The Bureaucratic Run Around

Today has been a bit of a crazy run-around day.  Yesterday I successfully opened a bank account here, although I won't actually get my bank card for a week to 10 days.  The next thing on my list of stuff to do yesterday was to get a cell phone, and I was told that once I had the bank account number (with or without bank card) I could get the phone.  Fast forward to the cell phone store...no bank card...no cell phone.  So a pre-paid phone that does nothing but call and text will have to do for the next week.

This morning we got up and went to the district where I will be living, and I took all my forms to the scary looking government building (picture abandoned elementary school from the 40s or something...blank walls except an old map and a bunch of signs in German with things in red and underlined with lots of exclamation points, no receptionist or anything, just a machine that spits out numbers, and a big scary door that just says "Zimmer 5").  I took a number as instructed and waited until my number flashed up on the screen and opened the big scary door.  Inside there were two guys sitting behind desks, and I explained what I needed.  Of course he wasn't interested in the giant stack of papers I had, he just wanted this one little form with my landlord's signature on it, and a copy of my passport.  I won't have that signature until tomorrow, so I'll be back to the creepy abandoned room.

We came back to the hotel so I'd have internet access, and I emailed around to find more specific information on who I can give this giant packet to so I can legally stay in the country...good information to have :) I think I've got it figured out now.  While I do have to go back to that room, I also have to go to another government office in another district tomorrow morning and get all the proper immigration things taken care of.

I think for the rest of the day we'll just play tourists, since most of the government offices have already closed.  Back to enjoying the pretty buildings and drinking amazing coffee.  I can totally handle that.