Medan Kota

I went on a Parenting Session yesterday, conducted by Dr Ernst Wong.. The topic was “How to Listen to your Children & Get Cooperation From your Children”

We also do Personality Test to see which number we are … it was fun.. my girlfriend and me.. we were laughing throughout the whole test and I have to agree with Dr Wong that by understanding which personality type my 2 boys will be… I will then know how to deal with them.. in a much more understanding manners…

Popularity: 1% [?]

Eat… Sleep… Play…  = Holidays

these are blackberry casing I found around Thailand… it was cute.. cheap.. stylish.. and funny..  If you walked around Medan trying to get hold of the typical casing sold… apart from the plain silicon cover that cost Rp 25,000 or more… whatever else found will cost a lot more … and most times… selling at ridiculous price… what you saw above.. for all the silicon ones cost less that Rp 50.000…

The Devil

some of you may or may not feel the same way as me… but the red fruit with hairy skin – Rambutan… well.. it’s sweet and nice.. cheap and nutritious… but it’s when you pop it in your mouth trying to bite out the edible parts… the grey covering over the seed will often get in the way and make the whole eating experience unpleasant… and we Thais.. especially my house… my mum knowing how both the kids and me love it … she will often use a really small sharp knife and craft out the seed and what you see above its like a box of gems… do try

2 days… my son Jadon mastered his Roller Blading and yes… knees.. palms.. elbows.. legs.. are filled with plasters covering all the wounds… but kids.. you just have to let them go through it and learnt things… and it was definitely fun..

Mango… many of us consume mango in the soft ripe standard way… but do try those ones that are 1/2 ripe… it’s still sweet and I personally prefer it this way… and you can find it in Medan supermarket… it comes in the hard green unripe look… choose one that’s slightly turning yellow…

Popularity: 4% [?]

overloaded….

traditional transport used in one of the world most modern city…

it was real tempting with an empty stomach… after a hearty meal and..  it’s like, oh,  please….

though its a mock up town… but I love it…

beautiful Jade Temple Buddha

French Concessions... funky shops… restaurants with expensive drinks… art galleries… boutiques selling over priced items… yet it’s my favourite place of the whole trip… and I must have been under-dressed or something… several times I picked up an item, the salesperson will inform me of the price without me having to raise my voice… and nothing beat having a salesgirl telling you… ‘oh..  the dress is too small for you and I have no bigger size coz we make only one size!’... well, I was just picking the dress up to look at the design… and ouch.. it does hurts till today.. BUT there is an accessories boutique selling all things Pearls.. as in Farm Pearls and not South Sea Pearl… very very reasonabley priced and hand made by the owner herself...

Popularity: 5% [?]

things I find interesting…

ICBC is one of China leading bank … I was being recommended to buy their stocks in fact… I was seeing the logo everywhere I turned… but each time we see one… hubby will say ‘ICBC = ai xi bei xi’ which in hokkien translates to ‘ICBC = want to die cannot die’… and since there is one right opposite our hotel… I went in there to change some money… as I was being given big 100 notes… I asked for some to be changed into smaller ones… the clerk guy said that he had not enough on hand for other customers… !! I was like… comeon this is a bank and you gave me that excuse??..

I skipped my breakfast for this famous restaurant at Yuyuan… one word ‘disappointment’… the queues were long and everyone was talking about it… so I have to try… the big bun with straw.. it was just plain soup inside… and I couldn’t understand why it was oily since it was simply filled with soupbase …

we went to the pudong side to have a better view of the full Shanghai Tang… along the river bank.. I saw this set up photography store… and I really have the urged to have one taken… but because 1. there is no changing room so I have to slip on the costume over what I was wearing…2. the camera that they were using was a lot much worst than mine.. 3. lots of people were starring… so.. I didn’t have the guts to do it…

at the Zhuangzhou Watertown… the food came in HUGE portion… it was enough for at least 6 people… obviously we managed to eat just 1/4 of it… tastewise… just only ok… but most interesting part was when you see how the vegetables were being pre prepared….

one of my most disappointment was not seeing the BUND… the whole stretch is having construction going on to prepare for the Shanghai Expo in 2010…

but one of the fun part was experiencing the automated toilet in the lounge of the Shanghai Airport… I have tried many of the semi automated ones but not like one of this …. and all along I have always wondered about why the Japanese all have such a big fuss over their toilet seat until now…. for this one, as you opened the door, the light is automatically switched on… the toilet seat cover is then automatically lifted up… then on the side.. instructions and a panel of functions you pressed .. high or low, front or rear, different types of spraying methods… and it comes with the DRYER function!!… I am NOT at all ashame to admit… but it was really cute and I was like a little kid finding excuses to go in again and again…

Popularity: 4% [?]

Whenever I feel unhappy about something… or losing my focus, or just simply frustrated with myself… I have come to realised that all I need to do is visit a temple or help out the less fortunate people …  having said that.. it’s not that I will only do that when I am feeling low though… I make regular visits rather often in fact…

it’s always a family trip … and a good reminder for us and the boys just thinking how fortunate we are…  and is particularly hard to imagine knowing that there are people out there on the streets who never sleep in a bed, who have no bathroom, can’t shower, are hungry, and have no one to love them and nowhere to go…

anyway, last Saturday… we went back to the International Humanity Foundation (IHF) centre, Medan… the last time we were there was many months back… and for some reasons… which I have no clue why… I feel bonded with the place…. and been trying to make trips back there from the first time I was there… but I spread my goodwill trips around many other places as well… so..  last week, after clearing some workloads off table, I went around town buying badly needed stuff for the place … and went back there …

volunteers for 2008/2009…. these are truly great people!!!…

Computer Class

IHF centre provides free extra education classes for the kids around the area… main subjects taught are English, Mathematics and computer… the centre relied on overseas volunteer together with the help of some locals in running the place… hubby and me both feel that… not only that the children are gaining education benefits for their future, but the place helps to keep the children off the street hence avoid being negatively influenced… after all, we want the best for all kids since they are the ones in shaping the future…

daddy and the boys busy unpacking the stuff…

before the trip, I made the boys and the nanny went through all the wanted toys that they have outgrown… and I have also bought many new ones… other stuff I brought include medical supplies, board games, stationary and tools…

I was amazed and proud at the same time with the boys… both seem so readily and happy helping out … as often they  practically gone handicapped whenever they are at home…

for quite sometimes now, I’ve been doing some research on how to set up and run such centre… did some calculations and realized that each year, we have been giving out enough to have our own mini foundation…  so after careful thought through, hubby and me agreed that we will and definitely gonna set up our own Centre similar to IHF one day ….  I am currently visualizing, a learning place like ‘Eureka’ (but in a smaller scale) …. but instead of charging, I am providing it free for the less fortunate ones… anyway, saying it all out loud is real easy… executing the whole visionary plan is definitely not an easy task… but then again… if I have the will, I belief that it will be realised and a dream come true …

I have visited many old age homes, lots of orphanage homes, handicapped homes, disabled homes etc… but nothing affects me so passionately like IHF… I simply love what the centre is doing for the local community…. to me, the place just hit right into my heart… it feels absolutely right….

look at the kids…!!! they are so beautiful and the future is all about them isn’t it??

The centre is rather in need of several things… since not many people know or heard of it… I hope that some of my readers can help out… if you have any wanted toys and story books (especially the english version ones) that your child may have outgrown… rather than throwing it off or donated to local orphanage, please do consider this place as I am sure it will be put in a much better use…. I still see all the books materials that we have given on our previous trip and it sure feels good knowing that the kids have been enjoying it….

IHF Centre’s address:
Jalan Tempuling 128 A, Medan 20222
Tel: 62 61 6626469
www.ihfonline.org

Popularity: 4% [?]