Somewhat tattered at the edges

First thing off to the local parish council to find out how to apply for German citizenship. As everywhere else, the same question "Why do the Brits want to leave?"

Discovered I need to apply at the county offices. So back home phoned the offices in Mindelheim and spoke to someone from the "Foreigners Desk". Now I got to hear exactly what people like Boris and Nigel didn't want to hear. I need to have lived here at least 8 years, not be receiving social security, not have a criminal record, not this not that and the very first thing I need to have is a certificate from a school of further education that my written and spoken German allows me to lead a normal life. I will then also have to take a written 20 question test at the council offices on the laws and customs in Germany, 6 of these questions on Bavarian laws and customs.

At this stage having spoken to the state employee in I think near perfect German, I asked him if I would also need to prove my knowledge of the Swabian dialect (type of Bavarian spoken here). As probably to be expected everywhere in the world with civil servants, I got the reply "I am not sure, my boss is on holiday this week but once you have the German certificate, make an appointment at our offices and we can check on this"

Oh boy it would be a lot easier for us all if we just simply forgot all this nonsense.

The Blip is a sticker on my car put there in September 2011 for our last holiday. It was done as a bit of a joke as my brother in law a proud Bavarian has the Bavarian flag on his car and we were driving in convoy. We then got in to a flag race with me heaving the Red Duster on my inflatable boat and a Union Jack on top of the mast as a wind tell-tale.

Interestingly I noted that a LandRover in Ottobeuren which has been featured in the past on Blip and also had a Union Jack sticker in the back window, no longer does! I haven't had the chance to speak to the exPat owner.