Medical Benefits in Germany

Oh man, my dateline for my master thesis is only another 2 weeks away. I’m almost finished with it; only some small details and compilations hasn’t been done yet.

I’m having a pretty bad backache and stomach problems. Currently, I’m visiting a microwave therapy for my back everyday for 6 treatments. Before the orthopedist can diagnostic my problem, I first need to go to another medical centre to have a shoulder, back, and neck X-ray. My appointment has been fixed to Wednesday.

I’m rather surprised about the microwave therapy. For only 7 minutes per day, my back is feeling much better. Perhaps it really Rheumatism. Weather, stress, and so on also plays a pretty big part. But nevertheless, this is not what I want to talk about.

Actually, I feel that my <60,-€ per month for medical insurance is well worth it. Although I have not been utilizing it in the past, I will do so now. Imagine, for some microwave therapy in Malaysia, it will probably cost at least MYR50 per session or so. 6 sessions will then make it to a minimum of MYR300. What about the X-ray? MYR50 per piece? There’s another MYR150 gone. Wow!!! Imagine, I actually just spent MYR450 for nothing much. The microwave therapy is only a temporary pain relieving medium, although it really lives up to its purpose.

Anyway, when I have more time next week, I want to go to a stomach specialist. My stomach has been giving some problems. It really seems that I’m having some indigestion problems. There, more money gone. But of course, I am only going to the doctor because they are FOC. If I would have to pay like in Malaysia, I would have just gone to the pharmacy to get some pain killers and leave it.

After my stomach stuffs are done, my next destination would be going to the dentist. Need to get my teeth checked, repaired is needed and bleached. My wedding is here soon, I don’t want to take some wedding pictures with yellow teeth.

So, conclusion - I really like the insurance and medical benefits in Germany. Cool!

Malaysian in Berlin

It is the 5th day Desmond is here in Berlin. Don’t get me wrong, I miss my friends and families and so on. But there IS one thing that I really have to admit - it’s hard for an average Malaysian to survive in Berlin. I am not talking about Desmond or my dad, I’m talking about most Malaysians.

Berlin is not such an international city like Munich or Frankfurt or even Hamburg. To me, Berlin is a really special city as there are always so many things going on for the pass 1000 years. It really fascinates me.

Back to the topic. For many Malaysians, if they had to walk 5 minutes to the bus station to take a bus, and travel for 5 stations, change to a train, travel for another 10 stations, and then take a tram for 3 stations and then walk for another 15 minutes before reaching the destination, they would rather take a taxi that would cost around 15,-€.

Many Malaysians also can’t survive without rice and Asian noodles. For me, I’m a potato and bread person. I used to eat very little bread in Malaysia as I find them hard and tasteless. Since I came here to Berlin, I enjoy eating their freshly baked (although sitting in my kitchen for 2 days already) buns. They are really really nice. I can have my soup and bun around 3 times per week without complaining.

Also, for many young Malaysians, the ability to cook is not a norm. It’s an extra skill. But fortunately I can cook since I was young. Therefore, when I would like to have some special food, I cook.

So, the conclusion! Malaysians are normally lazy, always seek for shortest, easiest way.

Visitor

Today, I have a visitor!!!

Desmond is here in Berlin and he’s staying at our place for a couple of nights until next Wednesday. He was in Spain with his family and decided to drop by in Berlin to pay me a visit and chill a little (of course, I think it’s more like he wants to have a break from the family).

My thesis took a good turn yesterday. She was pretty impressive with the work and also the things that I am doing for her. She has given me more challenges and more assignment by which I should complete by Christmas. It is a little stressful right now as the fact that Desmond is here. Nevertheless, I would try my best but it will not be easy to shuffle between a friend who can’t speak a single word of German around and my thesis.

Also, she told another employee at a sister hostel about what I am doing and the other lady is also very excited and intrigued by the idea. She is interested to implement the same concept in the hostel too. I am happy!!! But then again, I NEED MORE TIME!!!

INTERNET!!!

Finally!!! Internet!!!

We now have internet at home!!! What a relieve! Since we are both internet junkies, it WAS pretty hard to live 1 month without internet.

Today is Sunday, therefore nothing is open outside. I still have so much of Christmas shopping to do, Christmas cake to bake, and so on.

Money issues have not been really resolved. We have decided to take a break from decorating and further “enhancing” our home as we already spent almost 2000,-€ in the last month.

I really need to get a part-time job soon enough. Although being a tuition teacher seems a little weird, but I have decided to go check out some of the advertisements posted at notice boards and so on. Well, 10,-€ is better than 0,-€, right? But at the same time, I really need to pay attention to my thesis to make sure that I am done with it ASAP.

Yesterday I was at the hostel discussing about my thesis with my counterpart. Last time, she was always complaining that I am doing my stuffs too slow. But what do you expect me to do? She’s always either on holiday or she is sick. Worse still, sometimes when I call the hostel, no one knows where she is and whether she is coming to work or not.

Nevertheless, I will try to finish my part of the room layout now and see what she says about it. She is again leaving Berlin for Israel next week for a week. I would really want to finish this part of my thesis and then just write the rest of the thesis in January. I am still a little worried about my thesis and if it is good enough.

Change of Name in MYKAD

Does anyone in the world know what are the procedures like to change my name after I get married?!?!?!

It’s freaking frustrating… I don’t seem to be able to find it in the internet.  Of course, www.jpn.gov.my is what everyone told me to check out. But guess what? The English version of the website is dead. You are unable to click on anything except the link to the updates of a new building in construction.

CAN ANYONE HELP ME?!?! I want to find out how I can change me name permanently and how long does it take?!?!