A blessing.

Dealing with paperwork is synonymous with living in Germany and there are very few people I have encountered in the administrative field that look as though they enjoy their job. The process to sign up for german classes at the Volkhochschule started about a month ago. First there is a placement test. Then you must come back with your test and pay for the class. But the office is only open Thursdays: 2 hrs in the morning; and 3hrs in the afternoon. Thursday evenings I have my private german lesson with Georg, so make that Thursday morning only! And before you pay for the test you must bring the proper paperwork. I was told the class I would enter would be A2 (A zwei pronounced "ah tsvahiii") and would meet every M-F from 9:30am-12:45pm. That was the first Thursday. That evening I met with Georg and told him about the test placement. He told me A2 was too high a level but maybe I'll catch up by November. Oh yeah, the classes don't start until November. Ok, so I went through the papermill and returned next Thursday. When I arrived the people upstairs told me to go downstairs and the people downstairs told me to go upstairs. Then the doors closed. I would have to wait until they opened again in the afternoon. I figured all would be ok. I would have enough time to get to my lesson having purchased my new Monatskarte for the U/S Bahn. My 1 hour walk would only be a 15minute train ride.

When I returned in the afternoon, I was sent on the same hunt. No one knew what to do with me. I just remained calm and explained that I took the test, had my papers and needed to pay for the A2 german course starting in November. The woman in charge had seen me circling the halls before and now with two other women who didn't know what to do with me. She took me into her private office. She told me the course I was promised was cancelled. I would have to enter another course at a lower level that started two weeks ago, that was in another part of town and all for the same price! Fine. Kein angst. We chatted in English and I passionately told her my story of coming to fulfill my dream as an opera singer. I like sharing my story. It usually cracks a smile. It did. She was very intrigued. I figured I might as well ask if there were any new openings in the yoga classes that I was told were all full last week. "Yes!" she said. There is one spot. "One spot, just for me!" I exclaimed. "Yes, looks like it!" she replied with a big smile. Now it was time to go back upstairs and do some more official documenting with the receptionists who seem like they particularly cared for their job our your problems. I entered the room and handed over my papers. The woman helping me shared with them that I was an opera singer. Their faces lit up, "really?"  I responded, "yes, would you like me to sing for you?"

So there, in the grey office with grey tables and grey faces with a line full of people waiting to sign up for one course or the other I performed an aria for all. Everything stood still. You could only hear the tick of the clock if you really listened intently. And there, I enjoyed bringing my gift to the dull walls of this institution that sees so much frustration. When I finished, the receptionists were grinning ear to ear and service continued with a smile. Time escaped and it was 10minutes until my lesson. That's when I received a call from Georg cancelling our session.

It was a potentially nerve wracking day or shall I say couple of weeks. My flow could've come to a screeching halt at any moment...from the endless quest to attain new paperwork and discruntled faces while fumbling in german to having to pay for a course that already started two weeks ago. God wanted to flow through me and I was able to be God's vessel. These moments assure me I'm on the right path.

Love,
Tara