Thats the tower of the company i work, juxtaposed by the summer end sunset.
I ve been wanting to do this post as a quarterly review of my one year here. Entering into my 5th month, there are heaps to review about. From my perspective of this country to my job, from my social life to living in Bonn...but nothing is to late to start anyways. So instead of doing a quarter review, lets just do a one third review (for every 4 months).
And thus, lets begin with Portuguese Tarts 1st third review, capturing moments and highlights from the moment he touched down in Germany (10th May 2006) to his 4th month, (Sept 11th 2006).
Portuguese Tart and Germany
- The people are ACTUALLY friendly, people do say "hello", or "hAllo" here despite being new.
- I ve met Germans who do have a sense of humor, but i ve met these people before anyways.
- The national unity behind their country was unprecedented during the World Cup, boosted of course by the ever present alcohol! But then flags are all brought down and not publicly shown, it indeed brought back memories of war time Germany for someone to be "so nationalistic", but i believe its just feelings within this country only. Totally didnt know it was deemed "sensitive" to be waving the German flag.
- Funny how you re able to drink so publicly, anyone could just bring a bottle of beer around anywhere! And then this brings to what i find totally despicable, bloody drunkards all around the streets!
- You would think that in China, or the Chinese in particular would flood your streets with phlegm and saliva! Well you ll be shocked to know that it seems the louder you cough up your phlegm here, the more manly you are! And spitting in style is supposedly in fashion! Gross...!
- Weather here has been really nice, i came at the right time of summer! As it has ended, it does get a little chilly but the sun is our most of the times. And i love the sun out with chilly winds...and its doing wonders to my breathing (i have sinus), so knock on wood, i have not had the flu or fever ever since! Hearing that its hazy once again in Boleh Land makes me really lucky to be breathing fresh, summer or autumn air!
- Bureaucracy is always a pain...and thus the "its so German" assurance! Or the mentality of not being flexible. Example; I asked the canteen operator for an extra bit of chicken on my lousy pasta and he says "only 1"! KNN!
- Now who say German girls are ALWAYS big...theres always really gorgeous ones around (surprising fact though), and they re as slim as the Chinese babe in Bukit Bintang! But when they re BIG...they re HUGE!!! They put the capital 'O' in Obesity!! I meant the men too ok...which explains the huge servings during meal time!
Portuguese Tart and Work
- Work is simply GREAT! You know it when you wake up eager to go to office, or staying late just to complete some errands! Not only am i responsible for the MBA Internship Program in general, i am part of a team of coordinators that work on Internship Programs of the company. Hence i am also in charge of the marketing materials of all programs plus touching a little on the induction itself. And if i am able to travel to the many Business schools we work with (think Milan, Barcelona, London, Paris...), that would just be very very SWEET!
- I ve got great colleagues, plus the two other trainees that are coordinators! Namely Sandra and Segala...and how me and Segala especially hit it off is really awesome! Not to mention Elias, the other Brazilian in Miami. Imagine working really well in a team of 3 in Bonn, plus 2 more in Miami and Singapore! No wonder the Boss commented on our team...the GIP (Groupwide Internship Program) Team.- Inevitably these will be the people that will form the crux of your social life here, and i have been lucky to be blessed with such an amazing group of internationals that really has provided 80% of the magic in my traineeship! Being a people oriented person, i thrive in this really wonderful group, soaking in their enthusiasm, learning everything i could from each and everyone of them and enjoying every others company while it lasts.
- What i didnt prepare while being abroad was the friendships that will be lost while in a traineeship! Totally unexpected...you re always preparing the logistics, for your job, how to settle in etc, but never how to cope with losing people you re dear with! Thats whats been happening over the past few weeks...indeed affecting me very deeply! Two people whom i am here for (Amit and Mon) has left, people whom you ve grown to be affectionate and like so much (where do i even begin...Eva, Dee, Piyush, Andrew, Claudia...) have all left.
Me and Andrew >
Me and Clau>
Me with Mon and Amit
Me and Piyush
Me and Dee
Me and Eva
- But not all people are perfect and you would expect a few black sheeps. These people who either dont appreciate the cultural differences, not respecting other individuals, lack of proactivity and personality or plain dumb and ignorant will forever be labelled the black sheep, despite our efforts of "understanding" them. Sad but true, most of them are of half the race i am.
- All in all...the ones that are close will forever be bonded and the friendships formed will never be duplicated. Surprisingly indeed, i have much guy friends that i am closer here than back home, ratio wise. :)
Portuguese Tart and Learning
- You ll be really stupid and dumbright ignorant not to learn anything new if presented with the opportunity such as what i am going through.
- As such, although rather ironic that i am picking it up in a non latin country, but yes...I know how to salsa!! My "dummies guide to Salsa" class went on for nearly 2 months! My partner in crime was Jennie Lee and we ve gone from "ouch my foot" to "look at us dance"! Our little meringue lesson also wiped out any imagination of us humping one another from the back as we re practically were HUMPING EACH OTHER FROM THE BACK! Grrowwwll...! And instead of being complimented for my dancing, the instructor said "he is good in bed" while pointing at me after a series of warm up humpings. Head blew up with ego juice as the whole class looked at me doing my humps...there were quite a few cun chicks there too!
- And of course, i ve been learning the language. Started a little late, but in Segala i ve got the best classmate ever, you know you ll be better than him in pronounciation! Ahahaha! So i consider flirting in German to be my ultimate goal... *winks*, now lets see how "du bis das bomben" would generate a reaction!
- Also, not to mention i ve learnt how to drive on the left...oh wait...right side of the road...at speeds of over 200kmph! Now, seatbelts are on the left, not the right!
Portuguese Tart and Travelling
- One of the biggest reason for being in Europe is that i am able to be a travel whore overnight! With the cheap rates and multiple ways to travel, not to mention heaps of places to go...being at home on a weekend in Bonn has become slightly rare!
- So read on be jealous...Berlin, Baltic Sea, Brussels, Brugge, Cologne, Gent, Munich, Rotterdam, Warsaw...nice! Money is scarce but i will need to budget them for this, apart from saving for family. So up next would be UK, Amsterdam...and am still hoping and praying that when people ask me where was I during Christmas and New Year... I am able to answer "Christmas in Lisbon and New Years in Madrid".
All my trips in a collage
1) Being in Germany for the World Cup and soaking in the football mania!
2) Crying on the first weekend alone here.
3) Octoberfest in Munich (ok so its after 11th Sept, who cares!)
4) Berlin trip (parade, dancing, Snickers moment...)
5) Amazing work related trip to Warsaw for Intl Congress and meeting Malaysian friends there!
6) Doing a great...no make it really good job in the MBA Networking Event, organizing this one after only 1.5 months here for MBA Interns, Managers, HR and Board Members...and getting heaps of compliments. Still, wouldnt have done this without the help of predecessor Natasha.
7) Amazing friendships formed...and the more ;)
8) Emotional trauma with friends leaving
9) The sending off (I have to put this in...still play it in my mind soo much)
10) Knowing that you re being missed...
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