Ebony and Ivory

I know this is long overdue. I was procrastinating like crazy and having to update after I'm back in Singapore doesn't make much sense. But now I'm writing because I don't want to leave a gap between the last part of SEP and back to normal life.

Stuttgarters Ballett

Sometime before the end of my exams, Ziming, Yibin and me went to watch Swan Lake by Stuttgarters Ballett at a public viewing somewhere outside Stuttgart Staatstheater. We had Chinese takeaway from the shopping centre in Koenigsstrasse to go with the dancing. Sort of like Ballet under the Stars at Fort Canning but better because firstly it's free and secondly the cooling weather makes everything more enjoyable. However, the rain was slightly irritating, coming and going the whole evening.

Next up! BBQ Party at Pfaffenwaldring (that's where I used to live before I shifted to Annette's place). Though it was held before the exams ended (for some), it was sort of like a farewell party. I haven't got all the photos yet, so it's hard to decide which photos to post. Here is one though.. a supposed-to-be small get-together ended up with so many people socialising!

For the exams, I literally learnt and studied everything during the exam preparation week, as I had hardly paid any attention during lectures held in German. Well ok only sometimes. The lessons were at 8 am, and at that hour, I was still half asleep although I was physically in class. In addition, they were in German and I doubt that I could have understood much when I'm not fully conscious. It was real luck that I could pass Marketing. But for my Mathematical Economics, I have to thank Ziming for his help and not to forget his hell training. He came over and taught me Maths everyday of the week after work. It was quite a shock when I found out 5 minutes before the exam started that calculators were not allowed in that exam. Also, we are allowed a formula sheet, which was personally checked by the lecturer cum invigilator before the exam. Yes.. every single person! Ok so I couldn't bring my calculator and not only did I not memorise any formulae, I didn't have a formula sheet too. On top of that, I realised I had forgotten to bring writing paper (you are supposed to bring your own paper for exams). A bad start, but the results? 45/75. Due to the time constraints, I studied selectively, choosing simpler topics in the past year papers. Despite the bad start, I scored 45 out of the 47 marks that I attempted! The lecturer was so impressed I think. He smiled the entire time we talk when I collected my script and repeated that it was a breeze to mark my paper. HAHA.. only 2 marks gone due to careless mistakes and that makes him so happy :)

Thanks Herr Tong. I owe you one!

After the exams, Ziming, Siwei and me embarked on a road trip to Prague! Yibin hitched a ride from Stuttgart to Munich, during which, we experienced some traffic jams. It wasn't all that bad, we still managed to arrive in Prague safely. Only slightly late. It's thanks Ziming again, for driving, thanks Siwei for navigating and thanks me for sleeping and eating sweets!