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I am spending my gap year between undergrad and grad school teaching English in Austria.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Austrian Bureaucracy and Kaiserschmarrn...

Gruss di!

I'm trying to make up for all the posts I did not make in my first two weeks...

Some of you may have seen my Facebook rant about Austrian bureaucracy, but let me paint a more detailed picture for all of you.

On beautiful day, on which it was not supposed to rain, I travelled to the town next to me Zell am See, to pick up my residency permit.

This was within my first week here, so I was still a bit jetlagged and getting used to the Austrian way of life.  But I figured out the buses without any issues, so I thought I was in for a fun and easy excursion.

I was wrong...

The NYC consulate had emailed me in August that my residency permit was ready to pick up at the Bezirkshauptmannschaft (district commission) located at Stadtplatz 1. I arrived just after lunchtime, as most things here close for lunch. When I asked the receptionist where to go, she looked at me like I was crazy and replied, "Residency permits are in our third building, on the other side of town..." Granted this was also said in German with a heavy Pinzgauer accent.

She gave me a map of the town, and sent me on my way.  Of course I got lost... her directions were not very precise.  However, I knew the town was small enough that I would eventually find my way.  When I arrived at the third building, I asked the receptionist there where to go. She said one floor up.  I was apprehensive that I was in the right place, simply because the building looked like it was straight out of "A Clockwork Orange" or something. Here's the main hallway:


Nevertheless, I climbed the stairs to the first floor, and couldn't find anyone in their office.  Finally, someone came out of the breakroom to tell me that I could only come in for my permit in the mornings... a fact that would have been nice to know in the first place.

So, hungry and annoyed. I walked back to the center of town, when it started pouring... When it rains, it pours.  I decided to stop at a local cafe and catch a later bus back. God was just chilling out the window of the top floor of the cafe...

My delicious Austrian lunch, complete with horse radish!


The next day, Friday, I ventured back to Zell am See in the morning.  Which is no simple task, because it's hard to coordinate the busses.  But I had to go, since the next week I would be in training Monday-Friday...

Back I went to the correct Bezirkshauptmannschaft, and I found the office for residency permits.  I told the man working there, I wanted to pick up my permit.  It took him 10 minutes of searching through paper files to even find my application.  I was getting really nervous that my file was lost.

Upon finding it, he turns to me and says, "But you were never fingerprinted. We have to do that first." Now, I have been in the process of applying for this thing since June.  NOT ONCE did anyone EVER mention fingerprinting.  And, when someone emails you that your permit is ready to pick up, you think it means it is printed out and ready for you. Nope, not in Austria.

The man then tells me that they have to process everything and print my residency card, and they will send me a letter in the mail when everything is ready.  I ask if he has my address.  Thank goodness I do since, surprise surprise, they don't have my address. So I would have never known if my permit was ready.

After enduring that frustration, I needed an amazing Austrian lunch.  Lunch here is the biggest meal of the day, and since I didn't have many groceries to make myself dinner later, I decided to eat away my sorrows. 

Now I knew that I needed Kaiserschmarrn that day, but I also figured I should eat something real first. I went to the Crazy Daisy, a popular spot among locals, to relax.  I ordered a cappuccino and just a wurstl from the light menu.  This is what is considered a light meal in Austria...
What a lovely cappuccino :)

The insane amount of food would not deter me though from my Kaiserschmarrn.  For those of you unfamiliar with my obsession for the delicious Austrian treat/what it is... let me tell you first off I blame my father.  When I was studying abroad in Germany, and my parents came to visit, we went to Austria for Easter.  My dad had read how Lindsey Vonn, the American skier, would only cheat on her diet for Kaiserschmarrn.  So we had to have it at the Easter market, and an obsession was born.

What is this Kaiserschmarrn you ask?  It is the fluffiest and lightest pancake you've ever had in your life, covered in powdered sugar, and traditionally served with a warm plum compote.  Everywhere you will find different variations, mine below had raisins.  But regardless, Kaiserschmarrn is God's gift to mankind.  I dare you not to like it...

Tomorrow, I will probably have to return to Zell am See (after checking my mail for my letter). And I will have my third Kaiserschmarrn of my stay... so far once a week. And don't worry, I won't gain 20 pounds, because I live on the side of a mountain and up 4 flights of stairs.  So far, Austria is kicking me into shape.

Below are some more photos of Zell am See, which are also available on Facebook and Snapfish for your viewing pleasure.

 World War I and II memorial
 A picture of Mary and Jesus that dates back to the 1500s
 The lake that Zell am See is named for
Is it a castle? No. This is just the Rathaus (townhall). No big deal.


Pfiat di!
Kristin

P.S. Fun fact: Zell am See is where the Von Trapp family grew up :)

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