I have a Group!

So, I just had a phonecall from Jaenneke at the Ttif Company with my lesson plan! I begin next week, every Wednesday and Thursday evening until the end of time!

Obviously my results were processed much faster than I imagined - under 24 hours in fact.

There goes any possibility for a social life in the next 12 months (It's not like I was particularly active anyway!).

I'm excited and just want to get started now.

Wish me luck XX

The Entrance Exam

Today I had the exam to find out what level I am at with Dutch language and samenlevering (I'm not sure what the best word in English is for this. Maybe society?). The exam was at 11.30 in Almere, not far from the train station.

When I arrived at the office, there was no reception and no one around to check in with. I finally found a lady and found out where the exam was, so off I went only to find that it was actually another person's exam and I barged right in. Off to a good start then! It turned out that the examiner was running late, so I had to wait which was a bit of a shame because I could have still been at work, and if they had let me know I would have made other arrangements.

So I met my examiner, who was a lovely young lady. Very friendly and welcoming. The type of person that I would want to have as a friend to be perfectly honest. We sat down to begin the test, and first of all I was given a card with a long list of words to read aloud - for pronunciation. I didn't find it too difficult until the dreaded gefeliciteerd, which I really cannot say! I can sprout the Schipols and Goudas with the best of them, but gefeliciteerd trips me up every single time! You know how some people just can't say phenomenon or specific? That's me with gefeliciteerd. I don't even know how to spell it!

The second test as to fill in a form. First name, last name etc. Then came questions like: Do you think people should eat healthy food all of the time, yes or no? Give two reasons. And Do you play sport, and which sports do you play? After completing the form I was given a sheet with a small story that had missing letters from certain words. Like: Janice is jarig. Zij is 30 j___. There were sets of three stories whereby I had to find the correct words for the sentence. Not as easy as I would have thought because as much as I can understand, the vocabulary is my weak point. I just can't find the words to describe what I want.

After the writing test we took a small break and did something like an IQ test. There was a sheet with 30 questions and images where I needed to pick out the image that didn't 'match'. I had 7 minutes to complete it. Not sure why it was in the exam, but did it with not too many issues.

Then came reading. I was given some text to read, then had to answer questions. Quite easy actually. The first was a postcard, the second was an accident report in a newspaper, third was an advertisement for the UWV (Centerlink or social security) and the last was a notice about City Council working bees. I could understand quite a lot and think I managed quite well to answer the questions.

Next was listening. The first was a man at a pharmacy to collect medicine, the second was a couple getting to know one another at a party, and the third was a news item about car free days. I managed ok with the first two (I struggled with the questions at first because I didn't understand what she was asking), but the third was very difficult. Too much information crammed into a short time frame. I really couldn't get my head around much of it.

Lastly was samenlevering. Questions started out quite easy: Who is the queen, who is the prime minister, name three holidays in the Netherlands etc. Then it went on to ask about what you do if you want to change your license, what happens if you are asked for ID by the police and you don't have it (you get a fine, by the way), what you should do if there is a problem with your gas at home etc. Then, lastly was questions about children! But not to worry, pretty easy stuff. How old are they when they start and leave school, what is the name of school for children 5-12 and 12-18 etc. Then where do you take your children if you both work - I knew it was day care, but couldn't think of the words "kinder dagopvang ."

All in all it took me just on two hours to complete the test. I think that if you have almost no knowledge of Dutch you will take much less, because in each section you begin with easy questions that gradually get harder. Once you can no longer understand, you go onto the next set of questions. Somebody who has good fluency could easily take longer than two hours to complete the test.

The best news, I'm at level A2 - the level I need to have to pass the inburgering examen! So, I'm going to push myself to get through the exam as fast as humanly possible and then use the lessons to relax and actually enjoy learning at my own pace afterwards. Of course I need to find out if that is even a possibility. The City Council will probably stop funding the course once I pass the exam which would be incentive to draw it out over a longer period (to get my money's worth).

One thing I did notice, the woman at the Gemeente (prejudiced Anita) had noted on my file that I had asked why I should do the course and goodness only knows what else, so I was put in a position to set the situation straight and let her know exactly what Anita's reasons for me to study were....

I feel great now. I don't suck and my language skills are much better than I thought!

Introduction Roundup

I thought I would wait to post again until after I had finished with the four introduction sessions at the Ttif Company, but now it is somewhat fresh in my mind so I'll outline what went on.

Lesson 1: I pretty much covered it all in my last post, so I'll skip on to lesson 2....

Lesson 2: I was so busy right at the moment I had to leave work that I was almost late and forgot my notebook and pen. I was hoping I would be able to get away with it because the previous lesson needed nothing from me, but NO! We were all given a sheet with a list of questions, then put into pairs to ask said questions. My partner was the Lovely Raschida from Morocco (one of two Raschidas from Morocco in my class if you would believe me), and we were both pretty nervous. We had questions like where do you come from, do you have children, do you work, what are you doing on your summer vacation, and the most difficult question: Waar houd je helemaal niet van? Nobody seemed to be able to answer this question. I certainly couldn't understand the verb... I asked my neighbour and her sheet read "katten" which didn't make me any the wiser. We asked the teacher, who explained that it means what do we really dislike - hate, if you will. Then it clicked. Ik hou van Maarten, or ik houd helamaal niet van voetbal (I hate soccer).

Then we had a break. Mind you, the class had been running for 35 minutes at this point so we were all in desperate need of some time out. A break for 20 minutes, no less!

Once we came back to the class we discussed the Ttif Company House Rules (as in keep the toilet and coffee area clean), and finally how we can claim back travel expenses if we take the bus or train. Unfortunately those of us who will travel by bicycle are entitle to no recourse. Oh well, I'll have a healthy heart instead.

Lesson 3: We were given a handout which describes the inburgering examen, and then the teacher discussed what is expected and how it all works. Finally! After two years of waiting, two meetings with the Gemeente and two lessons all about inburgering, we actually found out what is expected at the end of the course!

The teacher kept telling us that we shouldn't think about the inburgering examen right now and that we should just focus on learning Dutch, but let's face it. More than half of the class I was in have been living in the Netherlands for more than 5 years. Some for almost 20! They clearly speak fluent Dutch and are only in the class to pass the A2/A1 level that is compulsory as an oudkomer. In my honest view, the lessons ans fluency are just a by-product of passing the exam, which is split into the following three options:

1. The practical exam. This means that you will need to obtain 30 signatures from people in specific departments, positions of authority or local business that attest to your ability to converse with them in Dutch. This involves processes like making a police report, opening a new bank account, changing your address at the local council etc. The teacher went into no details though, nor did she provide any examples. She merely pointed to a folder with a previous student's work.
2. The assessments. You may choose not to go down the portfolio path, and opt for taking 6 assessments instead. This is done in an exam type situation where you take part in a series of role plays that are similar to the scenarios that you would have to undertake if you were completing the portfolio option. You would have three hours to complete the exam and this is held only in Amsterdam. The teacher stressed that this is not an option for everyone. Most students opt to complete the portfolio (which sends me into fits of panic just thinking about it), but depending on your level and whether your teacher agrees, you may take the assessment option. Basically, it is only for the best students.
   
3. The combination. This is a hybrid of both options. You may complete 15 portfolio items and complete 3 assessments in the exam environment. It was not clear if you are given a large list of scenarios to obtain signatures for in your portfolio, or if you have only 15/30 and you must get them all signed off.

When I understand more, I will elaborate.

Then it was break time again for 20 minutes.

After the break, we played a game called Rondje Nederland. It is a game specifically developed for students of the inburgering curses, which could be very handy! It covers history, cities and provinces, culture etc. Much like Ik Hou van Holland, but more specific.

Lesson 4: This class was held completely independently on their custom computer system "Nieuweburen". We were all given logins and were left to our own devices. It's an online lesson system very similar to the course book "Nederlands voor Buitenlanders" and you watch a video then answer questions. The best part was that the system is all 100% online, so it can be used at home. The worst part is that the software is so old that it is not possible to use on either my work or home computer.

I discussed my future classes briefly with the teacher, and because I am yet to do the language level test (tomorrow!) (I have now done the test, see my new post The Entrance Exam), they do not know which class I should go into as yet. In the meantime I should begin learning by using the online program which I find is not possible.

All in all, when I look back at the four classes that I took time out of work specifically to attend, I feel they could (read: should) have been condensed into to two blocks. A class never lasted the full two hours and the time could have been used in a much more efficient manner.

I do feel better for knowing slightly more about the inburgering examen at the end and knowing that I can begin the portfolio almost immediately if I choose to follow that path.

Next stop: language test tomorrow at the Geldergroep here in Almere. Cross your fingers.

Kleine Introductie (heel, heel klein)

Today I was to present myself to the Ttif Company for my first introduction lesson for the inburgering curses at 13.30. I freaked out all morning. Honestly, I wonder sometimes how I managed to get to 30 years old and have the outward appearance of a friendly and reasonably outgoing person, when really I want to hide under my doona, but I digress.

So, I was quietly freaking out about what to expect, and how I was not going to understand anything and I was going to look stupid when a package arrived for me at work. Now the only package I have been expecting is the 'other' shoe that I had ordered from America for my wedding. There had been all sorts of mix ups with the shoes so far. First of all we couldn't get the credit card to work, then they sent two different sized shoes! So, upon sending me the correct size there was also a mixup, and they sent the wrong package which I had to reject (that was a difficult morning, let me tell you!) and then finally, the real package was held by TNT for two weeks, until it finally arrived today. And what an event! I was sent the shoe, along with an extra pair just for being so understanding about the whole incident!! The lesson learned today, it really pays not go turn into a Bridezilla at times! Again, I digress. Sorry.

It was with great trepidation that I headed to the lesson this afternoon. I met with the wonderful Maarten at the front door so he could give me a supportive kiss and hold my hand a bit, and then off I went. There was a group of twenty others or so, from all different locations. I heard names from all over. There was a Turk, a Korean, Indonesian, a Scot and plenty of others. Those were just the names and accents I could pick out. There was also a great mix of levels of understanding. One woman sounded like a native speaker - I couldn't understand her because she spoke so fast!

We met our main contacts, who's names escape me at the moment. But there were three people, and they were all lovely and welcoming. We went through what the process of the inburgering is, including how long it will take (up to 18 months), whether or not each person falls into the category of niewkomer (arriving after 01 JAN 2007) or oudkomer (arriving before 01 JAN 2007) and what level exam we would be expected to pass (A2 level for niewkomer and A1 for oudkomer, but to obtain a passport, even the oudkomer would need to pass the A2 level).

We were shown our course books as well. One was a Dutch language book, and the other was a Dutch culture book, to be used hand in hand. Both books were actually large folders and about 2kg per folder!! I will need a nice shiny new back pack to carry them to and from school (can't wait for the shopping part!).

All in all the first class was very positive. I surprised myself by being able to understand almost everything that was being said, so it turns out that my Dutch isn't so bad afterall. Our two contacts were most helpful by repeating almost everything in Dutch and English, but in all honesty I would have coped without the English. My biggest surprise was the length. The lesson was over in just under half an hour! I came out looking forward to tomorrow and hoping that the experience was going to be just as positive from now on. Until tomorrow....

And just for fun, here is a picture of my awesome wedding shoes!

Image courtesy of the wonderful Hey Lady Shoes.

Jip, meet Janneke

Well, actually it was Nerissa, meet Jaenneke, but you get the idea.

Today was my intake with the Ttif Company. Interesting location for a language school. Next to a casino, and upstairs to a nail salon (wonder if I can get a discount?). As is the norm, getting to the appointment on time was a challenge. I took the bus, and there was some sort of issue at one of the stops for about 10 minutes. Passengers were panicking and stamping their tickets in case it was control (I was a bit surprised at the number of ticket cheats, actually!), but it turned out that there was a shift change and the new driver hadn't finished his morning tea yet...

So, I was just in time for my appointment. I met my contact person, Jaenneke and she immediately started yabbering away in Dutch, so my first impression was somewhat coloured by frustration, but, she complimented me on my level of understanding so I was happy!

The intake was actually very short. Even though Maarten had called in advance to discuss whether or not it would be worth my going in today as I am yet to complete the competency test they said I should come in anyway. In hindsight I think it would have been more beneficial to have the intake after the test because we could not discuss much about the classes themselves. Mostly because we don't know which level I am at (I told her Jip and Janneke is about right), but we talked about my work and details of the lesson plans. Nothing too indepth, but enough to make me feel a bit better about the process.

Classes are three hours per lesson, twice per week beginning at 18.30, but there is no end date at this time. So, I could be attending Dutch lessons twice a week for the rest of my life for all I know!

So, I left the appointment after less than 20 minutes, and have been invited back for two introductory classes next week on Monday and Tuesday. I'm not sure what is involved, but hopefully it will be useful. One point to note, my contact person did not offer me any information on paper and she mumbled something about the inburgering rules having changed from a five year integration period to a three year period. So, according to new rules, I should pass the exam by 2012, rather than 2014 as I was told in the first instance. She also told me that I should not worry about it because there is too much conflicting information, so I was effectively none the wiser!

See you Monday, I'm off to Carnivale in Eindhoven this weekend.

Let's Get Integrated

So, back to the letter from three months ago. I was summonsed to the Gemeente Almere at a completely inappropriate time, which of course I could not make (working swinging shifts between 8am and 7pm has a bit of impact, you could say), so we rescheduled without any issue.

I met with my consultant who was kind enough to ask if we would prefer to speak in Dutch or English (what a relief! The consultant at the IND refused to speak English, so I was expecting the worst). However, she could not give me very much information. Basically she told me that as a condition of my residency I would be required to pass the inburgering exam within five years of the interview date. This was also good news, because I was under the impression that it was within 5 years of landing in the country (more that 18 months previously). Basically, your 5 year requirement to become integrated does not begin until the Gemeente begins the intake process. Depending on your local Gemeente, this could be a fast process, but it could also take a couple of years before you are contacted.

I was told that I have a couple of options. I could either accept their offer of paying for my education via their preferred language and integration school (the ROC Flevoland), or I could learn independently at my own expense (I have since received some conflicting information, but I'll get to that later). Now the only useful information that I had so far been able to find was from the forums within the Expatica website, but what was there was not consistent with what the consultant at the Gemeente was telling me. According to the Expatica forum, I could pass the NT2 level language course which would exempt me from having to go through the arduous portfolio (which I will have to clarify down the track when I know exactly what is involved), but according to the Gemeente I could study and pass the exam, but I would still be required to pass their inburgering curses, hence double the amount of work. So, of course I was not going to volunteer to study alone at my own expense and still follow their courses afterwards, so the NT2 course was crossed off the list.

Now I was back to only one option. Study at the ROC for minimum two classes per week at three hours per class and an absolute minimum of six months (before I was allowed to take the exam). It would be the sole responsibility of the teacher to ascertain when I would be 'eligible' to take the exams. None of it sounding particularly inviting. I really was not prepared to commit myself to a minimum six hours per week in classes in the evening in a location that is not "convenient" to either my home or my work, especially when there was the possibility that I would not be allowed to leave work until the same moment that the classes were scheduled to begin. Oh, did I mention that we were also in the process of moving house and planning a wedding?

Several blank looks (her) and cross words (me), we agreed that the Gemeente would contact me again in January to get the process rolling. However, I had to agree that my five years begins now, rather than in January. Fine. What's three months? In five years I might not even still be living here. Contact me in January. Just leave me alone right now.

Fast forward to January. No letter. Maybe (hopefully) they have forgotten me.

No such luck. The letter arrives on my door mat on 02 Feb with a summons for this coming Thursday (that's right, the day after tomorrow according to the letter) at 9am back to the Gemeente. This is where the fun really begins....

We arrived at the Gemeente in time (traffic slowed us down, as did lack of parking), but we were standing at the reception in the main hall before 9.00. There was one receptionist on duty. Helping a woman plan her wedding. All I wanted was a number and confirmation that I was there for my agreed appointment. There were three others in the queue ahead of me. All of a sudden a second receptionist appears, with coffee for everyone (on staff. She didn't ask me if I would like one). And another man decided to slip in front of myself and another person waiting for the only other receptionist. Nice. Luckily for me I am engaged to a big tough man who does not have any qualms taking on a hells angels wannabe. So while they were arguing, I was lucky enough to make it to the front of my queue and check in (it was now more than 10 minutes past 9). Oh, it's not necessary, I need to go to the Social department. Nice to know. Especially as every other time I have been forced to visit my local Gemeente I had to check in at reception first.

So, we almost sprinted down the corridor knowing that we were late, and we all know that the Dutch definition of late is waiting for the clock to finish chiming the hour before ringing the door bell, so I was automatically assuming that my appointment was cancelled an I would be expected to return home to wait for my nasty letter. However, I was in luck! I explained why we were late, and it seemed to be an acceptable reason. Perhaps I wasn't the first to fall foul to waiting in the incorrect location....

In sweeps Anita* who is my new consultant. My original consultant has since had a baby, and is not at work. I missed her already. She may not have been a wealth of information, but she had a nice vibe, and offered me a drink at least. According to Anita, there were no interview rooms left, so we were led to a cubicle amongst everybody else with space for only one person each side (interviewer and interviewee), although there were four of us. Anita immediately introduced herself and a colleague (all in Dutch and with no consideration that I may not understand everything) and we sat down to begin the interview.

I thought that this point would be most appropriate to point out that although I understand some Dutch, it is not up to the level of discussing this type of issue (i.e. what is expected of me in the inburgering process and how it all works), so Anita stated (in English, bless her) that she would continue in Dutch, and at any point that I did not understand, I should interrupt. So I interrupted. Which she did not appreciate. Anita was quite insistent that we continue the interview in Dutch, and I was just as insistent that we did not.

Eventually we moved past the language barrier, and were able to get on with the purpose of the visit. Unfortunately, I cannot volunteer much information on what is expected of me as part of the inburgering process, because there was no written information, and no explanation of the three branches that I could choose from. From memory (forgive me, it was difficult to figure out), there is a Work branch, a Family branch, and a Community branch, where you complete a 30 unit portfolio on the basis of which branch you choose. Anita decided that the work branch would be the most interesting and least difficult branch for me as I am already working, but could not tell me what is involved in this branch. I questioned her on the different options for the portfolios, because from what I understand, I will be expected to visit particular businesses or companies, and pretend to require their services in one way or another. For example, opening a bank account, or submitting a police report, or visiting a job agency. There is the option of taking an exam to cut the number of portfolios necessary in half, which is essentially a role play, with written and spoken assessments. There does not appear to be anyway to avoid the portfolios altogether, which quite frankly terrifies me!

We also discussed the methods of study. There were basically three options available to me from the Gemeente. 1. I could study at the ROC Flevoland. 2. I could study with Ttif Company, who are a specialised inburgering school, or 3. I could learn independently, the Gemeente giving me a budget of 6000 euros and I would be required to arrange my education myself, and ensure I pass the exams within 18 months (of this interview date). This option was touted as something that would be beneficial for me as I work full time. I asked Anita to provide me with information in the form of written documentation that I could take home about each option, but she could not. There was a small leaflet for the Ttif Company, but nothing about the ROC, and nothing to point me in any sort of direction for independent learning (obviously very independent!). Oh, and I had to accept their 'offer' then and there. Anita recommended the Ttif Company because of their more flexible teaching hours and methods, which to be perfectly honest was the only constructive point to come out of the entire meeting. However, the Ttif Company cannot officially test my Dutch levels, so I would need to go to the Geldergroep for that. However, Anita nor her colleague could tell me where this was located...

So, to recap, there was 1. no information regarding which branch would be best suited to me and my learning, and 2. no informations regarding the institutions that I would need to use, but I was still expected to make a choice and sign their offer on the spot. Nothing like feeling pressured into something. In all honesty, I do not know how you can avoid this situation. If you can enlighten me on your own experiences in this situation I would be very grateful!

In the end of this story, I signed the offer. Mostly because I couldn't understand what other option I had, and was sent home to await my invitation from both the Ttif Company and the Geldergroep, both of which have already arrived since! So, this Friday I'm off for my intake at the Ttif Company, and next week I have my Dutch level exam. I'll keep you posted on how they both go.


*Name changed

In the Beginning...

It began about three months ago. I received my very first summons, or "Intakegesprek" from the Gemeente Almere. I would be expected to present myself to the Sociale Afdeling at 11.00 on a Thursday morning to begin my integration process. Clearly this was not possible. I had to work.

Now, before I get into this, as my very first post in the blogosphere, let me give you some background information about me and my situation...

I met Maarten in 2005 while he was backpacking in Australia. He took a tour from Alice Springs to Uluru and Kings Canyon and I was his tour guide. I'm not sure if I need to expand on that... Fast forward two years, I had relocated to Edinbugh and Maarten came to visit. We had not seen each other since our Central Australian Adventure, but had stayed in contact via email and phone calls fairly regularly. So we took another tour, this time both as passengers, to the Isle of Skye and were joined at the hip from that point forward. We commuted back and forth between Edinburgh and Almere for almost a year, desperate to make the relationship work. It became very clear that the long distance relationship was not going to work and someone had to make the leap. That someone was me. Almost two years later we are planning a wedding, own our own home (well have a mortgage), and are arguing about whether or not we can get a cat (I want one, he doesn't). All in all, it is domestic paradise and we make each other very happy. But, it has taken a lot of effort to get to this point. Let me explain.

After much hoop jumping and a lot of money out of pocket later, I finally earned my residence permit as Maarten's "spouse." I initially arrived with a Working Holiday Visa, which for Australians (under 31) is the easiest and cheapest way into the country. The information on obtaining a Dutch residence permit can be obtained here. You will need your birth certificate when you arrive. Not for the IND (immigration), but for the Gemeente (City Council). They need it to register you in their system, but you can be registered without it, as an incomplete registration. From memory, the Gemeente does not have my birth certificate on file. Not because I didn't have it, but because I had not had it apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia. I assume it is a similar department in other countries.

You must be prepared to jump through quite a few hoops and run around in circles to get where you need to be amongst the bureaucracy in the Netherlands. You need to be registered at the Gemeente to obtain a visa, and you need to have a visa to register at the Gemeente. Before arriving, I prepared myself by obtaining a Schengen Visa, however as an Australian I don't believe this is necessary. I think we can come and stay initially for 90 days without any visa. This I found out afterwards, but because I stress very easily (you'll see later if you follow my inburgering process, I'm sure) I was pleased that I arranged it before landing. Because the information from the IND is quite often inconsistent, it can be quite a struggle to find your feet. The Schengen stamp in my passport informs me that I need to report to the "Aliens Police" within three days of arriving. This quite misleading. I interpreted this as being the Gemeente, when it actually means an IND office. You must make an appointment with the IND to obtain the visa. Because I did not know that the IND is the Aliens Police, I found out from the Gemeente that I was in the wrong place. Thankfully they could give me an incomplete registration which actually helped my cause! The earliest appointment I could make in Amsterdam was more than two weeks later, which was a problem as I was supposed to report within three days of landing, so we found an appointment in Zwolle, about an hour's drive north west of Almere the next day.

When we arrived in Zwolle, the process to obtain the WHV (working holiday visa) was very straight forward and cost me 20 euros (from memory, but it may have been 30). I was then able to work immediately and complete my registration with the Gemeente and obtain my BSN (burgerservicenummer), which is like a tax file number or National Insurance number or Social Security number. Without it you cannot be paid by your employer. Once your registration at the Gemeente is complete, the BSN comes through within two weeks. Note, you can work while you wait for the number, but you cannot be paid for it.

Fast forward six months we began the spouse permit application (as we were informed that we should expect the visa to take six months to process), so we headed back to the IND with our 830 euros in hand and submitted the application. You should note that it is important to bring all documents to the appointment. You will need to ensure you have a "No Recorded Result" notification from your home country's Department of Births Deaths and Marriage. You will also need this certificate to be apostilled the department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the same as your birth certificate. This apostille and certificate must have been issued within the last six months prior to lodging the application, and in Australia, it is not cheap. Be prepared to part with almost $100AUD for the certificate and apostille.

There is also a condition of obtaining Dutch Health Insurance. We found it was not necessary according to our consultant at the IND, only that we must have it before renewing the visa in 12 months time. Do NOT fall into this trap. I had travel insurance from World Nomads which was valid for a further six months, and according to the consultant, this would be OK. This is not true. Once the insurance policy ended, we applied for Dutch Health insurance via Zilveren Kruis only to be told that I must have insurance from the start date of my permit (six months previous) and that I would be expected to back pay to that date, with a discretionary 30% 'fine' on top of that amount. All in all, about 1000 euros. I am still watching the post every day, because this bill still hasn't arrived, more than six months further down the track!

On waiting for the spouse residence permit to come through, we found that rather than the six months we were expecting to have to wait, it came through in under six weeks! And that is including the Christmas and New Year period. Lucky me!

This has become much longer than anticipated for a small introduction to the Inburgering experience! We are now uptodate on my personal situation, and now ripe to be integrated. As I said earlier, I received my summons, and it was time. But time for what? Hopefully we can find out together....