Now it looks like I’ve finally got a cold. It started slowly on wednesday and got finally worse yesterday. So with a messy headache and all the other nice stuff I’ve decided to stay in bed today. Not sure how long this intention will last though.

Guess this Helloween for me is over even before it really started. But still wondering about my friend Wilf could be right with his comment about we exported it to the USA instead.

Hey Wilf? By the way … What do you mean with our ancestors? I couldn’t remember one of mine would have ever did wear a kilt?!

Living in Germany Helloween never ever was a topic for me. Besides knowing it out of a  few movies occasionally  showing dressed up kids walking around and asking for candy and a few oversea contacts mentioning it, it always remains a funny but strange behavior for me.

Now since a few years the shops here have started to sell Helloween stuff as well  ….

Me always wondering about who really would need that to buy that, last year I was very surprised seeing two little ghosts and a bit of a pumpkin decoration at home.

Also our German kids seems to like it and once again it looks the Americans have archived to export some of their good stuff (like Hamburgers, Windows, root beer, Dr. Pepper Coke and KFC …. ) to us.

Nevertheless receiving some Helloween greetings today was fun indeed. It is still not like I would care about this Helloween. But seeing someone making effort, even sending greetings to people living in oversea is great. And specially in this case when exchange isn’t really that much though it values double!!

Perhaps I should now mark down this Oct, 31 for sending greetings myself next year?!!

So yesterday the final TV duel between the two election candidates did took place. For me it is still strange that the outgoing of an election in a country a few thousand miles away has such an impact on whole the world. But at least for me there was a clear winner yesterday at the end.

Although I was impressed to hear about this new advisor of one of the candidates. Mr. Joe the Plumber must be a real experienced guy and I wonder why he does join in that late into discussion and how they both would work together later on ….

Perhaps they would use the "Hey Joe principle"???      Hey Joe! Can you come over shortly? There is a new crisis going on we would need your advise on.

At the end  this could even work out better than once when the actual man in charge was sitting in some classroom somewhere in Florida.

Pardon, Sir! Our country is under attack! An Attack?????! Yes Sir, it’s a real tragedy ……

Ummm, Ummmm …. What to do? …. Hmpf! I might better stay perhaps? I know the speech already and the audience is lovely!

Yes, Claire! Your Barbie is lovely. Wished I would have an own one too.

Today I’m giving a training for some guys from Belgium. For sure we speak English as our common language we can talk with, but for all of us it is our second language. It is nice and funny atmosphere in which we are dealing with each other by all participants are being aware about some little language "issues" can occur.

In fact we have a lot of fun with each other mixing up and through three different languages at the same time and luckily ending up always with some explanation everyone is able to get and understand.

But back to the question … How good is your spoken English? Asked about today, I would answer honestly that it is as good as the English of my communication partner I talk with.

Really! And it is not the first time I’m recognising it. Give me some native English speaking person to talk with and all the conversation does run quick and easy for me. I know all the words and the more I talk, the more easier it turns out for me and often people do tell me that they are impressed. (Glad they do, as for I personally still doubt about)

Since a while I’m aware and even can hear about English is not always English. There seems to be a million different dialects and ways to speak exactly the same word and at least for me it often depends on where my opposite is originating from. People coming from the UK preferable for sure! I like and understand their English best. But also Canadians and Aussies do not really cause me trouble. Americans are fine too - at least as long there not coming from southeast USA or are descending by Asian ancestors.

So once again back to the question. The real true answer might be … It depends! … at least for me.

The older I get, the more I’m interested in people and their stories. Not that you get that wrong now! It is the exchanging with "interesting" people I’m talking about right now. That talking with people having charisma, perhaps done something special or in generally having some story to share. And most important that people being able to carry on some interesting conversation with you.

Last few years for example I had the pleasure, traveling the one and other time together with some really interesting guy for work issues. A philosophy professor which had made his way somehow to computer science and databases, helping me with and teaching me about database tuning. Whenever we traveled together I enjoyed most sitting next to him and being able to talk about really everything with him … traveling time always was short about our chats.

Just often it is purely that fascinating difference I can feel when talking with someone grown up in another country. Someone living at a different place, living a totally different life from mine and is willing to share it with me like Jill my friend living on a cattle station out there in the Outback of OZ.

Recently I got in contact with a couple being right back from a world trip they have made, being on tour now for nearly year. You get it? That is what I’m talking about and for sure I’m very keen to hear their story …

For me it’s also interesting to learn about how the life of others you have met once in your life has turned out later on. Also recently I got in contact with some former class mate of me. I’ve seen her last at an age of 16 and all I remember is that at that time she was a real beauty. No! It is not like that would be some real criteria, but seeing her now next Thursday I’m for sure looking forward to proof memory.

But at the end and to be honest it is this rare, but for me very special friendships which sometimes start to grow out of such contacts, in case you really archive to stay in contact. And the deep sureness that interest is mutual.