Freitag, den 14. August 2009

I have finally settled down to update myself and you with my doings these past 3 weeks. This will tend to go back and forth, since my memory could do with a refresher course :D

So, what did I do today? Well, nothing much. I somehow managed to reach class at a tolerable 8.40. Today we continued with the practice tests for the upcoming examinations the week after next, HV (HOERVERSTEHEN, listening-and-comprehending) and a host of Noun-Verb-combinations. For e.g. the water is running, to close a deal, to whip up a storm. The point being, the verbs, on their own, have a separate meaning in the dictionary, but when combined with certain nouns, they could mean different. Also, these nouns need to be used only with these verbs in order to mean what they need to mean in a given context. You cannot say, to end a deal, need to say ‘close a deal’. You get the idea.

Then, we had lunch at this new discovery, it’s an Italian place, called ‘’ and serves pizzas and pastas. Ya, what else! I split a Pasta Riggatoni Arrabiatta with Kavita, Riggatoni is basically a variation on the Penne Arrabiata, and yes, it’s very vegetarian. Its basilicum, tomate and garlic-y and is served with bread. The menu on the wall said it costs euro 4,40, the Senor at the counter charged me 4,90. I asked him why, he said that he was mistaken and that 4,90 is the rate for Spaghetti Riggatoni. But as far as I could read, there is no Spaghetti Riggatoni on the menu. So, here’s what I think, he tried to fleece me and thought I wouldn’t react, either coz, I didn’t know what it cost, or coz I don’t speak Deutsch/ Italiano or coz I would hesitate. He doesn’t know me much :D

This brings me my favorite topic of how integrity plays a huge role in determining the future of a country. I am of the opinion that countries like India, Italy, Turkey, and certain others may have a lot to offer to the world, but lag behind in integrity. I name these 3 countries right now, coz only stores belonging to these 3 have tried to fleece me of a few cents or Euros till now.

There’s this Nazar market, very Turkish and has a lot to offer. I had been there to buy a can of milk, costing 1,19. I give the cashier 2, she gives me a cent back. I ask her, how much the milk costs, 1,19 or 1,99. She has this intelligent-thieving look on her face and answers with a poker-face: 1,19 and gives me the 89 cents back.

Then, there’s this other place, called Sona Traders. If you’re Indian, you’d have guessed this is an Indian store. It’s actually a wholesale-cum-retail store and my 1st visit was to purchase spices, etc. for my birthday party ( I like saying that, reminds me of uncomplicated times, when birthday parties were meant for your school-friends and you had cake, Samoa, Monjinis wafers and ice-cream :D). Anyways, I had bought some masalas, moong dal from there. When I reached home, I noticed that the MDH-Kashmiri Chilli powder was way past its expiry date, actually a year older (Best before July 2008). I kept it aside and decided to return it to the store. Finally, after 2 weeks, I made the trip yesterday. I told the cashier about it, and he calmly acts surprised and tells me to take another one. I told him, that I’d take a look around and see if I find something I need. I only wanted to check whether the other the MDH-Kashmiri Chilli powders were current or not. Of course, they weren’t! I walked back and told him to please return my 99 cents. He gave me a euro instead and didn’t take back the 1 cent. I am glad there weren’t any Germans in-store at that point, I’d have been a tad embarrassed. A similar thing happened at the ‘Maharaja store’ in Stuttgart. I have been dying to have a Maggi (wasn’t able to get any, due to weight considerations), and can imagine myself having piping-hot Maggi on a day when its 17 degrees at the park, reading a book and listening to 95.8 FM-Radio Eins. Maggi, with a base of oil, jeera, onions, Maggi Magic Masala and Maggi! Oh Yumm! Btw, is it Maggi Magic Masala or just Maggi Masala? Whatever, it’s the former in my world. Anyways, to get back to the point, the store had some 8 packs of 4 each. I was so excited, then the incident at Sona Traders 2 weeks back occurred to me. So, I checked the date, and guess what, SO déjà vu! The Best before was 9 months from date of manufacture, which was again, July 2008! I take the pack to the counter and ask him about it, he tells me ‘Madam, yeh abhi tak kharrab nahin hua hai, kya karein, maal hi nahin aata hai ’ (Madam, it’s not yet spoilt . What can I do, the delivery from Nestle hasn’t come in a while!) Ok, I say and am hopping mad. What do these Indian stores abroad think ya? That, unsuspecting Indians will blindly pick up stuff, just coz its Indian??? I am sure I may have made this blunder before, and thank God that I have realized this happens too, and only in India! 

Anyways.post the pasta, which was pretty good, I trooped back to the Insitut for ‘MUENDLICHE VORBEREITUNG’, Oral-examination preparation. It was a good and much-needed activity. There are basically 3 parts to the exam, introduction, a REFERRAT (a small presentation) and a ROLLEN-SPIEL (play-acting of a discussion on a topic). These 3 parts are pretty routine, what is not, is that there will always be 2 candidates together in the examination and the 3rd TEIL (part) will be a discussion between the 2, with the examiner (s) on-and-off interrupting. 15 minutes on the hot-seat! Fingers crossed for it. Anyways, post that, I paid a visit to the library, and met Klaus, the librarian. He’s like St. Nikolaus, old and bearded and with eyes that twinkle  I had to return the book ‘Nicht alle waren Moerder’. There is also this book ‘KROKODILEN IN NACKEN’. Crocodile by the nails, it’s another story of survival and courage by a STAASI-JAIL survivor. More on this in the entry from yesterday. Our library has a very good collection of books and I am going to make notes on the collection, so that I could buy them some day. Right now, baggage considerations and some cost-considerations don’t permit me.

Post that, I went to the Internet Room, and spent more than 2 hours there. And then, a visit to Potsdamer Platz and the rip-off library to return the books. This time, I guessed that there wouldn’t be a person to accept the books, so it would be OK to reach late. And there was only a conveyor belt, on which one needs to place the books that are to be returned. The rest of the action takes place behind-the-scenes, so to say. Then, I wanted to watch ‘Love aaj kal’ so went to Cinemaxx, where they place Hindi movies. But there wasn’t any show, so I took the 200 bus back home. I love this combined and well-integrated public-transport system, the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, Trams and Metro Buses are so well-linked, one can use the same ticket all across and seamlessly move about. We have something similar, for example, 402 bus from my place to Mulund station, leads to the train-station, but then, again, a long way to go.
On the menu, today, was cabbage sabji, yes, I have been eating cabbage every single week, sometimes twice, coz, the cabbages here are huge ya, and takes time to complete one.

Am sleepy and how! So, am going to crash now and will catch you later.

Bis bald,
Anya