Da I Ron Chef - is a little rusty...

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I didn't visit friends as planned last night, my bad. so tonight I promised them Tom Yum Goong and some Spicy Thai Pork to make up for it. A big leap to hope that I can get half the ingredients in a Polish supermarket, but I have an ace in the hole - I bought some thai spices in Germany last time I was there and now I will use them in souper recipies!

Most the the meal will be a 70% Polish and 30% my invention or REinterpretation of the Thai ingredients. We will see.

personally I think if I bury it under the nice wines and scotch I bought for pre dinner drinks - then maybe they won't know...

Off to the kitchen now to cook up something less than perfect but better then crap.. (I hope)

Chef Obi

Broken English

Just thinking...

good night... Obi

14 daze to go...

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, the countdown says that it is less than 14 daze to go until I put the cases in the car and sojourn across this great nation (thank god its FLAT) to the border of Germany and into the wild blue yonder of being a German resident.

I hear a great many things about germany - that its tough to re-register a car, that the taxes are high and the insurances are expensive... I hear all the negatives. If anyone out there wants to tell me the positives about living in Germany Please leave a comment!

The 'reluctant ex' picks up her hamster tomorrow and laptop - which I could not fix - (she forgot the power cable) and I have told EVERYONE about my party. So now all that is left to do is finalise the packing arrangements with my cleaning lady (rather gorgeous 20 year old girl actually - doesn't speak English) a time she can come and spend 2 hours cleaning. I know I am lazy. But I do have the plausable excuse that I have a kidney stone and vigorous work such as cleaning hurts. and 10 dollars for 2 hours cleaning is, in my opinion, a good deal.

I have been reading about the phenomenon of WEB 2.0 the last few days and it is interesting. Some of my students are IT guys so it is relevant. But most students from a TINY town (world) can't see the value or sift through the abstract to see the HUGE benefits of it.

The thing about teaching in such a tiny town is that no one has ventured outside this microcosm much to be able to enrich this place beyond the mundane. I can appreciate the small town life (FOR A WHILE) but I just can't imagine living here and revelling in the utter lack of variety or ignorance about the wonderful world outside. I am stained with the the many travels I have had and that just won't wash out, even after 15+ months.

I am pleased my boss has found a last minute replacement. I found one for him too - albeit a shabby one and I networked and found him a NATIVE SPAINISH speaker teacher and this well expand his business a lot. Well ya never know... Curious - previous to living in Poland all vodka's tasted alike to me, but now, I have sampled a few, I can really appreciate the good from the bad.

I know I am leaving behind the prettiest girls in Europe, and for me that is a good thing. I will be able to concentrate on WORK and my new studies in my economics degree that I have started. The topics for the classes I have seen seem silly. I have been writting MBA papers for the last year and anything less I am confident won't be much of a challenge.

It is amazing to me how much I have learnt in the last 15+ months. Not just about buiness concepts and practice but about myself, life, teaching and everything. So a good time has been had. Albeit lonely and most of it missing an English rose. but we all have our memories and those quiet moments we like to live in them... ( I'm off now to reminisce about the one big love....)

Peace to da Obi coz da Obi say peace!

Post Easter

Another has come and gone and I must say this one was much nicer than the last. I went to a friends parents house for traditional lunch and we ate and ate for hours - 3 courses and vodka to the eyeballs, we spoke german all afternoon, good practice for me. I was exhausted from the eating and then we went out. At 9pm we were in the local bar and looking at all the folks that post easter dinner had let out to play. I had a dance and a few beers, but I knew my limit and finished the night with water rather than pickling myself, as I saw my friends do. Oh boy!

I met up with 2 gorgeous women I have known for ages, one was a student and the other a friends friend. Ah beer googles were not needed, generally I will say confidently that Polish women are absolutely gorgeous. So I was in heaven (exhausted heaven), I heard my inner bell go off and I stood up said my goodbyes to the blurry eyed and walked home 2km in the light snowfall. Home by midnight and a hot shower and bed saw me swiftly to la la land.

Today saw me up early - much to my regret, fed the freak in the cage and then dawdled around for a while. Went to lunch at my friends house and I had convinced her I could do wonders at great speed for her thesis in linguistics. She was genuinely shocked on how much we got done and how quick I was. So next week we will tackle another few pages and hopefully I will have her well on her way for her deadline in 8 weeks. Its more about enthusiasm and motivation than anything else... Came home and redid a resume, which has become a habit for me in the last few months. I am happy to help people with resumes in English, infact I am quite good at them.

Chatting away tonight online and emailing - thinking about watching something before bed but find myself thinking about this winter and my need for sunshine. I hate snow.

Obi - lovin giving to people...

We're all going on a rodent holiday

At least one of you will be laughing her ass off when I say that I am hamster-sitting. The little bastard got out of its cage last night and lead me a merry chase around the flat looking for it at 7am this morning. I finally found it in the warmest corner of the house - Tha bathroom quite by accident.

So now I have 3 weeks before I start work in Germany and I met with my boss a few days ago for a status update. It seems his teacher has fallen though, the major reason is that the EU project has not given a final go ahead for the project. and so you can't expect a teacher to wait in a holding pattern - and if they do you need to question WHY they would.

Also strangely, he seems to think 30 day notice (which I put in this new contract) means to the end of the following month (that is 6 weeks - can he count??) - I just think it is an inffectual way of expressing his disgruntled mood.

Its official - I am bored - last easter I was bored and this easter I am bored too, it was snowing this morning and I watched it until it stopped. Four hours later any sign of it is gone and I am still bored. I have half a mind to terrorise the rodent, I actually let him sit my my shoulder and eat out od his cage but he just couldnt manage that and started complaining about the service and the heating and wanted to know when the cable will be fixed. Blah Blah blaaah! - Welcome to Hotel Rodent-fornia - you can check out biatch but I will still keep you in your plastic aquarium!

Obi - still bored and still cleaning - and dreaming of a better life in Germany... aaand beer gardens and nice food and nice girls and all that stuff..

Trust Your Instincts

Well - I read today from an excellent Blog that trusting instincts was this years black, so I will take this under advisement. I need to find me inner instict and have a chat to him and find out why the bloody hell he hasn't been speaking to me much lately. WOT - has the lil biatch gone EMO on me and clammed up listening to the Smiths or something. I remind him AGAIN that he works for me, and that he better get his act together or I will replace him quick smart with the latest model of "Mercenary Sensibilities 3000"... then we will see who is a whiney snivelling biatch - me thats who! - eeeerrr hang on...

Hmm - that self talk session didn't go as well as I thought. But true, instincts are important and need to be listened to.

Obi to Obi - Obi to Obi - Come in Obi....

5000 Hits!

Yaaaay! I have had 5 thousand hits!!

Open University... that is where I am virtually studying now... I paid for my first class over the phone and I am on my way. The first class starts in MAY, so I will have time to get myself organised in my new life and ace the first class...
It will cost around 20K Australian and I am fully expecting that. So now it is official. I a uuuuni Stuuuudent.
What else can I say from today. Nothing. a slow day with a lot of running around as usual so it was no wonder I took my standard nap. My students call them my 'meetings' now and ask if I have had many meetings or when the last one was... Cheeky buggers... gotta love em.
Well Penny flaked on my tonight, the second last time we can meet and she fell asleep until 10pm and I was waiting - staaarving for a meal and I ended up cooking my own here. Doesn't that shit ya!
well that is all kids - sleep well I intend to...
Obi-ski!

Gdansk

I went to Gdansk to day with Penny and her daughter, It would have been a great day but for the half pint attention demanding drama queen... a good day - one of my last with Penny ruin ed by a little shit of a child.

Don't get me wrong - I love kids, just this one. It was a 10c day and the sky was gray. Still a magic city that I would recommend to anyone. Infact I wanna go back - maybe in the summer.

A long email to my mum and some pictures to make her happy... Communication has been difficult the last few weeks with anyone and of course mums deserve the first news...

Obi Sayer - "you make me feel like Gdansking - I wanna Gdansk the night away...."

Aftermath

Well, I told my boss and he was pissed off and we me the day after I filed my resignation. He asked me to do a few things before I leave and most of them I can't do. So I smiled and said yes and agreed with him. He wants me to stay longer, about 2 weeks but there is not chance the job in Germany will wait that time for me.

I heard someone I knew in Oz is having a baby. I am happy for him. I am sure it will fill a huge part of his life that has needed attention for many years. I wish him well.

I have cleaned and compiled a list of things I need to do before I go but today its beers on the couch and some TV escape. Fridays have been my day off for ages now and I am kinda like it now. Though when I hit Germany I am sure I will be jumping and sprinting until I know the ropes.

I had my eyes tested and I am getting some new glasses. I have a difficult script so they need to send to Japan for the lenses, and the costs just increase! Either way I am getting new specs and I am happy, even though they aren't Mikli I don't mind so much.

I was thinking about England today, a place I think of less and less these dayd and I am sure the smae is true for it. I used to have opinions about that place and its people but now I just accept that it is an island isolated from everyone else.

A sad farewell to JonnyPon. Uncle John has fought a valiant fight against death and he got in a few kicks and punches in the meelee, but he has finally lost as well all do in the end, but really it is never about how we die its about how we fight for life. Lots of Love John.

I am sorta worried about the border crossing, I dunno what will happen and when I will cross, likely on a saturday morning but since Shengin - there are open borders and that isnt true for me. So I have to find a immigrating crossing and get myself stamped and allowed in. With all my belongings in the car that may look suspicious... it is a worry on the back burner.

Penny Century and I am doing well and enjoying our last few weeks together. Unlike some, I would rather not be alone. I would rather see what I have and value what moments I have left.

Peace to mah bruther DJ Dougie Doug, I hope life is slick, black and round like a record baby!

Big Smoooches to fav Gaijin Girl - kickin it real time in The city of Tall buildings and short people!

If any reader had tips Ideas and shortcut that I may need to getting settled in a life in Germany PLEASe be forthcoming - I needs to know!!

Jeopardy in Jermany

Well it seems that after my glowing interview the contract was sent... and after a careful read of it I discover some major anomalies in the pay department. So I sent an email to ask for clarification.

If you read between the lines of this contract it seems as if this company has been fucked around by a few too many teachers and this is reflected clearly in the writing style and protective defensive content of the contract.

Also seems I am required to work or be available (like a fireman) for 6 additional hours of teaching per week. (are they really THAT short of teachers? Is their business really that unstable that they need every teacher (they have many and 9 natives speakers) on the front line at a moments notice?

The discrepancies in the pay rate bothers me, other than the fact the job is false advertising, I have been turned off this job quite a lot and I am very disappointed, I was looking forward to a nice German summer and beer garden sessions.

The hours are so highly regulated that I wonder if I would be going into a prison. All class room changes and time table changes must be done by the administration - well that is a good thing, but in my experience all the admin staff I know are utterly useless and I would have sacked 80% of the ones I dealt with in schools in weeks.

Also if I don't submit a detailed course outline to the last minute each day then I don't get paid for it, simple as that. Here I make my own courses usually, and I work and change the hours according to the students needs, but as a stipulation in the business contracts, if they don't notify me of the change in class time (can't attend) within 10 hours of the class, then I will be paid for it regardless. This works well, especially because it shows them what happens if they waste my time and also my time is valuable. Additionally I am not waiting at the end of the table for scraps of their time like a puppy. As it is here I get paid for at least 1 class a week that can't be attended, If you pay for a service (teaching) then you have to understand I am not a call girl.

Obi is waiting on answers...

---

4 hours later I got the email I was hoping for and further details were explained to me. So I am satisfied that it will be a good career move so everything is back on target and I resiging tomorrow, I feel quite sad to do it. I have been part of this town, tho isolated for the past year and I am very lazy and lax now, so I need to smarten up and get myself together.

Even Penny Century said I should go - being that if I still lived in town she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off me! (If she doesnt go to ireland to live) That nice, I like affection!

Obi

Sunday Night Realisations

A quiet sunday and the grey dull sky hung heavy with clouds. But for me I was in some bubble detached from the world, I felt free and elated, dizzy and content. It felt like an afternoon stolen from the world that was just mine.

After a week apart from Penny Century we met and talked calmly and argued and resolved our issues. More to the point, we knew both our lives were changing in the next 4 weeks and we could spend them apart of together. We chose together.

Like with anything, when you can see the end of something you start to appreciate the little things, cut swathes of cloth for the mental scrap book to turn to when the times turn hard, or loneliness turns it attention to you again. So I have my scissors and my mental polaroids recording the sights the sounds the smells and the sensations of being here now. I guess you could say a life is ending. But definitely. Certainly. A new one is beginning!

My Page Needs A Shake Up!

Greetings dear readers. as you can get by the title a change is needed... I am , and as some of you out there are also, sick of my page format, so I am gonna change. any suggestions will be gratefully accepted.

Today I had sunday lunch with my boss and his family. quite a nice family gathering 3 generations etc and other guests and fun was had my all... wall all except me, no dear reader, not the usual misery guts disposition of me - no, I felt terribly guilty taht I was going to drop a bombshell on my boss on Tuesday and tell him I have another job in Germany and I am giving 30 days notice. I felt very guilty and not hungry at all - it was far too late to cancel the luncheon, as I have cancelled before a few times and so I HAD to go.

We had trout - Whole Trout - Now I haaate most finsh at the best of times so this was not an easy meal for me. But I smiled and shatted and listened to people chat and laugh in Polish around me. A good afternoon but I cut it short as I have other plans. And now I am home the woman i had the plans with has delayed (all women make men wait) and so I will be having coffee and going to a movie this afternoon.

Obi needs to clean the house more and go into to packing over drive....

Well Hell!

I answered a number withheld call and it was the teacher in Germany wanting to speak to me about the job. A bit off balance I went through with the interview and was completely relaxed.

After 10 minutes I was offered the job and the contract is being sent by email.

The spinning dime - it just keeps spinning!

So by mid April I will FINALLY be in the place I have wanted to teach for tha past 2 years. I am finally ready for the big league... I hope it all works out. The accomodating he mentioned is a fully furnished appartment on the Rhine river and seems okay for the price. Now all I have to do is pack and prep papers for the new teacher to start.

All full steam ahead! Obi the new ribber-boat-kaptain!

We All Have Monsters

Far End Of The Night

A Thursday night and the traffics sings its lullaby outside my window, quietly today and as the streetlights paint the recent rain in the streets a musty yellow I look out of my window and wonder about the question.
I'm comfortable and familiar at the moment and I never feel at ease in this state, usually because it is the quiet before the fall. This hazy relaxed malaise is always a time bomb for some drastic event.
Penny Century is trying to play mind games with me, whether she is subconsciously or consciously angry with me or because she knows the end is tapping at the door, I can't tell. Suffice it to say I had seen it years before and I had had enough then. It is really disappointing when adults over 30 can't breathe deep and suck it in and accept the inevitable with grace and dignity. In fact I am deeply disappointed specifically at Penny for her current behaviour. I am certainly not going to play that game. She can go and rot.
The job in Germany that was so keen to hire me has not come through and I am a little disappointed (again) on paper, it was the perfect job for me and I was keen to get back to a country that takes pride in timing and organisation... and has a language I half understand.
When I get this comfortable life has taught me from bitter experience to pack up and pull a pillow over my head and wait for the bombs to start. So in anxious practice I have washed all my clothes and folded them into my suitcase and started to shed my extra papers and stuff that I never needed. My house is clean and the rubbish is out, including the extra stuff my housemate dumped with me and never paid me back, so surreptitiously I took owner ship of all his belongings and threw them out. I figure 6 months of begging someone for the cash you loaned him (enough for a months rent) and getting no answer was enough time before you can throw out all his stuff he was too lazy and disorganised to send home. His mother died recently I heard and I am sad, I met her and found her practical and down to earth, vastly opposite to her son. I also heard he is on his way back through this town at Easter. Personally I think it is for the start of his world sympathy tour, he was always one to play on others good nature and manipulate a drink out of anyone.
Call me hard hearted, call me cynical – maybe I am, but I lived with this asshole for 6 plus months and as regular readers will know I did 150% of all that was possible to make his life easy... and the thanks I got was being shafted of the money he owed me.
Where am I tonight?? Alone in my living room on beer number 5 and barely amused at the world outside, that comfortable haze.
Obi – shitty and grumpy but still a veteran of realism...

Single Again

Life can spin on a dime. Every time I say that to myself it means something different and so too this. I am now the proud owner of a slightly used singularity. YesH, I am single again. Not through any will of my own mind you, just throught the sheer act of WTF... yes, wft is a new god on the block, showing bling and doing his thing... I am single - and it barely took a second look to see it was all gone. Sure there were lots of things I would change etc... as we all would but I have also learned that everything is perfect the way it is.
Can I say the same about the knock back I got this evening from a woman I have been pinning over for the better part of 13 months??? It wasn't a real proclaimation of my feelings nor was it a reall kick in the guts in reply from her. I still adore her, she is an amazing person and wonderful in ways I will not bore my dear readers with. Still a knock back is a knock back and I have to suck it up and smile. (nobody cares if I sob or cry 'woe is me' anyway, so I gotta suck it up and save the tears for another day.)
I sat at home today alone and more comfortable and at ease than I was in the bar tonight waiting for my friends to come. It was 11.20pm when they arrived and as I discovered it was because of a wedding between 2 1/2 lovebirds I knew. I was so happy to see them and the shine in their eyes. It's been so long now since I hoped that that shine would be mine, I hardly recognised it.
Life spins on a dime - THANK FUCK for devaluing exchange rates... Obi, tripping over his bottom lip... But who cares eh?