There is this new guy who came into our house 2 weeks ago, while interning in Munich. Last week he tried to bake those frozen pizza from the supermart without turning on the oven.
1) It cannot be fully his fault as you need to turn 2 knobs to turn the oven on.
2) However he failed to realise that the oven was not on after tens of minutes, all the while looking at a still frozen pizza and an oven not heated up.
3) When the oven was finally heated up thanks to my intervention, he had wanted to start eating the pizza while the cheese on top of the pizza had yet to melt = uncooked pizza.
A few days ago, he pulled another stunt. Approaching me for help after he failed to open the washing machine. I too failed to open the washing machine and suspected something was amiss. I realised that the washing machine was still filled with water, meaning it has yet to finish the entire procedure before someone switched it off. So I asked...
CX: There's still water inside, did you switch it off before it was done?
New guy: Yeah, I did.
CX: Then I guess you have to re-run the wash again and wait until its done.
New guy: I need to wash again??
CX: Yes, because its not done washing. What mode did you choose just now?
New guy: This one (the timer showed - 0:48), 48 seconds.
CX: 48 seconds?!? (Even hand wash cannot attain such speed!), Its 48 mins!
New guy: 48 MINUTES!?! It needs so long??
CX: (stares at him blankly)
New guy: Is there a faster one?
CX: Quick wash, 28 minutes.
New guy: Ok... thank you.
I had a good laugh after that. I figured that he must have switched off the washing machine by himself thinking that 48s have passed. Nicely done!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Another interesting incident
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Cycling routes
Universities in Munich do not have halls or residences the way NUS has. All student accommodation is handled by the Studentenwerk which houses the thousands of students in the numerous dormitories around the city. As such there is hardly any dormitories that are near the campuses unless its a rented apartment. As TUM is a rather long-established university, the main campus was near the city centre but subsequent expansions have to be done outside the city centre. There are 2 campuses I attend lessons in and unlike NUS, there are no shuttle buses here. Purchasing a monthly ticket would cost me roughly S$130 thus the next best option here would be to purchase a bicycle which cost me S$70 and I can still sell it at the end.
Route 1: Studentenstadt --> TUM main campus
Distance: 5.8km
First we go South through the residential area beside the student city before taking the straight road down towards the city centre.
Towards the city centre with the Siegetor in sight
The walking man statue which some german learners should recognise through NUS' german courses.
5 mins later will bring you to Siegetor, one of the old entrances to the city
Then passing through LMU which the TUM folks like to call it 'Lousy Munich University'.
Turning right into Theresienstrasse and going straight down will bring you to Arcisstrasse where TUM main campus is.
TUM Audimax, just a big hall like the ones we have in MPSH but they sell food and beer while there's no exams or events.
Total time taken: 20 (personal best when running late) - 30 (average)
Route 2: Studentenstadt --> TUM Garching
Distance: 11.2km
Going North towards Garching will bring us through the Freimann area where the big Flea market is (to be posted later).
Then coming out of Freimann, riding along a canal from the Isar river is a tiring stretch of straight and monotomous road.
5 mins later, riding through this stretch of road along the plantation will take at least another 5-10mins.
No idea what they are trying to plant now, it used to be a nice field of Canola plants.
Looking back, one will be able to see the wind turbine and a hint of the Allianz Arena which would have roughly mark the halfway point of the route.
Some sights along the way...
Almost there will be what you will be thinking once you see this fountain in the town centre of Garching.
Going through Lidl and Rewe outside the campus.
More fields, its really almost there...
It reads 'Technische Universität of München, Fakultät für Maschinenwesen' - Technical Univerisity of Munich, Mechanical Engineering Faculty. In TUM, ME has an entire block roughly half the size of the entire Engineering faculty in NUS, that's how big ME is in Munich.
Total time taken: 35 - 45 mins
Thursday, May 7, 2009
An interesting incident
This happened in Florence, Italy when 3 exchange students in Munich made their way to the city's most famous Museum - The Galleria degli Uffizi. First they reached there on Labour Day at 7.30am, thinking they beat the crowd (it was rumoured that you need to queue for at least 3hrs to get in), they happily sat down in front of the door. But how could a musuem that famous be empty 1 hr before opening (opening at 8.15am)? Then they realised that the museum was closed on Labour Day. Tough luck!
The next day, the same 3 students reached the Galleria degli Uffizi at 7.45am, only to end up queuing 3hrs to get into the museum and it was a little boring btw. But an interesting incident happened while the 3 waited for their turn to enter the museum. A japanese lady came up to them and asked them a question.
Japanese: Nihon-ji des ka? (are you japanese?)
Exchange students from Munich: instinctively shook their heads and said, 'Nein' (in german)
What is interesting is that they were all in Italy, the japanese asked a question in Japanese while the students were earlier conversing in Mandarin. The exchange students then looked at each other and wondered why in the hell they answered in german so instinctively.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The spoilt brats of China
Though the One-Child policy in China managed to control the population growth of the country (I hope it did), it has spawned a new problem for its citizens - a generation of spoilt brats. Before I illustrate their doings, I must emphasis that not all of them are spoilt. I personally have chinese friends who did not display such behaviours to the slightest bit and too are irked by the ugly behaviours of their countrymen.
Incident 1
It was part of the orientation programme to visit the Royal Palace in Munich. As a picnic is expected, many brought their own food along. This incident happened between my taiwanese friend and a you know who.
My Taiwanese male friend prepared a sumptuous sandwich meal for himself and another Taiwanese girl in the group. When the chinese girl(about 18 or 19 years old) saw the delicious sandwiches, she approached the guy who was sitting with me.
(Translated from mandarin)
Spoilt girl: Wow, your sandwiches look delicious
Guy: I just made them with whatever I had.
Spoilt girl: Can I have one?
Guy: Sorry, but I only made enough for myself and the other girl.
Spoilt girl: How about you give me yours?
Guy: (gives a awkward smile) Sorry, I can't.
Spoilt girl: (She brought some normal bun from the supermarket) How about I exchange my bun with your sandwich?
Guy: Sorry, but there's not enough.
At this point in time, the spoilt girl was giving a pitiful look hoping for the taiwanese guy to relent while he continues to give an awkward smile. Then she finally relents after a couple of minutes and buy something from the cafe.
Apparently on another trip a week later, she approached the taiwanese guy again to ask for some lettuce, which I have no interest in finding out the details.
Incident 2
It was also part of the orientation that there was a welcome party at a club near one of the dorms. My Singaporean friend bought drinks on behalf of a few of us and apparently the girl from the previous incident was one of them. After 2 cocktails, the girl appears to be drunk and slumps onto a chair outside. As we were also about to leave, we were discussing about some stuff next to them. Then out of nowhere....
Spoilt girl (18 or 19 yrs old): Hello... (Pointing to my friend) hey you!
Singaporean guy (23 or 24 yrs old): yes?
Spoilt girl: (gesturing with her index finger) Come here!
Singaporean guy: (walks over)
Spoilt girl: Here's the money for the drinks just now for me and the other girl. (hands the money and slumps back to her chair)
Singaporean guy: Takes the money and continue talking to me.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Living in Munich
Munich has one of the World's highest standards of living. In fact most western European cities are expensive when compared to places in Asia. But how expensive are things here?
The expensive list (1 euro is approx = S$2)
1. Frozen chicken (whole): 2.19 euros
2. Ice cream with cone/cup: 0.6-1.2 euros/scoop
3. Durian (yes they do sell it here): 15.99 euros / 0.5kg
4. Fresh seafood: from 1.29 euros/100g
5. Watermelon: 1.99 euros/ quarter
6. Transportation: 1.2 euros for 2 stops on the S/U-bahn. Travelling in groups of 5 is most cost saving at 9 euros/day for all 5 people. Ticket for one from airport to city centre will cost 9.20 euros for just 1 trip, again the day ticket makes more sense.
A typical meal(main dish only) here in Munich would set you back by at least 5 euros in cafes, and about 8 euros in restaurants. For the ill-informed, there is NO hawker centres or kopi-tiam here.
Not everything here is expensive, there must still be stuff that is cheaper than anywhere else. Local products are indeed cheaper than imported goods, in fact some can be so cheap, its unbelievable.
The cheap list
1. Potatoes: can go as cheap as 0.99 euros/ 5kg
2. Dairy products: e.g. ice cream (tub): 1.2 euros for 1 liter tub
3. Alcohol products: Beer can go as cheap as 0.5 euros/ 500ml bottle (pfand not included)
4. Mineral water: 0.19 euros/ 1.5L bottle
Some people may lament at the high cost of Eurail passes, but if you have the time, its well-worth to learn about the Deutsche Bahn(DB) system.
The Happy-weekend ticket entitles up to 5 people on unlimited travel for either Saturday/Sunday from 00.00-03.00 the next day throughout Germany by regional trains. (37 euros)
The lander ticket is a state ticket which entitles up to 5 people on unlimited travel on DB, metros and buses within the state for the day by regional trains (weekdays 09.00-03.00, weekends 00.00-06.00 the next day). (28 euros)
My recent trip to Northern Bavaria with 4 other exchange students only cost me 15 euros for transport for 4 days and 5 cities. Some planning in advance and getting to know the DB system will save you a lot of money while in Germany, of course the Eurail passes allows you to take the superfast Inter-City Express trains.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The short-lived spring
When I first arrived in Munich on 24 March, it was snowing. Before I left for Spain on 25, it was still snowing in the afternoon.
When I returned from Spain on 2 April, clutching the same thick jacket I was wearing when I left Munich, it was all shiny revealing the arrival of Spring. Leaves started emerging from the buds and flowers started blooming this week.
Yesterday temperature starting soaring past 20 degrees Celcius, the sun was up with no clouds across the sky. It certainly has a hint of Summer that couldn't wait for Spring to be over.
The main difference in weather here is that though its sunny, its still cooling and slightly drier than Singapore. You do not sweat after just walking for 5mins under the sun. The dry weather creates static on the clothing where you can hear the short-circuiting by just running your arms over the blankets. Its a eye-opener at night when the lights are off and it just seemed like lightning has descended upon you.