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[ghost]

For those who have visited or lived and worked in both countries (Indonesia and the Philippines) how similar would you say the lifestyle and culture are between the two countries?

Yes, granted, Indonesia is a predominantly muslim country, but the form of Islam in Indonesia is generally recognized to be much less conservative compared with, for example, some of the Gulf Arab countries.

When I see Indonesians on t.v. they remind me of Filipinos. They are very similar (at least many of them) in appearance, and they also seem quite outgoing - certainly compared with Koreans where I now teach (the country of the blank face expressions in the classroom!). Even the Bahasa language sounds close to Tagalog, and the way Indonesians speak English also similar.....correct me if these impressions are faulty.

I have not yet been to Indonesia, but am looking at possibilities in the National Plus schools when I finish my contract in Korea.

I go to the Philippines usually a couple of times a year, and really enjoy the relaxed lifestyle and sociable nature of most Filipinos. Staying in the Philippines is usually quite a good experience, and is certainly my favorite country in Asia. And I have travelled to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam Laos, and Sri Lanka.

The only other Asian country that I have visited which ranks close to the Philippines in 'friendliness' would be Sri Lanka, but that is not a common teaching destination, as they have their own.

I earn a good salary in Korea (about $3000 U.S. per month/with free accommodation), but the life in Korea is nothing to shout about. Dull, and rather boring, and Koreans.....well that's another story....you get the drift. I think Indonesia also has a fair amount of ex. Korean Teflers...

Thanks for any information.

Ghost in Korea

[laughing_magpie06]

True there are similiarities as they are geographically close and they share the same racial background (malay) however I found the filipinos spoke a higher level of English. Also the fact that Indonesia is muslim means that alcohol is not the social lubricant that it is in the Philippines. A filipino wedding for example is a huge party with rum, beer and a pig cooking on a fire. In Indonesia I find people just eat a buffet dinner rahter quickly and they are gone in less than an hour with little chatting going on.

[mulutmubesar]

If you will ask for advice but you knew better than those people who provide information based on their common observation to a group of Filipinos in a certain place, ( is it really the culture they are talking about?) think again. You might be starting a thread that will eventually lead to biased opinions, and postings that suggest ideas that are RACIST wil definitely be deleted.