Bogor is a bedroom community. Those who live in Bogor mostly work in Jakarta. Even though it is close to the capital city, Jakarta, Bogor has built its identity as a place that is worth a visit due to its traditional and delicious Sundanese cuisines that are characterized by its freshness.
Yogyakarta is the capital of the Yogyakarta Special Region (Daerah Khusus Yogyakarta) and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia. It is known as a center of education and culture, which explains its nicknames – Kota Pelajar (Student’s City) and Kota Budaya (Cultural City). The uniqueness of Yogyakarta is due to the only region heads by a King of Yogyakarta Palace and also serves as the governor of the region. While you are enjoying the cultural aspects, from foods to the people of Yogyakarta way of life, you can also treat yourself to learning the language by taking a crash course in Indonesian at Puri Bahasa.
Bamboo has become an important part of Indonesian life. It is used for cooking ingredients, utensils, and building materials. So, it is no surprise if bamboo is used for making music instruments. A well-known Sundanese traditional bamboo instrument, the Angklung, was listed in 2010 as a “Representative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO. It is made by taking 2-4 bamboo tubes and binding them to a frame (also made of bamboo) with rattan cords. Each angklung produces a single note or chord when shaken or tapped, so a group of performers needs to play together to create melodies. This style of playing teaches cooperation, and the result is a truly beautiful sound.
Love and romance have always been an interesting topic to discuss in human life, especially, when the customs and traditions are being part on how a courtship is conducted.
The ties between India and Indonesia have dated back to ancient times through a maritime trade and later the Hindu religion brought by the Indian traders. Traces of Indian influence are still evident today, both in language and culture. One of them is the Ramayana Epic that has long been an integral part of Indonesian culture. Even though it has been adapted to Indonesian culture, the message it carries and the story line are still the same. When you are in Yogyakarta, you can enjoy the Ramayana ballet at the Prambanan Temple. The performance takes place in an open-air theater with the magnificent temple as the backdrop. If you’re hungry from a full afternoon of exploring Prambanan, never fear – there’s a buffet dinner set up outside.
Traveling by land and sea are always the best ways to enjoy your vacation, wherever you visit in Indonesia. The trips will allow you to stop in many places and get a feel for the various islands. You will be able to understand better just how diverse and fascinating a place Indonesia truly is. As we had already been to Bali, we spent nearly half of our time in Java, traversing the world’s most populous island, from Jakarta in the west to Banyuwangi in the east. For those interested in doing a similar trip, I’d highly recommend it. Planning a route can be a bit tricky, so here are some ideas based on our recent trip.
A few examples of Indonesian expressions and phrases for beginners, for when you introduce yourself. Hereby, you can avoid using an odd “English translation” version of Indonesian.
A brief overview about Indonesia to help you understand the background of the country, its people, and the language you are learning. You can find the information at this post.
Image by Department of information, Republic of Indonesia
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I’m an Indonesian language instructor, instructional material developer, reading test developer, and interpreter. I have been teaching Indonesian to adult students for 15 years, and have been teaching students from many backgrounds, such as private, military and diplomatic service employees.
I’m Indonesian, but am living in the US now; my exposure to different cultures in my home country and in the US has enriched my knowledge in teaching Indonesian as a second language. I approach the teaching of the Indonesian language by developing students’ critical cultural awareness and competence. This method of teaching has been proven to be a key to the success of my students. Students become conscious of the essential role culture plays in the language.
