I have come to a sad realisation ... and one that I am going to whole-heartedly embrace! ... This blog is a place for me to RANT! ... I mean, it doesn't look like anyone is following anyway ... so what's the harm? :O)
... just call me Victor! (Meldrew) :O)
Today's target is the immigration office in Nürnberg, Germany ...
... as I mentioned in my previous post, I live in Germany, but being British means that for the most part I do not have to deal with the Vogons in the "Ausländerbehörde" (Immigration Office) in Nürnberg.
However, things are changing. You see, Dear Reader(s) (I'm not sure I have even 1 reader, so assuming there is more than one may be a step to far), I am engaged to a wonderful Thai lady, we are getting married in a few months, and so, for the second time this year, I have to talk to these officious people. And it's enough to make me want to move away from Nürnberg, and out into one of the surrounding villages, where I will deal with a different office.
The Vogons here are quite frankly the most unhelpful people I have ever met ... if you cannot speak or understand German, it does not matter, they will happily continue to give you instructions in German, and if you can't understand, well that's your problem isn't it .. "Deutsch ist die Stadtsprache" is probably their favourite admonition ("German is the Official Language") .. now, the hard part here is that, to some extent I agree ... if you're going to live in a country, you should indeed learn the language, and be able to get by effectively in that language ... but whenever I walk in there and greet the person behind the desk in German with a "Schön Guten Tag ... " that seems to be a challenge for them!
Do they give me any credit for being able to converse in a general manner?
Do they make allowances for the fact that I can take part effectively in a technical discussion, at work, in German?
... HA!!! Not a Chance ... you see, I have unwittingly challenged the Vogon ... it is now his/her ambition to prove that I am not half as clever as I thought I was ... they now will speak complex, legalese, German at a hefty clip just to ensure that I can't understand ... and then, when I look baffled, and confused ... normally after the 3rd or 4th attempt, and after asking them to explain it to me in German a 4 year old might understand, they triumphantly send me away telling me to come back with someone who speaks German!
What happened to customer service? ... What happen to being helpful? ... "Don't be so stupid!!! Nick", I can hear you crying from out the ether ... these are Government Officials ... it's their job to make your life a misery and they're good at it!
... of course, go into the bakery round the corner for a sandwich and a cup of coffee and the people serving are more than happy to patiently decipher my German with English grammar ... or even to try and speak a little English ... just to be helpful.
Life in Germany is wonderful, and for the most part the people here are warm, friendly, and helpful ... shame about the calibre of people who choose jobs in local Government!
... for further viewing enjoyment ... this very subject was covered by the German Television channel "BR Bayerisches Fernsehen" the program can be watched on-line here : Link
... just call me Victor! (Meldrew) :O)
Today's target is the immigration office in Nürnberg, Germany ...
... as I mentioned in my previous post, I live in Germany, but being British means that for the most part I do not have to deal with the Vogons in the "Ausländerbehörde" (Immigration Office) in Nürnberg.
However, things are changing. You see, Dear Reader(s) (I'm not sure I have even 1 reader, so assuming there is more than one may be a step to far), I am engaged to a wonderful Thai lady, we are getting married in a few months, and so, for the second time this year, I have to talk to these officious people. And it's enough to make me want to move away from Nürnberg, and out into one of the surrounding villages, where I will deal with a different office.
The Vogons here are quite frankly the most unhelpful people I have ever met ... if you cannot speak or understand German, it does not matter, they will happily continue to give you instructions in German, and if you can't understand, well that's your problem isn't it .. "Deutsch ist die Stadtsprache" is probably their favourite admonition ("German is the Official Language") .. now, the hard part here is that, to some extent I agree ... if you're going to live in a country, you should indeed learn the language, and be able to get by effectively in that language ... but whenever I walk in there and greet the person behind the desk in German with a "Schön Guten Tag ... " that seems to be a challenge for them!
Do they give me any credit for being able to converse in a general manner?
Do they make allowances for the fact that I can take part effectively in a technical discussion, at work, in German?
... HA!!! Not a Chance ... you see, I have unwittingly challenged the Vogon ... it is now his/her ambition to prove that I am not half as clever as I thought I was ... they now will speak complex, legalese, German at a hefty clip just to ensure that I can't understand ... and then, when I look baffled, and confused ... normally after the 3rd or 4th attempt, and after asking them to explain it to me in German a 4 year old might understand, they triumphantly send me away telling me to come back with someone who speaks German!
What happened to customer service? ... What happen to being helpful? ... "Don't be so stupid!!! Nick", I can hear you crying from out the ether ... these are Government Officials ... it's their job to make your life a misery and they're good at it!
... of course, go into the bakery round the corner for a sandwich and a cup of coffee and the people serving are more than happy to patiently decipher my German with English grammar ... or even to try and speak a little English ... just to be helpful.
Life in Germany is wonderful, and for the most part the people here are warm, friendly, and helpful ... shame about the calibre of people who choose jobs in local Government!
... for further viewing enjoyment ... this very subject was covered by the German Television channel "BR Bayerisches Fernsehen" the program can be watched on-line here : Link
You have at least ONE reader who feels your pain.
ReplyDeleteBut try not to replay the endless well documented , scientifically verified, peer-reviewed and cross-referenced complaints on ToyTown! I think of it as the ANTI-TED talks.... If complaining were an Olympic sport, foreigners in Germany would own!
An update to this ... it's been a year since I wrote this and more recently I have been shocked by the changes I've seen in the Ausländerbehörde!
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I were there a while ago, and the guy in front of us was really quite nervous ... he obviously was new to Germany and the lady behind the counter was really quite pleasant, trying hard to help him as best she could ... as it became obvious that things were not going to work out in German I was utterly amazed when she asked "Do you speak English? Would English be better for you?" ... (I spun around just to check I was in the right place!) ... sadly he didn't, and it wasn't ... and she suggested he'd be better coming back with someone who could assist! and translate for him ...
... and this was not the first time ... at the Registration Office, when we were registering my wife as living at my address, the woman also switched to English when she realised Jiw could not speak German.
All in all, in 2014, I have found the Ausländerbehörde to be helpful on the telephone, and when I've been there in person ... great news! long may it continue :O)
... Thank you for helping!