The Country, The Opportunity

The Federal Republic of Germany, a country synonymous with the most advanced engineering technology and know-how, is one place that many engineering students like myself dream of visiting.

Anyone thinking of visiting enchanting Europe will definitely place Germany in one of the top spots on his travel itinerary, because of Germany’s excellent geographical behaviour.  I mean, who has not heard of Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt or the famous Rhine river that separates Germany, France and Switzerland?

Backpacking Europe is a must for graduates who need a breather between graduation and stepping into the working world.  In fact, that was my plan, until my dream came true … prematurely.

I was offered a rare opportunity by the French consumer electronics company, Thomson Multimedia, to work in its research laboratory based in Germany.  I was to be attached to the Villingen Integrated circuits Design (VID) team.

On 10 January 1997, I arrived in Villingen, a small town in the Black Forest, a region in the South-western part of Germany.  The company had arranged accommodation for me.  It was an apartment located less than 1 km away from the workplace and my home for the next six months.

After 2 days of rest, I started work.

The Project, The Colleagues

The objective of my project was to design a variable gain stage, integrated in a sub-micron Bi-polar junction Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (BiCMOS) technology for low voltage applications, with special considerations on the high gain and wide gain-adjustment range.

Basically, I was to analyze and optimize the design of my two supervisors using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools.  There was a set of stringent requirements that I had to meet because this variable gain stage is to be used in the company’s Digital Video Disc (DVD) front-end Integrated Circuit (IC).

Of course, there were initial fears and uncertainties.  Would I be able to fulfill the project requirements?  Who could I ask if I were stuck with a problem?  Would I get along well with the colleagues?

Less than a week into my work, these doubts and fears were dispelled from my mind.  On the very first day, the head of the VID team, together with my supervisors, sat down with me to find out what I had learnt at NTU.  Based on that, they decided on a project (mentioned earlier) which they thought I could handle.

Help was always at hand.  I could approach any colleague from the team and they would patiently discuss the issue with me.  It was because of this and the application of knowledge from books that I was able to complete the project without too many tears.

Contrary to the usual perception that Germans are rough and unfriendly, my German supervisors and colleagues were extremely hospitable, understanding and helpful.  By the way, although the everyday language is German, all my colleagues spoke English and there was no language barrier.

The Lifestyle

In the company, shaking hands and greeting each other "Guten Morgen! Wie gehts?" ("Good morning! How are you?") is the norm to start the day.

There were occasional surprises, when I would walk into the office and be welcomed by the aromatic fragrance of coffee brewing.  Yep!  Someone was having his/her birthday that day and was giving everybody from the team a breakfast treat.  This was usually a sumptuous meal of German bread, ham, cheese, pastries, coffee and juice.  Although I found the practice unusual, it was nevertheless inviting.

Noon was always pleasant because the team lunched together in the company canteen and after that, took a short stroll in the forest nearby.  I find this habit very interesting and beneficial, since it serves as a simple form of exercise and a great time for casual interaction.  It was during this time that I could learn more about my colleagues and their way of life.

After work, I usually shopped for grocery at a nearby department after which I headed home to cook dinner.  On a few evenings, I was invited to dine with my colleagues and their families.  In reciprocity, I invited them to taste my version of Chinese dumplings and home-made noodles.

Every Thursday evening, I looked forward to a game of basketball with my colleagues (some from other departments) in a nearby indoor court.  It was really exciting because everybody made me feel a part of the team.

Weekends were spent travelling to other towns, bigger cities and neighbouring countries.  I even had the opportunity to join in the fellowship of a local church and it was there that I made more friends.

The Seasons, The Festivities

At about the same time as the Chinese New Year (early February), Germans all over the country celebrate the "Fastnacht" or Fastnet.  Although the proceedings of the celebrations are similar, every town has its unique set of costumes and masks.  During the climax of the celebration, Villingers, as the folks in Villingen are called, dress in their traditional costumes and put on their masks and parade in the town centre.

Although it was snow capped everywhere, the atmosphere was electric.  As the loud music played and drums rolled, there was a warm and homely feeling as everybody joined in the singing.  The happiest of them all were the children, because those in the parade tossed handfuls of sweets and goodies to them.

As March was coming to an end, "spring was in the air".  I could literally feel it because during this transition from winter to spring, there was much pollen in the air as the flowers began to blossom.  And whenever anyone sneezed, we sympathized with "Gesundheit!" or "Good Health!"

Towards the middle of spring, when the temperature was warmer (15-20 degree Celsius), I joined a colleague on a cycling trip to a small brewery some 20km from Villingen.  There, we were rewarded with a large mug of icy-cold fresh beer, followed by a warm and delicious meal of German veal and pickled vegetables.

Summer was welcomed in the "Sommerfest" or "Summer feast".  The whole project team, together with their families, gathered at an outdoor feasting area in the forest for a time of food, beer, music, fun and interaction.  I even joined in the traditional wood chopping in preparation of a bonfire!

The Travel Bug

Given such a golden opportunity, I made the best of my weekends travelling.  For the first month, I ventured into the nearby towns only.  Once I became familiar with the transport system and as my German vocabulary grew, I went to bigger cities like Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Munich, sometimes spending the night in the international youth hostels.  I made it a point to speak German whenever I traveled so that I could master the language faster.

The first international trip came in the form of a car-ride with a colleague and her family to France.  It was a really interesting experience to stand at the border of the two most powerful countries in Europe, taking in the beautiful sights offered by the River Rhine.

The highlight of my attachment came in May, when my girlfriend paid me a visit.  Backpacking together, we visited many German cities, went to Switzerland to view the Swiss Alps and down to Italy to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Vatican City in Rome.

Before returning home, I took a train across Belgium for a ship to London.  There I witnessed the Change of the Royal Guards at the Buckingham Palace where the Queen resides, rode on the London bus across the London Bridge and visited many more museums and attractions.

The Experience, The People That Made It Possible.

Unforgettable - that’s the word that aptly sums up my six months in Germany.

The experience of living alone, travelling, breaking the language barrier and adjusting to a brand new culture has strengthened my character and widened my perception of life.

I thank God for this once-a-lifetime opportunity.  I also appreciate the concern shown by Mr Lim Soo Heng (Human Resource Manager at Thomson Multimedia Singapore), Dr S Birlasekaran (NTU supervisor) and all my German colleagues.  Special thanks go to Mrs Loh Ai Hwa and the staff at the Office of Professional Attachments for their efficient administrative support.

Last but not the least, I award my family and loved ones an A+ for their encouragement to me throughout my IA.