Monday, October 17, 2016

Don't worry, be happy...

When that song came out for the first time, I thought it was just such a stupid song. But I have since come to appreciate it's message. Which is well illustrated in my experiences yesterday and today. 

Yesterday morning I had a terrible time. I had to sort and organize my papers and receipts for today’s appointment with the tax advisor, and for me that is definitely an item very far towards the bottom of the list of preferable activities. Worse than going to the dentist, I would say. Especially because there is always one slip of paper from the health insurance company which must be presented and somehow is never there where it should be – because, I admit, I am not good at filing things properly. Despite my good intentions, which get rekindled every year afther this particular painful and heart-rending situation. “This year I will file properly...” is what I say when I come out of the tax advisor’s office. I was lucky, because after I had been out in the afternoon, taking a ride on the bike on a wonderfully sunny and pleasant autumn-day, to get away from it all, 



I found that slip of paper yesterday, and even before I had sat down to request a second copy from the health insurance company! After that it all was just a piece of cake.

During the search I also found something which I had been looking for since I began teaching the refugees in September: a bag full of dice, which is good for a few minutes of relaxation in class to practice numbers. So I could use that in class today, very handy.



The real good news of the day, however, was, that the tax advisor could relieve my worries about how the teaching, for which I am indeed getting paid, and the fabric club go together in terms of taxation. Of course it would have made a lot of sense to find out about that before I agreed to the teaching, or at least before it started. Certainly would have saved me a few weeks of gnawing doubt whether I was doing the right thing. In any case, we solved the problem, getting paid and having to pay taxes for the teaching does not interfere with the particular set-up of the fabric club and fabric dyeing business, and all is well. I might go down into the basement tonight and dye some black and browns in celebration of this good outcome of the day!

2 comments:

  1. Phew! I can hear your sigh of relief from here!

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    1. Indeed, Sandy, it really had me on my toes for a while. Especially since I don't know whether the teaching will extend for longer than this particular school year. Definitely not an option to discontinue the fabric business for a one-year-only affair, as much as I am enjoying that at the moment!

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