it's not that i don't like my job, i swear, i really do enjoy it and i sure think that i could not have found anything better. i cannot picture myself as a waitress or a cashier. but today i wish i had more work to do because in days like this one, i can get pretty bored. the new kids have just arrived and there is no real problem yet, nothing for me to try to fix. for a few hours now, i've been doing nothing but drawing. i first started on a small notebook, but after a while, i decided to actually do it on a proper sheet of paper to be able to add it to my personal book.
Halfway to finishing my colorful feather, i hear a knock on the door. in a hurry, i put the drawing in the first drawer of the desk before yelling : come on in !

I have never been good at being organised. So much that when it was officially planned that I would go to Help Yourself, I put all the documents I thought could be necessary in a folder and that was it. Surely, most of these papers won't be useful, but at least, I would have them, just in case. Besides, I did not really know the meaning of most of them.
So, when I received an email telling me that there was an issue with my application, my first thought was to go back to my host family - 10 km from the institute - and go check what was wrong at the administration office. When I arrived there - not so easily -, I noticed that the place was pratically deserted. Should I come back later? Was it closed? I dared to knock on the door anyway : I had nothing to lose - or do. Quickly, a voice came up, inviting me in. I entered the office, then looked towards the red-haired girl. « Hello, sorry to bother you. I’ve received an email telling me that there was an issue with something on my application. My name’s Oskar Sørensen.  »

Hj : Je me suis permis, j'espère que ça t'ira ♥

i look up as a handsome young man opens the door. i smile, silently greeting him, making room on the desk for the eventual paperwork he might hand me out. « hello, sorry to bother you. » « hi, sit down. » « i’ve received an email telling me that there was an issue with something on my application. my name’s oskar sørensen. » i frown as i hear this name, i'm positive that i'm not familiar with it, meaning that whatever is missing mustn't be something too serious. « let me check. it's oskar, with a k, right?» with a last name like sorensen, he must be from scandinavia. i'm getting surprisingly used to recognizing foreign names and nationalities. i don't even wait for the answer to type his name on the computer.

I take a seat after having introduced myself as well as the reason why I was there. I can't help but take a look at all the paperwork on the girl's desk. Apparently, working at Help Yourself is a busy task. Which is not so surprising, after having given it a thought, for the huge number of students there was at the welcoming day. « let me check. it's oskar, with a k, right? » I nod. Yeah, I should have clarified that in the first place. « do you need my ID or my application form or something? » I ask, trying to be helpful. Without waiting for an answer, I take my folder from my bagpack and look at the employee. She seems young, around my age, which makes me a bit curious. « Have you been working there for a long time? I think I saw you at the Welcoming Day. »

the computer is so slow it's driving me crazy. i've told them a hundred times that they are too old and need to be changed but they don't seem to be willing to replace them. « do you need my id or my application form or something? » i answer, looking at the screen again : well, let me check what is lacking and i'll tell you. i tap my fingers on the desk. waiting is truly something i hate. well, that's not exactly accurate. give me a pen and a piece of paper and i can wait for hours, drawing tiny characters. but deprive me of any source of distraction and you lose me. « Have you been working there for a long time? I think I saw you at the welcoming day. » that's possible indeed, i stopped by for a little while. but yes, i've worked here for... i'd say about six months... and i stop there as i notice a change on the screen. finally. used to this kind of situation, it doesn't take me long to figure out what's wrong. ok, so don't worry, the only thing missing is your picture. would you rather have me taking your photo right now, or or do you prefer bringing me one later? believe it or not, it's one of the most common "application issues" we have, so i decided to always have my camera with me to be able to fix it as quickly as possible whenever it happens. i'm not sure my bosses would approve this technique, but it works.

I can't help but notice that she looks a bit tense, this employee. I look around, waiting in silence once she’s told me that she needs to check what's the matter with my application. There's always something wrong with my applications, that's kind of crazy. I can look at them thousands of times, there's always something I've missed. Fortunately, it does not seem to be anything important, for if it was, I would not be there. I bring my attention to the girl once again, and dare to ask her if she was at the welcoming day, finding the silence a bit awkward. “that's possible indeed, i stopped by for a little while. but yes, i've worked here for... i'd say about six months...” “Oh, that’s nice.” I say. I realize that really, I can’t know if it’s a good place to work for, but well, she does not seem depressed or anything. Just a bit annoyed. “ok, so don't worry, the only thing missing is your picture. would you rather have me taking your photo right now, or do you prefer bringing me one later?” I frown. My picture? It probably slipped or something, I’m pretty sure it was on the form when I sent it. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, since the issue can be solved easily. “Well, let’s take it right now, like that it’ll be done.” I raise my eyes on her, waiting for some instructions to follow. While she's getting her camera ready, I suddenly ask her, reminding another thing I have to solve: “There's something else I was wondering.” I pause, as if waiting for her approval to go on. “There's a grant in my school I can get for being here. But for that, I need a signature confirming that I'm really at Help Yourself. Do you think you could sign the document for me?”  

my face lights up instantly as he asks me to take his picture. i know it's not much, but the only idea of turning my camera on is enough to make me happy. obviously it isn't going to be the best picture of my life, just a simple portrait in front of a white wall, but still. while setting up the modes according to the room's lighting, i am interrupted by a question. “There's a grant in my school I can get for being here. But for that, I need a signature confirming that I'm really at Help Yourself. Do you think you could sign it for me?”
it's still with a friendly tone and a smile on my face that i answer, though not looking up : yeah, sure, no probem ! i end up looking at him, doubtfully before adding. well... i'm not sure. would you mind showing me the form? i need to check that i have the legitimacy to sign it for you. but even if i don't, i'll make sure that someone who does signs it.

I obediently follow her instructions and in less than a minute, my photo has been shot. Well, one good thing done for today. “Thanks.” I voice politely. “Is it all?” I inquire, getting back to the office. Then, aspiring to kill two birds with the same rock, I ask her if she thinks she could sign me the document that would allow me to receive a grant I’m eligible to. She accepts, before delivering some doubts, to which I can’t help but smile nicely. “Sure.” I reply when she informs me she needs to check the form. I rummaged through my folder and after a minute, I hand her the document. “Here it is. Hum. Wait a sec.” I look at the paper after having given it to her, afraid everything was written in Danish. I allow myself to take it back, turning it over. “Yeah, sorry. This side has English translations.” I apologetically smile. I don’t expect her to read Danish – who does? Really, I don’t think that my native language is the most beautiful on earth, some people tend to consider it as if we would speak with a hot potato in our mouth – which is a bit offensive by the way, but well. A good point is that it has some similarities with other Scandinavian languages though, which makes it easier for me to understand Norwegian, Finnish or Swedish. Anyway, I eye her while she’s reading, and friendly comment the fact that it looks like we are the two only souls wandering in this part of the building: “It seems to be pretty calm, today.”