indonesia with the goal of living there for several years, then he has every right to enroll his child in a school in which all subjects will be taught not in Indonesian, but in English.
As for the Russian language, the local population practically does not speak it at all. If you wish, you can find guides on the island who offer excursions in Russian, but there will be few such offers.
Perhaps in a few years Russian-speaking staff will appear in Bali, because thousands of tourists from Russia regularly come to the Balinese islands. But for now, when going to Bali, it would be useful to remember the simplest English phrases that will help in communication on the island.
If you want to study the vibrant and very colorful culture of the Balinese islands as deeply as possible, you simply need to get acquainted with the language of the local residents. It is he who will give the most complete idea of the diversity and depth of Indonesian culture.
