How to Live, Work, or Volunteer in Bali

How to Live, Work, or Volunteer in BaliHow to Live, Work, or Volunteer in BaliLocated in Indonesia, Bali is just over 10,000 miles from the United States. With thechaotic net of connecting flights, a trip to Bali will usually amount to 30 hours of travel time. Thats a long way to go, yet the islandhas luredtouristsfrom America, as well as many other countries, year after year. Theres areason why so many people come, and why some never leave or they extend their stay. It can be difficultto depart the tropical island, but with complicated immigration laws and strict work restrictions, staying can be even harder. Heres an example of amonth-longexperience in Bali, including tips on living and working on the Island of the Gods. Arriving in Bali fruchtwein major international airports seem disconnected from their namesake cities, neutral territories that feel universal rather than unique. The Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, however, stands apart. Ngurah Rai is much like Bali itself a tentative balance between Indonesian culture and Western convenience, the same dynamic that has attracted so many visitors to the island in recent years. When you step off the airplane, a first breath reveals air perfumed with Hindu incense. Scents of sandalwood, ylang-ylang, and jasmine hang heavy in the humid air. Like in the rest of Bali, small square baskets, woven from palm leaves and filled with flowers, biscuits, sometimes even coins and cigarettes, are laid out all around the airport. These offerings are everywhere on the island, from sidewalks to shops to restaurants, to the currency exchange desk at the airport. The offerings are believed to placate the demon spirits that frequent the physical world. The airports design itself also reflects the architecture of the Hindu temples that have made Bali a spiritual place for some. Others come to lose themselves in the sea and surf, or the raucous discos of Kuta, the islands party capital. Over four million tourists visi t each year for many different reasons and from many countries, Australia, China, and Japan for the win, place, and show, but despite their differing backgrounds, theres no question as to why so many people want to stay. The summer months see seamless sunshine, and although the winter brings bouts of rain, the warm weather provides an escape from the harsh temperatures of the Northern Hemisphere. Combine balmy temperatures with lush landscapes and a low cost of living, and that two-week holiday can easily double itself into one month, then two, then three. However, despite the ease of living here, living long-term and working in Bali isnt an easy feat. Working in Bali The maze of employment regulations in Bali is a complicated one, and as a Westerner, it can be difficult to navigate the twisting chambers of Indonesias bureaucratic immigration laws. Although Bali has been recognized as an expats paradise, many of these people platzset up export businesses or open bars or restaura nts, thus requiring a long-term commitment. The saying goes that its possible to make a small fortune in this way, enough money to live well in Bali due to the inequality in international currency. One U.S. dollar nets about 13,400 rupiah, and a decent dinner out amounts to just five or 10 bucks. As challenging as it can be to open a legitimate business in Bali, the process of finding short-term work can be even harder. Although the islands main source of income is tourism, the vast majority of hospitality employees are Indonesian. Although larger hotels do occasionally hire international employees for management positions, its usually through an internal placement process that is closed to public applications. The situation in restaurants and bars is similar. Bali, however, has become a destination for location-independent travelers who can work from anywhere with an internet connection. Many cafes offer Wi-Fi, but, it can be difficult to find a reliable connection. Some people sta ying long-term choose to purchase an internet SIM card from their villas or bungalows, but the 3G connection can be temperamental, especially frustrating at peak hours. Some telecom companies offer 4G, but its mostly 3G, and its not a stable connection in every location. Many people opt for a personal MiFi or mobile Wi-Fi. Co-working Spaces in Bali As a result, Hubud, a co-working space in Ubud, the epicenter of Balinese culture and famous for its rolling rice terraces, has become something of a digital oasis within a natural one. The 24-hourhub boasts one of Balis fastest internet connections, for a monthly fee ranging from $30 to $220 per month, depending on the membership level. Hubud serves a community of graphic designers, software developers, copywriters, customer service representatives, erreichbar marketers, and freelancers who have set up shop in the bamboo building that is bordered by rice paddies and sits adjacent to Ubuds famous Monkey Forest. Volunteering in Bali For those planning to visit Bali without the expectation of an income, interning or volunteering is another option. Bali Internships is a legitimate organization that places interns in a variety of placements- from sustainability operations at a local NGO to graphic design for a surf school- and provides accommodation and logistical assistance. There are many volunteer programs set up in Bali, though they tend to charge a fee for accommodation and transport. Opportunities range from working with underprivileged children, like at the Bumi Sehat Foundation to teach English, with the volunteer-run Travel to Teach organization, or working on an organic farm. Idealist.org is a good search engine to find legitimate volunteering opportunities. Visas in Bali If youre planning a trip to Bali, its important to make sure your visa situation is set straight. The most basic visa option is the 30-day Visa on Arrival visas for visiting tourists, although this restricts employment within the country. Volunteers need a Social-Cultural visa, which you must apply for before your trip and which is valid for 60 days. Once the visa expires, its possible to extend your visa in order to stay longer. Its best to do this through an agency, like Highway Bali Consulting Services, which can secure an extension, in addition to providing expert advice on business, work, and retirement visas. Although youll have to pay a fee, going through a visa agency is generally the most convenient way of securing your stay. What to Expect Bali is distinct in that it is a developing country with many, though not all, of the modern luxuries Westerners, enjoy.In mora urban areas like Ubud, Seminyak, and Kuta, a solid majority of cafes and restaurants offer free WiFi to their patrons, though the connection can be temperamental. It isnt difficult to find accommodation with air conditioning, and corner pharmacies offer most of the toiletries a tourist might need. However, foreigners must drink bottl ed water, and the plumbing systems can hardly handle flushed toilet paper. Despite the countrys technological development, it is still very much a developing country. Stray dogs roam freely, and in some parts, monkeys do too. But, given the tourist-oriented atmosphere, with common sense Bali is a safe and pleasant place to visit, retaining much of its authenticity while still welcoming visitors from abroad.

Should You Fake it Til You Make It - The Muse

Should You Fake it Til You Make It - The MuseShould You Fake it Til You Make It Its advice thats tossed around quite often Fake it til you make it.On the surface, it sounds harmless. Put on a confident faade as you learn your way around- and eventually, you wont have to fake it anymore.But is it advice that you can effectively use in your career? Not always. After being put in a number of professional situations in which I had no idea what I was doing, Ive determined a simple rule for determining when its beneficial to fake it- and when its best to admit your weakness. Do When Its a Matter of ConfidenceIn almost every professional role youre in- at least, until you have several years of experience under your belt- youre going to be tasked with responsibilities that will push you out of your comfort zone. For example, you may be asked to give a training presentation to new hires, to speak up in front of a panel of executives when you have an idea, or, in my case, to lead weekly meetin gs with your employees.And while you may very well know how to do these things in theory, you may notlage feel confident doing them. You may be familiar with the material for a presentation, for instance, but simply dont love the idea of speaking in front of a group of people. Or, like me, you may have read every article out there about the ins and outs of leading meetings but are nervous about commanding a room full of your employees.These are situations in which you have full permission to fake it til you make it. You have all the knowledge you need, so feigning a little courage wont do you any harm. Putting on a brave face will not only help you get through it, it will give you genuine confidence for the next time youre in this situation. Dont When Its a Matter of KnowledgeOn the other hand, youll also be given responsibilities that you dont know how to handle- down to the very core. For example, maybe youre asked to develop a budget forecast for the next quarter, but have zero f inancial experience. Or, youre tasked with running an ad campaign from start to finish, when you really only have experience with one specific component. As a first-time manager, I remember being asked to fire an employee for the very first time- and had absolutely no idea of where to even start. In situations in which you truly dont know how to do something, when it comes down to basic knowledge of a task or responsibility, feigning expertise isnt going to help you. In fact, it will likely hurt. Simply putting on a confident face while doing an unfamiliar task wont actually give you the ability to successfully complete that task. More likely, someone will eventually catch onto the fact that you dont know what youre doing and call you out on it. And then, youll have to waste everyones time starting from scratch.Plus, if your co-workers, employees, or boss find out that youre doing something wrong- but pretending you know how to do it- theyre going to be less likely to trust you in t he future, which will limit your opportunities to lead and advance within the gruppe. In my example, pretending I knew how to fire someone would have been detrimental to everyone involved. Without being aware of the standard protocol, I could have easily left out vital information in my conversation with the employee, which would have created an HR nightmare (and possibly some tricky legal repercussions for the company)- and would have been confusing and unfair to the terminated employee. This situation alone could have affected both my teams view of me as a leader and my boss opinion of me as an effective manager- and could have been a wrecking ball in my career (no matter how much confidence I displayed).In these situations, its a much better idea to own up to your weakness and track down the information you need before attempting the task. Once you have that knowledge, go ahead and fake it all you want. Photo of person wearing mask courtesy of Shutterstock.

How Managers Monitor and Control Worker Behavior

How Managers Monitor and Control Worker BehaviorHow Managers Monitor and Control Worker BehaviorManagers have to monitor the work activities of their team and the external forces the impact the way their team performs. Without that monitoring, you wont know whether your management plan is working or if it needs to be adjusted. As a manager, you must control those elements that you can control to keep everyone moving toward the goal. Examples of elements under your control include things like employee workstations and the temperature of the workspace. Monitor Progress Toward Goal In the control task, you monitor the work being done, you compare the actual progress of the management plan and you verify that the organization is working as you designed it. If everything is going well, you wont need to do anything but monitor. However, that seldom happens. Someone may get ill, the database sort could take longer than projected, a key competitor might drop their prices, and the list go es on and on. All of these events can impact your management plan. Control the Situation The control step now dictates that you have to take action to minimize the impact and brings things back to the desired goal as quickly as possible. That could mean going back to the management planning stage and adjusting plans. This planning change may require a change in the organization and re-directing team members toward the new goals. You will then monitor and control the new plan and adjust if needed. This cycle continues until you complete the task. Monitor and Measure the Right Items There is no point in monitoring if you dont take action based on the information. Dont just keep track. Make sure you are measuring the right things and then take appropriate action to fix whatever problems the measurements point out. Unless you measure something, you dont know if it is getting better or worse. You cannot manage for improvement if you dont measure to see what is getting better and what is getting worse. This article helps you know how and what to measure. While this article specifically addresses the issue of overplanning, it also applies to the monitoring task. Dont focus so much on the monitoring task that you dont take control and make the changes that are necessary. Provide Coaching and Feedback A good manager will always monitor what their employees are doing, but will not intervene to micromanage or coach their employees except in specific circumstances. Knowing when to let an employee make a mistake they can learn from and when you need to step in and coach them is a balancing act. You have to balance their opportunity to learn and grow against the harm they could do to themselves, their team, and the company. When a manager needs to step in and control the activity of the team or an individual it is often necessary to give negative feedback. Be sure to do it properly as outlined here. For many, project management is their first management role. In the steps to successful project management, we also see the task of monitoring the team. Managers have an obligation to their company to monitor the activities of their employees to ensure compliance with applicable laws and policies. You monitor their behavior, their adherence to the dress code, the way they greet customers. The need to monitor their electronic activities is equally as great and the reasons are the same. Be sure to let employees know that they are being monitored. Let them know what is being monitored and why. Let them know what is acceptable and what is not.