Medan ABG
ABG is a term used by the Indonesian locals that stand for Anak Baru Gede or simply put, just grown up kid… actually its term used for describing teenager.
I have passed the age like 20 years ago… and I know that the times have changed and that a lot of stuff are different from my early years, but I was really not expecting what teenagers these day are doing..
Last night, I stumbled into a blog written by a 14 y.o girl, a local Medan girl.. I was really in for a panic… I was sweating with worries… worried that my boys will start yelling at me that ‘I hate you mama’ kind of things….
1, she was describing how she needed more love from her parents,
2, complaining that her parents are expecting too much of her, at times stating how she hates her mum..
3, how she does not want a cosmetic surgery suggested by her mum,
4, she hated school,
5, shopping with mum every week and buy like 4-5 new items of clothing each trip at sun plaza,
6, not going to school becoz driver did not come,
7, late for school and once saw how teachers are standing at the school gate simply ask her driver to turn back the car back to home,
8, school teachers are using discouraging words on kids and she was voicing out in confusion aren’t the teacher supposed to encourage them if they are not doing well in school…
9, Sushi Tei and Starbuck are the standard hang out place
10, Birthday party at Marriott hotel, Sushi tei, all the fancy restaurants….
11, designer handbags and blackberry are the basic items….
But having said all that, she may not be doing well in school, but its obvious that she has talent in other areas like photography and graphic design… there are stuff she did that I don’t even know how to myself.. I was even thinking if I should hire her for freelance jobs..
As I read, I can’t believe and simply wordless… I don’t remember my times were that… and then I clicked onto other blogs of her friends …
and this time, I went into one that described how much love she got from her mum and described how her mum is LIMITED… i.e only the few in this world… as a mum… I was going awwww… and my hubby was teasing that I can now stop worrying… hahahaaa..
I ended spending 2 hours, reading some 20+ blogs of all these teenage kids in Medan… and they have the same thing in common… shopping at Sun Plaza, birthday party at Sushi Tei and daily hang out at Starbucks… all very expensive stuff.. and not to forget, top of the range DSLR, laptop and mobile phone… but looking on the bright side, I so love how these kids are able to blog, set up website with very very impressive designs that many adults that I know are not even able to do the simplest stuff.. they have the brain for the new millennium, and just simply amazing what’s on their mind at this young age…
However, one thing that trigger me is how by comparing both kids and I can see that the first one, who is rebellious, she will be the one that will fit into the real world better… and its just sad to know that the talent she has in her is not being recognized by her parents since many of them still believe in AAA and more As for the education…
I am not saying that the good girl is bad but in reality, she will probably be the standard normal adults whom will ended being the normal individual and obey what she is told to do… i.e a good employee…
Popularity: 13% [?]
medankota on June 3rd 2009 in Medan Living, Medan School, the people
chomel responded on 03 Jun 2009 at 1:54 pm #
sorry to correct you.. ABG is Anak Baru Gede– (just grown up kid)
can you email me the blog address? curious too..
medankota responded on 03 Jun 2009 at 2:43 pm #
chomel..
thank you for the correction… i thought it didn’t sound right too… but couldn’t anyone to confirm…
jaouna responded on 13 Jun 2009 at 10:09 pm #
hello,
I am trying to get informations about tuition fees of international schools in Medan. The only one I could get concerns MIS. But it’s too expensive for us. I sent an e-mail to Piaget I.S and SIS but so far I got no answers. Can you help us? At least concerning Piaget since your children go there. Thank you very much.
Jaouna.
jaouna responded on 13 Jun 2009 at 11:00 pm #
look forward to read you. Thanks.
Elisha responded on 21 Jul 2009 at 8:24 pm #
Hi,
I came across your website and found out that ur kids are in piaget…
I kinda think and encounter that most of the students in Piaget tends to have higher living standards. Sushi Tei, DSLR, just like what u mentioned above…
From the first place, why Piaget…???
Thanks…
MedanKota responded on 22 Jul 2009 at 7:14 am #
Hi Elisha
why piaget …. well it’s the only school that provides with the all round sound education with reasonably good teachers and education systems…. though it lacks in facilities, but it goes for all schools in Medan except Chandra Kusuma which is rather far out of town…
kids in Piaget tend to come from middle-up family.. so thats why kids have higher demand for things in life… but it’s not for all kids though….
Elisha responded on 22 Jul 2009 at 11:13 am #
Hi Vic
Do you actually suggest Chandra Kusuma? Well, my boy is 21 months. When he was 15 months, I sent him to Little Lamb (jl. Yoserizal). He’s still there, PG A. The reasons are: small classes and longer hours 8.30 – 11.00, and friendly teachers… ^^ Normally, I will pick him up at 12.
Now, not sure if it’s better to send him directly to National plus school or to local school (Sutomo I). For National plus school, I have no idea what to choose…
Piaget came in mind, but then scared how it will affect the personality of the kids (since most of the students are from middle to upper class…)
Medankota responded on 22 Jul 2009 at 12:50 pm #
Elisha
YES… if you dont mind the distance… I absolutely suggests Chandra Kusuma… this is the link to the post that I wrote about the school..
http://www.medankota.com/chandra-kusuma-school/
the worries that you have with Piaget with regards to the environment that may affects your child… YOU ARE NOT ALONE…. ahhaha…
I have so so so many readers emailing me about the concern… and I have friends worried about the same things and didnt want to put their child in Piaget simply becoz of that…
to me.. in my opinion… Piaget offers good education systems… SIS is just as good.. but with the school lacking of financial support…. they do have some silly stuff go on in school.. like turn off air con to support green environment… and with the school moving over to Royal Sumatera… you may want to take not of the distance too… thats also partly why many SIS students are moving over to Piaget…
as for Piaget school environment… ignore that and just have to tell your child to be who we are… it’s not easy… but it’s actually just our mind set isn’t it? in return… at least they are getting the right school education…
as with Sutomo… I have no say… some poeple vow by that… I am sure they are good… many great successful individuals graduate from there….:) but with my family.. me and my boys dont plan to be here, and that I know I will not be able to communicate well with the local teachers… thats the main reason why I go with national plus school…
Elisha responded on 22 Jul 2009 at 8:05 pm #
Vic
I really think that you are ’something’. Being educated in developed countries and stays in Medan. It’s not easy. ^^
.
I stayed abroad for 5 years and already cannot handle things in here…
I stay in Cemara Asri, so CK should not be a problem. I just heard the system is not that great. Well, what school in Medan do…?? I will go back for more information.
Thanks.
MedanKota responded on 22 Jul 2009 at 8:30 pm #
Elisha
my hubby dont think i’m ’something’… still insist on me adapting to the life… I’m like… any more changes and I wouldn’t be ‘me’ anymore… ahhah
CK is an amazing school… I spoke to the principle.. great lady… but do check out their teaching materials first though.. I couldn’t do that… just to make sure that you like the flow and the materials that your child will be learning it from… Piaget ones are from Singapore.. so it’s still ok..
Rhizat responded on 29 Nov 2010 at 12:31 am #
Knlin donk ma cewe medan,janda jg gpp asal tajir
Ray responded on 11 Feb 2012 at 8:37 pm #
I have been living in Medan for the last six months and teach at one of the National Plus schools here (I won’t say which one). I also lived in Jakarta many years ago as the child of an ex-pat worker and attended an international school there… sorry, I’m no expert on Medanese or Indonesian society for sure and I don’t set myself up as a social critic, but I’ll just say here that I can’t cry for the student you describe from her blog saying that she “told the driver to turn around and return home after arriving at the school gate”…
Sure, I can see from interacting with my students and observing them that some of them are or feel neglected by their parents, and I know that has a real impact on their lives. When I was in school in Jakarta and later in the U.S. I experienced that myself – a father whose priority was in supporting his family financially, but lost the thread of just being together as a family… I can see that in some of my students although I believe most of them receive plenty of support and love from their families as well as their material needs.
I have also married an Indonesian citizen in the short time I’ve been here. She grew up in a poor and hardworking family and she and they have had to work hard and sacrifice for everything she has achieved in her life, especially her education. There is a tv program called ‘Ingin Sekolah” which reflects the simple desire of poor children for a chance at an education, which is not a guaranteed privilege for them. And anyone can see the pictures on tv of the kids traveling across the broken bridge (instant symbolism) to cross the river to school every day (has the bridge been repaired yet? Maybe some of the “toilet money” could be used for that?)… no sorry, I can’t cry for the student whose blog you describe, she just doesn’t realize how good and how easy she has it… either that, or I just don’t realize how tough it must be for her, “hanging out at Starbucks every day”…