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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People of the future are being educated at the Green School, which has been operating on the island of Bali since 2008. The founders of the school, married couple John and Cynthia Hardy, sought to create a new type of educational institution where children would not have to be forced to study. And they succeeded: the students of the Green School eagerly strive for new knowledge and go to classes with joy. And adults who go to the Green School on excursions secretly envy the “green” schoolchildren.
You can go to school from the age of 3. A kindergarten has been opened for the little ones, and elementary, middle and high school programs are available for older children. Classes at the school are structured in the Three Frame Day format, which assumes that every day for students is divided into three thematic blocks and filled with interesting activities. Children study mathematics and physics, English and other foreign languages. Much attention is paid to aesthetic education: schoolchildren get acquainted with music theory and devote time to creativity every day. And, of course, ecology: children are taught to live in harmony with nature, to take care of the environment and the animals that inhabit it. There is even a small zoo at the school. The main secret of the Green School is practical classes. Here you can learn how to make chocolate or paper, grow bananas or create art installations. Classes are held in English, but there is a special program for children whose native language is not English.
The Green School is located in a picturesque Balinese forest near Ubud. The school territory is huge - about 8 hectares, but you won't get lost - signs are carefully placed everywhere. The school buildings are of particular interest - due to their unusual shape, the school resembles a fairy-tale village. There are no walls in the classrooms, so classes are always held outdoors. The bamboo houses were built according to the design of the Ibuku architectural bureau and arouse serious interest among tourists, for whom excursions are held around the territory.
The academic year begins in August and ends in June. In addition, the Green School runs children’s camps where you can come for a short course of educational activities. To become a student of the Green School, you need to fill out an application on the website. After this, all applicants will have to undergo an interview with teachers, based on the results of which the child can be enrolled in the school. Tuition at the school is paid; one month of study will cost approximately $1,000.
I learned about Green School in Bali while I was pregnant. This was a random post in the traveler community; I didn’t even think about any alternative education for a child at that time. But it was precisely because I discovered the Green School that I realized that there is a different approach to learning. An approach that creates a completely different worldview. And it seems to me that it is Green School that personifies the worldview that will be the foundation of the world of the future. At the very least, I would really like for these very principles of life to form the basis of the world in which our children will live. What exactly the Green School in Bali embeds in the minds and souls of its students, and what kind of project it is, is what I would like to tell you in this article. After all, while traveling around Bali, I simply could not afford not to stop by Green School to see it with my own eyes.
Green School is a completely unique project of the only school in the world, which is based on 8 basic principles of raising children: Unity, Responsibility, Compassion, Resilience, Peace, Equality, Community, Confidence.
By going to the official website of the school - www.greenschool.org - almost any parent who is not indifferent to the fate of their children will be impressed by the idea of Green School. Literally everyone I know would be happy to send their children to such an educational institution =) So I was infected with the green school idea, so I really wanted to come one day and see this unique place. Why, I would like my child to study in such a school =)
And so my three-year-old son and I ended up in Bali. And, naturally, we went to Green School for an introductory walk around it. At first, for some reason, I was afraid to write a letter asking to see the school, I didn’t know how to introduce myself, either as a potential client, or as a journalist for an online publication, so I delayed it a little and ended up waiting for the long weekend associated with Nyepi - the Balinese New Year.
After the holidays, I firmly decided that there was no time to delay and finally decided to write an email with a desire to come and inspect everything. To my great joy, there was a special form on the official website, by filling out which you sign up for an introductory walk around the school. It is located in the section of the site Book a tour. It also says that for the excursion a donation is collected for the development of the school, a minimum of 100,000 rupees, which is approximately 10 US dollars. That is, roughly speaking, the entrance ticket costs 10 dollars, but those who wish can pay more :) I am not the holder of a gold card, therefore, when I arrived at the Green School, I paid only the required minimum, receiving for it this card on my chest :)
When going to Green School, you won't see a single sign along the way. And when approaching the school, you may not immediately notice such a modest entrance among the dense thickets of the Balinese jungle.
There are no other identifying marks on the outside.
But when you enter the gate, you see a huge expanse of a football field, as well as various sports complexes made of bamboo.
The large bamboo building with a round dome in the photo above is the so-called Heart of the School.
High school children study here, and the school administration is also located here. The building is very large, at least compared to other buildings. Here is the project for its construction.
As you noticed, absolutely everything is built from bamboo.
Many people are drawn to this “bamboo forest,” as the school staff call this unusual place.
There are bamboo trunks of different thicknesses suspended from the ceiling, and when you walk through them, you get a spontaneous melody because the trunks hit each other, creating noise, and each one sounds differently, all adding up to an overall harmonious sound. Mishutka and I ran back and forth through this thing more than once =)
Surely you have noticed that almost every trunk has inscriptions. These are first and last names. But not the school staff, as it might seem.
The thing is, bamboo isn't cheap. The cost of one barrel is about 400 dollars. But the school needs a huge amount of bamboo. Green School is growing more and more, and its own financial resources are not enough for such a scale. Therefore, anyone can “donate” a bamboo trunk to the school :) The school has an unspoken principle - not to accept donations directly, you can only pay for any amount of bamboo, and for this your name will forever remain engraved on the walls of the school. The most interesting thing is that a person who wants to purchase bamboo for a school simply writes an email, wherever he is, and his name is immediately “engraved” on the bamboo trunk, and only then does he transfer the money for this to the supplier company. Yes, the school takes risks, but, as Maria (a school employee) said, so far no one has cheated, everything is built on trust =)
One of the main ideas of this project is a clean and healthy planet in the future, living in harmony with nature. Environmental friendliness is one of the main principles of the school. Of course, someone will say how can this be, because to create a school a huge number of trees are cut down, where is the ecology? But that is precisely why bamboo was chosen, because... it is growing quickly. If you cut down part of a bamboo forest, it will return to its original state in a relatively short time (compared to other trees).
There is also an abundance of this bamboo on the school grounds :)
The green school is completely self-sufficient. Drinking water is in a deep well. There is an installation here whose operating principle is similar to that of a well, i.e. groundwater is obtained from an underground well.
Coolers with this water are located everywhere in the school, Mishutka and I drank - excellent clean water, there were no consequences;) Local residents from neighboring villages also go for this drinking water. By the way, even ordinary local boys come to play on the field in the evening.
The school receives electricity from a generator, which generates energy thanks to a mountain river that runs next to the school. The school receives part of its energy from solar panels that grew like giant sunflowers in one of the clearings.
But most importantly, the architecture of the buildings is designed so that the maximum amount of light enters the room.
Adorable pineapple cabinet =)))
In general, you can write about furniture separately. All tables, chairs, benches, cabinets are unique. Everywhere there is an interesting design, natural materials and handmade work.
Bad angle, but tables like this were my favorite option =)
If you look closely at the details, you will see that all the crafts are made by children from garbage, or rather “waste materials”. For example, fish from disposable paper plates, or flowers from plastic bottles, or garlands from ice cream sticks... Old CDs, some broken tiles, remnants of paper waste - everything goes into work, creativity is born from everything.
And even the blackboards throughout the school are nothing more than windshields from old cars.
It’s just painted on the other side, but can be written on the glass surface perfectly with regular markers.
From the outside, all the bamboo buildings look almost like a traditional Balinese village :)
Please note that each building has its own unique architecture. Not a single building is repeated.
A company was created specifically for the development of architectural projects for the school, which specializes only in the construction of bamboo buildings. With us on the excursion was a young German, an architect by profession, who specially went to Bali to see this miracle of engineering. I went and looked at everything carefully and was impressed:) We are not architects, but we were no less impressed;)
What surprised me was the area of the school; we walked around only part of it (we didn’t go across the river, for example), and it took more than an hour. For some reason I imagined a smaller and sleeker territory, I was used to this format of private schools and gardens, but here it’s just a natural lost forest of several hectares, with these kind of gnome houses scattered everywhere :) It seems to me that this format is most suitable fits the very idea of a school, but at the moment of walking through such thickets it confused me a little. And the second point, which caused controversial feelings: there were a lot of untidy workers and some unfinished huts. It’s clear that everything is still growing and being finalized, but it strikes the eye as some kind of unfinished state or something, and it’s a bit dirty in places due to construction, workers are carrying earth or something else.
By the way, here in the photo you can see a path made of black stones. I didn’t really like them either =) I was wearing flip-flops and it was noticeably painful to walk on these stones, because... they are sharp. I was constantly worried about the child, that one could easily trip on such stones, and if this happened, then without a doubt his legs would be torn to blood, the entire surface of the stones was porous and with protrusions.
But it turns out that this is another one of the creators’ ideas. These stones are of volcanic origin, which in principle is not surprising, because there are two volcanoes in Bali. And when they were placed on the path, we were a little worried whether they would fit; the idea of using them was accidental. In the end, as Maria said, they are perfect because... The porous surface perfectly allows moisture to pass through and during the rainy season water does not accumulate, and due to the fact that the stones are not smooth, children’s feet do not slip. I can’t disagree with this, but in the dry weather that day I didn’t like walking on them =)
Another miracle of the architect's ideas is the bamboo bridge crossing the river.
They say that once about 100 people lined up on this bridge, and at the count of THREE they all jumped, but the bridge withstood the load and still stands beautifully :)
Let's take a little look into the school life of students, which breathes throughout the entire space around. According to the rules, you cannot photograph the children themselves, but we were lucky to get there on the days after the holidays, when there were short holidays, so there were no students anywhere. On the one hand, the photographs are empty because of this, on the other hand, we were able to photograph literally every little detail, because everything was accessible. And we walked right through the classrooms.
We were given access to the creative workshop. Here schoolchildren create their masterpieces. By the way, they also make their own paints.
Their work is then displayed in the school's gallery.
A lot of unusual drawings...
And high-level creative works, as if from serious professionals, although these are just school “crafts”.
Even learning photography is not just about taking beautiful pictures, it is about experimenting with exposure and light, which results in the birth of non-standard photographs.
The green school cultivates and develops in children this non-standard thinking and their own way of looking at things. Green School is strongly against leveling, and on the contrary, it supports the individuality of each child and the search for his talents and abilities. Maria said that when she came here as a teacher from Malta, where she was originally from, she was surprised how open the children here were, how different their approach to communicating with the teacher was, how much they were not afraid to express their thoughts. I was pleased to hear this, also because the person seems to be from a European country, but talks about the same problems in educating children that we have today. This means that the reason is not only the “scoop” that all opponents of our education blame. This problem exists all over the world and this is clearly proven by the presentation of Ken Robinson.
School students can also show their creative abilities in the theater on stage.
Green School, of course, has a canteen where only natural food is prepared. But there is also a small cafe.
Here students prepare their own raw food products. For example, homemade chocolate and other dishes.
Schoolchildren also learn on their own how certain products are produced by growing rice in nearby fields. Even very young children from the elementary groups of kindergarten grow cucumbers and other vegetables themselves.
Children also learn to appreciate nature through caring for and feeding endangered bird species. These blue-legged birds are on the verge of extinction.
A small reserve has been created at the Green School where these birds are kept, trying to maintain the population.
Children are entrusted with caring for them.
It seems like an important and good mission, but the cages still confused me: (Very conflicting feelings. Although the population of these birds at the moment does not reach such a concentration to survive in nature on their own.
This concludes the tour of the school. At the end, we all sat down at our desks like schoolchildren and simply listened to Maria’s story about Green School and the philosophy of this project.
Green School Philosophy
The creator of the Green School is an English businessman who sold his successful jewelry business and decided to use this money to organize an amazing project called Green School. The mission of the school is to educate children successfully adapted to the coming era of globalization. The goal of the Green School is to introduce and advocate a new model of education that combines the lessons of nature, which underpin all life on the planet, with the relevant, effective preparation of younger generations for a rapidly changing future.
Basic principles
The principles of the Green School are a set of eight basic principles, on the basis of which the idea itself was essentially created and this school grew. But, as you know, an idea is one thing, and its implementation is another. The second is not so easy to implement, especially with such a large-scale project. The creators had to be pioneers and testers in literally all areas of the school’s development. And now, after 5 years of operation of the school, it is already possible to draw any conclusions about whether they achieved what they started the whole project for. I will look at all these principles in more detail, and comment on my own, based on what I saw in the Green School. And together we can understand whether everything is as originally intended.
Unity
The unity of nature and modern achievements. So that children can easily use all the latest gadgets and knowledge, but at the same time respect their origins, their natural beginning. Without a doubt, this goal has been achieved at the school. Here, advanced technology is intertwined with a love of nature. It is important for teachers to teach children all modern knowledge, or rather to teach how to obtain and use it, because today the volumes of information are so enormous that it is simply not possible to learn it. But it is important to convey to children the understanding that information today is available in many ways, it can be taken if necessary, but it is also important for the child to know how to use it for their development.
Responsibility
Responsibility for your decisions, actions, for your life... This skill is important for every person, but, unfortunately, I see little of this today in the world around me. Today there are many adults who are absolutely irresponsible in their actions, thoughts, and intentions. It’s strange that there is no understanding that you even have to pay for your thoughts. The Green School teaches you to think independently, to be responsible for yourself, your loved ones and the environment.
Compassion
Students see how poor most of the indigenous people of Bali live. Children take care of animals and plants. This gives rise to compassion for others, the ability to appreciate and respect one’s neighbor. This is undoubtedly a very important quality, and I saw that Green School is taking the path of developing this quality in its students, i.e. adherence to the original idea is maintained.
Durability
Teachers work with students in such a way that they support their opinions, their any endeavors, they do not suppress individuals, so children grow up confident in their abilities. A confident person is a strong person. All children are different, but there is no doubt that the Green School teaches us to steadfastly resist external stimuli and the difficulties of life, and to stand firmly on our own two feet.
Life in peace and love. The whole atmosphere at Green School is imbued with this. Starting from the buildings themselves, which are the personification of harmony and love, to the relationships between students and teachers. The school has special subjects where the foundations of peace and good relationships between all parts of planet Earth are learned.
Equality
Children of different nationalities and different religions study at the Green School. There are Europeans, Indians, Chinese, African-Americans and many others here. They are all equal and form a single whole. This is incredibly important in the context of globalization that has already begun. They exchange traditions, experiences, languages. Children who seem so different have common goals, joys and experiences. Moreover, although the school is not cheap, Balinese children from poor families also attend the school. A quota of free education has been allocated for them. Thus, all children treat both poor and rich equally, they have mutual respect and understanding. This is also one of the facets of equality. And this principle is also fully achieved in the Green School.
Community
Confidence
Green School employees help their students even after completing their studies. Employees maintain contact with graduates and guide them, no matter where they are in the world. Knowing the characteristics of a particular student, the school prepares offers for them where they can go to work. Already during their studies, the school’s projects or works created by students participate in world exhibitions and conferences. Due to its uniqueness, the Green School attracts the attention of executives of leading companies in the world. Managers from various industries come here to meet students, and in the end, just to look at this amazing project with their own eyes :) Therefore, school graduates are confident in their future and in themselves, because Green School, even during their studies, thinks about their future and promotes them .
Conclusion
As you can see, there were some little things that I didn't really like, but it's normal to objectively perceive what you see. But what is admirable and deserves respect is that the school’s creators have truly created a unique project in the whole world, the principles of which are fully implemented, and simply beautifully implemented. They did not change their idea even once and in no way. This is incredibly valuable! I really, really enjoyed Green School!
This close acquaintance with the school never discouraged my desire for my child to study there. This does not mean that we will definitely go there, life will tell. But what I would like to give and open up such opportunities for my son is undoubtedly. But many people want to, but not many can move to Bali and change their lives so radically, and the school simply cannot accommodate everyone, now there are almost 400 people studying there, but it all started with only a few dozen. But one of the tasks of Green School is to make people aware of the possibility of a new look at such an education model and implement it in their homeland. Maria literally said: “When you return home, take our experience to teach your children, tell others about it.” This does not mean that we need to run out and open a school ourselves, we just need to bring this experience into our lives so that our children develop a new worldview. And I already have ideas on how to do this under the most ordinary conditions, but I’ll tell you about this later, when I try to implement everything. But I also know people who, using the Green School as a basis, and who were inspired by it, created their own gardens and schools in a similar vein in India and Thailand. I will also definitely tell you about these projects, because... Although they are not so large-scale, they are no less interesting and worthy;)
Well, for those who are passionate about giving their children at least a piece and a small opportunity to find out what Green School is and how it lives, camps are organized at the school every summer Green Camp, when for several days anyone is immersed in a completely different world :)
How to get there
You won’t see a single sign or sign on the way to the Green School, there’s nothing. The only option for orientation in space is the navigator. I used regular google.map on my phone. The location of Green School on Google maps is indicated absolutely precisely, so if you follow them, you won’t be mistaken and sooner or later (getting lost among villages is a common thing :)) you will still get to the school;)
For renting a house in Bali or neighboring islands, as well as in other countries of the world. Applies automatically when booking over $69.
. Coupon for 1000 rubles for booking any hotel at a discount on Booking.com. It works like cashback - the money is returned to the card after leaving the hotel.
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.
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 kids.
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.
