Juni 2010
Ok this might not have been my first ever contact with the German burocratic system. I have been in touch on a few occassions, ie passport renewal, lost driving licenses and visa applications (that is actually quite an interesting story as well but this is one for later) but so far had been lucky enough to keep it to a minimum.
Now that I was planning to return to Germany for good, I thought I better inform myself as what I had to do before the actual move. So as many summer holidays before I went home for one week in June and decided to go the employment centre.
(I have to say I had been trying to find a job in Germany by sending my CVs from England but after 4 months of fruitless searching - with not even a single response - I decided to do the jump in cold water and look for a job on the grounds as to say)
Anyhow, back to the employment centre. I was very quickly seen. Now there was a surprise. A nice gentleman asked me for my details and what he can do for me. So I told him my story: Straight after my Abitur (=A-levels) went to England, study, work, etc and that I was now planning to return and seek my fortunes back in my home country and whether I would be able to receive unemployment benefits of any sorts while looking for a job.
He asked whether I got fired. I said no I quit my job. Now that confused him and so he questioned me why I would do that. Not sure - because I am homesick? Want to come back to Germany?! I don't think he was too convinced by that answer. So he continued questioning me when my last day work was. "16.7" - "oh so you are returning 17.7" - "no" I answered "I will be returning 5.8." - "oh why is that?" - "mh. 10 years cannot just be packed up over night there are a few other things that need sorting out first" - "oh... we ll just book it as a holiday then". - not bad never knew you could book a holiday in a job centre!
Then he asked wether I had national health insurance, a social security number or a pension number. No. No. No. "Oh" he went... mh... now... mh... not sure ... mh... so off he went to speak to his colleague. This reminded me off a scene from Little Britain. The man in the shop asking for the weirdest things and the shop owner always calling for his never-to-be-seen wife Margerie and they always found what the customer was looking for. So my advisor went to another office stood by the door and talked to his colleague. I could see him but not her. I heard them conversing in quite loud voices so the floor could hear (so much for confidentiality). He explained her my situation she shouted some answers back at him. For all I know it could have been him, speaking to himself in two different voices. She was as confused as him and couldn't help much further apart from saying that I needed to register unemployed in the UK first before claiming any benefits in Germany.
So back he came - repeating word by word what his colleague just said. Should maybe have freaked him out by answering him first. Next time.
So that sorted - kind of as I didn't have any further information apart from not appearing in the system - I left and made an appointment with the pension office and finance office to sort out my number so I could be part of the system again.
Back in the UK, when I left work, I registered with the job centre there in July. By that time I only had two weeks left. For obvious reasons she asked me why I wanted to register with only so few days left in the country. My answer was two words: German burocracy. No further questions were asked. I just received an understanding nod. Registration done I got an appointment just to show my progress off looking for a job in the UK. This was on the day of my one-way flight back home. Fun. But at least it paid off, I received 100 Pounds which I spent on my leaving do.
D
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