Becoming Legal

Waking up at 6am is not the thing for me, but it's what you do when you have to see the officials about obtaining a permit to stay in the country. Most days, these offices are crowded with people and the time spent waiting is very long. Mario said it was best if we arrived early to the office, at 8am when they opened, and he was right.

By the time we arrived at the immigration office, my nerves were frazzled to bits. Given the opportunity, I would have gone back home and stayed there. But avoidance would only serve me for so long. Mario was calm and, as usual, my rock. He is the reason I came here and he is also the reason my first week in Germany has been so wonderful.

Mario and I were the only people at the office when they opened. We were called into the immigration office by a heavy-set German woman within a few minutes of arriving. Mario spoke with her and what I didn't understand, he translated for me. Thank god! I am learning my way through everyday conversation but would never had made it through an official conversation like that without help. We could have gotten stuck with a cranky official who had no concern for the person sitting on the other side of the desk, but instead we were fortunate enough to meet with a kind and compassionate woman who made an effort to understand how difficult it must be to be sitting in my place.

I was such a nervous-wreck that it was hard to allow myself to feel happy about any of the positive signs that occurred during our three hours there. The fact that I had a job with an American company and the fact that I had come from America were both huge positives in my favor. The kind woman behind the desk was reassuring throughout. Though she never gave any guarantees, she often said she thought everything would work out. Not everyone, from every country is given a permit to stay in Germany and it was my worst fear that I would be one of those people.

When all was said and done, three hours later at 11am, Mario and I walked out of the office with a three-month permit for me to stay in Germany. In three weeks we will return with proof of my health insurance and some papers from work and, hopefully, my three-month permit will be extended to one year.

Sitting in the car, outside the office, Mario asked me why I wasn't cheering with happiness. After all,  I was legal now; I could stay and live in Germany. In my heart, I was so happy but the rest of me was overwhelmingly relieved. I think when my permit is extended to one year, I will be ready to celebrate. I will feel as if it's more "official". I am thankful and happy for the three-month permit. But three months is long enough for Mario and I to build an incredibly strong bond and it would hurt in more ways than I care to think of if, after three months, I had to leave.

I feel at home here in Germany. I feel at home with Mario. Though we were apart for thirty years, it doesn't feel that way. It feels as if I was gone on vacation....a very long vacation, in which so many things happened it's impossible to catch up on them all. But we are happy to be back together after this "vacation"...we are thankful for the second chance...and I hope there is never another "vacation" like that, again.

And now I can say...I am legal. :)