You think that's bad!

So while I'm ranting about German bureaucratic stupidity, here's an even worse example:

At Toronto, when I went on a business trip (let's say Chicago), it was easy. I buy my ticket, keep receipts of relevant expenses, and then submit a claim at the end, with a per diem claim set by the group. One week after my claim, I get reimbursed. Easy, right? Isn't this the way normal people do things?

Nooooooo....in Germany of course, there is love of bureaucracy!

So, now when I go for business somewhere (say Geneva), I have to fill in BEFOREHAND, two travel requests. I have no idea why two are required. I need to detail the reason I'm going, and then the begin and end times of my trip, whether I start/end at the office or at home, and also the start and end times of my official business there (which are different from the begin and end times of my trip!)

Then I have to say how I'm going to get there (train, private vehicle, or plane), then get a signature from my boss, which then gets submitted to the academic director. He signs also both copies, and sends them back to me. (No idea why I need two copies). If its overseas travel (outside of Europe), then the rektor of the university also has to sign.....(you're getting my drift, right?)

So now finally, I go on my business trip, keeping receipts as usual. Then I come back, and report on: when the begin and end times of my trip were, how I got there, whether I start/end the trip at the office or at home, and the start/end times of official business. Didn't I already fill this in? Oh, before the trip, I filled in the PROPOSED information, this is now the ACTUAL information. (Stupid....) If I take a train, I have to specify what time it departed. I also have to write down whether I received any third party honorarium or free meals. For some reason, I need to write down whether I'm married or not.

Because I stay in France (St. Genis) when I go to CERN (Switzerland), I have to also report every time I cross the border. Ridiculous! The per diem depends on which country you spend your time in, and its cheaper in France than in Switzerland. So every single border crossing must be declared (which occurs every day), with the time I crossed.

Finally, if I stay at a hotel that exceeds the nominal amount, I have to ensure that I write down that this was the cheapest option and that breakfast is not included (otherwise, my reimbursement is deducted). Don't forget, I have to write this information down twice, on identical forms....

So when do we get reimbursed? More than two months after the initial trip!

Tell me if that's not stupid bureaucracy or what!!!

Booooooo! Booooooooo!

Stupid German Bureaucracy

So I read on the Canadian Consulate in Stuttgart website that Canadian driver's licences can be exchanged for German driver's licences without having to go through a driving test.

Cool! This is very useful, so I go this morning to change my driver's licence. I know German bureaucracy quite well now, so I make sure I have my documents: my passport, my driver's licence, a letter mailed to me at my address to prove I live there, my work contract, and a passport photo for the licence.

Well, I had almost everything in order, it turns out they need an official translation of my driver's licence!!
How stupid is that?

What do they need to translate?
The words "Date of birth"? Can't they tell by the date underneath it?

Then there's "Cond." which underneath says "Corrective Lenses".
Come on, you're telling me that this isn't self-explanatory?

Well, I guess I have to find a "state-approved" translator to get my driver's licence.
Stupid German bureaucracy....

Booooooo! Booooooooo!

The Alphabet

I found this rather amusing...