It has been awhile since I’ve posted. I’ve been busy with teaching and just life in general in Medan. Just want to give some information for anyone who has found my blog through searches about the situation here. I do not think the media has been showing the reality of the protests. It is such… Continue reading
Tag: medan
A look back on 2011 and ahead to 2012
The last couple of years have been some of the best of my life so far. 2010 saw the completion of my BA from University, my 30th birthday and the breaking free of a job I didn’t like but kept at for the entire decade. I managed to complete my degree in the amount of… Continue reading
North Sumatra Road Trip
In about 7 hours me and a couple of mates are going to head south out of Medan for Lake Toba for a week-long road trip through North Sumatra. I plan on leaving the laptop at home. The camera will be with me but it’s unlikely I’ll be making any posts before I come back.… Continue reading
Food Friday: Rendang
There are few foods in this world that make my tongue dance the minute it touches them. Back home in the United States it’s definitely a nice thin slice of New York style pizza and maybe BBQ pork doused in delicious sweet sauce. As far as international cuisine, there is green curry chicken in Thailand… Continue reading
Food Friday: Nasi/Mie Goreng
Nasi goreng and Mie goreng are considered national dishes of Indonesia. Nasi = rice mie = noodles and goreng means fried. So, it’s simple, fried rice and fried noodles. This is the first food that people usually try when arriving here because it’s simple and recognizable. Usually wrapped in a banana leaf from street stalls,… Continue reading
Halloween activity for ESL classrooms
The Horror: Scary Movie Night Halloween is my first major holiday as an ESL teacher. The student’s knowledge of the holiday is limited as Indonesia doesn’t celebrate it and only English language schools hold any sort of activity for the holiday. My school did a horror movie night for the students. I was quite surprised… Continue reading
American Tourist Stabbed to Death in Medan
I almost considered not making a post about this because the last thing North Sumatra needs is for people to think it’s a dangerous place to visit. A few nights ago in Medan an American tourist was killed while in a becak (pedicab) on his way to his hotel from Polonia Airport. I’ve left Polonia… Continue reading
Food Fridays: Dendeng
Food Fridays When I ask Indonesians what different areas of their country are famous for they usually say Jakarta is fashion and Bali is for tourists. But Medan, while not the most aestetically pleasing city in Indonesia, is almost always synonymous with food. Whether it’s someone from Java or Kalimantan most Indonesians agree that Medan… Continue reading
Live Now, Make Now the Most Precious Time
One of my favorite quotes is from an episode of Star Trek the Next Generation called the Inner Light. Captain Picard was knocked unconscious by a probe sent by a long extinct alien civilization with the purpose of downloading an entire lifetime of memories into his mind that he would experience in a mere 20… Continue reading
Sate Padang
A night food stall near my house sells sate padang. A dish from Padang, Western Sumatra. It’s traditionally made with beef in Padang but in Medan chicken and lamb are commonly used. This particular sate padang was chicken (ayam). The spicy yellow sauce on top is made from rice flour, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander, galangal… Continue reading