A Few of Many Annoyances
Because the three and a half months that I was not allowed to leave the Czech Republic are still fresh in my mind, I am trying to start my visa renewal process now. Actually, I tried to start it more than a month ago, but the woman in charge of my case was unresponsive until late last week. I have until the end of February to renew my visa, so I should be all right. But something that sucks is that it will only be renewed for three months, because that’s when my work permit expires. So almost immediately after I finish the process, I have to restart it again. This strikes me as incredibly shitty but it’s completely out of my control.
So the woman wrote to me today and told me all of the 75 million documents (ok, more like 6) that I need to renew my visa-all of which I will have to replicate in another three months, including my lease, which cannot be older than 6 months, so the one benefit to my having to start this process again in a couple of months is that I won’t have to track down my landlord and make him sign a form, which he never did for me a year ago. Ugh. Anyway, this woman wrote to me and said that one of the things I need is a copy of my medical card, which I don’t have.
I’ve been working here for over a year now, and, as far as I can tell, I am not insured. I suppose that I am technically, but I have yet to use my medical insurance for anything, because I have no proof of it. All of my antidepressants? Out of pocket. That surgery I had in September? Out of pocket.
Yes, it sucks. And when I finally am insured, I will have to change my psychiatrist so that I am covered by my insurance, and changing a mental health provider is one of the most annoying things in the world. So I may just continue to pay out of pocket, although that would be remarkably stupid in the long run.
Anyway, I brought this insurance card issue to the attention of our HR-type guy (we’re too small to have an HR department, really), which I should have done sooner. He assumed that I had the card; I assumed that it just took absurdly long (really, I’ve only been expecting it since July because that’s when I had all of my legal paperwork) and I was being patient by not asking. But I am finally getting a medical card and should have it in a few weeks, so that I will begin the renewal process by the beginning of January. See, this is why I’ve started early. Already I’ve lost two months over things that are out of my control. Yes, I’ve used that phrase twice now. These things are not in my control.
Something else that ranks on my scale of recent annoyances is my lease agreement. I’m signing a new one and should have signed it last week, but I was reading it over and noticed that it failed to mention my deposit. My previous landlord ripped me off in regards to the deposit and even tried to claim that I hadn’t paid one, so I will absolutely make sure that this contract mentions it. It was more than two months’ rent, so I would be devastated if I didn’t see that money again. So my landlord is writing it into the new contract, but I really wonder if this was an honest oversight or an attempt to screw me. He seems like a nice guy but I’m skeptical after what happened before.
Finally, last night my power went out. I was gaming with Chris, Leon, and Sam, and then everything went black. I went to my fuse box and flipped all of the switches but nothing happened. So I went out into the hall but I couldn’t turn the light on out there either. I peeked out of the windows and it looked like the whole block was out. I texted Chris to let him know why I lost my connection, and he wrote back with the same thing I was thinking: “Czechs…”
I was very annoyed and just padding around in the darkness, so I called him, and he didn’t answer in three rings, so I hung up. And he dialed back. I mention this because it makes me wonder if it is intentional-it’s very sweet if it is, his paying for the call instead of me. Then again, I only gave him three rings to avoid his voicemail and maybe that wasn’t enough.
Regardless, he talked to me for a few minutes and asked if I had an emergency utility contact, and I said, “Of course not,” so he started looking one up for me, and it was just so sweet to have him to talk to as I paced around in the darkness, partially annoyed, partially scared. And, within a few minutes, the power came back on, and everything was fine. And I thanked him and told him that I loved him, and he said it back, and, in that moment, I felt so amazingly grateful to have him.
Really, there are so many annoying things that happen and feel out of my control, but having Chris makes everything feel so much nicer. (I know. Gag, right?)
So the woman wrote to me today and told me all of the 75 million documents (ok, more like 6) that I need to renew my visa-all of which I will have to replicate in another three months, including my lease, which cannot be older than 6 months, so the one benefit to my having to start this process again in a couple of months is that I won’t have to track down my landlord and make him sign a form, which he never did for me a year ago. Ugh. Anyway, this woman wrote to me and said that one of the things I need is a copy of my medical card, which I don’t have.
I’ve been working here for over a year now, and, as far as I can tell, I am not insured. I suppose that I am technically, but I have yet to use my medical insurance for anything, because I have no proof of it. All of my antidepressants? Out of pocket. That surgery I had in September? Out of pocket.
Yes, it sucks. And when I finally am insured, I will have to change my psychiatrist so that I am covered by my insurance, and changing a mental health provider is one of the most annoying things in the world. So I may just continue to pay out of pocket, although that would be remarkably stupid in the long run.
Anyway, I brought this insurance card issue to the attention of our HR-type guy (we’re too small to have an HR department, really), which I should have done sooner. He assumed that I had the card; I assumed that it just took absurdly long (really, I’ve only been expecting it since July because that’s when I had all of my legal paperwork) and I was being patient by not asking. But I am finally getting a medical card and should have it in a few weeks, so that I will begin the renewal process by the beginning of January. See, this is why I’ve started early. Already I’ve lost two months over things that are out of my control. Yes, I’ve used that phrase twice now. These things are not in my control.
Something else that ranks on my scale of recent annoyances is my lease agreement. I’m signing a new one and should have signed it last week, but I was reading it over and noticed that it failed to mention my deposit. My previous landlord ripped me off in regards to the deposit and even tried to claim that I hadn’t paid one, so I will absolutely make sure that this contract mentions it. It was more than two months’ rent, so I would be devastated if I didn’t see that money again. So my landlord is writing it into the new contract, but I really wonder if this was an honest oversight or an attempt to screw me. He seems like a nice guy but I’m skeptical after what happened before.
Finally, last night my power went out. I was gaming with Chris, Leon, and Sam, and then everything went black. I went to my fuse box and flipped all of the switches but nothing happened. So I went out into the hall but I couldn’t turn the light on out there either. I peeked out of the windows and it looked like the whole block was out. I texted Chris to let him know why I lost my connection, and he wrote back with the same thing I was thinking: “Czechs…”
I was very annoyed and just padding around in the darkness, so I called him, and he didn’t answer in three rings, so I hung up. And he dialed back. I mention this because it makes me wonder if it is intentional-it’s very sweet if it is, his paying for the call instead of me. Then again, I only gave him three rings to avoid his voicemail and maybe that wasn’t enough.
Regardless, he talked to me for a few minutes and asked if I had an emergency utility contact, and I said, “Of course not,” so he started looking one up for me, and it was just so sweet to have him to talk to as I paced around in the darkness, partially annoyed, partially scared. And, within a few minutes, the power came back on, and everything was fine. And I thanked him and told him that I loved him, and he said it back, and, in that moment, I felt so amazingly grateful to have him.
Really, there are so many annoying things that happen and feel out of my control, but having Chris makes everything feel so much nicer. (I know. Gag, right?)