Stir fried vegetables not a normal part of human experience?

[macaroonie]

Ok i met a potential flatmate/landlord last night who when discussing our cooking habits was absolutely SHOCKED that i sometimes cook stir fried vegetables (not deep fried but stir fried)... i had to repeat and explain it several times. I wasn't sure whether she had never heard of stir frying vegetables, or really was against it being cooked in her kitchen.

Isn't cooking vegetables a normal part of the human experience in singapore?

[nakatago]

to be fair, you don't like chicken, so...

[macaroonie]

ok ok nakatago! you got me there...

[dazzlebabe]

Isn't cooking vegetables a normal part of the human experience in singapore?

Yes, unless they are meatatarians.

[carteki]

to be fair, you don't like chicken, so...

Tee Hee - good one!

Isn't cooking vegetables a normal part of the human experience in singapore?

Nope it isn't - because of all the hawker centre's around there are some people that have only ever used their kitchen to boil water. There is a post some way back about a person having to learn to boil an egg if I remember correctly. Maybe it might just be the term "stir fry" that confused the other person - a wok is originally from this part of the world...

[ksl]

More likely scared the hell out of the landlord, because you will use the gas! Normal practice for many is to eat out at the hawker centre!

[macaroonie]

It does sound strange not knowing how to cook eggs (though of course i am sure there are stranger things..)

What is a kitchen for if one doesn't use it? why do flats in singapore having kitchens then? They should remove it and increase the inside space! It's just too hard to fathom...

Even though utilities are included, i offered to pay extra if the costs increased over what she is used to..

[sundaymorningstaple]

Welcome to Singapore & Singaporean! They are a strange breed. they will spend a fortune to equip their homes with the fanciest of stoves and other kitchen appliances and expensive pots & pans but never use any of them. It's all for show. Face is everything in Asia. Also, have you noticed HOW MANY eateries there are everywhere? How could they stay in business if people actually cooked!

[road.not.taken]

Ok i met a potential flatmate/landlord last night who when discussing our cooking habits was absolutely SHOCKED that i sometimes cook stir fried vegetables (not deep fried but stir fried)... i had to repeat and explain it several times. I wasn't sure whether she had never heard of stir frying vegetables, or really was against it being cooked in her kitchen.

Isn't cooking vegetables a normal part of the human experience in singapore?

Here's the thing ~ even if they are too insulated and obtuse to have never heard of stir fried vegetables, why would they need clarification in that context? They're basically broadcasting: I am an ignorant, unsophisticated troglodyte. To SMS's point, it may be true, but it's no excuse. There is a HUGE difference between not stir frying vegetables yourself, and never even hearing of them. I've never operated a chain saw, but I've heard of them. What other common sense issues have bounced off this person? She sounds dumber than a bag of hair.

[x9200]

It can be also a simple misunderstanding. "Steal fried" or "stir fired" vegetables are for example not too common to be cooked.

[macaroonie]

I repeated it several times "stir fried vegetables", stir frying vegetables, stir frying vegetables... completely flabbergasted! then the agent repeated it to her in mandarin..she just replied, 'yah you can cook noodles'

Anyway i've pretty much given up ....it's impossible to find decent accommodation without going bankrupt here or having strange conditions imposed.. and finding a normal flatmate, well...!

The agent also told me it's common practice for the landlord to have a copy of the bedroom key... which i also thought was quite strange, wouldn't that mean anyone can come in while you are sleeping, they don't seem to understand that it's a security thing to change the lock on the door for privacy and security - or am i missing something here again

[x9200]

More expensive one does not guaranty to have a reasonable landlord. Just read some topics and stories from this forum. I would say it is a common habit of the landlords to have a spare set of the keys and they are equally and commonly aware that this is not exactly the way it should be. The question is whether they would make any attempt to go beyond this point. Unfortunately some do at least judging from other people stories.

[nakatago]

I repeated it several times "stir fried vegetables", stir frying vegetables, stir frying vegetables... completely flabbergasted! then the agent repeated it to her in mandarin..she just replied, 'yah you can cook noodles'

Anyway i've pretty much given up ....it's impossible to find decent accommodation without going bankrupt here or having strange conditions imposed.. and finding a normal flatmate, well...!

The agent also told me it's common practice for the landlord to have a copy of the bedroom key... which i also thought was quite strange, wouldn't that mean anyone can come in while you are sleeping, they don't seem to understand that it's a security thing to change the lock on the door for privacy and security - or am i missing something here again

There are horror stories about landlords taking stuff from their tenants's rooms. I've read from other forums about landlords going into their rooms stealing laptops even (when a lease is about to end). One tenant even went so far as putting a surveillance camera to confirm. Then, there are also those who'd include utilities in the rent but would incessantly nag you to save electricity, water, oxygen, etc. I have friends who were forced to move out because the landlord was going through a schizophrenic phase. They were lucky, though, because they were able to get back their deposit. Other people, not so much. And oh yeah, being of the same race is not always a good thing.

And about "cooking"...

When I first got here and looked for a room--for which I only had ten days, the first room was in a flat owned by a Muslim health buff. The next one was by a Hindu family ("..and do you have a girlfriend? She can't spend nights here"). For the others, I was told I could only do light cooking only (I didn't realize then that light cooking means boiling water ONLY). An agent even told me once "try not to cook."

Screw it.

I gave up and contacted a friend already settled here to see if I could bunk with them for a month while waiting for other people that I could share a flat with.

But I think, in your case, there's no one to wait for. The lesser evil probably would be to get a bunch of people you can marginally trust and then renting a whole flat. At least then, you get to negotiate conditions and have a say in the matter than having conditions imposed on you by a landlord.

[macaroonie]

Every agent i've met tells me that it is "NORMAL" practice for the landlord to hold a set of keys to the flat and the bedroom - is this really true? If it's not as X9020 suggests, then why do they all say it? Is there a set of basic rules and regulations that landlords and tenants have to follow that is backed up with some authority rather than the word of the agent?

All my friends have a place to live, but otherwise your suggestion would be perfectly reasonable Nakatago...thanks mate!

Perhaps this is the universe telling me i should be looking elsewhere for accommodation, like the south of france! it's much cheaper to rent and buy there surprisingly! and the food and cheese is absolutely fantastic! comte!!!

[nakatago]

It's more like a custom that almost everyone is practicing but no one really dictated/mandated/regulating it. Go figure.

Please don't tell me about the South of France; I had an opportunity to work and live there until the recession took that away and made me stay somewhere further down southeast. (It's not less expensive over there I think but it's definitely more charming for me...hmmm, Marseilles).

We have a spare [locked] room in our flat (it's another of those customs about unapproved flats). I'd offer it to you but we signed an agreement that only a certain number of people will be staying. And we all cook chicken.

Anyhoo, goodluck. Maybe you can try your luck with that teacher from Texas.