Hallo From Medan

**Mister Bule** · 23-10-12, 07:38

Dan, lots of interesting information there... I will reply again after work(!)

**Sari.D** · 23-10-12, 09:28

Originally Posted by Mister Bule

Hallo, this is Mister Bule, I am 47 y/o American (Texan) currently living in Medan...

Texan!! Welcome to the forum!! I used to live in Houston for 5 years, loved it there!! Everyone was so warm and welcoming. Which part of Texas are you from?

**james** · 23-10-12, 13:42

Originally Posted by Mister Bule

Thanks for the info James, I think my post/ thread is now back up under Marriage to Indonesian or some such, but my netbook did have a serious brain freeze when I tried to post it the first time.

re the registration, maybe I got confused by what I read online, but it seemed that on the US embassy website itself or elsewhere I saw the statement that if the expat and spouse planned to live in other countries than Indonesia in the future, they should "register the marriage" through the embassy so it would be recognized by other foreign governments. That does seem a it strange since yes, I know the Fed doesn't normally have any jurisdiction over the legality or recognition of marriage, so I dunno... I just want to make sure that if I take a job in China, Turkey, Mongolia or wherever, my marriage will be recognized so that I can get the proper visa for my wife to go there with me and be included on my residence permit...

... .

I never registered my marraige with the US embassy and just this week we (my wife and I) received one-year visas for China, me working and her tagging along as spouse. I just included a copy of my buku nika with her application. No issues whatsoever encountered.

**Alia** · 23-10-12, 15:24

Horas Mr. Bule !

I dont have any advice about spousal visa, but surely many of our kind forum members will fill you in with their valuable infos.

Welcome to the Forum.

**redsnapr** · 23-10-12, 16:01

Originally Posted by Mister Bule

re the registration, maybe I got confused by what I read online, but it seemed that on the US embassy website itself or elsewhere I saw the statement that if the expat and spouse planned to live in other countries than Indonesia in the future, they should "register the marriage" through the embassy so it would be recognized by other foreign governments. That does seem a it strange since yes, I know the Fed doesn't normally have any jurisdiction over the legality or recognition of marriage, so I dunno...

What you noted refers to the possibility of moving with your Indonesian spouse to your home country and the bureaucratic process needed to make your marriage certificate officially acceptable in your country. For the Indonesian marriage certificate (or any other official document) to be officially recognized in another country it would need to have an appostille; Indonesia is, however, not a signatory of the Hague convention and, therefore you need to have the wedding certificate consularized in your country's embassy.

**Mister Bule** · 23-10-12, 19:42

Originally Posted by DanInAceh

Bolded part is important, did you get a pre-nup? Inheritance here can be tricky if someone is married a foreigner.

]

We do not have a prenup... I'm pretty sure neither of us even really thought about that. And although my degree is in legal studies, I don't really have much inclination to mix law and love any more than absolutely necessary... if I end up paying a consequnce for that at some point, i guess it will just be paying my dues in the game of life. That said, I did remember just after I made the post that I should have said, SHE will inherit a house, not "we"... I am aware that as of current law (including the new Immigration Law of 2011, as I understand it), bule cannot inherit, buy or own property in Indonesia. The house belongs to my wife's parents. I have made no monetary investment in the house itself, although I do send money to my parents-in-law every month, through my wife (for their general welfare and mostly for medicine / healthcare). We anticipate living there anywhere from maybe five to fifteen years from now, depending on circumstances and whether or not I find a suitable job at Balikpapan or when that may happen, so we might or might not live there temporarily or permanently while one or both of her parents are still alive. We do plan to make some remodeling, repair and improvement to the house which would probably start whenever we have money saved for that purpose that we don't need for more immediate things (since we're trying to have a child, I for one am not holding my breath for that). I think that 1) we both hope and pray that divorce never becomes an issue for us; 2) if that were to happen for whatever reason, I obviously would need to make other living arrangements for myself, which could be another reason better to wait a while down the road before sinking a significant amount of "our" money into the house... but I really don't like to even think like that, and we have other good reasons for delaying the home improvements for some time anyway. The house is in my wife's family's kampung on a hill overlooking the sea (really beautiful view) and I look forward to spending a long time there together - insh'alla.

If you enjoy living in the mountains you should consider a visit to Takengon and the surrounding villages in Central Aceh. It's quite cool with clean water, clean air, and friendly people. Living in Medan would drive me crazy, it's definitely not my kind of place. I'd personally much prefer living in a small village. During holidays we get to visit our relatives in Lampahan and it's so very quiet, cool, and peaceful.

Sounds nice, and that is exactly how my Acehnese friend describes life in his kampung... pretty scenery, quiet, clean air... a big step up in living quality from Medan for sure.

You would like to teach in Turkey you say? Interesting... I work for a Turkish-Indonesian civic organization that has schools throughout the archipelago. They're part of a broader, loosely formed "organization" (really just a collective social movement) based on Islamic revival through education. Getting to know some of the Turks here might give you a "foot in the door" for teaching in Turkey, and I'd be happy to introduce you some time if you're coming to Aceh.

I don't anticipate any problem finding work in Turkey, actually I taught in a three week inter-term camp there (in Sanliurfa) last January / February and the company that I worked for wanted me to take a ten month contract when I was leaving China, but I decided to come here instead, a decision which has made big changes in my life. But the idea of your organization sounnd interesting and I would be happy to meet some of them if or when we make it to Aceh... I'm somewhat surprised by the idea of Turks in Indonesia (in any collective kind of way) but I suppose I shouldn't be...

As you probably guessed, I am an English teacher here and I am originally from New Orleans, La. I met my wife, who is Acehnese, at Texas A&M (yes, we're both Aggies) while she was completing her graduate program. The U.S. state department had granted her a J-1 visa that forced her to return to Indonesia for a period of two years. Not being able to part ways with my wife for two whole freakin' years, I came here to use my teaching skills. So, we're planning to live here for quite some time, possibly forever. I find teaching to be immensely satisfying here, and the locals are extremely friendly.

Big Easy eh... I have been to the Mardi Gras two or three times back in the day... of course I was told that many locals find that a great time to get out of town. Anyway it is an unique and charming city, I'm glad she survived Katrina... Orang Aggie, huh? My father graduated from UT Austin and I hung around there a while before later taking my B.A. at UTSA, but my mother's brother and his wife (guess that makes them my uncle and aunt) live on a farm just outside Normangee, which is like a bump on a small highway between Bryan and College Station.

You and your wife are blessed to have found your destiny in that way, I wish the best for both of you... hope we can meet up either in Aceh or here in Medan sometime.

**Donkk** · 23-10-12, 19:48

Mister Bule, Welcome to the forum. Balipakpan in a nice place I really miss the hash run there, 8 in a week. Medan has a hash as well.

http://mh3.medanhash.com/

Sara Nice, videos.

**travellingchez** · 23-10-12, 20:01

Originally Posted by Donkk

Mister Bule, Welcome to the forum. Balipakpan in a nice place I really miss the hash run there, 8 in a week. Medan has a hash as well.

http://mh3.medanhash.com/

Sara Nice, videos.

You probably know Beaver turd then. He runs in Jakarta once a month when he's back visiting his family.

Hashing is a great way to get out and about in the countryside in Indonesia. Also a great way to meet others.
I'm a big hash cheerleader ;p It's what keeps me sane living in cities in Indonesia.

**Mister Bule** · 23-10-12, 20:29

Originally Posted by Sari.D

Texan!! Welcome to the forum!! I used to live in Houston for 5 years, loved it there!! Everyone was so warm and welcoming. Which part of Texas are you from?

Thank you Sari... My parents both native Texans, I was born in Nigeria and spent much of my first twelve years there, in Kuwait and here in Indonesia, then my family went to San Antonio and I spent most of the next thirty years there and in Austin... Texas has a lot of good things and good people imo. Thanks for the welcome!