Now that you have found your dream house it is time to start making things feel like home. Even though you may be thousands of miles away from what you really consider to be home, the Balinese will generally do a good job at making you feel accepted in your new house and neighborhood.
One of the worst things that you could do if you plan on staying in an area for an extended period of time is to not get acquainted with your neighbors. In many western countries your neighbors are simply the people that live next door to you that wave to once in a while entering or leaving your house. In Bali there is a much stronger sense of community and that all works together to keep things running smoothly and keeping the neighborhood safe.
After you have finished the deal with your landlord make an effort to introduce yourself to the people in your area. Don’t worry if you can’t speak any Bahasa Indonesia yet, because even if they can’t speak English either, the body language will convey your positive and friendly vibes.
You may not be able to tell which ones are directly your neighbors to the left and right of you but just try to make friendly greetings with the people you see around. If there is a warung (small local restaurant) in the vicinity of your house, go sit down and have a meal. If the food doesn’t look appealing to you yet at this point, just order a Coca-Cola or a tea and try to have a chat with the people around the warung.
The community is what keeps the crime rate relatively low in Bali and your stay here will be infinitely better if you get off on the right foot with the locals from your area from the very beginning.
Balinese are generally not negative people, although if you fail to introduce yourself to the community that you will be living in from the start, people may be suspicious of you as it is not of the nature of people here to be so introverted in that matter.
It may sound like a big task when written out like this, but it is much easier than it sounds when you sit down and have a chat with all the smiling people around you.
I am looking for a year lease with my dog. I would like a home with an enclosed yard, open floor plan, seclusion and the ability to walk to a beautiful beach. I prefer a local community rather than a touristy local. I need to know the laws about traveling with a service dog between the US and Bali. How do I proceed?