This morning at Cafe Seminyak, a recent European transplant to Bali was telling me about his troubles with the Indonesian immigration. "They always give me trouble." He said. I told him that for someone living in Bali its better to use an immigration consultant to handle your paperwork. "I use Arjuna immigration consultants," I said "and I never come face to face with the immigration."
He wanted to handle his paperwork himself to save a few bucks and naturally they mess him around as much as possible. "That guy works there, maybe you know him, " he said, "He thinks he's tough and it's all about power." "He makes me wait, then pay money, then wait and pay more money." I told him that is how the system works over here, it's about gatekeepers who charge you to go through their gate. You pay you can go, you don't like to pay and it will be painful. "Why does it take them half a day to do something like stamping a passport that takes 1 minute?" he asked. "It's not about the work." I told him. "It's about money." "You've got to understand your environment and take steps to control it." He still wasn't convinced and will probably have many more frustrating experiences that fill him with a sense of injustice.
If you are in a similar situation, don't start complaining about fair and unfair. Those words don't come into it. It's all about money and as soon as you realize that you will be able to accept it and move on.
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{ 5 comments }
So do you get a break on fees by so often mentioning Arjuna?
Actually, that’s a rhetorical question….
Nick’s assessment is absolutely right and the fact that he mentions Arjuna is probably because they are widely used. I use Austrindo and like Nick and AMEX I dont leave home without them.
Dear Tony,
Why have you got such a hardon to be mean?
I have read all your postings and think you need to get laid.
Mango
Tony has not had sex with real flesh and blood women since he last visited Bali. Now he is too scared to go there. And he just hates everyone, especially the Bali lovers.
I was stopped by the police because i wasnt wearing my helmet. So he sais i have to pay 150 000 roepie. I say, i give you 30 000. he negociates with his partner and then asks me for 50 000, i ofcourse say it’s a deal.
It’s just the way it works, and actually, i dont mind. For some extra cash you many problems can be solved, or even avoided.
grtz
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