Escaping from humiliation

Banks are somewhat more complicated than in Belgium. You need a card just to be member of the bank. You can log in with it, there are some official things you can do with it, but that’s all. Of course beside that you need another card to pay in shops. In Belgium this latter is the only card you need for both tasks.

14 days ago I went to the bank to show them my Swedish identity card as that was the only way to give to them my Swedish address. They proposed me to take a new bank card (not the one to pay with) so I could use it also for Skatteverket (tax authorities). Perfect. So I got a new card, …  or better  a closed paper to get a new card with the numbers, some numbers.

After 14 days the card was still lacking. Time to go to the bank. 

Yesterday I had to be at Skatteverket for a form. 16 persons before me, but that’s how it is. I was ready for a long waiting time. 10’ later I was outside with my paper stupefied by the efficiency of this authority. 

The organisation is quite simple and efficient. There are 2 counters open. But there are also 1 or 2 civil servants in the waiting room. When you enter you take a number and sit down in the waiting room. The civil servants in the waiting room take number by number and solve the easy questions. If there need to be a thoroughly discussion they ask you to wait for one of the 2 counters when the number is appearing on the board. Simple but efficient this kind of preselection with solving.

When it was my turn (in the waiting room) the guy came to me and asked from which country I was. me: Belgium. he: Ok then you have to come on Friday.  me (astonished):  ???? euh … ok. he: hihihi, joking in a few seconds you will have it. me: grmbl but with a big smile. 

It’s good to have people at such a places to make some small jokes. 

Now to the bank just 1 block further to ask where my card is staying. Take a number (as in Skatteverket) but there it takes mostly much more time per person. So again I was willing to wait a long time sitting and observing my new home country (what is ought to be unswedish though). At one of the counters there was a (estimation) 70 year old guy getting also a new card. Too far to follow but I could understand at least some parts of the conversation:  … you log in on internet … take the code on the paper …. get your new card.

Incredible that everybody needs to have internet and this old guy is maybe not able…

Aaaaaah … I need to login to get the card.

So I silently escaped the bank and went home to order the card by internet. Well ... 

And meanwhile I write this I see my first common redstart (SE: Rödstjärt, NL: gekraagde roodstaart) through the window. The male is really beautiful. 

Fun as some days back, the black redstart (SE: Svart rödstjärt, NL: zwarte roodstaart) was shopping here on our courtyard too.