We Called Foreigner 'Bule'

Some expatriate in Indonesia consider this word as an offensive word. But, for us it’s a neutral word. We don’t have any hiding agenda to call foreigner a bule. Moreover, Indonesia thinks Bule is cool. That’s why many of civilian will be excited to see foreigner and want to take a picture together (well, it won’t happen in bug city but, in smaller town where there’s not much foreigner, it’s an exciting experience for them).

But yes, it can be an insulted word in some situation. In some internet forum for expatriate in Indonesia, I read there’s one saying: ‘I have never considered it [bule] racist, but I can see why some people might use it in an offensive manner towards you.

And he gave an example: When he was through Blok M (name of place in Indonesia) late at night and a gang of young males standing in a dark corner shout out "BULE". But don’t you worry, bule is often be used as a appreciation: ‘some of my Indonesian friends just love bules, they admire bules and everything that bules do - and they still call them bule’.

[LI]