Counting Down the Days

So it's less than one month before I fly into London. I've sent over the first half of my course fee and I have to say, it's grace that got me the exchange rate I needed. I remember one month ago talking to my dad about exchange rates, and he told me that it would never get to the rate I required - but I just prayed and hoped and it's exceeded what I asked for. And no, I'm no George Soros, I'm not rich enough - not yet anyway! - to influence markets and currency rates. I needed a Euro - US rate of 1 : 1.30 and I got a 1 : 1.32. At that point of our discussion it was 1 : 1.25 or something like that. What's the worth of 7 cents you ask? Not in a small amount maybe, but once you magnify it, it's huge. The savings I get from that will fund my stay for 2 more months or buy 250 mins worth of film. It all depends how one manages it.

To tell the truth, I was never really good at managing money, and I'm probably not the best now, but this experience is teaching me the value of simple currency and where even the simplest choices of vendor matter. It's not being a cheapskate, it's knowing where to allocate your money to maximize your return.

We did the extension on my passport today for the German staying and working permission - arbeitserlaubnis or arbeitsbescheinigung or whatever long word they call it. It used to take one day in Munich, but apparently over here up north, the sytem takes 4 weeks. And most germans don't like it when bavarians boast about how good and efficient their state is - Munich is the capital of Bavaria by the way - which makes me wonder if they've got their head screwed on right. No doubt the lady this morning at 7.45 am was nice, but she couldn't promise anything. But she still didn't believe or didn't want to believe down south it's much more efficient or well, the inverse holds true. Maybe they up north are just a tad inefficient.

The only problem that's bugging me right now is the flat - or rather, lack of a flat so far. But I still hold onto the belief that it will come at the right time. I'm supposed to be sharing a flat with a fellow course attendee from Sweden but he hasn't replied yet. I guess I'm getting nervy because it's less than one month - ergo the first sentence. But wifey and I just simply tell ourselves that if everything has fallen into place so far, then it will continue to fall into place by the grace of God. I don't see the sun for the clouds but the sun still shines above the clouds, so I shouldn't worry and just be happy.

Oh, and I just finished up Fable on the Xbox. I know it's a game, but I've been doing so many things at once I've got to focus and finish up what I start. Beginning from the smallest things to the larger things. Fable was ok, but seemed unfinished somehow. Maybe those marketing people put the finished aka polished version up as "The Lost Chapters" and the beta as Fable to make a quick buck. Never trust the marketing department - bunch of lies if you don't look carefully enough.