Somebody Holds the Key
After Tuesday’s predicament things started happening fast.
Wednesday afternoon I met with the International Employees Officer again. This time she was extremely warm. She basically said there was no hope to expedite anything, and the only route to starting my contract at FZJ was to accept the offer on the beet farm. She walked me through the health insurance application.
I sent my future landlady an email during that meeting.
Thursday morning, I went to the laboratory to meet with herShe has worked there 40 years. . I gave her the deposit and November’s half-month of rent in cash, as my online banking account isn’t activated yet. She signed the WohnungsgeberbestätigungHousing-giver-confirmation. , which I took to the Jülich municipal hall. There, I got my Jülich Anmeldebestätigung. I took that paper back to the International Employees Officer, who copied it and had me sign the application for the residence permit.
Meine Anmeldebestätigung
By Thursday afternoon the Immigration Officer approved it verbally, and agreed to back-date it to Monday. So I retroactively am saved from facing the choice of breaking my employment contract or working illegally. I will have the paper copy of the temporary work paper on the 29th, when I also have an appointment with the Immigration Officer to have my fingerprints taken and complete requirements for the complete residence permit.
I sit here on Friday night, writing from the beet farm. If anyone had told me any time in my life before Tuesday that I’d live on a beet farm in Germany with 3 ponies and 4 horses, I’d have laughed at the absurdity of the suggestion. I would never have picked this. But it was a solution to acompletely absurd problem.
At least three months in Jülich. That’s 3 months of not meeting the people I want to meet. Of not establishing my routine. Of not really settling in. Of not living the adventure I had hoped.
Ultimately, I am here because ich bin physiker, and I want to physik! If to this I must consent, I consent.