In Reply to: yes,Mom or Mum posted by trisha on Sunday, 15. March 2009 at 11:16 Bali Time:
Not the children of course, but I speak Indonesian and although I have never heard this term "my Bali son", probably because I have not lived in tourist areas, Ibu is the word for mother and females as everyone has stated. All family members call me Ibu (and I am not a mother), including those from Western countries that have been living in Bali for a long time.
It is also important to use Bapak or Ibu when speaking to authorities such as the police, government workers etc. They usually have their name on a name tag, when addressing them put Bapak or Ibu in front of their first name, respect for authorities is very important in Indonesia.
To show respect when using their name: if it their name is Made you use Bapak Made, once you have a familar relationship you drop the Made and use Bapak,this is the same with Ibu.
Also, if someone asks you how are you (Apa Kabar), and you want to reply and ask them how they are, you never say kamu (and you) to someone you have been calling Ibu or Bapak for a while (Someone you know well) you say say "Ibu" with a tone as it is a question. When walking down the street and a friendly neighbour says hello and you don't know their name you always say Hello Pak(silent K) or Hello Ibu.
On the Bali son bit, after moving in with a Balinese family years back my husband and I were sat down after a month or so and told that we were now family, this comes with great responsibility as we attend temple with our "adopted" family and they show us off at this time, just as they do their own children. We also are expected to chip in as the other family do (not money) and do things like pick up our Noni (Balinese Grandmother) who I once called Ibu Ibu (mother of my mother) and was told this was incorrect, go to Denpasar to pick something up etc. They never say we are their "son and daughter" they just say that we are "family". They also explained that it would now be considered rude to ever use their names again.