Medan Kota

Alright.. I haven’t been blogging for a longggg time.. that’s simply because.. 1. I am busy with life and  2. I have nothing interesting to entertain … ^0^..

Anyway.. this morning, a friend send us a link.. he said someone wrote that Medan is “Worst. City. Ever.”.. well.. honestly, I wasn’t expecting much of what the article is going to be about anyway.. but mine oh mine.. just the first paragraph alone had me feeling sick to the stomache..

Alright.. I am not going to deny that I am not a big fan of this city, Medan.. I have lived for a decade by now.. and though it is not the best city on earth.. (Bangkok, my hometown, received ‘world’s best city” this year).. but I have to defence on behalf of Medan people that.. ‘NO!!  Medan is not the Worst. City. Ever.’

enough said.. but here’s what Mr ADAM GARTRELL wrote on July 19, 2010 for www.theage.com.au..

“Dear Medan. I hate you.

I visited you recently and found you the most unpleasant, charmless and thoroughly depressing city I’ve ever encountered. And I’ve visited plenty of s—holes in my time.

Now, when it comes to big Indonesian cities I have pretty low expectations.

I live in Jakarta, the biggest of them all, so I know what I’m in for: traffic, pollution, heat, noise, chaos, the stench of human waste.

And you, Medan – Indonesia’s third biggest city – you provided all those things. In great abundance.

In fact, even though your population, at three million, is a quarter that of Jakarta’s, I reckon you’re worse on just about every count.

Quite an achievement.

But Medan, you’re awful not just because of your many failings but because you appear to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

You’re slim pickin’s for hotels, you don’t seem to boast a single, decent restaurant and from what I’ve heard, you’ve got no real nightlife.

Your airport is a Boschian nightmare, your roads a mess, your buses an embarrassment and your taxis … well, if I ever find one I’ll let you know.

And ever heard of trees?

Okay, so you have a big mosque but it’s also the closest thing you’ve got to a tourist attraction. And you have a few shopping malls but what city doesn’t?

I understand now why you consistently feature on people’s “Worst. City. Ever.” lists.

You’re at the very top of mine.

Okay, I admit, there’s a personal element to this. See, I got robbed in one of your hotels.

It wasn’t a very nice hotel. It promotes itself as a four star hotel when in actual fact it’s closer to a two. But that’s fine. I don’t need luxury and it cost less than $100 a night.

Except, in the end, it actually cost a couple of grand. Because while I was out one night scouring the streets for a decent meal – in vain, of course – someone broke into my room and stole a giant wad of company cash from my suitcase.

Why did I have a giant wad of cash, you ask? Well, because Indonesia is a mostly cash economy, so I’m forced to travel with plenty of it. But why didn’t I put it in the safe? Well, because the hotel didn’t provide one.

And when I brought the robbery to the hotel’s attention the staff were predictably – and perhaps deliberately – unhelpful.

Security staff at first said they could give me a keycard lock report, so I could see if anyone else entered my room. But then – for reasons not properly explained – they suddenly couldn’t.

But that was okay, they said. They could show me the CCTV footage outside my room instead.

Oh no, wait, sorry! We don’t actually know the password to review the CCTV!

Can you say “inside job”?

Needless to say I moved to a different hotel for my final night. I woke up the next morning in blood-stained sheets. Mozzies never take any interest in me but your Medan mozzies made quite a frenzied exception.

I didn’t get malaria. But I did get spectacularly, violently sick about a week later from an intestinal parasite, which I’m certain I picked up from you, Medan. I just know it.

I’ve never been so happy to board a plane as I was the one that whisked me away from you, Medan. And I never want to see you again.
AAP”

Popularity: 3% [?]

my eldest son, Jadon.. who is now in primary 1.. and is just 7 yo… he has been saying stuff that left me speechless..

on the road one afternoon… he asked mr hubby..  “papa, when I get to secondary class, are you buying a car for me to drive to school?”.. we both got shocked but were half laughing at the same time and me replied him: ” NO, you are too young..” which he then went on to explain how he saw several big kids drive sport car to school.. with ‘4 exhausts’ he claimed… and went on to say…“papa, you are so… ‘aaiiiiiiii yah’ (he couldn’t find the right word) .. those koko drive a sport car to school and you are only driving a Honda CRV…“… huh?.. he’s only 7 yo and he has the guts to say that to his dad!!.. but of course we explained and cleared up the matter..

GoKart! it’s his first time .. but he drove like a mad boy.. was not afraid.. and even drove so fast that the car spinned.. (which he claimed that he was simply cruising) .. my mum and dad almost had their heart attack seeing this grandson.. but heck, he came off the track with a big wide smile on his face…

then last month… at the end of 3rd term.. we went to take the school report card… after the Bahasa homework incident and exam madness… I asked his Mandarin tutor to do an hour of Bahasa with him once a week.. which lead him to getting an A* this term (mind you it was always either B, or D)… though he was real happy, he was also curious… on the car he said.. “mama, I don’t really understand what Ibu (his Bahasa teacher) said in the class and I know very little of Bahasa.. but how come I still got an A.. “.. honestly, I thought so too myself..

next, while I was trying real hard to think back of my childhood days when I was my sons age… to see if I have a “puppy crush’ on anyone from my class.. and darn.. I don’t think I do… why?.. lately, both my boys are talking about boys-girls relationship almost everyday!!!… like this who likes who … and this who wants to marry with who .. and this who has so many girlfriends… etc.. I can understand that it’s a growing up thing.. but I disapprove this sort of conversation at home..

and with me not able to take any more of this nonsense hearing, I came up with a way to put a stop to all these silliness… how?.. I told my boys straight to their faces… “you guys are not having any girlfriends!! .. mama will be the one who will find the right girlfriend for you both!!“.. and somehow Jadon funnily said this back out loud .. “so Elson (my young son), if anyone asked us if we have any girlfriend.. we just tell them NO, coz mama said she will choose for us”.. and of course with a grin on my face.. I replied..”you are absolutely correct”.. and it kinds of kill off the topic from then on…

with both boys growing up at a rate too fast for me to handle… I find being a mum involve lots of patience and understanding, guidance and planning… and most important of all, the endless love they both constantly seek from me..

Popularity: 5% [?]

This may sound real crazy for some.. but I began reading to both my sons while they were both still a foetus.. sometimes around 5 months pregnant.. I remembered borrowing one of those Disney story books from my nieces and began reading a story a day.. and when they were born.. by about 6 months old.. I will lied out beside them both and read to them all sorts of books.. and yes both my boys love it…

Some 3 years back.. I got hold of a book called “Gruffalo”.. bought it at the Takashimaya’s Kinokuniya bookstore.. and from the moment I read to them both.. it has since been their favourite book of all times.. I remember clearly how this awarding book became their nightly reading for some 2 months.. Elson will give me a real grumpy face should I went against his wish..

I have heard from some friends how some kids are not into reading.. if that is so.. please do try this one.. it’s of the BEST children’s story book that I know in the market.. the author, Julia Donaldson has been well awarded.. the story book have sold millions of copies, and its been turn into a live play with sold out tickets.. and surprisingly.. you can even get a DVD of it from Sun Plaza, Medan!! .. I have bought the DVD too and it’s just as good .. it’s from the corner CD shop on the top floor of Sun Plaza that is opposite the Fountain Café.. just can’t remember the shop name though..

it’s a real must read..!! and with some practice, both my boys can recite the whole story for you all to hear!!

Popularity: unranked [?]

I have always been obsessed with properties.. I love looking at the layouts, the floor plans etc.. in my younger years, my mum used to bring me along each time she went for any property viewing.. so it could be that, that I have always enjoy looking at the showflats, the miniature of the development.. understanding its direction etc..

With that, over the last several years.. I have been eyeing to buy some for investment.. and I am the type of girl that do detailed research and calculations.. and yes I once paid some US$5000 for a property investment course… and after listening to what, why, and how .. as well as what to look out for.. how to manage.. knowing the difference between residential and commercial property and its benefits… I found myself knowing too much and calculate too much which ended with me not finding any right one at all..

Then during my past December break in Bangkok.. I saw one.. of good value and one that over so many years I spent searching.. it’s the one that I knew it right away that I was gonna make money.. it sorts of put all the green ticks on my checklists..

Having seen how payments are made in Thailand… my husband and me immediately felt that we probably will not be buying any property in Indonesia till some changes to the Laws are made… let me tell you why… however, please note that this is my own personal view..

the down payment.. in Singapore.. it used to be 5% and that was it.. the 95% balance is paid upon receiving the keys.. though the laws have now changed… in Thailand, a 10% down payment is required with the payments being spread over the number of months till the unit is done .. the 90% is then made upon receiving of key.. in Indonesia?.. well 10% is required almost immediately.. and the rest of the payment began just about as soon as you signed the purchase order..  and I’ve just found out that my father-in-law bought one unit in Jakarta.. has since paid it in full some 1 year back.. and today.. the building is not even ½ done…

part of acquiring property for investment is to get some rental yield… in Medan.. there is no possible way that the rental income will ever cover the cost of the mortgage!!.. the rental here in Medan is really something to laugh about… it’s so so cheap that not just me alone but all expats seem to agree with me…

many times.. good properties are owned by the rich.. so each of them has the attitude that.. unless you are offering some crazy price to buy.. only then they will sell it to you ..else it’s like.. ‘this is the price I want to sell.. if you are happy, then buy it.. if not.. then goodbye’.. its never about being reasonable … or the realistic price..

and many times.. what you see is never what you get..

having said all of the above.. one thing that you can be quite certain about property in Indonesia is that.. most of the time.. you will get capital gain.. which I have to say that it’s was the main reason why I wanted to invest in Indonesia initially…(before the $5000 course)  but now with.. read too much.. calculate too much.. listen too much.. seen too much.. Indonesia is definitely not on my list for the moment…

Popularity: 6% [?]

I went on a parenting session last Friday which was a public holiday…. so two days before the day, I informed my boys of how I will not be home and that I will be going to school for a day.. Jadon being the cheeky one, then happily shouted “wow.. mama, you are going school!”. I then explained to him, “it’s only for a day, I will be going to school to learn how to be a better mummy to you boys”.. the boys got excited somehow and couldn’t stop telling everyone.. saying that I am going back to school and that I will have lots of homework etc… and insisted on sending me to my class on the day..

The truth is, it’s only a one day seminar at Aryaduta Hotel.. so on the morning itself, both boys woke up early and were readily to send me off.. and during the breakfast time, on the dining table was a pack of Chinese preserved Honey Plum.. and this was what Jadon came up with..

Me: “Elson, can you please help me put this bottle (the preserved Honey Plum) into my handbag please?”

Jadon: “Mama! you can eat in the class? my Miss won’t let us eat sweets in the classroom..!”

Me: “Jadon, the school that mama goes to is different, mine is school for adults and not children..”

Jadon: “That’s not fair!”

I then began teasing him and joke around…

Me: “actually, my school is at a hotel!.. with nice air-con, nice chairs, nice tables, nice rooms.. and we eat nice food with soup, sweets, coca cola, coffee and tea and it’s at Aryaduta Hotel..!”

Jadon: “wow, so if you are hungry, you can pick up the phone and ask the uncle to deliver food to your classroom too?..”

I find that kids these days have the abilities to come up with all the funny thoughts…

Popularity: 7% [?]