Hi everyone,Yesterday and today I had really tough but enlightening experiences at the Ausländerbehörde. This is the office where people from other countries go to get their work and residence visas. Because I had been hired by Berlitz language school to teach, I needed to get my Visa changed so that I was able to legally work.
Yesterday I went in, and the secretary looked at my passport and visa, I told her my story, she went to talk to a colleague, came back and she said, “no, actually the type of visa you have says that you can’t work until it runs out and you renew it.” I was so frustrated. How could the answer be just, no. I called my friend Mariam and she was free so she met me and we went back to the office. But, of course, it was already noon, so it was closed. We cornered one of the security people that was working there earlier in the day when I came alone. Mariam asked her a bunch of questions, tole her our story and the lady said I could try to come today at 6:30am and get on the waitlist to hopefully be seen by someone who could better explain or help me.
So, Seth and I got up this morning and took the bus to the other side of town, got on the waitlist as #1 for the day, went to the correct office, waited. Then at 7:30 they started sending us down to the correct office to meet with someone face to face. We lucked out with a very nice young lady as our helper, and in the end, she said Berlitz had to do some paperwork, and it had to be sent around to a couple of offices, so if everything were in order, my work status would get approved, but not in time to work at came Friday or the next week, either. Although I was bummed, I felt better. I felt like someone actually took the time to investigate my situation and got a real answer, even if it wasn’t the best one…I guess it wasn’t the worst one, either.
So, until it gets worked out, I’ll resort to other methods of earning a few bucks. I’ve been experimenting with my photos, and posting them on a website called Zazzle. Feel free to browse the store below!
Other than that, I’ll just be preparing for a little jazz show I’m singing for a evangelical rock-n-roll style church fundraiser…. Yeah, yeah, I know. But it pays money, and it will be a fun, laid back chance to sing with a friend of mine from German class playing keyboard (and accordion, too 
).
That’s all for today, folks!
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March 13, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Pup
The ‘Now and Then’ and ‘Long Walk Home’ are gorgous!!
March 13, 2008 at 5:57 pm
angieandsethkeeton
Thanks John. Both of those pics I took on a little walk around behind the property of the school we were housed at this summer for my Choir Festival in Überlingen. We loved your pics of China, holy moses!!! The food alone would be enough to get me there (everything on a stick reminds me of Minnesota) but all the amazing pics of THE WALL good lord…It is certainly on our “things to do before we die” list!