Medan Kota

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..

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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…

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I know.. you know.. we know.. and everyone know that any start to a New Year should be something nice, good, as well as pleasant.. so it should goes the same for my first blog post for this year 2010.. but nope.. I am not… and I am not gonna think that what I experienced on the first minute of year 2010 is a bad start for my coming year..

A week before the start of this new year… I twitted, told myself and everyone that.. I am NOT gonna stay in my bedroom and fall asleep before the midnight.. rather I want to be somewhere nice to do the countdown.. and for some reasons (should have known that it’s a sign to warn me).. well, at 8pm, my boys were telling us how they want to be cuddled up in bed with mum and dad  i.e spending their night with us… and yes.. I told them a straight ‘NO’ and clearly announced that this year mama wants to have some fun..

My plan for the night was really simple… had dinner with family and then head down to Prime Bar at JW Marriott Hotel to meet up with my dear girlfriend.. and yes, for once I even made an effort to not wear something usual…

We left home at 10:15pm heading from Polonia towards Marriott Hotel.. 3 mins into the journey, small traffic began to build up but cars were moving okay… 10 mins later at Jl. Permuda, police began closing all the major roads leading up to the L.Mederka.. and so the nearest road we were allowed to turn was at Jl Sutomo.. let’s just said that I was in the car for about 2 1/2 HOURS and get to nowhere!!.. hubby ended driving on the foot pavement to get to the nearest turning just to get home…

As for my countdown?.. do I need to say more?… well, hubby and me weren’t in any mood to even talk to each other!!!… we were so so soooooo frustrated… my brain was cursing every possible single things I could thought of and with that!! … tell me, am I supposed to just console myself that…. ‘this is Medan’?.. for just once.. jusssttt onceee and for the first time in Medan… I want to celebrate my New Year in the right and proper way.. and oh yesssss… my beloved Medan town decided to close their roads this year…

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Is this right?

I came across this wedding invitation… and couldn’t help but wonder… at the bottom of the invitation showed 3 logos.. first represents Gifts.. second represents Papan Bunga (Flower banner).. while the third said red packet (cash to be exact)..

I can accept the fact that couples prefer not to receive the second option… but declining gifts as well?  …. I find it rather  ‘…?…’ .. can’t think of a word to describe…

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I have lived in 4 different countries… Bangkok, Singapore, United Kingdom and Medan, Indonesia …. each lasting about 8-9 years on average… so.. I kind of able to see the full characteristics of the local cultures, the people habits, their lifestyles…etc… as for Medan.. with 9 1/2 years….. hitting a decade soon… I think I know Medan way better than some of the locals …..

well… of all 4 nationalities, Medanese have my first place for being the hardest group of consumers to please…  let’s just stick to one area that we all know best – food… restaurants…. eating out…

back in year 2000…. eating out in restaurants were rare for the locals… restaurants were often seen packed only during  the weekends… but well.. it was all simply becoz… there weren’t proper restaurants good enough for people to enjoy anyway… the best at the time were Jumbo which is still popular till today… and next and never seem to fail is Nelayan… and of course the local Padang food at Garuda…..

and to get discounts in restaurants in the past were all about connections.. i.e you know the boss… bill arrived.. you mentioned the boss’s name.. and just like that … you will probably received a maximum of 10% discount…

as years passed… the credit cards from all the different banks came out with discount offers especially for restaurants…  as such… Medan people began to eat out more….. then it became…  the ever non-stop in applying for the next card that give the next best promotions….  I have seen friends that have like 6-7 cards in his/her wallets….

for me… well.. I love food… I can cook but can’t be bother kind of thing you know… with ingredients not being that easy and cheap to source… I have since stopped my culinary skills and simply enjoyed what’s on the market…. so.. when I craved for something… I will simply head down to the ones that will satisfy my appetite…

instead…. for some of the local Medan…. people seem to head down to the whatever gourmet outlets that offer the best promotions….!!  ….  “Arisan” a term used by the locals where they gathered on monthly basis to meet up with friends over meals…. are the main target groups for all dining places around town…. so.. yes.. for those restaurants having no offer, no discount, none promo…. unless it is cheap in its own way… else.. you will often find these ones 1/2 occupied….

and I have been over-hearing such conversations way too often…

a’Fuk: ‘what to eat today….”

a’Cai: ‘anything is okay for me …..”

a’Kong: ‘there’s no such thing as anything…. ok!… decide!!’

a’Kim: ‘where got discount?..’

a’Fuk: ‘Mega got 50% off at Taipan’

a’Long: ’say earlier mah…… ‘

a’Liang; ‘who got Mega card…?? you have..?’

a’Cai: ‘I have…’

a’Kong: ‘I also have…’

a’Kim: ‘I also have leh… ‘

a’Fuk: ‘why still standing… let’s go… later no space…”

I am not saying that it’s bad… but it has since become that.. people opt to eat at wherever there is promotion going on… I have a friend who wrongly sent a message to me … in the text message…. she wrote the date n time to meet up with her friends… the last sentenced was…  ‘where to eat… but Marriott has 50% off tomorrow with Mandiri card…”

for me personally…. I am ashamed to admit that I have fallen into being a victim as well…. I am addicted to the Citicard Rp 100.000 free dining promo… ever since the promo started… we can be found at Sushi Tei every weekends… but that is also becoz my boys just love the food there…. it’s healthy and not oily …. as for us… well.. you know.. happy kids plus…  happy to daddy’s wallet kind of thing …. ^0^

the current most popular are 50% off with Mega at Taipan ….. and 50% off at JW Marriott hotel Medan on certain dates… I heard from friends that at Marriott cafe, Jade resto (min spent is Rp 2jt) as well as Prime Steakhouse (min Rp 700.000) were so fully packed that ….. they had to turn away guests…. informing them that the waiting time could be at least 1 hour… well… some guests replied were….  ‘it’s ok.. we can wait…’

well… with the Mandiri promo going on for the next serveral months… initially… it’s real tempted to apply for the card… but having heard how it’s always fully packed… well I rather go on regular day with the standard 20% off for citicard… although with 30% less discount…. but I can see that I will definitely enjoy my food in a proper and better way… not in queues… not seeing the ones that I want to eat and it’s not there… or the long waiting time ….  but well.. that’s just me though… BUT.. we are definitely getting the card for the offer they have over at Hagaan Daz…

like how Medan people are well know among the Indonesian… ‘Medanese are calculative group of people….’

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