I'm skilled now

I am now a pro. I am skilled, certified skilled. Well, let's start at the beginning...

Actually, I thought about very different things. I had a legal dispute going on with the cable company providing my TV connectivity in my old apartment. They wanted money for three more months, even though I had cancelled the contract on time. But instead of just sending me a bill, that I might have rejected or refused to pay, the just sent me a final payment reminder and soon after I got mail from a money collection company.

So with this going on and producing more paperwork each day, I was expecting a letter about the final decision on my appeals to the situation. And that came yesterday, but, as I wasn't home at the time of delivery (registered mail!), I had to pick it up at the post office this morning. Very excited about what would be the outcome of that little annoying dispute I went to the post office. In my thoughts I went through how I would react in either case. I thought about lawyers, angry letters, lawsuits keeping me busy even while I would already have left Germany...

It was all to be different. Still in my thoughts, I handed my pickup note to the clerk, showed my ID and couldn't wait to tear that letter open. Then, suddenly, everything stopped and I felt a deep shock. I had forgotten! Had forgotten that it was about time for another much more imporant letter to arrive. And there it was! In those somehow still familiar red, blue and white colors of the Australia Post.

Just about three months ago I had put together a large pile of paperwork, expensive certified copies and translations of my academic and professional history to have my profession and qualifications assessed for Australia in order to apply for my General Skilled Migration Visa. While during the first ten weeks I checked on the progress regularly, now I had just forgotten about it somehow.

Here, in that envelope right in front of me, was one of the most important answers to my current life. Would I be accepted? I stopped for a moment. It flashed through my mind what would be, if I was denied? What would I do? Stop all my plans and continue working here to gather the necessary experience? Try to find another way, maybe an Australian employer to sponsor me? Suddenly I was afraid of the answer. Well, being afraid is only for as long as a situation lasts. So I tore the envelope open to reveal nothing more than just an ordinary letter. It took me about two minutes to scan backward and forward for the single bit of information that was my only interest. And there it was. They certified my skills to be sufficient.

I am a pro now! Not only here. I am a pro in Australia now and now new paperwork can start. Well, as exciting as this feels, I'll have more motivation than I would ever need to compile that new application. One little insignificant letter to the ACS, one giant step in my journey!