Kelly: The past few days have been filled with more of the same. Here's a quick summary:
Thursday: We have to go to the Stradtwerke (town public works) to get the utilities for the rental put into our name. We arrive, they tell us we need to go to the VAT office first, even though housing had told us to go there first. Matt's sinus issues have deteriorated into a full blown infection. The kind woman at the Apotheke (natural pharmacy that also dispenses prescriptions) directed us to a doctor. Matt went there, and I went back to the VAT office on base. I got the utility VAT forms and the 10 retail purchase VAT forms (allow us to get back the 19% European tax on purchases over $50.00. Find my way back to the town to meet Matt at the Stradtwerke. We get the paperwork finished and head to the CPAC office on a base far far away. The sort-of nice woman there tells us that we need a signature and have to come back on Monday with our reimbursement forms for temporary housing. Fine. We return and crash.
Friday: I drove Matt to take his driver's test. We met a couple nice Americans in the waiting room who seemed to be experiencing the same inprocessing hell. Misery loves company. I talked to KR (a psychologist who I met at the first meeting). She was reassuring and we scheduled a time to meet later that day. Matt turned in an application to work part time at the bank on post, and I went to the hospital, got a signature from my supervisor and talked to KR. While there, I met another nice woman, originally from the states but lived in Paris for the past 6 years...she was really nice and had really great boots...a fashion statement that I can't wait to mimic. KR told me more about the program that I'll be overseeing and informed me that no one likes my immediate supervisor (not the head of BH who was kind but busy). I'll deal with that one later. Friday night we crashed early.
Saturday: My thrifty spirit led me to a website called ramsteinyardsales. I inquired about a curling iron, a vacuum, and an island for our new place. I'll pick up the 220v curling iron tomorrow. After cleaning up in the morning, we went to a T-mobile location that spoke English. Jan (a guy) was wonderful!!! Smart, helpful, and honest...we both have cell phones...still expensive but all cell phone service is here. It will be nice to communicate with each other again. I didn't realize how much I relied on my cell in the states. Then we drove to the Landstuhl train station to try out the walk from the train up "cardiac hill" to the hospital to see if taking the train from our house to work would be an option. Landstuhl was beautiful, decorated in the autumn air...experiencing a bit of renter's remorse...I pondered whether we should have waited for a house to open in Landstuhl, but alas realized the likelihood of that happening was very slim. Cardiac hill was a workout...especially for my phlegmy, congested husband. We met with our landlords for a walk through of our house. I'm so excited. It is truly a German home with all of the accompanying quirks. We probably could've found a more "American" house, but we are in Germany!!! We can see the Landstuhl castle from the studio/attic space!! Let that sink in...we can see a castle from our house...crazy! We received the keys and will start moving tomorrow!
Sunday: Packed up some clothes and headed to the new house, unloaded, picked up my new curling iron, and then went to the Commissary at Vogelweh. The gate guard said that our CACs weren't working...seriously...they've worked for the past week without issue...ugh! Anyway, I liked the Vogelweh commissary better than the Ramstein commissary, but I still prefer to purchase goods on the German economy. Some items are cheaper there, but some are way more expensive! We unpacked our groceries at the new house and returned to the apartment for lunch.
We officially move in tomorrow and our air shipped goods are supposed to arrive. I have to go back to transportation and CPAC AGAIN tomorrow. We won't have internet access for at least a week...things move very slowly here! So, until then...auf wiedersehen!
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