Job Discussion Forums

[Amani Renas]

I would like to know if anyone who has taught or who is currently teaching in Medan could give me some information and tips on what life might be like in this beautiful place. It would be a great help to me, as I, like I'm sure you once were, am practically going crazy wrapping my head around the idea of living and teaching in Indonesia for a year!

It would be ace if any of you could tell me about your experiences with teaching, with the weather and with anything else you find pertinent...

I hope that you can share your stories with me, either by PM or in this thread!

Thanks!

-A.

[ezekiel]

Amani, this is an old post of mine, don't know if you read it before but I have updated it a bit anyway.....

I have been living and teaching English in Medan for over 3 years and in Sumatera for longer, so I'll fill you in a bit..Medan always demands a second look, when I first arrived from Penang I was ready to get straight back on the boat..a tropical paradise it is not; it is a medium sized, hot, crowded, noisy, busy and smoke filled city...parts of it, however, make it an attractive city, it is quite modern, boasting some good restaurants, hotels (there are three more being built including a Marriott), nightclubs, golf courses, and shopping malls, the most modern and by far the most popular being Sun Plaza..one of the least pleasant things here is the power cuts.
They are a major part of everyone's life as they have been for the last 3 years..the (can you believe it, DIESEL POWERED!!?) power station here cannot cope with the city's increasing demand and PLN shut off districts daily, usually to save fuel but they claim it's due to technical difficulties..it is not unusual to experience 4-8 hours without electricity per day. We have a generator which for me is essential, but costs a lot to run (plus added guilt over pollution issues!)

The difference I see between here and Jakarta is that Jkt centre is developed whereas the Medan center is continually being renovated and redeveloped..which in my 7 years contact with the city has genuinely improved it..it is a developing provincial 'capital'...it is near the beach which makes for sea breezes and air but the beaches are nothing to speak of unless you like eating seafood in the scorching hot sun; there are no trees on the shoreline..there is NO SURF!...actually the beaches near Medan are sandy but much of the eastern coastline here is swampy..

Half a day's journey from Medan are the main attractions..the volcanic farming town of Brastagi, Bukit Lawang and Bohorok which are homes to Orang hutan sanctuaries and stunning rainforest, and Lake Toba, all of them well worth many visits but none of which you will end up going to for the weekend very much (it's just too far)...roads between towns are not bad but have bad patches and seem to have been built to snake round any and all obstacle..they are also incredibly busy with trucks and buses..

..back in Medan, another thing I appreciate here is that one can actually get around here whereas Jakarta always seems a logistical and expensive nightmare if you don't live close to work..there are no freeways in Medan so the town still seems like a collection of villages (which really it is) you can even walk around with relative ease..it is as safe as you allow it to be (I have never been robbed, abused or threatened or had anything stolen and only a couple of times mildly taunted in the street)..Medan people are quite open, out-spoken, emotional but genuinely friendly..they consist mainly of Sumaterans (Batak, Padang, Karo), Javanese, Achehnese, Chinese, Indians (and a fair amount of westerners)..I always see a huge superiority (inferiority?) issue with many higher class people, not what you know but who, corruption is rife, people solve problems by how many police they know or have in the family..the nicest people you could know become terrors when they get on the road..most people from every walk of life here look forward to weekends and love their food and socializing!
Serious poverty in the city can be seen daily, as can huge wealth

As for money, that all depends on how you live..(by the way 6.5 is definately on the low side if I remember your credentials! I got 5 million 5 years ago outside Medan as an inexperienced illegal teacher!!)
..my family and I live on 10 million without saving very much but living very comfortably, with tight moments now and again!

Rent for a decent house in Medan=15-25 million per year (can get a tiny terraced house for 10),
Good used car 50-100 million,
Average 'Becak' ride= 5,000-20,000 rupiah
Bottle of Bir Bintang=13,000 rupiah
Canister of LPG 'calor gas'=75,000
Litre of petrol=4,500 rupiah
Gym fees per month=300,000 rupiah
...but all this adds up, naturally...From what you have said about Korea though I have no doubt that Indonesia will compensate you for you 'quality of life' deficiency..this is of course all just one man's opinion..just make sure you negotiate for the money and the time you need to do the things you want to do!

salam

ezekiel

[Gamushara84]

Thanks for this post! It's hard to find anything online about Medan that is in English.

[Amani Renas]