Parthemores in Poland

We’ve often remarked that nothing is easy here.  Perhaps we should amend that statement:  The hardest things are the easiest and the easy things are impossible. 

For example, I now have two jobs.  I teach at the University for two days and I teach at the Army School two different days.  I thought that finding a job would be the most difficult part of the process.  But it was actually quite easy.  (Mad n8ive speaker skilz!)

Having a job is very important for two reasons:  1) to make money (duh), and 2) to not get deported.  I need to provide a “reason” why Poland should let me stay in the country.  A job is a good enough reason, but I need to provide them a copy of my contract so they can give me my karta pobytu.

(You may think that staying with Eric would be acceptable.  However, Eric’s 3-year visa is not completely legal, while technically not illegal.  He won’t get deported though, lucky bastard.)

To sign a contract, I need to have a tax number, called a NIP.  To get a tax number, I needed to find the correct Treasury Department office and fill out a form.  Like other government documents, there was lots of legalese.  Since I was completely unfamiliar most of the words, just completing a one page form took forever.  Once I handed it in, the clerk informed me it would take a month for a “decision” on this.  In the meantime, I guess I’m working for free.

This was another great example of the disparity between the bureaucracy and the workers.  There are so many rules and procedures in place to control how things are processed.  So you would think that the workers would be very strict or rude.  But all the clerks I’ve encountered have been extremely friendly.  Maybe it’s because I’m their comic relief.  “Ha, ha!  Look at the funny foreigner trying so hard!  Isn’t it adorable?”