Those germans!!!

Well our first week in our new office has been quite an experience. Armin
is only in the office late at night, so I am up here on this hill all alone
during the day, just me and Angus. On Monday a man came from some
department of the government to "control" the office... he wanted to check
that we have everything required by law for our employees. Since only the
office is finished he kindly said he would come back in the fall, he was
very nice.

On Tuesday another man came from the government, once again to "control" the
employees, same kind of stuff as the 1st man, just another branch of the
government. Since only the office is finished he kindly said he would come
back in the fall, he was very nice too. Both of these men showed me ID,
even though it meant nothing to me.

Then on Wednesday, there was loud knocking on the office door and I walked
down the stairs to see about 15 MEN CONVERGING ON MY WHOLE BUILDING! They
were all dressed in plain clothes, jeans and stuff, and had arrived in
several dark colored cars and a white van. I opened the door and some of
them came in. The one in charge spoke to me but I only understood the
words customs and control the employees! They were looking everywhere and
looking at me quite strangely. I was very uncomfortable not know WHO OR
WHAT they were. When the leader realized that I spoke better English than
German, he spoke to the others.."ENGLISH!" and then another one came from
the rear and began questioning me in English. He wanted to know where the
employees were, if I was alone, what I was doing...he then realized that
there was a business working out this building and asked if it was mine, I
QUICKLY said NO, IT'S MY HUSBANDS! He then wanted all the details about our
buisness, what we did, how many employees etc. I was so puzzeled and he
could see it. They all started smiling at each other then just said, this
IS your address for the buisiness, Schleehofstr. 14? I said yes and he said
OK, fine. Then, they all packed up and left.

I didn't see or talk to Armin until he came home for lunch. I explained to
him what had happened and he was shocked too. He said that's never happened
to his business before. Then the more we talked about it, it began to
become clear what they had really been there to do and why. Our building
looks and is still very much under construction, even though no one but me
is working here right now. But the company that built the structure still
has their mobile office here and their workers meet here each morning before
going in company trucks to their new jobsite, leaving their autos out front
on the street. The men had been with the german immigration police.
Someone must have called in that there were illegal aliens working at this
address! When they arrived they saw all the cars and came in to carry off
any illegals in there van that were working on the jobsite, they really had
no interest in our buisiness or employees! So yes, I got raided on my 3rd
day here in our new office. Armin said that they should have shown me some
ID and never open the door again unless I see ID...LIKE GERMAN ID IS GOING
TO MEAN ALOT TO ME THRU A GLASS DOOR?!?!? What an experience.

So how's things going with you? I got the aol thing and will try to get
that set up. But mostly when you are online at your house, I'm asleep.
Write when you can!

Connie