Wednesday, May 17, 2006

continuation...(part2)

Mini Tarts
1) While doing an entry...everything got lost cuz some german words seemed like `save`, but it means `close`! Nah beh!
2) Bear with the texts...its all stories from now till i am able to upload pics.




IMG_0059 Dari KL ke Frankfurt...


Continued…


12++am: To begin with, I am totally excited over long hauled flights, partly due to the food and also the in flight entertainment. A part of me wished I had flown with SIA (they had better food, better movies and the kebaya´s are much tighter! But another part of me really was doing my bit to help Idris Jala turn MAS around, despite a much pricier ticket.


Aiyo…the moment I entered the plane I was greeted by this middle aged lady, and I thought `pls let this be the only one!` So wrong! The rest of the supposed cun crew failed to even excite an old man with Viagra la! Gosh!!

I have to be stuck on a 12 hour flight with no good looking stewardess!? KNNCCB!!

So after stuffing my 11kg hand carry (and causing quite a stir) into the cabin compartment, I terus checked the in flight movies. Aiyo #2…the ´latest´ movie is … drum roll….Nanny McPhee!! Bugger…!! At least got Gubra also nvm…this one played all freakin lousy films!! And obviously they got no budget to put in really new movies, they had to put films like Entrapment, The Prince of Egypt (which by the way was banned in Malaysian cinemas!) and Torque as ´favourites´! KNNCCB!!

So shitty was the in flight entertainment…tried to sleep! Well for those who are not in the know…economy flights are best suited ideally for those below 5´5”! Damn…and dunno why this particular flight had to be the most uncomfortable one for my poor 6 feet 1 frame! Celaka…full of curses already…and this belum even sampai yet!

…………………………………..after 12 hours of not sleeping and wishing it was SIA rather than MAS

6++am (German time) And so…I reached Frankfurt! No problems with luggage and others…I hit for the train station and booked a ticket for Bonn. Don’t ask me why, I wasn’t exactly oohing and ahhing bout anything yet. Maybe the fact that I´ve been here before that’s why. Or its was the bloody flight…!

In between met some Malaysians who were on their way for some pet exhibition, this guy even gave me his card saying we ll never know when we meet again. He and his friend had to carry live animals from the airport to their destination…lots of boxes, hope none escaped!

Gave some directions to another Malaysian couple too…cheh waahhh…macam la I know the place well!

1030am: Smooth ride to the city where I ll spend the next year in! After 2 hours I finally reached the main station (they called it the hauptbahnhof, pronounced hopbanhof). Now every city in Germany has a central station, and from the central station its linked via all the trains for inter city transportation (the one I just used) and also trams for intra city transportation (which I ll depend on for the rest of my time in Bonn). Sort of like having a KL Sentral in every city in Malaysia…a possibility…but RM4.2 billion mana cukup!

So I am supposed to wait for my AIESEC buddy, the Bonn Local Committees special creation of member and trainee communication. Been in contact with him, no expectation of how he is, how he looks like etc. His name is Carl, and I am sure he has no idea as to who he´ll be meeting too! While waiting, was walking by this bfile:///usr/share/doc/HTML/index.htmlookstore and right in front of me…´rack´ful of racks! I mean heaps of porn mags la! Wahlau, if I don’t come to them, they´ll come to me! Lets not get excited … I just arrived…theres more opportunities to check them out!

11am: Finally, this kinda good looking guy appeared, looking like he is searching for someone. Its Carl! So this is my buddy…(note to self, must take his pic to show girl frens back home).

Well it was quick chat…brief intro and we were off to my apartment! I don’t know bout the system in AIESEC Germany, but I particularly liked the whole buddy system! I mean this guy was nearly my personal PA man! He has all the things scheduled, the admin stuff ready by when and to do what, basically making me feel at ease. Apparently I am his first trainee he is receiving.

Anyways, we took a tram to my apartment. Not a long journey, and he was honest enough to mention that I should be careful in my area, called Tannenbusch Mitte (means Tannenbusch Middle). Particularly theres a large amount of Arab immigrants there, who look rowdy, drunk and always seem to be causing problems.

I told him to relax…I am sure they would welcome me there as I am also like them…an IMMIGRANT! We could probably hit it off as they re probably like my hommies! I ll just need to find their version of the word “macha”, then I think I would be accepted in their circles. Until then…I think I ll just greet them with assalamuwalaikum…


1130am : So here is my home! The area definitely look a little of an eye sore though, and Carl was right bout those Arab immigrants. Imposing looks…need to give my new kid on the block look!

The distance between the station and my apartment is about 200m. As for my apartment, it could never look as boring! Grey shady colour…gosh it definitely needs an uplifting moment! Enter Bonnie…! (yeah right)

I have a room to myself, slightly bigger than the operational part of the AIESEC office back in State (the one with the computers and sink), siap with bed, tables, chairs and the biggest closet I could have! Oh plus a sink too! Next to my room is the kitchen, which is shared…and the rest are more rooms along the alley. I live on the 3rd floor.

I actually like my room, ideas of how to design and decorate it already start poppin in!

Then I told Carl we need to head to the office, at least let them know I have arrived. So decided to surprise whoever my colleagues gonna be!


1pm: So off we went to my office! Not far with the trams…only 20 mins to arrival. And I have to cross the road and theres my office! Only thing is…I expected it to be the main Tower (my office have its own tower, and splendid architectural design of glass and steel). But that’s another 100m away…this building I am heading too is where my department is!!! Oh well…there goes a beautiful view from my office!

So when Carl called Sandra (she has been the one assisting me with my visa problems and all), she came out to open the door! Whoaa…first babe of the day! And shes my colleague! Looks like those girls from the telenovela series I tell you! And why not…she has an Mexican dad and an Dutch / Indonesian mum…ahhh another mongrel, just like me! And she is such a lovely person, bubbly and chatty! Great way to know that you´re definitely gonna like GOING to work!

So we re done with the basic intro, and the stuffs which I need to be doing, and she told me to get ready for induction tomorrow…then me and Carl decided to head off for lunch, near his university.


1.30pm: Cool thing bout Bonn is that the university, one of the biggest in the country, is spread all over the city. And of cuz the city has its fair share of really nice basillic / gothic / Basque-ish architecture, which time I do the oohing and ahhing!


230pm: Got a call from Sandra on Carls phone…I have to be at the office by 3pm for my induction!! WTF…I thought it was supposed to be tomorrow!? But apparently, some miscommunication….so I have to be there, no matter what!

Whoaa…didn’t expect to start work asap! But I think this is worth the adventure!


3pm: Met Sandra, who apologised profusely bout the turn of events. Well, I guess I was running on adrenaline, so I am sure I could keep myself going for a couple more hours. Cue the buzzer, the thing finishes at 8pm! My knees nearly gave way!

So we headed for the main tower…apparently despite my dept not being there, I have to be commuting there and my office quite frequently. Most notably…for lunches! Don’t mind the walks…!

And so I am there, with the same clothes as I left Malaysia (and smelling Truly Asia!), thankfully with Sandra as well (she hasn’t gone for induction yet) and 5 more Indian interns! Really thankful theres the telenovela babe! Guess what, all was wearing freakin formal wear, siap with kot some more! Shit…


3.30pm: Luckily this induction isn’t about presentations, but more of getting to the ground and seeing where the money is generated and what the business really is! So its more of a road trip…to visit mailing and parcel hubs! And the most rightly dressed person according to the trainer, ME! Too bad those Indians had to take off their coats and ties. *evil laugh*


5.30pm: First half of induction….done. Adrenaline level…still above averaged! Really interesting to see the business first hand…tried to locate my parcel but obviously wasn’t there! Heaps of questions asked…ahh ppl think I am smart!


7pm: 2nd half of induction…mail sorting hubs. Adrenaline level…nearing zero. Questions asked = zero. Ppl begin to wander if I was a show off or plain stupid…and that I was getting really weird stares from the Indians! Sandra was lovely…kept on asking if I was alright. That keeps the adrenaline up by at least 2%!


830pm: That’s all for day 1 of induction. Trainer said good bye and reminded us that we´re to meet at 630am in front of the tower. It took a full 2 seconds…SIX THIRTY AM!!!! Cuz we re going to join the postman and deliver the mails early in the morning! That very moment…I just realized I didn’t sleep for over 30 hours!


Went back home, and I still need to rearrange my room and unpack!

Slept only at 11pm…

.........................................................................................................final part of trilogy, next episode




IMG_0075 Damn tired...but still got time to cam whore in my room! Check out the Jalur Gemilang!! Patriotic or PartyOtik?


IMG_0073 This is the other half of my room

3 comments:

Alicia said...

I'm gonna be your consistent comment(or). If I'm not mistaken, I thought Assalamualaikum is the greeting between Muslims, not to be used by non-Muslims? Again, I could be wrong la. But you check your facts before offending any ah!

Pretty descriptive entry there. I want PICTURES to Ooohhh & Aaahhh, especially the telenovela babe, okay!

Anonymous said...

Pics will come in.
And thats where the muslims, or rather Malays have taught us wrongly! That assalamualaikum is a greeting in arabic, thats all. Not to be used exclusively for muslims only. In fact i think they ll be mighty pleased if u do greet them like this.
See how they make us think we cant use it!

Alicia said...

anon: Wei, sign in before you comment la. If I'm not mistaken, you're the TART!