Astronomy and Coffee

New flat, chaos, all in boxes, heating failing and the only internet connection was thru the new mobile phones (that really saved the day and the next days). Why internet connection? Yep, when you have a situation like that you see dependent of it we are.

For example, our way through the german bureaucracy (it's easier than most of the countries) starts with registering yourself as inhabitant of the city you live. Where would you do that? In a city like Goettingen, you go to the town hall/city hall. Here it depends on where you live. Also "how to get there?" All this info is in the internet and we failed to foreseen that need. Thanks Miguel again.

We did the registration (anmeldung), but that was all on the first day, since most of the public service in the country is opened to the public only in the morning, and the residence permit was to be dealt in the other side of the city. Great.

Now fix the heating. Long story short. After calling several people, an expert came and solved the problem. At least to the point of "having a heating", but the knobs were too old so tuning was not really possible.

Next day, residence/work permit. In Goettingen I always had them together and preceded by lots of forms. We've got to the place, got a number waited LONG and got a very nice person that did everything without a single form and very easily. All digital! It ended with "I need your protocol to come from Goettingen, it is transfered with the registration you did yesterday, when it arrives you will receive a card with residence and work permit". THAT EASY. We just needed to call in 2 weeks to be sure it was ready and I didn't need anything anymore since I'm portuguese now and Fernanda and Matheus would have it all because of that.

There was still a problem. Fernanda needed the work permit this same day (Dec, 1st) to sign the contract and start working. Of course we knew that this wouldn't be the case, but 2 weeks was too long, so we needed some receipt that would work. The very nice person at this department just said that the university could call him and he would explain it all. We called the personnel department immediately and heard something like "is not the policy of the TUM to call people, he can call us if he wants" ... WOOOOOOOOOOOW Incompetent and prepotent!!! Long story sort again, waited a lot to talk back to the guy, who agreed to call them the next day and explain.

Without that, no contract ... so waiting.

Arranging the house, getting used to the new and way smaller place.

And YES, I'm all complains about the city (at least yet). Now I understand people that came to Germany and did not liked it. I really like living in Germany! They came to Munich, not to Germany.

All arranged to give the flat in Goettingen back. Me and Matheus would go to Goettingen on monday morning, we'd stay at Silke's (former Tagesmutter from Matheus, now our great friend) and come back on tuesday. And I would be able to see some people in Goettingen I couldn't before leaving.