My post in July was talking about my 3rd month of self-employed situation. This post is a follow up post.
“Into the 3rd month of self-employed, at least for July and August I have enough work to cover the basic living cost.”
Into the 5th month of self-employed and looking back what I’ve written here, and realized how naïve was I. To have enough work is not easy at all, but this is only one little challenge if compare to what I am facing now.
“The birthday’s trip to UK is not realistic at the moment, but I have not given up hope yet, I will leave the two weeks free.”
According to the situation now, both visa and financial reason, this is very unlikely to happen. Unless a miracle. I will still keep the two weeks free since I have nothing to lose.
PS Good bye and rest well to the Queen Elizabeth II, I’m going to miss her queen’s speech on Christmas day.
Back to the topic, what happened to me?
Where do I begin? (I know, I’m copying from a song title)
Let me begin with the 1st email I received this morning, a church withholding pay until I show them my not expiring work visa. My current visa is expiring soon. Although I worked during the time where I was having a visa, it just does not count. It is just the system, no one to blame. I asked, what if I failed in my visa application? The answer, we can only make the payment if you have the working visa.
Then I received a mail from the health insurance. They want me to prove how much I earn to adjust my insurance fee. I’ve sent them my income proof for the past months. It is not enough, they need an official “Estimate of income” from a tax consultant. If not, they are going to charge me €900 per month.
After that, I called the tax consultant that recommended by a friend. The answer I’ve got: “We’re not receiving any new customer.”
I have heard nothing from the foreign office since ages, I need to write to them soon, as the deadline is approaching again. My application of Artist Social Insurance (Künstlersozialkasse) is on hold because of visa expiring soon. I registered myself at the tax office, they still need documents from me. To deal with the tax office will be my tomorrow’s programme.
I think it is going to be a never ending story if I continue talking about this.
Regret?
Not at all. The life in this 4 months was exactly what I want to keep living for a long time. Because I spent time on the things that I truly care. I played organ/ piano at least in 8 churches, from city to village, historical organs to electronic organs. I did a farewell trip at Nuremberg, two important friends have left Germany for good. I went to a baptism of a family liked friend. I’ve been in my friend’s dreamy wedding in Italy. As a consequence of those wonderful trips, “The Journey” Blog and Youtube have more interesting contents. And this makes me very happy and it is very fulfilling.
Find an employer to save myself from all the headaches?
It will be only waste of time if I do that for it took me 2 years until I decided to leave my job. If I am going back to any employer, I could have stayed in my job. It has been proven, it did not work for me. What I am facing now are temporary challenges, I will just need to learn how to become a self-employed musician. If I never started to learn, I will never become one.
The situation is very frustrating, difficult and helpless. But which life has no difficulties? What is life if I am not doing what I am truly care? If I do not care about the things I truly care, how am I going to expect others to care about them?
The challenge is also part of a traveller life, which is the main theme of “The Journey”. Traveller is not holiday maker. Other than sunny beach and a nice cup of coffee, there are real challenges too. Non-fiction.
It’s just so good that I know my future is secured in His hand. Whatever I’m facing will lead me to a place where He has prepared for me. I’ll do everything I can and rest totally in His plan.
My good night story tonight is a story about Big Hat.
“You must know, too, that Big Hat is a magician, perhaps the greatest magician there has ever been in Lusatia, and that’s saying something. None of us here knows half as much of the Art of Arts as Big Hat has in his little finger. Yet he has remained a journeyman all his life, not wanting to be a master miller or anything greater, like a bailiff or a justice, maybe, or a courtier even, though he easily could have been, if he had wanted. But there you are, he didn’t. And why not? Because he’s his own master, and so he means to remain, a free man going from mill to mill as it suits him in summertime, with no one to give him orders or take orders from him—that’s what he likes, and by heaven, that’s what I’d like too if I could choose!”
From “Krabat” by Otfried Preußler
Note:
Into the 3rd month of self-employed musician
https://thejourney-writing.com/2022/07/into-the-3rd-month-of-self-employed-musician.html
