Balinese, if you please
Cate Campbell and her young family are making the most of their adventure in Bali.
What inspired your move, and how long have you been there? We’ve always loved travelling and have planned to have a ‘‘family adventure’’ living overseas since our first daughter was born nine years ago. We’d never been to Bali but knew we wanted to go somewhere warm, affordable and kid-friendly. Then we stumbled across the Green School, a sustainability-focused school where kids are taught in bamboo classrooms, and our decision was made. We have been here since January. What do you do there? I teach drama and learning support at Green School and we are both kept busy looking after our kids – Ruby, 8, Rose, 6, and Olive, 2. What are the greatest advantages to living there? It is great having warm weather all year round and a fantastic surf spot at the end of our road. I have also been blown away by the warmth and generosity of the Balinese people. Affordable help is also an advantage. It’s pretty nice to have the house cleaned, beds made and washing done for us every day. Disadvantages? Stray dogs everywhere, especially on the beach, and the threat of nasty tropical diseases. Also traffic jams and crazed motorcyclists with death wishes. How expensive is it compared to New Zealand? How much is a beer? It has been more expensive than we expected. Olive’s playgroup costs more than our one at home, the school fees are high (comparable to private school fees back home) and NZ food staples, such as cheese, milk and bread, are dearer. It’s around NZ$6 for 250g of cheese. But beer is very cheap, at around NZ$1.50 per bottle. Eating out is also cheap – a delicious meal for NZ$2-$5 per person. If you prefer wine to beer, you’re out of luck. There is a high tax on imported alcohol, so a bottle of New Zealand wine that costs NZ$10 at home will be around NZ$30 here – if you can find it, that is. What do you do in your spare time? Hamish spends as much time as he can surfing and I go to the odd yoga lesson and pretend to enjoy it. We also spend a lot of time hanging out in our pool and playing at the beach with our daughters. One of our favourite weekend activities is to take a long walk along the beach to a fantastic beach-side barbecue restaurant. During the rainy season, we had to wade through a few rivers on the way. Sometimes they got so deep we had to carry the children through above our heads. We always arrived at the restaurant wet, sandy and dishevelled. I love that we never even got a second glance. What’s the local delicacy and would you recommend eating it? Babi Guling – suckling pig on a spit. Every warung (restaurant) that sells it has a graphic picture of a dead piglet on a stick on their sign. I have been too put off to try it. There are lots of other delicacies such as sate ayam (chicken satay with fragrant peanut sauce) and ikan lilit (minced fish with lemongrass on sticks). I also love jamu – a dark orange drink made with honey and turmeric. Easiest way to get around? A motorbike or scooter. But Hamish’s dad is a doctor and we’ve heard too many horror stories, so we use a car. What’s the shopping like? Not great near us, unless you want to buy a sarong or a plaited bracelet. Lethallooking bows and arrows are also available from our local beach vendors. Unfortunately, they’re not our thing. If you venture beyond the touristy areas you can find beautiful ceramics and intricately carved wooden furniture. Best after-dark activity? First watch a stunning sunset over the sea then dance the night away to live music at one of the beach-side restaurant/ bars. Alternatively, watch a traditional fire dance then lie out in the warm air and star-gaze. Best time of year to visit? During the dry season, between May and October. Air New Zealand also has direct flights during this time too. What are the top three things you recommend for visitors? Learn a bit of Indonesian and chat with locals, go snorkelling at Majangan Island (one of the top spots in the world), take part in a Hindu ceremony. Besides family and friends, what do you miss most about home? Straydog-free beaches, playgrounds and footpaths. In most of Bali the footpaths are broken and dangerous at best, but usually non-existent. It’s not easy to get around on foot, especially with small children. How easy is it for you to get back to New Zealand? In the low season it’s about an 11-hour flight via Australia. In the high season (around May to October) Air New Zealand flies direct in about 81⁄ hours. For Kiwis looking to move there, which industries are seeking fresh talent? If you want to work here, you have to secure a job (and a work visa) before you leave New Zealand. If you are a teacher with five-plus years of experience you could apply for a job at one of the growing number of international schools. There are also opportunities in the building and construction industries. If you want to start a vegan, wholefood, organic restaurant that also provides yoga and meditation classes, I would recommend that you don’t. There seem to be way more than enough already. If you know an expat who wants to share inside knowledge of their home away from home, email escape@startimes.co.nz with Expat as the subject.