MGS RADAR

The countdown is on! Next week I am leaving for Munich to start an internship within an automotive company to finalise my Business Management studies. This is the second compulsory internship I am absolving, so there are chances to draw from experiences made, however some new challenges arise as well. For instance: A strange language, cultural differences, a different climate… or to sum it up with one word: Bavaria. Geographically London is even closer by roughly 150km than Munich is from Schwalmal - the hometown I’ll be leaving once again for about six months.

As I remain in the country several factors change:

The subjective feeling of distance is, despite the actual higher distance, smaller. This starts with university, which demands personal presence during mid-internship and closing presentations, over the company that has provided me with a contract just days before the planned start and of course my own feeling that is being reinforced by these circumstances. Just as it is by the frequent “See you in Munich” statements made by friends or myself.

Unpleasently the bureaucratic obstacles appear to be higher this time. I need to get all kinds of papers (even as a German national it is definitely more than for the internship in the UK). But once again the Internet saved the day and nowadays - very much to my positive surprise - even local authorities react quickly on requests communictaed online.

What is also different: I’ll be taking a car, now I can finally say my car, with me. In contrast to London I have a company owned flat already reserved - from the hoods of Elephant & Castle to Munich’s city centre. Both apartments were / are ridiculously expensive, but the jump in living standards is pretty much from “Your flat has been visited by pest control - Do not touch the poison traps!” to “The cleaning lady comes onces a week”.

Aaaaaaand: Although I miss a bit the minimalistic shopping experience of Britain’s Argos shops I am able to buy some basics of the classic relocating student beforehand. In this website’s recent tradition of shopping spree results I hereby proudly present: The cheapest home appliance and electronic articles in Mönchengladbach town aka “Dollar Menu appliances”

	Both electric kettle (9,99EUR) and toaster (9,99EUR) were a low price deal my mom noticed in Real’s weekly advertisements. Tested them yesterday night and should surive a half year term of duty.
	I am curious about the toaster as I had a very similiar model while being in England. The first one only survived roughly three months after the successful extraction of bagel remainings usinga fork. (Kids! If you try this at home: Pull the toaster’s plug first!) Keeping the functionality of the toaster was a secondary goal that has not been achieved.
	Instead of wasting money on cable television I put my faith in the fairly newly launched terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting service. Let’s just hope this 14,99EUR baby from MediaMarkt is good enough for reception in Munich. Once again: As long as it is going to survive six months I am happy.
	If you can’t beat them, join them. I take the freedom to say that MGS-Radar has - in unison - a critical opinion on the idea of reducing particles in so called “Environmental Zones” by means of applying a traffic light colour system. Munich has introduced in 2008 the obligation for car drivers to equip their cars with these stickers (5EUR please). As driving every once in a while into an environmental zone is one thing and actually living there, thus keeping the car in this zone at all times, is another I can now proudly call my old Diesel to be a member of the worst category. It will be banned in the city center by the end of this year - luckily after I will have completed the internship.
	I am not gonna deny it, although I am going to work for a different car maker very soon - I am a bit proud of the old Ford, who served me well over the last couple of years. Just last week-end I added another 1.000km to the distance recorder, which now displays some number above 245.000km. Only the glow plugs needed to be replaced after too many years of operation for a total cost of 80EUR. During the replacement the mechanic noticed that the connecting cable was completely rotten, which means that the Diesel engine was starting without the help of the four fellas - despite the harshest winter with temperatues reaching below -10C° we had for quite some time. I am quoting the guys from the repair shop: For an engine of this age it must be in terrific shape!

Now bring me, the cattle, toaster and all the other stuff safely down to Munich old Ford!