THE END...and A NEW BEGINNING

So finally...the primary objective for the existence of this blog...my traineeship and my experience throughout, has come to an end. But it doesnt mean this blog shall end too...cuz sure it was THE END...but who knows where the NEW BEGINNING will start. My traineeship...as coordinator responsible for the MBA Internship Program and covering the marketing and HR aspect of it, a job which I totally love and was so engaged in (despite the shitty salary), ended last Tuesday, May 8th. Here are the ups and downs of my overall experience...professionally, socially and everything in between.

Professional
- In short, the past 6 months have been a professional downfall. It all begun with the change of my dept head...which didnt see eye to eye with my former boss, whom has left the dept and company since. My new boss was a total bitch who doesnt care bout me and was full of bullshit...not to mention a wicken penchant to back stab. And then she left...good riddance. And my last few weeks on the job was left waiting who my new boss would be...and not surprisingly it was another bitch, whom till i left, wasnt even officially working yet.

- Everyone says I shouldnt have bothered anymore bout the my MBA Program at all...but i loved my job so much that i was so bloody engaged in it (maybe foolishly even). But my successor wasnt even here yet, and its such a one-man show job that someone had to be there always! But well apparently dept didnt bother...so why should i right?

- Anyways, starting this job last year...i wouldnt have in a thousand years imagined it to be such a shit hole...but the last 6 months, unfortunately have been a huge shit hole!

- 3 bosses in a year...no professional support in my search for a full time...a dept head that doesnt support the AIESEC program...replacement bosses were bitches and a half...i just pity my successor. Good luck to her...

So whats next...
- Will hope something does come up during my remaining weeks here. Be it interviews or meetings...i would like to stay here professionally before returning home. Guess I would see myself as a failure if I dont get anything as my primary objective of coming here in the first place was to start my career from abroad.

- I do have an offer back home...within the same company. But I still think the time isnt right for me to head back just yet.

Social
- Well, if you remember, 3 PILLARS for A GREAT TRAINEESHIP would be job satisfaction, salary and social life. For the past 6 months its the social pillar thats supporting my experience here. Friendships strengthen, more was created, countries visited...like everyone always mention when they return from a traineeship...its the friendship forged that builds a lasting experience!

- Malaysians a plenty! Thats cuz Shooks came...my good friend and team mate back in those AIESEC days...put the both of us and we fill the room with our crazy horselike laughters! Thank god the people here like us still...they think we re cool, funny...and (gasp!) horny!
Theres also another Malaysian trainee, a mixec Malay girl named Merlyna Kraal (no relations to Diana). Very baik-baik and goody two shoes type. It definitely puts the word MUHIBBAH (means along the lines of DIVERSE) to our Malaysian trainees here! I think she was God sent as she made us nasi lemak...home made!! Gosch it was awesome!! These are the 3 Malaysian trainees. There are also several others; two who works at the company and one who lives nearby. So we kinda have our own Malaysian gathering these days...but quite bored with it as the conversations always never fail to go away from FOOD!! WE ALL MISS IT TOO!! But lets not bring it up always... ;) But all in all...nice bunch! Me and Shook will always go away bitching bout something for sure. So who would ve guessed...i thought Bon will be the only Malaysian in Bonn, apparently theres more as well. I say its already a crowd ;)

- Lets not forget the farewells. Beginning June, the trainee community will see a mass exodus of all the old farts like me. So we re expecting a FAREWELL SEASON again. I never expected myself to be one...but i guess its meant to be. I bought my tickets home for the 29th of June. Its weird that everyone here says that they'd never think i was one to go...and they re sooo right! My intentions were clear from the moment I arrived, and everyone knows it! And poor Shook, she ll be the one going through the depression as most of her close ones are leaving. But somehow...I dunno...I have this feeling that I ll be back.

- Travelogy. Besides the same old places that I ve visited again, namely Belgium and Amsterdam, thanks to the Malaysians in Europe trip, new places covered were Copenhagen and Prague. Next up, Serbia....! And Copenhagen again, this time for the WEDDING OF THE YEAR...part 1! Its a bit unfortunate that I didnt include any mediterranean / latin countries in my first year of visits...simply cuz i thought I'd do this once I get something permanent. Still crossing my fingers that I do...

- Goodbye Bronx of Bonn! Yep...finally have moved out of my flat which I ve grown to affectionately love. No more Tannenbusch for me as I ve moved in to Segala's room....which I am forever grateful. I save money...but I ll miss the neighbours whom I got close with, the Chinese dude that doesnt wash his plates and never takes out the rubbish (and you think why China is sooo poluted), that asshole (possibly German) who peed on the floor rather than toilet bowl, the Palestinian who thought I was gay cuz I cook and hang out with hot girls (he's just jealous!), the Polish girl whom Shooks think has the hots for me (I didnt reciprocate, which is why she also thought I was gay!), the other Polish girl who always gives me chocolates and watches movies in my room (but has a boyfriend), the Cameroonian that plays 50Cents and blast it along the whole floor (awesome!) and many more! I will also miss the trainees that got sooo unlucky enough to stay there. Last time round, its always me alone going back there after clubbing (freakin 40mins bus ride). Now its always fun cuz its a bigger group...heck you could share a cab even! Most importantly...I ll miss Shooks!! She played the mummy role soooo well that I nearly thought I wouldnt mind paying 180euros for another month just so she can make me dinner or supper, make coffee, asked if i needed medicine when i was sick, gave me chinese medicines, smses me if I am alright...she was indeed one of my best Bonn and Tannenbusch moments!! I regret that she came later and I ll be leaving her soon... :(

Anyways, this may seem rather short for a last 6 month review. But I could go on and on about the negative aspects which I do sometimes blurt contantly...but lets not make the negatives highlight what was to be an experience of a lifetime. I know for sure I will always remain bitter with what happened professionally...it just highlights the very fact that culturally, (and not to stereotype ALL Germans!) Germans do have a problem with accepting changes and embracing shifts of paradigms. The stupid politics and bureaucracy will always pollute the efficiency and effectiveness of how an organization can work...its so bad sometimes its childish and laughable!

But I would like to take into heart that no matter which bitch was my boss or whatever rumors that were going around about non performing interns...I was always very engaged with my job, although never satisfied financially or given the due credits. I get plaudits from all stakeholders that I worked with (managers from everywhere, business schools and MBA students) but never the people that mattered, the colleagues from my dept. So what now if I do a good job? I guess I question my principles a lot when it comes to playing the politic game...but one needs to learn the game to know hows its been played...so you know when you re been played as well! I could put this as one of the few things I ve learnt professionally in the last 6 months.

Now, I just want to relax....enjoy my last few weeks here...say proper goodbyes and take what the best of Bonn can offer. Lets hope if theres more opportunities for me to stay longer professionally, otherwise I guess working in KL again aint that bad (ok I am kidding myself!). To my traineeship...its THE END.

Looking forward to the NEW BEGINNING.

Titz for tat...

Any one...and I mean EVERYONE in the English speaking world would have one thing in mind when you see a city named TITZ. And to top it off, it is situated just above Cologne!

Last Thursday the Local Committee of Bonn did some sort of Introduction Evening: where they introduce AIESEC to new members. In short promoting the cult that is AIESEC to unsuspecting minds...believe me, I bet YOU (fellow readers who are mostly AIESECers) were in that situation once! One noticeable difference from the last time I was there was the high amount of really fine looking would be members of the fairer sex! Hmmm...not too bad after all coming for this.

Upon the end of the evening was the usual chatting session, when a sweet, young, thing (I believe I am in the age where this is considered illegal in some parts of the world!) approached me. "Excuse me...are you Asian?", she asked. "Why...is it THAT obvious?!" I retorted. So it turned out that she studies Asian Science (is it that complicated that theres a SCIENCE about our continent??)...so apparently one of her topics include "How to spot an Asian?". What amazed me was how she studied Manderin for 2 years...so I began to mutter a few Manderin that I know since kindergarten...only to be embarrassed by how fluent she spoke! I must say it was a turn on too (i kid...)

Anyways...she also had a pendant with a Chinese character snuggly fit just above her cleavage...I couldnt stare but it did look familiar (the pendant dammit!). "I could stare to confirm my curiousity, but you ll have other ideas. What does your pendant mean?" I asked nonchalantly. "Oh...it means 'ai', for LOVE," she said excitedly! No wonder it was familiar...I used that character to design an AIESEC shirt before.

What happened after that was one conversation which I ll never, EVER FORGET!

Me: So...where are you from?
Her: Nah...you wont know it. Its a small town. (the usual answer I ll get cuz they think we foreigners are ignorant of local geography).
Me: C'mon...just try me.
Her: Well... its called Titz.
Me: (while trying to control my chokes of laughter...) Of course I know that place!!! It must be GORGEOUS, Titz!? (by this time you know where I am heading too..)
Her: Yeah...you know it?! It is BEAUTIFUL...!!
Me: I am sure...! You must show me your Titz...you know we can go there at cheaper rates (I meant the train of course)
Her: Sure...I can even drive you there! I dont take trains...I drive.
Me: Oh...you MUST drive me to see your Titz! So tell me whats soo beautiful about your Titz?
Her: Ohh...well, it has two castles, a river...
Me: (tears were rolling down...)
Her: Whats so funny? Dont laugh at my Titz...(and she proceeds to EXCLAIM loudly with hands out in the air and doing the "peace"sign-Asia Science taught her well)...I LOVE TITZ!!!!

..................

Ok...that was cute. Best laugh i had since a lonnggg time! I then asked her if she knows what "titz"/ tits mean...and she went..."Its my town!" I was shaking my head...
So after giving her a little lesson of Science of English Slangs...her face turned into a ripe tomato instantly!! She then pouted...and said, "In that case...I ll not show you my tits!"

Dont you love the English language...!

Whats the matter with Portuguese Tart???

Mini tarts: Check out my new pic site, http://picasaweb.google.com/bonniearthur.desouza for the latest trips I did. First was Copenhagen then Prague. I love this new site for its simplicity, ease to upload and its a Google product! Reason for this change is unfortunate as my other sister site has been closed! :(
By the way...HAPPY EASTER to all!


This whole delayed postings issue seems to be bugging me a lot! Thing is...I cant really help it myself. Yes it does have to do with lack of time....but when there actually is time...theres isnt any motivation! It has been like that ever since the new year!

And how do the happy-go-lucky sort of person that is ME lose any motivation?

Well, if it includes everything about your PRIMARY GOAL of being abroad - to build your career - then it definitely has A LOT to do with your motivation. In short...I ve had the DREAM INTERNSHIP for the first 6 months...then with just a few changes here and there with regards to personnels within my department...EVERYTHING went downhill!! Its like the NIGHTMARE INTERNSHIP every intern shudders at!

Picture this;
A great start to your internship. Proven yourself to your boss. Given the ultimate honor of presenting company and my MBA Program to business schools. Travelling to really great locations where the schools are at (Barcelona, Madrid, London, Paris, Milan etc!). Great working environment and wonderful colleagues and friends. All this while still learning a lot! I loved to come to work...now thats MOTIVATION!! I have not taken a single day off if it wasnt for travelling.

Then...

Enter a new dept head, whom my old boss was competing against for the position. Because of that the new dept head...for short, lets just call her the bitch...look at my boss as a major pain in the ass threat! Well, my boss...a tough nut she...is anything but German in the sense that she speaks her mind out, even if ruffles a few feathers (referring to the bitch, in this case its fur!). All this politicking got to a boiling point that it involved the business unit head even...think cats fighting! So my old boss decided to leave the dept. I had a new boss...who doesnt seem to see eye to eye with my old boss either...so where would you think I'll stand in her eye?

Anyways, came the new year...and a new boss. Good start...apparently. One begins to wonder if she really would mentor or coach me. Anyways, new direction brought forward by the bitch means less emphasis on my program (its not bringing in the ROI's invested). GREAT! But still cant just pull the plug of the program...we re in the midst of external marketing phase, which means travelling to schools to present the program. As I am the only one who knows the program inside out...makes sense for me to go for it...right...WRONG!! Bitch says..."cannot bring an INTERN to present the program...". So there you go...sit down while my new boss and bitch go on a holiday! I was actually bad enough to wish that their visits will fail! Lucky me...there were some clashes in dates...so I did went for a few places to present, of which I absolutely loved (remember...as long as the attention is on me, I ll deliver a message!).

Then came the worst week ever in my internship...I applied for a position which was vacanted by a good friend within the dept, besides my boss, this girl was also my professional mentor. Guess why she left...cuz she cant stand the bitch as well! And her position...responsible for inductions and manage an internship program. Seeing that she got this position right after her internship (the days when you re able to stay cuz you re GOOD!), why the heck I wouldnt get this. Well...naive me again.

My current boss had her intern apply for it, she and the bitch then changed the role to include the program which my current boss and her intern manages...silly me was still optimistic to apply. I then got a mail which said I wasnt even shortlisted...this after 4 weeks long! Coming back to the worst week ever...I sent a mail to my business unit head (the one that stopped the catfight) on the advice of my former boss to see if I can gauge his networks and find me a job. This somehow got misinterpreted and he sent it back to the bitch, all in good sense that my dept head should be able to help me. NOT!!!! I was summoned to her office...apparently it was taken as overstepping her authority (what rubbish!!), told that well they dont see a position that would fit me, plus the position which was opened...it was best for someone with 3-5 years experience. While I just nodded my head ... here comes the best part! Bitch then preceeded to give me an unexpected evaluation, one that went..."your performance so far has been BELOW AVERAGE", and she said it two words TWICE! I asked why...she just replied nonchalantly to ask my supervisor, my new boss...whom I then did....and she simply said..."ohh, I didnt know she said that!" Totally...WTF!!!
Oh yeah, so guess who got the position in the end?? The intern of my boss...3-5 years my arse!

Anyways...fast forward till today. Just two Fridays ago...my old boss has left the company to pursue another career! There goes my remaining professional mentor. Plus my current boss...she also left for a new position out of the company. Not like she was any help to me...but nevertheless am now alone. Brings a whole new meaning to NO MOTIVATION!

So...putting it in an analogy of being in a restaurant. My search for something permanent here is akin to sitting in a table and having a menu (referring to the opportunities at a glance). Its a great sign compared to weeks ago when I didnt have a menu yet! As of right now, I havent ordered yet. Once my food arrives...you ll hear about it for sure!

Delayed Posting

Apologies for many delayed postings.
Read here for the "recent" celebrations of Karneval and Chinese New Year.

To all the ladies....

My life has revolved around many women...they influenced the way i think, they inspire me, they have my utmost respect and i LOVE them! From my beautiful mother, a former beautician who nurtured and brought me up and made me who i am (yes plus skills on taking care of the face!), to my loving grandmother who I missed sooo much and was there for me since the day i was born, to my aunts who also brought me up and whom I love to bits... to my gorgeous cousins from both sides of the family...successful, smart and sexy!

To my bosses and former bosses...I liked working with Women and it was one of the reasons why I got this job in the first place (I was asked how I felt working under a women...I replied enthusiastically..."I LOVE IT!"). I never had a man boss before...well except for my former MCP who does have the womanly touch as well...he works for SKII now! I ve had more than 5 bosses who were Woman, ranging from successful and married, to being a single expat, to a family Woman to several career minded, single and driven Ladies! It was a pleasure working with them...each with different learning curves personally for me!

Then there is the Birdy Gang...back in the early teenagers days when I (and the only dude) was initiated into a group of 5 gorgeous ladies, taught me everything and anything there is to know about the decendants of Eve...they were my bestest friends at a very important phase of my life...growing up! I learnt to love thanks to one of them...I ve learnt how to handle special mood swings...and I ve learnt a lot about friendships from all of them! I love them all...still!


Plus, the many girls in my social circle! You re always beautiful...

Today is YOUR day ladies...HAPPY WOMENs DAY!

And I would like to take this opportunity to highlight something that had brewed for many years already, but only came to light to the blogosphere a few months back. This is the case of a former Malaysian Airlines Chief Stewardess, pregnant with her 3rd child, was forced to leave her job if she decides to carry on with the pregnancy. She gave birth to a gorgeous daughter, her 3rd...and Malaysian Airlines terminated her contract. Loosely, this national corporation cum heritage, is ADVOCATING ABORTION and OPENLY DISCRIMINATING WOMEN!


The brave woman, Audra Denise Atkinson Yew, is my cousin.

Follow the stories and case here at http://muststopthis.blogspot.com/

Karneval Fatt Chai

Very delayed posting...

So enter the year of the Golden Pig, the last time it was a Golden Pig was some 60years ago! New beginnings? We shall see... And how was Chinese New Year in Bonn? It definitely was a Carneval Season...simply because its smack on one of the regions most celebrated event of the year...Karneval (with a 'K')!

The Karneval Season begun with most of us celebrating Single Awareness Day @ Valentine's Day at an eat all you can pizza hut, following that was a series of celebrations which I would aptly call Karneval Fatt Chai! Karneval is celebrated usually before Lent, and is especially famous in Koln! Parades, costume balls and lots of revelry goes hand in hand with heaps of alcohol being drunk! It is sooo huge that our company had a huge company party on Karneval Thursday, 15th of Feb and nearly 1000 employees were partying in the Tower's basement! Everyone made an effort to dress up...and yours truly only had a Chinese samfu to wear! I wasnt bothered enough to play dress up, although being Capt Jack Sparrow was definitely a brilliant idea...till i saw some exactly like him came along! Damn, he looked exactly like him...even the swagger! The Karneval event lasts all the way till the following Monday, which was an official off day for us! Sadly I had the fever on that day...so i had to give the biggest event of Karneval a miss...the Karneval Parade!
Malaysian and Brazilian



(from top): Portuguese speaking dudes! Watch where you grabbing! Frightened by a drag!


(from top):Me and French maid! Me and my fav Serbians! Shook shalt not sin!

Chinese Zorro (Zollo)!


"So Kong, how do i get to the Empire State Building?"
Random Karneval revellers


Me and Cowgirl..."yee ha!"

Me and Serbian Pioneers
Malaysians in Karneval as Zebra crossings!
Malaysians with Mario and Luigi!

Me and Poca-hot-ass!
Salute to the legs!

But as it is, Chinese New Year was on Sunday! Knowing Eric will be coming, and also one of my New Year's resolution to bridge the Chinese community with the trainees...we organized a Chinese New Year Lunch on the first day of the Golden Pig year! It was a fantastic do as since everyone was soooo tired celebrating Karneval, the best way to compliment the feeling was to cook them authentic Chinese food!

Surprising that the main dishes were made by...MALAYSIAN Chinese! Even the Chinese were shocked at our culinary skills...among the dishes made were sweet sour chicken, spring rolls, bak kut teh, chicken curry, heaps of vege dishes...these were made by Eric, Shooks and me! Then there was rice, vege and fried tofu done by the rest of the Chinese! We even had ang pau packets, courtesy from Shook, to decorate the place! And guess what was the theme of the day...everyone had to wear RED!

This was definitely a nice moment for me, Shook and Eric, all of us for the FIRST TIME ever, not having the traditional Chinese New Year eve dinner with our families. So it was a great turn of events for us, as we re here celebrating Chinese New Year Lunch with our own families away from home, the trainee community! It was fun to also having us share the usual traditions of our celebrations, each one of us explaining one tradition to another...also what each food meant, who made it, how good it was...etc! Truly a memorable occasion for us...and me!

Red is the theme for the day!
Brazilian Vietnamese!

Introducing the sumptious food!

Bonn will be Shook'ed!!

Mini tarts: Apparently there will be 3 Malaysians in Bonn; yours truly, the girl below and another girl with a more cooler name than mine, I hear of Dutch mix and a Muslim. Wow...i cant wait for our country presentation! Truly Malaysia...Bangsa Malaysia!

This picture was taken on May 10th, 2006 at my farewell

9 months later...Me and Shooks having coffee in Bonn!

Yups...she finally has got what she wanted...in fact it came more than 2 years later. After her numerous frustrations, finally she's got a match!! Thats right...she has finally arrived! Another trainee to the yellow company, the 1st of two other Malaysians coming. Whats more, she is my neighbour on the 8th floor, same block some more!

Get ready for the both of us...now i ve got my "stereo partner" with our thunderous laughters and booming voices...my floor occupants were the first victims of the "Malaysian Thunder"! All I can say is, "Get ready, Bonn will be Shook'ed!!"

Thats her running away from my room after ironing her clothes!

By the way, at the time of writing...I ve just been pampered and taken care off as I woke up with a fever this morning. Mummy Shook took care of me, prepared Maggie Mee sup and Milo! :)