Indonesia is divided into three time zones: WIB/Western Indonesia Time (Sumatra, Java, West and Central Kalimantan) is seven hours ahead of GMT. Central Indonesia Time (Bali, South and East Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara) is eight hours ahead of GMT. Eastern Indonesia Time (Maluku, Irian Jaya) is nine hours ahead of GMT.

Indonesia is a democratic country. Although the population is predominantly Muslim, six religions and beliefs are recognized by the Indonesian government: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. Mosques, churches, temples are found throughout the country. Religious holidays of these six beliefs are celebrated as national holidays.

     Many people say that Indonesian food is tasty and spicy. Spices and hot chillies are the ingredients of most dishes. The staple food of rice is served with vegetables, tofu/tempe and meat/egg/fish. The popular side dish sambal- a fiery hot blend of chillies, spices and sometimes terasi (belacan), lemon juice and tomato for extra flavour – comes in an endless variety.

     As the population of Indonesia is predominantly Moslem, pork is usually not served except in Chinese and non-Moslem restaurants and places serving international cuisine. Pork dishes are served in some non-moslem parts of Bali, Papua, the North Sumatra highlands and North Sulawesi.

     The most popular Indonesian dishes are sate (skewered kebabs of meat or fish, grilled over a fire and served with spicy peanut sauce), gado-gado (a salad of half steamed vegetables with a peanut sauce dressing), nasi goreng (fried rice with shreds of meat and vegetables and topped with a fried egg), bakmi goreng (fried noodles) and Nasi Padang (hot and spicy cuisine of West Sumatra cooked in thick coconut milk curry).

     Depok offers a competitive standard of living at a comparatively low cost. Compared to other study destinations, Depok provides excellent value for money. The annual cost of living depends on the student’s lifestyle and type of accommodation. Students should also have additional funds to pay for initial establishment costs, textbooks, equipment, incidentals, local transport, temporary accommodation and entertainment. It is also important that you allow for transport costs approximately Rp. 100,000 (US$10) per week if you live off-campus. Include extra costs in your budget, if you intend to do some traveling to places like Bandung, Bali, or Sumatra while you are in Indonesia.

• Embassies : Mon-Fri 8am-4pm
• Banks : Mon-Fri 8am-3pm and Sat 8am-1pm
• Shopping centers : Mon-Sun 10am-10pm
• Post offices : Mon-Thu 8 am -2 pm, Fri 8-11 am and Sat 8 am – 12.30 pm.
• Airline offices : Mon-Fri 8 am – 4 pm and Sat 8 am – noon.
• Other celebration affecting the business hours
  • (Government) offices close at 11.30 am – 1 pm on Fridays (Moslem mass prayer)
  • Ramadan (the ninth Moslem month) is a month of fasting for Moslems. Food counters and restaurants are generally closed during daytime, while discotheques are totally closed. Business hours begin half-an-hour later and close one hour earlier.

BUS
Bis (buses) are the most common means of public transportation in Jakarta. There are a large number of bus companies servicing various routes throughout Jakarta.
TRAIN
Train service is called Commuter Line, which operates regularly from Jakarta to Bogor via Depok. A train station is available near the UI Depok campus to connect you to Jakarta and the surrounding areas. Passengers can buy a single trip or multi trips ticket at the ticket counter of every station. Trains to other major cities in Java leave from Gambir, Senen and Jatinegara stations. Tickets can be booked in advance. Trains have been a comfortable means of transportation for inter-city travel with reasonable price.