I like the films of Peter Greenaway. They somehow give you the sensation of a painting and an opera put together and filmed without the actual music. The above mentioned film was probably the first I saw by him many years ago. Its morbid humor reminds me a little bit of my present situation. I have also been drowned by numbers recently.

The last week, which was as a matter of fact the real first week of our stay in the United States, was really focused on numbers. (I wrote real first week because the week before in Washington DC was a “well-sheltered” one with all the exchange teachers and AED staff giving us a real multicultural and non-national feeling.)

            This week I had many things to obtain as far as documents are concerned. And days went by endlessly concentrating on numbers. My social security number, to start with, the number of dollars on a check which was difficult enough to cash. The number of my hairs cut for a drug test. The six identification points needed by the DMV that could not include my infamous international driver’s license of course and could - I think by luck (?) - include my Hungarian driver’s license for half a point (!!!) and my health card for an other half.  (Interestingly enough my OTP Visa bank card was taken immediately as an important source of identification everywhere.)

            I’m sure offices are hard to deal with whatever country you go to around the world. Hopefully, once I get over the first 200 important numbers in the United States, my life suddenly will turn livable at last. Until that I keep my spirits up by hoping for the best.

            Mark is to leave today. I do wish him all the luck with the Hungarian authorities. I have no doubt though that he will be able to give us an interesting insight into the other side of the coin very soon.