Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Please also see our Terms and Conditions.

• How can I arrange a meeting with you to talk about my needs in person?

  Please arrange a meeting with us by email or telephone/sms. Our contact details are here, and the map to the school is here.

• Can you provide me with a list of accomodation options?

  There are literally hundreds of homestays, guesthouses, hotels, villas, ranging from as little as Rp. 100,000 (11 US) to Rp. 35,000,000 (3,500 US) per night. We want you to be satisfied with our Indonesian Language course, and not dissatisfied with our accommodation recommendations. Therefore, we encourage you to do your own search for accomodation. We suggest you choose a place which is near to Campuhan or Sanggingan.

• Do you have courses running all the time?

  Yes, we have Group Beginner courses starting every two weeks or month on Monday. They are usually full two weeks before the class starts, so please register for the course and confirm your reservation as soon as possible to guarantee yourself a place.

• Will you pick me up at the airport?

  If you would like transportation from the airport, please let us know, along with the details of your arrival, and we can arrange a driver to pick you up for a rate that is less than the price of a taxi.

• How much is the initial deposit to confirm my registration for a course?

  The initial deposit is 50% of the course fee before the course starts, and 50% to be paid at the start of the first class.

• I’m paying by Bank Transfer or PayPal. How do you establish the rate in my currency?

  We calculate the rate in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah) based on the www.oanda.com/currency/converter rate at the time the invoice is issued, at the Kiosk rate for buying IDR cash. This usually works out exactly to be the cost of the course in IDR.

• How many students are in the class?

  The official minimum is 4 and maximum is 6, sometimes class sizes are smaller than this. We confirm the start of the class when this minimum number of students who have paid a deposit has been reached, or at our discretion.

• I’m quite shy, can I take a beginner course as private lessons?

  Although we firmly believe that the Group Beginner course is the best way to start learning the language, yes you can take a beginner course as a private lesson. That said, we have found learning as a group to be much more effective for someone who is new to the language. Therefore we only arrange private lessons after a number of important conditions are met. The minimum course length is 20 hours within a one-month period.

• What level of language ability can I expect to achieve after taking the Group Beginner Course?

  The level of proficiency will be general communicative and conversational, polite but informal language, useful for communication with anyone across the country. How proficient you will be really depends on how much effort you put into building up your vocabulary using the flash cards, media resources, and developing your conversation abilities inside and outside of class. The teacher can lead you to the water, but it’s up to you to drink.

• What level of language ability can I expect to achieve after taking the Intermediate course?

  As our private courses are tailored, it really depends on what you want to focus on. You will be able to write letters and emails, communicate formally both in terms of grammar and tone, and begin to separate between written and oral language, as well as formal and informal language.

• What kind of people generally take courses at Cinta Bahasa?

  Because our Group Beginner Course is semi-intensive, we attract people who are serious about learning Indonesian. Perhaps they are professionals working in Indonesia who are tired of not knowing what is said around them, or someone who is residing in Indonesia who wants to expand their circle of friends to include Indonesians who do not speak English. They are often people who are business owners or managers, development workers, artists, chefs or educators.

• My Teacher was absolutely Fantastic! How do I show my Appreciation?

  We’re so glad you enjoyed learning with us, and feel you got the best value for your investment.  Our teachers love their work and are passionate about teaching you to speak Indonesian.  We pay them very well because they deserve it.  They do not need to be paid more than they are, but you can show your appreciation in any of the following ways: give them a small gift, a token of your appreciation, their name on a bamboo pole at the Green School, a contribution in their name to a scholarship fund, a party in their honor, a trophy, or just a big hug and a “Terima Kasih!”

• What other activities can I do while I am in Ubud?

  Ubud has a very wide range of activities, from taking courses in drawing, painting, carving, dance, music and gamelan, to studying yoga and meditation, volunteering for local NGOs and such. The options are too numerous to mention, fortunately there are a lot of great web resources such as the Bali Spirit website. Please take the time to explore the internet to see all that Ubud has to offer!

• Is two weeks enough to learn basic Indonesian?

  While you will learn a lot of essential basic communication within the first two weeks of the course, you will have a good general grounding in the language after one month.

• What discounts do you have offer?

  We offer discounts for Couples and for Groups, for parents of children who attend the Pelangi School and Green School in Ubud, as well as for our Alumni. Please contact us for more information about discounts.

• Do I need a special visa to take courses at your school?

  No, you don’t need a special visa to take Indonesian language courses with Cinta Bahasa. You can enter Indonesia on a Tourist Visa on Arrival, which is valid for one month and can be extended for another month. You can also apply for a 6 month Social-Budaya Visa if you’d like to stay longer in Indonesia for travel or learning. If you are an Australian Citizen under 31 years of age, there is a special visa for you if you’d like to live and work in Indonesia.