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[Barrett]

I've been thinking about languages and travelling from some of the other posts and it got me to thinking about when I travelled and lived in Indonesia for 2 months. I actually learned enough of the language to have a conversation (still pretty basic but anyway) and felt it was well worth it. I found Bahasa Indonesian to be the easiest language to learn of all the ones I came across in my varied travels. There is no conjugation, no tenses really, no masculine/feminine etc. Only thing to watch out for is the politeness factor which native speakers understand if you screw up anyway. I fully recommend travellers to Indo take the time to learn some, as unlike other countries Indonesia has a lot of people who speak 0 english. And since Indonesian is basically the same as Malaysian you'll be doubly helping yourself out.
Hope it works out for you.

[bluemarine]

yup,..it just right Barret...

[Yan Wei]

I think even for a Malaysian,sometimes it's hard to understand Bahasa Indonesia. Bahasa Malaysia is slightly different from Bahasa Indonesia,especially the accents.

[amazing_grace]

If you meet Indonesians who speak 0 English its because you came to the wrong place I am an Indonesian and I have known so many people who speaks incredibly good English such as myself of course ....

And hmmm even for me Indonesian language is NOT an easy one to learn, of course if you do it for basic conversation its easy but if you take the classes and try to pass it, it will burn you out just like it did to me hahahaha....

My suggestion: Do what you can and dont push too much, its only easy when its fun to do

[evericho]

Yup...yup...I'm in line with you, Amazing Grace!!
I have finished Bahasa Indonesia problems for National Examination two days ago (coz I am student of Senior High School)
and, as downright as, I'm not sure that I can get good value, like 9 for example. Seriously hard!!
On the contrary, I (exactly, if God bless) will get value 9 for the test of English!!


[sampai-sampai guru-guruku bilang ke kami (aku & teman sekelasku) :
"Sebenarnya, kalian itu orang Indonesia atau orang Inggris??"]