Grottenfietsen

This will be the month with the fewest blog entries in my 2 years career as author. But in fact, not so much is happening. Well, not so much that it is really worth to tell. After Italy there was big "and what now"-period. The only thing I had to do was writing thesis. That is even going so well. Since three weeks now, I am sitting at home writing only working on the thesis. I wrote a small program where I can modify the data sets I need for running my first tests on it. After that, there should be brand new information that I can pipe into the thesis (wow, what a speech...).

When October started I wrote applications again. I had a good opportunity to stay here in Aken, but because I did not want to depend on one rumor, I applied in different departments, too. Six applications I even sent to Netherlands. It were online applications and it was a disaster. To the first I sent my CV from last February, because it was in the same folder on my computer as the new version. For the applications, I adapted the text a little bit, because it was too passive. But after three more sendings, I realized, that the first sentence was cut in half and did not make any sense. Excellent... but I think the last two were ok.
While waiting for answers I had an information meeting with Atos in Aken where I was supposed to learn something about a new department. However, the meeting turned out to be a job interview and it went pretty well. It seemed to fit and everything I did seemed to be of value. Now I am waiting for the contract for further details.
In the meanwhile Atos Netherlands wrote me an email that due to my lack of knowledge in Dutch they would not have possibilities there. Well, I expected something like that, but since I already had a good opportunity here in Aken, I wrote an email back in Dutch - only to get back a phone call with a woman from Utrecht talking fast and much Dutch. That was the bottomline of my applications. I think, I got what she was telling me, but I am not sure of the things in between. The call came so suddenly that I only could say "Ja", "Ne", "Ok" and Swedish which comes still faster in my mind than Dutch. In the end she asked if I had further questions and I took the rope to saver waters and said "No". She laughed in a way that made clear she totally knew that I got nothing of her speech. Then it was over. I was very disappointed that I sucked so badly. To get maybe at least to a small victory I phoned her back after 5 minutes, but only her voicemail was on place. I left a message in Dutch, if she could write me an email again, because it was pretty much and fast. I think, I sounded like a robot andI guess, I will neve hear from her again. Ah, right, the content of the phone call: at Atos Origin (in Utrecht, I think) you can follow so called masterclasses. Working and making certificates in one. They started already in October, so for this period you are too late. Maybe spring, but at latest next year fall you can try again. She advised me to check, if there is something similar in Germany.
Yesterday we had a team event at my current department at Atos in Aken. We went cycling in a mine in Valkenburg, Netherlands. Finding the mine was already very funny. We drove up a slight pitch and arrived at a huge flat area. But no mine in sight. But as you know, mines are not beneath the surface. So after some research we found it: a small little house in the middle of the field was the entrance. It was like in the comics. The house was very small, really only one room big, and a long staircase lead 40 meters down into the mine. There we got our grott-bikes and drove one hour in total darkness. Although our guide was more capable speaking English than German, he refused to switch to English. Therefore this was a mining lesson for us and a German lesson for him. The main problem with cycling in a mine is the height of the tunnels. It demands on some sportivity to cycle with your head on the same height like you saddle. And if you then even have to cycle uphill - that's something you do not experience outside. After that tour, we drove back to Valkenburg and rushed into a Mexican restaurant and ate way too much until 11pm. But it was tasty.
The next blog entry might take a while again, because not so much definite is happening and I do not want to write so many could's and might's just to take them back again.