Made gardener in Seminyak Bali

Pak Made is a Balinese man employed by the owner of my house, Nyoman. Made is the gardener / fixer upper, who is always around and deals with minor problems at the owner 4 houses. I usually see Made cutting bushes, or sweeping around the parking area. He does not take care of my garden just the alley and exterior. On occassion, we have asked him to do stuff like fix the hot water, or sink and I have looked out of my upstairs window before, to see Made heading up to the roof, via a pair of home made bamboo ladders, tied together with string, (while typing this, I was buzzed by a 2 inch long black bee).

Made doesn’t speak any English, but does speak Bahasa Indonesia. His favourite expression is ‘Ada beer?’ (do you have beer?), as I have slipped a few his way in the past. Ika likes Made, as he is an uncomplicated local, doing his job. Its kind of funny though, that Made is often the first person a new renter runs into. Another expat who I know, was trying to move in next door. He asked Made if the house was vacant and Made told him repeatedly a Frenchman was renting it (there was no Frenchman). “That Made guy, he’s like some little inbred and he doesn’t like me, for some reason,” said the fellow. Actually I found it rather funny, that Made makes up stories for people he doesn’t like!

Anyway Pak Made (a term of respect since he’s older) is a familair face, who is a decent guy.