Sonntag, Mai 25, 2014
Mittwoch, Mai 21, 2014
Today's me - after 7 years of living abroad
Recently I got to know a German guy, in fact just 1 year younger than me; who has recently lived in Taiwan for about 1 year. I read through his blog posts and photos, and feel his intense enthusiasm about Taiwan. How much he resembles me, but maybe the one back in 5 years ago... :P (LOL, if he stumbles upon this post...)
Anyone who stays abroad for more than 5 years would tell you: At the end, life is just life, everywhere. You can't escape your problems by moving. No place is perfect, you may just encounter different issues, but never living without issues.
After 7 years, I still enjoy meeting people, traveling around. However, not so much anymore without a purpose. I sometimes feel I've grown rather practical with my age. I can no longer make any decision following only my pure instinctive liking, without giving a deeper thought on the practical consequences.
Maybe in someone else's eyes, I'm still thinking innocently like a child. I do believe a person's look reflects how mature he/she is. In this regard, I must be still pretty young. :-)
It probably simply depends on whom I'm comparing with. Have I made that much of progress in the past 7 years?
It is very funny to read through my own blog posts back 7 years ago though. To read about things and people whom I have totally forgotten, had I not wrote them down.
I should definitely start posting my public diary again...
Anyone who stays abroad for more than 5 years would tell you: At the end, life is just life, everywhere. You can't escape your problems by moving. No place is perfect, you may just encounter different issues, but never living without issues.
After 7 years, I still enjoy meeting people, traveling around. However, not so much anymore without a purpose. I sometimes feel I've grown rather practical with my age. I can no longer make any decision following only my pure instinctive liking, without giving a deeper thought on the practical consequences.
Maybe in someone else's eyes, I'm still thinking innocently like a child. I do believe a person's look reflects how mature he/she is. In this regard, I must be still pretty young. :-)
It probably simply depends on whom I'm comparing with. Have I made that much of progress in the past 7 years?
It is very funny to read through my own blog posts back 7 years ago though. To read about things and people whom I have totally forgotten, had I not wrote them down.
I should definitely start posting my public diary again...
Donnerstag, Mai 08, 2014
My mortgage
Here is my mortgage negotiation experience in Germany:
In my first visit to bank S, the bank consultant was friendly, and treated me like a fool (well, I probably was one). She explained to me patiently in simple terms, what factors influence the interest rate. I've asked many stupid questions. I just didn't know how a mortgage work in Germany. At the end, she offered me 1.99% and wrote on the print-out: "this is a *special offer*". Politely, I told her I need more time to investigate about different mortgage offers, and I was not in any hurry to make a decision.
Next, I visited bank D. A very professional consultant. In fact, the only consultant among the 5 I've talked to, who could name me the correct special repayment option for the KFW 153 credit program. She was also very patient in answering my questions. I began to master all the mortgage related german vocabularies. At the end, she gave me a few brochures to take home, and offered a rate of 2.3%, and farewelled me sarcastically, "I hope I will see you again". Of course at 2.3%, no one would see me again...
Then I phoned bank C, because my internet bank comparison shows this bank offered the lowest interest rate of 1.33%. I filled in the online form, called the hotline, called the Aachen branch... No one called me back. After my repeated attempts, finally a guy on the hotline set-up an appointment for me. However, when I went to the bank, the consultant didn't appear, and the local branch didn't have any record of my appointment! The staff made another appointment and sent me home with a printed appointment record.
Then I went to a credit institute across just 1 street. Now I have mastered all the vocabularies, and probably didn't sound so dumb any more. But I didn't know how a credit institute works, especially how can I get a lower rate via an "agent". The consultant answered my different questions. He asked for every detail of my financial situation, and even asked me to fill in a Schufa form. I told him, I have not made up my mind yet, and would rather not giving so much personal details. The other day, he sent me a "best" offer of 1.4%. I wrote him back: thanks and bye bye. One probably can't get the best offer via an agent!
Afterwards, I tried my house bank, online bank DK. Friendly consultant, efficient contact, best offered conditions with the most flexibility. 10% special repayment per year, and 2 times free of charge change of repayment ratio. The consultant told me 1.5X% is standard, and if I could show him a better offer from another bank, there is some room of negotiation to 1.4X%, but not any lower. This might have been "the offer" if the bank wasn't purely online.
Then I went to bank C again. This time the consultant appeared and apologized for missing the last appointment. A tall and handsome guy. Rather patient. But wasn't able to tell me the KFW special payment option without googling it on the web. He told me I knew what my ideal mortgage plan was. In fact, after all these bank appointments, I learnt that I needed no bank consultants to give me often inaccurate information. "Google is my best friend". He offered me that 1.33%. At first, I thought this was "the offer". At the end, I didn't choose this bank, because the consultant was poorly reachable via phone / email.
Next I came across the term "Wohn-Riester", and made another appointment with bank S to inform myself what this "Wohn-Riester" program is about. I got an appointment with a different consultant, which I was pretty happy about. I definitely did not want to meet the "1.99% special offer" consultant again. To my big surprise, I met a different consultant together with the same consultant. They told me, this same consultant is responsible for customers going to evening appointments. They explained to me about this program, and honestly I had not a single clue about. At the end, I told them might be I'd think about the Wohn-Riester program, but I'd not choose their 1.99% offer. I got a much better 1.33% offer elsewhere. From this point of time, the dramatic change happened. Suddenly, they were afraid of losing a customer, and would try to give me a comparable offer, at 1.4X%.
Considering the 0.5% that I could negotiate off with my poor german at bank S, I'm proud of myself and very happy with the outcome.
In my first visit to bank S, the bank consultant was friendly, and treated me like a fool (well, I probably was one). She explained to me patiently in simple terms, what factors influence the interest rate. I've asked many stupid questions. I just didn't know how a mortgage work in Germany. At the end, she offered me 1.99% and wrote on the print-out: "this is a *special offer*". Politely, I told her I need more time to investigate about different mortgage offers, and I was not in any hurry to make a decision.
Next, I visited bank D. A very professional consultant. In fact, the only consultant among the 5 I've talked to, who could name me the correct special repayment option for the KFW 153 credit program. She was also very patient in answering my questions. I began to master all the mortgage related german vocabularies. At the end, she gave me a few brochures to take home, and offered a rate of 2.3%, and farewelled me sarcastically, "I hope I will see you again". Of course at 2.3%, no one would see me again...
Then I phoned bank C, because my internet bank comparison shows this bank offered the lowest interest rate of 1.33%. I filled in the online form, called the hotline, called the Aachen branch... No one called me back. After my repeated attempts, finally a guy on the hotline set-up an appointment for me. However, when I went to the bank, the consultant didn't appear, and the local branch didn't have any record of my appointment! The staff made another appointment and sent me home with a printed appointment record.
Then I went to a credit institute across just 1 street. Now I have mastered all the vocabularies, and probably didn't sound so dumb any more. But I didn't know how a credit institute works, especially how can I get a lower rate via an "agent". The consultant answered my different questions. He asked for every detail of my financial situation, and even asked me to fill in a Schufa form. I told him, I have not made up my mind yet, and would rather not giving so much personal details. The other day, he sent me a "best" offer of 1.4%. I wrote him back: thanks and bye bye. One probably can't get the best offer via an agent!
Afterwards, I tried my house bank, online bank DK. Friendly consultant, efficient contact, best offered conditions with the most flexibility. 10% special repayment per year, and 2 times free of charge change of repayment ratio. The consultant told me 1.5X% is standard, and if I could show him a better offer from another bank, there is some room of negotiation to 1.4X%, but not any lower. This might have been "the offer" if the bank wasn't purely online.
Then I went to bank C again. This time the consultant appeared and apologized for missing the last appointment. A tall and handsome guy. Rather patient. But wasn't able to tell me the KFW special payment option without googling it on the web. He told me I knew what my ideal mortgage plan was. In fact, after all these bank appointments, I learnt that I needed no bank consultants to give me often inaccurate information. "Google is my best friend". He offered me that 1.33%. At first, I thought this was "the offer". At the end, I didn't choose this bank, because the consultant was poorly reachable via phone / email.
Next I came across the term "Wohn-Riester", and made another appointment with bank S to inform myself what this "Wohn-Riester" program is about. I got an appointment with a different consultant, which I was pretty happy about. I definitely did not want to meet the "1.99% special offer" consultant again. To my big surprise, I met a different consultant together with the same consultant. They told me, this same consultant is responsible for customers going to evening appointments. They explained to me about this program, and honestly I had not a single clue about. At the end, I told them might be I'd think about the Wohn-Riester program, but I'd not choose their 1.99% offer. I got a much better 1.33% offer elsewhere. From this point of time, the dramatic change happened. Suddenly, they were afraid of losing a customer, and would try to give me a comparable offer, at 1.4X%.
Considering the 0.5% that I could negotiate off with my poor german at bank S, I'm proud of myself and very happy with the outcome.
Sonntag, April 20, 2014
Samstag, April 19, 2014
Freitag, April 18, 2014
Dubai Day 7
I confess I like the Safari driver Ali a lot. A friendly, responsible, and tough guy with a traditional family concept; His gaze was truly impressive. Secretly I wish we will meet some day again. :-)
I realize I pathologically like people with a complicated background.
Donnerstag, April 17, 2014
Sonntag, April 13, 2014
Samstag, April 12, 2014
DUS -> DXB Day 1
I thought I had no hope for my ticket upgrade... The check-in agent told me the flight was very full... But at the last minute, when I entered the gate. I triggered an alarm, as if I might be carrying something illegal. Then the agent told me. Mrs. S. You are on an upgrade priority, and gave me a new boarding pass. Thanks for the good luck. :D
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