Blogs from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe - page 67

I wanted to do something fun today so this morning I headed into Bonn. My original plan was to go to the Bonn Botanical Garden, check out the veggie/fruit markt, and maybe see about ...um... buying another jacket. Something not as cheap as 7.9 Euros, but something perhaps a bit more substantial and that I can alternate with the one that I have worn 7 days in a row now. I arrived in Bonn and found out from the Tourist Information lady -- who was hinting that I really take the Japanse or the Korean pamphletes because they would be easier for me than English... -- that the Garden was closed on Saturdays. And I had found out from my friend/host Andreas that the Garden is free on all days except Sunday (tomorrow), so looks like ... read more

I did a German test today. It was dumb. A bit of background is in order. I signed up and paid 90 Euros for taking this 'zertifikat Deutsch' test. What is this ZD test and why do I care to take it? Well, it's basically a test to show that I possess minimal German profficiency. How embarassing. All those years of studying the language and I am now trying to prove I can tell left from right and find my way out of a train station... I joked that if I pass this test I can get a job as a cleaning lady. So here is one example of why this test was no good. There is an audio component. A taped interview that we're supposed to listen to and then mark the answer sheet according ... read more

Here in the computer lab there are 7 computers available for us to use between 9.30am and 5.30pm. The rule goes that each person can sign up (reserve) for 30 minutes per day, if you want to use it more, you have to go and use it when it is not reserved. So there's this dude. I'll call him Arnold, since he looks just as butt as our governor and talks in the same voice... Last week I noticed that computer #2 is extremely popular with the folks here, it is always reserved straight for like 3 hours in a row in the afternoons. Compared that with computer #5 or #6, which will have one or two reservations in the afternoon. Computer #2 is the preferred computer of many students. Hm. I wonder why. I came ... read more

Look. So healthy. ... read more

Yesterday I finally broke down and purchased the 'junior ticket' for the public transport system here. It was only 12.80 Euros for a month, but because of a formular error and my laziness, I didn't get around to buying it until yesterday, 11 days before the end of the month. And no, it was not pro-rated. :( With it, I rode into Köln to see the Cathedral, aka Dom. Two weeks ago when I got a quick glimpse of it from the train station was the first time I had seen it in 14 years. And it's special b/c it's the first cathedral I had ever ever seen. Weee! When I exited the Koeln Hbf the weather was pretty foul. Windy and drizzle-y. I didn't have a jacket (uh, it's already on a freighter on it's ... read more