As for today, it began with me walking to Ruth's bus stop. We met this cute old lady who told us we were beautiful girls. She says she is very interested in Asia and all that. She gave us an Easter egg.
Okay, then I've spent most of my day doing work, pretty much since I've stepped into the office. It is that kinda very simple but highly time-consuming task, which is kinda irritating me to hell cos I have worked the whole day and have only completed 5 files.
Most of the people in my department are at the Hannover Messe, so I went for lunch with Alex and the boss, Herr Herian. It was very funny and the first time that I talked so much during lunch or anytime either. At the end of it, Alex gave himself a good idea. He was telling me about how his friends were going to this comedy show by a not so good comedian whose show is called 'The Women-whisperer. He said it was cos most of the audience was female. So I said..."hmm, probably you could get to meet a few beautiful women there". It was like a Eureka moment or something. Heh heh. I like those moments. Everyone feels so enlightened!

Phew...another long day at work.
I was at the Hannover Messe yesterday. There was a lot to see, but such engineering stuff is just not my thing. I did go on a huge round of the premises and in 2 WHOLE hours, covered all 27 Halls without really looking at anything, except I noticed there were a lot of similar products and A LOT of exhibitors from China. I really preferred the train ride there and back. I went to Hannover with Holger and while on the train, he helped me to figure out the visa crap and where to go and all that. Hopefully I can get an extention or I will be dead. I realise that my visa took 4 weeks...and that was in Singapore! I'm going to try on Monday morning, since Alex was so kind to let me come to work late.
Anyway, on the train, Holger told me about how he met his girlfriend and about their wedding which will be in September. It is somehow really nice to hear these stories, to know that there are people who are blissfully in love. I told him my plans for Uni and he gave me a few suggestions. He also very kindly treated me to a drink and ice cream.
The way back was slightly less pleasant. I went back with Harald, who is very nice, but just that our seating arrangement was totally screwed up and so well, we didn't see each other at all in the train, although we were supposed to meet in the restaurant. Also, though I had a reservation for 2 seats, some weirdo was sitting in one of the seats and was trying to make himself all comfy and sleep. This meant I had less leg room, since I was sitting in a cabin instead of in normal seats. Other than that, I loved the train ride. The train was going at like 250km/h. The scenery was great too, albeit the fact that it was interrupted by a couple of tunnels. Forgive me for being stupid, but I asked Holger why they had to have so many tunnels and he said that in order for the train to travel at such a speed, the tracks would have to be flat. Hmm, another lesson learned.

Then I had another problem. I have to extend my visa because it expires ONE bloody week before I fly back to Singapore. Good thing it is one WEEK and not one DAY...if not I'd really go crazy. Anyway, all the people I called didn't know where I could get it extended: the HR department, the German Embassy, etc. And the funny part was, they weren't exactly very friendly about it. Here's how the conversation with the Embassy lady went (summarised):
Hello, I'd like to extend my visa...
What does that have to do with the Embassy?...
I'm sorry I didn't know. Do you happen to know who I can call?...
The foreign office maybe?...
Do you know where I can get the number?...
In the telephone book...
(thank you...I feel so intelligent)
So where are you anyway?
Nürnberg..
Oh, it (the foreign office) should be very big. You can definitely find it!
What a weirdo man...so much for DIPLOMACY!

From Wed:
Phew. I feel dead and the day is not even over. I've had so much work to do today, but I am pretty proud of myself...erm...okay, I take that back. I am very good at asking other people to help me but I can't do anything by myself!

The first job of today was working with numbers, which is totally not for me. I kept getting screwed up numbers which totally didn't look like what they were suppose to look like. Then, someone else asked me to do something for them, so I was caught in between 2 tasks and the stress definitely didn't help my concentration! Ugh. Then I had to do 2 other things before lunch. And guess what? I had to go for lunch by myself, cos all my colleagues are at the Hannover Messe and anyway, I was in the other office where no one was kinda enough to ask me if I wanted to go for lunch with them. It's okay, not like I like those people anyway. It was quite nice actually. I could take my time to eat and then go for a walk after lunch.

After lunch I kept running between both the offices, cos I was looking for the boss but he was at a meeting and I had to keep going over to check if he was back. I finally caught him 3 hours later...phew! Anyway, the job he gave me was accomplished quite quickly and now I am back here.

However, the REAL obstacle of today was making a phone call to Britain. Maybe not many people know this, but I have an inane fear of calling people (not including handphones) and much less an international call. Do you know I have never ever made an international call in my life? The only person I call on a fixed line regularly is my mother, when she is in the office. I am not trying to be unfriendly when I don't call you. I just have this childish fear of calling people, that's all. Email, SMS, letters etc..I can handle, but just not phone calls. They just freak me out. Okay, so anyway, my colleague kindly called for me, and so I got the number which I was supposed to fax to. THen I couldn't figure out how to work the fax machine, so I had to ask someone else for help. Yes, I am so totally hopeless!

My mum just emailed me to say PSC doesn't want me but they have referred me to MOE cos of the Teaching Scholarship. I always knew they wouldn't want me...hello, I didn't take any S Papers nor do I have 4 As or something...the MOE teaching scholarship would be nice, but it's never been my #1 consideration. Whatever...I have decided that I will be happy no matter whether I study in Singapore or Germany. I've weighed the pros and cons and there's nothing supremely bad with Singapore.

Hey Jiat Ling, it's not strawberry season yet...neither is it Spargel season. As Alex, the guy in charge of me, says, I have no luck with the weather. I come when it is totally cold and leave before it gets nice and warm in May, just like time when we were in Germany together. Anyway, glad to hear from you again after so long! Ruth and I will try to meet up with you once we are both back!

I am gonna feel awfully lonely the next few weeks. Firstly, Ruth is going back in a week's time and secondly it is the Easter/May Day holiday period and a lot of my colleagues are taking advantage of this opportunity to go on vacations. This means I'll have to somehow entertain myself during all this time. Hmm...not impossible, but not desirable either, esp since the shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Hmm, at least I will be going to Hannover on Thursday...can't wait for a day of distraction and how better to spend it than on a nice long train ride? I love going anywhere in comfortable cars and trains. I'd happily go along, cos such things are definitely not possible in Singapore.

Going to Ruth's house tonight...think it will be fun. It is more fun to eat with other people than by yourself!

Yay, that worked...so on to part 2:

I love 'The Hours'! So it doesn't have high-tech special effects, but the plot was well-thought out and developed. I really like a movie with a good plot. Ruth even cried! I mean it was sad, but I hardly cry at the movies...erm..definitely NOT in a movie theatre. But well, so many movie makers nowadays concentrate on the stunning visual effects but totally neglect the plot...or even forget that a movie should have a plot. I've watched quite a few movies and the last one I saw that I liked was 'Infernal Affairs'. Those like Hero and Chicago have gorgeous sets, etc but I didn't like them at all. Not a single bit, though I can understand why they are made that way.

So anyway, I have less than 4 weeks left here. I will be back in Singapore before you know it. I can't wait to see all of you again! In case some of you have forgotten my email add, it is: hearthief@hotmail.com

Man, my butt actually hurts from sitting so long. Good thing it is time to go home already! Ciao!

Okay, I see it works. Very good. Hmm, let's see, a lot has happened in between!

Ruth and I went to her collegue's house for dinner last Friday evening. Very cool. I aspire to have a house like that. It is like hidden in a tiny village, but at the same time, accessible. Plus, I tell you, I am so totally impressed by their kids! (2 boys) The elder son is 12 years old and a TOTAL gentleman. He shook our hands and was totally polite and friendly and even bought us Kinder Surprise eggs. People like these are so rare. God forbid that society corrupts him!

We went shopping in town on Saturday. Ruth finally bought ONE shirt and despite swearing NOT to buy anymore clothes, I ended up buying 2 tops. You should thank Ruth. She said they were nice. I also bought a whole ton of postcards...I have most definitely become a collector. One of the cards I bought says: Women should be beautiful, not smart. Men can see better than they can think. Haha! That is really evil man!

Sunday was movie day. Ruth and I watched 2 films. An IMAX film about Egypt and 'The Hours'. It costs twice as much to watch a movie here, but the seats are so comfortable and there are no idiots with handphone ringing halfway during the movies. PLUS, this is the hugest cinema in Germany, if not Europe...though I do know the IMAX is the largest in Europe. It doesn't hurt that the guy selling the tickets is cute either ;) Hmm. I think Ruth was so impressed that she forgot to tell him that we were watching TWO movies and hence we forfeited our €1 discount on the first ticket, but don't tell her that I told you. We're probably gonna watch more movies next Sunday, if Azman and Poon Li, our seniors, don't visit us in the end.

Oh, I am going to Hannover on Thursday, to attend some engineering fair. Not that I am into such things...just that it would be interesting to travel on the ICE (InterCity Express), a really fast train...plus, my department is involved, so I may as well visit. The only real con is the price of the train tickets...around €180 maybe?

Something really strange: it snowed yesterday and today!!! It is so cool to see snow again! I mean like how many chances will I get once I get back to Singapore?

Hello! Oops, I haven't written for ages, have I? Blame the damn thing for never succeeding whenever I type a long entry!