Update

Yes, I'm back home. It feels just like waking up from a sweet dream. Everything seems like to be a dream, as though as it just happened yesterday. Been really busy this few days. I just finished my log book yesterday and just now I just finished working on a part of my final report. Yeah, no kidding, I'm just starting to work on it due to so many problems.

Firstly, I only started my final report on my last week in Germany. Add the fact that I only worked for 3 days that week, I effectively didn't have the time to finish them properly. Coming back home, I realized that the home pc is broken. What's even worst, my laptop itself is broken. So, I've been spending the last few days trying to repair all this. Duh.

Plus, when i finally repaired them, I can't open my final report file! simply because I do not have the program needed. So, I start downloading from 5pm and yet after a short and yet eventful outing, I came back home at 12am only to realize that the download is unfinished. I kept waiting till 1.30am and when it's finished, I realized that the file itself is corrupted. I kind of fearing it will corrupt but I thought it's gonna be fine. It's just a 78mb file which can take me no more than 20 minutes in Germany to download and yet it's a bloody half day in Malaysia? Wth?

So, I changed my strategy by installing Getright and download it onto my laptop using P1. Even worst, the download speed is 20kb per second and it's gonna take me one and a half hour. I was so sleepy so I decided to sleep and check it out tomorrow. Using Getright, the file won't be corrupted so I just need to be patient.

This morning, I woke up to realize that the download stopped not even at halfway mark! Frustrated, I switched back to Streamyx, hoping the line in the morning will be fast and then resumed downloading. Me? Resume sleeping. Seriously, I was so sleepy from my day one here. I couldn't even open my eyes at 9am. Jet lag? I ended up sleeping till 2pm. Waking up, I checked the download and it's perfect.

Installed the program and I spent the next two hours working on my report. Now, I've got to burn midnight oil tonight and make sure I finished this tonight.

Zzzzz

tienzyee

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On a cold windy night...

12.21AM.

How shall I find the words to construct the sentences? Even if I managed to, it still won't be able to mention all I wanted to say isn't it? Many people will argue they're most productive at nights, yet I will argue that a cold, quiet night coupled with a nice song brings me peace. An air of relaxation and care free.

Anyway, just take a look at the video above. I would suggest you to watch and listen to it, with your heart, not your ears. Breath the song and the meaning behind it in a cold, quiet night, and you shall be able to know how I felt now. It would be even better if you sing along...

tienzyee

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Lunch :)

Ok, I admit this is a working hours but it’s gonna be a short one. Daniel, my colleague asked me whether I wanted to join him and Jöerg for lunch just now. He actually asked me last week but I had to reject him as I had my lunch already at that time. Today, I can’t reject and putting financial string aside, I said ok.

Then, he told me that I’m thin and I can just sit at the back of his bicycle and he’ll give me a ride on his bicycle. I thought he was joking but turns out to be true! I ride at the back and the other colleagues who were having lunch in the garden was laughing at us.

He’s strong really. Imagine him cycling up the slope, with me at the back! Anyway, we had our lunch in a Thai restaurant. Again Jöerg treated me. He always treat me which makes me feel bad all the time. Anyway, thanks for the lunch. It’s great.

tienzyee

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Of Beere and Kuchen

I was sitting down on a bench in the Hauptmarkt. My watch shows 11.30 and I’m waiting for 12.10. Suddenly, the bench shakes and I turned right. A couple just sat down on the bench. The man was eating something and the lady turned to me. We exchanged smile and the lady turned back, picked up the paper bag and gestured me towards it. She says it’s cherries. I knew instantly it’s Black Forest cherry. Feeling suprised, I took one and said thanks. Seeing me finished the cherry, she asked how was it. I said sehr schon. She gave me more. This time I took two. Again, I finished them. She gave me more but I said it’s enough.

She turned again, putting down the paper bag and took another one, gesturing me towards it. It’s red cherries she said. I took one and had it. This is more bitter. I preferred the black cherries. She offered me more but I said enough. After a while, they both got up and left. I said thanks again. I was so hooked up with the berries that I stood up, grabbed my backpack and when to a stall, wanting to buy some cherries. I bought 200 gram of the black cherry and the while counting my money, the lady grabbed a few red cherries and put it in my paper bag as well. I said thanks and walked away happily.

Later, I walked to Schwarzes Tor, an old Black Forest farmer house that is now converted into museum. I sat down waiting for the museum to open and after a while, an old couple came by car. The lady then brought me around the museum, giving me an insight of the life of the people here centuries ago. After the tour, she asked me, would you like to have a cup of coffee. I hesitated because a cup of coffee would be at least 1,50 euro and I normally cut down expenses like this. However, I do not want to disappoint her so I said yes. She brought me to the dining hall and together with her friend, we had coffee and marble cake. In my mind I was thinking that this gonna cost me at least 5 euro. I even had 2 cups of coffee. When I was about to leave, I asked her how much for the coffee and true enough, the friend said that it’s a gift. A GIFT!

That was it, it just made my day, what a fantastic day it is.

tienzyee

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Ain't talking

1.09am. Ain't sleeping. Plenty of things been running in my mind lately, which makes me keeping quiet.

Kenny G version, if that doesn't sound familiar to you. Try below.



Remember?



This is also my favourite.

Hoho, since I found this song, I'll add them to my song list and surely there will be times when Jared will be hearing this kind of song all the time. Seems like I'm one weirdo.

tienzyee

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Have You Ever

Have you ever been on a jet ski before?

Have you pick up your very own strawberries?

Have you ever run up an escalator before?

Have you ever go backpacking alone?

Have you ever slept in a train station?

Have you ever been on a roller coaster?

P/S: Just noticed that this fits the song "Have You Ever". Oh, maybe not.

There are so many things that we can do in life but sadly not everyone tried them at least once in their life. All those above, I’ve done them, except for one. I still haven’t run up an escalator, yet. I will do that before the year end, maybe? I have to say my chance to come here make me realize a lot of things. I began to see things from Western point of view, to the extent I no longer view beer as bad (provided you drink to your limit). I admire the Germans, a lot. They’re so friendly and gentlemen and I have so many experiences that at times make me feel ashamed that we do not have the same environment in Malaysia. Forgive me if you think Malaysians are good. Germans are better.

Holding door for the person behind you is normal here in Germany. If two person arrives at a door, where it’s only comfortable for a person to go through, one of them would be offering it to another person. I’m so ashamed that I began to pick this habit but sometimes it’s still someone offers me through first. I tried to pick it up by being the first to offer in the future. After all, why not learn something good?

You will not find my entry about Rothenburg ob der Tauber in this blog, simply because I went there last week and I still have 10 or 12 pending posts. However during my trip there, I met this old lady. For some unknown reason, I decided to go into a shop which doesn’t look attractive at all from outside. I was holding Schneeballchen (a specialty in Rothenburg, it’s a ball shaped cookie that’s coated with different flavor. If you ever get the chance to try, just get a mini one, the normal one is just too big) at that time.

Schneeballchen

Imagine me holding a ball shaped cookie on my left palm walking around the shop. It’s quite a hassle to do so but it doesn’t bother me much. But not for the old lady. While I was looking at an interesting “something” at the corner of the shop, she called me. She said come and at the same time, holding a plastic bag for me. She said “It’s sincere from me”. I was so touched at that moment and I said thanks to her. Then, I continued looking at the “something” and she told me the name and explained to me about it. It was then I decided to buy two instead of just one. Upon paying, for some reason known to the old lady, she say “Here, I give you this, free of charge”, showing me a map of Rothenburg. Then, she goes further, I drew this. I was so shocked but that’s not the only surprise. The map was so beautiful and it was first published in 1969. Yes, 40 years ago. She said it took her 3 years to finish it. Another surprise, the number of arch of the town hall in the map matches the original one. She told me so and just to make it sweeter, I went and count it after that. It was at that time I said, can I take a foto of you? She happily posed for me with her masterpiece. I said thank you again before leaving. Not just a thank you, but one with admiration, respect and full of sincerity. For she had proven again to me just how wonderful Germans are.

Anneliese Friese and her masterpiece
Viele Danke. Ich Respekt du.

It is here on this paragraph that I realized I wrote something else instead of what I actually wanted to write in the beginning. Apparently, I always write whatever that came to my mind.
The chance to live here actually taught me so many things. Life is not just about studying (I realized this long long ago). Go and do something else before you realize how much fun you missed all this years. And that’s the very reason why I decided to make full use of my time here, to try every single thing. It’s true sometimes I was curious of something and then with my tight budget, I will tell myself not to try it. In the end, I thought of something, why should I save the money when I can try it and then save the money later? I’ll never know if I have another chance to try it and I’ll never be able to bring the money with me upon death.

I admit that sometimes what I did is childish. There are a few people saying so and sometimes I noticed people looked at me with wonder. When it was snowing here during the winter, the path to my office are full of snow and what I did is, I played them all the way from the train station to my office. Along the way, there are people in the cars who waved and smile at me or perhaps laughs at me. I don’t care. I wanted to enjoy myself because I never had the chance to see snow in my entire life and I don’t want to be afraid of being called mad or anything and missed the chance to do it. If it’s not now, when? Joerg, my colleague even told his wife n children about what I did and guess what’s my reply to both his children? I said, what if, since you’re born, for 20 years, you never see snow? And one day, you woke up only to look out of the window seeing it snowing. The world is wonderful. In German, Die Welt is Wunderbar.

No, I don't know who do one. It's been there long time ago. Wheee

This, is my first Snowman. Oh how I miss Winter.

tienzyee

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