Swiss Archives, Volume 2

From: Andy
To: Mom
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000*
Subject: interesting photo from Bern

Hi!

Okay, no telling when this will actually get to you. I'm so annoyed with these people here! I went to Swisscom this morning and filled out an application -- the forms and fees in this country are endless! One of the questions for the phone line application was: "Name of person who lived in apartment before you." ? How many people actually know that? I guess things are different here. Just like when I registered with the Foreigner Police here (Fremdenpolizei -- Fremden sounds like "friend" but it actually means "stranger"), they asked what my religious affiliation was.** Wouldn't it be illegal to ask that question in America? Even so, I thought it was ridiculous. Anyway, Swisscom will send my application to the main office in Winterthur, which is a town about 15-20 minutes northeast of Zurich, and then they will mail something back to me here at the dorm. But they still haven't put my name on my mailbox, and that annoys me.*** The nasty guy who runs the place said he's just been really busy lately, that he'll get to it. Just like NY! I'm sure running this place is quite a job, but still, you'd think getting a new tenant's name on a mail box would take like 10 seconds and would be somewhat a priority. One girl here in the program from Sweden had mail sent to her and the post office sent it back to Sweden because her name wasn't on the box yet. Which is just ridiculous. I'm awaiting important stuff! Not just my phone info, but also a card from the transit authority that the opera made me buy, **** which entitles me to 1/2-price fares for a year anywhere in Switzerland, as well as my notification from the Police that my B-Permit is ready (at which time I hear a rumor that I will pay an additional 92 Franks -- I paid 20 Franks for the application and 40 Franks for the entry visa -- I think I should ask the opera studio to pay for that, don't you?) Now I've lost my train of thought...

Anyway...I think what I was trying to say is that it may yet be a long time before I can get on line. That's most annoying. No one is very helpful here. Questions are not answered as completely as I would like.

I've attached a picture I took in Bern when we went for the concert. We ate at some Italian restaurant outside on the square but the restaurant next door had this interesting name.***** Interesting especially because they seemed to be serving Chinese food...but please don't ask me to explain Switzerland, it is maybe the weirdest place I've ever been. I finally broke down and bought another pillow because I could sleep with the one tiny, too soft and oddly shaped (completely square) thing they gave me. I guess I need work on the metric system, though...I bought the cheapest pillow I could find (29 Franks, which I think is about $20) and it's like 65 cm X 100 cm. The box was a normal pillow shape, but the real pillow was sort of rolled up inside, it's the size of a mattress for a small dog. And it's also too soft. But if I wad it up, then it's a little better. Alas. I also finally bought a stereo -- I found something not totally ugly with a CD player, radio and tape deck for CHF 99. I guess I'll just give it away when I leave since it's not dual voltage. Maybe I can sell it to the opera studio. And I bought an alarm clock, but all digital clocks here run on 24-hour time, so currently it's 16:24.

I found a video store that rents DVDs, and they basically have only American movies. But they won't let me rent there until I actually have the B-permit, which is 4-6 weeks and 92 Franks away. My certified letter of employment from the opera house wasn't good enough. Gnerr. I would really love to hang out and watch a movie in my room tonight. Lah-dee-dah. I could go see the ballet tonight (Prokofiev's "Cinderella")...if I'm in the mood for ballet. It would at least be cheap, since I spent 70 Franks and got a monthly pass for the tram here and I get free tickets to EVERYTHING at the opera house.****** Did I tell you I got a box seat for "Lulu"? Unbelievable. They spoil the IOS singers. Not complaining about that.*******

Love,
Andy


*This was part of the emails that were written prior to 9/26/00 but not sent until then.
** I later found out this was for tax purposes; in Switzerland, they actually take money out of your paycheck and give it to whatever religion you declare you are. Now that would be a conundrum for the Republicans, wouldn't it? Because the way to not pay this extra tax is to delcare yourself an atheist. Frankly, as poor as I was, I think Jesus would have understood. Maybe.
*** In Switzerland it is apparently illegal for the post office to deliver mail to an address if the name on the item being delivered is not printed on the mailbox. In the apartment building where I lived, I was forbidden from putting it on myself, and the building manager took his sweet time doing it and it caused huge headaches. **** In fact, this was one of the things that they refused to deliver. I had to go to the railway office to say I hadn't received it. This positively icy woman looked up my account on the computer and said it had been sent back to Bern. When I asked why, she said, "Our records indicate that your name was not on the mailbox." But she said it in that wonderful Swiss way that means, "You are a complete moron." After we got that resolved I smiled and said, "Fuck you very much!"
***** My stepfather's family is Swiss in origin and this restaurant had their original spelling.
****** Assuming the performance wasn't sold out.
******* Trust me, this was the LAST time I would ever say that!