Starlight Express

A week ago a local paper raffled 5x2 tickets for an adult and child each to go and see 'Starlight Express'.
I wrote an email in my cousin's name (she's 8) and we actually won! Tuesday was the big day.
First an employee told us a few facts about Starlight in Bochum: it is the one and only show to be performed at the same location for more than 21 years now. The show had been seen by more than 12 million people. That makes Starlight Express in Bochum the most successful musical in the world!
We were allowed to watch the warm-up and met 'Rusty', the chief character, afterwards.
The cast starts warm up 90minutes before the show and that is coordinated by a trainer! He speaks english all time and gives advice as well as indicates who shall scate what way...

The highlight was meeting Rusty. The 5 children were flabbergasted. It took several minutes till the first question was asked.
Finally we watched the show. It was my 6th time but my cousin's first.
After two songs were swapped in 2002 and actual stunt-skaters engaged, I don't like the show as much as before. It is still nice but a lovely song is missing and I am not keen on the RAP that is done by now.
My cousin, in contrast, was absolutely delgihted and the first thing to ask, after the show had finished, was: Can we go and see it again?!

More work

What a live.
Because of the long sick-leave I was forced to take with my foot injury I got fired. In the meantime I found another one but that is part-time only. Therefore I work 20 hours a week by half the salery I received in the last job. That is far to little!
When meeting with a friend for breakfast a week ago, she told me about a job she couldn't take. But I could!
Since a week I work at a fuel station as well. Not what I dreamed of but I spend 9 hours on the weekends there and get an extra 250€ in the months.

Now I planned to do a diving course in the next time. I phoned the guy today and that was really funny:
He offers 'test courses' on the weekends. Sounds good to me. But those will take a whole day. I have to work on saturdays from 11am to 4pm and on sundays from 6pm to 10pm. There is no chance getting a whole day off in August...
All right, he said, there would be a chance maybe this friday. No chance for me - my boss (from the physiotherapy) is on holidays and I have to work all week long.
You see, it got tricky... Now we agreed on following: I will start with the others on sunday but drive to the lake in my own car for being able to leave the rest of the group at 3pm. If everything works out I will be back in time here for my job...
Now just imaging how difficult things will be when I really start my studies in October. Then I need to quit the PT job (it won't be possible to work there in the evenings only), find another job for 20hours/ week in the evenings, hold on to the fuel station and find time to learn......

Real TOEFL

As I told previously, I attended a preparation course for the TOEFL Test. That seemed to be worth the money I spend on it - till yesterday!
I did the real TOEFL yesterday.
What a shit! The reading texts were much more difficult than anyone I have read before. When I had 15 minutes left during the preparation tests, this time I was happy when I finished the tasks in time. There was no time left to re - read my answers!
I went on like that. I got stuck several times in the speaking time and there was even one question I didn't understand at all...
The listening was okay but the writing was another disaster: First, I was stuck when I had to write down in what way a lecture opposed the thesis given in a text.
The second essey should be the easier one as it is an essey to write about an independant task. I had no difficulties to point out my opinion but I coulnd't find any substantiations for my point of view. I ended up with 230 words when 300 were recommended and my feeling is bad.
I really hope that not that is judged what I wrote down and said but the way I did it....
In fact, I just need to get 80 points (that is the target for enrolling to the study)- but right now I feel like I'd consider myself happy when claiming 30 points.

Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Salery expectation and reality

Whenever I attended a job interview I got, of course, the question concerning the salery. Here in Germany we are used to get the salery monthly, which means you are asked for your monthly expactation.
Being 26 and having 3years of experience in differnt practices I expect a salery from about 2000€ (which is about 11,50€ per hour).
Here are some examples of what I got to hear in several job interviews:

- Calculating the payment
I was told they would pay e.g. 12€ /hour. Being quite astonished I calculated: that would be 2057€ per months. The employer would write 1920€ in the contract. That is 12€/hour as well - but based on 48 weeks in a year! Their way of calculating the payment is quite differnt from mine. Most employers calculate in the following way: 40hrs/week and 12€/hour => 40hrs x 4weeks x 12€ = 1920€/month
Isn't that great?!

- vacation days
24 have to be given by law (5 working days/ week), some employers grant 26. When working part time it's usually the same. I got a part time contract, which was saying I woul dwork 20hrs/week and get 20days leave. However, what was not written down: that was based on a 4day - week!

- side jobs
when being in a job interview (for a part time job as PT) I usually ask for the possibility to have a side job. It is so kind if the employer consent to a side job (without limitation) and when reading the contract you get to know you would be allowed to earn not more than 400€ in a side job...

The best thing I have heard was the following:

For a job as physiotherapists in a practise, located 35km away from my home, where I would have to drive home visits with my own car as well, I would be payed a basic salery from 1250€ !!!
That is equivalent to 7,29€/hour! At the end of the month I yould earn maybe 1500€ as one gets a proportional interest in the prescriptions you finish in that very month. That, of course, would increase your hourly payment - to about 8,75€. As I write this - that is just an estimate. The employer couldn't say for sure how much the interest would be...

To be honest: If I can't get a job where I earn more than 7,29€ per hour, I will apply at McDonal's or Burger King. Those companies pay about 7€ per hour and I wouln't have to worry about old lady's aching knees or about broken backs and if I might harm the people with my treetments.
I had not paid a lot of money and efforts for my education to end up in a job where I earn as much as a 'burger turner'...

Funeral

Today I attended a funeral in The Netherlands. My mom's and aunt's cousin passed away and as both of them don't like to drive longer routes (especially when they need to use the motorway) I came along for the driving.
It was such a differce to German funerals! The service took about 2 hours and after it was finished everybody (!) queued behind the coffin and went along absolutely quietly! It was quite a short walk but there was nobody talking. We walked on the street - cyclist did stop to let us pass and even cars stopped - no honing, nothing; I couldn't believe my ears and eyes!
Later on the funeral reception took place in a cafe. It is quite usual in Germany that there are coffee and canapés or even a whole lunch and tea afterwards.
Today we got a breadroll and a cup of coffee, followed by the codolence (which was not held at the grave).
The service was wonderful - Catrien (the cousin who passed away)did plan her funeral with the pastor a short time ago. Her children orated, the choir, she sung with, did present the songs and even one of her daughter's was able to sing 'Climb every mountain'.
In the end there were about 400 people around the grave place and nearly the same amount attended the funeral meal. She must have been very well known and loved....

Wicked

Can't tell you how much I love this musical.

Did see it in 2007 in Stuttgart and when I had stayed in Melbourne, of course I must attend a show!
The wizard and I - Popular - No Good
I love those songs.
Quite some time I am spending in the moment for listening to wicked songs. I youtubed Kristina Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, who created the rolls of Glinda & Elphaba on the Broadway. Can't get enough! I am obsessed!

The thing is - I do prefer the English version of the musical. There are changes in meaning in the German lyrics and for those the music had to be changed as well (not much, but when listening to both versions you'll understand what I mean. There are parts which are more slowly in the German type.)
However, people like my mom and aunt will prefer the German version - they don't understand a single word English.

Now I have just searched the net to find out the cast I have seen in Melbourne and guess what? Wicked changes location! From September onwards it is shown in the Capitol Theater in Sydney!!! I'd love to see it there! The Capitol is one of the most wonderful theaters I have ever seen (did see Billy Elliot there).

I have to wait a bit longer - Wicked changes its location in Germany as well. From March 2010 onwards it is shown in Oberhausen - round 30km from my town. I'll try getting tickets for the very first evening (and if not, then for the very first week).

This and that

I don't wanna write about the TOEFL onece again but all my freetime is filled with preparation for it. Still guessing that the speaking part is the most difficult one for me as I have still trouble to use different past tenses in the right way. On the other hand, when speaking in simple past only it sounds boring to me. But I should use maybe only the simple past in the test to get points for grammar instead of loosing points because I mix them up all the time and doing mistakes...

What else is happening here? Weather is really good now. After we had have some rally hot and hunid days now there are lows of 23°C during the day and tops of 32°C. The right weather for cycling and strolling through a zoo (when I find a day off in my diary).

My foot is well again - of course it hurts from time to time especially when I did do lots during the day. But who cares? Me not!

In my study breaks I look through 'youtube'. After beeing to that musical gala in Hamm I searched 'youtube' for videos. I watched those ones but then continued to look for some 'wicked' ones as well. Now I am absolut 'crazy' about Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in paticular. Wow - these voice is just unbelievable!

On some days I am wondering what life has geared up for me. I don't know but I would love to know if some decisions and concepts really work out for me or if I am wrong (again). Just wondering why life is that hard sometimes and seems to be so easy for others! Why can't I win some money? Even knowing money is not all but it makes life so much easier in some way...